Some questions about the Doctor Profession

[bcasteelplay]

Hello everyone,

I'm returning to Anarchy Online after being away for about 4 years. Way back then, my favorite profession was the Doctor, and when I decided to come back, I thought the Doctor would be a great profession to start with.

But, the Anarchy Online official forums (which I cannot post on as of right now because I'm a fr00b?óÔé¼?ª) are a little disorganized, and they disagree on a number of key issues that I'm concerned about.

So, without further preamble, here are my questions:

1) I understand that soloing is difficult, but some people on the AO main forums say that doctors are unable to do this effectively. Is this true?

2) I'm coming back from World of Warcraft, and in that the "main" healer class, the Priest, was overshadowed as a healer by the other support classes. Is this the case in AO? Are the adventurer and Martial Artist and Keeper good enough healers that doctors are unimportant?

3) How do doctors stand up in PvP? I have heard everything from "they suck at PvP and are useless" to "Good doctors can do decent damage in PvP and also are almost impossible to kill"

I would like to hear both from Docs and non-docs, if possible.

Thanks!

[Khuri]

Well, being a doc myself and all, i hope to answer your questions a bit...
Soloing is difficult, without a doubt. Unless you are heavily twinked, which i do not assume as a fr00b and not someone's alt, you may be able to heal yourself nicely, but doing damage on your own and killing stuff takes lots of time. So it makes soloing slow (if not impossible), as you simply don't do enough damage usually.

The doc is probably still the most favourite class if a group needs a real healer. Unfortunately, in a "good" group, where people have tons of HP and deal large amounts of damage, while having high ACs and thus don't need the "full healing power" of a doc too bad, they do often stick to other classes, like the ones you mentioned. Especially the Keeper, with their healing aura that goes all alone, is sometimes enough already. Otherwise docs are still welcome in teams tho, i mean who got the "perfect unbeatable team" always, which are so good that they don't need a good healer?
Especially on raids are docs welcome, but thats no use for leveling and the general gameplay i'd say.

The oppinions on the PvP question are just split. Some swear docs at level 220 are just unbeatable in PvP. Some say they are unbeatable at lower levels. Being level 210 myself, i do know i don't have a chance against almost all classes even lower level, because they simply deal so much damage with their special attacks, perk actions, whatnot, that i often do not even have time to finish casting a debuff on them before i am dead already


But, apart from that, i don't really regret playing that profession. Just sucks sometimes, that your "main" isn't an unbeatable solo-kill-all-on-my-own-and-rush-missions-in-2-minutes-kill0r-class character, but hey... can't have all, right?

[Trgeorge]

As a froob, you have little chance in PvP as any profesion. Those with expansions have perk actions, research bonuses and perks, access to better weapons, armor and implants...

Otherways, as khuri said, lots of gimp teams out there and doc wouldn't be first choice as soloer.

[Weeping Willow]

Just a small remark on Khuri's post, I think that the whole part "Docs are not realy needed in good teams and Kepper / advies are prefered" is mostly a SL thing.

On Rk, I feel pretty welcomed to cast my CH evry now and then.

I dont have a lot of difficulties to find a team (from level 1 to lvl 130 I am atm)

Solo as a doc is even worse for froob, as we dont get the DOT C ...(and DOT A and B are pittyfull)

[Snakebite]

Docs rock...!

Unless you want a PvP twink or something like that, ignore doing damage at lower lvls (below lvl100) (apart from your DoTs & Debuffs (low end debuffs realy rock!)) and concentrate on your healing...

Get the new heals on as soon as possible & don't forget MP buffs when you are teaming with them...

People on RK at least WANT good docs, hide behind the damage doers & heal as fast as you can & don't be afraid to tell the rest of the team what you can & can't do & therefor what they can & can't do!!!

Have fun & play some other class occasionaly to reduce the incredible stress involved with playing a Doc!!!

[Snakebite]

Oh, get yourself a Med Suit for your Doc...
Great boosts to the skills needed for your stimms (to heal yourself but to primarily heal your nano (realy needed)).

My Doc wore a full Med Suit till she was about lvl115, until my Org finaly found out why I died so easily & forced me to get some Carb!!!
On the plus side of this, I realy learned how to avoid getting hit in the first place!!!
& yes, my Doc did heal for raids, such as Mercs & Pen/Inf missions. (always good to be in a team with an Engi! )