Adding a box to my ranger: shaman or beast lord

[Blada]

This may be a biased audience, but it seems like this is a good place for all types of boxing, so here goes. I just returned to EQ and I am having a blast. I soloed (with a merc) my ranger up to 55 so far, and I think I want to invest in a second box. I have narrowed it down to a beastlord or a shaman. Shaman seems slightly favored boxing wise, but for some reason a beastlord seems like he may be a bit more fun. If I went with a beastlord I as thinking of going with a tank merc and a cleric merc and meleeing with both characters. Is it hard / annoying to box two melees (read a post here that seemed to imply it was). If I went with a shaman I think I would just go with two tank mercs until the low 60s or so, just because mercs are such insane dps at my level. Shaman + ranger do seem to have good synergy though.


Any input is more than welcomed. I'd possibly consider another class, but these are my two top choices.

[Khauruk]

Shammies are nice w/ ranger, and a Beastlord wouldn't be bad (though yes, boxing melees can be a pain. Especially since the BST will eventually be 3 melee from bst, pet, and werewolf pet spell). I'd take a look at a mage though. Ranger plus mage can pull almost anything through snare/CoH, you get a better backup tank, very very good dps from the mage, and can just pull out an extra cleric merc when you need the healing.

[Blada]

[Kumudil]

All spells are researchable now atleast upto lvl 70.

There is also an easy way to skillup for an int-caster now: the Binding powder brings you up to max trophy.This weekend my mage got from 189 in research upto 300 + max trophy in maybe around 5 ours. (some 1000 various Binding powders collected over the last months, each providing 2 combines for potentially skillups). Spent around 30k to create the summoning spells needed for components and dropped scrolls in bazaar. Maybe 10k for the skilluprun itself. Never had any tradeskillrun similar easy on my main. The summoning Spells are nodrop, but the summoned Essences can be traded. So if you know a good researcher, just let him summon some stacks of the essences for you and make the spells for yourself when they are trivial.

If you don't like tradeskilling yourself, you should be able to find the service in the bazaar. Just have a look for some trader with lvl 60+ spells and send them a nice tell. Those spells are also used for skillups and likely the researcher is willing to create spells on requests.

[Blada]

Very cool.

So will the lack of slow be much of a problem, or not really compared to what I'd be gaining?

[Kruzar]

Slow maybe an issue, but there are some melee alternatives to slow as well. There are a couple of weapons that proc the spell, and might be something you look into. (I even think one of the Ranger 1.0s may have a slow component in the proc)

The thing with slow is that it will help you take on bigger mobs down the line, which depending on what you want to do with your box will be a big deal. If you are looking to really farm stuff at a higher level, then I would want to have a slower around for that.

My personal box is a Rogue and Shammy.. and then have a Cleric and Tank merc. There is talk about one day other mercs being available, but who knows when that will come along.

[Khauruk]

Slow at higher levels is very mitigated. Shammies bring a lot to the table, but I think the combination of higher dps and damage reduction from a stunning air pet would be worth it. When it really matters, pop out the 1.0 (should land well w/ mage malo line), and pop out a second cleric mercenary.

Another good option is druid. Atk debuffs instead of slow (not mitigated, very worthwhile in SoF+ content), decent dps when you need. You still get the cures, and can get very good healing now 80+ as well. With the healing and casting revamps, druids keep looking a lot nicer to me (when you can play them decently, and get some worthwhile AAs).

[Valdemar]

Blada;

I'm not going to say the other suggestions here are "wrong" because certainly a MAG brings lots of DPS to your duo and a stunning pet is nice - against mobs that can be stunned.

So, since I play a SHM, have adventured extensively with a RNG in a duo (one of my wife's earlier characters), and think the combination is strong, let me go ahead and say you should box a SHM. Khauruk's suggestion of a DRU is also a good one, but the synergy with a SHM will be greater - if for no other reason than the buffs stack.

As you level up, you're going to find that tanking and pulling will be issues with a RNG as your MT and puller. A SHM or DRU are going to be much more effective at mitigating those weaknesses than any other class. Yes, slow may be mitigated at high levels but its not eliminated. Likewise, the slow proc from weapons - which is a less powerful slow to begin with - will be resisted and mitigated also. In short, you NEED slow. Your tanking ability will mean that you're going to need plenty of healing power too. It's fine to use a CLR Merc in most trash/XP grind mobs, because that will free up your SHM or DRU to forget healing and concentrate on debuffing and DPS. Against quest mobs or loot droppers, you'll need both the CLR Merc and your other SHM or DRU to keep you on your feet. If you doubt that, go to any level appropriate zone from GoD onward, try a simple quest mob, and you'll get a dose of reality - right quick.

There are many other reasons to choose a SHM over some of the other suggested classes, but my strong advise to you is to try several partners. It shouldn't be too much of an investment to powerlevel a SHM up and see for yourself. I'd also recommend doing that with a DRU and a MAG, even a BL. If you do level a MAG and decide after testing him/her out that you don't want to box that class, it won't be a waste because you can still use the character to summon gear for your SHM. (Log the MAG, hand summoned gear to RNG, log SHM, hand gear to SHM.)

Long and short, go with a SHM, you WON'T regret it.

Regards,
Valdemar

[Blada]

I've actually decided to go with mage+shaman haha. Thinking about it, ranger just seem kinda weak compared to them. Even though some of my friends I hope to play with later on do play a shaman and mage I've just chosen to play what I like and what would give me the most power with my duo. I am really happy with the choice. They are both really low now, but they are finally within range to group together, so I am pumped.

[Valdemar]

A SHM + MAG duo is very popular for boxing with the SHM as main. It seems most of my old guildmates who ran a SHM or a DRU boxed a MAG as their pet. LOL. I would offer this:

That combination will be fine through level 60 or so - if you're careful to avoid zones with pulling issues - and will be fine at higher levels if you plan on grouping most of your play time, BUT...I think a NEC would be a better overall companion for your SHM than a MAG. There is great synergy with debuffs and DOTs, add in the ability to kite and snare, and you're way ahead. The NEC can even be a halfway decent puller thanks to FD. Too bad Samanna isn't around to speak about this, because she created a NEC as her box pet.

Whatever you choose, use your SHM to tank for your duo for as long as your gear will allow it or until you max defense on your SHM. Since you'll be using your SHM to pull, this is probably going to be happening anyway. When you are high enough to equip them, get the Scaled Avatar leggings because they have clickable Root spell. If you're duoing with a MAG, having a mana-free Root spell will be a real boon.

Good luck,
Valdemar

[Blada]

A necro would offer some nice stuff, but I am just coming back, and I think I would rather roll up a mage at the moment, it appeals to me more. I may add another to my box, or switch up once I actually experience the higher levels. Thanks for the advice though, it is helpful.