3 Manning Heroics, what can be done?

Okay, well I got to playing around with 5 toons a little more the past couple days and think I have decided to just go with 5 from the start. It was just too much fun! I managed to get somebody to group my toons and ran DM with them. My setup was pally tank, priest heals, and 3x druid dps. I wiped a couple times, mostly because I have never done this instance at the level it was intended to be done. But after I figured out the basics it was a blast! A completely different gaming experience. The entire time my main was sitting high at around 60fps and the slaves would go between 25-40. So my computer seems to be able to handle then just fine for now.

Now comes the hard part... group composition choice! :D I'm thinking I want to maybe start out with the classic pally + 4 shamans. I'm also considering going straight to the deep end and rolling a mixed group. pally tank, shaman heals, warlock dps, moonkin dps, and mage dps, or something along the lines of that.

I have a couple questions on 5 man groups though. What would you recommend I start with? I'm not afraid to start out with a harder team, like a mixed group, but I'm also looking for a team that will compliment itself. Preferably all caster dps too. Any recommendations on this? I'm still not very savvy on what class and what specs build on each other to compliment dps/heal output. Any advice on this would be great. I know that a moonkin brings a strong +spell damage buff to the group, can't remeber what it is though, so that would most likely be 1 dps of choice. I'm not sure what healer would be better, a priest or a shaman. I'm thinking shaman because priests are too squishy and require a lot more attention. As for the other dps, what 2 caster classes compliment each others dps output and arent too hard to box?

Honestly I think I would kind of prefer a mixed group setup compared to something like the pally + 4 shamans. Though the shman group does win out in simplicities sake. Oh, and I probably should mention that my entire goal is strictly PvE, not PvP. I have never really been into PvP much but have always loved the PvE side of just about any game.

Thanks everybody!

Go with the mixed team you selected. I'm sure you could swap one class for another and it wont make a huge difference at the end of the day.

It probably wont be as easy to work with as the pally 4 shammy, but I'm certain you could make it work.
(others have).

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Originally Posted by Smoooth

If I had to start over completely I would start up 5 RaF accounts and level them to 60 solely in the old world instances. Get all the quests for each one before you go and you will only have to clear each instance once or twice because of the RaF xp. It's not as fast as boosting but it is so much more fun than boosting or questing. It will give you great boxing experience so you wont have any problem when you get to the newer stuff.

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I think I might just be getting anal here, but wouldn't you start 4 RAF accounts with one of the 5 being an already established account so you can get the RAF XP?

If you can afford to 5 box why try it with only 3? It would be a pain to have 3 lvl 80s then try to get 5 man teams. As others stated DPS would be low and the fights would take forever and running out of mana may actually shorten the fight (with a wipe of course).

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Originally Posted by blast3r

If you can afford to 5 box why try it with only 3? It would be a pain to have 3 lvl 80s then try to get 5 man teams. As others stated DPS would be low and the fights would take forever and running out of mana may actually shorten the fight (with a wipe of course).

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Just read your last post! Good choice!

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Originally Posted by Smoooth

If I had to start over completely I would start up 5 RaF accounts and level them to 60 solely in the old world instances.

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Important part bolded.

Also remember when you start a group up that if you have a paladin on your main account already(I think I remember you saying that) that you might want to use a different tank so you have other options at 80. If you end up boosting your only option will be a DK. If you level through with the group you can use a warrior or a druid but you will probably have one of them on another account.

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Originally Posted by Smoooth

Also remember when you start a group up that if you have a paladin on your main account already(I think I remember you saying that) that you might want to use a different tank so you have other options at 80. If you end up boosting your only option will be a DK. If you level through with the group you can use a warrior or a druid but you will probably have one of them on another account.

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Yes I do have a 77 pally already, as well as a 74 dk. Both are actually specd for tanking lol. Here is kind of what I was planning.

First, before I even start boxing, I plan to level my pally to 80 and get her geared for 25 man content. When I start up my first team I think I have decided to go with with moonkin dps, shaman dps, mage dps, shaman heals, and a bear tank (for more options later on like you suggested). I will level them all up together to 60 and, if RAF xp hasn't been increased to level 70, stop there. I will then take advantage of what RAF time I have left and boost up as many toons as I can with my pally. My end goal would be to have a nice variety of 60s to experiment with. After RAF time has expired, or whenever I get tired of boosting, I will continue to level my main team up. I will probably quest from 60-70. From 70-80 though I plan to run instances, all the way. Instancing is my main reason for even considering multiboxing. I love the PvE side of the game and never tire of instancing. Sure it will be slow, but that doesn't bother me. I want to take my time and just have fun. Not to mention the fact that after my team reaches 80 they should be completely geared for heroics.

I hope that makes some sense. What do you think? Also, what do you think of the group composition (pally tank, moonkin shaman mage dps, shaman heals)? Any suggestions?

Thanks again for all the help! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. ^_^

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Originally Posted by SketchBookStyle

I hope that makes some sense. What do you think? Also, what do you think of the group composition (pally tank, moonkin shaman mage dps, shaman heals)? Any suggestions?

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A shadow priest would add stam, spirit, and shadow protection buffs as well as mana regen with vampiric touch. It also has some nice easy aoe damage with mind sear. If you switched out your shaman dps for one you could still have most of your totems from your resto sham. It would be the same group I use now and I like it.

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Originally Posted by Smoooth

A shadow priest would add stam, spirit, and shadow protection buffs as well as mana regen with vampiric touch. It also has some nice easy aoe damage with mind sear. If you switched out your shaman dps for one you could still have most of your totems from your resto sham. It would be the same group I use now and I like it.

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would the gain in buffs be worth the loss in totems? namely the loss of Totem of Wrath? How do you like your group with the priest? What is the groups synergy like? I had considered a shadow priest but thought that another shaman would add more the the group as a hole.

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Originally Posted by SketchBookStyle

would the gain in buffs be worth the loss in totems? namely the loss of Totem of Wrath? How do you like your group with the priest? What is the groups synergy like? I had considered a shadow priest but thought that another shaman would add more the the group as a hole.

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I wouldn't drop the shaman for a shadow priest. That doesn't make much sense at all imo. You're not going to be mana hungry in 5 mans... Having mana totem makes up for vamp embrace and allows your second shaman to drop clensing totem. Stam buff isn't that important. Shadow protection isn't something you stop the presses for. Spirit buff is cool when there, but have you really ever cared when you didn't? I'd rather take a single totem of wrath to a 5 man than a shadow priest tbqh. Not to mention everything else the elem shaman brings. Shadow priests suck.