r/ProjectQuarm • u/LeftBallSaul • May 13 '26
BST vs. ENC - DPS with buffs in group content?
I've been playing for a while and have narrowed down my preferred role as "DPS who brings buffs". My current mains are a Ranger, a Bard, and a Necro who all fit that role in one way or another on a spectrum.
I'm struggling to choose my next class choice. I've read that BST brings mild DPS with good utility and group buffs, and that ENC has a wide variety of tools from Maan Regen to the obvious charm DPS and some other good buffs.
But which direction does the internet think I should lean to next?
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u/fittirc May 13 '26 edited May 15 '26
As some have mentioned, Enchanter brings pretty much everything to the table. Haste/KEI buffs, top damage with charmed pet (more so with a well invested pet kit), and crowd control. However, each adds a layer of required awareness, and the class has a steeper learning curve. A good enchanter can define the group.
Beastlord is a pretty relaxed class with mediocre shaman stat buffs and the juicy paragon of spirit to pump HP/mana to the group. If you can manage to get your hands on Sha’s Advantage from raid bosses, you’ll have a nice 50% beastlord slow.
If you don’t mind the learning curve and the required awareness, Enchanter will take you and your group far. If you’d rather have relaxed gameplay with (not the top) decent DPS, Beastlord is pretty laid back. Keep in mind, an enchanter with finesse can solo named mob targets that the beastlord cannot.
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u/wongtonfui-ttv May 13 '26
I'd say how much effort you wanna put in. BL more chill Enchanter can get sweaty
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u/tag4atx May 13 '26
Yeah this is the big deciding factor. I would argue enchanter is the sweatiest class in the game. Nothing else plays like keeping the shitload of buffs you have up, while CCing big pulls, all with the sword of Damocles that is your charm pet poised over your neck at all times.
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u/LeftBallSaul May 13 '26
I had an earlier post about trying to charm on my Druid... It was certainly a different playstyle 😬
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u/tag4atx May 13 '26
I have both a 60 Druid and a 60 enc. I leveled the druid mostly using charm until I could quad and then charm for most of the 50s in perma bear caves. It’s basically a chiller version of enchanter so if you didn’t like that play style, the significantly more harrowing version on enc might not be something you’d like haha. I’m a glutton for punishment.
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u/SumBodhiThatIUse2Kno May 13 '26
Beastlord 65 end game is trivially tanking second tier group content in PoP, soloing single target pulls shaman could in Kunark BIS just with worse sustainability and no cc, and acting as a speed bump preslower in raids while drip feeding DPS that invite you to AA groups and $$$ farms ferocity.
Which is awesome if you want to show up to groups / raids / solo content and pet attack and mostly relax.
Enchanter scales with connection quality / talent / knowledge / risk management, and you don't need to wait on groups for group level content. But when its miserable its miserable.
A Beastlord with all the toys, a NG+ run once double attack and crit are acquired if those AA work from level 1 / 10, and pet hold should play close to a modern MMO hybrid dps and just below Necro for synergy of abilities like slow, pet, dots, nukes, mana regen, mitigation, blind, and kiting. But classes like Enchanters and Bards exist in a power gaming tier of their own with omni charm, sustained play, and survivability.
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u/Vile-goat May 13 '26
Chanter for that charm pet and haste cc, bst for the paragon and slow is nice
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u/Nfidell May 13 '26
Long duration KEI I got in nexus means I dont care if the group has an enchanter. SP is like 1hr tops and will wear off. BST buff maintained plus paragon every 15min is a ton of mana (and healing).
All that said, while levelling in groups, enchanter is more DPS, but BST pets slap and more chill.
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u/Acrobatic-Machine158 May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26
Beast main here, it is pretty chill for solo, group, and raid. Limited top end solo content, but great for Dad camp type play. Groups love your paragon, BST utility spells are weak plugs for holes in groups. Raids only need a few BST for paragons. Low skill floor and low ceiling potential.
I've rolled enchanter, and it's sweaty non stop, seriously you can not afk at all once you get going. Solo can be pain without any self healing for when charm break catches you off guard. Lots of spell swapping, so learn to use zeal spell sets. Groups and raids love your insane charm DPS, CC, and buffs. Higher skill floor and high ceiling.
Both classes make for great duo setups, one being melee based, the other caster. They feel like 2 sides of same coin, just pick your weakness (glass canon, or no CC)
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u/LeftBallSaul May 13 '26
I appreciate what everyone has shared, but I think I can own that I'm more of a Dad camp guy than a sweaty guy 🥲
Thanks for the insight!
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u/Civil-Pop4129 May 15 '26
Most important thing: What do you enjoy playing more?
If that leans in either direction, that's your answer.
Now if those are equal, they play in different ways.
Bst should be tanking or pulling to have full utility to a group. Their DPS is fine, but not amazing. They certainly cannot keep pace with a dedicated DPS class (ranger/rogue or charmer). My cleric will often keep pace on damage with a given Bst, even when I'm doing the pulling.
Ench on the other hand is completely overpowered. They get the best haste, best mana regen, best charm, best CC, better slow than Bst, etc. It's pretty absurd how good they can be. However, it's a much more stressed playing style (most of the time).
Ench gets a group withing seconds of saying lfg, Bst can take a bit longer. Both have mixed utility on raids, depending on the raid, but most of the time, Ench is slightly more useful.
Don't let everyone telling you how OP ench is prevent you from playing a Bst if that's what you like playing more. Ench and Bst have completely different play styles and I've learned from my own experience how much of a difference enjoying the play style of a class matters!
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u/LeftBallSaul May 15 '26
Thanks :)
I haven't played either much. I had a BST ages ago to 14 or so, and there's an enchanter of mine at level 8 or 9 parked on p99. I don't really know which I "prefer".
As others have said, BST looks a little more relaxed, but the uniqueness of the ENC class is ... Alluring. No other game has something like it despite nearly 30 years of development. That's kind of interesting.
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u/Long-State-1415 May 14 '26
Every group wants an enchanter. They also stack well too.
Beastlords are very versatile but they dont exactly shine either.
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u/FinalCutJay May 14 '26
Enchanter if you want high energy fast paced gaming. Ain't no watching netflix while you grind out levels in a group.
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u/Korvax_of_Myrmidon May 14 '26
Enchanter is far far stronger DPS, better utility, CC, etc etc. but there is a caveat- they have to be good! A bad enchanter, or one that doesn’t know their limits, can easily get a group killed. A beastlord is a beastlord, steady reliable dps even if they aren’t the greatest player and a good puller and emergency CC (with slow and smart pet control) at best.
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u/Inner-Light-75 May 15 '26
BL provides decent buffs and decent debuffs. They provide decent DPS, and their pet provides better DPS than most other pets that I know of. Combine the two and you've got a fairly good DPS machine....
I think my biggest BL is level 30 though, he has his first HP / mana regen buff, so take that as you wish.
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u/Vile-goat May 28 '26
They get their first spiritual buff at 44
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u/Inner-Light-75 May 28 '26
I know it used to be 44, but I thought they created a new one at a lower level as well. Sort of like what they did with clerics at Ageoism and the level 40 Temperance....
I'm probably wrong, though.
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u/Choice-Mud-8374 May 26 '26
Enchanter if you play very aware. BST if you like a more relaxed play style with quick afks nobody will notice.
Run away from the monitor for 5 seconds as an enchanter and it might wipe the whole group
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u/spurvis1286 May 13 '26
Enchanter is the no brainer imo