5-box Team

[Nam13]

Alright so I've 5-boxed before with Trial accounts so only up to level 20. I'm just finishing up dual-boxing a Ret Paladin and Dest Warlock from 1-85 (1 day 5 hours played) and now I'm planning on doing 5 toons.

For tank I was thinking a Druid or possible Pally but I'm leaning towards druid.

So what would be a good choice for heals?

Resto Druid
Resto Shaman
Disc Priest


What I considered doing was

Tank - Guard Druid
Heals/DPS - Disc Priest
DPS/Heals - Disc Priest
DPS - ? Mage?
DPS - ?

Would 2 Disc Priests be helpful or should 1 be plenty?

Sorry for so many questions but I'm trying to decide what to do prior to picking up the rest of my copies of WoW next Friday.

Thanks All!

-Nam

[ebony]

remember to take into count about 6.0 changes off healing is being changed, You would need healer/dpsx3 tank. you could go shadow though.

the 5th place i would use a hunter it can fill missing buffs kinda well. As for the 2 priests maybe a shammy be a good move?


i would go

Druid tank or deathkight
Priest/lock ( the lock would not give you a 2nd healer choice)
Shammy (would probs make this the healer)
Mage
hunter

[HPAVC]

Really comes down to what youre trying to accomplish and if you will ever have any assistance from other people (even if its openraid)

If I was starting out, I would definitely have more dual or triple role characters earlier in. So that I can quickly raid with one role and roll on loot as another.

Your love for discipline priest might end soon as well, if leveling is an issue for you I would checkout some notes/videos on healing changes, especially smart heals.

This tool might help plan stuff out for you http://raidcomp.mmo-champion.com/

[Andreauk]

I have been using pets to tank running with a healer.. but the past few days I have been levelling a Prot Pala, x2 Disc Priest, BM Hunter and a Destro lock.. this team is so strong (the lock and hunter pets offtank for me the odd caster which is great).. I only hot the tank on the pull and the rest is absorbs and attonement. Pala is great with selfless healer and lay on hands.. it's quite hard to die.

I did ramparts at 58.. the only looms they are wearing is a cloak, and my tank has sword/shield and a trinket... they are so much fun to play with...

I'm not too worried about the changes in WoD as I have x2 Priests and a 90 resto Druid if I need it, and to be honest I'm not expecting to be able to box instances with the amount of mechanics in them.. for me its to farm mounts and achievments. A lot of change will happen with healing.. even after release.. they are always doing stuff to Disc.

[Nam13]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the quick replies!


remember to take into count about 6.0 changes off healing is being changed, You would need healer/dpsx3 tank. you could go shadow though.

the 5th place i would use a hunter it can fill missing buffs kinda well. As for the 2 priests maybe a shammy be a good move?


i would go

Druid tank or deathkight
Priest/lock ( the lock would not give you a 2nd healer choice)
Shammy (would probs make this the healer)
Mage
hunter

First I'll say that I doubt I'll be raiding unless I happen to get really good at 5-boxing. This is more for fun when I don't feel like raiding on my main.

I had considered a Shammy healer but I don't really like any of the races that can be a Shaman. I guess I can just go ahead and make a Dranei but..meh. Anyone have a recommendation there?

So

TANK: Druid
HEALS: Shaman
DPS: Mage?
DPS: Hunter?
DPS: ?

So, to be honest never really played a Hunter. How many different abilities do they use on a regular basis?

What would be better for last DPS slot?
Disc or Shadow Priest,
Warlock,
Boomkin,
another Mage,
or Elemental Shaman?

[Xixillia]

So, to be honest never really played a Hunter. How many different abilities do they use on a regular basis?

?

End game bm rotation is currently about 9 abilities.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBGjnafeODs&feature=youtu.be

[Nam13]

What about leveling? As I said this is more about having fun than accomplishing alot at least until I get used to it.

[Nam13]

Ok so I think I have a possible idea. I'm still thinking and open to suggestions as well.

Tank: Druid
DPS: Mage
DPS: Hunter
DPS/Healer: Druid
DPS/Healer: Shaman

The Druid and Shaman will be dual spec Resto - Balance and Resto - Elemental

This gives me the widest range of gear so that I would be able to use most any items also I can try the two different healers and see what I like more.

What do you all think? Is this a viable class comp?

[MiRai]

What do you all think? Is this a viable class comp?
Yes. Usually any composition that can fill the required Tank/DPS/Healer requirement for dungeons is a viable choice.

[Nam13]

I'm more asking is it viable for someone who is beginner to intermediate with multi-boxing to play this combo?

[Khatovar]

I don't think we can really answer that for you. You've done different classes before, but only up to 20 according to your first post. A lot of people will tell you, myself included, that you should start with as few different classes as possible. Tank +4 Shammies is always a popular starter group because you only have to figure out 3 specs {tank, healer, 3 same DPS} while you're also trying to figure out how to deal with the basic mechanics of 5-boxing.

That said, I didn't follow my own advice. I went through about 3 or 4 fully mixed teams before I ever rolled "clones" because I like to make things as complicated as possible, lol. If you're up for the research to learn all the classes and all the work involved in setting them up, then you should be ok with just about any spec/class. Though I would advise against cat druid, rogue and possibly monks to start with - their resource usage isn't so easy-mode to work with for a new boxer. Ditto with melee teams. I adore my melee team, but you need a firm handle on the mechanics of multiboxing and the micromanagement involved before you get into the quirky nature of Melee.

The group you picked will work, there's nothing wrong or terribly difficult about any of their mechanics, though {depending on spec} they all do have ground-target abilities that you're going to have to either learn to use or sacrifice the DPS for simplicity's sake.

[MiRai]

Khatovar beat me to it, but I was already typing out my reply.


I'm more asking is it viable for someone who is beginner to intermediate with multi-boxing to play this combo?
Unfortunately, I don't think anyone can answer that except for you.

Are you familiar with how the classes you've chosen are supposed to be played?
If not, are you good at learning classes you don't know how to play?
Are you good at macro'ing abilities together to create rotations for each class in a mixed-class team?

We don't know your level of skill, your ability to adapt to a situation on the fly, your ability to multitask and handle all three roles simultaneously... I mean, these are things you're going to have to figure out for yourself through trial and error, and that's just the beginning. I can't tell you how many people level up a popular class (which was recommended by others) only to end up hating it and replacing it with something else because it just didn't work for them. So, to an extent, it really doesn't matter what other people think about the classes you've chosen as long as you've met the role requirement for the content you want to do (but even that's not entirely necessary) and are comfortable with the way that they play. I say 'to an extent' because if you're trying to roll through heroics with a team of Holy Priests, then I think it's safe to assume you're going to have a difficult time doing that, but only you will know if you're comfortable with the classes you've chosen.

It might help if you read through the MoP-related threads of this class composition sub-forum, but things are subject to change in the next expansion which is only a few months away. However, I'll say it again... What you've chosen as your team make-up is viable from a multiboxing standpoint.

[MadMilitia]

The following assumes you use innerspace / isboxer:

Some combinations are not ideal for a multiboxer because of how the classes themselves work.

For example an affliction lock is best paired with other dot-splashing classes like DKs so tabbing around to multiple targets doesn't hurt DPS.

Others like WAR + HUNT are a very good combo for single target approaches because they both optimize single target burst.

Then you have the defensive stuff. A lock + DK team has amazing AoE CC with shadowfury and endless winter. Other teams can't compare to it.

To control multiple classes you have to pin down the commonalities that all classes have in common. Such as cooldowns. All cooldowns range from <= 2m to 3m to 5m and even 10m. You can then setup macros in the WoW helper to handle cooldowns across multiple action groups, ex:




!rem Warrior cooldowns
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Blood fury
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Recklessness
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Dragon Roar
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Bloodbath
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Berserker Rage
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Shield Block
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Shield Barrier
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Avatar
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] !Skull Banner


!rem Hunter cooldowns
!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast [combat] Blood fury
!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast [combat] Rapid Fire
!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast [combat] Stampede
!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast [combat] Lynx Rush

!rem Shaman cooldowns
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast [combat] Blood fury
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast [combat] Ascendance
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast [combat] Lifeblood
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast [combat] Stormlash Totem
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast [combat] Flame Elemental Totem
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast [combat] Blood Lust








!rem Warrior cooldowns
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Blood fury
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Dragon Roar
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Bloodbath
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Berserker Rage
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Shield Block
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast [combat] Shield Barrier


!rem Hunter cooldowns
!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast [combat] Blood fury
!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast [combat] Rapid Fire
!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast [combat] Lynx Rush

!rem Shaman cooldowns
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast [combat] Blood fury
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast [combat] Lifeblood




You can take it further by grouping up stuns, interrupts and snares:




!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast Intimidation
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast Shockwave
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast Frost Shock







!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast Concussive Shot
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast Hamstring
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast Frost Shock





!if (character is in "Hunter") /cast Silencing Shot
!if (character is in "Warrior") /cast Pummel
!if (character is in "Shaman") /cast Wind Shear



Then, with those macros you setup a round robin approach and cap the steps at a reasonable number so they don't overlap too much or take too long in your keypress rotations.


Ideally you want to consolidate as much as possible. The Lazy Macros site is an excellent resource for consolidating sequences and randoms per class / spec. Then with some practice inside isboxer you can handle a decent class / spec spread.

[Mercurio]

Ok so I think I have a possible idea. I'm still thinking and open to suggestions as well.

Tank: Druid
DPS: Mage
DPS: Hunter
DPS/Healer: Druid
DPS/Healer: Shaman

The Druid and Shaman will be dual spec Resto - Balance and Resto - Elemental

This gives me the widest range of gear so that I would be able to use most any items also I can try the two different healers and see what I like more.

What do you all think? Is this a viable class comp?

You do not want to try to DPS with a druid. Rotation is way too complex to consistently generate numbers near almost any other option. I work hard to optimize my DPS rotations on all my guys (I have to in order to solo raid) and haven't ever come up with a great Balance Druid rotation.

Replace the druid with a priest. Priests are much more viable and then you will have three healing options (Priest disc, priest holy, shaman resto). Much more flexible based on whatever changes Blizz decides to make.

[JohnGabriel]

You do not want to try to DPS with a druid. Rotation is way too complex to consistently generate numbers near almost any other option. I work hard to optimize my DPS rotations on all my guys (I have to in order to solo raid) and haven't ever come up with a great Balance Druid rotation.


I 10 boxed all druids, 2x tanks, 2x heals, 6x balance druids, and while farming I 10x balance druids. It was the funnest setup ever. Sure the sunfire/moonfire thing was a pain and I did lose some dps because I had to switch all dps at the same time. But it is doable, I just toggled back and forth between my moonfire and sunfire keybinds.

You are correct though if its his first team he wont want to do it, once familiar with isBoxer I don't think its much more difficult than any other team setup.

But then again half the reason I loved that team was how cool it looked with 10 druids. My favorite was running through a major town all as trees or bears.

[Nam13]

That does sound amazing JohnGabriel.

Anyway I have decided to go with the setup that I said. I understand it will be a challenge but I'm up for it.

It'll give me a good test of my Macro skills anyway. (I'm a programmer and enjoy that kind of stuff.)

So final decision

Guardian Druid
Mage
Hunter
Resto/Balance Druid
Resto/Elemental Shaman

Now what spec would be a good option for the hunter while leveling? What about the mage? I usually play Fire Mage but I don't know if Frost would be the better option here.

Also what Races shall I make these?

I'm thinking Dwarf for the Shaman because I don't have any Dwarfs, never played one past like level 5.

I'm likely going to go with Night Elf for the Druids but if anyone has a convincing reason to go Worgen?

I'm not really sure for the Mage or Hunter. I considered just going NE with those as well to keep it simple.

What do you all think? (I'll primarily be doing 5 man dungeons. I doubt I'll get into any raiding or pvp so that part doesn't matter as much)

[Xixillia]

Your group comp will be just fine. I would be concerned about having such a mixed group as a beginning multiboxer, but if you know the classes and that's what would be the most fun go for it!

[Nam13]

The only one that I don't know at all is Hunter. I have an 85 resto/elemental shaman, 90 mage, 90 resto/boomkin druid. My druid also tanked for awhile back in the days of Naxx. I started up a Hunter to play this week until I purchase my new copies of WoW after I get paid on Friday so I'll get a tinsy bit of experience with that class.

[Nam13]

So I just finished testing out my Macro for my Boomkin. I think you all are right. The class is too complicated for the moment. If it wasn't for the Eclipse thing it would be fine. Technically I COULD do it.

I mean this macro has the primary Boomkin skills but meh

#showtooltip
/target focustarget
/castsequence [mod:alt] Wrath; [mod:shift] Starfire; Starfire, Starfire, Starfire, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Starfire, Starfire, Starfire, Starfire, Starfire


Alt = Wrath
Shift = Starfire
NoMod = 3x Starfire, 11x Wrath, 5x Starfire

Basically I calculated how many starfires it takes to go from the middle to one side. Then wraths from that side to other side, then you add the 5 Starfires at end to the 4 at beginning and you'll make it all the way back to 100 again.

So the basic casting is simple but dealing with Procs and the like would cause me many problems so now I'm not quite sure what I want to do.

[JohnGabriel]

So I just finished testing out my Macro for my Boomkin. I think you all are right. The class is too complicated for the moment. If it wasn't for the Eclipse thing it would be fine. Technically I COULD do it.

I mean this macro has the primary Boomkin skills but meh

#showtooltip
/target focustarget
/castsequence [mod:alt] Wrath; [mod:shift] Starfire; Starfire, Starfire, Starfire, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Wrath, Starfire, Starfire, Starfire, Starfire, Starfire


Alt = Wrath
Shift = Starfire
NoMod = 3x Starfire, 11x Wrath, 5x Starfire

Basically I calculated how many starfires it takes to go from the middle to one side. Then wraths from that side to other side, then you add the 5 Starfires at end to the 4 at beginning and you'll make it all the way back to 100 again.

So the basic casting is simple but dealing with Procs and the like would cause me many problems so now I'm not quite sure what I want to do.

Do you use Jamba? It tells you when starfire/moonfire procs. I used one macro for sunfire one for moonfire and just toggled which was on the dps spam key whenever Jamba notified me. I am not trying to convince you to go boomkin, its alot to micromanage with such a mixed team.

OT: You might want to options for your target macro, such as:
/target [noexists, noharm, dead] focustarget
That way your slaves keep attacking the same target until its dead while your main can constantly switch targets getting threat.

[Nam13]

Thanks for the idea on the macros. I've decided not to do a boomkin for now. I might attempt it in my 2nd team.

So now I need to decide between Priest, Warlock, Another Mage, or Another Shaman

I'm leaning towards Priest or Shaman for backup heals. What do you all think?

[Mercurio]

Priest. Another class = more fun. In addition, as I noted before, priest gives you two new possible healers: a disc priest or a holy priest whereas all other healing classes only have one option.

This may be OBE at this point, but here's the best balance druid macro I came up with (one button spam):

/assist focus
/stopmacro [channeling]
/castsequence Moonfire,Sunfire,Wrath,Wrath,Wrath,Wrath,Wrath,Wra th,Moonfire,Sunfire,Wrath,Wrath,Wrath,Starfire,Sta rfire,Moonfire,Sunfire,Starfire,Starfire,Starfire, Starfire,Starfire
/castsequence reset=0.3 0,0,Starsurge
/castsequence reset=0.3 0,Starfall
/cast Incarnation
/cast Nature's Vigil

[Nam13]

Just a quick update for anyone who cares. It's going pretty well. I'm level 31 now. Been running dungeons non-stop since I hit 15 or so. Only had a couple of wipes so far but I'm constantly improving and coming up with better keybinds and hotkeys. Anyway thanks for the help everyone!