Returning to the game after almost 1 year

[Deleted]

I was psyched about Rift when it first came out. I even spent a weeks wages on the collectors edition - Something I haven't done for any other game. After a month or so, my girlfriend got bored and went back to WoW so I followed her.

Now however, neither of us are playing WoW anymore and I have resubscribed to Rift. I am downloading the client now, and I want to start fresh. When I last played, I made a warrior and got to around level 35, but as I leveled, I found that I liked it less, so I started a Rogue (Bard to be specific) which I really enjoyed. I'm considering making another Rogue, but other than Bard I don't like the other specs.

In WoW I most enjoyed Melee DPS with my main being a ret paladin, but I also enjoyed healing as Disc Priest and Resto Druid, so I'd like some class and spec recommendations for Rift.

tl;dr Help me chose a new class and spec.

[Tarien]

Closest thing to a Disc priest and Resto druid is a Cleric, either the warden spec for HoTs like a druid, or the Sentinel spec (I think) for shields. They have a decent levelling melee build called the Duracell build, but at endgame I believe they are better at ranged than as melee for DPS. That said, they make awesome tanks.

So try cleric

[gonterf]

Obviously I can't tell you what you're going to enjoy, but I will say that I quite enjoyed leveling as a Cleric. Shaman plays quite similarly to ret (or at least how ret did before cata), but you can also respec to justicar and be just about invincible for leveling (though it's a slog at cap due to low dps) or one of the heal/range dps specs for a change of pace. The really great thing about cleric is that you can queue as any role, meaning that it's comparatively easier to get into dungeon groups while leveling, which I find to be a great way to mix things up (though maybe not as great as invasions are!).

One of the cool things about Rift is that because each calling has so many different potential specs, you can really just mix and match your whole way to 50 if you like and see which one plays the most to your liking, though cleric only really has the three melee souls (and mages have none).

[Pachycrocuta]

Well, for a resto druid type playstyle, the Warden soul of the cleric class is the closest. And I believe for Disc priest, it's Purifier has all the shields, while Sentinel is more like holy priest. Then again, I could have that mixed up and Tarien gave the right comparisons. Just take a look at the spells the Purifier and Sentinel get to see which is more shield-based. Right now I am leveling my cleric as inq/caba/warden, though I will have to reset her souls later today so I can get the talent that makes Vex heal since Cabalist is aoe, and the warden's healing spray doesn't help much in healing.

Many people say the druid soul is the worst of the Cleric souls. Not sure how true this is, but I practically never see anyone running around with the druid pets, though I always see the warrior's pet, the rogue's pets, and both pet specs of mage.

[Archimand]

havnt touched druid at all i run with 34 warden /32 sent for healing dungeons and raids
inquistor for ranged dps
and some hybrid builds for soloing or aoe