New Dual Boxer here... question about hunters.

[seanwcom]

Hey everyone, I've just recently gotten started with dual boxing - actually, two accounts, one computer... so whatever that's called. :)

I got a copy of KeyClone and I've got it up and running and ran through some tests with a level 1 Lock and a level 1 Mage, leveled them up a bit. Had a blast doing it! I had been getting bored with WoW, so this has completely rejuvenated it for me. :)

I've done a bit of searching and have only seen a few discussions on class combinations. Since I'm only going to be running two accounts, I'm looking for the best class pairing. I know the hunter class better than any other, and it is my favorite class... so I guess I'm just looking for thoughts on that setup. Are there any complications that I'll have, any tips you guys have? Will it work out well, or should I stick with a couple nukers? Is it a good pairing for a noob dual-boxer?

Ok, now I'm off to search for better addons. :) Thanks all!

[Minister]

I have actually written a long article here (http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=855), but to specifically address your question: I think either Priest or Warlock would be superior paired with a Hunter, primarily because Fear puts a mob back into range to keep your Hunter doing maximum damage.

1. Priest: get a tank pet with decent damage, perhaps a boar or bear. Of course, your Hunter will be Beast Mastery and your Priest will be Shadow. Set up macros on your Priest to target the pet for Renews and Heals (plus Power Word: Fortitude). I recommend the following course of attack on a single mob.

Hunter's Mark
Pet attack
Serpent Sting and Shadow Word: Pain
Arcane Shot and Mind Blast (this will probably grab agro)
Mind Flay to slow him down
He should be dead by the time he gets to you, but if not, use Psychic Scream to put him back out of range for your Hunter


I doubt Mind Flay and Concussive Shot stack, but I have not tried it. The idea is to keep your pet tanking as long as possible, but when you grab agro, to slow or fear it in ordeer to keep your Hunter shooting, not melee'ing. Use Freezing Trap for multiple mobs.

2. Warlock: put your first 8 points into Demonology to upgrade your Voidwalker, who will be tanking, then start on Affliction. Get a full dps pet for your Hunter: Wind Serpent, Ravager, or Cat, and continue on your Beast Mastery spec, but avoid the Hit Point and Armor bonus talents as much as possible: it shouldn't be tanking much.

Hunter's Mark
Voidwalker attack w/Torment and Pet attack w/Cower
Serpent Sting, plus the big 3 dots: Curse of Agony, Corruption, then Immolation
Arcane Shot and Drain Life (this may grab agro)
Concussive Shot, then Fear if it gets too close


The other option is to grab a tank pet for your Hunter and use the Seductress as dps with the option for crowd control, but I wouldn't choose this route as the Voidwalker has bigger taunts than Hunter Pets and the Seductress wouldn't do as much damage, nor does she have a Cower. Use Freezing Traps for crowd control.

Hope this helps, and good luck.

[seanwcom]

Wow, great reply! Thanks! I do like the idea of the hunter/priest combo - and I've always wanted to level a priest. :)

I'm off to read your other article now... thanks for the info!

[MrLonghair]

A hunter duo has insane DPS and you'll be "soloing" elites by the time they're orange-con and farming Wailing Caverns for deviate scales at level 18. Positioning is a bit of a bastard, solved by sticking your first three talent points in Hawk Eye and by making a macro that does nothing on your main - but moves your alt a few steps forward to stand in line with the main.

Then you nuke. 100+ DPS with crafted leather at level 18 in fights, not a perfect measurement because anything I attack goes down pretty fast.

With a priest the pet will live a lot longer and maybe even hit harder if the priest gets the right spec, but I don't think a priest will help the largest problem a hunter has - the pet has to keep aggro. I say, duo up some ranged nukers to level six or so, since you're just starting out.

[seanwcom]

Yeah, I do plan to try out a few different styles to see what works best for me. Right now I'm leaning towards either hunter/priest or hunter/hunter. hunter/lock sounds good, but I've just never really gotten into the lock.

I've been studying up on macros all day, so I'm ready to rock. Hope my boss isn't reading over my shoulder... lol! :)

Thanks for the feedback!

[Picticon]

One of the rules I posted the other day states that you want to level something you would be interested in playing at end-game. 2 Hunters might be nice, but you'll end up with a redundant toon (unless you have one BM and another Survival or something).

I'd go with Hunter/Priest or some mix. Shaman or Druid perhaps? Which would you be interested in playing in raid/pvp?

3 or more toons and the redundant factor becomes less of an issue and more of a hindrance... you don't want a mix of classes as the micromanagement becomes too much.


Of course... maybe it's just me... but I like variety. :)

[accretion]

I currently 2-box a BM Hunter and Disc Priest and it's a terrific all-around combination. With a high-aggro pet (e.g. bird with screech) you can even duo most instances. I've grouped the hunter with many other combinations including mage, druid, hunter and warlock and the priest is by far the best complement when it comes to leveling and completing challenging quests.

[MrLonghair]

I currently 2-box a BM Hunter and Disc Priest and it's a terrific all-around combination. With a high-aggro pet (e.g. bird with screech) you can even duo most instances. I've grouped the hunter with many other combinations including mage, druid, hunter and warlock and the priest is by far the best complement when it comes to leveling and completing challenging quests.

Sounds rather awesome now that I think about it - as long as one doesn't streal aggro from the pet, the only problem left is keeping it alive, and what better way to do that than a dedicated healer? I gotta log on and see what I can do with my lv18 hunters and lv42 priests now.

[Anonymous]

I currently 2-box a BM Hunter and Disc Priest and it's a terrific all-around combination. With a high-aggro pet (e.g. bird with screech) you can even duo most instances.

I'll second this, doing the same thing, albeit with more focus on the Holy tree. Can brute force duo most instances and elite group quests.

It is _much_ easier with a screecher pet (+PoM), just stay off the multishot button a few seconds and you are golden, the pet will easily keep aggro on multiple mobs.

[HPAVC]

A hunter duo has insane DPS and you'll be "soloing" elites by the time they're orange-con and farming Wailing Caverns for deviate scales at level 18. Positioning is a bit of a bastard, solved by sticking your first three talent points in Hawk Eye and by making a macro that does nothing on your main - but moves your alt a few steps forward to stand in line with the main.

I did the hunter duo to 70 on a reroll server for someone. It was to say the least easy mode.

The macros I used were something like the following. Basically the second character is assisting and unable to attack until they get into combat.
The first hunter also doesn't do damage on his first key press since he is using his mark as his first spell. So as soon as the characters get into combat you press the key again and again. I found this to be pretty sober with the non-combat delay and reduced twitch amazingly and allows for super easy two boxing.

[code:1]*party1*
/petattack
/castsequence reset=combat/target mark, serpent, arcane, multi

*party2*
/assist focus -- no attack on assist, since at short range you will autoshoot
/petattack
/castsequence [combat] reset=combat/target serpent, arcane, multi[/code:1]

I went with party1 marks and party2 beastmaster. I found the boar charge ability to be amazingly faster than any other pet since it just engages them at distance that even if the pets lose aggro it would die on the way to the hunters.