Another long week, another set of dice to throw, and more opponents to lay waste to. This week I tried something new. I went into an arena 2v2 match online. I've never stepped into anything like it. And honestly, it scarred the hell out of me!
I have a lvl 80 Death Knight and my wife has a lvl 80 Priest. Yes, a woman plays WOW! Not only that, but she's become addicted to it almost. She has several pieces of her tier 8 and even some Ulduaar gear. For a stay at home mom, she does a great job all around. Digressing... with the duel spec option online now, she is both a Holy and Discipline priest. Meanwhile I have ventured into a Tank and a PVE/PVP spec. I know traditionally it would be better to have a full PVP spec, but I need to RAID DPS and Tank so it was my best option.
So, with a discipline priest in tow, and me pulling 3500 DPS, we decided to 2V2. Needless to say, we are 100% defeated so far. Kinda blows, but it got me researching what is good and what types of classes make up a good 3v3 team, if we wanted to partner up with a guildmate.
3v3? Yes... that led me to this week's team, of what could be good as a PVP team online, and could they be good in a Minis game as well... since after all, this is really just 3D PVP.
With that, the top three things seemingly needed across the board are Balance (melee, healing, and range), Solid Healing, and Crowd Control. How can we fit all that into a 3v3 team? Let's go down the list...
Balance. Have to have a good melee, a good healer, and range. Ok, Good Melee... good melee... well, what's good? Low tick, or high damage? I think I want to win quickly, but to do so, I'll have to put out high damage. So who has a low to average tick cost, but pumps out a lot of melee? Well, who better than Dralor?
Dralor brings a lot to the table. First he's fast. 2 ticks for 4 damage. Second, he can pump his own damage in three different ways, just on his card. One, but critting. Two by adding a die and being in stealth. And three by Hemorrhage. And Hemorrhage is something fun to build around...
Melee, check. Wait... Crowd Control! Check! Yup, with Stealth, Dralor can use Sap! But, if you don't want to blow a card on a once only type deal, you can also use Blind or even Distract. Any are good for controlling who acts, when they act, and how they act or at the very least, changes your opponent's strategy.
And, once you've decided on a crowd control tactic, you get access to so many good rogue cards as well! For this purpose, let's keep on the plan of trying to win, and pick Ambush! What better thing to use on a bleeding and battered opponent, than more bleeding and battering!?
Ok, so Hemorrhage. Magic users aren't going to benefit from it. But what about a healer? Most Priests don't win 3v3s by hitting people with staves now though. Hmmm. We just blew 8 honor on a rogue, so how can we keep this working well? I know, lets blow another 8 honor!
Vi'Gor? Yes Vi'Gor. But he's not healing!? Or is he? I've playtested with Vi'Gor a lot, since he was first announced and loaded in Vassal. He's by no means the most bang for the buck character, but he has loads of potential.
First, let's get him in form. Go go Gadget Kitty. Yup, Cat Form is perfect when your opponent's are Hemorrhaging. The plus 1 will go quite nicely with a 2 tick 4 dice attack, or, creeping into a stealthed 2 tick 5 dice attack!
While in Cat Form, all your team's crits will heal themselves too. This will be extremely beneficial considering so far, both our minis have a chance to add dice to their throws.
But before going into form I highly suggest this. Rejuvenation will immediately be cast, helping one of your other two minis to stay alive, and, then allowing you to stay in form while continuing to heal folks. Need I even mention that he will be a 3/3/9 in cat form?
Additionally, if you don't like the idea of Rejuvenation, you can always go for a quick shot of Roots! Entangling Roots will be a solid way of making sure someone stays put (Crowd Control!) and is going to begin bleeding with Hemorrhage.
Ok, Melee? Super Check with our first two minis. Crowd Control? Check, Dralor's our man for that. Healing? Check in multiple forms, literally, with Vi'Gor. But, we have no Range. And, we have 16 honor on the table already. Mega-Hmmm...
Ah ha... we wanted to win fast right? Yup... Yo Grump... let's roll!
Yes, the answer to our problems are all wrapped in this perfect little ball of grump. Grumpherys may not benefit from Hemorrhage directly, but his lil' friend will. See, you don't have to be faster than a bear if you are being chased by one, you just have to be faster than your closest friend running with you. Yes, Call Old Bones is perfect here. He will benefit from Hemorrhage, he will protect your other minis, and with 4 life, if he isn't knocked off the board immediately, will benefit from the Leader of the Pack as well!
Now, don't forget, that along with that very helpful forest fire hunting bear, Grump also brings a modest 1 tick attack to the board! Add more dice if he's attacking someone next to Old Bones... add the fact he has access to one of the most brutal looking cards to come out of the rumor mill in months, Viper Sting... and add in that he is only 5 honor!? Winner winner, chicken dinner!
So let's Recap:
Dralor with:
Vi'Gor Darkbreeze with:
Grumpherys with:
- Call Old Bones
- Viper Sting
- Arcane Shot: This will be helpful, I promise!
All the making of a solid 3v3 team, bringing everything you could ask for in a party... so what are you waiting for... go rack up the VPs!
