Kilsin said:What makes you choose your main class in an MMORPG, do you judge based on utility, power, solo-ability, group roles or something else entirely? #MMORPG #communitymatters
I chose my class based on what "felt right". Not the most powerful. Not that could solo the best. Just what felt right.
For me, it's about the RPG fantasy. When I'm getting into a game, I read all about the classes and the lore and the flavor- and then I pick whatever resonnates with me.
For Pantheon, that's going to be the Enchanter. In Dungeons and Dragons, I once played a Wizard who refused to use damage spells. You'd think that would be a horrible decision, but it turns out that very often, the most impactful spells do not deal damage.
In our first boss fight, I levitated the boss away from the party. He was a melee-focused character that hit like a truck and was swinging multiple times per turn against our low-level party. It turns out he didn't have any ranged attacks. The boss floated in the air harmlessly, the party took out his henchmen while the boss just floated in the air, angry and impotent. Alone, the boss was not nearly as much of a threat. We finished the fight without major difficulty and more resources left over than the GM was expecting.
I never played EQ, but the idea of having Crowd Control be a 4th pillar to support the usual Holy Trinity resonates with me. I'm in love with the idea of a character who can take an "it's a wipe" situation and turn it into a beautiful, orderly symphony of murder without ever firing a shot.
I've actually been getting so excited about the idea that I'm going to install Project 1999 to see how it worked in the old days. Can't wait for my turn to play Pantheon.
I'm not a "leader of men", so I usually avoid tanks and other pulling classes. But I do like to play a crucial part in the groups succes or failure. DPS doesn't really interest me, so I have often played a healer. In Pantheon I will probably test myself as an Enchanter (or Bard, if possible). But I'll try most classes during beta before I decide on my first after-launch main.
First character that I ever made was Dwarf Paladin in Everquest due to my love of Frog from Chrono Trigger and Cecil from FFIV mostly Frog though haha. I kind of just fell in love with being a short messiah after that and got a bit lucky as well that the role of tank fit me best. Not all Paladin's are made equal though for me if the Paladin can't heal the group while tanking its not really a Paladin so any game that didn't fill that requirement I played something else.
The real thing that stuck with me through every MMO was being short, I have to be a short race or else I feel like my character is running in molasses. I know its an optical illusion but I don't understand how people can play tall races especially the huge ones like Ogre's.
In the end I feel ecstatic that Pantheon is bringing back the combination of a Dwarf Paladin where I feel most at home haha!
There weren't really roles in Asheron's Call, my first MMO. It was very open world and you kind of just took the abilities that you liked and made it work. I found myself using a lot of spells, and I loved being a buff bot for my friends. I was maxing out my teleport spells and buff spells before my damaging spells. I think that was the root of my healing career, even thoug there weren't really direct heals in Asheron's Call. Since then, I've always chosen a healing class as my primary character's class.
Over the years, what I enjoy has evolved from throwing out big, reactive heals, to proactively shielding and mitigating, so today, I tend to gravitate more towards a finesse-based healer, if there is one available. If I don't enjoy the lore and aesthetics, it's a huge turn-off however. In Pantheon, it's looking like Druid has a lot of what I want, and besides the aesthetic and lore attached to the fox pet, I love the premise of the class!
The class descriptions is what has guided me to choose a main and alt. I loved the little book that Old EQ came with that described the classes, races, and lore. Detail and imagination. As for races, it’s all appearance for me. I love those sexy lil’ muscle Dwarves and I will make one. The colorful Gnomes really interest me as well lol. I’ll probably be making one of each (and do a Dwarf War main over a DL that I had considered).
Ahzrei said:For me, it's about the RPG fantasy. When I'm getting into a game, I read all about the classes and the lore and the flavor- and then I pick whatever resonnates with me.
This is exactly what I do as well.
I generally choose either a support or DPS/support role.
Because of classes being locked to specific races I will choose a class first and then follow a similar process for picking the race based on lore.
MyNegation said:Completely random,
I roll a dice and see where it falls.
it just always falls on cleric....
Have you checked if your dice are weighted? :P
When I started I used to do simple damage as a rogue but that is long time ago. Nowadays I like to do more complicated things like support or healing. But just standing still and casting spells is still not my thing.
So it would be a combination of hitting and support or hitting and healing.
1. I want a class that can solo well. Not that I will always solo but I want to have that choice available.
2. For grouping I want a dps class ideally ranged dps. My hearing isn't what it used to be and a dps class can get by more easily than other classes even if I miss some of what is said in voice chat. And much as I hate voice chat it is hard to totally avoid it.
Kilsin said:What makes you choose your main class in an MMORPG, do you judge based on utility, power, solo-ability, group roles or something else entirely? #MMORPG #communitymatters
It's the breadth of utility as I dislike one-dimensional classes. This has lead me to the Shaman class in every MMO I've played that has one. The class typically has a large toolbox from which you can pull any number of tools to apply to any situation. The concept of being a force multiplier where my class makes the group stronger and the NPCs weaker is very attractive. With me in your group/raid you are better than you would be without me. I really like that.
Is the class a Rogue? No?
Then consider it a possibility. :)
Got burned playing an EQ1 rogue for too many years. Never again. I had a glimmer hope before the adjustment to Smoke & Mirrors, but now? Nope.
Casters just offer so much more than non-casters. Once I tried one, I could never go back.
I typically go for a combination of things to find a balance that suits my playstyle depending on the game type which include but are not limited to:
1. The higher the mobility in combat (or no need at all to be mobile in combat) the funner for me. i.e. Playing a melee that has no gap closing is boring for me.
2. A balance between ease and complexity of a class's skill triggers (I don't enjoy having to spam 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 5,5,5,5,5 in the span of five seconds, but I don't want to just hit one or two keys in a 30 second window either).
a. Both of these equate to a level of fun or a "fun factor" for me (for combat).
3. Depending on the MMO, I look for a class that is either well received in groups and/or capable of soloing like a champ in order to maximize what little play time I have.
a. Healers and Tanks are typically well received in groups while "typically" having poor solo ability, so it is good that this is a group-centric game.
4. Combat interaction will also contribute to my decision on playing a melee or ranged. i.e. EQ2 had terrible player/skill interaction in that when you pressed a key, your ability queued, breaking immersion (for me) and turning the game into a button mashing fiasco, whereas WoW had great immediate response to button presses giving the feeling of actually reacting to combat events (leading to a highly addictive gameplay system that immersed a player if they wanted to be immersive or not).
5. And lastly, but probably equally as important (to me) is the class has to look good (to me). i.e. I typically don't care for unpurpotional/oddly shaped things like the original Skar wth the funky knees, EQ1 halflings with the giant heads/feet, the look of (realistic) chainmail, or when clothing looks terrible on one race (like the undead in WoW) but amazing on others. **Personal preferences!!**
a. This allows me to immerse in the RP, especially if I don't have to spam keys repeatedly and can "react" to combat unfolding.
With that said, all of the classes look very interesting and I will try several classes to determine which tank/healer/CC has that "fun factor" for me.
--I will try all 3 Tanks
--I will try the Cleric and Druid
--I will try the BRD and Enc