Struggling to settle on a party composition

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12-12-2019, 08:27 AM
Vivan

Struggling to settle on a party composition
There are many, many possible party compositions, each with their own upsides and downsides.

For context, my current comp is WMMMP at level 33.

My goals were:
1. Assist my main (Warrior) in levelling as solo levelling a Warrior is hell
2. Able to farm gold at endgame efficiently
3. Able to do most non-raid content alone
4. Able to farm pre-raid BiS gear
5. Fast/ relatively painless levelling experience
I believe that this composition meets all of those requirements. I believe that MMMMP would actually be best for handling points 2-5, but given goal 1, WMMMP was the only comp that really worked.

However, goal 1 has now changed - I no longer want to main a Warrior endgame but instead want to main a Warlock.

My choices for comps changes - the ones I have in mind are:

WLMMP
LLLLP
LMMMP

WLMMP
Pros:
- All the utility! Tank, pet, soulstone, portals, summons, food/drink, healthstone
- Able to re-use most of my existing team
- Flexible composition as it includes a tank
Cons:
- Complex management of team – 4 classes with very different abilities, especially the mage/ warlock difference.
- Levelling speed probably one of the worst of the choices.
LLLLP
Pros:
- Simple composition to manage as only two classes
- Multiple pets
- Cheap mounts
Cons:
- Will need to level a whole new team (~40 hours?)
- Not great for endgame gold farming vs mages
- Not as good AoE so slower levelling than with mages
- No free food ☹
LMMMP
Pros:
- Good AoE
- All the utility
- Can re-use most of my existing team
Cons:
- Warlock will end up tanking and probably dying a fair bit
- Lack of a real tank will limit ability to handle certain bosses, or at least make them much more complicated
- More complex handling than pure LLLLP
All choices have pros and cons and now I am trapped by indecision - please share your thoughts?
12-12-2019, 08:48 AM
ExBox

Even the most complex teams and their different spells can easily sync with proper macroing. I play a 5 box with 5 different classes (Bear/WL/M/P/Sh) and with /castsequence macros its a breeze to combine their spells.

If you want to go for pure gold farming, then go MMMMP as seen in peregrines vids, its the most powerful combo. Switching a mage for a WL, as you want to main it, won't make such a big difference dps wise, as hellfire is one hell of a spell (warning dad joke) and does very nice dps.

Don't go LLLLP, personally all multiboxers I know reported abandoning it due to too many downsides compared to MMMMP/MMMWP.

TLDR: Go 5 Shaman and wreck PvE and PvP ;)
12-12-2019, 03:03 PM
nodoze

I would do in order of preference:

WLMMP
WLLMP
LMMMP

Post level 30 all of those combos have at 3+ AoE DPS. The last one is 4 AoE and may be able to do some tanking on the main if SL speced.
12-13-2019, 07:57 PM
SonyEQ

I'm really curious how well a lock could tank if you went soul link with a voidwalker out and then just spammed searing pain or drain life on boss fights to try to hold aggro. No block or parry, but you can easily be over 20% physical dmg reduction base and then another 40% from soul link.

I've thought about it already and would do lock + mage x3 + priest if I were to main a lock (but would def do pally instead of priest if ally because I think concentration aura would be immensely helpful for the lock, especially for hellfire). I know that a real tank with a lock thrown in there would be a lot more solid, but I can't help but wanting to main whatever is acting as my tank and pilot.

I prefer Horde about 100 times to Alliance, but man paladins have some amazing utility.
12-14-2019, 02:37 PM
nodoze

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonyEQ

I'm really curious how well a lock could tank if you went soul link with a voidwalker out and then just spammed searing pain or drain life on boss fights to try to hold aggro. No block or parry, but you can easily be over 20% physical dmg reduction base and then another 40% from soul link.

I've thought about it already and would do lock + mage x3 + priest if I were to main a lock (but would def do pally instead of priest if ally because I think concentration aura would be immensely helpful for the lock, especially for hellfire). I know that a real tank with a lock thrown in there would be a lot more solid, but I can't help but wanting to main whatever is acting as my tank and pilot.

I prefer Horde about 100 times to Alliance, but man paladins have some amazing utility.

There is quite a bit on Warlock Tanking out there and definitely it benefits from having a Paladin in Party/Raid. It's viability has gone up a little now that the Searing Pain gloves are available. Some links for you:

https://classicwow.live/guides/718/c...aid-tank-guide

https://classicwow.live/guides/491/w...eo-and-written
12-20-2019, 12:11 PM
Vivan

I'm leaning towards WLMMP now - it'll probably one of the slower for levelling but the payoff will be higher at cap.
12-20-2019, 03:23 PM
SonyEQ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vivan

I'm leaning towards WLMMP now - it'll probably one of the slower for leveling but the payoff will be higher at cap.

For me personally, at least for leveling purposes in comparison to all the other setups I've tried now, a great setup with a lock in your group is Pally Tank, Dwarf Priest Healer, Lock, Mage x2. Everything just feels like it works so fluidly together.

I've always mostly played Horde, warriors are amazing tanks and I enjoy playing them a lot, but I recently became addicted to pally utility and for me personally, warrior tank + pally heals feels a bit clunky for whatever reason. When it comes to healers, i want a priest, everything else seems like a poor substitute.
12-21-2019, 04:58 PM
Diwa

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonyEQ

For me personally, at least for leveling purposes in comparison to all the other setups I've tried now, a great setup with a lock in your group is Pally Tank, Dwarf Priest Healer, Lock, Mage x2. Everything just feels like it works so fluidly together.

I've always mostly played Horde, warriors are amazing tanks and I enjoy playing them a lot, but I recently became addicted to pally utility and for me personally, warrior tank + pally heals feels a bit clunky for whatever reason. When it comes to healers, i want a priest, everything else seems like a poor substitute.

Would it be better if you replace the 2nd mage for a hunter for mobs that are immune to magic and for kiting like in UBRS last boss?
12-21-2019, 06:08 PM
nodoze

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vivan

I'm leaning towards WLMMP now - it'll probably one of the slower for levelling but the payoff will be higher at cap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonyEQ

For me personally, at least for leveling purposes in comparison to all the other setups I've tried now, a great setup with a lock in your group is Pally Tank, Dwarf Priest Healer, Lock, Mage x2. Everything just feels like it works so fluidly together.

I've always mostly played Horde, warriors are amazing tanks and I enjoy playing them a lot, but I recently became addicted to pally utility and for me personally, warrior tank + pally heals feels a bit clunky for whatever reason. When it comes to healers, i want a priest, everything else seems like a poor substitute.

Unless you are going Horde &/or plan to main a Warrior I agree that a Paladin Tank is likely the best all around Tank for boxers focusing on Dungeon grinding due to all the utility. I agree the most flexible platform for boxers is likely:

PaladinTank+DwarfPriest+Mage+Warlock+your_choice.. .

Personally I have a 60 Mage for free level 55 Water/food/ports so I actually am doing and think best for me and my play-style is a very Tanky ranged team of:

PaladinTank+DwarfPriest+3Warlocks(SoulLinked)+3Pet s

I like this setup much more than my previous 3Warriors+2Paladins that I took to ~40.

Note that one issue with Paladin Tanks is that you natively don't have any ranged pulling without Engineering or other items. With that in mind the following is available at level 20 via a quest and has a pretty low cooldown and is swapable in combat:

https://classic.wowhead.com/item=734...-of-holy-flame

If the above is on cooldown you could also use the following to supplement but it will not be swapable until after combat:

https://classic.wowhead.com/item=119...kens-boomerang

Lastly Engineering is a good all around option but you would likely want to use low level bombs to save gold. If anyone knows of any other items let me know and I can update the list.
12-22-2019, 03:58 PM
SonyEQ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diwa

Would it be better if you replace the 2nd mage for a hunter for mobs that are immune to magic and for kiting like in UBRS last boss?

I think trying to throw a hunter in a mixed group due to their deadzone restrictions and pet happiness + ammo are just big added headaches that I don't want to deal with.

I think if you did a party of something like 4 hunters + holy pally it would be a blast to play.
12-22-2019, 04:29 PM
nodoze

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonyEQ

I think trying to throw a hunter in a mixed group due to their deadzone restrictions and pet happiness + ammo are just big added headaches that I don't want to deal with.

I think if you did a party of something like 4 hunters + holy pally it would be a blast to play.

I have seen several folk do 5 Hunters though personally I think any Healer brings much more to 4 Hunters than a 5th Hunter so I agree with SonyEQ there.

Any Healer can bring value though personally I think a Druid kinda fits the theme but likely you would get more mileage out of a healer that can rez without cooldown like a Paladin or a Priest.