test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Advice Sought — Help Me Settle On a Class
gurugeezer
Member Posts: 0 Arc User
Hello and thanks for reading.
I'm relatively new to Neverwinter, having only played now for about a week. In that time I've tried most of the classes through to about L15 and am struggling to settle on one as a "main." You might be asking, "Why settle on one...just level them all." Trouble is I don't have the time to invest in multiple characters right now, so I'd like to make a choice and stick with it.
What I'm looking for:
- PVE only
- Soloability, but with party viability, since I do enjoy groups and would like to engage in this some
- Not too gear dependent in the end game — I won't have the time or money to pursue the best gear, so I'd prefer a class that can still perform respectably without it.
- Fun. I fully recognize that "fun" is an individual preference that will vary widely. But what I find fun is complexity, tactics, and generally staying busy (i.e., a skill-based playstyle). To the degree possible, I steer clear of low-effort "kill button" classes and/or those that follow the exact same rotation over and over, though I realize there is some measure of this in any MMO. I also like characters that have a nice fluid feel. Finally, while I don't want to be gimped or ineffective (who does?), I don't have to be the highest DPS'er out there. (Also see comments on individual classes below.)
While I'm open to suggestions/recommendations for any class, here's what I've enjoyed thus far along with why I'm reluctant/not excited about the others:
Trickster rogue: I really enjoyed my time with the TR. Stealth mechanic is good fun (and useful) and they hit quite hard. I enjoy the challenge of having to move/dodge a lot and remain conscious of my positioning, unlike, say, a damage sponge who can just face-tank mobs. I found TRs to offer the most fluid play, though they're not the most complex. I am concerned that many consider them "weak" (at least end game), so soloability may suffer as PVE challenge increases and groups may not want a TR.
Hunter ranger: Very similar to TR. Highly fluid. I like the mechanic of transitioning, ideally gracefully, from range to melee. AOE capability is appreciated vs. the TR. Also like the TR, I am concerned about solo survivability and whether groups will reject the HR as suboptimal. It also seems like perhaps more of a PvP-oriented class, and I have no interest in Neverwinter PvP.
Scourge warlock: My appreciation of the SW comes from its complexity. There's a lot to manage, especially as there's a good deal of skill interactivity (particularly with the curse mechanic). I also like the ability to self-heal, which may support soloability. However, I can't say I enjoyed playing the SW quite as much as the TR and HR because it's not as fluid and the mechanics can feel a bit clunky (I recognize that this may well disappear with time and skill). I don't know how parties view the SW.
Control wizard: I generally like controller classes a great deal (they're often more complex), but I don't think controlling with the CW is particularly interesting, even though it's effective. I'm also concerned about playing a "glass cannon" solo. Unless you have someone tanking for you, you could find yourself constantly in melee when you'd rather not be...and I don't know if the CW has either ample control or movement to avoid this. I know a tank companion could help, but I've also heard the tank companion (at least the ones not bought with cash) doesn't have sufficient survivability at higher levels.
Great weapon fighter: This is one class I didn't try. I expect I'd like the fluid play and ability to quickly navigate combat. But as I said above, I don't enjoy low-effort "kill button" classes, and my sense is this is the GWF in Neverwinter. My concern is the GWF just isn't complex and involving enough.
Guardian fighter: Similar to the GWF, the GF seems overly simple. It's also lower on DPS, so while survivability and soloability should be good, I imagine PvE will simply advance too slowly.
Devoted cleric: Another class I didn't try. I actually like the healing role in other games, and I believe the DC is a complex and involving character to play. My issue here is, like the GF, I've heard it's perhaps slowest of all to deal damage, so I'm concerned the game will progress too slowly. And since I'll be soloing more than grouping, I don't believe I'll be able to take full advantage of the DC.
That's my assessment thus far, with an admittedly low number of levels under my belt. I'm hoping some of you more experienced players can combine the above with your superior knowledge of Neverwinter and steer me in the right direction. If it saves me time invested in the "wrong" class, it will be well worth it.
All input, feedback, criticism, advice and recommendations are most welcome. I look forward to your responses.
Thanks,
Gurugeezer
I'm relatively new to Neverwinter, having only played now for about a week. In that time I've tried most of the classes through to about L15 and am struggling to settle on one as a "main." You might be asking, "Why settle on one...just level them all." Trouble is I don't have the time to invest in multiple characters right now, so I'd like to make a choice and stick with it.
What I'm looking for:
- PVE only
- Soloability, but with party viability, since I do enjoy groups and would like to engage in this some
- Not too gear dependent in the end game — I won't have the time or money to pursue the best gear, so I'd prefer a class that can still perform respectably without it.
- Fun. I fully recognize that "fun" is an individual preference that will vary widely. But what I find fun is complexity, tactics, and generally staying busy (i.e., a skill-based playstyle). To the degree possible, I steer clear of low-effort "kill button" classes and/or those that follow the exact same rotation over and over, though I realize there is some measure of this in any MMO. I also like characters that have a nice fluid feel. Finally, while I don't want to be gimped or ineffective (who does?), I don't have to be the highest DPS'er out there. (Also see comments on individual classes below.)
While I'm open to suggestions/recommendations for any class, here's what I've enjoyed thus far along with why I'm reluctant/not excited about the others:
Trickster rogue: I really enjoyed my time with the TR. Stealth mechanic is good fun (and useful) and they hit quite hard. I enjoy the challenge of having to move/dodge a lot and remain conscious of my positioning, unlike, say, a damage sponge who can just face-tank mobs. I found TRs to offer the most fluid play, though they're not the most complex. I am concerned that many consider them "weak" (at least end game), so soloability may suffer as PVE challenge increases and groups may not want a TR.
Hunter ranger: Very similar to TR. Highly fluid. I like the mechanic of transitioning, ideally gracefully, from range to melee. AOE capability is appreciated vs. the TR. Also like the TR, I am concerned about solo survivability and whether groups will reject the HR as suboptimal. It also seems like perhaps more of a PvP-oriented class, and I have no interest in Neverwinter PvP.
Scourge warlock: My appreciation of the SW comes from its complexity. There's a lot to manage, especially as there's a good deal of skill interactivity (particularly with the curse mechanic). I also like the ability to self-heal, which may support soloability. However, I can't say I enjoyed playing the SW quite as much as the TR and HR because it's not as fluid and the mechanics can feel a bit clunky (I recognize that this may well disappear with time and skill). I don't know how parties view the SW.
Control wizard: I generally like controller classes a great deal (they're often more complex), but I don't think controlling with the CW is particularly interesting, even though it's effective. I'm also concerned about playing a "glass cannon" solo. Unless you have someone tanking for you, you could find yourself constantly in melee when you'd rather not be...and I don't know if the CW has either ample control or movement to avoid this. I know a tank companion could help, but I've also heard the tank companion (at least the ones not bought with cash) doesn't have sufficient survivability at higher levels.
Great weapon fighter: This is one class I didn't try. I expect I'd like the fluid play and ability to quickly navigate combat. But as I said above, I don't enjoy low-effort "kill button" classes, and my sense is this is the GWF in Neverwinter. My concern is the GWF just isn't complex and involving enough.
Guardian fighter: Similar to the GWF, the GF seems overly simple. It's also lower on DPS, so while survivability and soloability should be good, I imagine PvE will simply advance too slowly.
Devoted cleric: Another class I didn't try. I actually like the healing role in other games, and I believe the DC is a complex and involving character to play. My issue here is, like the GF, I've heard it's perhaps slowest of all to deal damage, so I'm concerned the game will progress too slowly. And since I'll be soloing more than grouping, I don't believe I'll be able to take full advantage of the DC.
That's my assessment thus far, with an admittedly low number of levels under my belt. I'm hoping some of you more experienced players can combine the above with your superior knowledge of Neverwinter and steer me in the right direction. If it saves me time invested in the "wrong" class, it will be well worth it.
All input, feedback, criticism, advice and recommendations are most welcome. I look forward to your responses.
Thanks,
Gurugeezer
Post edited by gurugeezer on
0
Comments
Although for PvE and (it appears at present for PvP too) the 'min-maxer' choice is a Control Wizard.
Control Wizard is the easiest class to play, and really isn't too much of a glass cannon. There is a shield spell, and armor enchantments that make you more tanky if you're not great at dodging. Most things are dead before they get to you anyways. A lot of AoE and the ability to keep enemies occupied while dealing damage to them makes this one a favorite for a reason.
Trickster Rogues are one of those classes that are awesome in the beginning, and take more work and skill near the end. Lack of AoE, plus lack of defenses while being forced to stay in melee range makes it more of a glass cannon then the wizard.
With my experience, the hardest class to solo with is the Cleric, and the easiest is the wizard. My favorite class, personally, is the GF, which is odd for me, as I'm usually the caster/ranged type, but I like the block and control aspect, and mine is built to get decent DPS.
RainFeather- Dragonborn DC
Rune Fell- Drow CW
Control Wizard is the easiest class to play, and really isn't too much of a glass cannon. There is a shield spell, and armor enchantments that make you more tanky if you're not great at dodging. Most things are dead before they get to you anyways. A lot of AoE and the ability to keep enemies occupied while dealing damage to them makes this one a favorite for a reason. They're usually always welcome in parties.
Trickster Rogues are one of those classes that are awesome in the beginning, and take more work and skill near the end. Lack of AoE, plus lack of defenses while being forced to stay in melee range makes it more of a glass cannon then the wizard.
With my experience, the hardest class to solo with is the Cleric, due to lack of a lot of DPS and the easiest is the wizard. My favorite class, personally, is the GF, which is odd for me, as I'm usually the caster/ranged type, but I like the block and control aspect, and mine is built to get decent DPS. I can control the bosses and add-ons when played right.
RainFeather- Dragonborn DC
Rune Fell- Drow CW
The GWF has great soloability, I've been soloing with it 24/7 whenever it wasn't a 5-man instance quest and it's plenty complex. You can't just run in there, press a few buttons and expect to kill everything and make it out alive, that's probably why you would make a trash solo GWF including a trash team GWF, since that in a party as a GWF, you'll be moving around a ****load not only being high-DPS but also VERY high utility towards protecting and helping your party members. Not only do you need to always be extremely alert since you're always upclose but you're going to have to be everywhere, utility, damage, defense, all of it.
While most of the other classes, especially range classes, will just sit in the back and press a few buttons, dodge the red circles that might happen every once in a while.
There's a LOT more than just "Pressing a kill button" when it comes to the GWF, especially if you actually want to be useful and efficient on late levels.
I have a 60 gwf, and it is a very fluid gameplay. It was a blast to level solo and was almost like I was dancing in between / around mobs at times to manage aggro and avoid getting hit.
But honestly you can skip them, you will notice that leveling to 60 in this game is extremely fast compared to almost any other MMO
PVPer rocking it Solo queue style since the dawn of Neverwinter
This leads into TR. My first toon was TR and I had fun with it, UNTIL I started to do end game dungeons. Again, everything revolved around aoe/adds and I felt completely useless since the TR has very weak aoe attacks. They are main single target and most of the times, the adds need to be brought under control before the boss. With the amounts of CW's running around in groups, it just made me feel like I wanted to crawl into a deep dark hole.
For scourge warlock, I'm at level 55 with one right now. I went Temptation but right now I am a little unsure about them. Fury would be a glass canon, IMO. They have no control like a CW. Damnation, if you do speed runs, they don't run companion pets besides augments. That is the downfall considering that you will have your soul puppet around all the time. Temptation.. so far the damage and heals feel mediocre. A DC would be more valuable, IMO. Again, I am not at max level, and this can all change, but I can feel that Fury while it can dish out DPS, if you get in the hot seat, there will be nothing (control spells) to save them.
I found DC to be a lot of fun. I used to play WoW and I loved to play healer roles. While DC's are NOT helpless, they are still a support role. They will still not kill as fast as a DPS class solo and it can get frustrating if you had played a DPS class going to DC playing solo. For group play though, you have to play smart. Watch everything that's going on and respond to it. However in that regards, it can be easy to get burned out. Sometimes it can just pure out frustrating having to heal players that aren't the best at this game or know the DC skills. Many times you will pull aggro and people don't give a **** about helping you.
I played HR, but I haven't really gotten far with it, mid 30's before Mod 4. It had potential but I got really tired of stance dancing in order to fully utilize the HR, at the time. Also the UI is annoying, there is no cooldown timer to show you what's on CD for melee/ranged. You will have to keep a mental note in your head. I have not played Mod 4 HR.
I have not played GWF or GF yet.
After everything I've played though, I settled with CW. It's not just because of the damage they put out but I like the ability to control the battlefield. I know for a fact that IF I do loose control, I can die very easy. It's all about how you play it.
I especially enjoyed darkdrayken's response to my assumptions about the GWF: "...no wonder you have no idea what you're talking about." Perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment, as he definitely put me in my place (though, in my defense, I did write "my sense [of the GWF]"). He's right, I don't know what I'm talking about, since I have little experience with the classes and none with the GWF. Humorously, he also could have begun his response with, "Well, have I got good news for you — the GWF is far more engaging than you thought!"
But, I feel obliged to point out that, in contrast, magenubbie disagreed and basically confirmed my concerns about the GWF class. So, differing views there.
Moving on... In light of all the input, let's revisit each of the classes and see if I've assimilated the data accurately:
Trickster rogue: It was nice to hear others echo my feelings about how fun and fluid the TR is to play. At the same time, I don't think alkemist80's quite articulate remarks about TRs, as single-target specialists, feeling entirely out of place in heavily AOE-based end game content can be ignored. This really places the viability of the TR in question (outside of soloing, which will get considerably more challenging).
Hunter ranger: It's a shame that fairly little was said about HR, aside from magenubbie's comment that HR is "overkill" in PvE, because this could be the right potential compromise for me. Obviously, the HR doesn't have either the control or AOE potency of the CW, but perhaps this class has enough AOE to be considered viable (if not preferred) for end-game groups, and I'd still get to enjoy the class' fluid, more visceral play.
Scourge warlock: It's odd to hear the SW criticized frequently on the forums and then hear it praised so frequently in zone chat in game. More than a few times I've heard, "Is anyone else loving the SW!?!" in chat, but here I read a lot of "ho hum." Seems like those with more experience feel it's solid enough to play if motivated, but also that it doesn't bring anything especially valuable to the table. My understanding is that it's also less proficient at AOE than the CW, so the same concerns alkemist80 expressed about the TR in end-game groups could apply here, though to a lesser degree, since SW does have some AOE.
Control wizard: Relying again on what I've read, CW was the king of the hill prior to Mod 4, and it seems the update has left this ranking pretty much intact. I've read that a few skills were nerfed and others boosted, but the class remains a powerhouse. Hard to argue with all the testimony here about the CW's effectiveness. The CW's fun factor was much less enthusiastically endorsed (echokazul commented that it's the easiest class to play). So the question is, Will I enjoy it?
Great weapon fighter: As I wrote above, there were mixed opinions about this class. One aspect that perhaps can't be ignored is that it's a melee class with strong AOE, so, again turning to alkemist80's observations, it's likely more viable in end-game group play than any of the others (GF possibly excepted). With DPS, defense, utility and mobility, darkdrayken may well have been right that I mischaracterized the class. Perhaps what I saw as simple is instead meat and potatoes...a solid foundation that performs multiple necessary roles well on which the team can rely. If I want fluid melee AND end-game group viability, this may be the superior option.
Guardian fighter: The GF received little love, except from echokazul, who helped refute the perhaps common notion that GF DPS is subpar. From what I've read, Mod 4 has helped this class after it was neglected for a long while. I don't think it's for me, but GF seems the undisputed champ of tanking/aggro holding in Neverwinter (again, I'll admit no knowledge of the GWF's capability here).
Devoted cleric: Similar to the GF, not a lot of love for the DC, and for similar reasons. The DC is clearly Neverwinter's foremost healer, but not the most enjoyable or effective solo'er. It's complex to play, but low DPS dampens the fun. Furthermore, alkemist80's description of frustration in group play is rather discouraging and has to give anyone considering focusing on the class pause.
So, it seems like Neverwinter could use to devise a bit more "essentiality" into more than a few of its class designs. Based on the feedback, a party of control wizards and maybe a guardian fighter, great weapon fighter and/or cleric is all that's needed for peak success. The trickster rogue, hunter ranger, scourge warlock — amusingly, the three classes I favored at the start — are all, dare I say it...superfluous. Of course, PvP is another matter, and I've heard the hunter ranger can fare quite well there (the other two, less well). As far as soloing goes, it seems that any class can make its way to L60, though it's definitely more of a breeze for some than others. But if you want to group up for end-game content, some classes (trickster rogue in particular) are currently out in the cold.
Do you agree? Disagree? Care to add more nuance to my summary? More comments and feedback are welcome.
Thanks!
- Gurugeezer
Perhaps you could tell me more about the /legit channel. I'd not heard of it until you brought it up.
Regarding fun vs. efficiency — I couldn't agree more.
After all, we're gamers. This is a game and games are meant to be fun. That's their sole purpose. It's not like this is a job with pay based on how fast you process widgets, or speed means lives will be saved or customers better served. A game isn't a stepping stone to something better, it's an end unto itself. The act of "winning" isn't nearly as important as "playing."
But I find it fascinating that people (gamers) don't always behave that way. And I've found this is especially true in MMOs. You're entirely right, leveling and gear gathering speed is prioritized over enjoyment (and don't tell me that for the majority of these gamers I'm describing, content racing really is enjoyment...we know that's bunk).
I'll never forget an experience I had back when I was leading groups in Dark Age of Camelot (yes, I'm old, and my gaming goes back way before that). I always sought out the most challenging areas, as challenge does often equal fun, if it's balanced just at that point where it's hard, but doable and not frustrating. And I vividly recall a contingent of regulars in our group breaking off at some point. Their reason: soloing one big boss was an easier, faster route to XP than taking on a hazardous complex of multiple mobs. (Bear in mind here that our group was making really nice XP, but it was harder earned and came maybe 20% more slowly than taking on one big foe at a time.) They'd rather just sit there with auto-attack depressed until dead.
I was dumbstruck. What were these players working towards? They wanted to either rush through or miss out on much of the content on the way to the higher levels because...why? What did they expect to be there when they arrived? It was, I promise you, more of the same. This was not a game that "bloomed" and opened up into an entirely different and superior experience at the end like reaching some promised land. Sure, you might have a couple more skills and niftier looking gear (though you'd be indistinguishable from the thousands of other players who'd reached max level), but the basic gameplay, which is 99% of the experience, would be exactly the same. Yet they were laser focused on leveling up. It's climbing a mountain with no glorious summit.
Sometimes, it's true that it's different at the top. And if you've already taken the time to level a character or two, I can better understand the desire to reach max level and participate in end-game play (Dark Age of Camelot was pretty much before the advent of end-game play, at least when I played it). But far more often than not, in MMOs and games generally, it's the trip not the destination.
But many players don't see that, get that or want that. So, that leaves you with a somewhat scary, depressing conclusion about human psychology — like in The Matrix when Agent Smith tells Neo that their early utopia failed because, essentially, humans needed unhappiness and suffering — that people will surrender pleasure, enjoyment, happiness...whatever you want to call it...for advancement. It's all about the prize, even a worthless, virtual one.
So, in Neverwinter, if I gave you a button that would liquefy all the foes onscreen with a single press, would you take it? And if you did, would you keep playing?
- Gurugeezer
If you want fun and dynamic, it's HR, TR and SW, in that order.
If it's to fit the PVE, party meta, it's CW or SW.
For solo viability, pretty much any class can do well, but at the top of that list will be CW and TR, followed by HR, GWF, SW, GF, DC. (based on soloing a medium/blue HE in IWD).
The least gear dependent in order will be roughly, GWF, GF, CW, HR, SW, DC, TR.
Well my main is my HR so I'll say a little about it. Almost every class has either control or control resist. So to really be optimal in PVE with the HR (seeing as outside of DPS, now that nature no longer exists, you have less to offer than other classes) you have to constantly engage in risk play. Which if you are looking for a twitchy highly mobile class should suit your needs. It does occur to me that the SW also lacks (signifigant) control and control-resist so it maye end up in the same place. Mine's only 53 but it has been fairly engaging managing curses, puppet summons, and sequence along the way. But nobody can really have a solid endgame opinion of a new class. Also I'd like to put in a good word for the GF. Because I love my little GF. Correct she'll end up somewhere in the middle in DPS. But the GF will do this while: controlling mobs through aggro, debuffing/ buffing (especially with the new ItF),and using Menace to ignore CC and res if someone has an oppsie at which point coming in third on Paingiver means you did more than your part.
I had fun with my TR and it was completely different from the WoW version. You have to know your class and you have to play smart. However when it comes down to even just doing random queue dungeons, it felt entirely lackluster because everyone just blew the group of targets apart right as you just ran to kill it. Then you run off to another just to have the same happen. Certainly nothing against them, I just got frustrated with the class fast. I see myself doing this as a CW in random queue pugs and the TR and some GWF's end up just going for the ride. I've seen ones that literally stopped attacking. After I got my CW to 60 (I honestly almost gave up on this class around level 30..) I can't go back to playing my TR. I find it difficult to pick off one target at a time now when my CW could just take them all on at the same time. Mod 5 is pulling in some TR and DC love, but in the meantime, it's become nothing but an invoking and profession machine.
That is entirely my opinion and it differs from others, I tend to have plenty of time to play this game. For people that can only play a couple hours a day, it can be entirely different. In the end, play what you think will be fun.
The actual channel is NW_Legit_Community, which you can join with the command "/channel_join nw_legit_community".
The general DD rules for legit runs are greed all, don't ask gearscore, and don't exploit. But be sure to mention if you are new to a dungeon or are gearing up, so people know what to expect of you.
Between DD times the channel can go pretty off-topic, but there are usually some helpful people on who can give advice on builds, etc.
...
Tired of running dungeons with exploiters and cheaters? Join the legit channel by visiting http://goo.gl/1zfnTS to apply!
Performing ritual pony sacrifices to Tiamat to earn favor with the RNG Gods since 2014.
...
I played WoW for 6 and a half years. I have to say I've seen every dungeon and raid in that game over a dozen times each. Even though I am very familiar with them all, I still, till the day I quit, enjoyed playing them with others. The dungeon is not the only thing that makes the fun, its the people you're grouped with.
...
Tired of running dungeons with exploiters and cheaters? Join the legit channel by visiting http://goo.gl/1zfnTS to apply!
Performing ritual pony sacrifices to Tiamat to earn favor with the RNG Gods since 2014.
...
A CW is somewhat the opposite of a "glass cannon". True, it doesn't have huge defensive options, but they are not really "glass" (I got mine to something like 25% damage resistance and deflect without even trying, but that is half the DR and almost 80% deflect of my Protector GF, the tankiest class of the game stats-wise, I wouldn't define that "glass").
Where the CW excels is controlling enemies and dishing out AoE damage. It might not be a lot of damage per enemy (damage has been somewhat nerfed), but it is enough not to worry about your HP bar at all, if you have something close to 1500 Life Steal. Thus, if you find yourself in close quarters with enemies (and that's something you *might* want, there is a feat that gives extra damage to enemies within 20ft), it's not really a problem as long as you avoid attacks that might stun/prone you (they usually signal a flashing red area on your feets, or have an evident -and slow- "charging" animation).
I'm a "pure PvE" player as well, and I can say that all the classes are feasible in PvE - however, some are easier to level up than others. I would say that the DC and GF take longer to level up than the other classes - However, not that I got my GF to 60 pre-Mod4, and I do not have any experience with leveling a GF after the class changed quite significantly.
All the classes can handle all the solo content through the leveling process, although a few situations are trickier for certain classes/builds than other. I had a couple of cases with my DC and HR while leveling when I was forced to team up with someone to finish a particular quest, but in hindsight, that was either because I was undergeared at the time or because I didn't pick the right powers to use.
Party viability, however, that's a different issue. If you play a DC or a GF you will have no problems getting into random dungeon groups, while any other class may have to wait quite a while in the queue. However, if you use the /lfg channel, you will have no problems if you are a CW - they are generally in high demand. Right now there are just too many SWs around, as many people are leveling those - but that may change, and they should become popular in many groups in the future. HRs and TRs may have problems getting into /lfg groups - many people there don't seem to like those classes. Now, if you run with a good guild or legit channel people you will in general not have problems getting into groups - and once you are in a dungeon, any class can contribute, although I must admit that some combinations are more efficient than others when it comes to clearing a dungeon quickly.
Well, having the "best" gear may be a significant factor in PvP, but it is far less relevant in PvE - where it matters more that you know how to play your class. Having said that, you must make an effort to get respectable gear at least - otherwise you would be letting your party members down. I have seen people enter a T2 dungeon, still wearing low-level green shirts/pants - now, the "best" stuff is the gemmed exquisite shirt/pants, but those are expensive - get (or make) the gemmed elegant ones instead...almost as good, but far less expensive. Also, get your artifact(s) at least up to blue, get at least the first 3 boons from the campaigns, get at least R5/6 enchants - get a decent set of companions and so on.
You don't have to get the absolutely best gear to participate and contribute, but you have to make some effort.
Well, the GWF is my least favourite class, because I find it the easiest one to play well enough (Like all other classes, it requires a lot of skill to play really well, but it is very easy to play "well enough"). The classes that require most skill to play well are IMO the DC, CW and TR - the GF, SW and HR fall somewhere in between. Now, for me, my favourite class by far is the DC-When I started playing (on day 1 of open beta) I thought my primary function would be healing, but later I realized that this changes at level 60, where the primary function of the DC is to buff and debuff, not heal (well, except in HEs, but that's a different story). In second to third place is my (archery) HR - I just like the mechanism. The SW is also a strong contender, but I am leveling her up right now.
So, what's the best one for you? Everything considered, I would suggest the SW.
Everyone has their preferences, of course, but if you want two very different perspectives, I'd go with TR and CW.
Of course, I think they can all be fun . . .
myles08807 said, "Back in my day, we didn't have any of this fancy Mulhorand gear while we were leveling . . . we walked uphill both ways while dying once every five seconds while leveling, and we liked it fine!" . . . Now, get off my lawn, you kids!"
pointsman said, "I don't rue the game. In fact I don't feel any regret for the game at all."
looomis said, "I don't like people changing to alts and then bragging about their mains like schizophrenic role players."
From all of your comments, a fairly clear picture is emerging. It's not my forte, but let's see if I can summarize:
1. Any class can solo to 60. Some will be a bit slower, like the DC and GF. And some may struggle a bit more with survival. But if soloing is all you care about, just pick what appeals.
2. Pick-up groups (/lfg or queuing) have their favorites. While they may be slow solo'ers, the DC and GF are in demand here both because of what they contribute (healing, buffs, aggro management) and there are fewer of them (i.e., low supply). CWs are also welcome because, while they are more abundant, they're highly effective. GWFs and SWs may not bring quite as much to the table as DC/GF/CW, but they can still meaningfully contribute and so fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to demand. HRs may offer a bit less still, and so have a harder time, while the single-target-focused TR brings up the rear of the roster. /legit or running with a guild is the workaround for getting into groups with a less popular or shunned class.
It's also worth mentioning that, though /legit and guild groups may kindly include /lfg-unloved classes in party runs, that doesn't mean you'll feel like you're contributing (to alkemist80's point), so this could still be a disappointing, frustrating experience.
3. While characters have to be mindful of equipment in the end game, getting into a decent set of gear is entirely feasible with a reasonable amount of effort. Of course, the best gear is another matter, but that seems to always be the case with MMOs.
Returning to my goal in starting this thread, I'll admit I'm still struggling some with choosing a class to focus on (though no longer for lack of information, thank you). The classes with the playstyle I've enjoyed most (so far) are TR and HR. Sadly, as mentioned above, these are also the least desirable for groups because they arguably contribute the least. This wouldn't bother me, except that I've participated in a few groups thus far and found it good fun. So it remains a factor. That said, I have no patience for grinding, so, in all honesty, I doubt I'll invest much in end game play and will likely move on once I feel I've run the round of dungeons to the point they become familiar (I very much appreciated alkemist80's response that pointed out that once you've done a dungeon 50 times, it's a grind you're bound to race through — while I'm a big believer in stopping and smelling the roses, the logic here is undeniable).
Perhaps I should begin a movement to do TR-and-HR-exclusive runs (no CW or other nukers allowed!).
I will add that MMO players' persistence with the end game long after it's become "been there done that" puzzles me. Once you've reached the top (in all but perhaps the game's absolute best gear), seen it all and that's gone stale, why not quit? It's not like there isn't a massive universe of games out there to conquer. Is it that (now) old habits die hard? Online friends and social life? Can't be bothered with finding something new? (Bear in mind that this is coming from someone who couldn't stick with WoW for more than a month and a half, so people playing for years baffles me.)
And I don't want to be tone deaf here to those who have financial constraints that prevent them from amassing a large game collection, but there's a fair number of free-to-play offerings out there and I consistently find great titles on Steam for $4.99 just a year or two after release (sometimes much shorter).
Frankly, my game waiting list is so long I can't imagine spending time on anything that hasn't got my full attention. If your experience of the above is quite different, I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks again!
- Gurugeezer