So, I am planning to look into a possible 3box group for myself, It'll be on a single PC (really nice machine I am running) with a dual monitor setup. I prefer maybe 2x Mages just for the dual pets, should be solid DPS. That 3rd slot is where I am seeing so so so many discussions on. So many saying ad a 3rd slot Druid or Shaman or bard etc etc, What issues will I run into say 60+ in 3 boxing that would require specific classes to be in slot 3? A Bard .... would a Bard just sit in the back and /melody? Shaman .... would I play the Shaman as a Main with the Mages as boxes? I mean this will be my first time boxing, I want to go casters to make the box easier to manage. Could use some input please.
Bard if you are planning to use rain, Enchanter is your planning the DD/No Rain or AoE. Bard or Chanter will be your main or focus.
I'd run Mage/ Chanter/ Druid. One of the best 3 boxes in the game. The buffs from both the chanter and the druid, will add more to the overall group DPS than a 2nd mage would when you consider running a couple or even 1 wiz merc. It will also give you a *lot* more control of things. You'll also be able to charm with the chanter, which will add a ton of DPS as well. I've run every box combo under the sun, and this is one of my favorites, if not thee favorite. Easy to box, easy to macro, fun to play. The chanter will be your main focus, as the druid and mage are both dead easy to box with sequence macros. Chanter/druid + anything is awesome, mage is just perfect for this setup. Druids skin to plant line + black wolf + chanter buffs + mage fire based nukes = insane burn. Add a wiz merc or 2 to that, and it's just ridiculous how fast you can burn things down when you want to. With a chanter in the mix, adds and things going south are easy to handle. Being able to stop a mob dead in it's tracks is still the best skill in the game, and even more valuable on a box team where you need a bit more breathing room to react to things. This combo gives you literally everything in the game. Tanking, CC, DPS, Snares, Ports, Evacs, CoH, Healing, Buffs, Mana regen.....I have endless amounts of love for this combo. I've played this combo extensively, and can vouch for it's viability, ease of use, and fun. Highly recommended.
ok understood, curious so would a shaman be able to replace the Druid? They both have good buffs for tanks and pets. Just curious
The druid is a better match for the mage. Shaman buffs and procs benefit melee groups, druids benefit caster groups. You also pick up snare, which is huge and very much needed by a mage/chanter. Not having reliable snare is real problem, especially in dungeons where one add getting away from you can mean a train. A good shaman group would be SK/Shaman/Monk, something melee centric.
The Bard or Chanter would make lots of senses... Still think having control on the tank and healer win over all but then my main set up is War/Cleric/Bard and been playing war/ench/mag/wiz or ranger to replace one of the caster the past 4-5 months with little issues (kind of feeling naked without track and so much easier to move my mage around for CotH instead of draging alts on /follow when a porter is also very nicel!). I fit in my Druid, rogue from time to time or just cycle through as I feel like it. 5 of those are max AA is pretty much one of the main reason I only play my main setup when it's necessary. I even kind of getting hooked on the DPS output that Ench/Mage/Wiz can bear. It's totally a new world. I have 11 main toons divided on 4 accounts and every setup are a different technique that either work better or worse in some context. It's just a question of knowing how to adapt with the different tools available... Only problem I can think of is events with DoTs or cure or heavy AEs that cleric mercs can not heal like a real player would do before they hit. If you are thinking going that way then a shaman, druid or cleric would be ideal. Though, as you said it.. It will be your first time boxing I would suggest going for the bard as they are much easier to learn than to master an enchanter. My suggestion is only based on your post and not by what I think is the best combo nor I'm I saying that it is not. There is some up and down on all sides in different contexts where one would make things much easier when some other time make things nearly as impossible (not like there are many of those in EQ the past few years anyway). You are the only one knowing what you will go after so its worth analyzing Hope you found a happy set up you can work well with and make some friends to fill the gap. Goodluck!
I am planning on 4 boxing on the new progression server and am planning on going Mage/mage/chanter/Druid. Would I be using the enchanter to pull mobs or one of the mages? Is the enchanter good at pulling at any level or at higher ones once it gets charm?
Still looking for opinions on that 3rd box, I like Mage/Mage + ? although I am seeing the Mage/Enchanter love there. My primary account in this box that I control needs to be a solid puller, now pulling at low levels may not be the same as pulling at higher levels ... can anyone add to that? @Merc's - In order for the off accounts Merc;s to work properly I assume I have to /assist the other 2 accts to enable Merc's to do there job otherwise they would only stand there? I am very new to this entire boxing thing.
It's been a long time since I played, but I use to pull with my rogue a lot and just CoTH him if needed. In most cases, I could break up camps and pull quickly. Occasionally, I ran my druid out to break up spawns since he can snare and make breaking spawns up even easier. Agro the mobs, snare the one you want, CoTH to clear agro, snared mob walks slower and becomes an easy pull. I had an enchanter too and use to do sooth/calm(forgot what it's called), but that took too long.
I was pondering some things last night and wanted to see what you guys think of this idea for a 3 Box Team. Cleric + Cleric Merc Mage + DPS Merc Mage + DPS Merc The Cleric would be the puller, so I could Calm and Root when needed on Pulls plus betwen myself and my Cleric Merc the group should be super fine on Heals. Would have 2x DPS Mercs, 2x Mage Pets for DPS and 2 Mages for Nukes. Would this setup work for a solid 3 Box team on up into the higher levels?
Would also like to add .............. If not a Cleric, why not a Monk? They should have easy times being main puller. Just trying to get a handle on this before I jump in.
yet another question a friend just asked me. Do Cleric Mercs heal pets? if so what do they have to be set on for them to auto heal mage pets? Sorry for the back to back to backs, these things take there sweet time coming to me hehe
Cleric mercs heal anything not marked puller, and will heal the puller once they come within a certain proximity of the healer merc.
Think I settled on my 3 Box team, a friend was telling me 2 mages were solid like I wanted but he says add a Shaman for Slow spells and debuffs, I had told him I though an Enchanter would do the same thing but he argued that Shaman heals broke the race open for whats better. Anyone wanna shoot this down with something better for my primary slot of will work? Mage Mage Shaman
Shaman has much poorer synergy in that setup IMO than an enchanter. With an enc you not only get slow, you'll be able to beastmode the caster nukes, speed up the pets, split and pull literally anything, CC anything, and if you were feeling more ambitious you could throw in a charm pet for a significant DPS boost, or even tank with runes in a pinch if you absolutely needed to. Having two mages minimizes the need for a boxed healer, IMO. You'll have a backup tank already on the floor, and later on two more backup tanks stored away with Suspended Minion. Shaman are great to pair with tanks/melee, but with this setup an enchanter would really open up the possibilities of what you could do. Which would be pretty much anything.
My thoughts exactly, plus doesn't a chanter charm turn into a permanent charm at higher levels via AA's? He reads these forums, doesn't post, so wanted SOMEONE to shoot him down haha
My plans are to go .............. (Primary) Enchanter (Since I was right on it being better) - Tank Merc Mage - Cleric Merc Mage Cleric Merc Although I would love to hear thoughts on which Mage pets to use with this setup. Oh another thing, What Focus items for the Pets should I be looking to get? I can go ahead and start looking for these.
It does, but I believe it stops being useful past a certain point. But later on even the regular charms are much more reliable in my experience. Plus with mag/enc you'd get both tash and malo, which stack. Dominating Aura helps charm stick as well. Probably the only thing that group might have trouble with would be some of the old raids where mercs aren't allowed. In that case you probably would want a boxed healer, but a Druid would be a much better choice I think. Mag/Enc/Dru has awesome synergy. Druids can boost the mage's nukes, heal, port, and snare, which would also be really useful for charm pets. Mag/Mag/Enc is good too though, you'll certainly be able to do any group content with that.
I'll take a mage pet over a merc tank any day. MAG MAG ENC, mCLR mWIZ mWIZ. Have one mage run tank pet, the other dps pet. As you build up extra SC, add cleric mercs to the other 2 chars for backups.
