If You Were a Casual Gamer...

[Tal]

Shaman don't have any real "Oh, #$%&" escape mechanisms (well, War Stomp+Improved Ghost Wolf, but it isn't a sure thing thanks to perma-daze), and they require more thought towards aggro (from healing spells, especially) later in the game.  They ARE very fun, however.[right][snapback]75414[/snapback][/right]

Yeah not like they have frost shock or an earthbind totem to throw down. Those Shaman really get the shaft when it comes to PvP. :)

It's mostly accepted that playing Alliance is basically playing "easy mode", and that playing a Paladin is basically playing with cheats enabled.  [right][snapback]75414[/snapback][/right]

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. ;)

I've played one to 18, and unless you do something supremely stupid (which a "casual" gamer might do, of course), it's nigh impossible to die in PvE combat.  If you get in over your head, bubble and run, or bubble and heal.  You have a ranged stun, you can wear the heaviest armors (mail up to 40 and plate past 40), you can use almost all weapons (almost all melee weapons), [right][snapback]75414[/snapback][/right]

Playing a character to 18 is hardly enough levels to get an idea of how powerful or unpowerful a class is.

and you get a free mount at Level 40 and a reduced-cost mount at Level 60.  [right][snapback]75414[/snapback][/right]

Correction - you get a quested mount at 40 that hasn't been implemented yet. The last I heard is that the effort required and monetary expense would equate to 90 gold. The "reduced cost" epic is turning out on most servers to be about the same or more as an epic mount. Not to mention that the battle involved to get the mount isn't a matter of showing up and getting the horse.

I would tend to agree that Paladins are one of the better choices for the casual gamer with hunters as a close second. Both are very forgiving of player mistakes and are able to fill multiple roles in a group setting. You can somewhat get away with not purchasing every skill on both. :)

On the horde side I would say that Shaman are the easiest to play, are remarkably hardy for leather wearers with decent healing and very good dps. I've pulled things off with a Shaman that I would have struggled with as a paladin or a warrior. :)