Hail and that sort!

Seems this email group is going adrift. Let me first insert my 2c into this
whole mess, then you can flame me or we move forward or whatever.
I play a level 30 Enchanter on Rellos Zek server (+PvP). To start let me
say I have been playing EQ since the phase 4 beta. Then I was playing as an
Oger Warrior (up to level 20) and an Enchanter (up to level 5). Many of
the spells did not work for Enchanters then at all, but it was still a very
interesting class to play.
Now I am currently guild ed with over 50+ members of all classes and races
across the board and have grouped with every class, even other Enchanters.
Through out my characters life, I spent most of it playing solo, yes solo,
prolly 80% solo. That is just my preference, not how things worked out.
First, let me say soloing an Enchanter is as tough, maybe the hardest to
solo, yet other classes have just as much of a hard time soloing (least
some of them). It all comes down to keeping buff's on, or whatever you can
do for your class. Early on, I found we are the most resisted class in the
game, there for I made Tashan my first spell I cast on a mob period, even
recast if it's resisted for it rarely draw's the attention of the mob. I
also noticed, the mob's would always be happy w/ my pet if I backed outta
the fight a bit, thus killing my pet pretty quickly. To give my pet a rest
from tanking, I'd cast my DoT (Damage over Time), maybe a weaken or
enfeeble, then step into the fight, taking the hits from the mob. If you
work your attack to where you take half, the pet takes half (half to you is
2-3 bubbles of health), you'll always come out the victor. The key was to
split the damage from the mob between you and your pet. Another thing that
helped greatly is knowing when any character class solo's, they should
stick to blue con's, they pay less exp compared to the rest, but once you
find your grove, you'll always come out far ahead. As for even fights,
gambles, and tombstones, save them for when you group. If your not fighting
those when your grouped (3+ party members and a well rounded group I might
add) your either going after special items, or wasting your time (heh or
just enjoying the sights of the game). Just remember, each class has there
pluses and minuses and a particular way of applying them. Currently, when
I solo, I start off with Tashani, Suffocate, whirl, Chaos Flux, whirl,
Chaos Flux... and so on. When I first cast, I'll pull the mob to a
semi-safe area so it is less likely I'll be jumped by another mob in the
fight. Once it hits me, I'll back off always, allowing my pet to keep it's
attention, giving myself plenty of room to get suffocate and whirl off. At
times, whirl will be resisted, so I'll either step in, take a few hits, and
try to cast a DD (Direct Damage) spell, or whirl again depending on how
hard I'm being hit. I think this highlights the importance of keeping your
melee skills up. I use 2h blunt normally, but also keep my hand to hand and
piercing skills up. I will have all of them max for my level usually by
the 2nd or 3rd bubble into the level. As well, I keep my different schools
of magic max ed out as well, Conjuration being the hardest to keep up. In
the cases I am overwhelmed by a mob, or more than one mob, I'll use
Enthrall (or Mesmerize) to 'stun' the 2nd mob, finish off the first with my
pet, then either run like the wind while the pet hold's off the 2nd, or
finish it as well. This also helps keeping my conj. max ed.

Once again, I'd like to stress, each class has it's strengths, and
weaknesses, as well, each has a particular style to being played. It has
been stated by many people who know the design of the game that Enchanters
are the most powerful class in the game. Personally I feel this is a pretty
vague statement, although I do tend to believe this to be true, possibly at
level 50, possibly at one point, which, I do not know. Either way,
Enchanters do have it rough, as do many other classes, it all comes down to
how do you want to play. Do you want to be on the front lines, taking the
hits, saving the magic wielding classes from attack? Would you prefer
sitting in the back, keeping a sharp eye on your friends health, keeping
the up and fighting? Yet maybe you prefer a different approach. Weather a
Warrior, Cleric, or even an Enchanter, we all have abilities that are
unique, it comes down to how you want to play, and apply them for yourself,
or your group.
On a side note, I dont know where this subject came from on switching
servers, it seems to be popular on this group as well as others. It also
seems that many of you assume that everything will be transferred when a
character is moved. Im sure that is a possibility, who know what
restrictions they will place upon us if they do allow us to switch. Either
case, I see no harm what so ever allowing people to switch server, even the
one's mentioned here are very weak reasons for not allowing people to move.
Many of us have friends on other servers, as well some of us play on the
more popular servers finding them full from time to time. Wouldn't you like
the ability to play your character, weather the server is full, or you just
wanna play with your friends? Frankly I think this should be allowed, with
certain limitations applied. Possibly the loss of your bank, only what you
carry may be moved to the other server, possibly nothing but the character
alone. Also note, there are events only on some servers that are not on
others (player run, role play and so on) that people did not know existed
when they first bought the game, and wish to join them but not start from
scratch. As for you people who feel, you picked it, stick w/ it, I've gotta
say you people have a total lack of consideration for others and your own
self worth. Let me ask you this, have you ever purchased something you
found you had no need for and returned it for something else? Well that
would be the same lines of me saying you bought it, live with it. Argue
all you like, but making a blunt statement of live with it, has got to be
the most inconsiderate comments by far. We all dont live in your world, and
what's right for you may not be right for someone else. Frankly, people as
yourself are one of the biggest reasons I elected to play +PvP, and I can
say thank god your not at the design controls of Everquest, you must be a
programmer from UO.
Let me finish this rant by opening some lines of communication. First I
totally agree that Enchanters took a very hard hit here recently on the
spell changes. I too have sent emails, feedback, and even submitted a
couple bug reports over this, along with making a few open comments in a
petition. We have many methods of sending our concerns to Veriant about in
game changes, and pulling together and all sending in the same to them
helps greatly! Having a 'black' day or not playing a day I think is an end
all extreme, and outright impossible. There are just to many people who do
not read the message boards, or whatnot that something like this would have
an effect on outside of yourself not playing the character of your choice.
Why make things worse on yourself, for obviously the in game changes have
caused enough upset. Play on, if you wish to do some kind of in game act,
possibly everyone meet in a common place all races could travel to, and set
forth a petition for a GM to hear from the entire group in a meeting in
game. This would have the same effect, as well as bring Enchanters
together, let us all gain from one another experiences and possibly
share/tade info, languages, and research items. Sorry, but I do not feel
avoiding my Enchanter on a particular day will have any effect on Veriant
at all. As I mentioned before, we have 4 methods of communicating our
concerns to Veriant, I say use them all in cases such as this, that is what
is herd, and read, and helps Veriant understand how we feel about what
changes they bring about in our world.
Now, on a more class related note, I've found Tomb pages 43 and 44. I've
never seen them posted anywhere about so I've no clue what they combine to
make for when I attempted to do so, I failed. My research skill is current
46, so either they are much higher than my current skill, or I've herd if
the spell they make is of higher level than myself, I will always fail.
Either way, I feel this is very good news and I have high hopes of finding
more new research items/spells that are now known.

Thanks for your ear and listening to my 2c,

Telan Ka`Rlaah of Rellos Zek