Coldfire
02-07-2005, 03:21 PM
After being around during a number of attempted raids on Horde cities, the major thing I've noticed is that it tends to turn into a Zergfest.
So, I've come up with a strategy that I think might work well, and I'd like some opinions on it.
Hypothetical scenario: A raid on Orgrimmar that has the Alliance forces gathered outside the gates.
The party consists of the following:
4 Mages
3 Hunters
4 Warlocks
4 Priests
The 3 Hunters move into the middle of the crowd and lay down a Frost Trap each at different parts of it, so maximum coverage can be achieved. They take up position outside the group. They are specced to do maximum damage with Volley.
Two mages have respecced to get the maximum possible damage from Arcane Explosion. Key points of their build are:
Arcane Focus - Reduces chance to resist Arcane spells by 10%
Improved Arcane Explosion - Instant cast AE
Arcane Concentration - 10% chance for Clearcasting
Arcane Mind - 8% more mana for more casting
Arcane Instability - Spell damage and crit chance up by 3%
Arcane Power - 35% more spell damage but 35% higher mana cost
One mage has respecced for maximum damage from Flamestrike, key points:
Impact - 10% chance for fire spells to stun
Ignite - Crits cause 40% damage to continue over 4 seconds
Improved Flamestrike - 15% higher crit chance
Critical Mass - 6% higher crit for all fire spells
Combustion - 100% crit on next fire spell
The final mage has respecced for maximum damage from Blizzard, key points:
Permafrost - Chill effects last 3 seconds longer
Winter's Chill - Chill effects slow target by 10% more
Improved Blizzard - Adds Chill effect to Blizzard, lasts 8.5 seconds
Piercing Ice - 6% more damage on frost spells
Frostbite - Chill effects have 15% chance to freeze target for 5 seconds
The Arcane mages take up position in the middle of the crowd. The Fire and Ice mage each take up position on different sides of the crowd.
All four Warlocks have respecced to get maximum damage from Rain of Fire and Hellfire. Key points:
Cataclysm - Reduces mana cost of Destruction spells by 5%
Aftermath - 10% chance for Destruction spells to daze target for 5 seconds
Devastation - 5% better crit chance
Destructive Reach - 20% more range
Intensity - 70% chance to resist interrupt during Rain of Fire/Hellfire
Ruin - 100% damage increase to critical strike bonus
Inferno - 10% damage increase to Fire spells
Two Warlocks take up position in the middle of the crowd, in different places than the Arcane Mages. The other two take up position on opposite sides of the crowd, the two not taken by the other Mages. All four have Voidwalkers ready.
The four Priests are Holy/Discipline specced. Key points:
Improved Power Word:Shield - Reduces Weakened Soul by 15 seconds
Improved Power Word:Fortitude - Increases bonus by 30%
Mental Agility - 10% less mana cost on Instant Cast spells
Mental Strength - 10% more mana
Inner Focus - Reduces mana of next spell by 100%, increases crit by 25%
Holy Specialization - 5% higher crit on Holy spells
Improved Renew - Heals 15% more
Spiritual Healing - 10% more healing on healing spells
Improved Heal - Reduces mana cost of Lesser/Normal/Greater Heal by 15%
Each Priest is designated one Warlock and one Mage to heal and buff. They take up position based on their distance from these two. Each Priest's designation will consist of one Warlock/Mage inside the crowd and one outside.
Combat as follows:
When the Hunters trip their PvP flag, the three Frost Traps are set off. The Arcane mages immediately begin spamming Arcane Explosion. Their priest gives them Power Word: Shield and heals as required. The two inside Warlocks sacrifice their Voidwalkers and begin channelling Hellfire. The outside Warlocks do the same and cast Rain of Fire on different areas of the crowd. The Frost mage begins casting Blizzard, the Fire spams Flamestrike. The three Hunters throw down Volleys in different areas.
It is my theory that this tactic, if pulled off correctly and timed perfectly, can use just 15 people to decimate an army. In one second alone, if of the spells hit simultaneously, and assuming only minimum damage from each spell, that's 2105 damage. If the two Warlocks casting Rain of Fire were to be replaced with two more mages casting Flamestrike, that damage would go up to 2607, per second. Quite literally, before they even know what was hitting them, half of the crowd would most likely be dead.
So, what do you think? Is it feasible?
So, I've come up with a strategy that I think might work well, and I'd like some opinions on it.
Hypothetical scenario: A raid on Orgrimmar that has the Alliance forces gathered outside the gates.
The party consists of the following:
4 Mages
3 Hunters
4 Warlocks
4 Priests
The 3 Hunters move into the middle of the crowd and lay down a Frost Trap each at different parts of it, so maximum coverage can be achieved. They take up position outside the group. They are specced to do maximum damage with Volley.
Two mages have respecced to get the maximum possible damage from Arcane Explosion. Key points of their build are:
Arcane Focus - Reduces chance to resist Arcane spells by 10%
Improved Arcane Explosion - Instant cast AE
Arcane Concentration - 10% chance for Clearcasting
Arcane Mind - 8% more mana for more casting
Arcane Instability - Spell damage and crit chance up by 3%
Arcane Power - 35% more spell damage but 35% higher mana cost
One mage has respecced for maximum damage from Flamestrike, key points:
Impact - 10% chance for fire spells to stun
Ignite - Crits cause 40% damage to continue over 4 seconds
Improved Flamestrike - 15% higher crit chance
Critical Mass - 6% higher crit for all fire spells
Combustion - 100% crit on next fire spell
The final mage has respecced for maximum damage from Blizzard, key points:
Permafrost - Chill effects last 3 seconds longer
Winter's Chill - Chill effects slow target by 10% more
Improved Blizzard - Adds Chill effect to Blizzard, lasts 8.5 seconds
Piercing Ice - 6% more damage on frost spells
Frostbite - Chill effects have 15% chance to freeze target for 5 seconds
The Arcane mages take up position in the middle of the crowd. The Fire and Ice mage each take up position on different sides of the crowd.
All four Warlocks have respecced to get maximum damage from Rain of Fire and Hellfire. Key points:
Cataclysm - Reduces mana cost of Destruction spells by 5%
Aftermath - 10% chance for Destruction spells to daze target for 5 seconds
Devastation - 5% better crit chance
Destructive Reach - 20% more range
Intensity - 70% chance to resist interrupt during Rain of Fire/Hellfire
Ruin - 100% damage increase to critical strike bonus
Inferno - 10% damage increase to Fire spells
Two Warlocks take up position in the middle of the crowd, in different places than the Arcane Mages. The other two take up position on opposite sides of the crowd, the two not taken by the other Mages. All four have Voidwalkers ready.
The four Priests are Holy/Discipline specced. Key points:
Improved Power Word:Shield - Reduces Weakened Soul by 15 seconds
Improved Power Word:Fortitude - Increases bonus by 30%
Mental Agility - 10% less mana cost on Instant Cast spells
Mental Strength - 10% more mana
Inner Focus - Reduces mana of next spell by 100%, increases crit by 25%
Holy Specialization - 5% higher crit on Holy spells
Improved Renew - Heals 15% more
Spiritual Healing - 10% more healing on healing spells
Improved Heal - Reduces mana cost of Lesser/Normal/Greater Heal by 15%
Each Priest is designated one Warlock and one Mage to heal and buff. They take up position based on their distance from these two. Each Priest's designation will consist of one Warlock/Mage inside the crowd and one outside.
Combat as follows:
When the Hunters trip their PvP flag, the three Frost Traps are set off. The Arcane mages immediately begin spamming Arcane Explosion. Their priest gives them Power Word: Shield and heals as required. The two inside Warlocks sacrifice their Voidwalkers and begin channelling Hellfire. The outside Warlocks do the same and cast Rain of Fire on different areas of the crowd. The Frost mage begins casting Blizzard, the Fire spams Flamestrike. The three Hunters throw down Volleys in different areas.
It is my theory that this tactic, if pulled off correctly and timed perfectly, can use just 15 people to decimate an army. In one second alone, if of the spells hit simultaneously, and assuming only minimum damage from each spell, that's 2105 damage. If the two Warlocks casting Rain of Fire were to be replaced with two more mages casting Flamestrike, that damage would go up to 2607, per second. Quite literally, before they even know what was hitting them, half of the crowd would most likely be dead.
So, what do you think? Is it feasible?