Leveling 2 mages together

[Alcsaar]

So yeah I'm leveling two mages at the same time together. They are both level 9 right now and I am begining to wonder how I should level them the quickest way, and what spec I should go. I was looking at double frost for Sync'd frost bolts and twice the frost bite chance...but I was also looking at fire for the high dps or even arcane for the AoE capability. I don't think blizz AoEing would work out to well since I would have to always be turning my other mage around so hes looking the right direction to blizzard.

Any suggestions?

I read someones idea about a Resto shaman/warrior team and I must say....it sounds very fun and effective...

[MrLonghair]

My suggestion is an arcane-frost spec, playing that in a trio with a friends mage, the three of us are level 22 and mostly doing the "tag mobs, bunch up, frost nova, AE until they're dead - maybe with a (forgot the name, early level fire AE spell) after the frost nova". Once you get the mana shield and you start picking up stam+int gear from the AH it should work real well, as long as you're ready to travel to get to useful grinding spots, or if you're alliance.

[Alcsaar]

Okay thanks, this leaves the question...do I spec in to Arc or Frost first? I'm guessing Arcane..


Hmm, I think I'll just go fire for now. I like the idea of ignite and what not..

[Alcsaar]

A reply from Xzin would be nice...I'm curious what spec he went to level

[Wilbur]

Bear in mind Xzin had a dedicated Priest to increase his survivability. If you are just dual-boxing mages then a primarily Frost spec would probably serve best (especially for some tasty AOE Grinding).

[Wally]

In the mage group I dabbled with I the plan was to have one frost and the rest fire. So with two I would go one of each.

I always put 5 points in uninteruptable arcane missles first.

My reasoning is that one frost bolt will slow the mob allowing a second cast before they reach me. Fire for the rest as at lower levels as it seems to be the best dps.

When you start to AOE farm it all changes. Not sure how you would go targeting AOE spells remotely.

[Wilbur]

There have been a couple of posts theorising how it could be done...
Have a hotkey that alters the camera's to one common angle, and assuming you have:
(a)Same resolution screens with similar viewported UI's
(b)Some way of broadcasting mouse movements (hardware or software)
It would be possible. Personally I have never done it, but Xzin's method of using Wireless mice seems to be the way to go.

Good luck ;-)

[Alcsaar]

Man i really like the idea of a shaman/warrior team... Bleh

[Ughmahedhurtz]

I have 4x 70 mages (Eenie, Meenie, Minie and Mow on Turalyon). I tried fire and it was definitely OMGWTFBBQ damage with 4x pyro or even 4x fireball. Frostbolt was almost as good, though, and the frost tree's control aspects (slows, roots, etc.) was worth not having quite as much damage.

Of course, 2x mages will play quite differently than 4, but the basic principles stand. Personally, I'd suggest the following order of talents as you level:

Frost all the way at first.
3/3 Elemental Precision
2/5 imp. Frostbolt
2/2 Imp. Frost Nova
3/3 Frostbite <--- substite 3/3 Permafrost if you love AoE farming
1/1 Cold snap
5/5 imp. frostbolt <--- substitute imp. Blizzard for AoE love
1/3 Permafrost
3/3 Frost Channeling
5/5 Shatter
1/1 Ice Block
3/3 Imp. Cone of Cold
3/5 Winter's Chill
1/1 Frost Barrier
5/5 Winter's Chill
3/3 Permafrost
5/5 Ice Shards
1/1 Summon Water Elemental
2/2 Arctic Reach

Rest in Arcane, something like:
2/2 Arcane Subtlety
3/5 Arcane Focus
5/5 Arcane Concentration

You can rearrange things to taste but that was what I did on my way up. Having frostbite, shatter and the slowing talents was godly. Elites my level would just fall over about time they got to me, if they ever got to me. Imp. Frost Nova will mean yours is up on one or the other mage just about ever y time you need it.

Now, once you hit about 63/64 or so, you can effectively switch to Arcane/Fire for the huge damage and get away with it mostly. Impact helps, as does trinket/PoM/Pyro fun. You may still wish to stay frost though with just two mages as control will be more important.

Good luck!

[Xzin]

I went fire all the way. But I had a pocket healer.

Fire = max dmg lower utility / CC.
Which is fine if I can shield and heal.

Frost is a great spec for CC and taking multiple enemies. It lacks some of the strength of fire though (mostly DPS).

If you are 2 boxing, your strategy will likely be more successful going frost than fire - as long as you can control both and individually trigger ice blocks, etc.

That is nearly impossible to micromanage with 4 mages - and higher dps means people die faster, an obvious advantage in PvP.

[zanthor]

Threeboxing with a healer (Pally) and two mages I went a different route, I focus'd on the Arcane Tree for the mages and holy tree for the paladin. Pallies have great AE threat generation ability and I can generally pull 8 mobs and keep them on the pally for the majority of the pull. Arcane Explode them, maybe throw some cones of cold in (still getting the hang of that, it's often I blow snowcones out into the wings and not hit any mobs :()

I went with arcane spec because of the resists, it allows me to grind on higher level mobs and with a mail tank (soon to be plate) it grinds so nicely.