As always:
Play the class you prefer.
No class is better than the other, it's the player who makes a character of a given class good or bad. Heed this old EQLive adage and start a race/class combination you like, but keep in mind that not all classes are equally good for solo/group/raid play.
For more info check out some of the class boards.
eqcleric.gameglow.com has some great threads about strengths/weaknesses for classes - check out posts made around the dreaded time of "priest balancing", around Sept-Oct 2002. During that time the site had great threads about enhancing clerics without threading on other class' turf, thus the comparisions made.
Threaded Mode
