chevelle wrote:I want to play as a healer, that's what I'm good at, but this game is blowing my mind. I've played a LOT of MMORPGs, but this one is still eluding me due to the lack of real source material and background information.
How can I become, basically, a cleric/whitemage type class and is it useful?
What's the best race for this and starting packs?
Will I be able to solo at all or will I be group dependant from the beginning?
Any other info is appreciated, thanks for your time!
---Chevelle Angel
To play as a healer, you should start playing as a mage and specialize in healing abilities as you get the opportunity. There are no classes in Ryzom, so the only way you can do this is by choosing it and following your own plan.
There's no difference betweent he player civilizations, so pick the one you like best. As far as starting packs goes, you have a few options.
Many players prefer taking one craft, one harvest, and one magic pack. This gives you the largest variety of tools, and allows you to learn in all four major skill trees without needing to cross-train any skills. There is absolutely no penalty for training in as many skill branches as possible, so most players will at early levels.
Alternately, you may want to consider choosing magic as all your skill packs, to ensure you get the Acid 1 spell. Without it you'll only start with a Heal 1 spell, which will require that you group (or otherwise heal others during combat) to advance in magic, or that you spend points from another skill tree to learn Acid 1. This will be changed in the first big patch - small mage packs will get Acid 1 - but it does make things a bit more difficult for beginning mages as it stands.
For the most part, everyone will be able to solo, especially at the low levels. Only as you get higher up will you begin to encounter areas and creatures that can't be taken out individually. To learn the healing branches though, you will need to team up with others - you cannot learn from healing yourself, or healing people outside of combat.
