Old Player Returning Class Question: Druid or Sentinel

Daithos

So I doubt anyone not from the Sentaari would remember me if I even mentioned my old character, but to TL;DR it I started playing in '04 and called it quits back in early-mid '08. I came back a couple of days ago and I'm interested in getting back into the game. The best times I remember having were on city defense in Shallam against Mhaldor, and I'd like to pick up that role again in Eleusis (where I really first started out over a decade ago).

Currently I'm rolling as a Druid and was thrilled to see my old grove unclaimed, cementing my present class choice. Though after browsing the more recent threads on the forum I'm not so sure of my class choice and how I can properly participate in city defense and PK as one. Like the title says the decision comes down to staying as a Druid or changing to Sentinel, because to be honest after what I've read comment wise, staying Druid seems like it wouldn't be viable as a PK option. I'm sure Sentinel outdoes Druid in the PvP aspect, but overall how far behind is the Druid class in comparison?

Tecton

Welcome back! Glad to see you in the realms!

Kenway

I've never played as a Druid myself but I can say that Sentinel is absolutely awesome and probably my second favorite class losing to Runewarden just 'cause that's what I am right now.

Rom

Sentinel -is- better unartefacted 1v1, and that has some merit. However, class balance is in a relatively great state right now, and with proper knowledge and not-ridiculous traits and stats you can do well as any class. In terms of 'city defense' Druid and Sentinel are both fantastic, with each being better than the other situationally but neither ever being bad. There's no wrong choice here, so if you felt something cemented you as a Druid then it's probably better to stick with your gut.

Ulrike

Yo, I quit about the same time you did. I don't know my ass from a hole in the ground as concerns forestal class playing, but if you want to share my "list of stuff that went down in the past 5-ish RL years", I'm game.

Daithos

@Rom Out of curiosity what would a few of the situations be where Druid outshines a Sentinel?

Rom

Daithos said:

@Rom Out of curiosity what would a few of the situations be where Druid outshines a Sentinel?

LoS combat if the Sentinel doesn't have an artefact bow (Druids have a strong line of sight attack in Groves, Sentinels can only innately hit in adjacent rooms). Any melee where you're lacking finisher damage or hinderance. Druids have instant hindering via Hydra bind, and they have an instakill against anyone that falls below half health. Sentinels technically have the same instakill but have to sacrifice offense to be able to use it, but Druids can access it with no preparation. Druids also have an ability that has a chance to root their enemies in a room if they try to leave, this is invaluable when chasing/ganking or if someone is trying to escape from a group fight. Sentinels have a similar ability to 'root' via noose traps but those require preparation and balance that aren't always affordable or possible.

VV Druid has way more utility too, read below

Mizik

• In terms of utility, any forest means you're home.
• Gates!
• Resurrections! And soul resurrection! Self rezz! Never pray!
• Druid gets Hydra morph, which has its own entangle ability.
• Druid Wyvern gets Ignite, which instantly preps Incinerate - about the best ability in the game.
• Druid gets Wildgrowth, which is like Tentacles, which are like a portable Piety you can fly out of.
• Fk'ing swarm.
• Harvest Hive means you're a bashing/raiding machine!
• GROVE LIGHTNING!
• You can put Prismatic Barrier on allies.
• You can cure allies.

Bashing is poor for both.

Sentinel can wield SoA. (can look at it as saving 500cr, though)

Vaehl

Incinerate.

Daithos

Out of curiosity, how are Priests these days? That was my focus back in they day during the aforementioned city defense.

Daithos

Scratch the Priest thing, I'm sticking with Druid. If I get my butt handed to me so be it. I'll just look at it as getting smacked with the ass paddle at the fraternity.

Exelethril

Daithos said:

Scratch the Priest thing, I'm sticking with Druid. If I get my butt handed to me so be it. I'll just look at it as getting smacked with the ass paddle at the fraternity.

Druid is pretty awesome and there are lot of things most people haven't fully utilized with the Hydra morph. @Rom has a pretty good idea of what can be done.

Daithos

Another question that didn't hit me til now: How important is racial choice these days, and are human, tsol'aa, or satyr viable choices?

Bukariin

Daithos said:

Another question that didn't hit me til now: How important is racial choice these days, and are human, tsol'aa, or satyr viable choices?

It's less important than it used to be since Specializations and Traits allow you to tweak your stats. 

Daithos

Bukariin said:

Daithos said:

Another question that didn't hit me til now: How important is racial choice these days, and are human, tsol'aa, or satyr viable choices?

It's less important than it used to be since Specializations and Traits allow you to tweak your stats. 

Any way I could get a quick rundown on what those are? 100% in the dark on that.

Bukariin

There's HELP files for both if you want specific details, but Specializations are variants on the racial stat layouts that add two to one attribute and subtract one from another, and Traits are Major and Minor buffs that you can obtain every ten levels (with the Major ones at 30, 50 and 80).  Depending on your Class you'll probably want a slightly different combination of Traits.

Jhaeli

Specialisations allow you to specialise your stats, allowing customisation within a particular race. So a Tsol'aa, for example, might specialise for high intelligence for a Magi or high strength for a Knight, etc. It means that you can freely choose a race you'd prefer to roleplay and/or for their unique racial abilities, rather than because of stats.

Traits replaced things like a Rajamalan's faster balance by letting anyone choose to have faster balance/equilibrium, extra stat points, critical chance, etc. You can choose up to three(?) major traits and five or six(?) minor traits. I'm not signed in right now, so I forget exactly how many.

Sena

Each race has between 11 and 13 in every stat (more specifically, they all have one stat at 11, one at 13, and the other two at 12), and then each race has four specialisations to choose from which add 2 to one stat in exchange for -1 to another stat (the choices are -1 str +2 int, -1 int +2 str, -1 dex +2 con, and -1 con +2 dex). HELP SPEC gives the commands and some more details.

Traits are more complicated. You gain one trait slot every 10 levels, starting at 20 and ending at 90 (8 slots total). 3 of those slots (level 20, 50, and 80) are for major traits, which give large bonuses, and the rest of the slots are for minor traits which give smaller bonuses. Each race also has its own trait with some bonuses (usually small bonuses), which you can see in HELP <race>. There are tons of traits, so just look at TRAIT LIST ALL then TRAIT INFO <trait>, and/or look at my notes on the traits here. HELP TRAITS has more details/commands.

Daithos

I'm glad to hear about that being implemented. I never liked the idea of having to min/max as a race in a game like this. I'm guessing for druid I would want to go for a +2 strength -1 int? Also for the traits the 10% balance would be one of the main ones to go for, correct?

Bukariin

Depends on your class, but yes, pretty much everybody can use faster balance or EQ.

Masaryk

Welcome back Daithos!

Oceana

Welcome back, again. You know what I mean. @Daithos