Question - Suggestions welcome

[WiseTrapper]

usually I prefer caster groups and have a pretty strong set up for that now, but I've been making a second group for melee.
Currently have established Shadowknight, Shaman, Bard, Rogue, Berserker - need a class for the last spot.
Already have a beastlord in my caster group, was wanting to try something different.
What about monks? Are they strong? Maybe a ranger - already have a tracker with the bard, but ranger has some good ATK buffs right?

 

[wired420]

I'm running SK, Shm, Brd, Rng, Rog, Bst and it's probably my favorite combo I've run so far

 

[DEADCiTiES]

I vote to add a Beastlord and I think you'll love it. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but Monks and Rangers are selfish with respect to the groups synergy. The Beastlord will add synergy to the group. No disrespect to Monks and Rangers. I can't remember if it was Monk/Ranger/Rogues who were the selfish ones with respect to group synergy. I haven't played either of the classes in a group setting.

 

[WiseTrapper]

Right, already have beastlord i can switch in - looking for something other than a beastlord - thanks for the reply though.

forgot to mention, has to be solid as FTP (will max aa and farm top non-prestige gear

 

[Turaj Steelfist]

Ranger would be my advice. It will add buffs that your other toons will want and it is nice dps with other nifty additions as well.

 

[WiseTrapper]

bow or melee with ranger?

 

[Lord Sivion]

Warrior or Ranger

 

[ralen]

Add another rogue or berserker. Rogue I think has the edge when fully geared up.

I ran ber/ber for ToL, swapped in a rog for this expansion for poisons, and couldn't be happier. Also have a 120rng that doesn't get used. Rng is super handy for solo play with all the utility, but I didn't find the class as useful in a full group.

 

[Dobber123]

@WiseTrapper bow if you can head shot. I think rangers have a pretty high proc rate as well

 

[Redmonkey]

Ranger - melee at lower levels and after 85 then bow. Make sure you get all his AA, the right quiver and the right arrow. Park, plink and watch them die

pewpewpew

 

[Hulkman]

I personally would add a mage to the last spot , or BeastLord .

Reason is , if your SK goes down, you will have a backup tank ( mage pet or Beastlord pet), without a backup your whole team goes down

That is pure strategic advise

 

[Kasino7]

I would suggest beastlord as their ADPS in a melee group are amazing. Other than that, Ranger would be a close second. Either way both are fun.


Perhaps switch beastlord to melee group and backfill with a caster??

 

[Magoo]

My ranger, with bow on headshootable mobs, is comparable to my rogue. Both about 1.2m dps.

Ranger melee, on mobs neither can headshoot/assasinate, is usually lower though.

 

[Cannonballdex]

usually I prefer caster groups and have a pretty strong set up for that now, but I've been making a second group for melee.
Currently have established Shadowknight, Shaman, Bard, Rogue, Berserker - need a class for the last spot.
Already have a beastlord in my caster group, was wanting to try something different.
What about monks? Are they strong? Maybe a ranger - already have a tracker with the bard, but ranger has some good ATK buffs right?

Cleric would do that group justice, cleric on main heals, shaman on back up heals throwing buffs , debuffs and dots.

 

[Risunabe]

usually I prefer caster groups and have a pretty strong set up for that now, but I've been making a second group for melee.
Currently have established Shadowknight, Shaman, Bard, Rogue, Berserker - need a class for the last spot.
Already have a beastlord in my caster group, was wanting to try something different.
What about monks? Are they strong? Maybe a ranger - already have a tracker with the bard, but ranger has some good ATK buffs right?

I'm running SK/Shm/Brd/Bst/Rog/Mnk and at 117 with ~8k AA above auto-grant and mostly ToL group gear, the Bst(2x 1hb) and Mnk(2hb) parse similarly.
Over an 8 hour run of Restless Assault mission flipping
Monk: 355k DPS
Bst: 348k DPS
Rog: 405k DPS.

I've been pretty happy with the monk on the survivability front, plus they do a pretty decent job sharing tanking duties w/ the BL pet when the SK goes down.

 

[hackzimus]

My suggestions would be cleric,bst, zerk or rogue

Cleric can let shaman focus on dots and adps, also rounds out your buffs without needing the merc. helps to have 2 healers if youre FTP or squishy for some nameds

BST for reasons said above, adps/pet tank

a second zerk or rogue. possibility of using alliances. I'm partial to my rogue for his assassinate.

 

[Zeusdracco]

um. u have 5 great classes already. strong tank, heals and buffage/debuffage... and cc... and group songs for anything u want. I went bst? for my 5th. rest r the same. played alot of variations on shaman/sk . i really enjoy the bst. u get that sweet 100 lv group attack buff plus pet doesn't hurt, extra slow/debuff if u set it right so it doesn't cause issues for shaman... Ranger would fit in real nice too due to their group boosts on names. seeing as the only time u really give a crap about "extra" is on names... plus even more attack benefits for the rogue and zerker in group. u could pretty much put a lv 12 druid in that group and be fine ( i mean... invised with itu... of course.)

My bst account has a max aa rogue and some other 120's that r fun. so i sometimes just toss a different toon in to see if i enjoy a new flavor for a day. 2 rogues is kinda hilarious in maidens eye for example on the Akhevans ( u know, if u have the urge to pl a lower lv or lower aa toon.. shit dies FAST with 2 rogues assassinating

Ya want range? ya want more melee, u want defensive mitigation or healing +... pick and do. hell. u could even add a pallie if u felt like punching yourself in the nads.. Undead.. pallie... i mean, its like dating the nerd but everyone needs love amirite?

Pick... play. repick, replay. rinse > repeat, til u find your mojo

best of fun, enjoy

ZD

 

[Sippi]

I feel the best spot to fill that one is Beastlord, but since you don't want it because it's in your caster group, I understand it. However, have you thought about adding another caster and moving your BL to the melee group? I believe that's your best combination.

If you are against that, I'd add another Berzerker or another Rogue.

 

[ToeJamSamy]

My ranger, with bow on headshootable mobs, is comparable to my rogue. Both about 1.2m dps.

Ranger melee, on mobs neither can headshoot/assasinate, is usually lower though.

I hope your ranger does more than just melee though. Can cast nonstop too and the only one that'll still have Mana by the time rgr runs out is a canni shm.

Also, can backup tank, backup heal, pull, some cc, and several nice grp burns and buffs

 

[knightdane]

usually I prefer caster groups and have a pretty strong set up for that now, but I've been making a second group for melee.
Currently have established Shadowknight, Shaman, Bard, Rogue, Berserker - need a class for the last spot.
Already have a beastlord in my caster group, was wanting to try something different.
What about monks? Are they strong? Maybe a ranger - already have a tracker with the bard, but ranger has some good ATK buffs right?

Monks could be fun. Gives you another pull option, and they are so strong on dps. And easy to use.

Ranger have some good atk buffs, and can do really solid dps.

 

[stvski]

two rogs are better than one -- give your tank the proc potions and enjoy the rog power

 

[WiseTrapper]

I feel the best spot to fill that one is Beastlord, but since you don't want it because it's in your caster group, I understand it. However, have you thought about adding another caster and moving your BL to the melee group? I believe that's your best combination.

If you are against that, I'd add another Berzerker or another Rogue.

I have been using the beastlord in the melee group as I am experimenting. I'm trying to split the shaman and the beastlord. My thinking was the shaman would be better in melee and beast in caster, but maybe I have it backwards. Of course, I could raise another beastlord.

 

[Kazimere]

I'm running SK, Shm, Brd, Rng, Rog, Bst and it's probably my favorite combo I've run so far

This is what I run and it’s amazing.

to The OP. You really can’t go wrong with a ranger. If the rogue can assassinate it, the ranger can headshot it, and it brings other stuff to the party to boot. It chews through mana as bad as a BST though. Adding another rogue or going with a Zerker is fine as well. Your sustain will take a hit with the Zerker, but it’s not world ending. I’m not a big fan of casters in group content, but that’s just me.

I have been using the beastlord in the melee group as I am experimenting. I'm trying to split the shaman and the beastlord. My thinking was the shaman would be better in melee and beast in caster, but maybe I have it backwards. Of course, I could raise another beastlord.

BST Is good in either melee or caster groups, but is better in melee. You never go wrong putting a SHM and a BST together. You can also absolutely raise another bst. That melee setup will blow stuff up.

I vote to add a Beastlord and I think you'll love it. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but Monks and Rangers are selfish with respect to the groups synergy. The Beastlord will add synergy to the group. No disrespect to Monks and Rangers. I can't remember if it was Monk/Ranger/Rogues who were the selfish ones with respect to group synergy. I haven't played either of the classes in a group setting.

Nah, Rangers aren’t selfish. They bring solid buffs and aDPS. Optimal melee group would be SHM,BRD,BST,RNG,ROG,ZERK. All the good stuff.

 

[CheshireGat]

Optimal melee group would be SHM,BRD,BST,RNG,ROG,ZERK. All the good stuff.

Who's tanking here?
Can the BST's warder hold agro long enough as the primary tank?

 

[Kazimere]

Who's tanking here?
Can the BST's warder hold agro long enough as the primary tank?

That’s a raid setup, I remove the Zerker and but SHD in for normal stuff.

 

[WiseTrapper]

Well thanks for you folks great suggestions. I've decided to leave the beastlord in the melee and ground and put a necromancer in the caster group in it's place.
SK-SHM-ENC-MAG-MAG-NEC
SK-CLR-BRD-ROG-BER-BST