Fighter QuestionsFollow

Crusaders actually start with the highest initial pool of the fighters. Int and Str both contribute to your power pool..and a 25% bonus is applied for beeing a double Stat class.

SK's aggro control is pretty much top dog for multi mob encounters...and especially for multi-mob non-linked ones (though Zerkers are decent there as well with insolent gibe etc.). Their survivability in day to day adventuring is also higher than the other plate classes...Evac, FD, AA immunities/heal boosts, AOE knockdown/debuffs, DPS boosts/Effect immunities, proc heals, decent DPS etc..etc..etc.. make them pretty much third in line after the 2 brawler classes in this regard (kinda hard to top the brawlers FD abilities for survivability). With their 10 second immunity(AA choice), Despoil mitigation sypher, AA mitigation sypher, Augmented heals/lifetaps, AOE knockdown, 360 degree dammage shield/heal procs/hate increases etc...will see SKs walking out alive where the other 3 plate classes would not.

SKs also currently have the strongest snap aggro of the fighter classes. Some very nice debuffs and buffs (with nice AA buff/debuff choices/augmentations as well). They also have a very versatile nature....you can either spec/gear them for tanking, DPSing, or anywhere in the spectrum in-between. The thing a lot of SKs note is that the class really comes into it's own a bit late. A few of the spells/AAs/abilities that really make em shine come at longer intervals, and higher levels (such as the AOE lifetap/dammage as an example at lvl 55).

With my SK though, I never felt underpowered on the way up. With the right spell upgrades and gear, there is no reason you shouldn't be at least taking out mobs 2 to 3 levels above you 1up arrow...and even up to some heroic 3up arrows even con to 2 levels above (if all primo abilities are up), once you reach the higher echelons gear/AA/spell quality wise.



Edited, Jan 5th 2007 3:39pm by CHIMPNOODLE

It's not that their moves require more power...they require a bit more finesse and knowledge(imo, and from what I've been told and read on the boards). There are particular sequences that will reduce your power by a large margin, and SKs actually get a mana tap later on as well. Certain moves do take a lot of power, but are often overused, or used when not needed.

As far as disagreeing. I can guarantee that you will change your mind when you are geting into the upper tiers, particularly after you get your Deathmarch (but not solely because of it, even though it is currently the single strongest AOE aggro ability in game...with a 50 meter radius as well). As far as needing a string of lucky procs...blessing is 100% proc, it will proc with every hit (and that is just 1 of the tools you will have).

As far as DPS...SKs can be configured to do some very nice DPS, but a similarly specced Zerker will out-DPS them (in theory anyway). If you are looking for DPS to make up for a lower initial HP pool, that's not what what makes up the difference. A large part of the equalizing comes from crusaders having a much larger amount of HPs than zerkers to draw on through "healing" themselves, and having a range of stuns, syphons, knockdowns and debuffs.

The skills that SKs have *are* their strenghts, but it takes some time to first aquire them, then learn to use them well. When used well...crusaders *will* walk away from many a fight that a zerker or guard would not hope to live through.

As far as this...."Guardians are (TANKS^^^heroic)/dps. Zerkers are DPS^^/TANK^^^. Brawlers are DPS^^^/tank^. I just don't see where crusaders fit in. But don't read me wrong; I like SK. "

Those ^^^s can be interchanged almost freely by all the tank classes depending on the encounter. If you think that the crusader skills don't match up (or even surpass) the Zerkers' abilities....well then good, you have narrowed your class choice down to Zerker and it sounds like you will enjoy it. It would not be the case in reality though.

Furthermore, regardless of tank class....if you stay at App 1s...none of the tank classes will excel, and you will be sure to wind up with some nice repair bills...and so will your groupmates. Tanks are pretty much *the* most gear/ability dependant archtypes in EQ2.


Just an interesting thing to note as well since you were a paritally focused on the HP aspect...equalization is very much more apparent in the higher lvls. If you check the SOE official "best in class leaderboards" you'll notice that the top SKs have considerably *more* HPs than the top zerkers. I actually camped out in some lower HP gear tonight that dropped me a few slots, but I'm on there regularly. I was 40th Worldwide (all servers) yesterday, 53 today. I alternate second to third highest HP for SKs on my server normally (depending if I'm in Raid tanking gear or not). There is only 1 Zerker ( of all the hundreds/thousands?)on my server (Unrest) that is currently higher in HPs than I was yesterday. Anyway, it's not all about the HPs, but it was interesting to see.

I sincerely hope you enjoy whatever class you pick to excel at. I also think that you haven't got nearly far enough along yet to realize exactly how strong SKs are. It sounds like you've made up your mind to go with zerker though. If you find over time you aren't enjoying the Zerker class anymore, or you notice SKs doing things you only wish you could...I would reccomend picking up where you left off at that point. SKs are a wild ride, it's hard to not have a blast playing one.



Edited, Jan 6th 2007 4:51am by CHIMPNOODLE

Ya, no fun missing out on AAs. You will see that eventually without upgrading your toons will start strugling really though. The thing is, that at lower levels not many people can, or do, upgrade a lot of spells and gear...they figure they are gaining levels so fast that it's not worth the time or money since everything gets replaced quite quickly.

Eventually you have a lot of upgraded players with you, and some instances that were designed to give even well geared/upgraded players a challenge. When DPS classes start unloading with pure adeptIII/Master ******** and your sitting on app1 or even adept 1....your hope of controlling the encounter is minimal. With your stances, stuns and other abilities not upgraded, you also end up not making a dent on some of the tougher mobs....you spells wear off early, you get a lot of resists, and you'll have a much tougher time. You'll see that without upgrades you won't have enough power/hp to make it through... AOE mobs will rip you up, and raid tanking will be out of the question.

from what i remember the hp/power break down of the fighter classes is this, brawler types have the highest hp and lowest power pool, crusaders have the highest power but lowest hp, and the warriors have even hp and power. as far as what level you should start upgrading, i've played tanks before, and usually the adept1's for most abilities aren't that bad. it's been awhile since i've played one so that might be different now. but just to give you an idea, my main is an assassin, and i've NEVER had below an adept1 CA since late teens. now that i can actually afford it i'm starting to get all adeptIII and master spells when i can. upgrading is never hard unless you're a necro/conj since masterI's of the pets sell for ungodly amounts. but the same can be said for certain abilities from any class (taunts, backstabs, mezzes, heals). but in all honesty, major upgrading only matters if you plan on grouping at all. and since you have to for raids/hq's it might be a good idea.

The Power pool on shadowknights is dependant on two stats. you need to have high INT and high STR to have a high power pool no matter what you get that 25% bonus. when these stats are both high crusaders have more power than any other tank class. I have a zerker and a shadow knight. when I play my zerker ( both equally geared at the time) My zerker got PWNED. and the SK flourished. both of them deal a lot of damage in AoE. but the thing about the SK is the life taps. if your playing your SK and you dont use your reactive then yes the zerk will win in a solo bout against a group. but if you are using your reactive (keep in mind it heals my Sk for about 30% of his HP) The SK slaughters.

Edited, Sep 25th 2007 4:29pm by Firesys