Which Classes Were Most Needed in EverQuest? A Full Ranking by Expansion

Summary, here is how many times each class appeared in the 31 different expansions for an overall popularity, Rogues while one of the least played classes of all-time, has always been one of the most consistent but had very few “impressive” showings, however, they never disappointed to be a decent damage addition in every expansion.

1. Cleric: 31 times
2. Rogue: 31 times
3. Shaman: 19 times
4. Warrior: 16 times
5. Enchanter: 13 times
6. Necromancer: 10 times
7. Wizard: 9 times
8. Monk: 6 times
9. Beastlord: 6 times
10. Druid: 4 times
11. Shadow Knight: 3 times
12. Paladin: 3 times
13. Bard: 2 times
14. Berserker: 2 times

Clerics and rogues appear the most frequently, highlighting their consistent importance throughout the game’s history, while classes like bards and berserkers appear less often, indicating more specialized or situational demand.

Here’s the detailed top 5 in-demand classes by expansion for EverQuest, expansion by expansion, with a focus on why each class was important:

1. Classic (Original EverQuest, 1999)

• Cleric: Essential for healing with Complete Heal, vital for raid and group survival.
• Warrior: The primary tank with unmatched damage mitigation for high-damage bosses.
• Enchanter: Crucial for crowd control and mana regeneration with Clarity.
• Rogue: High single-target DPS, valued in groups and raids.
• Wizard: Sought after for high burst damage, effective for burning down targets quickly.

2. The Ruins of Kunark (2000)

• Cleric: Top healer for high-difficulty raids such as Veeshan’s Peak.
• Monk: Valued for pulling capabilities and solid DPS in places like Chardok and Sebilis.
• Shaman: Provided powerful buffs (Haste, Regeneration) and crucial debuffs (Slow).
• Rogue: Reliable DPS with good output in group and raid content.
• Warrior: Continued to be the primary tank in raid and high-level content.

3. The Scars of Velious (2000)

• Warrior: Indispensable for tanking high-damage bosses such as King Tormax and the Avatar of War.
• Cleric: Needed for sustained healing in long raid fights.
• Rogue: Valued for consistent DPS output during extended battles.
• Bard: Emerged for resist songs and mana regeneration utility.
• Enchanter: Continued to be necessary for mana management and crowd control.

4. The Shadows of Luclin (2001)

• Enchanter: Essential for maintaining mana regeneration and crowd control in raid zones like Vex Thal.
• Cleric: Critical for healing during complex boss fights.
• Monk: Effective for pulling in challenging zones like Ssraeshza Temple.
• Wizard: Maintained a strong role for burst DPS.
• Rogue: Provided steady DPS, useful in high-end encounters.

5. The Planes of Power (2002)

• Cleric: Needed for multi-phase raids, such as the Plane of Time.
• Warrior: Main tanks for the god-level encounters.
• Bard: Valued for resist songs, mana regeneration, and general raid utility.
• Rogue: Continued to provide reliable DPS for complex raid encounters.
• Enchanter: Important for mana support and crowd control.

6. The Legacy of Ykesha (2003)

• Cleric: Essential for healing both in group content and smaller raids.
• Shadow Knight: Increased in value for their tanking and pulling capabilities.
• Rogue: Still a dependable DPS option in group and raid settings.
• Enchanter: Retained utility for CC and mana regeneration.
• Monk: Valued for their pulling expertise and consistent DPS.

7. Lost Dungeons of Norrath (2003)

• Cleric: Key for group healing in instanced dungeons.
• Monk: Important for pulling in tight dungeon scenarios.
• Enchanter: Necessary for managing crowd control in grouped settings.
• Shaman: Essential for group buffs and debuffs.
• Rogue: Offered steady DPS that was beneficial in dungeon content.

8. Gates of Discord (2004)

• Cleric: Required for high-damage group and raid healing.
• Shaman: Crucial for buffs and debuffs that helped mitigate damage.
• Beastlord: Provided important DPS and mana regeneration.
• Rogue: Continued to contribute strong DPS in raids.
• Warrior: Necessary for tanking challenging encounters.

9. Omens of War (2004)

• Cleric: Vital for healing in endgame content like Anguish.
• Warrior: Needed for tanking new, hard-hitting raid bosses.
• Berserker: Gained popularity for burst DPS in raids.
• Rogue: Provided consistent DPS contributions.
• Shaman: Maintained importance for healing and group support.

10. Dragons of Norrath (2005)

• Cleric: Continued importance for healing in high-level encounters.
• Wizard: Increased demand for burst DPS in raid fights.
• Shaman: Essential for support and healing.
• Rogue: Reliable DPS for raids and group settings.
• Monk: Preferred for pulling and solid DPS.

11. Depths of Darkhollow (2005)

• Cleric: Mainstay for raid and group healing.
• Shadow Knight: Increased popularity for tanking and life-drain abilities.
• Druid: Gained traction for secondary healing and DPS.
• Rogue: Continued as a dependable DPS class.
• Necromancer: Valued for their sustained damage output.

12. Prophecy of Ro (2006)

• Cleric: Remained the primary healer for raids and groups.
• Enchanter: Maintained key role for mana regeneration and crowd control.
• Monk: Continued to be valued for their pulling and DPS.
• Rogue: Offered solid DPS for raid content.
• Wizard: Stayed relevant for high-burst damage.

13. The Serpent’s Spine (2006)

• Cleric: Essential for healing, particularly in high-level raid content.
• Druid: Popular for their combined healing and DPS capabilities.
• Shadow Knight: Increased demand due to their tanking and self-healing abilities.
• Shaman: Continued to be a strong support class.
• Rogue: Remained a solid choice for reliable DPS.

14. The Buried Sea (2007)

• Cleric: Continued to be a mainstay for healing.
• Shaman: Critical for group support and healing.
• Berserker: High DPS role kept them in demand.
• Wizard: Burst DPS made them valuable in raids.
• Rogue: Reliable DPS in both raid and group content.

15. Secrets of Faydwer (2007)

• Cleric: Essential for group and raid healing.
• Warrior: Remained the main tanking option.
• Beastlord: Gained traction for their DPS and support capabilities.
• Enchanter: Key for crowd control and mana regeneration.
• Rogue: Continued as a solid DPS class.

16. Seeds of Destruction (2008)

• Cleric: Required for intense raid healing.
• Warrior: Continued importance for tanking roles.
• Enchanter: Maintained demand for mana regeneration and CC.
• Rogue: Steady DPS kept them in the mix.
• Shaman: Valued for their healing and buffs.

17. Underfoot (2009)

• Cleric: Vital for raid and group healing in high-difficulty zones.
• Shaman: Continued to be essential for support.
• Paladin: Gained more value for their healing/tanking hybrid role.
• Rogue: Reliable DPS with sustained output.
• Necromancer: Important for their sustained damage over long fights.

18. House of Thule (2010)

• Cleric: Essential for high-level healing.
• Necromancer: Increased demand for sustained DPS.
• Shaman: Continued value for healing and buffs.
• Rogue: Provided solid DPS contributions.
• Druid: Gained popularity for their healing and DPS support.

19. Veil of Alaris (2011)

• Cleric: Maintained top position for healing.
• Warrior: Continued as the go-to tank.
• Beastlord: Valued for hybrid DPS and support.
• Enchanter: Important for mana and CC.
• Rogue: Reliable DPS, holding steady in popularity.

20. Rain of Fear (2012)

• Cleric: Critical for healing in high-damage encounters.
• Shaman: Played an essential role in group and raid support.
• Necromancer: Maintained top sustained DPS.
• Rogue: Continued as a strong DPS option.
• Wizard: Needed for burst DPS.

21. Call of the Forsaken (2013)

• Cleric: Vital for raid and group healing.
• Warrior: Necessary for tanking roles.
• Wizard: Continued importance for burst DPS.
• Rogue: Held steady as a DPS choice.
• Enchanter: Essential for mana and CC.

22. The Darkened Sea (2014)

• Cleric: Maintained position as the primary healer.
• Shaman: Important for debuffs and healing.
• Necromancer: Valued for sustained DPS.
• Rogue: Continued to contribute solid DPS.
• Paladin: Useful for tanking and healing hybrid roles.

23. The Broken Mirror (2015)

• Cleric: Continued as a top healer.
• Paladin: Rose in value for their multi-role capabilities.
• Shaman: Important for support and healing.
• Rogue: Steady DPS contributor.
• Necromancer: Needed for sustained DPS.

24. Empires of Kunark (2016)

• Cleric: Necessary for healing in tough content.
• Beastlord: Popular for DPS and buffs.
• Enchanter: Maintained importance for mana support.
• Rogue: Consistent DPS kept them in the mix.
• Warrior: Essential for tanking.

25. Ring of Scale (2017)

• Cleric: Continued importance as primary healer.
• Druid: Valued for healing and DPS.
• Wizard: Remained relevant for DPS bursts.
• Rogue: Consistent DPS kept them in raids.
• Shaman: Key for healing and support.

26. The Burning Lands (2018)

• Cleric: Continued as a primary healer.
• Shaman: Essential for group support.
• Beastlord: Valued for their hybrid role.
• Wizard: Needed for burst damage.
• Rogue: Reliable DPS in both raids and groups.

27. Torment of Velious (2019)

• Cleric: Essential for healing.
• Necromancer: Sustained DPS kept them relevant.
• Shaman: Maintained importance for healing and support.
• Rogue: Reliable DPS option.
• Warrior: Continued to be the main tank.

28. Claws of Veeshan (2020)

• Cleric: Remained a key healer.
• Warrior: Continued top tank choice.
• Beastlord: Valued for support and DPS.
• Necromancer: Sustained DPS kept them in demand.
• Rogue: Reliable DPS.

29. Terror of Luclin (2021)

• Cleric: Essential for healing in new raid mechanics.
• Necromancer: Continued to be valuable for sustained damage.
• Shaman: Important for debuffs and healing.
• Rogue: Steady DPS role.
• Warrior: Main tank for new encounters.

30. Night of Shadows (2022)

• Cleric: Required for healing.
• Warrior: Continued as the main tank.
• Enchanter: Important for crowd control and mana.
• Shaman: Key for raid support.
• Rogue: Reliable DPS.

31. Laurion’s Song (2023)

• Cleric: Maintained top healing role.
• Shaman: Valued for debuffing and healing.
• Necromancer: Consistent sustained DPS.
• Warrior: Essential tank for high-level raids.
• Rogue: Reliable DPS maintained their position.

This breakdown highlights the most in-demand classes across all EverQuest expansions, showing how different roles adapted and sustained their importance over the game’s evolving mechanics and content.