BDs (Blade Dancer) get great in parties and have plenty to do endgame, not a bad choice at all, there are a lot of BDs already though. SwS (sword singer) get really good songs end-game and are at least as, if not a little more usful, but rarer. EEs (Elven Elder) (recharger, back-up healer, buffer) and bishops (best heals in game, high res, mini buffer) aren't painful to solo thanks to inquisitor. Bishops are not as common as EEs and more essential to end-game parties.
WCs and OLs, the orc buffers, can't heal but have a relatively high con and atk, meaning that they can dish out melee damage and solo that way. OLs can on the one hand only buff clan-members and are because of that hard to level unless you have an active clan, but have aoe de-buffs, which make them really fun. On top of that they are the most essential class for mass pvp there is because of a CP heal skill.
Other buffers are PPs (Prophet - human buffer with a lot of good and essential buffs) and SEs (Shillien Elder - Dark Elf buffers with 2 essential buffs that can recharge and emergency-heal), but I wouldn't recommend them for your main-class since a lot of people box them (run two clients at the same time: main and pp, or main and se).
If you limit "support" to healing/buffing, then that's pretty much it (except for Inspectors, but it'd be a LONG way until then, so let's leave 'em out), but there's other options:
Similar to the OLs aoe de-buffs, Necromancers have a few of those too - on top of nukes and summons. Necros are one of the most versitile classes in the game thanks to that.
Summoners get buff-summons as well as fighter summons, so while they can assist a party with buffs, they can solo with the fighters, just a bit boring to play since you're literally only hitting a button every 1.5mins if you use your summoner to buff.
Soulbreakers are mainly DDs, but can assist their party by de-buffing mobs and doing a few buffs as well, but I wouldn't call them a "support class".
That's pretty much it I think :)
EDIT: oh! Warsmiths have buffs too, but they're quite painful to level.
BDs (Blade Dancer) get great in parties and have plenty to do endgame, not a bad choice at all, there are a lot of BDs already though. SwS (sword singer) get really good songs end-game and are at least as, if not a little more usful, but rarer. EEs (Elven Elder) (recharger, back-up healer, buffer) and bishops (best heals in game, high res, mini buffer) aren't painful to solo thanks to inquisitor. Bishops are not as common as EEs and more essential to end-game parties.
WCs and OLs, the orc buffers, can't heal but have a relatively high con and atk, meaning that they can dish out melee damage and solo that way. OLs can on the one hand only buff clan-members and are because of that hard to level unless you have an active clan, but have aoe de-buffs, which make them really fun. On top of that they are the most essential class for mass pvp there is because of a CP heal skill.
Other buffers are PPs (Prophet - human buffer with a lot of good and essential buffs) and SEs (Shillien Elder - Dark Elf buffers with 2 essential buffs that can recharge and emergency-heal), but I wouldn't recommend them for your main-class since a lot of people box them (run two clients at the same time: main and pp, or main and se).
If you limit "support" to healing/buffing, then that's pretty much it (except for Inspectors, but it'd be a LONG way until then, so let's leave 'em out), but there's other options:
Similar to the OLs aoe de-buffs, Necromancers have a few of those too - on top of nukes and summons. Necros are one of the most versitile classes in the game thanks to that.
Summoners get buff-summons as well as fighter summons, so while they can assist a party with buffs, they can solo with the fighters, just a bit boring to play since you're literally only hitting a button every 1.5mins if you use your summoner to buff.
Soulbreakers are mainly DDs, but can assist their party by de-buffing mobs and doing a few buffs as well, but I wouldn't call them a "support class".
That's pretty much it I think :)
EDIT: oh! Warsmiths have buffs too, but they're quite painful to level.
Wow thank you for this! :D
I think I may try Bishop. Did some reading up on Inquisitor stance and it sounds pretty cool. If that doesn't work out I think I may try Sword Singer.
I'm new, and I'm trying to find a class that is for me. I'd love to play a support class that isn't painful to level alone if and when I need to.
I kind of wanted to go Blade Dancer, but I hear at higher level/end game they don't do anything.
Suggestion please?
Thanks for your time.
Edit: Sorry I think I posted this in the wrong spot?
all support classes are painful to level alone...at least after the newbie buffs run out, tho inquisitor lessens the pain substantially. however if u do lvl a support class, lvl a wolf along with it, once it's a great wolf it will equal or out damage you. I lvl'ed one with my bd sub, and it does the same dmg I do with shots, with no beast shots. I do enjoy my bd sub, tho I also enjoy being an se so I could be insane you never know.
I'd narrow it down first to what do you wnat to do? heal? buff? heal/buff/debuff? Want to be able to melee? Want to be able to nuke?
if you want to melee most try bd or sws. If you like to do it all go wc or ol (tho unless u are in a clan it will be hard to get parties as an ol as most your buffs won't work). If you like to heal & buff go EE or SE (tho you might spend most your time inquisting), and if you like to heal go bish.
others have mentioned summoner's...i'd count them more as dd's than support, tho they do have support roles with thier cubics and summon buffs. Summoners can solo constantly so that's not really an issue for them, but you are basically healer/buffer for your summon, however you can definately melee along with them.
all support classes are painful to level alone...at least after the newbie buffs run out, tho inquisitor lessens the pain substantially. however if u do lvl a support class, lvl a wolf along with it, once it's a great wolf it will equal or out damage you. I lvl'ed one with my bd sub, and it does the same dmg I do with shots, with no beast shots. I do enjoy my bd sub, tho I also enjoy being an se so I could be insane you never know.
I'd narrow it down first to what do you wnat to do? heal? buff? heal/buff/debuff? Want to be able to melee? Want to be able to nuke?
if you want to melee most try bd or sws. If you like to do it all go wc or ol (tho unless u are in a clan it will be hard to get parties as an ol as most your buffs won't work). If you like to heal & buff go EE or SE (tho you might spend most your time inquisting), and if you like to heal go bish.
others have mentioned summoner's...i'd count them more as dd's than support, tho they do have support roles with thier cubics and summon buffs. Summoners can solo constantly so that's not really an issue for them, but you are basically healer/buffer for your summon, however you can definately melee along with them.
Hmm now that I re-evaluate things... it sounds like Shillien Elder might be the choice for me since I enjoy both having lots of buffs and heals at my disposal.
I suppose it doesn't matter now, though. I've been trying out too many starting races and such that I can't make any more characters. (I got carried away and didn't realize it takes 7 days to delete a character... :( ) Unless I go to another server of course (currently on Aria). So looks like I'm stuck with the Bishop path for another 6 days, at least.
What support (buff/heal) class would best compliment a Spellsinger? My friend is going to join me and that is what he wanted to make.
Hmm now that I re-evaluate things... it sounds like Shillien Elder might be the choice for me since I enjoy both having lots of buffs and heals at my disposal.
I suppose it doesn't matter now, though. I've been trying out too many starting races and such that I can't make any more characters. (I got carried away and didn't realize it takes 7 days to delete a character... :( ) Unless I go to another server of course (currently on Aria). So looks like I'm stuck with the Bishop path for another 6 days, at least.
What support (buff/heal) class would best compliment a Spellsinger? My friend is going to join me and that is what he wanted to make.
Thanks again.
tell your friend to go spellhowler instead of singer...they hit much harder. you'll want to be a shillien elder for empower and recharges. unless you want to plan for end-game then you'll want to be an EE for prophecy.
The thing with SEs: they used to be the best healers in the game, but got nerfed to the point that no one really considers them anything but a buffer and recharger with emergency heals. They do have 2 really essential buffs though, one of them is unique to them. I'm talking about the buffs Vampire Rage and Empower. Vampire Rage is a buff that's almost essential to DDs, depending on how much damage a DD does, it gives him some hp back. Warcryers get this buff too. The second buff, Empower, is exclusive to SEs. It substentially increases matk and is absolutely essential for nukers.
If you have a friend to play with that is a nuker, and if you plan on leveling a wolf (which is an awesome idea - wolves are insane DDs), SE would be the best choice for you, as you'll be able to duo with your friend, solo with Inquisitor AND join melee parties with your wolf. I have a high lvl SE in my ally with a lvl 76 fenrir and he can solo the first part of hellbound (which might sound like gibberish to you, but trust me when I say that it equals EPIC WIN and that only high lvl StS and /maybe/ Summoners can do the same).
The risk with SEs is however: unless you have a wolf (and even if you have a wolf) it'll be really difficult for you to find parties until 78+ end-game where boxing a buffer just doesn't work anymore. Another issue is that, due to the fact that they used to be the best healers in game for quite some time, there are actually quite a few high lvl SEs in the game. In my ally we have about three times as many high lvl SEs as Bishops. Aside from the one with the wolf, most of those SEs spend more time on their Subs (subclasses - when you hit 75 and do a quest you can choose a second class) though, and only go SE if an SE is needed.
So in short: SE + wolf works like a charm. You'll be able to be a great aid to DD groups, and if they know what a wolf can do, they'll probably prefer you to a "normal" DD. Same goes for duoing with your nuker friend. If you know that both he and you are going to stick with the game, you'll be able to make a great team, you can either support him with heals and re-charges, or -and this will only work if you're in an area with herbs- just slap on inquisitor and nuke along with him.
If you don't want to raise wolf, and if you're not sure if you're friend is going to stick with the game however, being an SE will be tough and frustrating.
Oooh, another good news for SEs: Every buffer class gets a "prophecy" skill at level 78 that boosts stats GREATLY and in the next update the SE's prophecy, Prophecy of Wind, will get a pretty decent boost and might even end up being the best prophecy.
GL and HF :)
The thing with SEs: they used to be the best healers in the game, but got nerfed to the point that no one really considers them anything but a buffer and recharger with emergency heals. They do have 2 really essential buffs though, one of them is unique to them. I'm talking about the buffs Vampire Rage and Empower. Vampire Rage is a buff that's almost essential to DDs, depending on how much damage a DD does, it gives him some hp back. Warcryers get this buff too. The second buff, Empower, is exclusive to SEs. It substentially increases matk and is absolutely essential for nukers.
If you have a friend to play with that is a nuker, and if you plan on leveling a wolf (which is an awesome idea - wolves are insane DDs), SE would be the best choice for you, as you'll be able to duo with your friend, solo with Inquisitor AND join melee parties with your wolf. I have a high lvl SE in my ally with a lvl 76 fenrir and he can solo the first part of hellbound (which might sound like gibberish to you, but trust me when I say that it equals EPIC WIN and that only high lvl StS and /maybe/ Summoners can do the same).
The risk with SEs is however: unless you have a wolf (and even if you have a wolf) it'll be really difficult for you to find parties until 78+ end-game where boxing a buffer just doesn't work anymore. Another issue is that, due to the fact that they used to be the best healers in game for quite some time, there are actually quite a few high lvl SEs in the game. In my ally we have about three times as many high lvl SEs as Bishops. Aside from the one with the wolf, most of those SEs spend more time on their Subs (subclasses - when you hit 75 and do a quest you can choose a second class) though, and only go SE if an SE is needed.
So in short: SE + wolf works like a charm. You'll be able to be a great aid to DD groups, and if they know what a wolf can do, they'll probably prefer you to a "normal" DD. Same goes for duoing with your nuker friend. If you know that both he and you are going to stick with the game, you'll be able to make a great team, you can either support him with heals and re-charges, or -and this will only work if you're in an area with herbs- just slap on inquisitor and nuke along with him.
If you don't want to raise wolf, and if you're not sure if you're friend is going to stick with the game however, being an SE will be tough and frustrating.
Oooh, another good news for SEs: Every buffer class gets a "prophecy" skill at level 78 that boosts stats GREATLY and in the next update the SE's prophecy, Prophecy of Wind, will get a pretty decent boost and might even end up being the best prophecy.
GL and HF :)
The only unique buff that SE has is bless the blood and PoWind
The best support clas which is easy to lvl is the warlock. You can get alone up to lvl 80 but once you get to lvl 56 everyone will want you in their party.
The best support clas which is easy to lvl is the warlock. You can get alone up to lvl 80 but once you get to lvl 56 everyone will want you in their party.
most everyone i know would take a bd, sws, ES, or live SE/EE over a warlock, unfortunately. warlocks are only good for crit parties (daggers/archers/etc.) while buffing. also, summon friend is almost useless at the lower levels since it's common practice to solo to s grade and all the lower level places aren't hard to get to.
sorry...summoners are sort of my specialty. ran a summoner-only clan on sieghardt in c2-4, was the second/third summoner on that server, and was the first to summon seraphim in NA. great class...just not when considered a strict buffer. they can do almost anything but nothing extremely well.