Concerns of a new multi boxer

[Ellay]

Your learning how to play 2 classes at the same time in synchronous. So with that I wouldn't worry about being an effective solo Priest, because your mindset and playstyle are that of 2 characters. I'm sure you'll do fine, and as for the attention from others - it's a common trait you inherit I tend to avoid main player hubs with all my Shamans in tow due to all the attention it receives, so when you log on a solo character and run around town it feels great!

[Ughmahedhurtz]

Your learning how to play 2 classes at the same time in synchronous. So with that I wouldn't worry about being an effective solo Priest, because your mindset and playstyle are that of 2 characters. I'm sure you'll do fine, and as for the attention from others - it's a common trait you inherit I tend to avoid main player hubs with all my Shamans in tow due to all the attention it receives, so when you log on a solo character and run around town it feels great!

Yeah, but you're all glowy and spiky and epiczy and stuff, which does tend to draw the eye.

[GS4Clagg]

I just started MB'n last sat night. First with two shamans, then a third and this past wed I started a fourth. I get a decent amount of tells, "Hey man, how are you doing that?!" I take the time to explain to them what it is and where to learn more about it - www.dual-boxing.com . I love it so far. I didn't think about the RAF though so I'm going to have to start four new ones. :thumbdown:

If there's someone trying to complete a quest I'll invite them to my group to help them, I heal ppl who are getting whomped on and help when ppl get alot of mobs on them.

Have fun with it, you can't get in trouble with it like the botters do.

[Inspiration]

So I've played some more.. a few comments and questions...

My Priest will often lose contact with my main while on follow. I'm putting this down to latency (300ms+) .. I'm in the UK playing on US servers (long story). Is there any way to avoid this? In the barrens its becoming annoying as I keep having to stop to let her catch up with me and then continue. I've lost count of how many times shes stopped. I don't really want to map forward/back/left/right keys as I often auto run which I guess won't work with keyclone. Perhaps just something I'll have to put up with.

It's also difficult not to get carried away with thinking I have super powers. I died taking on an elite 3 levels above me and I realised I'm adding more stress to the situation than I need to do. It's difficult tho.. I just wanna let rip, pull multiple mobs and know my priest will add extra kick but perhaps I just need to take it easy. I'm so impatient sometimes. I've been using my priest to apply dots while my pet and I are hacking away. Perhaps I just need to try and play as if I'm alone with my hunter and just use my priest every so often? I find it's stressful.. at times I wonder "Do I really need the extra stress" but it's so nice at times. I left the undead area at level 12 having not even started the scarlett crusade quest chain. That rocked.

I guess the key is to just take it easy, chill and trust the x3 bonus IS making things quicker and not over stretching myself thinking a Hunter & Priest can solo everything that moves. Any tips on the /follow problem would be great.

[GS4Clagg]

Keep both windows open. I used to boost one of my buddies accounts before I found keyclone. I noticed he'd lag behind if I minimized his window but if I kept it open he'd be right there with me. Might not be your problem at all however, if not- disregard.

[dardack]

I've been 2 accounting for awhile, back when I was strictly using LInux/Wine (unfortunately i need a program that only runs on windows now for some work stuff). So I was disappointed that I couldn't resize the wow windows the way I wanted to on XP, Like on linux you resize them and WoW doesn't keep the aspect ratio I guess (that's why I love that I found this site like a couple days ago and Found Maximizer, AWESOME), but I kept up two accounts.

I still don't use keyclone or anything, I have started to try AHK, but I need to figure out macros and such, right now I'm playing a warr/mage on a trial account (now I have 3 accounts with the trial), cause I always wanted a mage and wanted to take advantage of the trip xp, and hope to make 2 toons to 60 to bump my pally,druid,rogue to 59, in 30 days. I already have hunter/warr/shaman/lock as 70's, so then i'll just have to level my other 4, and I'll prolly pay the $25 to tran one of the 60's to my other account. Right now I bring in my hunter and I was clearing SM, in like 1 day on both the little guys I went from 27 to 37 (and day is not 24 hrs, more lik 10). I really like dual boxing, it's fun.

And even in RL i never care what other people think. People in my raid guild (my shaman is my main) know i dual box and can make a bit of fun, like I need an intervention, but I know it's all in fun, and not once have I had someone whisper me about dual boxing or triple boxing. Some people can even tell, like I can tell when someone is using Keyclone, like today I just did the missing diplomat last part, and another pair was there, and I could tell they were like me and just asked if they were taking advantage of the trip xp, and they were.

So I wouldn't worry about it. /ignore if it gets a bit bad, or report them for verbal abuse, but like I said I've never had any issues with any body even if they find out I'm dual boxing.

BTW first post here, I really appreciate all the help in the forums, been very informative.

[Scurvi]

Secondly, I worry that by using this method to quickly level up my Hunter and Priest with the x3 bonus.. I will get to 60 and have a Priest that I've never really played. Right now the Priest is purely there to heal me and reap the XP benefits. Is this going to present me with a major problem at 60, or would I quickly learn the class 60-70 if I solo it? I'm intending on only multi boxing to 60.

What is your goal with your priest?
Most priests spend the majority of the time soloing to 60 so lacking group healing experience is common. You can do some research before you group but I found that practice was the main thing. The skills for group healing are: reaction to dmg, threat management, mana management, line of sight, healing priority. The last one was the hardest for me, all the research kinda went out the window when I was confronted with my first Mage-Who-Ends-Up-Tanking.

For soloing skills, I'd recommend experimenting with a few core spells while your dual boxing. You probably won't work them into your grinding routine but they're useful for "Oh No" moments.

Power Word Shield:
High mana cost, instant cast, can be used as a sort of no threat heal (applied out of combat before Mob is aware of the target). Will prevent spell pushback while its up.

Mind Blast:
High/Medium mana cost, short cast time, high threat. Can be used as a taunt (though its rare that you want to taunt with a priest)

Racial Skills:
Very situational, but its good to know what yours do.
http://www.wowwiki.com/Priest_Spells#Racial_Spells

Autowand:
Ignore the scoffs of mages/warlocks. This is useful, and a common part of priest grinding. Its worth noting that shadow dmg wands are boosted by Shadow Form and Shadow Weaving.

Levitate:
Survive large drops and jog across water. requires light feathers. Not really usable while duoing but I find its worth the loss of a bag slot while soloing (depending on the area).

Also you have the oppertunity to get used to the short heal, long heal, heal-over-time differences while duoing. Worth playing around with.

As others have said, going shadow spec is a good way to up the dmg of your duo. VE combined with SWPain and or mindflay provides a nice HOT that will heal the priest, hunter and pet at the same time. You're also likely to be leveling as shadow from 60-70. If you are just speccing into it to play around for a few levels please be aware that 40-50 are not a good indicator of the usual experience. They are however very very fun (a mob 5 levels above me? I can take him!)

Also I'd start soloing in EPL, Winterspring and/or Silithus rather than jump stright to outlands. The learning curve will be much kinder that way. (and EPL gives shackle practice).

[Siet]

I'm leveling two chars up right now, a priest and a mage, one of which i've played extensively and the other i've played enough, so sometimes i just switch which one im playing. But just fool around and do what you find you enjoy the most.