Thinking of starting up here, couple questions

[Tang]

I plan to 3 box (I would do more but my connection isn't super stable and sometimes I crash while zoning - anything more than 3 is a hassle). Since classes perform differently on different servers so I was wondering which 3 classes would work the best. Specifically:

I normally box Monk/Warrior/Cleric. How do Berserkers/Rogues compare to Monks for dps (and casters for that matter)? Is there any advantage here to having a Paladin or Shadow Knight tank over the Warrior? I think the Cleric is pretty solid, they're pretty much necessary on custom servers.

Question 2: How many bots can you have in your group at once?

Question 3: Someone told me that the alternative advancement path is a lot more involved and interesting than the "standard" path. How do others feel about the alternative vs. standard advancement paths? What are the advantages/disadvantages?

[Nilbus]

I plan to 3 box (I would do more but my connection isn't super stable and sometimes I crash while zoning - anything more than 3 is a hassle). Since classes perform differently on different servers so I was wondering which 3 classes would work the best. Specifically:

I normally box Monk/Warrior/Cleric. How do Berserkers/Rogues compare to Monks for dps (and casters for that matter)? Is there any advantage here to having a Paladin or Shadow Knight tank over the Warrior? I think the Cleric is pretty solid, they're pretty much necessary on custom servers.

I've never played a paladin here, but I have a SK and a warrior, I prefer the SK personally as it's easier for me to grab adds with him than on the warrior.

DPS wise, Eventually wizards do insane damage, mages are decent too and especially with the higher level rank pets, no tusre on necros to be honest. Melee I'd say it still goes
Rog, zerker, monk

Question 2: How many bots can you have in your group at once?

1 per group, and it will be one that the group leader owns and spawns

Question 3: Someone told me that the alternative advancement path is a lot more involved and interesting than the "standard" path. How do others feel about the alternative vs. standard advancement paths? What are the advantages/disadvantages?

Alternate progression is fun and different, but if you are just starting here, I would recommend going the regular way first. It too is fun and very different than the live experience.

[Tang]

I don't really do the alt thing, so whatever progression path I go down will probably be the only one that I see.

How "eventually" do wizards do insane damage, and are they consistently the highest dps class here? Do you think I'd be better off with a War/Wiz/Clr here? I'm only going to get to whatever point in progression a 3 box can get to, so if Wizards need raid gear or something that probably won't be relevant for me.

I do generally love to play a monk and usually control my boxes through that char, since FD + mend + decent tankability + dps allows you to add a lot. They're also generally very powerful on custom servers, but if they're worse than rogues/berserkers I may reconsider. How far behind rogues and berserkers are they? (Edit: I should probably add ranger in here as well, but they tend to be a bit hit or miss on eqemu)

Another minor question would be how difficult wizards are to automate. Do they generally just spam 1 spell until something's dead, or do they need to cycle a lot of spells?

[Stickybuds]

Wizards are the best dps out there, but they cant do it alone. If you only do a wizard without any other support or dps you're going to be doing much less dmg than a wizard powered by bard and shaman buffs and you're going to be oom constantly until you get a ton of mana and mana restore clicky items.

Since your only going to be boxing 3 toons i suggest a mage or a melee that wont require so much buffing and mana to put out consistent dmg. Mage would be the best route as most melee are also going to need buffs (and great weapons/gear) to keep up but at least they dont have to worry about going oom. Mage pet is T8 dps without the need of any gear, mana, or tons of external buffs.

Regards,
Sticky

[Firenze]

You can do SK / WIZ / SHM and use a bard bot

[Tang]

Hey, so, I decided to go Warrior/Cleric/Magician and hit 70 earlier today. The Magician dps was really sad, so I used a rogue bot. I was considering giving up on him, but the 60s pets do alright. I saw a mage with the T8 pet and the thing was going nuts, so I think all I need to do is get enough money for that and I'll be doing well. I have about 25k from leveling up, and it seems like the pet goes for 50k in the bazaar. Thinking of replacing the rogue bot with an enchanter once the mage is actually doing respectable dps.

My biggest concern at the moment is how I'm going to grind out my AAs. I've tried a few zones and it's all gone slow as molasses. I tried Seb, Valor, and PoStorms. Storms was slightly faster, but I was still getting less than 4% (blue bubble) a kill, which means.. well, a long time per point. I have to toss out a HoT for just about every LB/DB I fight in there, so it's not like I can just pull mass trains. The mobs die fast enough, but I do as well.

So... about three options really:

1) Just grind out plat to buy the T8 pet, and essentially have the mage PL me if the pet is good enough.

2) Do LDoNs so I'm at least accomplishing two things slowly (LDON points and AAs).

3) Or maybe I'm grinding AAs in the wrong zones and I should be using non-custom zones or something? Are the mobs easier there?

Thanks for any opinions on the above, if anyone reads this . I'll be experimenting with those 3 options tomorrow. My goal is to be able to do Kael, so I can finally start replacing my insulting armor. (which reminds me of another question, from what I understand the Icewell armor is the same or on par with Kael, but has to be tradeskilled so it's just more work than killing mobs in Kael - true?)

[Firenze]

Seriously forget the Enchanter bot

Go with a Rogue/monk bot if you want dps ( rogue bot is easier because it stick behind the mob when you got to manage the monk bot )

go with a bard bot if you want the dps bonus on your mage with the bard song + it sings selo and it rock

[Melkor]

Go with a Rogue/monk bot if you want dps ( rogue bot is easier because it stick behind the mob when you got to manage the monk bot)

This was changed. All melee DPS bots stick behind the mob now.

[Nilbus]

Do your epic 1.5s. The mage pet from that is enough to powerlevel yourself aa wise in any of the level 70 exp zones (FG, storms, icewell, ldons) It's no t8 pet, but it's good dps and can take a beating in those zones.

Plus you'll want 1.5s anyway to gain access to VP eventually.

[Tang]

Do your epic 1.5s. The mage pet from that is enough to powerlevel yourself aa wise in any of the level 70 exp zones (FG, storms, icewell, ldons) It's no t8 pet, but it's good dps and can take a beating in those zones.

Plus you'll want 1.5s anyway to gain access to VP eventually.

Unfortunately, I don't think I can handle the 1.5 mobs right now.

On other servers that allow bots I've found the enchanter is extremely useful for improving survivability. It's usually pretty good with mezzing, and also provides slows and buffs. Is it different here? It should be the same stock code.