Coercer and Illusionist Differences?

Bardagg · 04-24-2008, 07:36 PM

Hi,

I'm brand new to EQ2. I've been playing for about a week and a half now, and I'm **absolutely**loving**it**.

Illusionist and Coercer are the two classes that have intrigued me the most. I've just gotten an Illusionist to 20, and a Coercer to 10. I'm now unclear about which character that I'm going to focus on to take to 80.

Aside from the charmed vs. summoned pet, what are the differences between the two classes? Here are the specific questions that I have, although I'm interested in hearing anything else that people think are important differences.

Which one:

1) Is overall more desirable in groups/raids?

2) Has higher DPS in groups/raids? Btw, I read on the official forums that Coercers are getting a DPS buff.
2.a) Is there that big of a difference in their DPS?

3) Has better crowd control abilities?
3.a) Is there that big of a difference in their CC abilities?

4) Solos faster?

5) Solos more safely?

6) Is able to pull off the crazier stunts, like soloing named heroics or epics?

Thanks in advance!

Serathe · 04-24-2008, 10:03 PM

Coercers are getting a revamp LU45. But atm Illus is better. Waiting to see.

TANGARTH · 04-25-2008, 12:36 AM

1) Illusionist

2) Illusionists now, but it will likely equal out
2.a) right now yes

3) Illusionist
3.a) Illus get 2 mez's, but it's not a huge difference

4) Illusionist

5) Illusionist

6) Pretty equal, but Coercers do get random mobs they can charm that just rape

Tesar · 04-25-2008, 10:42 AM

Pretty much what Tangrath said, but to add a bit...

3 and 3a) yes and no, Illys have 2 single target and 1 group mezz, coercers have 1 and 1. However coercers also get thoughtsnap AA ability which is 7 seconds of guaranteed mob is beating on the tank, especially handy for saving overDPSing mages or bringing the mob back to the MT for raid stabilization.

Illuminator · 04-25-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bardagg

3) Has better crowd control abilities?
3.a) Is there that big of a difference in their CC abilities?

Coercers have PBAE damage stun, illusionists have PBAE deaggro mez. Coercers can mez while mezzed, but illusionists can mez while walking or running. In total, coercers have 4 stun variations and illusionists have 4 mez variations.

Illusionists have skill buffs and AA's to reduce resist chances. Coercers accomplish similiar on a slower timeframe using their 2 unique extra resist debuffs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bardagg

5) Solos more safely?

To solo as a coercer without a charm mob is almost pointless. But when it breaks you can end up with a real shitstorm and ripped hair in your fists. On the other hand there's no better way to pacify a room than to charm an interfering ^^^ and feed it to another.

If the upcoming changes to coercers are done right then it will be very hard to pick a clear winner. In that case you can just do what I did and roll one of each.

Rokkual · 05-01-2008, 02:52 AM

Since you are new you may not know that you can do a quick little betrayal quest and turn your illusionist into a coercer or coercer intto illusionist. So it really doesnt matter which one you level, as you can always switch over.

Hesster · 05-04-2008, 10:21 PM

I have not played an illy but coercer... well, see my sig.

Right now, illys are more in demand for groups and raids, but as mentioned previously, coercers are getting a revamp next LU to up their DPS. Currently most of their damage is supposed to come from reactives which trigger when a mob hits a player or casts a spell. The better the tank, the less they get hit, and the less damage the reactives do. Most fights in a group end with more than half of the triggers still up. This is changing next LU. We'll have to see how it comes out.

Coercers die a lot at lower levels, and I mean a LOT. I died more on my coercer under level 30 than all of my other characters put together. It's mostly because of charm breaking, and the fact that even when it lasts full duration, it's still not very long. Master level charm and root/stun/mez will make you die a lot less. Survivability increases in the 30s as you get more tools to deal with charm breaks, like the encounter mezzes/stuns and the AOE stun mentioned earlier. Most important thing I've found to deal with charm breaking is not to panic.

Naedra · 05-05-2008, 12:30 PM

At the moment its easier to solo as an illusionist imo. What I did is leveled up to 80 as an illusionist then betrayed to Coercer for raids seeing how Coercers are great in the MT and or OT group. because of some specific spells, Channeling, Thought Snap, Enraging Demenor etc..

Illu's also put out more damage normally. Both classes are very desireable in groups just depends if you want haste vs dps or time compression (makes spells cast and reuse faster) vs coerceive healing (makes heals and wards bigger) etc.

If I were you I would wait a few weeks for the new changes on Coercers - then see which you'd prefer. Or you could just make an illy for now and betray

SacDaddy · 05-10-2008, 03:52 PM

see now i am hardly the worlds greatest coercer, but by paying attn to my spell timers, i can chain stun/stifle any mob while keeping it rooted as my caster pet nukes it down. Perma locked down. Can illy's do that?

talkin bout named caster mobs that would one shot a cloth wearer, btw.

Udoaka · 05-10-2008, 11:55 PM

Illusionist get more love.