[Guide] How to BG effectively.
ROUGH DRAFT.. currently this website looks like it's in mobile mode and i'm unable to change it. Also I have to go to work so I don't have time to finish it or fix mistakes, or make it neater. So I'm going to post it as is since there's some good info already, and edit it later on with the new/updated/corrected info and layout.
Guide Introduction
The following guide is aimed specifically towards Warmane MoP. A lot of the suggestions will work with other expansions, mostly the battlegrounds bits. However, as there are only a few bg's available on Sargeras at the moment, I am only going to be reviewing those few in the battlegrounds section.
Self Introduction
Everyone always tends to think, "Who the f*** are you and why should I listen to you?", I could answer that with the clearly obvious, "you suck", but I will do no such thing. On Warmane I'm a multiclasser in all expacs. On retail I'm a Shadow Priest since vanilla, with a Shaman alt. I will not share my character name, exp. aside from the fact that I have all PvP achievements, I prefer to remain anonymous, and if you wish to take that as a "because you suck on retail", I will be perfectly fine with that :)
Ok so let's begin.
Pre-battlegrounds
There are some things you should take note of before you begin battlegrounds.
.Gear
In previous expansions, you were told to acquire crafted gear prior to entering battlegrounds, this was the ideal way. However, in MoP this is not the case. Gear is so OP between tiers that even in blue gear, aside from being a healer or mastery abusing ranged class, there is almost no reason to waste gold on crafted gear. The only real exception to this currently would be plate and cloth gear as it is extremely cheap. You can purchase entire sets for like 1.5k. If you're a leather or mail wearer, I'd completely ignore crafted gear if I were you, and anyone who makes fun of you is clearly ignorant.
When you start to purchase your honor gear, buy a PvP trinket first if you're not human. Then your priorities are 2 piece set bonus [gloves/shoulders], and trinkets [even if human]. Somewhere down the line you will have acquired roughly 4k honor points, in which case your priorities for gear temporarily change. Now you want to start saving for your weapons that you will be able to purchase 3.8k honor later. Neither of these 2 figures are likely to be exact, but hopefully you understand the idea. After you purchase your 2 piece, 2 trinkets, and weapon, you want to get your 4 piece bonus. After that, it is entirely your choice on what to purchase next. Around 480 ilvl by the way, you can begin to do arena more or less. [depends on your class and skill as to whether you'll want more or less gear first].
Gems/Enchants/etc.
I would not bother with any gem or enchant in honor gear that costs more than 200-300 gold with exception to a run speed boot enchant if you don't have passive increased run speed. For weapons I do often buy the low budget weapon enchants for the hell of it mostly, then purchasing top ones when I buy grievous weapons.
Glyphs/Talents
When you inevitably google a PvP guide for your class at one point or another, you probably found 5.4 guides, and 5.4.7/8 guides. Do not copy them entirely without some background searching. Look at 5.4-5.4.8 patch notes to see what was nerfed/buffed about your class [I would say other classes too but you likely wouldn't know what to do with all the extra information], and decide which choices would be best for you. Please note also that most guides are based on arena, which may not include the best talent options for random battlegrounds. Even guides with talents set for rated bg's are often not best for randoms either. I'd find a nice mix of the 2 types of talent/glyph choices of these, aiming primarily for survival, and then for cc, and lastly for damage with few exceptions. One exception would be bladestorm, I know 99% of the server is far too tempted to take bladestorm over shockwave :D
Keybindings/Macros/Addons
You need keybindings. I don't care if you're the most pro clicker since adam sandler
Here is a guide I made a long time ago about keybindings. Note that even after you set up keybindings, you do not need to use them! Eventually, over time, you will be like.. Oh, I hate having to always click renew, maybe I should put it on one of these bindings. Eventually, you will have all your bindings filled up.
http://forum.warmane.com/showthread....ybinding-Guide
You will also want macros. Most of these macros you can find in the various guides you witnessed through your google searches [which you should have done at some point already to learn a bit about your class]. Some that many people here don't use that are quite good in bg's are mouseover macros. Some examples..
Code:
/focus [target=mouseover,exists,harm,nodead]
This macro will focus your mouseover enemy target.
Code:
/cast [target=mouseover,exists,harm,nodead] Fear;Fear
This macro will fear your mouseover enemy target. Oh and it also fears your target if you have no enemy mouseover target. Add the line, /stopcasting for instant cast CC or other instant casts such as Havoc. Also note that ALL classes can benefit from these macros. Just delete the words fear, and add your spell. Wind Shear, Frost Shock, Pummel, Charge, Repentance, Poly, Blind, etc etc etc etc etc.
Quote:
Okay, so we mentioned some macros and also gear previously, so 1 thing I'd like to mention is that your CC does not require gear to be effective [although some glyphs may be needed :D]. Anyone who says low geareds aren't effective never seen aoe weakness curses, ring of frosts, etc. from naked people that turned the tide of battle, and yes.. it does happen, assuming those naked people know how to play..... and ran around like b*tches trying not to die :D
For addons, basically you just need some arena addons for the most part. Though I'll toss in BGspy or similar addons, DBM, etc.
Okay so onto the battlegrounds..
First and foremost, you need to know when you're going to win, and when you're going to lose. If you think it's possible to win, by all means, fight your arse off! But if you know for certain that your team just won't be able to pull it off, giving up is the best choice!
Say you have 2 hours to play wow, and each hard fought game, win or lose, takes 30 minutes. If you make a loss, take 30 minutes, instead of 10, you're losing out on more honor you could have gained by potential wins during the time you have to play. I hope that makes sense because I don't have enough time to explain properly as I'm going to work here shortly. The moral of the story is, if you're certain you will lose, stay dead in the graveyard if you need the honor, and do whatever you please if you don't need it [though preferably stay dead too so game ends faster to help those low geared people get honor quicker].
Premades
We all know 500ilvl+ premades and such. But you can do premades at low ilvl too. Find a group of 5 people [preferably not all naked for obvious reasons] that know, and are willing to perform, the bg objectives the entire course of the game, and you will likely win. BG's like wsg however are more gear dependent but can still be won by low gear.
Warsong Gulch
There are 3 ways to win, and they go in this order.
Cap the enemies' flag 3 times.
Have more flag caps than the enemy at the end of the game timer.
Be the last team to cap the flag.
In this bg you have a few options on what to do. Here's a common tactic for the opener in pugs.
-Rush middle, try to weaken them while 1-3 people go for flag. Anyone who dies early, will go accompany the flag carried [FC] when they revive, anyone who dies late will go attack EFC when they revive, and anyone who survived has earned the right to choose to help fc or attack efc.
Advice:
Fighting in mid here does have some strategic value, but given all the people that do it, it is generally better for you be attacking efc, guarding fc, or going for flag yourself.
Never be alone. If you die, don't rush to attack that stray ally/horde upon revival, meet up with the largest group of teammates you can find [unless it's 1 large group, in which cast that's just dumb :D].
If you're going to fight EFC.. tell people to meet you somewhere. Often times where the speed boost in the enemy base is, is a good place to wait. Enemies usually don't go down the main tunnel except to go to the roof, and you have access to both the flag room, roof, and exit at this spot.
Eye of the Storm..
In this bg, you get periodic points based on how many towers you have, and static points per flag capped at a controlled tower [more points if you have more towers controlled]. To control a tower, you sit near it for xx amount of time. You will see a progression bar to tell you when it's "yours".
Two common tactics for the opener.
Send 1 group of people to the nearest tower on the left, and 1 group to the nearest tower on the right, with 1-3 [i prefer 1-2] to the flag.
My preferred tactic, that even works in pugs. Is sending 1 group to the farthest tower on the left while 1 remains at the nearest, and 2nd group to the farthest tower on the right while 1 remains at the nearest, and then when the 2 nearest towers cap, those 2 players go for flag while everyone else is likely still fighting at the farthest 2 towers.
Advice:
Do NOT fight unless you are at a tower or protecting flag carried or trying to get the flag/delay them from getting the flag.
If you see a team member getting attacked by someone and you know for 100% certain you can kill that person with ease.. DONT DO IT. Just ride passed them to the next tower. Them dying won't lose you the match, not getting bases faster just might though.
If you're fighting the enemy at a tower, and they run away, don't chase them. Just let them run away while you stay there capping that tower.
Arathi Basin..
I'll explain this in the future.
