Solo Class (Not Venos!)

If you get used to it, it seems at least in my guild the clerics are lvling pretty fast (assuming everyone is pretty much soloing)

I am FAC atm too and am having an easier time soloing than the support type clerics in my faction. Maybe in higher lvls like 70+ you might want to restat to hybrid, or if you hare going to go hardcore TW in early lvls because PvP wise, FAC get killed easily.
If your more laid back and focusing on lvling mostly PvE, then youll most likely breeze through with FAC style. Unless your looking at a deep orange name mob, they wont one-shot you or anything.

One decent FAC guide is here;
http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=11781

Xyran - Sanctuary wrote: »

i have some questions:
which one will lvl faster? archer or FAC (solo)

Personally Im not sure which is actually faster in lvling, although FAC seems safer of the 2 considering you have more access to buffs. But that might be a personal preference.

also, do FACs cost a lot to play (mp pots and possibly mp charms)

Charms I think you can do without in the earlier lvls below 50. ALOT of the killing xxx number of mobs quests, I did solo and got a crapfull of HP/MP pot drops just from them alone. Also I harvested every single plant I came accross, so that really helped in apothecary related HP/MP items.
Due to these grinding quests youll get loads of dragon quest related items you can sell and unless your aiming for a certain pet or mold give by the dragon quest NPC, you might as well sell them. (or if your worried just keep 100 of each and sell the rest) By the time you hit 60s youll have earned decently to buy charms ingame.
I am 67 atm and at least 80% of my exp I have to purely grind without quests.
Every 10%exp gained around this lvl I earn about:
150k(DQdrops)-30k(repairs)=120k average profit

My gold HP/MP charms last about 50% throught the exp, maybe a tad more depending. I use less casts per mob cause each of my spells have high dmg (FAC)

will you be wanted in parties

If you grind alot youll get excess spirit to use on pt related spells (aka aoe) I would also guess that it would depend on your willingness to be versatile as a FAC. There are some FACs that just REFUSE to do anything out of FAC boundaries...like main healing. I'd suggest just be willing to do any cleric roll given.

finally, do you have to restat later to support to lvl up fast

I doubt its highly mandetory in PvE solo. In party grinds its probably preference too, but if you keep dying enough to need to change to light armour then theres somethign wrong with the party itself lol.
Although in PvP and territory wars youll have a high chance of dying real fast as FAC, a 'glass cannon' so to speak.

blades are good against physical mobs and with the right build are great aoe grinders solo past 60

Barbs are definitely the worst soloing class: it takes them forever to kill things for the first 40 levels at least. Blademasters fare much better in comparison, as they can also use the life powder to keep them fighting forever (at least in the first 35 levels).

Barbs arent the best soloers. (Though I solo all the time b:sad).

The damage penalty is quite severe (if you level tigerform). Mine's at lvl3 for tanking purposes, but I really cant hurt anything much. Conversely, the humanoid form does some great damage, but doesn't give great defence.

A BM will almost always solo faster than a barb, due to better damage, better defence (against magical mobs assuming a light armor BM) and most important, better AOEs (axe BMs have some awesome AOEs).