Fires of Heaven Guild Message Board - View Single Post - Anarchy Online

Flight · 04-24-2008, 03:04 AM

CLASSES

Just going to copy and paste from the above link, for the lazy. Personally, by far the best class I'd recommend to start off with is the Meta Physicist - (IGNORE what the guy below says about the pet classes). They get three pets - tank pet, heal pet (you tell it who to heal - other pets or you or team members) and a mez pet (mez pet is only available as mission loot rewards). More importantly, they get MASSIVE Nano skill buffs. Create two accounts (you can have as many free accounts as you want - just use different email address and details) and the Nano SKill buffs from the MP are an enormous help to themselves and other classes. If you can two box, run a Trader and a MP and the buffs (and thereby the level of the pets you can run) are amazing.

Heres that link on Who Buffs What Skills, taken from the AO Wiki.

The other pet classes are Engineer, who gets kick ass robot pets, and the Beauracrat (think Enchanter - permanent pet not as strong as others, but can charm mobs and use them at same time as own pet). If you don't want a pet class, I'd recommend Martial Artist, Enforcer, Soldier or Adventurer. MA is easiest to get the hang off as he doesn't need to use weapons, so you don't have to worry about twinking weapons all the time. Trust me though, you won't feel anything near as overpowered as a pet class, until you really get a hang of the systems and get some good loot happening.

If you go with pets, be ready to get the best pets you can and let them do most of the damage - its easy to pull aggro off them.

Professions -
With 14 classes to choose from in total (12 for non-expansion), you won't ever get bored of this game, not to mention there's expansion worlds too! Here are general comments:

Adventurer - Low/medium difficulty, they can be an okay choice for newbies, but not the best choice. Adventurers are typically versatile, being able to excel in melee or ranged (most of the time not both), and can be skilled in nano technologic stuff. They are also good healers, only beaten by the Doctor. Special things at higher lvls include morphing into creatures and just plain being versatile. I do not think they can have pets, but if anyone knows for sure, PM me. Common breed is Solitus.

Agent - High difficulty, avoid if you are a total newbie. Skilled in spying skills (what a coincidence) and using rifles (high velocity long ranged guns, like snipers), they live in the shadows, sneaking and aiming carefully placed shots. One good special ability is the ability to use false professions, or "under cover" at high lvls. An agent can only have a pet if they false profession a class that can have pets, and has the neccessary skills to summon one (high lvl stuff). Common breed is Opi-fex

Bureaucrat - High difficulty. A very interesting class to play as, though can be quite hard on newbies. These guys are not good at weapons, but are very smart in nano technology. They use their "spells" (NCU skills) to direct damage enemies, and their pets, which are special Bureaucrat assistant robots, help them. Special abilites include leadership (passive buffs) and charming / weakening enemies in some way. Common breed is Solitus or Nanomage.

Doctor - Medium difficulty. Not the best choice for a newbie, but if you're a good learner, you'll do fine. A biotech specialist, they know how to heal people and make biotoxins that typically poison, slow, or weaken enemies. They're not as good with weapons, making them less effective solo, but they are really useful in teams. Being a doctor also means responsibility - you gotta make sure your team members stay alive to your best ability, and you might need to take some "verbal abuse" from mean players if they die (though that's kind of rare). Common breed is Solitus.

Enforcers - Low difficulty. PRETTY easy to play as, an excellent choice for newbies. They specialize in close combat with melee weapons, and can do good damage, as well as take them. They can gain NCU skills to help allow them to tank better, and usually depend on teammates to heal them. Easy to play as, you simply just bash the soul out of enemies, and is very easy with Atrox breed. Common breed is Atrox.

Engineer - Medium/High difficulty, they're not a good choice for newbies, but can get easy later on. These grease monkeys are skilled in making/repairing their own robot pets, as well as a few other trade and repair skills. They're not as good at weapon skills as others, but their robot pet helps compensate that. They can learn to cast protective shields , and super high lvl engies can teleport team members to their location.

Fixer - Medium difficulty. Their name does not mean they fix stuff- that's an engineer. They are called fixers because they can get people what they need rather quickly. At higher lvls, they can access a special version of "The Grid", an alternative transportation to Whom-Pahs to teleport to different/better locations. While normal Grids allow anyone to use, these special grids are limited to Fixers only, and allow more teleportation options. However, they can bring team members in if they do a certain quest/mission. They are the fastest class, being hard to hit, but not as strong. They specialize in hindering opponents and favour SMG's.

Keeper - Expansions only. Medium difficulty. I do not know anything about these guys, other than they are an equavilent to a Paladin- they use 2 handed melee weapons, and are skilled at healing/buffing teammates. They start their lives in Jobe.

Martial Artist - Low difficulty. In my opinion, this is the best class for newbies. They are good at doing damage, as well as avoiding it. They know several special attacks, and are VERY effective unarmed, meaning you do not have to scrounge around for weapons to do damage. They can also specialize in bows and sharp objects, though unarmed is usually the best way to go. They're good healers too, coming in at 3rd place from Doctor and Adventurer.

Meta-Physicist- Medium/High difficulty. Not a good choice for newbies, but can still be good. They get their strength from "the other side", meaning some weird dimensional world. They turn their emotions and power into making manifestation pets, and can eventually use multiple pets to aid them. They're weak in weapons, but stronger in nano technology, able to change things for both friend or foe, and can use direct damage "spells" On newbie island, they get a free MP (meta-physicist) shield, which can be used for both defence and a secondary weapon.

Nano Technician - Medium- These guys are the equalivent to old mages- They are weak in hp and weapons, but their "magic" makes up for that. Dealing with agressive nanotech, they can directly damage opponents, or use "splash-damage" (Area of effect, or AOE) effects. They can also use a few other types of nanotechs. Although medium, its not the best choice for newbies since they lack HP.

Shade- High difficulty, Expansions Only. They are a mix of agents and martial artists, making a stealthy, dark, agressive ninja-like class. They are good at using spy skills, such as concealment. They can't wear armour, but can use special tattoos that act like it. They start their lives in Jobe, and are skilled at using small swords or dirks.

Soldier - Low/medium difficulty. A fun classs to play as if you like using ranged weapons. Their nanotechnology skills buff them up with protection, increased reflexes and weapon skills. The absorption shields are a strong point. Easy to play as, can be a good choice for newbies.

Trader - High difficulty. As the name implies, they are skilled are markets and items, and lack some combat ability that others have. They create and trade material goods, can access special trader-only shops, can get good deals on stuff, and in battle, they drain enemies skills, nano, hp, and buffs, and can distribute it for friendlies or themselves. They are not totally defenceless, but are not that strong either.

04-24-2008, 03:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
Flight Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 489 +3 Internets	CLASSES Just going to copy and paste from the above link, for the lazy. Personally, by far the best class I'd recommend to start off with is the Meta Physicist - (IGNORE what the guy below says about the pet classes). They get three pets - tank pet, heal pet (you tell it who to heal - other pets or you or team members) and a mez pet (mez pet is only available as mission loot rewards). More importantly, they get MASSIVE Nano skill buffs. Create two accounts (you can have as many free accounts as you want - just use different email address and details) and the Nano SKill buffs from the MP are an enormous help to themselves and other classes. If you can two box, run a Trader and a MP and the buffs (and thereby the level of the pets you can run) are amazing. Heres that link on Who Buffs What Skills, taken from the AO Wiki. The other pet classes are Engineer, who gets kick ass robot pets, and the Beauracrat (think Enchanter - permanent pet not as strong as others, but can charm mobs and use them at same time as own pet). If you don't want a pet class, I'd recommend Martial Artist, Enforcer, Soldier or Adventurer. MA is easiest to get the hang off as he doesn't need to use weapons, so you don't have to worry about twinking weapons all the time. Trust me though, you won't feel anything near as overpowered as a pet class, until you really get a hang of the systems and get some good loot happening. If you go with pets, be ready to get the best pets you can and let them do most of the damage - its easy to pull aggro off them. Professions - With 14 classes to choose from in total (12 for non-expansion), you won't ever get bored of this game, not to mention there's expansion worlds too! Here are general comments: Adventurer - Low/medium difficulty, they can be an okay choice for newbies, but not the best choice. Adventurers are typically versatile, being able to excel in melee or ranged (most of the time not both), and can be skilled in nano technologic stuff. They are also good healers, only beaten by the Doctor. Special things at higher lvls include morphing into creatures and just plain being versatile. I do not think they can have pets, but if anyone knows for sure, PM me. Common breed is Solitus. Agent - High difficulty, avoid if you are a total newbie. Skilled in spying skills (what a coincidence) and using rifles (high velocity long ranged guns, like snipers), they live in the shadows, sneaking and aiming carefully placed shots. One good special ability is the ability to use false professions, or "under cover" at high lvls. An agent can only have a pet if they false profession a class that can have pets, and has the neccessary skills to summon one (high lvl stuff). Common breed is Opi-fex Bureaucrat - High difficulty. A very interesting class to play as, though can be quite hard on newbies. These guys are not good at weapons, but are very smart in nano technology. They use their "spells" (NCU skills) to direct damage enemies, and their pets, which are special Bureaucrat assistant robots, help them. Special abilites include leadership (passive buffs) and charming / weakening enemies in some way. Common breed is Solitus or Nanomage. Doctor - Medium difficulty. Not the best choice for a newbie, but if you're a good learner, you'll do fine. A biotech specialist, they know how to heal people and make biotoxins that typically poison, slow, or weaken enemies. They're not as good with weapons, making them less effective solo, but they are really useful in teams. Being a doctor also means responsibility - you gotta make sure your team members stay alive to your best ability, and you might need to take some "verbal abuse" from mean players if they die (though that's kind of rare). Common breed is Solitus. Enforcers - Low difficulty. PRETTY easy to play as, an excellent choice for newbies. They specialize in close combat with melee weapons, and can do good damage, as well as take them. They can gain NCU skills to help allow them to tank better, and usually depend on teammates to heal them. Easy to play as, you simply just bash the soul out of enemies, and is very easy with Atrox breed. Common breed is Atrox. Engineer - Medium/High difficulty, they're not a good choice for newbies, but can get easy later on. These grease monkeys are skilled in making/repairing their own robot pets, as well as a few other trade and repair skills. They're not as good at weapon skills as others, but their robot pet helps compensate that. They can learn to cast protective shields , and super high lvl engies can teleport team members to their location. Fixer - Medium difficulty. Their name does not mean they fix stuff- that's an engineer. They are called fixers because they can get people what they need rather quickly. At higher lvls, they can access a special version of "The Grid", an alternative transportation to Whom-Pahs to teleport to different/better locations. While normal Grids allow anyone to use, these special grids are limited to Fixers only, and allow more teleportation options. However, they can bring team members in if they do a certain quest/mission. They are the fastest class, being hard to hit, but not as strong. They specialize in hindering opponents and favour SMG's. Keeper - Expansions only. Medium difficulty. I do not know anything about these guys, other than they are an equavilent to a Paladin- they use 2 handed melee weapons, and are skilled at healing/buffing teammates. They start their lives in Jobe. Martial Artist - Low difficulty. In my opinion, this is the best class for newbies. They are good at doing damage, as well as avoiding it. They know several special attacks, and are VERY effective unarmed, meaning you do not have to scrounge around for weapons to do damage. They can also specialize in bows and sharp objects, though unarmed is usually the best way to go. They're good healers too, coming in at 3rd place from Doctor and Adventurer. Meta-Physicist- Medium/High difficulty. Not a good choice for newbies, but can still be good. They get their strength from "the other side", meaning some weird dimensional world. They turn their emotions and power into making manifestation pets, and can eventually use multiple pets to aid them. They're weak in weapons, but stronger in nano technology, able to change things for both friend or foe, and can use direct damage "spells" On newbie island, they get a free MP (meta-physicist) shield, which can be used for both defence and a secondary weapon. Nano Technician - Medium- These guys are the equalivent to old mages- They are weak in hp and weapons, but their "magic" makes up for that. Dealing with agressive nanotech, they can directly damage opponents, or use "splash-damage" (Area of effect, or AOE) effects. They can also use a few other types of nanotechs. Although medium, its not the best choice for newbies since they lack HP. Shade- High difficulty, Expansions Only. They are a mix of agents and martial artists, making a stealthy, dark, agressive ninja-like class. They are good at using spy skills, such as concealment. They can't wear armour, but can use special tattoos that act like it. They start their lives in Jobe, and are skilled at using small swords or dirks. Soldier - Low/medium difficulty. A fun classs to play as if you like using ranged weapons. Their nanotechnology skills buff them up with protection, increased reflexes and weapon skills. The absorption shields are a strong point. Easy to play as, can be a good choice for newbies. Trader - High difficulty. As the name implies, they are skilled are markets and items, and lack some combat ability that others have. They create and trade material goods, can access special trader-only shops, can get good deals on stuff, and in battle, they drain enemies skills, nano, hp, and buffs, and can distribute it for friendlies or themselves. They are not totally defenceless, but are not that strong either. Last edited by Flight : 04-24-2008 at 03:42 AM.