Grrr - can't decide on team!

[Fuzzyboy]

I'm currenlty on the verge of creating a new team. My existing team is meant to stay as my PvE team and I'm now taking the dive into PvP.

I've been told that 4 shaman + healer is the best team for arena and I'd be disappointed if my PvP wasn't viable in arena - even if it does take a lot of training and paying my dues. Still, I started out with a 5-shaman team on a pvp server back in the days. I added a paladin later on. Then a druid. Then a priest and a mage. I feels like going "back".

On the other hand, I see the paladin teams looking pretty good (dk + palas or 5 paladins) - are paladins viable in arena? I imagine amz + grip + chain stun could be pretty nice for singling casters, but again, pretty much only in bg I assume. I hear warlocks + healer is good also, although mostly in BG - not viable in arena?

Info is much appreciated - I'd be sorry to level a new team to 80, only to find out they don't work in arena. I guess my question can be boiled down to - other than shaman x 4, are there any viable arena teams?

[asonimie]

If arena is on your mind, I would have to say ya... do shamans. Don't feel like it's a step backwards, shamans are a completely different beast than in BC. Any of those melee teams (dk's pallies etc) sound great on paper, but good arena teams will kite you all over the place as they destroy you from range.

I am currently gearing and doing arena with what I believe could be the next best team - 4 affliction locks, but it's very difficult and my gear is still very poor at this point so results aren't great.

Usually I would say do what you think is fun, but arena is pretty form-fitting.

[Owltoid]

What kind of healer are you using asonimie?

[asonimie]

Using druid / pally at the moment. Mostly because the druid is the alt my shaman's priest healer, so he knows the ropes. I'm undecided which is the best combo tho.

[Owltoid]

How are fears against your team w/o any protection? (or are you undead so you get two?)

I'm debating a 3 aff lock, 2 healer team, but that's so far down the line that I doubt it happens this year. Keep us updated on your locks and what you think works/doesn't work!

[asonimie]

Part of my theory is that fears actually help in a way. The advantage is that my locks perform just as well if not better when spread apart. With no requirements to cast time / facing... the only downside is the lost time while feared.

[Owltoid]

I definitely see your point, though affliction locks are probably the only class that can say that due to not having to face the target. I wonder if controlling a pally healer and having 4 slave locks is the best way. It seems odd to make a healer your main, but the locks can just go where they please (assuming still within range). Hell, even make a druid healer so you can constantly be rounding everyone up while casting away.

[Void]

have you won any games yet as locks? i got 4 sitting at 61 and been dieing to start a new team plus with my shamans basicaly maxed on gear and just waiting for arena points i need somthing to do. What kind of results are you having and what seems to be biggest issue so far other than gear?

[asonimie]

Um its just so hard to say. Until I get more SP, I won't be winning because I'm going against 1700+ teams (thanks a lot transfered MMR). I've won some. Im sitting at about exactly 2000 spellpower (which isn't enough), 500 res, and 21k health. Right now I'm just working on movement / teleports / pet control.

During matches where I actually DPSd, I put up 2 globals(UA+Corr) on a few enemies, I watched their health go 100% - 40% - 100% - 40% and so on. Theory is, get enough people doing that and a fear will finish off 3 people. Like I said, right now I'm working more on seduction rotations, teleport shapes.

Its a WHOLE different beast than shamans lol. But if you're bored and thinking about leveling them, do it! They are a riot in BGs, and I would imagine one of the best pure dps classes to box. Affliction is SOO easy and fun to multibox while leveling. Just tab dot tab dot tab dot TAP (repeat)

And also, I'm not boxing the healer.. . the healer is a different player. I dont think playing all 5 would be fun or worth it. Same reasons as always.

[Fuzzyboy]

Um its just so hard to say. Until I get more SP, I won't be winning because I'm going against 1700+ teams (thanks a lot transfered MMR). I've won some. Im sitting at about exactly 2000 spellpower (which isn't enough), 500 res, and 21k health. Right now I'm just working on movement / teleports / pet control.

During matches where I actually DPSd, I put up 2 globals(UA+Corr) on a few enemies, I watched their health go 100% - 40% - 100% - 40% and so on. Theory is, get enough people doing that and a fear will finish off 3 people. Like I said, right now I'm working more on seduction rotations, teleport shapes.

Its a WHOLE different beast than shamans lol. But if you're bored and thinking about leveling them, do it! They are a riot in BGs, and I would imagine one of the best pure dps classes to box. Affliction is SOO easy and fun to multibox while leveling. Just tab dot tab dot tab dot TAP (repeat)

And also, I'm not boxing the healer.. . the healer is a different player. I dont think playing all 5 would be fun or worth it. Same reasons as always.

How is it going with the warlocks? I've started a warlock team myself (4 locks + druid healer), just to try it out and it's a lot of fun. Only problem (as opposed to the 4 shammies + pala/dk) is that they're not viable for heroics, which again means that the gear grind at 80 will be a lot slower.

Since they're only lvl 18 atm, I'm doing some WSG, which is insanely fun (they top the charts every BG), but xp is so slow I could cry. Hopefully AB will be better.

As for the shammies, I've considered reusing my old ones. I have two lvl 80 shammies, one retired, one in good gear and a paladin, also in good gear. If I transfer my BC-shammies (both lvl 70) , I could have a 80 team pretty quickly, so I'm just trying out the warlocks and seeing if they're worth it. Anyway, I'd love to hear more about you experience with the locks. For instance - how is it like playing BG's with them, compared to shammies?