5 Man PVP - Healer Worth It?

[jddc78]

Hey all,

I've been trying to use my RaF time to the max and currently have a caster PvE party (all at 60) as well as a melee PvE party (all at 33). I'd like to assemble a PvP party as my last group to mix things up a little bit.

I'd like to go with a Warlock heavy party for a few reasons:
1. I always liked the flexibility of the class in PvP
2. Will enable me to stay mobile and lack of facing issues will be huge in simplifying fights.
3. This team is intended for BGs primarily. I'll do arenas, but expect to lose to all but the sorriest of teams.

What I'm not sure about is whether adding a healer of some sort would be a plus or minus for this team? Keep in mind I want this team to remain as mobile as possible. So I'm thinking a druid(maybe a priest) would be ideal due to their HoTs being castable on the run. The other option would be a 5 lock team.

For those of you with PvP experience in similar setups, was the healer worth it in the long run? Would a 5th lock have been more useful? Was I correct in assuming druid would work best with this group or would you have taken a different class?

[Owltoid]

It is helpful to have a rezzer or two. My experience is with 5 druids and there are times when I need to rez a toon. I would suggest at least one healer. If it's for BGs, where you're not guaranteed to be in the same group so totems may be pointless, then with locks a druid or pally is probably best (druid for mobility, pally for plate/bubble to make sure your rezzer doesn't die).

[stoat]

i find that it's fairly hard to manage the healer in pvp. With priest + 4 warlocks anyway. What usually ends up happening is the priest gets focused - so in a equal numbers encounter what this does allow you to do is free cast with the locks and blow up several people while your priest is dying. In something like AV is this less useful. Certainly having a pocket healer is useful - it's just hard to play nearly as efficiently as say, another lock, or other 'spam this button, watch something die' class.

[Smoooth]

I've done locks and resto druids and the druids are definitely worth it. Not only will they heal you without facing issues and on the move but they will heal everyone else around you with the endless wild growths. People will protect your healer. And like owltoid has said you should really have at least 1 resser. It's so annoying when you have 1 killed and no way to get him other than running to the GY.

[jddc78]

It's so annoying when you have 1 killed and no way to get him other than running to the GY.

This is my absolute biggest worry and the reason I was leaning towards bringing a healer in the first place. I could see lots of instances where I would win an encounter only to have 1 or 2 fall by the wayside. But those 1 or 2 would effectively act as a wipe since I'd have to go get the others again. I figured if this was going to happen then I might as well just go kamikaze and get it over with.

Stoat, I definitely see what you mean about it upping the difficulty level a lot. In my PvE groups, I have pretty solid healing macros set up for each char that have served me well even in pinches. But with all of the conditional elements that PvP brings to the table I can see these macros completely breaking down and putting me in some bad situations.

With a healer, I think I'll pilot the group with him and that way I can use some of the better healing mods to assist in the situations that will come up. That's a luxury I've never had in PvE since tanking is so much more important. Since the locks are low-maintenance dps, this should work out well in theory.

All this info sounds encouraging and thanks for your inputI take it you guys rotate soulstones onto your healer as well to get the most uptime out of your group?

[Meshuggenah]

I don't know how anyone boxes any group in PvP without a shaman. One fear and you're toast. BG's/Arena will be a very frustrating experience for you after a few people learn how easily they can wreck your setup by simply fear bombing you.

[shaeman]

A mutlbox group is as susceptible to fear bombs as any single player.

So they have the same facilities available to them. Racials, in some cases, trinkets in others.
With the advent of click to move and interact with target, regrouping can be easier.
In arena I imagine it will be very rough but in BG's not so much.

I've recently started a DK team - it will be 4 DK's and a priest. All undead.
One trinket, one will of the forsaken.

For the warlocks mentioned in the thread I'm wondering if the teleport facility could be used.
e.g they lay down the teleport and stand away from it. Surveying the team you know whether a fear bomb is even likely.
If a rush is incoming, dot up and teleport. I don't know if the teleport is instant cast though and that could be a huge flaw in my strategy.

[Meshuggenah]

A mutlbox group is as susceptible to fear bombs as any single player.

I disagree. A boxed group is a much bigger target than any single player. How often to Rogue's or fear classes intentionally seek out and stalk individual characters in WG's/BG's? Happen's to me frequently as a boxer. The fear-ers usually give up immediately when they realize it has no effect.

All it takes is a single player smart enough to realize that he can shaft your whole group by simply following you around and fear bombing you, and you will spend more time running around trying to regroup your alts than contributing to the BG.

[jddc78]

I don't know how anyone boxes any group in PvP without a shaman

Going to give it a try and see how it goes . While I see your point in the usefulness of tremor totem, I already have 2 shaman in each of my PvE groups. Even if they are a great PvP class, I really don't want another Shaman heavy group. I like the idea of a completely mobile kiting-style group for PvP.

I know there are going to be plenty of times people will get the jump on this group and cause some havoc, it's the fact that I can continue running around and ignore facing issues (while dotting up my opponent) that appeals to me with this group. When people drop fear bombs on me I'm just going to have to hope that I've already dropped 8-12 dots on them while I'm hopelessly running around. If not, I'll just have to use a recovery method or tip my hat to them for picking me apart. I can live with another opponent beating me ... I get frustrated when my inability to control the party (such as facing/following/etc) leads to my demise.

[shaeman]

. How often to Rogue's or fear classes intentionally seek out and stalk individual characters in WG's/BG's? Happen's to me frequently as a boxer. The fear-ers usually give up immediately when they realize it has no effect.

All it takes is a single player smart enough to realize that he can shaft your whole group by simply following you around and fear bombing you, and you will spend more time running around trying to regroup your alts than contributing to the BG.

Rogues I would say spend a lot of time stalking down individual players, prior to the broken form of fan of knives that was all they would do - and preferably clothies. I know - I solo played a warlock, and my poor locks back resembles a pin cushion from all the alliance rogues that made friends with him

Aoe fear classes look for groups of characters. A multiboxer falls in to that category so it may feel like you are being targetted. However if you weren't around I can bet they are rushing in to other groups of the enemy and aoe fearing.

Again, on my solo lock i would be looking for groups of enemy.

1. to sew seed of corruption or 2. to rush in to a group defending something and scatter them.
I broke many groups of alliance guarding the gy outside the bosses bunker using a kamikaze howl of terror run.

Of course in Arena you are likely to run into folks with multiple aoe fears and coordination which makes it a big issue.