Hi there folks, im a newb. Just picked up L2 last week and am loving it. Im just about to hit lv 40 and was wondering if i should go BD or SK. To be honest the ig descriptions of both classes are a lil fuzzy =(. Im planning to focus on pvp in the future and was wondering if one is clearly stronger in that context. Had been leaning towards SK until i read some pretty negative things on tanks(cannon fodder). Ne input offered would be very much appreciated
Well, in C5 hate will work on players, so it will be easier for you to fight nukers (hate forses target on you and then forses to mele attack), then got a bunch of attacking magic skills, while BD's main role is a suport which means basicly stand back, make others stronger so they will fight for you.
75 sk and loveing it takes alot of work tho as a sk you actuly go after the oponent and have a chance of hitting them as a bd you stand behind a wal lof archers or nukers and dance every 2 min sit down repeet and to the guy who said bd's can tank rfol um no ? dont forget about the heal changeds in the next chron tanks are going to be required again
Well, in C5 hate will work on players, so it will be easier for you to fight nukers (hate forses target on you and then forses to mele attack), then got a bunch of attacking magic skills, while BD's main role is a suport which means basicly stand back, make others stronger so they will fight for you.
Be honest only very stupid peeple will hate in pvp. Hating a Nuker is like this:
Hate--- Cancel-Nuke-Nuke-Nuke-Dead!!!!!
Hate in PvP is only good against melee classes and archers, but never, never, never for nukers.
To tell you the true, cause 3 of 4 subclasses are nukers I am kinda sure I'll never hate in pvp. Welcome to L2.
The person to get taht into being was stupid and did never played a Tank for sure.
Don't forget Fighter clases get their stone-paper-system but nukers still own them all, so nothing will be changed other that tanks get two more useless pvp skills.
But to answere your question, their are several good descriptions about SKs and BDs use the search function. (one from the SK describtion is from me btw) :)
In short:
SK is a Tank/DD class which biggest benefit is his multiple offensive and defensive skill/tactic. Very nice in PvE but as melee it sucks in PvP esp. against nukers, but they can beat the most melee classe cause of their cubes and kiting-nuke skills.
BD is a DD/Support class which biggest benefit are his dances, cause they are helpfully for melees, nukers and/or archers. Cause of their dances they are most wanted for PvE and always welcome in PvP groups. In PvP they sucks against nukers (as usual) and they are weak against archers cause they don't have a shield. Against other melee classes they are nice but not superb. But ocasionly they are in archer/nuker partys and only dance for them during they stand behind a wall or something like that.
BD or SK? What do you prefer doing? Lead or assist?
I rolled both. I like them both. When I want to group, I usually play the BD. When I want to melee solo, I play the SK. (And yes, the very fact that an SK as a tank class can solo should give you some idea as to how good an SK can be. You won't find that many other tank classes who feel comfortable soloing.)
I grew up on Elric of Melnibone stories, so naturally, the SK filled my desire to play a melee class with a heavy magic emphasis. An SK is a better tank than most people give them credit. Hate, leeches, poisons, drains, stings, freezing strikes, fortress, plagues, hexes, power breaks, cubics (Phantom, Viper, and Vampire), guard stance, lightning strikes -- and even more skills to come in C5 -- makes the SK potentially one of the most skill-rich tank classes in the game. And, oh yes, unlike most tank classes, the SK actually can do decent melee damage due to their higher natural Strength.
But the problem with tanks in general is that they have been largely unpopular classes, and the SK is no different. In fact because of their naturally low Con, SK's are often overlooked in parties as a primary tank.
Take that into consideration before you choose. If you're in a good clan, you'll have no problem with the above.
BD's are support classes. They do have some common skills with SK's including drains, stings, hexes, freezing strikes, etc. However, anyone that says a BD can tank has pretty much ignored the fact that SK's ARE the DE tank class. That would make BD's redundant. Sure, BD's can be a good puller, and they have debuffs that are sure to get the attention of mobs, but unless that BD has archers & mages at his back, and a good healer around, he will soon regret the notion of playing the pure tank in any group for any extended period. Low Con and lower pdef without the defensive shield masteries, stances, fortresses and aegis of the SK pretty much says it all for the BD's hopes of being an all-day tank.
In terms of skills, the SK has much more to offer individually. But the BD -- ahhhhh, no group is effective without one. As such, you rarely will hear a BD shouting for a group. As a support class, your job is to dance so that everyone in your party can do what they do, only better. Given the dances, the ease of partying, and the dual swords (which I LOVE!), BD's are one of the more enjoyable classes to play.
So, it looks like you have a tough decision ahead of you. Before you make the choice, hop over to the Chronicle 5 forum. Some of the forthecoming changes to each of these classes might also help sway your decision one way or the other.
Well, i faced this dillema recently, and i do not regret my decision. This time has been my best so far going SK. You can solo extremely easily even without buffs and you deal some damage.