Ryzom

Hello all, just wanted to say and ask a question.

Well, I'm back after what, 3 years? I was actually a day 1 player (searched high and low for my Saga of Ryzom copy on the release date), and I played for a month before my computer just up and died. Unfortunately, by the time I fixed it, WoW-mania was in full force, and I joined my guild there. Fast forward to now , I am so done with WoW, and I'm back, and I'm having a great time on Atys. The game is beautiful, and I sorely missed the skill point system, and the stanzas, and the yubos, etc! Oh, and the Ring is awesome! Im working on what I'm sure is a "been there, done that" dungeon crawl-type scenario (ala WoW), but I'm still having a great time making it.

As for my question, let me preface it with an explanation. Coming from WoW and it's strict class and role strategies at doing things, I'm still operating under that mindset. On WoW, I played the roles of Main Tank and Main Healer, and took pride at that, as I was really good at both. Now, on Ryzom, is it possible to achieve that sort of skill level? Rather, is there value to a "good tank" and "good healer"? I know on WoW there were a lot of warriors who were basically clueless as to how to play the class in the role of the tank, and I wonder if that applies here.
In other words, is there a need for quality tanks or healers?

Reason I ask is, I'd like to fill this role. I miss bein the "in charge" tank or healer and leading the group. I'm still quite the lowbie, and I'm wondering what skill I should be leveling up more, between Fight and Defensive Magic. I notice in the lower levels, there isnt usually an explicit call for tanks or healers, so maybe you guys can help me out?

Anyway, glad to be back. See you in game!

Mezzimez - Tryker

I would say that the player style you're looking for doesn't exist. Being classless, you'll typically play the best role that suits your groups goals. The best players are typically those that can change roles when it hits the fan, it's one of the best parts of our game still. You can be tanking, see your healer go down and enchant heal him/her and/or don your amps and heal. Vice versa, a boss manages to critical hit the tank and kill him, the healer can pull out and blade and get the death blow for you then rez party when safe.

It's all good !

That is exactly what I like about Ryzom : you can be a tank AND a good healer, and jump from a role to the other with the same character, by only changing the item equipped in your hand and pressing a couple of keys to get the right skills on the action bar. Skills which you can organize as you wish by a simple drag and drop.

A good tank is always appreciated in OP fights and mob hunt. So is the healer. I think that in a team hunt/battle, they are of equal value since they're both essential. The tank protects the healer and the healer protects the tank. Being able to play both roles with the same character is indeed a good path, since you can be useful in any fighting team.

Welcome back to the game first off. Well To add to the answers that were already given to your questions, there really isnt a great need for top of the line healers and tanks... There are maybe a handful of them on the server and you will not see how good they truly are unless things hit the fan in a bad way. Also how ever people commented that being able to adept and switch between skills in the heat of battle is quite a valuable skill that once again only a handful of people have mastered... But i guess what i am saying is anyone can be a master heal or elementalist or meele but it takes great skill to know those roles and be able to use them to their fullest... But have fun learning (something that never stops in this game) different aspects of the game. Also in the end make sure your top goal is to have fun