Playing Again ( 4 boxing )

[stewie]

Hello all,

What would you guys 4 box with these new DPS mercs

I whas thinking maybe SK / Shammy / Wiz / Cleric and 2 dps mercs or something

I gonna start over on a new server Think it would be "Xegony" or maybe (AB) because i'm euro
Someone told me to get all char up to lvl 30 then group them. not sure if this is the best method
Whas thinking turtorial till lvl 10-15 and then up to the HZ etc

[Valdemar]

Well, I'd suggest the following...

1) BARD - puller extraordinaire. This ability really is under appreciated. There are always people who will say its unnecessary, but those are the rich people talking. Since you want to start from scratch - and obviously wont be in a top tier guild - a good puller is worth it. Bards also make decent tanks, and they are not that hard to box thanks to /melody. DOT camp enabled

2) SHAMAN - no need to elaborate. Healing, debuffs, buffs, DPS, pet. DOT camp.

3) DRUID - I'd substitute your Wizard and your Cleric with this one class. Obviously not as good at healing as a cleric, but much more versatile. Reliable root and snare, ports, buffs, debuffs, ++DPS. DOT camp enabled.

4) MAGE, NECRO, ENCHANTER - take your pick depending on whether you desire more group support and indirect DPS (ENC) or more direct DPS. NECRO has the added advantages of feign in case of a wipe (he can recover the group), and he is DOT camp enabled.

DPS MERCS - I dont use one, so I cannot offer advice here. All I can say is that smart people whose opinions I respect, say that both the caster DPS merc and melee DPS mercs are very poorly tuned at lower levels. Based on this, I'd be inclined to advise that you take a couple of warrior mercs instead. The DPS will still be uber, and you need some extra tankage with a BARD as your puller and main plate-wearing meat shield. I can say from experience, that BARDS are better tanks than most people believe, but it is true that the innate mitigation/avoidance for BARDs is lower than Warriors/SKs/Paladins.

Regards,
Valdemar

[Brohg]

I think I disagree with at least two of Valdemar's picks because they're really fiddly classes. Need to pay too much attention to get the most out of them. What each class is capable of versus what it's practical to keep up with when four-boxing are two different things. Also, gotta include a tank. Tank mercenaries are pretty much done after SoD, don't want to strand yourself with no way to progress at 85.

[Valdemar]

Listen to Brohg. He knows.

Ok, if a Bard is insufficient as a tank at high level, and we're forced to take one of Warrior/Paladin/SK, then I'd go for SK. I guess that is a pretty obvious choice.

1) SK
2) SHM
3) DRU
4) MAG - much less fiddly than ENC and especially NEC.

I agree that NECs are very difficult to box efficiently because of all the drains, regens, and recourse spells you need to throw. Not to mention that most of their effects-over-time spells have incompatible durations. Very hard to make hotkey delays and spell combos that can time the recasting.

This 4-some lacks a reliable single puller and no DOT camp ability from the Mage, but it is compensated by strong defense and good DPS.

Regards,
Valdemar

[Ughbash]

I would say use the Mage for your tank over a SK.

Or if you can stand the boredom... 2 Mages in your 4 box, a ranger and a shaman.

Ranger pulls, not quite as well as a bard but they have HA and Flusterbolt as well as cover tracks and outdoor lull. They are also afk bow dps when mob is in camp or ghetto CC with root. Finally in certain areas HEADSHOT for xp.

2 Mage pets tank.

Shaman buffs, slows and provides lynx for the air pets and for his wolf and if needed dots.

[Kruzar]

I personally run a crew of a Rogue, Shammy, and Mage... I am also currently utilizing 2 healer mercs and a Caster DPS merc. My rogue is my raiding toon, but in my group he is my puller, tank in some cases, and dps. Some of my groupings.. I use my mage pet as the tank... bring in the mob, slow it on the shammy, send in dog dog... then load up the caster stuff on the mob... rogue stands in the back and uses ranged attacks to add just a little more dps. Not the perfect way to use his skills, but it works out well in a more caster centric group... If I want to go up to higher content, I just sub in the rogue as the tank... pop lithe, and have a good old time tanking most mobs that I have encountered... shammy switches into more of a backup healer mode in this setup. Rogue is not the best tank, but not the worst either... I have tanked T6 and T7 nameds with lithe going, and with merc healing support....