An archetype is a group of player classes sharing traits or abilities in common.
EverQuest has multiple ways to categorize its classes into archetypes. The following are some examples.
Basic Gameplay Archetypes[]
One can sort the classes in broad terms based on whether they primarily use mana to cast spells to overcome foes (casters), use mana to cast spells to heal and assist allies (priests), engage in direct melee combat and use endurance to trigger disciplines and spell-like combat abilities (fighters), or use a mixture of two or more of these basic play-styles (hybrids). Here are the classes sorted along those lines:
- Casters: enchanters, magicians, necromancers and wizards.
- Hybrids: bards, beastlords, paladins, rangers and shadow knights
- Fighters: berserkers, monks, rogues and warriors.
- Priests: clerics, druids and shamans
Armor Archetypes[]
One can sort the classes based on the type of armor they tend to wear. Heavier armors tend to offer a higher armor class, and the classes that wear heavier armor tend to have better returns on armor class after reaching the softcap.
In order of descending "heaviness," these are the armor archetypes:
- Plate wearers: bards, clerics, paladins, shadow knights, and warriors.
- Chain wearers: berserkers, rangers, rogues, and shamans.
- Leather wearers: beastlords, druids, and monks.
- Cloth wearers: enchanters, magicians, necromancers and wizards.
Party Role Archetypes[]
One can also sort the classes based on roles they tend to play in grouping and raiding. There is considerable overlap for these:
Tanks[]
Main tank: warriors, paladins, shadow knights, magician (air or earth pet, demoted to an offtank in raiding)
Offtank: monks, rangers, beastlords (character or pet), necromancer (pet, but sometimes the character)
Short-term Emergency tank: monks, rangers, bards, berserkers, rogues
Healers[]
Main healer: cleric, druid, shaman
Offhealer: druid, shaman, paladin, ranger, beastlord.
DPS classes[]
Burst/burn damage experts: berserkers, wizards
Sustained damage experts: rogues, necromancers
Generalist DPS classes: monk, ranger, magician, beastlord
Off-DPS classes: druid, warrior, bard, shamans, shadow knights, enchanters
Attributable DPS classes[]
Major ADPS abilities: shamans, enchanters, bards, druids
Secondary ADPS abilities: berserkers, magicians
Pulling, Crowd Control, and Debuffing Classes[]
Pulling: monks, bards, shadow knights, necromancers, rangers, enchanters
Sustained in-combat mesmerization: enchanters, bards
Charm: enchanters, bards, druids (animals only)
Memory Blur: enchanters, clerics, bards, magicians (situational only), rangers (85+ only)
Rooting: shamans, druids, rangers, wizards, necromancers, magicians (only through earth pet), clerics, paladins
Snaring: druids, rangers, necromancers, shadow knights, berserkers, bards
Stunning: paladins, clerics, enchanters, wizards, berserkers, magicians (mainly through air pet)
Slowing: shamans, enchanters, beastlords, bards
Pet Classes[]
Strong permanent pets with pet focus items: magicians, beastlords, necromancers
Weaker or situational permanent pets: shamans, enchanters, shadow knights
Temporary pets only: clerics, wizards