I'm new to DuoBoxing and was wondering if people had any good tips for beginners? For instance, I was thinking of having my second be a DRG/MNK? DRG for the extra mindless damage from wyvern and MNK for the extra HP so I wouldn't have to heal her as much, taking enmity.

Any other tips would be welcome!

Yeah - A good tip would be not to bother duoboxing if you're going to go DRG/MNK, lol.

In general, you should just level normal jobs. One box as a healer to PL the other. Use alt+tab to quickly switch between the two boxes, and have simple macros to cure your other box. You get used to it pretty quickly.

_________________

If you don't know what to dualbox, don't dualbox. It's completely unnecessary and unfun, not only for yourself but for everyone playing with you. No one likes dualboxers.

inb4 the DUAL BOX DEFENSE FORCE shows up and says "I can play 2 chars better than you can play 1!"

_________________
Returning/Existing Player? Trouble logging in? Click here |~| New player Gil guide |~| More Troubleshooting

I can undoubtedly play two characters better than many can play one.

You should dualbox if you want to. I have multiple monitors however I play FFXI on the same monitor. It makes it easier to alt-tab between your active characters. In order to be efficient you need to know your role and have quite a bit of situational awareness. It does take some time to get used to but very worth it once you get to that point. Don't let anyone tell you not to do it.

_________________

I like 2boxing and those that do it. I also have a lot of fun 2boxing things.

If you want to 2box, 2box. Find what jobs you want to play and do it. It isn't necessary but it is a bonus when applying to EGLS.

The DUAL BOX DEFENSE FORCE approves this comment.

_________________

This society is really tryin me, ain't no hide and seek
I hide to be far from anxiety, I need my space,
I need my privacy, I need some signs please,
You're all too loud you don't speak quietly, opinions violently.
Deft/Drop

Wolf has it right. If you want to have a 2nd character I'd recommend making them a rdm. Your ability to get things done, farm, anything really, is made easier with the assistance of your rdm. In a short time, you'll realize that your mage character is actually your main character and the one that people want you around for. Noone has ever complained to me personally while doing anything dual boxing so I'm not really sure where the sentiment of "noone likes dualboxers" comes from but hate it if you feel like it I suppose.

_________________

There is no doubt that there are good dual boxers. But even then, you can clearly distinguish that they are dual boxing - the reaction speed and awareness is severely reduced from anyone that is decent on one character. Yes, it can let you do things because you have 2 chars to work with, but you will always be better off having 2 real players instead of 1 really good dualboxer playing 2 characters given equal skill.

Dualboxing will often push out a real player from your party when you would have been better off with them. Given the server growth, there is no reason to play 2 characters. You will find the members you need.

_________________
Returning/Existing Player? Trouble logging in? Click here |~| New player Gil guide |~| More Troubleshooting

I would say you are definitely correct that 2 people concentrating on one character each is going to be more efficient than one controlling two. But I would counterpoint in say that if both those people were dual boxing, their capabilities are expanded 10-fold in terms of what they can kill. I would agree partially with the 2nd part of that as well. Don't be the guy sticking two of your characters in the same exp party. You are taking someone else's party spot away and you are bringing the party down by being not as efficient on either one. Your 2nd character is a pl for parties, its an assistant in the field to be able to solo things you otherwise couldn't. It is your healer while farming so you can keep it moving. This is a slow paced game that is very conducive to running 2 characters at once. Dual boxing isn't easy at first but over time, you will be a better player who gets more done for yourself and for others by doing it.

_________________

I can say that I've certainly partied with people who were clearly so bad at dualboxing that the sum of the parts wasn't equal to one competent party member. Bad PL'ing, or bad partying because of trying to poorly PL.. It happens.

I think the vast majority of dualboxing that I've played with, have been great. I generally don't party with someone controlling two players in the same party, unless one is a pretty low attention. It's generally with someone, and then a PL.

Either way, having a dualbox character to farm with really opens up possibilities endgame. As Kazen mentioned, I doubt it's a requirement.. but if you tell an EG LS that by letting you in, they actually have two more people in attendance when you're on.. that obviously has value.

Maybe (??) to Nabutso's point, if I'm making a party... and I'm looking for a specific job, and you tell me that you only party with your dualbox character exclusively.. I'm probably not going to find myself partying with you much.

_________________

I guess I just still have nightmares of Cronk dualboxing on Kuzco while tanking in our party and BRDing in another party without letting us know. This happened almost every time we partied and our group got sick of dualboxers. We always avoided them unless the dualbox was PLing - but even then I was healing so the PL wasn't doing much.

Then, there was also Tech's streams where he'd miss the majority of SA/SATAs due to dualboxing inside the party and would forget to rest often on his mage, etc. That has been my experience with dualboxers in parties, almost exclusively.

_________________
Returning/Existing Player? Trouble logging in? Click here |~| New player Gil guide |~| More Troubleshooting