Season 8 ideas - Boxing Shaman, yes, but with a twist...

[Altsoba]

So, season 7 is my first almost complete played season. I just regret having started one moth after the beginning.

It has been a learning season but also an extremely frustrating one since for over a month I'm stuck in the 1.6k-1.7k bracket.
I have the hit I have the spell penetration, I have near 3ksp self buffed, I have enginner in all but guess I just dont have the skill as its the only reason I can think of for my lack of success. Most targets around 35k hp just keep 5-10% after my burst... sad day for the Horde... :p

I beat 90% of the teams in my MMR but lose just too many points against 2k+ MMR that have low ratings. I just wish Blizzard would still do something to prevent this. The boosting is still there in 5s you can see it when 4 of them have 30-40k hp and another one has 18 ^^.
More and more geared people are starting to play 5s now that theyve farmed it all so I guess weapon and shield arent coming this season :) and will have to go with my il200s.

So, thinking about next season... I could go with the 4 shaman (I have 5) again but I've thought of a few other possibilities for the 5 bracket:

Box 3 shaman + Healer + DPS - Tried some games this season with this comp and its really fun. This DPS has to be a very good player which was the case. Im thinking of getting a DK. Most of my problem is getting the right target at the right time. I just think that in theory the grip (with other dk snares/stuns)+nuke can just be a great combo;

Box 2 shaman + Healer + Healer + DPS - Almost a typical team but more survivability and less burst. The DPS could/should be a Warrior or some other heavy survivability class.

The advantage here is that I get to play my 5 shaman, the main disadvantage is that I dont get the practice of playing the 4.

Another thing I'm most likely do, since Im totally on a pvp only state of mind is play around with a dual spec enhancement a gear them us with honor only gear.

What do you guys think about the above mentioned ideas?
Cheers and thanks.

[Mokoi]

these have all been tried, do a search for them =)

[Altsoba]

these have all been tried, do a search for them =)

Did but couldnt find anything but thank you for the reminder.
If you can point me out to those posts that'd be appreciated.

Thank you

[Ualaa]

The main strength of 4x Shaman is the coordination.
Having them all hit the same target at once.

Switching from whatever you are throwing LB spam at...
To another target, for a bit of burst.
And then hit the [target=focus] burn macro, while the healer is scrambling to keep two other targets up.

As we add more classes to the mix, it becomes much harder to efficiently box.
But as we add more players, we gain closer to optimal performance per toon.
At the cost of almost simultaenous action.

Both approaches work.
Look at what boxers have done with 4x whatever.
But then look at all the teams with 1x toon per player too.

A balance between the two could work, but the other DPS would need to coordinate very well with you.

[Mokoi]

hmm, maybe the answer is in how we play. Maybe the other DPS needs to stay in range of all the other team and just use [target=focustarget] macros for their targets when we call for assist too, and then they can switch to individual spells when they need to. I can imagine a warlock spamming his stuff with the shamans would be amazing =)

[Ualaa]

The 13% (I think) spell damage curse would be strong.
The ranged AoE stun has strong potential for bursting someone down.

Fear or Death Coil (my Warlocks /say Skill Coil, whenever I press DC), can be used for a short Crowd Control or Interrupt effect.

Nether Protection can really help vs casters.

Soul Link with most likely a Fel Puppy, makes them much less squishy.

They have decent burst, which is nice.

[Gares]

I almost think that you could probably try 3 Shaman, Seperate Rogue, Seperate Healer and probably have some of the same success.

[heyaz]

Season 8 ideas:

be in full relentless or have no chance :)

[Altsoba]

Very constructive and interesting. Thank you all very much.

This afternoon just to try out some strategies and questions of efficiency, I started a new 3v3 team playing two elemental with an unholy DK. I'm really happy with what this combo can do. I can only speculate atm of course but it can really work in 5s too. We only played for about 4h (1100 rating 39-44) and are still working on strategies together but the first results impressive (to me of course) results compared to what I do in 5s are:

- We can afford to pick warlocks as main target - Grip/disease/strangulate and there's no teleport home. Warlock dead;
- We've been able to kill most of the nuke targets around 30k and that, I repeat with two elemental no weapon nor relentless shield. Over 30k only a much smaller percentage;
- Blades Edge is awesome as you have a range of over 60y for your nuke ;), meaning grip at 30 y and DK can stay at 30y from you :).

Basic strategy is:
Kill nuke target;
DK puts pression on both left;
I heal everyone back to full hp;
Pression on healer.

Rogues are the perfect nightmare.... I still need hints on how to deal with them :p

I have never played before with this DK so every aspect of coordination is being worked out from scratch.

Note: This 3v3 is not supposed to work nor go far ^^. Were just learning to work together.

Ill keep updating if I have something usefull to add :).

[Altsoba]

Season 8 ideas:

be in full relentless or have no chance :)

Not happening :) maybe not even all offset ^^.

[Ualaa]

The first season we play.. without gear, is basically a gear up season.
The first season we play with all of the previous season's gear, is a lot better.

Unless of course, its an expansion, and everything from previous is pretty worthless.
Well maybe not worthless, but a big step back from quest rewards even.

[Altsoba]

The first season we play.. without gear, is basically a gear up season.
The first season we play with all of the previous season's gear, is a lot better.

Unless of course, its an expansion, and everything from previous is pretty worthless.
Well maybe not worthless, but a big step back from quest rewards even.

Thank you for your encouragement Ualaa thats really nice of you :).

An youre right :) I just get a bit frustrated with the damn... almost died thing over and over again :p. But I guess thats the way it is. Spoken with other Multiboxing PvPers and what they said is pre-weapon shield its like that, once you get both that "problem" just magically disappears.

[Altsoba]

So, along with the DK in 3s it was a really interesting night. We didn't go too far, only 1320 but we faced and beat pretty well geared teams. We also did a lot of stupid mistakes but was overall a very positive experience.

Some default strategies:
Pick nuke target;
As soon as they charge, the DK - Strangulate healer, grip nuke target; chain the other if melee too;
Nuke target;
Nuke target down, usually one of my shaman if not both are in bad shape, DK put pression on healer and dps (enormous survivability tbh, I almost never had to heal him), I spam heal (macro one heals the other, so if one is stunned, he gets healed) till full life;
I heal DK if needed, put pression on healer first, if he goes back, chains on the other dps and try to kill him.
But pretty much if nuke target is down, even if one of my shaman is down, we were able to win (even got some ressurects btw) many times.

Compos like > Rogue-Mage-Healer
Opening on all on the healer, grip/chains/icy touch/strangulate.
Healer down, spam groundings, spam heal as mentioned above, survive rogue, drop magmas
DK grips rogue out of my grasp, that gives a couple of seconds at least, means two lhw are likely to pass with no problems, strangulates and/or both pets go on caster
By the time Im "surviving the rogue" the mage is already in pretty bad shape and most likely have already ice blocked so he dies fast. The DK kills his pet/mirror images pretty fast too.

I really enjoyed playing with him but unfortunately is someone with no time for consistent 5v5. He got his 3 relentless offset and I'm really glad he did :). Thanks Panku.

It's quite promising imo the initial comp I spoke about, the healer, dk and 3 boxing shaman.
With some really basic maths, I see it as:

Each elemental shaman burst:
Orc Racial
Pyro Rockets
Flame Shock
Instant LvB
Lets say some unmitigated 15k damage.
That times 4 = 60k

The same thing with Ebon Plague and 3 Shaman:
45k +13% = 50.8k
Its a net loss of about 10k but imo and I have to test it one of these days in 5s its worth it applying at least some of the strategies above mentioned. Also, not to forget that even if the DK is making a lot of control during the nuke, hes still hitting the nuke target and so its not at all a net loss of 10k.
The other thing here is that we talk about the burst but it's important to remember that the Ebon Plague will be there during the whole fight to debuff the targets.

Some advantages are that he can for example keep the warrior or any other melee away from my group and silence a healer/any caster.

Different approach but a warrior could also be awesome in this hmmm can we call multiboxing hybrid? ^^
MS
Fear
High survivability
(add more here ^^)

Thank you all and I'll keep posting updates.