Friar RvR viability discussion

[Wuff]

I hope some of you might be able to chip in with some enlightened feedback on the viability of Friars in 8man RvR.

There are a few possible cons of the friar that I am aware could impact them negatively:

1. Specialization issue that applies to most hybrids in DAoC at this patch level, bar a few exceptions: Being a healer/fighter, clerics are better healers than friars and pure (off)tanks are better than friars at melee tasks (+ friar does not have cc reduction, e.g. determination).

2. Friars do not receive more dex while levelling even though that this is the stat they need for staff damage and casting speed while healing.


They do however have access to cure NS and disease and I would imagine that being able to switch into melee for dps or peeling (side snare) is useful in some situations. Furthermore they have cold and heat resist buffs that will help vs caster setups.

So: will the optimal Alb 8man setups (melee, hybrid or caster) run a friar? Or would their spot go to either a pure melee class or a cleric?

Thanks

 

[Jabstar]

I think they changed the main stat for Friars to Dex on this server (could be wrong, i remember reading it somewhere)
edit: looked but couldn't find it - might have been another project

 

[Saroi]

I think they changed the main stat for Friars to Dex on this server (could be wrong, i remember reading it somewhere)
edit: looked but couldn't find it - might have been another project

They didn't change the main stat. They only changed Mastery of Arms(Attackspeed) RA to need Aug Dex 3 as pre instead of Aug Str. 3

 

[Wellzy]

What is the meta healer setup for albs? cleric cleric? or cleric friar? Friars seem pretty good at heal+peel, they have cure nearsight/disease. They also have a 6sec stun off their peel style. They have the same tools a merc has for peels and stuns.

Seems like they could be really useful in the back line to heal\peel, but can also join in on the assist train if the fight is under control. I think a good friar could really shine with these tools.

The HOT seems really powerful too, you can pre hot your grp as the fight starts. I dunno, I feel like friars toolkit doesn't get the attention it deserves?

 

[DJ2000]

In an Alb grp with a single Cleric, the cleric has to be Enh/Rej for the spec buffs, which almost forces the Friar to go 35rej/48enh with ~21staff.
The next major(43) or HoT(44) are out-of-reach if you value the staff snares.

With 2 clerics you could drop rej in favor of staff, but that is commonly considered to be a non-Meta build, but way more fun.

Like Wardens, they are kinda stuck with handling the dirty work (cures, heals, snares) in grp play.

Smallman and solo is a different story, though.

 

[shoke]

Well friar has

- very little utility
- average peels
- average heals
- trash RA kit

The only thing a friar brings are heat/cold/matter resists.

Phx gave them a million additional tools and the one thing that made them viable was buffing the endo redux chant. However, the second they did this, the entire server turned into alb tanker land.

That's the issue with Alb, the realm is on the verge of OP so the second you buff their useless classes (paladin, friar, etc) you have good risk of unbalancing the game.

 

[naezgul]

Well friar has

- very little utility
- average peels
- average heals
- trash RA kit

The only thing a friar brings are heat/cold/matter resists.

Phx gave them a million additional tools and the one thing that made them viable was buffing the endo redux chant. However, the second they did this, the entire server turned into alb tanker land.

That's the issue with Alb, the realm is on the verge of OP so the second you buff their useless classes (paladin, friar, etc) you have good risk of unbalancing the game.

Sounds like Phoenix simply elevated the wrong skills on the friar class

 

[Howdypal]

In 8 man with two healers you might as well have a friar for the second one for the resists, although running with 2 clerics gives you access to more insta heals and spread heals so I guess it's a tradeoff. A high rejuv friar with yellow resists can be pretty decent though if they know what they're doing.

 

[shoke]

You're missing out on additional insta heals, better heals and the cleric RA kit.

Friars are trash

 

[Wellzy]

You're missing out on additional insta heals, better heals and the cleric RA kit.

Friars are trash

Too bad, I really enjoy the class; fun to play. The healing allies or jumping on the melee is super fun.

But I don't want to be sitting at the PK spamming LFG for hours either.

I am starting to lean towards thurg as my main. I enjoy the pet mechanic and I think i will be able to get grps easier.

 

[Jabstar]

Don't decide after listening to something talking in hyperbole. Extract the information (if there is any) and then make your own decision based on a mix of aquired information and your willingness to disregard the negative parts.
Anyway! They'll still be a decent farm class

 

[shoke]

I mean if your objective is to group, friars are not the right class. Sure you'll get xp groups, prob get groups in raids cause you can heal, and you'll most likely get groups in zergs too.

However, if a group has to choose between a second cleric or a friar, they'll go for cleric 99% of the time.

 

[naezgul]

I think a nice benefit would be giving friars guard

 

[Komaf]

I have always wondered why freeshards never take a look at the X class is trash posts and see if they can make the class viable. Sure we have seen tweaks, but nothing to make people really make a decision.

Friar like a few other classes, has had issues forever on shards - and it wouldn't take a lot for a fix. They are such an iconic medieval type character, but I think what's left of daoc shard players is just the e-sport 8 man small group and solo types so probably no one cares.

Daoc was never a finished game - though I think toa and the class upgrades were an attempt to do this (friars self healing on melee was cool) - but as a 1.65, you really see a lot of imbalance and people outright ignoring you for groups because of lack of -fastest to 50/most kit for pvp-

Age old issue.

 

[Ael]

My Uthgard guild tried running Friars in a few different comps and we found the Friar's role in v1.65 is always providing backline heals and peels. They are inevitably useless on a damage train, and because of that there was only one good group spec for Friar (33 Rejuv 49 Enhance 29 Staff), but if they have Cure Nearsight at 35 on Atlas, you could easily drop a bit of staff to get it.

Unless there are major changes, beyond what devs have proposed, I can't see it being different on Atlas. In an 8man you have to choose to replace either one of the Clerics (tough, because their healing ability absolutely pales in comparison), or one of the tanks (also not great, as, despite their peeling ability, they provide very little damage). In either case, the role demands a good player, because they have to split their duties between helping the Cleric heal, and the Armsman peel, and if they focus too much on one, you should've just brought the dedicated class in the first place.

I think Friars are at a tough spot in v1.65, as they are IMO on the edge of viability, and it seems to me the Atlas devs want to make non-viable classes more fun and capable, but not so much that they actually change the meta. Here's a PoV of a good group running one on Uthgard.