I have always wanted to make a healer/buffer but never did it except until yesterday while trying to get letters I got a character to lvl 20 and made it a cleric. I am kind of enjoying the skills for some reason lol, anyway I have been thinking about getting it higher and making it more of a main rather than an alt. Now, I am wondering which to choose prophet or bishop? I really like giving people tons of buffs but I also like actually doing something active rather than sitting around with a bishop and having those heals.
Now some of my questions:
1) Do bishops still have nice buffs to give rather than just healing?
2) Can prophets heal well at all?
3) Which one would you choose to be rather in the party?
I would choose Bishop, not to denegrate Prophets. Prophets have better buffs, Bishop buffs are marginal. Bishops heal better than any other class in the game. Bishops can solo undead better than any other class in the game.
There are lots of two boxed Prophets, buff bots. But boxed Bishops are rare because a healer needs to have a person running it to do the job well. Therefore, bishops are more fun to play, I think.
The main reason, though...is that bishops are rare. They are rare because they need a skilled and dedicated person to play them, there are not many who can. So if you are good and if you like playing a rare class, choose Bishop.
If you try to play a bishop, as many have, and cannot succeed.....just be willing to admit that you aren't good enough.
Thanks for the answer I will probably end up going bishop then just because it actually takes some skill and I won't be sitting around doing nothing.
Also, cosidering Kamael is coming soon, will creating a bishop now easily get me into parties with many people I presume will be creating kamaels to level up? I heard some skills won't be as effective on kamaels like VR, will heals not work as well on them aswell?
From the information they have put out, heals are only 50% effective on kamael.
To go bishop is a good idea rather than prophet, and to get parties, that is going to require a good network and a good clan. You can solo, and many bishops have pulled that off with the undead skills... but bishops are a support character and are mostly suited for groups. Since there are many classes that can do just fine soloing or duoing without a dedicated healer (ie orc fighter classes, archers, nukers) if you hook up with melee players in a good clan, like I did, you will find a nice regular xp group.
The problem with going prophet is that after a certain point, they are so easy to dual box, keeping them out of party, unless needing holy weapon or zerk, that many live prophets create another class and use their pp as their own buffbot. It is insane to me that the developers made it so easy to use these support characters as dual-boxes.
BTW, prophets can heal, but just get the minimum heals, which can keep you alive in a pinch.
BTW, prophets can heal, but just get the minimum heals, which can keep you alive in a pinch.
LOL.....Back in my C and B grade days, I used to level with a played Prophet all the time. She used to get -MAD- when I said she wasn't a healer. Then, she had to heal a party without me. She apologized, and never complained again.
Which class you should choose depends on your play style. As a healer, you will typically be active and involved in a group. There is very little "down time" where you sit and do nothing. If you group fights well, you won't be super-busy, but you still need to pay attention. With a prophet, you buff, and sit, if you are buffing more than a few people. If you are in a small group, you'll be able to buff and fight. If you are looking to pvp, 1 on 1, a prophet is -awesome- when played properly. Bishops can hold our own except almost anyone except high dps melee toons, assuming our spells will land. As a 74 Bishop, I duelled a 69 SR to a tie, and as a 76 cardinal, I beat a 73 Sorc in a duel. On the other hand, I've been owned by a 65 SH, because Trance wasn't landing, and he hit a crit. Against a tank, if you don't get stunned/para'd, they'll get bored and leave before you die. Daggers/Tyrants/Destroyers are another issue. The only way I survive a duel against these is to keep them asleep until it ends. At least, that's all I've managed to do so far. :cool: Against summoners, you erase the pet, and it's a melee fight you should win.
In group/mass pvp, you'll most likely be the first one down. The only one who'll be killed before you is an EE, so you can't GTHO. Especially if you are a good healer, you'll be mass targeted. If you are good, the bad guys'll have target macros and all that, just for you. Good healers are few and far between, because like someone said, not many people can stick with it and learn. Having access to Major Heal doesn't automatically make you a good healer. It isn't an easy class to play. There is very little "rinse and repeat" levelling. But, imo, if you can stick with it, it's the most rewarding class in the game. And, in my experience, a good healer is one of the most respected players in the game.
One thing you'll definately find with Bishops is that we share a common respect for each other. I have yet to talk to a healer that I didn't get a polite, respectful answer. Even from the ones on the other side of the war. On Lionna, I don't think there are more than a dozen player played Cardinals. The big allies have botted ones they use for epic bosses and such, but nobody actually plays them. Those of that do are passionate about it, and always willing to help someone learn.
Well, I guess I've rambled enough. Take care, and good luck, which ever way you decide.
I personally have a HUGE amount of respect for anyone that plays and levels a buffer type. It's true, everyone and thier brother has a boxed buffer. I know how hard it is for healers to get groups, and can't imagine the patience you guys have. I have nothing but love for you guys, but I'm saying it like I see it.
I have played my prophet for - well lets just say it seems like forever. Leveling my subclass now and will be soon back on my prophet. I found that certain types of groups are more fun to play in. .
A lot of people tend to brand prophets as the type of class that buffs and then sits / afk for 18 minutes. You can choose to do this but not recommended imo.
While on my sub class, I have been in large parties where we had oop buffers. I have to admit that I find this to not be as efficient because when the buffs start to fade, the entire party rests for the 2-4 minutes of buffing then they get back at it. A live prophet in the group can buff on the fly while the party continues to fight with no lost time.
The smaller parties where I can actually get up and fight along with the rest of the group are more enjoyable for me. Sitting and buffing is not my style of play. While in the small party - DD, SE, Prophet - the need for a bishop really does not exist other than the really bad situations. The VR usually keeps up with the healing. If it is just a DD and a Prophet - picking the right spots can make a difference just making sure herbs drop. The prophet can play buffer and healer as iI have done several times. The DD just needs to remember that you are only a level 35 cleric - even if you are level 73 prophet.
In party AFK prophets are usually the ones that die first for some reason...
Lately - I would take anyone in my party as I find soloing absolutely boring and kind of pointless playing an MMORPG.
Yes, you can help DD as a prophet - then again, you probably won't have the MP in even a mid-sized group to buff yourself and a few hybrids (even in robes, even staggering).
As a prophet, you will be lacking VR (until 74, when BDs and boss jewels can replace it ... but then, what do you do up to 74?), and NCSoft will keep nerfing you (and showering you in useless skills) because of your performance in the olympiad (nevermind that it's going to be virtually impossible to get groups that don't involved a box SE, where you come along so people don't have to spend money on GSAPs to actually get to the level where you could compete at the olympiad).
Your semi-unique buffs (haste, acumen, resists) will keep getting moved into readily and cheaply available items. Heck, after a certain level, your share of the loot will be larger than replacing you with items would have been.
On the bright side? You could probably really kick [censored] with a wolf in a herb field. Solo!
And a WC could still do it better. :/
he entire party rests for the 2-4 minutes of buffing then they get back at it.
Your boxers suck, then. A good boxer can OOP buff on the fly, and maybe hesistate for a few seconds if the group doesn't want to share exp with the buffers when they're giving in-party-only buffs.
Boxing support doesn't equal soloing, by the way. :) I usually bring one (or two, whee, juggling two characters on one account) buffers to a group that doesn't have any live ones (and sometimes even then, in case the in party support wants to use their MP on something more fun than buffing, like CC/pulling/healing/recharging).
I started bartz as a pp and could rarely get parties from 40-43, when every one denied me parties cause they have a box and didn't need me I gave up and rerolled.
PP's are decent in olym, but thats about it. They are ok in mass pvp doing some support, and buffing people on the fly if they die and rezed up. but I've known people that play PP's and refused to come to sieges on their main, and would only play their sub cause they didn't want to buff and sit, and twittle their thumbs for 20 minutes while every one else got all the fun pvp action.
Bishops are just alot more needed, and less ramped. your better off in L2 as a bishop. best heals, and they have the most skills of all classes in the game.
Your boxers suck, then. A good boxer can OOP buff on the fly, and maybe hesitate for a few seconds if the group doesn't want to share exp with the buffers when they're giving in-party-only buffs.
LOL --- a good boxer??? good lord. what have we come to. Now we are calling boxed toons noobs. looooooool.
There are differences in quality of play, yup. I two-boxed in group for a long time (EE/PP) before it became redundant because I couldn't keep MP up without VR, and with VR there was no longer a point in taking the EE along.
I'm fairly confident in how I box, although CT1 has made trying to use macros such a pain that I'm considering to return to a single screen with two instances over what I use now. :p
As far as hating boxers? Hate NCSoft. I love my prophet (I'm still looking for a decent exp pet, think my Kamael might finally be it), but I can't take being useless in a group - and frankly, an OOP box contributes more to the exp rate of a party (and doesn't eat drops) than an in party live prophet can hope to if there's someone else there who's being even halfway attentive.
At least at my level.
Yes, competing with a lazily boxed prophet IN group is no problem - but then, most people leave their boxes out of the party, and once the buffs are done and taken care of, how much more can you do?
It's not that I can't find a group - but with the current state, why on earth would I want to?
It's not that I can't find a group - but with the current state, why on earth would I want to?
Well, obviously, you don't play the game for the camaraderie. Why would you want to find a group? Because, generally, it's fun to play with other people. You know, you make friends, laugh, have a good time... Come on, Maline... run outside and play, make some friends !!!!!! :)
the funny thing i find is that the ones who box most of the time for xp when live buffers on are the First to ask if u will play for them at seige or epic raids
LOL
I personally don't have fun being a leech in a group.
I don't mind dragging others along, but I flat out don't enjoy being the fifth wheel, so meh - I'd rather go ahead and find a character dombination in which either being there as a semi-live prophet makes sense and contributes to the group, or plain out go OOP.
It's not like I can't have fun with people just because I'm not getting exp.
the funny thing i find is that the ones who box most of the time for xp when live buffers on are the First to ask if u will play for them at seige or epic raids
LOL
you just like to argue.
the point is PP's are flat out boring to play. buff every one but your self then sit for 20 minutes. or buff your self and 2-4 others and DD some = fun. ether way you still have to worry about MP management.
None the less NCsoft still has buffs at 20 minutes, by the time you get a small grove on your XP comes to a halt cause you have to stop to buff again slowing your XP rate once again.
Playing a healer is alot more engaging and fun then sitting on your butt for 20 minutes hit 1 key 5-7 times, then sit down again.
PP's are only fun to play at 78 in the olym, other wise the class blows.
Yes. The problem is that especially small groups require some kind of VR to run - the only alternative sources of VR pre-74 replace the prophet easily, so until you get up to that point, you're basically leeching it.
Prophets are fun to play - staggering (watching who you're buffing when in the context of pulling), CC etc.
If they had proper MP management and NCSoft would just get around to making regeneration just as capable of HP maintenance as VR, it might all work out.
And no, you don't have to stop to buff. I don't know any live buffer who makes people stop, and if one did, it'd probably be time for them to reroll and make their buffer a box - not much of a loss of quality there.
the funny thing i find is that the ones who box most of the time for xp when live buffers on are the First to ask if u will play for them at seige or epic raids
LOL
you just like to argue.
the point is PP's are flat out boring to play. buff every one but your self then sit for 20 minutes. or buff your self and 2-4 others and DD some = fun. ether way you still have to worry about MP management.
None the less NCsoft still has buffs at 20 minutes, by the time you get a small grove on your XP comes to a halt cause you have to stop to buff again slowing your XP rate once again.
Playing a healer is alot more engaging and fun then sitting on your butt for 20 minutes hit 1 key 5-7 times, then sit down again.
PP's are only fun to play at 78 in the olym, other wise the class blows.
LOL i love my class an i solo at 80 yes that is right i solo at 80
the problem i have is uppertear skills we get compared to the orcs isnt justified we the true pp not like people like you who probly box a 71-78 pp for optimal xp would like a few skills that we deserve not spellturning or mystic imunity
an yes we were fun in oly in interlude but all the [censored] you all did had to change that cuz we kicked all ur classes [censored]
I don't mind being a leech, because I get my action at pvp and raids XD Where you either lose the exp, or get small amounts due to all the dying.
what kind of party does a cardinal leech from? if you go to darkness and don't have 77 sws, the cardinal can run 2 rechargers out of mp just by itself.
A cardinal leeching? Jeez. I am amazed sometimes at the attitudes of people. I've even read threads here where people actually calculated their cost of xp (shots needed, pots needed) and resented that a healer only used x amount of bsps ... aye aye aye.
Of course there are parties where a Cardinal is not needed, and yeah, there is the possibility of some soloing here and there. At the higher levels, we all know how difficult xp is, and how long it takes to get to 79 or 80 -- especially when PvP is involved. In order to have your support players when you need them, you have to support them in their goals as well. And it's unusual for the healer not to be the first target in pvp...
So, I guess you can call that leeching, putting a cardinal in a party where only occasionally their skills are needed... but I call it taking care of your people.
The last PvP clan I was in didn't like me "leeching" on my way to 75. Funny, how they didn't want to wait 3 hours for another healer to log in, when I refused to go to Barakiel, so one of them could get Noble. But, since I had to solo for XP, it took me a long time to level. The clan leader even told them I was right to refuse, and suggested they offer me groups if they wanted help. At that time, if you couldn't kill people, or make people more effective at killing, you weren't much value to that clan. But, a dead tank doesn't keep aggro on a boss very well. I think I went up 2% in the 3 hours they had to wait.
If you bot hardcore, or if you have no life and can play 16+ hours a day. Anyone that says otherwise is lying, or doesn't mind taking 6+ months to get one level.
The price of victory is great sacrifice. Forego any desire to have anything resembling a social life, compromise your health and most likely your sex appeal, quit your job... and then you are the winnar.
LOL yeah how about it. 10+ hours a day, riiiight. Do I believe people do that? Yes absolutely. Could I do that? Hell no.
I wish I could!
but I prefer duo L room..and its hard to get a good Darkness/chaple room running with out enemies showing up, or someone leaving after only 1-2 hours being there.