Hello all,
I'm a returning player and have been catching up on all of the changes the game has endured since I last played. In an effort to do my due diligence in research before spamming redundant questions on the forums, I've learned quite a lot about the updated state of the game. And let me just say before I begin that this forum and game community have always been very welcoming, and reading through all of the recent posts it seems like nothing at all has changed. I'm excited to be back.
Before making this post, I thought it'd be wise to jump into the game and poke around for a bit to see if any of my questions would answer themselves. I read that it's invaluable to have your own 230 FS, and so I set out to make a fighter/fs leveling team. I made some new characters, a solider with an FS muse, and with a round of generously donated high level buffs, they both made it to level 30 or so.
So I've made it this far, but I have a few questions that I could not discern the answers to on the forums about how exactly I should proceed.
1. What is the best fighter to use for leveling a Fighter/Cleric combo for a fresh account(s)?
My instincts from scouring these forums is that it will be a champion or mage, or perhaps bourg. I'm sure you can do this with any fighter type, but I'm looking for some feedback as to what would be the most efficient. As a fresh start, I've got no high level characters or bank to fallback on. I chose champ because I thought it was the safest, most well rounded bet. Am I off base here? I'm not committed to my soldier whatsoever, if a mage, bourg, or other would be more beneficial when the leveling starts to get tough and really slow down, I'd rather make the change now.
2. Assuming I use a Champion, what weapon type is ideal for pvm leveling?
From years past, the rule of thumb I remember was that spear aoe was king. However, after catching up on some of the more recent posts, it seems Feurer has proven that swords and even axes may be favored. and the spear ship has sailed. I'm unsure how to interpret these posts. Are they stating that for endgame purposes, through proper itemization and skills/spec its possible for some diversity? Or is it saying that Sword Aoe has surpassed spear, and Axe playstyle (with some funding) will make leveling a breeze? Essentially for newbies and returning players in my situation, what would be the best route to take for my champion? (I'm not asking for a full build here, just some direction. I know there are plenty of other resources on the soldier specific class discussion, just asking here because other players choosing their class may find this information useful.) If you suggested a class other than Champion, what spec/type of that class would you recommend and why?
3. Are there any "must haves" from the item mall that will make this process significantly less grueling?
This question explains itself. Just as I remembered, when benefitting from a 230 FS Clerics buffs, leveling is a breeze. But when those buffs wear off, its not always practical to run back to town and spam for more. (This is why I am making an FS to begin with .) I recall seeing some weapons and skillbooks, and even boosts, but I'm far too unfamiliar with any of this to even consider making any purchases. I'm far from having money burning a hole in my pocket, but if there is some item that is really a "no-brainer" pickup, I'd at least like to know of its existence.
4. Is having a "farmer" necessary, and is it something I should be concerned about now?
I've read its good to have a "farmer." There has been plenty of debate (perhaps debate isn't the best word, but back-and-forth over time) on the dealer class forums as to what the best farmer is. I'm unsure if I should level a bourg/dealer first to fund my other characters, or take a more leveling-efficient route to get my fighter/cleric to max level, etc. I'm really just looking for some veteran feedback here. Which class (and type) makes the best farmer, and should I level that first?
Thanks in advance for the responses, I look forward to reading your feedback.