I am new to the game and am interested in starting one of the ranged caster DPS classes. I see some can be pretty involved or complicated to learn the mechanics of and would like to start off with something relatively simple. How would you rate the four available caster classes from top to bottom in terms of ease of play for a beginner? Also, I know none of the classes are considered tanks, but which is more forgiving later on if you do mess up? In other words, which takes a beating the best?
PSI Not the easiest to learn, but meets the other criteria. You don't need to be "amazing" to be decent with CC/DPS. Those that do eventually master them stand way out.
sorc is the easiest caster to learn and play in general (i know a blind guy that plays one). still there is more to playing the class than mashing your burn macro button, just try different classes and see what feels right. note: you really dont get a good feel until past lvl 20
Best buffs are probably psionicist, then necromancer, then druid. Sorcs don't really have any useful buffs as such. As for tanking, well that's hard to say, but psi gets things like mummy wraps that enable them to do a planned tank, whereas druids get tree form, invulns, and heals that really help them survive if they happen to pull aggro. Necros are good at using their pets to tank. Sorcs are good at generating aggro and can be used as effective tanks when played with good healers.
It is definitely true that Sorc buffs have fairly limited usefulness at most level ranges. Recently, though, the newer high level content has started to emphasize a bit more the resists that a sorc can raise, making the class's buffing ability slightly more valuable. None of the arcane caster classes are particularly difficult to learn, at least not more so than a healer. The sorc is one of the easier to learn in that you do not need to switch defensive target very much and that the need to make sudden additions to the spell rotation doesn't happen quite as often. The psi fits the criteria of having great group buffs (their buffs are probably the most useful in the game to have on you for a caster) and ability survive if you draw aggro. The Mass Amnesia deaggro is helpful, as other some other abilities. The ability to charm npcs also can help in emergencies. It is possible for any caster to raise their hp and melee/spell mit enough through items to become less suspectible to one-shotting and reduce the squishyness margin somewhat. The sorcerer and druid have the best burn damage, with the sorcerer having the highest dps overall in most situations.
I playa 55 sorc love it. Crazy damage. I also play a necromancer love him as well (50).. He would be your most forgiving one.. Having life taps.. Heal over time life tap DoTs and feign death to clear Agro and let ur pet take a beating while u heal up(they also have nice caster and tank buffs) Psi's have the best buffs.. Nice energy regen, mana pools.. And great crowd controls, and charm abilities. Decent dps.(mines only 30 so far) I've just started the Druid. From what I've seen nice dmg, and good burst... Spot heals.. Give nice buffs(60%run speed) and mana/ health berries in stacks of 20.. I LOVE these (Currently working on my psi/ dru buff bots for my sorc kiting )
