EQ2: Tri-Box BLs

[Lyonheart]

Question for any Vets that might have tried this, if not, i will tell you how it goes!

I used to box a full group. I had several mixed teams all built around buffs/debuffs that complimented each other. So i made two BLs.

They are the most powerful duo i have ever played, and i understand they are OP for older content ( from what i have seen and what people say ), I was able to take down 3up orange mobs in dungons with two BLs and a tank and healer merc.


My question is..If i add a third toon to the team and 3 box+3 mercs ( thus a full group, cheaper than 6 boxing hehe ), I was wondering if another BL would be better than, say a dirge as far as DPS gained? ( dirge is the bard that is best compliments melee classes ) Would a dirge benefit the group ( 3+3 mercs ) more for harder content? Or are BLs so OP that a 3rd BL would be higher DPS than 2 BLs and one dirge? ( or even some other 3rd class? ) If i add a dirge, I will lead from that toon, to be able to utilize CCs and such more efficiently

I'm on the good side btw. if that matters.

[Ellay]

I would also really like to know this. Bard buffs are insane though for a groups. I wwas concerned initially that my
troub wasn't going to be doing much for the group but damn the amount of stats added goes way beyond double stacking a class.
My vote is for a dirge.
Triple boxing with 3 mercado does sound much cheaper though :)

[Lyonheart]

I would also really like to know this. Bard buffs are insane though for a groups. I wwas concerned initially that my
troub wasn't going to be doing much for the group but damn the amount of stats added goes way beyond double stacking a class.
My vote is for a dirge.
Triple boxing with 3 mercado does sound much cheaper though :)

Yea this is what i went for. i had a 79 Troub ( was part of my caster heavy team..all 78ish ) and betrayed her to be able to be a dirge. I'm glad i did. The 3rd account and 3rd merc make the group super safe ( for now at least )

[Ellay]

Status update!! how is the beastlords doing?! :)

[Catamer]

I'm finding the 3x3 boxing very enjoyable. the mercs are incredibly powerful and it fixes a lot of issues with the dungeon finder. the dungeon finder will try to keep you together but gives a sort of first come first serve to people in the queue ( so you might get instant pop and you might wait 30 minutes even thought you queued a pre-made team). if you queue 3x3 it will drop the mercs as needed so you almost always get an instant pop. You don't feel so cheated when a merc is dropped.

I have a question about the BL, can the beasts powers be added to a macro or do you have to click on the screen ? I don't have my BL on the main screen so I've just kind of let him do his thing in the background, I'm sure he would be more powerful if did a little work on him.

[Lyonheart]

I'm finding the 3x3 boxing very enjoyable. the mercs are incredibly powerful and it fixes a lot of issues with the dungeon finder. the dungeon finder will try to keep you together but gives a sort of first come first serve to people in the queue ( so you might get instant pop and you might wait 30 minutes even thought you queued a pre-made team). if you queue 3x3 it will drop the mercs as needed so you almost always get an instant pop. You don't feel so cheated when a merc is dropped.

I have a question about the BL, can the beasts powers be added to a macro or do you have to click on the screen ? I don't have my BL on the main screen so I've just kind of let him do his thing in the background, I'm sure he would be more powerful if did a little work on him.

Im so low that im not sure how effective my method is. but yea.. i place the BL abilities in my macros based on their timers, just like other spells. But im sure that is not optimal. I will miss around with it when it matters more.. right now the team is just way OP.. i went in Cazic Thul when the front mobs were orange cons and the nameds were red ( 10 levels above my team or more ) and killed everything easy. I know from the past that dungons get harder at some point. So when i need to refine my macros..i will. But right now it works great.

One thing i do that really helps is I have video feeds over my pet bars and they heal you get for them as well.. so i can see their health, power and such. So once i do make macros to use their powers I can do it that way.. just click through the video feed at the right times etc..

the thing i love about BLs in EQ2, is they feel like what i always thought a survival hunter should be in WoW. They have some ranged.. but they use mostly melee with a lot of help from the pets. I have not even changed pets since level 10 ( when you can tame ) I use a lion that i got on noob island. But i know there are a lot of options.

Also, at 30ish you get spirit stance, wich allows your pet to heal via its damage. I have not utilized that yet either.. have not needed to. So i will do some testing with that as well.

[Ellay]

Broke down, tried out a pure melee group. Monk / Mystic / Dirge / Illusionist (probably will make coercer next time)/ Beastlord / Beastlord.

It's a hard comparison because my caster team is level 86~ ish at the time of this posting and it is just so much more fluid. Being ranged also allows you to engage fights a lot easier, no need to joust on bosses (weave in and out of AOE's). I got the team up to lvl 18 and beastlords are definitely more damaging than their counterparts. The monk couldn't even come close to holding aggro.
Side note, wasn't too impressed so far with mystic healing. I still need to try out inquisitor, it might be better for this group setup.

[Lyonheart]

melee raise their resistances high for bosses.. im only 56 with my guys atm. I forgot all about the higher level dungon bosses have a lot of aoe. But so far, the inq merc heals like a pro and cures fast as well. I'm using a mystic merc to dps and use him to heal when needed.

[Ellay]

As long as it's fun, that's definitely what matters :)
I was reading that mercs still are effective at the level cap. They aren't a player replacement but they definitely do a good job, that's good to hear.

[Lyonheart]

yea. that is what i read as well. There are 3 elete mercs you can get that are very rare. One of them is insane DPS and can take a beating as well. I pop in the zone every day and take a quick look. Then in teh 80s you can get ancient mercs.. better than normal ones but cost more. I have the normal inquisitor now, there is an ancient one i will get when im high enough.

[x82nd]

I decided to try a beastlord instead of a wizard (my team is only 50 so switching wasn't to painful) and found him so much deadlier. I have one macros with /pet attack at the top, primals next, followed by advantages then my standard abilities. With a paladin tank the wizard at 50 was lucky to hit 50 on the threat scale... the beastlord however comes close to ripping it from him, even with amends on.

[Ellay]

My wizard didn't shine until I got time compression on my illusionist. I then had to spec into as many hate reducing abilities as I could find. Wizards are sort of a late bloomer. Beast lords come out of the age stomping and actually I don't think they stop.

[x82nd]

That's the odd thing... Mine is 60 now and I had TC on him from the start. I keep looking at the prestige lines for aoe and thinking that would have to out dps the beastlord. Maybe I won't give up on him yet.

[Lyonheart]

My wizard didn't shine until I got time compression on my illusionist. I then had to spec into as many hate reducing abilities as I could find. Wizards are sort of a late bloomer. Beast lords come out of the age stomping and actually I don't think they stop.

Yea, according to the forum posts about BLs.. they are number uno DPS in raids atm.

[Ellay]

Ya if you like them beast lords keep at it they are incredibly powerful.