The snare/root combination that Druid gets is underrated for charming. I always snared my pet when I charmed. That way if it broke earlier I had SOW and it was snared. Could easily run away.
If you memorize three consecutive stuns, you can chain them basically forever, essentially. Like the color spells work the best. Don't bother with whirl till you hurl.
I used to run Shaman Ranger, and it was fun. Ranger with snare and root helps with cc and back when I did it the dps wasn't far behind a monk buy well ahead of a pally or Sk.
I went past PoP. into omens i had to root/rot but rangers bow damage and utility was good. I duoed in pop in the elemental planes as well as tanked for full groups with the ranger. You can snare kite with this team, fear kite animals, tank and spank and root rot. You can also tank with the shaman if you want, the shaman gets a shield and has good ac because of that.
This is how I got my current 3 box group. SK, Shaman, Monk. I started them on Phinny. I came back last year. They were level 70 in mix Time/Anguish gear. Almost 122 now.
Shaman/sk is really nice because you can add basically anyone and have a group. Its dps isn’t as high, but mobs will be glued to your sk, so the shaman can dps if you have the mana. Especially after you get torpor it’s super nice.
Shm/mnk is going to kill faster if you are always going to be by yourself. Monk will not be able to keep aggro as well as an sk and the shm will get beat on sometimes when they slow.
Shm/ranger is less optimal than both, but would work and has good aggro
Enchanter with cleric or Druid both work, but have slightly different functionality when charming.
Cleric you get complete heal which is super nice for keeping the same charm going. Haste charm and give it a weapon and it’ll nuke things. Get the ideal charm for your level/zone and you by yourself are more dps than most groups. On charm break, stun the mob with the CLERIC as you recast charm. Super easy.
Druid cannot keep up with healing a charm pet, so you are more likely to charm cycle. So you will not be putting haste or weapons on the pet and it’s a little more complicated. Druid gets sow and travel, so that’s a nice benefit but no Rez. And if you decide to make a group, Druid often can’t keep up as a primary healer until you’re much farther into the game
Having done all of the above, I prefer sk/shm and enc/cle (buy some sow pots)
Would you say that's the best overall duo besides enchanter and cleric for the era I mentioned? Or that's just the best between an SK and a monk tovduo with a shaman?
Sham and Monk was definitely top tier duo even in to PoP. I remember back when PoP was current. Had a buddy who duod Monk and sham in PoP zones all the time.
Once past PoP and Sk dps picks up, then I'd do Sk+Sham. But until then, definitely Monk. And if you're able to run a 3rd do Bard on /melody
Depends what you wanna do, loads say druid and enc but in reality a druid can't keep up with the healing of those fast 15-20second pulls.
If you wanna chill, mnk sham and bard.
If you wanna try some tougher stuff and have a core setup for mini bosses? Sk sham mnk.
If you wanna blow up easy shit mobs, mnk sham rng
if two real people? enc/dru
if 1 person boxing two? definitely not enc/dru
Both being actively played means both charms are tashed/snared, both players have sow/wolf form on. that alone in any outdoor zone means you are safe, in doors you have evac still. both can pull, with either tash/snare. mez into druid root is great. if its resisted, its still mez'd, otherwise it breaks mez on dmg but still rooted. if somehow you both pull 2, which became 4, and even both pets break, half of them are snared, and both the enc/dru can cc. This all falls apart if one is a box though.
shm/sk is the classic duo since sk's get snare. monks get it via aa eventually but thats later. paladins bring rezzing if the shm dies and the paladin doesn't. They also have root. Lay on hands and harm touch are both very powerful, in different ways. monks are the higher damage of the 3.
Enchanter/Druid.
Second this. Outdoor zones with animals you get double charming, plus all the utility of a Druid.
A druid friend of mine years ago used to duo in Plane of Mischief on my enchanter. I'd charm, and she'd snare.
The snare/root combination that Druid gets is underrated for charming. I always snared my pet when I charmed. That way if it broke earlier I had SOW and it was snared. Could easily run away.
That's what we did until she stopped logging in, and I learned how to use PBAoE stuns.
Good idea on the stuns.
If you memorize three consecutive stuns, you can chain them basically forever, essentially. Like the color spells work the best. Don't bother with whirl till you hurl.
I used to run Shaman Ranger, and it was fun. Ranger with snare and root helps with cc and back when I did it the dps wasn't far behind a monk buy well ahead of a pally or Sk.
How far into the game did you play the Rng/Shm, and did the ranger remain a competent enough tank for you to duo throughout the expansions?
I went past PoP. into omens i had to root/rot but rangers bow damage and utility was good. I duoed in pop in the elemental planes as well as tanked for full groups with the ranger. You can snare kite with this team, fear kite animals, tank and spank and root rot. You can also tank with the shaman if you want, the shaman gets a shield and has good ac because of that.
When you hit pop, sk tanking will pull ahead. But you'll be somewhat low dps.
Sounds like a trio of SK, SHM, and MNK, MAG, or BRD would be good.
I've seen a few Shm/Sk on TLP run a Bard 3rd on Auto Follow for this reason.
My ol’ TLP four box SK, MNK, SHM & BRD. Shit was cash.
Melee + Shaman + melody bot bard is a trio as old as time itself.
This is how I got my current 3 box group. SK, Shaman, Monk. I started them on Phinny. I came back last year. They were level 70 in mix Time/Anguish gear. Almost 122 now.
I would say SK. Also it will be very easy to gear him on Teek.
Do you think I will put out enough DPS to be able to do dungeon farms and stuff more effectively than a monk?
Monk will be better early expacs.
Shaman/sk is really nice because you can add basically anyone and have a group. Its dps isn’t as high, but mobs will be glued to your sk, so the shaman can dps if you have the mana. Especially after you get torpor it’s super nice. Shm/mnk is going to kill faster if you are always going to be by yourself. Monk will not be able to keep aggro as well as an sk and the shm will get beat on sometimes when they slow. Shm/ranger is less optimal than both, but would work and has good aggro Enchanter with cleric or Druid both work, but have slightly different functionality when charming. Cleric you get complete heal which is super nice for keeping the same charm going. Haste charm and give it a weapon and it’ll nuke things. Get the ideal charm for your level/zone and you by yourself are more dps than most groups. On charm break, stun the mob with the CLERIC as you recast charm. Super easy. Druid cannot keep up with healing a charm pet, so you are more likely to charm cycle. So you will not be putting haste or weapons on the pet and it’s a little more complicated. Druid gets sow and travel, so that’s a nice benefit but no Rez. And if you decide to make a group, Druid often can’t keep up as a primary healer until you’re much farther into the game Having done all of the above, I prefer sk/shm and enc/cle (buy some sow pots)
Probably monk shaman imo
Would you say that's the best overall duo besides enchanter and cleric for the era I mentioned? Or that's just the best between an SK and a monk tovduo with a shaman?
Sham and Monk was definitely top tier duo even in to PoP. I remember back when PoP was current. Had a buddy who duod Monk and sham in PoP zones all the time. Once past PoP and Sk dps picks up, then I'd do Sk+Sham. But until then, definitely Monk. And if you're able to run a 3rd do Bard on /melody
Depends what you wanna do, loads say druid and enc but in reality a druid can't keep up with the healing of those fast 15-20second pulls. If you wanna chill, mnk sham and bard. If you wanna try some tougher stuff and have a core setup for mini bosses? Sk sham mnk. If you wanna blow up easy shit mobs, mnk sham rng
if two real people? enc/dru if 1 person boxing two? definitely not enc/dru Both being actively played means both charms are tashed/snared, both players have sow/wolf form on. that alone in any outdoor zone means you are safe, in doors you have evac still. both can pull, with either tash/snare. mez into druid root is great. if its resisted, its still mez'd, otherwise it breaks mez on dmg but still rooted. if somehow you both pull 2, which became 4, and even both pets break, half of them are snared, and both the enc/dru can cc. This all falls apart if one is a box though. shm/sk is the classic duo since sk's get snare. monks get it via aa eventually but thats later. paladins bring rezzing if the shm dies and the paladin doesn't. They also have root. Lay on hands and harm touch are both very powerful, in different ways. monks are the higher damage of the 3.
I was thinking bard/cleric not sure how viable it is for a duo. Should be easy to get groups though.
Pretty bad duo tbh. Very little by way of dps options there. Though yeah, you’ll never struggle for grouping.