Shadow Priest / Rogue vs. Warlock / Rogue 2v2 Arena Strategy
Caster/Melee DPS @ Caster/Melee DPS! This fight comes down to who gets the opener. I pray your opponents aren’t undead or humans. This match will be quick, so get moving. Priest I recommend fear ward on your rogue.
Rogue Arena Strategy
Alright, open up on the lock in all your fury ASAP. If you see the opposing rogue, great give him a sap this is just a pure bonus. Careful of when you pop your trinket, as the opposing rogue can turn the tables via blind/sap.
Priest Arena Strategy
Get on the warlock too and just burst him down with everything you’ve got. The rogue will really be trying to pressure you, so if race permits use a fear—>blind/sap combo to get him outta your hair and win the game!
Act fast, be cool and show them your game face.
Need more strategies? Check out the full shadow priest / rogue 2v2 arena guide!
Strategy courtesy of S-Scythe
Rogue Arena Gem Guide
June 21, 2008 by Zuggy · 8 Comments
Schools of thought for proper gem selection have basically completed a 180 degree turn from arena season one as compared to arena’s today. Previously, players were forced to gem very defensively, stacking stamina and resilience.
However, do to continued stat inflation, defensive stat stacking is no longer required. Without any defensive gems you can still sit comfortably at nearly 11,000 HP and 400 resilience unbuffed. This opened the door for rogues, allowing increased amounts of offensive stats to be gained and exploited, vastly increasing damage output.
Assuming you are using a complete set of PvP gear you’re sockets are going to look like this.
Helm - 2 sockets (1 meta, 1 red)
Necklace - 1 socket (1 yellow)
Shoulders - 2 sockets (1 yellow, 1 red)
Chest - 3 sockets (1 yellow, 2 red)
Bracer - 1 socket (1 yellow)
Total - 1 meta, 4 yellow, 4 red
In choosing your gems you will want to consider a few basic guidelines. First, try to get all of the socket bonuses, especially bonuses which offer additional offense. If you miss out on a resilience or stamina bonus, no big deal, but if you can pick it up without sacrificing your desire gem, go for it.
First and foremost we are going to want to get all 3 of the PvP gems. Beyond the fact that they do not cost you any gold, they are equivalent to Black Temple gems. These are an absolute must for every rogue.
Bold Ornate Ruby - Cost: 6885 Honor Points
Smooth Ornate Dawnstone - Cost: 6885 Honor Points
Insirbed Ornate Topaz - Cost: 8500 Honor Points
Keep in mind, all of these gems are “unique-equip”. Meaning even if you currently are using them in gear, you can have extras sitting in your bank in preparation for the next season.
This immediately takes care of 3 of our 9 total gems we need.
From this point we have a few options, the most ideal and the path I strongly suggest is to purchase epic gems from your badge vendor on Sunwell Island. The gems are sold from Shaani, the jewelcrafting supplies vendor on the island.
While she sells all epic gems found in high end raiding instances, the one we are most concerned with is Crimson Spinel. The cost to acquire this gem is just 15 badges, and we are going to have it cut into a bright crimson spinel.
In reality, you may be done at this point. Get your 3 honor vendor gems, 5 crimson spinels, and your meta.
…Brief Interlude
Socketing Strategy
One socketing strategy I am contemplating is…
- Helm - 24 AP / Run speed meta + 1 Crimson Spinel
- Necklace - 1 Crimson Spinel
- Shoulders - 1 Bold Ornate Ruby + Smooth Ornate Dawnstone
- Chest - 2 Crimson Spinel + Inscribed Ornate Topaz
- Bracer - 1 Crimson Spinel
Socketing like this maximizes offensive stats and still picks up all but 2 of the socket bonuses (2 resilience and 3 HP, marginal increases at best).
Meta Gems
For most rogues, the Swift Skyfire Diamond is going to be the best option. Having run speed on your helmet allows you to get surefooted enchant on your boots. Once again, we add offense without sacrificing too much defense.
Mutilate rogues should go with a Enignmaic Skyfire Diamond. This option is available due to the fleet footed talent that you have in the assassination tree. Stacking the talent, surefooted, and the meta allows you to have a 20% resistance to snare effects, which as you may already know is huge!
Poor / Lazy Man’s Version
The above gem selection will take time and a fair bit of gold to complete. So, in the event you do not have the badges or time to farm the honor, I’d suggest just socketing with bright living rubies in place of the crimson spinels.
For your yellow slots you can use wicked noble topaz
Rogue / Warlock 2v2 Arena Strategy
June 21, 2008 by Zuggy · 8 Comments
Like most double DPS teams rogue / warlock is built on one central foundation, control. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of crowd control between the two classes. You’ve got sap, blind, cheap shot, kidney shot, kick, and gouge on the rogue front and fear, death coil, curses, and drains from the warlock.
All of these items are just part of the greater underlying mechanic in the rogue / warlock matrix, forcing the trinket. Any double DPS team is going to do a lot of damage, but the real difficult part in mastering these teams is learning to…
1) force the trinket (via initial crowd control)
2) put a long duration crowd control on a target (typically a healer) after the trinket has been used
It’s no easy task, but if you can master this basic mechanic of linked control controls then you’re well on your way to having a successful rogue / warlock team.
Arena Talent Specs
Rogue
Shadowstep - 20/0/41
This is my personal preference. Plenty of cooldowns to stick to the your focus target, great short term damage burst, and survivability when called upon.
Shadowstep - 16/0/45
Same thing as the above build, only difference is you skip poison talents to get enveloping shadows and one more point in camo.
Other “viable” builds. Below are builds, which yes, you could use, but I don’t consider them to be the best option. These are builds which rely heavily on your play style for proper execution, if you are not comfortable and experienced playing them you should consider the specs I have listed above.
AR / Prep - 0/31/30
Standard AR / Prep with maces
Warlock
Soul Link / Siphon Life 24/37/0
You basically have no other option but SL / SL as rogue / warlock. There are minor point variations you may choose, but for the most part it’s a pretty locked spec.
Soul Link / Siphon Life 27/34/0
Just one of many variations on the traditional SL / SL spec. The warlock’s play style will determine many of your talent choices.
Arena Gear / Equipment
Rogue
Since you’re running without a healer survivability will be at a premium. By the same token, you need quick kills. I’d suggest just using all the honor and arena gear and stacking your offensive stats via gems and enchants.
In addition, you may consider using Battlemaster’s Determination. In my experience it can be the reason you win or lose a match.
Warlock
Like the rogue, survivability is key. You should gem and enchant your gear to enhance your survivability as a warlock. I’d also suggest picking up the Battlemaster’s Audacity. A well timed trinket and a healthstone will be essential most matches.
Generally speaking I’d say 12,500 HP and 450 resilience is a good stat place to sit at.
Rogue / Warlock Arena Matchups:
vs…
Rogue Arena Macros:
Rogue Macro Guide
Rogue Focus Macros
Warlock Arena Macros:
Coming Soon!
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