Disclaimer: this is another “guest post”, if you also want to share your thoughts on this blog, just let me know in comments and I’ll contact you via e-mail - Terhix

1/2 Improved Overpower or 2/2 Improved Overpower?

Flurry build – Higher chance to getting flurry procs
Tactical Mastery – More overpower usage
Every class can dodge, but it’s most effective vs rogues, hunters, and druids.
Answer – 2/2 overpower regardless of build

2% Blood Frenzy/ 15% Improved Hamstring or 4% Blood Frenzy/ 10% Improved Hamstring?

It comes down to make up. If you’re the only physical dpser, I’d suggest 2% Blood Frenzy and 4% Blood Frenzy if there’s more than one.

Improved Slam?

It’s not very good in “most” PvP situations. No.

Booming Voice, Improved Demoralizing Shout, or Unbridled Wrath?

Booming Voice or Unbridled Wrath. I’d prefer Unbridled Wrath, but Booming Voice can be useful too. I really don’t know what’s better here. Suggestions?

Improved Heroic Strike vs Parry

I haven’t found myself using Heroic Strike often enough to justify 3 talent points.

Weapon Spec?

Swords can be good in 3s and 5s depending on make up, while Mace is good in 2s, 3s, and 5s on any make up. I’d suggest Maces though. Axe is for PvE.

Racial?

Yes, racial IS game breaking. Gnomes for alliance and Orcs/Tauren for horde.

Crit vs AP (aka gems)

Instant attacks are affected by AP normalization.
Crits are affected by resilience.

Crit is better for arena in “most cases” since “burst is king.” Criting your target during a group burst or swap is more important doing 20 more damage. I’d gem mostly for crit.

Edit

Blood Craze vs Commanding Presence

Blood Craze gives you “more” per point of talent points you’re spending. 1 point in commanding presence gives you 8 strength or 5.4 stamina. 1 point in Blood Craze gives you 1% of your health over 6 seconds after a crit. Is 8 strength or 5.4 stamina worth it over blood craze? In situations like double melee, maybe.

Chest enchant 15 resilience or +6 stats

15 resilience is harder to find in items and it’s more valuable than 6str 6 agi and 6 stamina in terms of item value.

I’m planning on giving more details on my reasoning for each section.

Leh

Ok, maybe I’m not playing WoW that much recently and don’t really have anything to post about (yes, I know patch 2.4 is on the way), I can at least show you guys what I’ve been working on recently:

Being a web developer and MMO player, it’s a natural thing for me to make a browser-based MMORPG. Vanthia, coz that’s how it’s named, is built with JavaScript on the client side with a backed PHP server, communication between the two is done with AJAX (the game just launches as every game and runs inside a single website, no refreshes, links or anything). This week I’ve launched a new website and forums for it, so I’m not going to write an essay here, you can jump there to learn more.

Terhix

Gladiator Leh from Tichondrius BG9, an American server. I transfered over during season 3 finishing top 10 in 2s/3s in BG1 during season 2. Been playing warrior since WoW came back, but arena was an on and off thing for me. I wanted to share some of my experiences and knowledge since Warriorpwns.com’s post were inactive.

Flurry:
DPS – More white swings = more rage = more specials = more dps
Well not really. Getting 1.5 swings every 10 swing isn’t THAT big of a dps upgrade.
Warlocks and Priests are the only classes where flurry can be good against, but then if there’s a paladin, hunter, or druid on their team flurry becomes irrelevant again. There’s also too many factors against flurry because warriors either get CC’d to death or we get blown up on a quick swap. Factors include: getting stunned, snared, immobilized, target getting freedomed, hunter traps, target swapping, switching to board/1hand, etc.

Imp Execute – Good, nothing wrong with it.

Easy to play –What’s difficult about staying in berserker stance and spamming Mortal Strike and never switching stance?
Not difficult.

Tactical Mastery:

DPS – Some would argue that it produces just as much or even more dps than flurry in most cases as a result of more usage of overpower, blood frenzy, or frequent target swaps. The ability to retain rage retains dps/utility. A team of 2 or more physical dpser would greatly benefit from 4% blood frenzy.

Utility – The ability to disarm and spell reflect is crucial for success. Disarming the warrior to keep MS off for a second or disarm rogues for 10 second could bring their target from death to full health. Spell reflecting that sheep or cyclone can be game breaking.

Harder to play – Anyone can play flurry because it doesn’t require any stance changing… but not everyone can play tactical mastery “effectively.” It just opens a lot of option in arena compared to flurry.

I agree that both specs have its advantages and disadvantages, but in “most cases” tactical mastery is more useful than flurry, which is why most of the top warriors are spec’s 35/23/3.

2s – You’ll probably be facing against a druid plus something. Spell reflecting a cyclone or root can be game breaking while reducing pressure on the druid’s CC as a result of fear of reflecting. Intervene healer into hamstring and disarm melee then intercept and hamstring back on your target works wonder.

3s – Druids druids druids. Read above. This time you can “bounce” around more often. 4% blood frenzy is wonderful in a two physical dps oriented team. Instant spell reflect saves lives against RMP on a swap. Intervening on a sheep cast when pummel is on CD is quite satisfying.

5s – 2345 (warrior priest paladin shaman mage) and 2346 (warlock instead of mage) are the most common make ups according to SK-Gaming. These make up tend to “warrior gib” and instant spell reflect saves lives. Warriors are usually on these make up and target swaps are very common.

Duels – Tactical Mastery owns more except against classes you’ve already lost before the duel starts… priest and warlocks (which flurry is best against).

Answer - Spec Tactical Mastery and learn how to play it effectively. You can always go back to flurry vs optimized make ups or you’re feeling lazy. Anyone can play flurry “effectively”, but not everyone play with tactical mastery “effectively.”

I was flurry since season 1 came out on BG1 and when I transferred to BG9 (most competitive American Battlegroup) during season 3, I spec’d Tactical Mastery and stuck with it because of its utility.

Leh

So, the pally who I’ve played with to 2k in 2v2 made a silly joke on mmorpg.pl forums, quick translation:

A good warrior can reflect a counterspell flying into his healer.

It was a joke, or at least he thought it was a joke until almighty Deshroom posted his answer to that, quick translation:

Basically to do something like this you need a bit of luck coz reflect is rage expensive, but it’s a fact that a weak warrior don’t even have an option to do such a keyboard-combo quick enough.

All hail Deshroom!

Terhix

Sorry folks, but I’m really busy IRL recently. I’m not dead, I didn’t quit WoW (just hopping in for weekly arenas tho, nothing more), the sky is not falling, and Meadows didn’t want to join in :P. There are some huge changes going in the company where I work, we are changing the office (going to a bigger one), I’m getting a promotion (and a rise :P) all in all it’s pretty cool but requires me to focus a bit on my career. And then, when I’m not at work, I’m doing some pretty funky project after hours, which I’m going to show off at a presentation on 18th of march at regional IT-branch meeting (all the big fish there).

My life should come back to norm in few weeks, till then, sorry, no time for updates :/.

Terhix