Anyone play two toons at the same time?

[alysenne]

I bought a new computer a short while ago. I was looking at my old computer/monitor which was just sitting there doing nothing and it occurred to me that it might be interesting to play two toons at the same time.

So I decided to totally geek out and actually try it.

Made a rogue and priest and so far, it's actually going quite smoothly. I set up a bunch of macros using /target and /assist and bound them to the numpad. My priest just follows the rogue around using DoT+wand and shield/heal when needed. It gets interesting when I get adds because it's suddenly a scramble to juggle two keyboards and two mice.

Anyone else try this?

Any duo synergies that would work better than rogue/priest? I made a rogue because I haven't leveled one past 19 yet. I figured a priest would be the best second computer toon. Also, leveling a priest is horrible pre-40 if you do it solo.

[Mallstrop]

Ages ago there was a post about some one that has 5 computers playing. He used a wireless mouse and keyboard so that it would input to all 5 characters. I think they 4 mages and a priest or maybe even 5 mages.

Personally, I've tried 2 characters, but both level 60's. I was quite complicated, no where near as efficient as 2 players. But then again, they were both on this 1 computer.

[Seldom]

I 2-box most of my grind time (usually a hunter and shaman). World PvE is pretty trivial with assist heal and nuke macros. Instances are pretty tough since things can go crazy rather quickly. If you lose control of the situation, you're prolly going to die. Both of your toons. Highest instance I've done at 60 was Mara. And I had to use an owl for the AoE taunt.

PvP ... Well, if you get the jump on someone, you can usually kill them with your double alpha strike (Aimed shot, chain lightning, multi-shot and earth shock) plus standard PvP using only one character. I usually take my shaman (alt) off auto-follow after the alpha strike and keep him in the back as a healbot. The funny thing about cross-realm battlegrounds is that people who don't know how to PvP will try to kill the melee first and leave the other guy in the dress alone.

If someone gets the jump on you ... Well, one of your toons is going to the graveyard. Which may not be a bad thing. When I'm OOM, I usually run into a bunch of alliance, FD-Frost Trap and get killed to replenish my mana bar.

[zkajan]

Ages ago there was a post about some one that has 5 computers playing. He used a wireless mouse and keyboard so that it would input to all 5 characters. I think they 4 mages and a priest or maybe even 5 mages.

Personally, I've tried 2 characters, but both level 60's. I was quite complicated, no where near as efficient as 2 players. But then again, they were both on this 1 computer.

it was 5 mages, so when he clicked a spell on one they all cast the same spell. they would also all stand on top of each other. He did a lot of Arcane Explosion IIRC (which meant it was pretty much certain death to anything that comes in 10 foot radius from him)

[Stigg]

I read an article about a 2box tank/offtank for the entirity of MC.

I also read an article of dual boxing main tank / MT healer for Ony.

[mesonm]

I read an article about a 2box tank/offtank for the entirity of MC.

I also read an article of dual boxing main tank / MT healer for Ony.

links? PM, if need be.

[alysenne]

Rogue and Priest at level 15 now. Heh, funny thing is that the priest has a higher DPS than the rogue and all she's doing is DoT+wand. At that level, the enchanting-made wand has ridiculously high damage.

As for efficiency, questing isn't work out so well. Things die so quickly that I spend far more time running from mob to mob and looting. I think playing each one solo might actually be faster sometimes. Maybe I need to grind higher level mobs, but that would be horribly boring if I only grind.

Heh, I never thought to bring the duo into a battleground. I think I'd feel kinda guilty because the 2nd toon wouldn't be contributing as much as he should. I'll probably end up trying it at some point though.

[kreyson]

Hmm.. Thinking of leveling up my wifes char using my hunter. Question.. If i put her on auto follow, in the same group, does she have to do damage or heal in order to get XP for the kill if i do all of the work.

I may do this while she is busy at work or something... Perhaps.. i can level up her char while she cooks dinner.. clean the house... do the laundry. Or is that wishful thinking?

[Magikhat]

I play 2 accounts on one computer. I just use my 60 rogue to bring toons through instances and at the same time get my rogue some money. Instances are the closes to powerleveling as you can get in wow. I mean you can do quests with low toons grouped but you always have to worry about aggro and about auto follow not sticking. Auto follow becomes a problem with 2 accounts on 1 computer. Atleast in instances you dont need to auto follow, just move them every few minutes and you get much better exp because of elites.

[kreyson]

If i have a L60, and the toon is L10, do the mobs have to grant XP for the L60 or just high enough for the L10?

Where do you suggest going?

[Seldom]

For a two toon group, exp is divided Sum_of_Levels / Number of group members. Basically a level 10 will get 1/7 the experience they would have gotten if they killed the mob solo when grouped with a 60. This isn't going to be much at all at these levels. To get exp, I suggest picking up as many quests as are available for whatever instance you are doing. Running instances is not about getting exp for your alt, it's about getting gear so your alt can solo mad exp with no downtime.

For level 10, try Ragefire Chasm. A few runs through there and you've got a few levels as well as some gear to allow the twinkie to easily solo to 18. At which point you go WC. Which will drop gear to solo to 24. Then Shadowfang Keep and Blackfathom. This will allow solo to 28. At this point ... You can start RFK and battlegrounds. Once your twinkie hits 32 ... It's time for Scarlet Monastary. SM will take you all the way to 40. If you're doing a 39 twinkie, this is where I'd stop. If you want to level your alt to 60, then I suggest getting groups.

I suggest starting enchanting with your main if you don't already have it. The twinkie route is the cheapest way to level up enchanting.

[Calabar]

I have two PCs and two accounts. But I suck at duel boxing. The only time I do it is to bring on a level 60 to help one of my alts do the quests that require groups. For example, I solo all the quests in Duskwood, or join a group if one is available, but then I’ll bring on my 60 warrior to kill off the four named “boss” quests. I can manage running two characters, but it feels too awkward for me to have fun doing it.

[MoRRoW]

I use my 60 lock to get my 20 priest the gear I want from instance while getting some XP. Once I have the gear I want for my low level, I just run instances for fun with other of my level, and I don't have to worry about getting beaten on roll / ninja or whatever.

I even bring some more lowbie with me sometime (like leather/mail wearers) for free, the only thing I ask them is to stay back as I put my priest on auto follow ;)

I ML everything since I don't wanna waste my time looting on the other CPU like I'd have to do on group loot (Although even on group loot if there is a green I think I could actually have the roll box anyway... but anyway) and I distribute anything that is not cloth ;)

[cyradis2003]

For a two toon group, exp is divided Sum_of_Levels / Number of group members. Basically a level 10 will get 1/7 the experience they would have gotten if they killed the mob solo when grouped with a 60. This isn't going to be much at all at these levels. To get exp, I suggest picking up as many quests as are available for whatever instance you are doing. Running instances is not about getting exp for your alt, it's about getting gear so your alt can solo mad exp with no downtime.

For level 10, try Ragefire Chasm. A few runs through there and you've got a few levels as well as some gear to allow the twinkie to easily solo to 18. At which point you go WC. Which will drop gear to solo to 24. Then Shadowfang Keep and Blackfathom. This will allow solo to 28. At this point ... You can start RFK and battlegrounds. Once your twinkie hits 32 ... It's time for Scarlet Monastary. SM will take you all the way to 40. If you're doing a 39 twinkie, this is where I'd stop. If you want to level your alt to 60, then I suggest getting groups.

I suggest starting enchanting with your main if you don't already have it. The twinkie route is the cheapest way to level up enchanting.


:grin: you are being cautious on your levels. If you park the twinkie far enough back to get xp without aggro you can take a 16 to WC, 20 to SFK, 25 to RFK, 28 to SM(GY), 29 to SM Lib, 32 to SM Arm, 34 to SM cath. I will 2 box using my big hunter, the pet grabs aggro (monkeys have AOE stomp and no flappy wings in the way) and I kill a room then move the twinkie into it, kill the next room and move the twinkie.

You have to know the instances though, with SFK for example there are a few rooms that you have to stop and wait on a patrol or you will be off killing folks while your twinkie is getting it's creamy filling splattered on the walls.

I have a toolbar macro'd on my little guys (bear in mind you need a separate account since you can't have 2 toons on the same account open) that has follow, assist/attack and bandage self or heal self,pet,hunter if it is a healer.

I also bought a wolfking warrior keypad back when I was running my fiance and myself a lot more often ... I was taking a month off and he wasn't so I didn't want him falling behind. That helps since it is a really small keypad and easy to use with macros http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16823146002

[Killmenow]

I use dual-boxing to help level up characters by using a level 60 priest to keep the low character alive and allow it to fight higher level mobs. I DON'T put them in a party together as that kills XP for the lowbie. Healing does not seem to affect XP on the low character, though I read somewhere it might have some small reducing effect.

If my low character suddenly gets swamped with adds, I simply Shield my priest, then throw heals at the low character. This causes all but the mob the low character is fighting to turn towards the priest and start hitting her, usually to little or no effect. Then the low character can down the mobs one at a time and get all the XP from each. Just don't do anything aggressive with the priest to tag any of the mobs. This is a great way to take on groups of mobs and to get to those guarded treasure chests!

I also have a 3rd account to occasionally triple-box. I usually only bring in the third character for instances or tough fights. I have a 60 mage on that third account. In that case I DO group the characters and don't worry about XP lost from kills. I'm mainly going for quick completion of quests/dungeons to help make up for that loss.

I sometimes triple box just to have my mage along as a body guard or to use her portals to move around the continents quicker. That's one thing I like about dual/triple boxing, you get to use a lot of the "utility" abilities of classes even though you aren't that class. My lowbie characters always have a Fortitude buff from the priest and they get diseases cured and magic dispelled. When the mage is along, they get Arcane Intellect and curses removed. Great stuff.

I'm currently working on getting a warrior up to 60 to try my hand at triple-boxing higher instances with Warrior/Mage/Priest combo. Just want to see how far I can get before I wipe (which may not be far), and maybe learn places where I can farm items with this little strike team.

I've used the priest with a Rogue too. At first I thought this wouldn't work very well since the Rogue is stealthed and the priest is not. My first thought was to keep the priest a little ways back and let the Rogue go to the target. BUT I found it even better to let the priest follow along behind the rogue. When close to the mob, the priest aggros which pulls the target, then she shields herself so no damage is taken, and then the rogue can pickpocket (which can now be done to a mob in combat) and use his opening move on the mob (cheapshot, ambush, etc) at his leisure. I really loved this when fighting pirates in Tanaris!

It has turned out that a Rogue/Priest is one of my favorite combinations. The Rogue with high DPS can take on much higher level mobs and with heals from the priest can take them down fairly quickly and earn a lot of XP. The action is pretty much non-stop.

I will admit one thing though, dual-boxing does not lend itself to learning to play your character very well. With a 60-level priest at my back, my warrior has too easy a time of it. I'm not learning what it takes to get through a fight using all his skills. The priest is a crutch. If you plan to do a lot of grouping with others in dungeons or raids, my advice is DON'T dual-box or at least don't exclusively dual-box.

I single-boxed my mage to 60 and know her abilities pretty well and can play her decently in a group. I cringe at the thought of taking my 60 priest on her first dungeon run with 4 other players. I need to do it to build the skills, but woe to those other 4 players having a crappy priest along. It will probably be best to do this in middle-level instances before going to place like Scholo/Strat/LBRS etc. Or do it with friends who might be more tolerant.

Anyway, with all that said, if you don't have a high level priest, then that might be the first character you want to get leveled up. Other healer classes might be good too but I went the priest route. You don't have to get the priest up to 60 to dual-box her like I've described but you will want her to be probably 10 or more levels higher than the lowbie so she can be a distraction while you kill mobs.

I'm slowly working on a triple-Druid combination to see what they are capable of since they can do a lot of things -- Tank, Stealth, Cast, Heal. If they ever make it to 60 (or 70 with BC) they might be an awesome combo for sneaking into the juicy parts of dungeons. Woot!

[Big Guns]

I think you guys must have more money than sense. Double, even triple monthly fees???

[Tanitha]

I'm surprised at that too. But the cost of it is not that much more than watching two movies per account; and if you play a lot that more than makes sense.

I don't have the dexterity or funds to try something like that though :grin:

[Baal]

I think you guys must have more money than sense. Double, even triple monthly fees???

That's what I was thinking. Must be rich, rich, rich.

[Farq]

man, I couldnt stand levelling toons on different accounts, doesnt seem to have a lot of point. Although if you are running lowbies through instances, I personally think warriors are better than rogues, they have more armor, fury specced they hit pretty hard, and with the taunts, it means if your lowbies gets to close and pulls aggro, its so much easier to save his little @$$