I just started playing again, and doing what I did back in the day and just playing some classes through tortage.
Im looking for classes with survivability, and played a necro for the first time. I tried a ToS before this, and gave up because i just couldnt keep up. Back when I played, ToS was a beast. I also tried playing my level 25 demo and have to keep pulls down to 2 at my level or i get wrecked. i have a HoX around level 53 and I’ve always felt that class fit my playstyle, and I could keep him up no problem. I played a Dark Templar back in the day, only mid 20 but i found no benefit from any of their leech effects and the damage output was sub-par imo
So, I guess im wondering where do the following classes stand as far as ease of play and do any of them begin to excel after 20 or become squishy? Oh, just to add, after playing a necromancer I dont think I’ll find a class that can compare to it.
Demonologist
Herald Of Xotli
Dark Templar
Tempest of Set
Demo will feel better around lvl 50 but its a class that requires well timed CCs and alot of Kiting while trying to Stack Damage. Better Spell Range helps alot too as do Intelligence and Magic Damage Stats. End Game its pretty easy and you have less things to worry about.
HoX i wish its Demon form would benefit from some better Survivability but in short its fast in dmg output. I think of it as a Breath Fire constantly Playstyle and Burn things in close range.
ToS was the first class i ever tried and i got dissapointed when i found out that his Light Armor means nothing and that his Shield - Spear - Blunt are just looking pretty with their Wisdom stats. But then again all Mage Classes suffer from lack of Magic Melee Mechanics that never made it past Release into the Game. This class (ToS) has been left forgotten. But in PvE Raids it has fine DPS and Heals. Frustrating to level though.
DT will feel slow at first around lvl 40 its better once you get some Magic Damage stuff and at Endgame it becomes good with VoM. Then it requires alot of Critical Rating to make VoM perform good and Gear till you reach Protection and Mitigation Thresholds. Its a beast at the end but lacks Aggro Control. Sometimes if you want to leave Aggro for another Tank its just impossible.
From the Tanks Guard has been Forgotten DT is still Broken and Conqueror has Awoken
so it sounds like not much has changed, really at all. I guess thats good and bad. Good, in that i dont have to really re-learn anything, but bad because i was hoping for some tweaks to the demo pet and better life leeching from the DT.
Im sure some things have been tweaked a little, but overall not much.
are there any general “unpopular” classes that tend to not be wanted in group content (to include necro in this group) or any that tend to be a necessity?
ToS becomes strong once you got the Storm Field spell, especially when you are around level 60 and above because you can invest points into a skill that makes it cast faster while also doing more damage.
At the same time on those higher levels you have more AoE spells available which creates lots of synergies with Storm Field.
But yeah, in the beginning, from around 25 - 50, the ToS can feel very weak and vulnerable. A good shield can help at times, increasing your physical mitigation a bit. Magic bosses on the other hand should be fairly easy to kill though (with the magic bubble skilled and the protection spells).
Still though, even on those lower levels you can farm enemies quiet efficient with Storm Field and some other spells, it just requires lots of careful kiting and jumping.
DT life leech becomes really good in high levels. I would say Ranger is a class that doesn’t offer that much in Raids early compared to other classes and Onslaught scenarios but there is many setups that can benefit from a Ranger. Necro is good no matter the setup i believe. Its a great class and his Debuff capability is really vital in Raids.
A setup in which HoX finds itself not wanted is Yakhmar Raid mostly beyond that its fine and he can always stay on the Group that takes the adds so not much of a problem. Besides there is alot of Conquerors who sometimes by mistake have their Fire Banner active.
For Tanks it really depends on your Gear mostly and your capability to hold Aggro as well as Survive. Some Tanks require more AA work then others. Guard seems the easiest because of his Aggro tools and less Gear Dependancy only bad thing is to keep up with Talisman wielding DTs Aggro in some fights but if he can hold it and survive its ok.
I doubt a Class would be left out from any form of Group content as long as he performs good.
DPS classes are less AA or Gear dependant for sure.
I think there is also a lack of Healers most of the time. ToS is really great in that regard especially his DPS support.
There is also the matter of Builds. DPS is certainly better in regards to which build you’re going to use while Tanks have to take their Builds really into consideration and maybe even swap Specializations. That is also true for some AA Perks. There are all in one options too and some stuff requires them.
For example Tank DPS oriented Specs.
Tempest Guard will lack some Aggro tools so it has to compensate by running Provoke only maybe even use Goad Irritate more frequently and Crit in unshielded sides alot.
Talisman DTs need good Survivability first other than that they do very well except T5 Raids.
Carnage Conquerors wont be able to tank in that spec and survive effectively. You also lack the Aggro tools of a Brute. Not a problem if you are Off Tanking of course.
I would say Conqueror is more Gear Dependant in both Weapons and Armor Sets.
Everyone and their Grandma is playing Necro and Ranger in both PvE and PvP. Especially PvP.
You wont find any other Tank then Conqueror in PvP running around with Lumbering Hulk active and spamming Hail of Furious Strikes Burst of Aggresion and a Bubble there and there. And Cling Clang Clong Cling Clang Cling Combo Khitai Rank Feint Attack
But hey at least it requires Skill. Unlike Ranger or Necro.
Necro is even more stupid: Ice Strike - Sprint Jump Kite - Spam CC Freeze - Ice Strike - Sprint Jump Kite - Sprint Jump Kite - Sprint Jump Kite - Spam CC Freeze - Ice Strike - Sprint Jump Kite - Sprint Jump Kite
And then we have Demo: Run Sprint Jump Kite Shockstrike. It does all together. Until it casts CC and hits a Flame Spell and resumes Run Sprint Jump Kite while casting Shockstrike