by Savanja on Sep 17, 2006
By: Savanja
<!-- if (!document.phpAds_used) document.phpAds_used = ','; phpAds_random = new String (Math.random()); phpAds_random = phpAds_random.substring(2,11); document.write ("<" + "script language='JavaScript' type='text/javascript' src='"); document.write ("http://ads.tentonhammer.com/adjs.php?n=" + phpAds_random); document.write ("&what=zone:25"); document.write ("&exclude=" + document.phpAds_used); if (document.referrer) document.write ("&referer=" + escape(document.referrer)); document.write ("'><" + "/script>"); //--> href='http://ads.tentonhammer.com/adclick.php?n=a7cd6924'I recently touched upon this subject when talking about character specializations. When it comes to making a character unique, I think most can agree that one's chosen class makes up the vast majority of their identity as a virtual persona.
So what do players want? Do we want broad trees of various specializations allowing us to focus on very narrow disciplines? Or do we want more vague jack-of-all-trades characters that can do a little bit of everything?
Nobody likes a show off. I found this out while playing Dark Age of Camelot as a cleric that dropped a lot of skill into my smite abilities. "Priests are meant to heal, not nuke! If you want to nuke, then play a mage!". I heard that quite often. But I did want to be able to toss off smites that rivaled some mage nukes AND be able to heal. I was greedy, I admit it. But I enjoyed it because I had the option of being able to do it. It suited the way I played, and it simply wasn't important to me if other people or groups found me to be effective in my role as a cleric. I had fun, darn it!
But is this sort of play suitable for everyone? Nope! In fact, I would say that if I had been a regular grouper that I likely wouldn't have put so many points into damage, and would have focused more on buffs and healing. But I was more apt to solo and duo, so it worked well for me at that point in time.
Either way you go, there are going to be benefits and downfalls. Again, it is all so dependant on what kind of player you are. Someone who is very raid and group orientated may desire to really focus on certain specializations that will benefit the people that they play with. Or if you are a solo or duo player, you might need to compensate for the fact that you aren't working with a full group, with one of each archetype available, by broadening your skills.
I happen to play a monk in EverQuest II. I'll be honest, I'm not sure what specific role I fill. And this will likely show my tendencies to choose classes that have more variation than others, but I believe the reason that I chose a monk was because I could do a little bit of everything. I may not be the best tank class, but I can tank when I need to. I may not be the best at dps, but I can fill in for dps classes with the change of a buff. I most certainly cannot replace a healer, but I can throw out a heal if need be. In fact, I believe the only skill that I have as a monk, unique to me and useful for all, is my group feign. I assure you, in our guild, it is a needed skill.
But then there I am, only available to fill a role that a better class is not already filling. In a complete group with a solid tank (say a berserker or a guardian) a mage, a scout or two, and a priest, what role do I fill? None. I take up space. I'm big enough to admit it! This may make other monks all indignant, but I think those that are honest about their class will come to the same realizations. Is this bad? Not at all. I can solo very nicely, and in small, unbalanced groups, I can fulfill whichever role is needed sufficiently. I am getting what I desire from my class, whether or not I'm the absolute best at anything.
But there are some days when I really wish I were a berserker or a brigand.
So what about those that would like to focus on one single attribute. To be the best of the best, but only in one or two singular skills. This has its place as well. If you didn't have classes that were the best of the best, then you'd have a bunch of half-assed players that can't do anything truly great. And isn't greatness what fantasy MMOs are all about?
Players that are strong in certain skills, players that put all their eggs in one basket, are players that darned well better have a group! But then there are a whole lot of people that DO always play with a group, and this is where it is a great benefit to having specialized skills that cannot be replaced by any other class. In the end, a player should be able to specialize if they choose to. A mage should be able to choose to nuke the living crap out of whatever lies in their wake, even if it is the only thing that they can do. A fighter should be able to take hit after hit without even a dent in that shiny armor, even if it means that they hit like a 4 year old girl with a nerf bat.
Since I believe that most of us can see the benefits to being a single-skilled prodigy and in being a multi-talented jack-of-all-trades, then what is the answer? Well, in MMOs the answer will always be choice! It is my astute opinion that to really give players what they want, that you have to give them options. One style of play, one kind of class, is not better than another, they are simply different. I have said it before, and I will say it again, skill trees that allow a player to pick and choose how and where they wish to focus their talents is the best way to go. We have this in a limited fashion in EQ2 with achievement points, but is it really enough? You don't see much of a benefit to APs until your higher levels, and this is disappointing for characters that would like to have more variation or choices from the beginning. My hope is that the idea of APs in EQ2 is expanded upon further, allowing younger characters more variety in their gaming options. If I wanted to be a monk that had a higher defense, or maybe higher damage output, I would love for that to be a consideration from the very beginning. I want to be able to tailor my needs and my play style into a class. It seems a little bit wrong when a player has to tailor their needs and style around their class, don't you think?
Comments? Questions? My virtual door is always open! Contact me via e-mail.