Creating full self containing group

[Strayslayer]

From what I understand I can make 3 accounts using the same e-mail address, but IIRC, group sizes could go up to 5. I'll only be playing an hour a day.

I last played just before sunset was announced and had a PW main and kept a taxi service available for the guild I was in.

I plan on boxing, but what classes would work well together? I'm thinking PW for tanking, TT for shield replenish and JE for jumpstart. I'm trying to find class specific abilities in the forum but despite 2-3 hours of reading I still don't know what the new classes are capable of, and I admit, when I was playing had little grasp of other classes' capabilities because I could barely see what I was doing. If anyone remembers back that far it often took me 10 minutes to catch up to what was happening in raids because dial-up sucked.

Anyway, I don't want to join a guild just yet so I'm looking for the best way to be completely self sufficient and welcome suggestions.

[kemperor1]

Definitely a je for wormhole and jumpstart. Also, a healer and builder. The tt is the old favorite but don't discount the other traders. The pp can deal lots of damage in addition to healing and just generally being a beast

The js is nice for its reactor optimization from what I hear but I don't have oneand I've actually never grouped with one so idk myself. As far as a warrior, it depends on how you like to play. Pw is still the tank, jd is still a glass cannon, and te is still a mix and a kiter. I love the jd myself but if you're running 3 boxes you might want something else.

Anyway the game's as awesome as ever, good luck and pm me in game if you need any help.

[Terrell [BT]]

You can have 6 players total in a group, including yourself.

If you're brining a Trader, you could bring the TT for hull patch, Shield Recharge, and Shield Charging. If you're bringing one of the other 2 traders, you probably want to also bring about a Terran Scout. PT/JT can recharge shields, but cannot patch hulls, but the Scout can. JT and her Reactor Opt skill, speeds up your reactor's recharge and increases the cap. Some players find the ultra-girly graphic for it annoying, but at max level it gives you 25% more reactor cap, and 20% more recharge. JT can debuff plasma, energy, and scan range. PT/JT probably have more equipment in their future. All 3 traders have Recharge Shields 7, the JT can also ferry around some of your ammo in her large cargo hold, since she's a beam user and has no need to carry her own, she can use PLs as an alternate, but cannot use MLs. All Progen can debuff chemical, but the PE gets the L9 version of the debuffer, PW/PT only get L8.

For explorers, the PE gives the most firepower, and menace, plus can give repulsor field, though there are some situations that you would want to abstain from using it. The JE can transfer reactor energy to you and can do debuffer duty, share scan range, can debuff Plasma, and enemy scan range. JE can give you an e-shield which at L3 increases all your deflects, except Psionic by 10. The Scout, can kite, and patch hulls. All 3 explorers can use the GETCo "Animal Skin" devices to increase your deflectcs, debuff Explosive (scout more likely to carry the debuffer than JE/PE), and Jumpstart. Terran Scout probably has more equipment in his future. Being grouped with a JE gives more reactor recharge, a Scout more combat speed, and a Sentinel more weapon efficency.

The Warriors are pretty straightforward, as mentioned earlier. PW is tank, JW hits hard but can't take much return fire, TW kites, and can rally group members to fight more effectively. JW can psi shield himself, or others, which means maybe 1 more hit you can take before being incapped, at high levels (depending on what you're fighting, YMMV) JW also can share scan, though has a smaller base range than the JE (3.5 v 5.0). JW can debuff Plasma, and Scan range, but with only 4 device slots max, it's probably better having a JE do it. Being grouped with a JW means the group gets more critical hits.

[Strayslayer]

Ok, so it looks like I'll be doing

1) Progen Warrior - will take the hits and dish the dmg

2) Terran Trader - recharge hull and shields

3) Progen Prospector - back-up heals and damage

4) Jenquai Explorer - Jumpstarts and wormholes for missions and debuffs

5) Jenquai Defender - more critical dmg

6) Jenquai Trader - To cart around extra ammo and store loots

Should be fun. I remember spending hours farming and kiting mobs back in live. I won't be able to put in nearly as much time per week this go around, like I said only about an hour a day in the mornings before work, but I'm excited.

I'm torn between the JD and TS though for that fifth slot. It seems the TS may offer more utility than the JD.

[Whitelighter]

you'll want classes that work well together in combat. Since a JE is pretty much a given choice, you can go:

TE/TT - build everything, easy combat. Both being ML classes they work well together in combat

PW/PP - Not much this combo cant tank, both have real nice dps. Can build all your equip including reactors

JD/XX - JD has huge dmg, but doesnt work well since cloak will break formation and requires close range, once your JD cloaks another char will be tanking.

If you want the best all around combo, and easy to play: go terran.

[Strayslayer]

you'll want classes that work well together in combat. Since a JE is pretty much a given choice, you can go:

TE/TT - build everything, easy combat. Both being ML classes they work well together in combat

PW/PP - Not much this combo cant tank, both have real nice dps. Can build all your equip including reactors

JD/XX - JD has huge dmg, but doesnt work well since cloak will break formation and requires close range, once your JD cloaks another char will be tanking.

If you want the best all around combo, and easy to play: go terran.

I'll be doing the six accounts with the PW being my main tank. I have multiple e-mail addresses I can use to get them setup and going. I think I'll be dropping the JD though in favor of a terran scout for more group utility. Once I get them all up to level the JE and JT empty cargo will allow me to stay out longer between trips back to build my ammos. I figure between that group and solo content there's not much I can't do with regular PM and vendor buyable gear. In halfway decent raid gear I was soloing the drones with my PW from the red dragon zone. I figure I'll be able to do anything I need to.

3 heals, wormholes, rezz, tanking, reactor recharge should mow over anything I can do solo. Get my explore up first and then use lvl 7 wormholes to bounce around and do missions for everything else. We'll see how it works out though. I may have 6 level 10s in a month =p

[Strayslayer]

So I bit off a bit more than I thought. I didn't expect the client to not have resizeable windows and thought I'd be able to mouse over to hit buttons on individual toons. Well, the results are, 3 days after I signed up, I now have a level 2 PW.

All I have to say is...Wow, it's nice to be back. Unfortunately it'll be another week and a half before I get to login again and see what the Privateer offers. I'm looking forward to a nice slow progression through the levels to see all the content again and savor it.

Thanks to all the devs who have made this happen!!