First off ... wow, fun game I'm having a good time. But I'm completely lost so far, just so much to take in and what not that I just don't feel like I'm grasping everything like I should. Anyway, my question is I rolled a Half-Elf Priest (Evil) and it is now time to branch off between a Cleric, Druid & Shaman. Now, I played EverQuest since July of '99 and eventually leveled a Druid to 65 (didn't bother to get him to 70, was done with the game much before then). These games seem so much alike at certain times, and yet completely different at other times.

I want to create a Druid for nostalgic sake but I'm afraid that the Druids in EverQuest II will be as gimp as the Druids in the original EverQuest and I won't be wanted for any group activities, which I just don't want to fathom right now. So my real question is, are Druids as gimp in EverQuest II as they were in EverQuest, and if they are which should I go with the Cleric or the Shaman?

I'm afraid that the Druids in EverQuest II will be as gimp as the Druids in the original EverQuest

Druids were by far the most popular class in EQ, they could solo to 65 easily. What gimp?

I'm up to level 30 so far and my wife is a 34 Shaman (mystic actually). It seems that all the healers are pretty equally desired so far. I'd check the forums at everquest2.com though to get a better sense of how desired they are. Oh, and give any whining about the class 2 grains of salt, I think everyone whines about their class getting the shaft, so it seems pretty well balanced actually.

Druids were by far the most popular class in EQ, they could solo to 65 easily. What gimp?

Not gimp like that, it was the fact that they weren't wanted or needed in any group. They got the shaft in favor of the "holy trinity" (Tank/Cleric/Enchanter) and soloing to 65 can only be so fun, after all it's supposed to be an MMO, it gets kind of boring playing on your own. So when I say gimp, I meant in a group fashion, toward the end, with their improved healing abilities it got a little better, but not by much.

I am thinking about getting this game. Actaully its a 3-way split betwen WoW, SWG and EQ2. However, first I just wanted to ask this question about EQ2. Is EQ2 just a game where leveling up is the main game? Is there a story....tactical combat (at times, ECT?

I just don't want a game that just levaels up and thats the main story of the game.


Thanks.