Need a better duo

[knumhotep]

I've been a long time lurker on these forums, so I know this question has been asked a million times over and over... so, first I apologize.

I have a lvl 80 druid that I sometimes solo with, but I sometimes get sick of root/rotting and I absolutely hate charm kiting. So, I leveled up a beast lord to have a "tank" of sorts to make the grind less painful when I am not in a full group. Well, the beast is only lvl 74 right now with almost 500 aa, but he can't tank for crap on anything that is worth while for my druid. I am wondering if I should wait to pass judgment until the beast is lvl 80 or just make a different toon to use as a partner?

I was thinking a bard might be ok cause they have songs that will make my root rotting a little less painful and they help with mana regen and such. I also have a mage that is a lvl 59 right now that I could lvl up. But I'm really just uncertain. I don't want to have to be constantly healing my "partner" or it's pet. I just want to be able to grind w/o the mind numbing sit and watch something slowly die to dots. I don't care about killing big named or anything. Just want steady, efficient experience.

Now my shaman/sk duo is hawt so no complaints there

[Macnair]

There are two basic strategies in EQ: someone gets hit by the mob you are killing, or nobody gets hit by the mob.

If someone is getting hit, they need to get healed. If you feel like you generally don't want to heal while soloing, then all the tank and melee classes are pretty well out of the picture.

If nobody is supposed to get hit, you need to have a way of avoiding melee: either rooting or kiting.

As far as kiting goes, you could add a necro who would kite the mob, while your druid sits on a horse and adds dots, and the mobs would die twice as fast.

As far as rooting goes, you could add either a necro or a shaman, who would sit on a horse next to yours and add dots, and the mobs would die twice as fast. Or you could add a bard, as utility: pulling so you get singles every time, debuff resists so that roots and dots stick better, mezzing wandering adds.

Are there places where a level 80 druid can quad kite effectively? An enchanter casting mana resurgence might make that a viable alternative; need to have druids and enchanters chime in on how that might work.

[knumhotep]

Oh, I definitely understand the mechanics of EQ I started playing back in '99. I took a break shortly before DoN was released and started back up shortly before SoF was released. So, I've been back for about a year now. I think I might just be in a lull of sorts.

When I duo my shaman and my sk, I almost NEVER have to heal my sk. It's basically SK tanks, shaman slows, dots and relaxes. I might toss in a heal once in a very rare while. So, I thought that for my druid, the beast would be a good idea, but it's just not working out that way cause he can't tank worthwhile experience.

I absolutely HATE quad kiting and charming. I never did it when I played a druid before and I won't do it now. I don't mind root rotting, but it goes kinda slow these days with mobs having so many hps. So, I guess you did help a little with the necro idea. I think that might actually be the best deal.

[Kriyn Nutzforcatnip]

Mage/Necro was always fun when I did that combo. Necro would kite with necro/mage pet in tow, and mage would throw in DD while necro kept agro with dots. Was nice dps.

[Macnair]

If your SK is beefy enough that he doesn't really need heals, why not duo with him?

Or if he's on the same account as the druid, why not duo with the shaman?

[Scalia]

In my experience, the 76 air pet requires very little healing on slowed Tier 1 SOF mobs, so I am sure it should be doable without a slow and with a Druid healing. That's with the Fenden focus and a less than complete set of pet AAs on my friend's mage, BTW. However, we have people here who box Druids/Mages on a regular basis and they would be in a much better position to comment on the combo.

[Spetsnas]

The highest level Beastlord pet (78) when focused with a full set of buffs and mage gear can tank reasonably well once you have the majority of the pet AAs done.

[fathersword]

pal sham druid works really well

all buffs slows ports snare tank heals dots and dps its all there

fw

[knumhotep]

Actually now that I know about and have tested the mercenaries, my "duo" works much more easily. So, I'm not giving up on my beast now. If I would have known that the mercenaries were going to be this nice I guess I would have just kept up on my beast instead of tossing him aside for the past couple months or so.

[Bigcat Daddy-o]

Are they available on the servers, or was this on beta or test that you tried them?

Can I haz merc plz?

Anyone know what the cost is on them yet?

[Macnair]

The merchants that sell them are in pok on live servers, guarding various doorways. The top level mercenaries cost several thousand plat, plus an upkeep cost.

[knumhotep]