Project 1999 — Best Classes For PvE 2026: The S-Tier Choices

Project 1999 brings the unforgiving, classic era of EverQuest back to life, where class design is defined by extreme specialization and high stakes. Unlike modern games where every character can do a bit of everything, P99 relies on an rigid archetype system where your choice of class dictates your entire mechanical identity, your social status in groups, and your ability to survive the harsh world of Norrath.

This guide will break down the Best Classes for PvE: the S-Tier choices for both Solo and Group play, including the features of each Class and why they are an S-Tier choice.

The Best Classes For PvE

Enchanter Class

The Enchanter is the definitive master of illusions, mind alteration, and battlefield manipulation in classic EverQuest. Rather than relying on brute physical strength or raw destructive elements, these cloth-armored mystics command the psychological fabric of Norrath. They possess the unique ability to soothe the minds of aggressive beasts, freeze entire encounters in a waking slumber, and bend the wills of the deadliest monsters to serve as their personal vanguards. Beyond control, they act as the ultimate force multipliers for any adventuring party, weaving complex enchantments that supercharge ally attack speeds and bestow the legendary Clarity line of spells to rapidly replenish vital mana reserves.

Features

• Turns deadly monsters into loyal pets.
• Buffs that accelerate group mana regeneration.
• Massive attack speed buffs for melee.
• Puts multiple targets to sleep instantly.
• Changes form to enter hostile cities.

Why the Enchanter Class is S-Tier

• Unmatched Utility: No group functions efficiently without them.
• Infinite Scaling: Charmed pet damage scales with zones.
• Wipe Prevention: Lock down accidental extra monster pulls.
• Solo Royalty: Can break the hardest dungeons alone.
• Economy Kings: Easily farm high-value items solo.

Shaman

The Shaman serves as the spiritual channeler of Norrath‘s tribal races, using the forces of nature and ancestors to alter states of being. They specialize in crippling debilitations and massive stat enhancements, slowly rotting away enemies while keeping themselves and their allies permanently strengthened.

Features

• Converts health directly into mana instantly.
• Reduces enemies attack speeds.
• Legendary level 60 Spell providing massive Healing.
• Buffs that Gives huge stat boosts to strength, stamina, and dexterity.
• Casts powerful damage-over-time (DoT) disease and poison spells.

Why the Shaman is S-Tier

• Mandatory Slows: High-end raid bosses require Shaman slows to survive.
• Infinite Mana: Cannibalize minimizes downtime between fights completely.
• Soloing Bosses: Torpor allows Shamans to solo high-end dungeon bosses.
• Stat Buffs: Heavily increases group melee DPS through stat buffs.
• High Versatility: Functions perfectly in solo, group, or raid environments.

Necromancer

Necromancer are master of dark, necromantic arts, relying on damage over time (DoT) spells, undead minions, and life tapping capabilities to control the battlefield. Due to their alignment, they are often shunned by civilized cities but thrive on their own, needing little to no gear to be effective, making them the ultimate solo class.

Features

• Summons and buffs skeletal minions to fight and tank.
• Converts health into mana, allowing for high-intensity spellcasting.
• Heals themselves while dealing damage, crucial for survival.
• Removes enemy aggro, allowing for safe escapes and strategic play.
• Combines snare and fear spells to control enemies.

Why the Necromancer is S-Tier

• Zero Downtime: Lich line and Lifetap create an infinite resource loop.
• Flawless Dungeon Pulling: Feign Death completely breaks difficult monster social-aggro links.
• Pure Gear Independence: Levels efficiently to 60 entirely naked or in cloth rags.
• Ultimate Solo Royalty: Solos high-value camps in Sebilis or Howling Stones easily.
• Raid Mana Battery: Kept in groups solely to Twitch mana to Clerics.

Bard

Bard in P99 have the ability to wear plate armor, and wield many different types of weapons and instruments, defined entirely by their active musical performance. They run completely on a server-tick mechanic: their spells require zero mana to play (with rare exceptions) but only endure for 12 to 18 seconds, demanding constant, manual re-casting while running at full baseline velocity.

Features

• P99’s premier, overcapped movement speed buff that casts instantly while running.
• Manually cycling 3 to 4 songs back-to-back using strict /stopsong macros.
• Dropping weapons mid-fight to put a Lute, Drum, or Horn in your secondary slot to modify song output.
• Resource regeneration lines (like Cantata of Soothing) that stack directly with Enchanter Clarity.
• Pacifying surrounding enemies or using short-duration area-of-effect stuns to safely break dungeon spawns.

Why the Bard is S-Tier

• Explosive Leveling Speed: Swarm kiting allows Bard to out-level every other class in outdoor Velious or Kunark zones when executed properly.
• Infinite Resource Economy: Because their tracks do not cost mana, a Bard has completely zero downtime and can sustain a group forever.
• The Group Buffer: Combining overcapped melee haste, targeted stat boosts, damage shields, and mana regen into a single character slot.
• Raid Resist Utility: Providing massive, instrument-scaled elemental and magic resistance songs (Psalms) that keep raid alliances alive.

Final Thoughts

These Classes offer unparalleled rewards for those willing to master their steep learning curves. They represent the absolute pinnacle of self-sufficiency, group utility, and economic power, making them the most influential forces across the entire timeline of the server.