So many choices, so many levels. In Runes of Magic, one of the most important choices you’ll make is that of your second class. Last week in Second Class Citizen, we looked at the Priest, Mage and Knight. This week we’ll finish up with the Rogue, Scout and Warrior; What works, what doesn’t and some theory behind the class interaction.
The Rogue
Normally the PvP class of choice, rogue classes, hold the highest populations among MMOs, and for good reason… Who doesn’t like to stealth-gank their opponents in PvP and be a DPS class of choice in PvE? As a secondary class, the rogue does one thing and one thing only: melee DPS. The first thing to remember when choosing a rogue secondary is that you cannot stealth as a secondary skill. Which is fine by us, frankly, since it would break the game.
Even so, the DPS a Rogue secondary brings to the table is not insignificant by any means, and any class looking to augment its own melee damage would do well to consider one… Within reason, of course. For example, A Priest/Rogue doesn’t receive quite the benefit as a Rogue/Priest, though since Runes effectively allow both to be interchangeable, most players happily overlook the fact. Mages come out with roughly the same deal but in either case, you’re still a squishy character looking to engage melee skills which may cause others to question your sanity. Still, one can easily make the argument that cloth stat’d with dexterity and strength is easily available and can also be socketed such.
The knight probably benefits the most from a Rogue secondary class, whereas the warrior comes up short. No, put the AD&D books and dice away. I know everything good and logical says that a Warrior/Rogue should work seamlessly, but it doesn’t. This is mainly due to the disparity in weapons skills involved and the crux of the matter lies in the fact that warrior skills center around two handed axe weapons whereas Rogues rely on daggers. It’s that simple. Trying to make either work will gimp the DPS of the other since there is little middle ground to work with. Sure, you’ll get a dual wield warrior as part of the package and it can work, but trust me… it’s not as good as you think. If you insist on going that route, you at least get the most range closing abilities available to any class and your rage generation is better hitting with two weapons instead of one.
The Scout
This class is the Mage’s primary competition in the long range combat category. As a secondary class, it is probably best paired with mana users looking to extend their ranged DPS abilities without putting their mana pools into conflict. Of course, there’s no reason a melee class can’t opt for a Scout secondary as well to round out their abilities in and outside of melee.
As we’ve already mentioned, Mage/Scouts are ranged powerhouses while Priest/Scouts benefit in much the same way they would as Priest/Mages. On that note, it’s really a toss up as to using using a Scout or Mage with a Priest. Mages come with caster specific buffs and use the same base stats (and thus equipment) while Scouts don’t share a common mana pool and can detect through stealth. Both have class specific DoTs to augment the Scout’s own, allowing either to kite targets easily. Both are decent choices, in my opinion.
In terms of melee, the Scout’s role is obvious, though the most benefit would go to the Rogue who stands to gain stealth sniping abilities and dexterity/crit bonuses while being able to maintain the same armor sets. Again, one must weight the pros and cons here since- like a melee/mage secondary -the classes you are pairing together merge two distinctly different combat styles, necessitating a tactical mentality that may not fit everybody. In reality, all the melee classes share this disparity as well, so take a moment before rolling up a melee/scout combination. We’ve heard some really satisfied customers and those that wish their combination to the depths of hell.
The Warrior.
The warrior of RoM doesn’t fill the role you’re likely expecting, straddling the middle ground between off-tank and armored DPS. It’s also this indecisive nature that regulates it to second string when it comes to choosing it as a secondary and why you really don’t see it as an ideal candidate in any of the above scenarios. In our findings thus far, there are few roles for a warrior secondary that can’t be filled better by another class, the main competition being Rogues and Knights. Both classes represent the extreme ends of their respective spectrum and when it comes to a secondary class, why choose the middle ground?
The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that so many Warrior skills revolve around axes and to a lesser extent, two handed weapons. Likewise, rage buildup tends to be anemic when combined with the regular 20-25 point rages skills, making a decisive build up of rage a lethargic affair. This is not to say the Warrior is impossible to play, though it is tougher to pair with another class. Knight-Warriors tend to get along well, further hardening both classes and giving the Knight a needed bump in DPS. Being a secondary class to a priest shouldn’t even bare mentioning at this point, though again, you’ll want it Warrior-Priest, not the other way around. Finally, magical attacks do not build up rage so keep that in mind when attempting to pair the warrior up with mana users.
Unfortunately, Warriors share an uneasy place among the class hierarchy because of the middle ground they straddle, and one can’t help but to question their implementation. In our opinion, any decision concerning one as a secondary class (or even primary) should be made with caution; at least until their place is further defined in RoM. This isn’t to say they are unplayable, just that the blend will not likely be what your are expecting given their intermediate role.
Note: A recent patch seems to have bumped up warrior rage, increasing its generation marginally. While the tweak is appreciated, executing your nominal skills still runs 20-25 rage on average, so we feel that the change is a band aid solution at best for the moment.
When it’s all said an done, rolling a successful dual class character in Runes of Magic comes down to these general guidelines and a few simple rules. Sure, we could have gone with a complex table with rankings and color codes, but it’s just not that difficult. Just remember, the basic things to watch out for are classes that use the same energy source, classes that in combination don’t play to their innate strengths and that a priest/anything is golden.
By now you’ve heard all about it and it’s definitely one the most notable feature in Runes of Magic. For those of you who missed the beta boat, you’ve got a tough decision ahead of you: Choosing your character’s primary and secondary classes. If you don’t already know the particulars of the classes, just fall back on every other MMO you’ve ever played, or simply hit the RoM website here for the details. For those of you who already know the difference between a Priest and Knight, this article is less about the classes themselves and more how they work together, specifically some theory behind choosing your second class at level ten.
Before we get started, it’s important to note that once you make this decision, only an act of God or convenient cash shop item can undo it. Don’t be afraid to take a moment, because your choice can make all the difference between rolling a good character versus a great one; and some of the choices aren’t as hot as they would first appear… Such as the Rogue/Warrior combo. Yeah, we’ll get back to that one. So who’s first on the list?
The Priest.
This class as a Primary needs no introduction. Traditionally the most sought after, least played class among MMOs, the Priest is usually relegated to a support role that makes it quite unattractive to those looking to do something more than fill HP bars for hours on end. Here in Runes of Magic, however, the Priest is solid gold. It is hands down the most useful secondary class in that game. Why?
What part of the word “Priest” don’t you understand?
It’s with a priest secondary that the dual class system really shines since it does two very important things for not only the player, but the game itself. First, it allows you to solo without support. Whether it be grinding or PvP, any class with a Priest secondary can heal damage independently and provide spot heal support for allies in need. The implications there should be obvious. Tanks can continue to operate in higher threat environments. DPS can engage in far more aggressive tactics. Imagine your horror when you find out that Rogue you just beat within an inch of his life suddenly pops back to full health. Yeah, it’s like that.
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Second, and more importantly, it popularizes the class. With the above traits, it becomes a very desirable secondary, which in turn means unlike other games where you can “LF1M heals LBRS g2g” for hours on end, you’re almost always guaranteed a party member with heals and that person can simply pay a visit to their house, swap classes and roll out. That alone is huge and there isn’t a single class that doesn’t benefit from having it as a secondary. Sure, you’ll take a hit in terms of DPS when compared to, say, a DPS/DPS combination, but the flexibility you gain is generally worth the trade off.
Lastly, this class alone changes how Runes of Magic plays. Particularly, it’s probably the single biggest reason that instances are rated much harder than their MMO contemporaries. When anybody, any class can dish out heals and still run as a DPS or tank, things absolutely have to be tougher to accommodate the new dynamic. In any case, you cannot go wrong with a Priest as a secondary.
The Mage.
Priests are great, but when you need DPS, the Mage is normally right up there with the rogue on the damage short list. Sure they’re squishy, but that’s hardly our primary concern here. As a secondary class, they bring ranged DPS to the table, allowing otherwise short ranged melee classes the option to reach out and touch someone. It’s hard to envision a class that mages don’t benefit since their job is fairly straightforward, though your mileage definitely varies depending on what you match it to.
Priests benefit greatly with a Mage secondary as it provides the class with two crucial abilities: A much need bump in DPS and an effective snare. While there is usually something negative to be said about linking two classes that use the same energy pool- mana/mana as opposed to rage/mana, for example -Priest definitely benefit from the Mage secondaries and when it comes right down to it, you’re probably not going to be healing and DPSing in parties at the same time anyway. Another class that benefits immensely from the mage is the Scout, turning your bow wielding combatant into a ranged DPS powerhouse with the ability to cc for days. Combined with the Scout ability to see through stealth, and you have quite an effective counter to the Rogue in PvP encounters.
Then there’s the not so good, and one class stands out in my mind in particular… The Knight. The main tank of the game plus ranged DPS… What could go wrong? Well, here’s where we go back to that statement about not linking two classes of the same energy type together. This is one of them. The Knight uses its mana pool for everything from aggro retention to DPS. The problem arises when you start lighting off the mage secondaries as well, leaving you with a wall of steel with no ability to create either the aforementioned aggo or DPS. Likewise, while it does give you a limited amount of standoff attack ability, the majority of your killing power is inside melee. For every point of mana you spend at range, that’s less to apply to the target when it gets within your most effective killing envelope. In other words, the high road to fail. As for the other classes, the Mage secondary performs exactly as advertised; though the rogue takes a bit more advantage due to the fact that it can utilize the Mage’s CC as well as launch ranged attacks from stealth. Like many melee/caster pairings, gear and stats will become somewhat of an issue.
The Knight.
Another class usually in short supply for the standard MMO is the Tank, aka the meat shield. Like the Priest, people that truly like to tank are in short supply for the sole reason that killing stuff actually comes secondary to the job of keeping the mob’s attention while other people kill it. Fortunately, dual classing comes to the rescue here as well, if not to the same extent it benefits the Priest.
Knights as a secondary class tend to be fairly straight forward, specifically benefiting melee classes the most with their ability to seal nuke and apply armor buffs to lighter classes. Typically the classes competing in that category are Warriors and Rogues, though if one had to pick a match, the Rogue comes out as the clear winner. The decisive factor comes down to DPS control, something a rage reliant class cannot depend on. While a Warrior/Knight can work, a Rogue/Knight has the ability and its combination strikes, apply seals and pump out sick melee DPS with precise control for as long as energy and mana hold. Oh, did we mention stealth? Ranged combatants also benefit from the Knight secondary though to a lesser extent, gaining additional toughness and DPS at melee ranges, though little else.
Priest/Knights gain a particular bit of synergy since both classes can use shields, introducing not only another stat’d armor slot, but additional stun effects as well. Combined with a maxed out bubble, Priests can operate reasonably well in a melee environment even though the same mana/mana concerns apply. Simply because they can does not make it the best of ideas and care should be exercised making this choice, though the number of armor and HP buffs gained between the two make it a very good support combination.
Frogster America announced the company’s latest addition to the free-to-play MMORPG Runes of Magic, Secret of the Goblin Mine. The Goblin Mind proper, which is labeled as a “minigame†by 
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