Not a question, but rather a story of boxing and building...

[Lraria]

Hello all you Beasts and fellow EQ boxers!

My story is somewhat interesting and seeing as how this forum seems to be slowing down in posts I'll add to the count.

I started my EQ life with a Bard, didn't know any better, thought sounded most flexible.  And it was, very flexible, very fun, very busy!  So, I then looked at the classes and said, I want something different, a pet, but not a caster.  So I started my Beast as a slower paced, relaxing ALT to my bard main.  Well, the more I played my Beast, the more addicted I became to pets, beastlords, EQ in general.  << SMILE >>

I must stop and say that this forum and others have been very good to me, over my EQ history.  Most of the answers are already here, probably multiple times as the people with no patience and time just hit <New Topic> and post their questions.  Sad really to see so much wasted by so many without even trying to do their own homework.  Anyhow, I digress, back to the Beast boxing story....

So, by the time I've reached 60 or so with my Beast I'm starting to feel bored, it's fun and easy, too easy compared to playing a twisting maniac of a bard on raids and groups.  So, as I'm reading along I discover the concept of "Boxing"!  What a concept....  The other computer is just sitting there, all I need is another account.  So, I get started looking again at classes, what to add to my Beastlord that adds the most.

Ok, the decision wasn't too hard, I know several people online who regularly box and almost all of them have a druid somewhere in among all their Alts.  So, a druid is created, and levelled the real way, not PL'd, not even grouped.  Just lots of good play with a strong class (and very flexible, more than I'd imagined).  So, now I have a Bst/Dru combo that is working well, especially upon reaching 65 with Bst and 58 with Dru.

But, it still wasn't enough.  I went a little Alt crazy and tried a number of different classes for "Fun" and to further expand my EQ experiences.  Suddenly, I have a new computer.  Hmmm, I could try 3 boxing now, why NOT?  2 boxing is still easy compared to the crazy twisting a bard has to endure constantly in chain pulling groups, besides I felt I was lacking in some dps for my solo boxing time ( and EQ time in general, I play strange hours and sometimes 30-40 mins and sometimes 5-6 hrs, probably like most of you).

So, back to the forums to see what a viable 3rd box means to the boxing beastlords crowd.  Well, again, the answer are mostly here, general consensus is pet classes / casters make wonderful Bots for our Beast mains.  Both a mage and a necro I'd played with were looking ready to make the jump and so with further playing and a little time, bingo!  Third account and character transfer and I have a Bst/Dru/Nec team.

At this point I'm enjoying myself way too much.  This is fun!  This is still pretty easy compared to my bardic experience and what I can do solo boxing is beginning to be pretty impressive.  Hmm, wonder if my new computer can handle 2 accounts at once?  OMG, it can, another account is purchased and I'm into 4 boxing with a little practice.  This is about as hard as going all out with my bard.

My Box Team at this point is a 65 Bst / 65 Dru / 65 Nec / 65 Mag and I have some friends accounts for some flexibility in buffing and rezzing (mainly a cleric for rezzes / pet V's and a chanter for KEI).  The mage just hit 65 this past week and suddenly, things are coming together.  The pets are tanking well, the dps is simply amazing.  Mobs are just dying way too fast, what used to take 2-3 mins drops in <30 secs now.

The pet toys are sweet, the buffs are basically all there except for the chanter mana regen (which I briefly drop necro and add chanter for) and the dps!!  Did I mention the dps seems just insane!  Hehe, anyhow, that is my EQ boxing story and I appreciate the time you all spent posting and reading to make this forum one of the best, especially for the boxers among us.


Cheers and Happy EQ'ing!!


BTW, my setup:  3 computers, 2 screens, KVM switch, run EQW on fastest comp with 2 accounts (Dru/Mag).  Have a Nostromo 52 gamepad to help with the invisible comp/screen and the macros I setup make it trivial to run the necro/pet.  A number of other macros and hotkey setup make this an easy 4 box to drive and play with.  Must say that moving 4 is alot tougher than just selos speed running with my bard.

[Tiroon]

My story is somewhat interesting and seeing as how this forum seems to be slowing down in posts I'll add to the count.

YAY! /happy dance :-)

Hiya Lraria

You sure know to put a damper on my ambition to try out a bard someday. :evil:

On the other hand - I do have a second comp just sitting there doing nothing much at all.......

[Lraria]

Don't get me wrong, a bard is a great class!  Just a little more effort than any other class in EQ (quite a bit more than most).  You are constantly doing something with keyboard, mouse while playing.  Unless you are just sitting AFK and playing one song....

I figure 3-4 boxing is about like playing a bard in a hard LDoN chain pulling and doing it all >> pulls, mezz, slow, debuff, attack songs, mana song, whatever needs to be done.  I can play just as hard and be earning xp/points for 4 of my alt characters in the same amount of time, and I can take breaks boxing with my characters solo.  Whereas a group would have to be uber polite and accepting to handle some of the interruptions my life hands to me from time to time during playtime.

Besides, I can do more 3-4 boxing than my bard can do, just more flexible with 3-4 chars versus one (even tho Bards are soloers par excellence).  Plus I must add that the last couple expansions just didn't interest me (or the bard in me) at all, bards fell seriously behind the curve of every other class in EQ.  Beasts didn't do that well either from looking at the other classes, new spells, aa's, abilities.  But, with my box Team I can have a great group, without worrying about LFG for hours if at an unusual time of day or night.

From time to time I pretend to be just a single character, but it's very hard to run around with LFG and see groups everywhere that have a slot or two open but come up with the best excuses >> someone coming, breaking soon, LD coming back soon, etc.  Hehehe, just amazes me people ever progressed with those attitudes the first few years in EQ.  I've been online in EQ since October of 2002 and it's changed, greatly in that time.  Guilds have come and gone, guilds have changed, back and forth, members seem to pop around and then return.

Currently I'm unguilded but have played from small guilds up to thru Tacvi with my Bard guild.  The enjoyment I get from playing EQ with a 4 box team is that I can go do almost anything, at any time, without having to worry about guild, groups, or anyone.  Altho I have maxxed friends lists, most have gone on to other games (unfortunately).

With 4 character options, if I feel like adding someone to my group it's not a problem.  Or if someone just needs 1-2 more characters to fill an LDoN group or kill a named.  Having choices makes it easier / nicer than having just one choice or two >> hehe, I have 5 choices with my bard included....

My advice to anyone looking for more fun in EQ would be to try some other classes,from scratch.  Relearn to enjoy the simple things in EQ, and just have FUN with the game.  Too much greed and speed (fast levelling / want it today / no patience.)  Try exploring some of the zones you've never been into before.  Seems many players don't know anything other than powerlevel sequence zones.  How many zones in Norrath? Hehehe!

It's just a game, so enjoy whatever you do with it, and adding a few extra characters to your selection or that extra computer in the corner makes it that much more enjoyable, at least it did for me!

[jabby]

cool posts