Choose An EQ Mac Character
The character you choose to play will dramatically effect the way you play the game of Everquest. Many people have picked a class for the wrong reasons, and after investing days of playing time into the character, realize that they would have rather chosen something else. EQMac.com has 5 tips to help you decide what role your character will play in the story of Everquest.
1) Read the EQMac.com class guides. There are many, many sites on the internet dedicated to explaining how different classes work. For the most part, they are adequate guides to the basics of each class. Unfortunately, many of these guides are outdated, and some contain misleading information on what a particular class actually does in the game. The EQMac.com short guides are designed so new players can understand exactly what the characters can do in the game. Worrying about how many points to put into Stamina can come later...
2) Focus on the reality of the class. Roleplaying is an exciting part of playing EQ. Playing a fantasy character and interacting with other people is why the game of Everquest has lasted as long as it has. That being said, don't pick your class based on what you imagine that class should be based on other fantasy worlds. Decide on the way you want to play the game, and base your character around it. If you decide you want to play a melee character, you can then decide whether or not to play the gruff Dwarven Warrior, the evil Ogre Shadow Knight, or the heroic Human Paladin. If you decide you want to help support and heal your comrades, you can take the role of a Cleric of Marr the Truthbringer, a solitary Druid, or an evil Iksar Shaman of Cazic-Thule, Lord of Fear.
3) Read what people playing the class have to say about it. Every class has one or more web sites dedicated to the class. When you decided what class you want to play, its a good idea to see how other people are enjoying it. A strong word of warning though, a great deal of the discussion is centered around problems or issues that present themselves at the highest levels of the game, and not every discussion is valid. For every Paladin that doesn't think their class is powerful enough, there are 100 who are having a great time playing theirs.
4) Don't try to be the best, and don't be afraid to be the worst. A common question that many new players ask is "What class is the most powerful." This changes almost day to day, level to level. Different classes are powerful in different situations. If you pick your class solely because you believe that you can level it up the fastest or easiest... then why play the class in the first place? Pick your class because you think you'll enjoy playing it in the game, not because a website thinks that a certain class is the best. Conversely, from the first day Everquest went online, there has always been a few vocal groups of people who claim their class is the worst. They claim that the class is not wanted in groups, or that the class is "useless" in certain situations. This has never been true. No matter what class you pick, in different situations you'll find yourself at a disadvantage compared to another class. Its part of the game. The next day, the same person you were jealous of may be wishing they were YOUR class.
5) FINALLY, pick your race and statistics Maybe you already have your race in mind. If so, that's the race that you should play. Some races do have some natural tradeoffs, however. Starting stats are not that important. While an Ogre Warrior may have an advantage over the Gnome Warrior, you'll quickly obtain equipment that makes this differences negligable. Every class page at EQMac.com has a "quick and dirty" guide to assigning your stats, but you can feel confident that your character won't be harmed by any mistakes you make at the beginning.