[setm]

I want to start out by saying that I absolutely love this game. My MMO background is only Guild Wars and D&D Online, and I thought I liked instancing until I played Vanguard! I love being able to just run around and help someone kill a monster if they are in trouble or just giving someone a quick buff or two.

My problem is that my Druid (currently level 15) CANNOT kill a yellow 3-dot moster on his own. Once in a while I may get lucky and kill one 3-dot but I usually get killed on the next one. I understand that this is a MMO and grouping is to be encouraged, but I've had my LFG post up for HOURS at a time with no tells. I've also shouted LFG in my general area and ran around and pestered people to group with me, to no avail. I am not saying that I never get in a group, but it is very hard for me to get in one that has the same quests, etc as me.

My question is: What is a good solo class for me to play that I will be able to pull and kill a yellow 3-dotter alone? I quit my level 8 Paladin for this very reason, he couldn't kill well alone. I thought my Druid would be perfect for soloing due to decent buffs, damage output and heals, but I'm getting hammered again. I believe my skill and tactics are not totally the problem here, so is one class better to play alone when I can't find someone to group with? (It doesn't help that there aren't a lot of players right now either, I know) Thanks

[Mortezzah]

Hands down, best soloer = necro.

[Blox]

Originally Posted by Mortezzah

Hands down, best soloer = necro.

I agree ATM my necro at level 50 can solo 3 5 dots at a time. we are a broken clas expect a nerf bat to them as well some time soon.

[Ion]

Haha... 5dot... crazy. And 3 of them.

[Warspawn]

Yep Necro. Heck, even the first 50th gamewide was a necro. Absolutely amazing class. I'm quite surprised at their power every time I see them killing mobs as efficiently as any group. They are a group actually, with a variety of pets and survival techniques including evac and feign death.

[Silvanis]

Originally Posted by Mortezzah

Hands down, best soloer = necro.

I would agree with this with one caveat: it takes patience and experience to play a necro well. You need to analyze each situation and alter tactics accordingly. I can see some people not playing necros well.

Also, I have only a level 20 necro and soloing more than a 3 dot would be less than wise. Even with a 3 dot, fear kiting is the only real tactic. I am not sure what powers we get later on, but I dont think a necro at this level needs much of a nerf. I just think its nice that a well played necro is very effective.

[MrCoffee]

Originally Posted by Silvanis

I would agree with this with one caveat: it takes patience and experience to play a necro well. You need to analyze each situation and alter tactics accordingly. I can see some people not playing necros well.

Also, I have only a level 20 necro and soloing more than a 3 dot would be less than wise. Even with a 3 dot, fear kiting is the only real tactic. I am not sure what powers we get later on, but I dont think a necro at this level needs much of a nerf. I just think its nice that a well played necro is very effective.

Grafts, Grafts, and more Grafts. Thats the key to a good necro

[thatznice]

necro, cleric are the best for solo in my opinion. Best casterwithpet type is necro, and the best solo melee type is cleric. Though dont expect any quick battles, but they survive them none the less.

[rabb1t]

Originally Posted by setm

My problem is that my Druid (currently level 15) CANNOT kill a yellow 3-dot moster on his own. ... I quit my level 8 Paladin for this very reason, he couldn't kill well alone.

You do realize that only a few classes can kill a 3 dot, yes?

By design of the game no class is supposed to be able to solo higher than a 2 dot. One to two dots is designated as a soloable critter. Three dots is defined as something you want to duo for. Four and higher are designed for groups.

If you are thinking that you should be able to solo 3 dot critters, it isn't the class choice that's wrong, it is your understanding of what critters you should be able to solo.

That said, IMO, Cleric by far has the easiest time soloing of all the classes I've tried. (I've tried every class that isn't a caster.) Also, they happen to be pretty handy in a group.

Honestly though, if you don't want to group (not saying this is what you are saying, I'm just putting this out here) you may want to reconsider if VG is really worth playing. It isn't designed to be a solo experience. You are only supposed to solo some of the time.

[thatznice]

Originally Posted by rabb1t

Honestly though, if you don't want to group (not saying this is what you are saying, I'm just putting this out here) you may want to reconsider if VG is really worth playing. It isn't designed to be a solo experience. You are only supposed to solo some of the time.

I think this is where the game falls short though also. It is advertised that you have the freedom to play any way you want. Be free. Forcing players to rely only on group play is a bad move in my opinion, as a game world as large as VGs should have options for multipul styles of play. Group play should equal dungeon and boss rewards. Solo play should offer freedom even through to end game. It should exist just as strongly as group game play. Same goes with crafting, diplo and all that.

My problem is that my Druid (currently level 15) CANNOT kill a yellow 3-dot moster on his own. Once in a while I may get lucky and kill one 3-dot but I usually get killed on the next one. I understand that this is a MMO and grouping is to be encouraged, but I've had my LFG post up for HOURS at a time with no tells. I've also shouted LFG in my general area and ran around and pestered people to group with me, to no avail. I am not saying that I never get in a group, but it is very hard for me to get in one that has the same quests, etc as me.

3 dots are easy, 4 dots are more of a challenge. With my druid i can win most of the time, only thats the key to winning. Time. Dots and kiting, though with resistance up it might be more difficult now.

[Rancar]

Originally Posted by setm

My question is: What is a good solo class for me to play that I will be able to pull and kill a yellow 3-dotter alone?

A yellow 3-dot? Blue 3-dot's rape me, especially if they stun.

No class should be able to take on yellow 3-dot's with ease. The fact that a few can is most likely a temporary thing. Druids are one of the best classes for kiting. I would suggest taking on even 2's.

[thatznice]

Originally Posted by Rancar

A yellow 3-dot? Blue 3-dot's rape me, especially if they stun.

No class should be able to take on yellow 3-dot's with ease. The fact that a few can is most likely a temporary thing. Druids are one of the best classes for kiting. I would suggest taking on even 2's.

2's? thats no fun. Spending 5-10 minutes killing one 4 dot of equal or higher lvl is more fun and satisfying. One mistake and your usually dead. But if done right, can net good rewards and a great feeling of success.

at lvl 18-21 i enjoyed the ZAR 4 dots that spawn around silverlake. Much fun. Or even the undead 4 dot knights arounthere too. With time and tactics, a 4 dot shouldnt be impossible, just a really fun challenge.

[Leatherneck]

The danger of eternally chasing the FOTM is that it does get "fixed". Then you're mad because you spent x hours working on a class and then it gets nerfed.

Granted it may still be pretty good after the nerfing, but there is still a hue and cry when it happens.

[Hexed]

Originally Posted by thatznice

2's? thats no fun. Spending 5-10 minutes killing one 4 dot of equal or higher lvl ...

Thats why ou should choose a Necro. in 5 minutes you coud have killed 3 of them fear kiting them all at the same time. Dont want to kit, then get some cool DD grafts for your pet and he can tank 3 dots with some healing whilst your dots kill the mob (he even kees aggro okay with sneer on auto and 2 direct damage grafts like fist of rime and a good claw).

[thatznice]

Originally Posted by Hexed

Thats why ou should choose a Necro. in 5 minutes you coud have killed 3 of them fear kiting them all at the same time. Dont want to kit, then get some cool DD grafts for your pet and he can tank 3 dots with some healing whilst your dots kill the mob (he even kees aggro okay with sneer on auto and 2 direct damage grafts like fist of rime and a good claw).

true that. Necros need at least a challenge.

[Eldahir]

Originally Posted by rabb1t

By design of the game no class is supposed to be able to solo higher than a 2 dot. One to two dots is designated as a soloable critter. Three dots is defined as something you want to duo for. Four and higher are designed for groups.

I'm not going to dig a quote or anything but didn't Sigil devs state that 3 dot = small group / hard solo content? (something I'd expect pet or kiting classes to be able to take on)

[Celidya]

Originally Posted by rabb1t

You do realize that only a few classes can kill a 3 dot, yes?

In facts it's just a few classes that can't do it. Rogue, monk, warrior (they could but i think they can't anymore since their nerf ?), ranger (not sure).

Paladin can take 4 dots, DK 3 dots. Clerics, shamans, disciple can kill 4 dots. Bloodmage is stuck to 3 dots due to mana problems. On the catser side i think all of them beside the sorc can kill 4 dots with kiting involved, and all of them can destroy 3 dots much faster than the other classes as long as they have enough space to kite and the mob is not an archer/mage/healer type.

The game as it is actually is more:

-1 dot: they almost don't exist, so few of them, they're trash mobs
-2 dots: easy solo mob
-3 dots: solo mob, slightly harder
-4 dots: solo to full group mobs, it really depends on their stats
-5 dots: can be done with 2 people for a blue con mob, a group of 4 can take a red 5 dots with no problem.
-6 dots: never tried them, if they are balanced as *well" as the other mobs they must be doable with a full group or less.

Please note that what i state is what i've done by myself (so no buffs or help involved, pure solo), although it was before the last update. It may be slightly different now for melee classes, but for healers and kiting classes it's the same. And there is a world of difference between what a class CAN kill and what it SHOULD kill to be efficient. I've actually never play a class which can be efficient at killing 4 dots, and even 3 dots are barely worth it.

[thatznice]

Originally Posted by Celidya

The game as it is actually is more:

-1 dot: they almost don't exist, so few of them, they're trash mobs
-2 dots: easy solo mob
-3 dots: solo mob, slightly harder
-4 dots: solo to full group mobs, it really depends on their stats
-5 dots: can be done with 2 people for a blue con mob, a group of 4 can take a red 5 dots with no problem.
-6 dots: never tried them, if they are balanced as *well" as the other mobs they must be doable with a full group or less.

Funny thing is, i have encountered some 1 dot mobs that are actually harder than a 3 dot. More life, more attack power. I wonder if their dot system is out of wack.

[Jallis]

Vanguard is similar to EQ 1 where classes that can kite using either snare, fear or a combination of both have the advantage for soloing mobs. Necro being a great example since you can sick your pet and ping pong a mob to death. Plus something goes wrong they can always Feign Death eventually and you are back to square one with no xp loss.
Cleric would be decent as well since they can melee, drain energy through an attack or two and if anything goes really wrong hit shielding spell and run away. They do decent dmg for single target and AE spells. Disciples do well too but their abilities are still in a state of flux right now but they do get Feign Death as well, but less armor and seem to deal with one mob at a time.

I have played a few classes in the game to 10th and a Disciple to 14th then dumped it for the time being. My two mains are now a Necro for when I am sick of healing and a Cleric for being able to help others out with random buffs and healing of course. I personally find it nice that Sigil is doing more with their healer classes than you a typical heal bots, means their should be alot more healers showing up in the game.

[Melios]

Originally Posted by thatznice

Funny thing is, i have encountered some 1 dot mobs that are actually harder than a 3 dot. More life, more attack power. I wonder if their dot system is out of wack.

Sometimes the offensive target window screws up and shows the wrong amount of dots, or shows them as "level 0."