Support has always been my favorite role, in particular when speed classes still existed, loved being a Skald or Minstrel in DAOC.
I played a lot of healers, usually because there was always a shortage of them so I felt like I could best help the team by taking on the role.
DPS more rarely, I'm just not terribly good at it, so I leave it to the wolves to perform.
Tanking, I have the upmost respect for anyone who does this job, but I've never taken it on as there's too much leadership and attentiveness required..... my ADHD won't go well here.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
It depends on both the game and the people I'm gaming with. Ideally, I prefer mixed classes or builds where I can fill more than one role depending on the needs of the group, or can shift focus to something else if the situation calls for it. But if the game doesn't have something like that or my group already has more than enough folks to fit that role, I can often be just as happy playing DPS or healer. Tank is my least favorite in most games, though there are some exceptions.
If I have to group:
Non-magical Support DPS that focuses on Self-survival, while helping the team - ideally within melee range of the enemies to stay in the thick of battle. I hate AoE that doesn't give an on-screen preview of the area that will be hit by the abilities. (I hated and avoided FFXI's bard because of this)
FFXI had Dancer (and my favorite solo combo of Monk primary with Dancer secondary), and ESO has several class combinations that seem to work like this (mostly playing Nightblade).
Haven't found any other games that meet his playstyle.
In lieu of that, I like spear/glaive DPS that has range and aoe, with survival abilities built in to solo like FFXI's Dragoon (but I hated how the wyvern was kill-able, and was required for most of those abilities). TERA has the Valkyrie (wish there was a male version), that has been fun.
My favorite role to play is winner. I can't play games with no character development options or barely any so most new mmorpgs are out or kid's tripe like modern wow. I like to figure out what class or build I can exploit to be highly survivable while doing high consistent damage with the most time on target. What the supposed role should be doesn't matter. Just how well I perform in solo pve and in mass pvp, and if possible or included in the game my focus will be the arena 2v2.
I prefer not to be a base primary healer as the targeting is annoying and when I can make a decent damage healer it is usually a lot of work. I usually also dislike support when that role is offered or possible. But if I do my job right I can MT, OT, DD except usually in higher level raids where I usually am stuck as a DD or possible OT, but I do not enjoy raiding and never build characters to do better in raiding at the expense of the activities I have fun doing and want to excel at.
i have played all the roles , i never liked healer outside pvp or low man , tank i find it fun , in some games , dps is alwyas fun no matter the game.
i usually enjoy dps with a bit of support , ranged mostly but i love dual wield classes (usually thiefs or rogues )
As some others have said, it really depends on the game, how they balance the classes, how easy it is to play the various roles, group content, etc.
Some games like EQ for example, playing a Tank, or Support, or DPS, or Healer, were very easy to play the assigned roles because they were so locked in at what they did. other games like GW2 make grouping and playing specific roles seem like an after thought designed (to be fair, it was for GW2).
So, picking the right role, and what I will enjoy playing, is very contingent on how well the game is laid out and what they have available to play.
Typically, I will strive for a Paladin type class as my first class, if the game offers such, as often they combine some support and self sustain with a very tanky type build style, and I enjoy tough melee builds, the tougher they are, the more I like them. Which is kinda why I don't like a lot of battle arenas where everyone is paper, and we all just run around shooting each other.
So my first choice is always a Tank like build.
Some games reward this kind of build better then others.
Often my next build will be more support style, or dependent on the game, a explorer type build.
For example in a game like Dungeons and Dragons Online, My Main was a Paladin and my Second was a Wizard/Rogue. in GW2, my Main was a Guardian and my Second was a Ranger. However in EQ, my main was a Cleric and my Second was a Druid, because EQ made it so paladins were damn near worthless.
But each game will have it's flavor and attraction to it, what draws me in to one class over another. Personally, I like games that allow melee to be a viable fighting style, ergo, I like Eternal Crusade combat over Fortnight's combat.
To each their own on this, and I hope that no matter what you play, that the game you play rewards that play style.
Egotism is the anesthetic that dullens the pain of stupidity, this is why when I try to beat my head against the stupidity of other people, I only hurt myself.
Which is why I hardly play any endgame in pure action-oriented MMOs.
Simply put, simply knowing how to take advantage of the enemy AI + Outgearing enemies and loading up a team with DPS is enough to win a lot of endgame stuff in most of the Action-Oriented MMOs that exist on this planet .
Healers and Tanks exist for leveling, and only in content where a DPS can be one-shotted by a boss would a tank be called upon.
This is a reason why if a game reads "Action Oriented" I tend to go DPS.
If a game lists Action Oriented PvP.. I go DPS.
If a game is more traditional and party-focused, I go Healer or Tank (as long as balance exists).
My penchant for the Druid class would indicate my preference for Dps / healer hybrids.
I almost always start with druid/druid type class, ever since wow. Its usually very versatile in what it can do, and usually is best played as "fill-in" support, debilitating enemies, buffing and healing friends, summoning animals/trees for damage and cannon fodder and when it gets hairy, getting into thick of the fight.
DnD version of druid is great example of that, you can turn the tide of fight with entangles or spike growths, transform into bear or giant constrictor snake to help protect your allies, cc enemies and deal some damage and after fight you can ressurect and heal your friends...
Also very honorable mention to support classes in Lost Ark, paladin and bard are both great cases for real "support, not healer" type of class, buffing damage, reducing damage, shielding, crowd controlling and overall being absolute pain in the butt for the enemy.
Comments
I played a lot of healers, usually because there was always a shortage of them so I felt like I could best help the team by taking on the role.
DPS more rarely, I'm just not terribly good at it, so I leave it to the wolves to perform.
Tanking, I have the upmost respect for anyone who does this job, but I've never taken it on as there's too much leadership and attentiveness required..... my ADHD won't go well here.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
My sister loves tanks (I never get far playing them) and we're a great combo together - tank+dps.
Non-magical Support DPS that focuses on Self-survival, while helping the team - ideally within melee range of the enemies to stay in the thick of battle. I hate AoE that doesn't give an on-screen preview of the area that will be hit by the abilities. (I hated and avoided FFXI's bard because of this)
FFXI had Dancer (and my favorite solo combo of Monk primary with Dancer secondary), and ESO has several class combinations that seem to work like this (mostly playing Nightblade).
Haven't found any other games that meet his playstyle.
In lieu of that, I like spear/glaive DPS that has range and aoe, with survival abilities built in to solo like FFXI's Dragoon (but I hated how the wyvern was kill-able, and was required for most of those abilities). TERA has the Valkyrie (wish there was a male version), that has been fun.
Overall, I hate the trinity system.
I prefer not to be a base primary healer as the targeting is annoying and when I can make a decent damage healer it is usually a lot of work. I usually also dislike support when that role is offered or possible. But if I do my job right I can MT, OT, DD except usually in higher level raids where I usually am stuck as a DD or possible OT, but I do not enjoy raiding and never build characters to do better in raiding at the expense of the activities I have fun doing and want to excel at.
As some others have said, it really depends on the game, how they balance the classes, how easy it is to play the various roles, group content, etc.
Some games like EQ for example, playing a Tank, or Support, or DPS, or Healer, were very easy to play the assigned roles because they were so locked in at what they did. other games like GW2 make grouping and playing specific roles seem like an after thought designed (to be fair, it was for GW2).
So, picking the right role, and what I will enjoy playing, is very contingent on how well the game is laid out and what they have available to play.
Typically, I will strive for a Paladin type class as my first class, if the game offers such, as often they combine some support and self sustain with a very tanky type build style, and I enjoy tough melee builds, the tougher they are, the more I like them. Which is kinda why I don't like a lot of battle arenas where everyone is paper, and we all just run around shooting each other.
So my first choice is always a Tank like build.
Some games reward this kind of build better then others.
Often my next build will be more support style, or dependent on the game, a explorer type build.
For example in a game like Dungeons and Dragons Online, My Main was a Paladin and my Second was a Wizard/Rogue. in GW2, my Main was a Guardian and my Second was a Ranger. However in EQ, my main was a Cleric and my Second was a Druid, because EQ made it so paladins were damn near worthless.
But each game will have it's flavor and attraction to it, what draws me in to one class over another. Personally, I like games that allow melee to be a viable fighting style, ergo, I like Eternal Crusade combat over Fortnight's combat.
To each their own on this, and I hope that no matter what you play, that the game you play rewards that play style.
Which is why I hardly play any endgame in pure action-oriented MMOs.
Simply put, simply knowing how to take advantage of the enemy AI + Outgearing enemies and loading up a team with DPS is enough to win a lot of endgame stuff in most of the Action-Oriented MMOs that exist on this planet .
Healers and Tanks exist for leveling, and only in content where a DPS can be one-shotted by a boss would a tank be called upon.
This is a reason why if a game reads "Action Oriented" I tend to go DPS.
If a game lists Action Oriented PvP.. I go DPS.
If a game is more traditional and party-focused, I go Healer or Tank (as long as balance exists).
I almost always start with druid/druid type class, ever since wow. Its usually very versatile in what it can do, and usually is best played as "fill-in" support, debilitating enemies, buffing and healing friends, summoning animals/trees for damage and cannon fodder and when it gets hairy, getting into thick of the fight.
DnD version of druid is great example of that, you can turn the tide of fight with entangles or spike growths, transform into bear or giant constrictor snake to help protect your allies, cc enemies and deal some damage and after fight you can ressurect and heal your friends...
Also very honorable mention to support classes in Lost Ark, paladin and bard are both great cases for real "support, not healer" type of class, buffing damage, reducing damage, shielding, crowd controlling and overall being absolute pain in the butt for the enemy.