Best starting class?

Cinidil

I'm going to buy the newest edition that I saw at EB for $20 yesterday.  My question is, whats the best character to start as?  I assume that I probably won't find many other newbies, so I'll end up having to solo more than likely.  I like melee the best, but if it suits the game better I can be a caster.  Also, what server is the best to start on?

JulianDracos

There is no "best" class or server.  It all just depends on what you are looking for.  If you want to group a lot and have the best chance of grouping below level 20, then I would suggest you play on Gareth.

Next to stealth classes, melee classes will be the longest to level if you go solo.  It takes you a lot longer to kill a target than a caster and you have a longer downtime between kills.  If you are playing Hib, then I would suggest a Blademaster for a pure melee character.  If you want a hybrid tank then a Champion or Valewalker.  If you want a hybrid tank that will solo the best, then you are looking at a vampiir. 

For Alb, I would go with a mercanary.  In Mid, then a Bezerker.  You might want to try a Valkerie.  They got some love last patch.  I am not sure it is enough to make the Valkerie be a decent class, but if it is then it is a nice hybrid tank class. 

Cinidil

---

Originally posted by JulianDracos
There is no "best" class or server.  It all just depends on what you are looking for.  If you want to group a lot and have the best chance of grouping below level 20, then I would suggest you play on Gareth.

Next to stealth classes, melee classes will be the longest to level if you go solo.  It takes you a lot longer to kill a target than a caster and you have a longer downtime between kills.  If you are playing Hib, then I would suggest a Blademaster for a pure melee character.  If you want a hybrid tank then a Champion or Valewalker.  If you want a hybrid tank that will solo the best, then you are looking at a vampiir. 

For Alb, I would go with a mercanary.  In Mid, then a Bezerker.  You might want to try a Valkerie.  They got some love last patch.  I am not sure it is enough to make the Valkerie be a decent class, but if it is then it is a nice hybrid tank class. 

---

Have any suggestions for casters then?  the last time I played was pre Catacombs and I played an Eldritch, which was really badass.  I've been researching and my choices are moving to caster.

JulianDracos

The vampiir is without a doubt the best solo class in the game.  It is a hybrid tank.  You generate power by doing melee damage.  You can cast during combat.  You get an End tap, power tap, buffs, debuffs, and a HoT.  Not to mention you get a bonus every level to your STR, CON, DEX, QUI so it is like you are buffed by a Druid (of course you cannot be buffed by a Druid as a vamp).  It is made to be a solo class and might be your best choice if you want a melee toon, and do not mind a lot of buttons having to be hit.

Elds are decent casters.  As for leveling, I really like Void, but in RvR, Bolts casters suck (unless you are Team Wizzy), and Elds are the worst of all.  If you spec light you might like that.  You have a good DD, and you have nearsight.  Mana is also a good choice. 

Bainshee's do a lot of damage.  You do not have a single target crowd control so you will need to kite.  It is a good class for RvR and once you get kiting down it is good at PvE as well.  The DD of the bainshee is like the Elds bolt but without a recast timer.

Animists are good.  I love my animist.  You will be your own little farming machine as an animist.  Your shrooms will reduce your Rps through.  You will always be wanted/needed for raids or sieges.

Mana chanters would also be a good choice.  You have your pet and PbAoE. 

If you went for Mid I would say a Warlock.  If you went for Alb, then maybe a Fire Wizzy or theurgist. 

Cinidil

Before I buy this, I have one question:

Do any of you think it would be a good idea to play DAoC at the moment, or is the pop too low or too far beyond the newbs?  $20 is all I'm paying for the entire game and all of its expansions so its a good deal, but should I play it or take a pass?

JulianDracos

The game isn't like EQ (or WoW now I think) in that it constantly adds to the level limit and makes leveling harder as you go up.  In fact leveling is so much easier now than at release.  People constantly make new characters and level them up.  So I would not worry about feeling behind.  You will be at the start, but it won't take much time at all to catch up. 

The population isn't low.  The active population tends to be lower starting in spring because people do more than just play games when the summer comes.

If population and having people to group with is your concern, then I think if you start on the Classic server you should not have any problems.  Those are newish servers, there is no ToA (so no massive raid content) and it is a common place for new players to start. 

Cinidil

Welp, bought the Epic edition for $20.  Installing now.

Cinidil

Seems like a great game so far.  Noobie area is bustling with tons of people, so game population is not an issue.  I'm a little confused however on what to put my skill points in as a Vampiir, and what starting class to be that transfers into Vampiir.  Or does it matter?  Crafting and making money is confusing me too....I'm confused.  Is there a good noobie Vampiir guide out there somewhere?  A quick Google search yielded mixed results

JulianDracos

The Vamp is unique in that any starting class can become a Vampiir.  At level 5 go to the capital.  You should have seen it from Mag Mell.  The trainer is in the Stalker Hall with NS and Ranger trainers.  It is between the North gate and the East gate.  You will come in from the east gate from Mag Mell. 

I can tell you a few different final specs for a Vamp, but I am unsure as to how to level it.  I would concentrate on SM and Pierce starting out.  These links might help you

http://www.camelotherald.com/article.php?id=83
http://daoc.catacombs.com/cbuilder2.cfm?[C]%20Vampiir

http://daoc.catacombs.com/forum.cfm?forum=64

RedRab

I have a level 50 Vamp. SM is the way to go to level up. It's also the best PvE spec if you are going to farm with the character rather than RvR a lot. You can RvR fine with a SM spec but don't expect a lot of groups at 50 in RvR especially if you are pure SM spec. Group RvR specs tend to be VE and Dem. VE is the most common group spec. With SM you will probably be solo RvR a lot. Dem is great against casters. These are just *general* rules as there are *a lot* of ways to spec a Vamp and it's a really hard character to gimp completely. It's a very active play style too, especially if you choose a mixed spec so expect all three of your quickbars to be full and to do a lot of button mashing. Despite what a lot of folks think Vamps are not an 'I win' button in real level 50 RvR. They are however *very powerful* in the battlegrounds.

Whatever you do do not take piercing higher than 43, that's the one hard rule with Vamps. If you want to solo and still group some the mixed 38SM/32VE/43P is a great all-round spec. That spec gives you a lot of toys for every situation. It's a good spec both RvR and PvE and will make you more than just the usual 'claw spammer'. While you are levelling keep pierce high enough to enable you to pull in power. A Vamp needs to be hitting to gain power to claw and cast. If you find you are not pulling in power fast enough pump some more points into pierce rather than SM.

I'd suggest aiming for 38SM/32VE/43P as it's a spec you can't go wrong with and will let you experience the toys from VE as well as be highly effective solo and still great PvE. Dem is the least played, most complex, spec but is highly effective. I would not suggest starting out with VE or Dem specs though, start out with SM.

As a very broad rule of thumb SM=PvE and solo RvR. SM/VE is the all-rounder spec. VE and Dem for group RvR. This is just a rough general guide and your individual play style matters a lot. Vamps are very flexible; you can group with SM and many solo with Dem and VE, there aren't 'set-in-stone' fixed specs as there are with many other classes. Hope this helps a little if you choose a Vampiir. It's a fun class to play especially if you like an active play style and like to solo a lot with very little downtime. Vamps also make a very good first character as they are superb PvE farming toons for equipping your other characters.

Cinidil

Thanks a ton for the info man.  I'm going to reroll a Vampiir in a few minutes on Gareth.  Should I level Piercing before anything else?

JulianDracos

I went 38SM, 32 VE, and 43P.  To me it is the best spec with the widest variety of skills.  It makes me a 1 man group able to solo oj/reds as long as I want as well as good enough for RvR. 

Something else you should know, you have many oportunities to fix what you train it.  At level 20 and 40 you get the ability to get your points back in something you trained in and realocate them.  You can also purchase stones to do that.  There are drops in the game as well.  So if you mess up, so not worry about it.

Its been too long since I was low level.  In fact I started with VE and not SM at low levels.  At very low levels I doubt you will be able to notice much difference in your hit or damage rate based on how much you have in pierce.  Since you have the power tap, I would probably train SM until you get your first Heal over Time.  Then train in Pierce.  I would keep them within a couple points of each other and then after level 20 slowly start to train pierce higher and higher.  You will need high pierce in order to get the best combat styles and do the most damage.  That will be necessary for power that you will use for end taps and HoT.  Once you get to 43 in pierce stop training it and catch up on your other skills. 

Of course something else you could do is /who vamp 50.  This will pull up a list of level 50 vamps online.  You can ask them advice on how to spec, espically at low levels.

RedRab

Good advice from Julian. The way to really tell is if start to you notice you aren't pulling in enough power to cast constantly. A good Vamp should be able to more or less pull yellow and oranges constantly, having to rest after only really tough boss, or named, mob fights. If this happens always up piercing rather than go for the next spell in SM, which is always the temptation and a mistake a lot of novice Vamps make. It is no good having the spells if you are not pulling in enough power to cast them; keeping your buffs up and casting your endurance taps and claws etc. I'd recommend aiming for eyeshot for Leirvik by level 44. Now the realm point caps on the battlegrounds have been raised you will be spending quite a while there and the harder you hit the more power you pull in as well as damaging your enemies more. Also I'd recommend not relying on claws too much. Get used to using your reactionary styles as you level and they will become second nature when you hit 50.

One more thing. Get the *slowest* rapier you can get. There is a great level 20 something one dropped by the boss mob in the first instanced dungeon wing in Muire tomb and will last you a while, it's a nice flashy glowie to boot!  At high level  before you get your champion weapon  the best two Vamp piercers are the 'funeral gloom rapier' and 'Charon's cold steel'. These will do you nicely until you get your hands on your nice new champion weapon from ole king Lug himeself. Have fun!