It's basically the same topic on this thread :
https://www.redguides.com/community/threads/best-beastlord-group.70932/#post-403594
Here are my points on this topic :
Most folks on here don't talk about a group that you go back and do previous content with. The reason I bring this up is there is a huge difference in building a group to go out in the open and single pull on AFK, vs building a team to do content and gain Herioc Stats etc.
Most of the box groups that spot a Warrior will use a Chanter or main a puller Bard / monk and AFK the Warrior. In this set up the warrior is by far the easiest to box.
If you Main the tank, like alot of us, then the SK throughout all content has tools that neither Warrior or Pally has and frankly is fun as hell to play.
ToV obvsiously is undead so Pallys are getting some better love, but for most of the content, they swing a butter knife.
Personally I have built and went through content with several different groups, but the group I love and consistently destroy confidently with is:
SK - Fully Play with no Macro's ( Some use KISS for buffs, but it will consistently re-target you and cast self buffs at in-opportune times. ( Its possible to become better at MQ2 and other stuff to influence this, but I have not dove into it )
Cleric - Hands down the best healer , group heals , can rez in combat, group HP buffs etc. Group heal also cures.
----- When Tank is buff , can swap out for Shammy just farming trash and keep up well if u are keeping pulls down to 1 or 2 but duplicates BST funtionality and dont need mana regen
BST -SWISS Army knife..... Off tank, side puller, Spot healer ( with AA and gear can keep tank up if cleric dies on an SK- easy) Solid DPS , Buffs, Buffs, Buffs. and more buffs( Not quite Sham, Ranger, Bard, but plenty enough boost - TBL Dissident progession gives group proc buff that really makes the melee dps go nuts every 60 seconds )
Zerk - 1... even in Tier 1 non=prestige gear on Silver account will out DPS everything but a rogue
Zerk - 2... ....Decap isn't limited to human type mobs which is what restricts Ranger/Rogue
and finally.. I have a Chanter.
Auras, great DPS buffs ( offsets alot of BARD imo ) some DPS, absolute lockdown , cripple, slow, and runes if needed.
Parse a Warrior and Bard pulling and tanking which is single or 2 normally at max.. then parse an SK bringing back 6-10 mobs and having them parked where you dont stop dps.... ( Again play style dictates what you like, single pulls ../bleh
)
Between the SK, BST feeding mana and endurance back, my zerkers usually never fall bellow 80%,
Overall the utility buffs of an Enchanter, BL, Cleric are terrific and it allows you to double invis the group except the SK, which can easily flop around / self change invis type instantly with AA's, to a camp or use Fellowship etc. ( Double invis is a great song/AA from a bard as utility, but this group has the buffs also )
Bards: Great class if played live can make a difference, but as a box.... just dont think the dps boost over a chanter overall is a time saver at all................. overhaste... 217%( Hopefully everyone has clicked an ACoF on there main melee boxers ) haste vs 225% haste... someone please find me a parse when mobs die in under 15 seconds where this really matters......, which is about the average on trash mobs for a main group.
I do have 7 accounts and can mix and match Shm/Bard for Cleric/Chanter or Bard/Rogue for Zerker/Chanter --- 7th account I have Bard/Mage/Ranger (Outside DPS or COTH, or forager etc )
----- When you start making new toons ALWAYS ALWAYS plan ahead of how to swap classes into your main box and stack them accordingly on your accounts or you will really hate yourself in 6 months !! ----
also --------------------------------------------------------------
There will be plenty of HA's and named that you will end up using both a cleric and shammy until your warrior is max AA, close to ideal Type 5 and Type 7 augs and have the gear, so I strongly encourage putting the shammy under a DPS .. basically anything other then the cleric.
Stacking accounts that I have
1. SK /Tank
2. Cleric
3. BL
4. Enchanter / Shammy - Shammy doesn't need crack and with secondary healing and his crazy slows you can tank 2-3 when CC isn't needed when you run with cleric.
Also both HP auras of Shammy and Cleric stack for the group which adds a TON of HP when you are leveling.
5. Zerker / Rogue / Wizzy --- utility DPS slot
6 Zerk/Monk/Druid
7- Bard / Mage / Ranger ( 7th Account )
Again, its your play-style and how fast you want to plow content and how many times you want to wipe and recover =P
Personally the functionality of a BL and Bard to a group doesn't stack and synergize as well as others, but most of us have level 100+ alts stacked across all our accounts trying to master where to put what classes until we settle on the one we want to main.