Shadowplay

[Slotter]

I haven't done much arena since Wrath came out (for obvious reasons) but I'm hearing lately about this Shadowplay 3v3 SP/Lock setup which sounds interesting. Can some experienced arena players enlighten me as to the play style and how it works? I'm assuming I'd go affliction but what is the best healer for this combo? Some people are rolling with Resto Shammies but any information on this style would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Woony]

Shadow was and is always with a shaman.

[Baaadum]

What makes this combination viable?

Any priest that isn't disc or holy is a bad priest :P

[Slotter]

Shadow was and is always with a shaman.

Why a Shaman and not a Pally, Priest or Druid?

[gherkin]

Reasons for a shaman over any other healer:

1) Flametongue totem - bigger ticks
2) They have this talent that grants +armor to the healing target. I understand some other healers have this too, but not in addition to the rest
3) Grounding/Tremor totem - Shadow Priest and Warlock do not have a lot of escapes, this one helps a lot.
4) Earth Shield - Clothie getting hit? Clothie getting healed.
5) Toughness - Shamans can take a lot of hits.
6) Ranged interrupts.
7) Poison/Disease cleansing totem

Shaman buffs the living snot out of both casters and provides them with the defenses needed to win. You might think Paladin or Disc priest is good too, but they have single target defenses (Pain Suppress, Hands, etc) whereas the Shaman has aoe defenses.

[ronik2k2]

Granted I haven't played my lock since S4, the deal with shadowplay then was to get unhealable amounts of DoT dmg up on multiple targets while fearing the shit outa the other teams healer.

Gherkin-- You missed two big ones from your list, Bloodlust/Heroism and Purge. Its all about a very fast spell dmg unload and overwhelming multiple people on the other team while locking the healer out. If you unload enough dots fast enough no single target healer can keep two people up, and the shammy can purge the shit outa HoTs.

In s3-4 it was afflic/SP/shammy and using UA as dispel protection for everything else. I remember loading up two people and then chain fearing the healer and watching all 3 people on opposing teams drop within 7-8 sec of each other, simply because there was no way a single healer could keep all 3 people up. Druids could stand a chance but the shaman chain purges the hots. The SP/shaman I played with were extremely undergeared, but we beat a lot of teams we probably shouldn't have by simply overwhelming them with damage and forcing healers to sacrifice someone on their team to save someone else.

I'm not sure if its still all about afflic, with the amount of burst a hero'd Destro can put out, its probably just as viable. But someone with current experience in the comp can probably give better insight here.

It is an extremely fun comp to play though.

edit: missing words wee

[gherkin]

I always forget Purge.

Don't forget that they added Dispel Protection to VT too.

[stila]

I'm a warlock too, at decent rating, and I'm going to play the comp As Affli (me), SP, and a pally.

I'm sure this combo will work equally as with a shaman, the pala also has a lot of things to protect me and my priest friend. Like freedom, sac, divine sac and stuff, these will certainly help a lot.

I was used to play Destro lock, rogue, druid, so if anyone has tips about the shadowplay one, don't hesitate to help me out

Peace out, Stila

[Figoment]

Wizard cleave >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shadowplay

[Tarhunzas]

you can try destruction with an elemental shaman.imba burst^^
for healer we have a paladin.Im using succubus in arena its easy cc while bursting the target.

[Nixia]

Reasons for a shaman over any other healer:
1) Flametongue totem - bigger ticks
2) They have this talent that grants +armor to the healing target.  I understand some other healers have this too, but not in addition to the rest
3) Grounding/Tremor totem - Shadow Priest and Warlock do not have a lot of escapes, this one helps a lot.
4) Earth Shield - Clothie getting hit?  Clothie getting healed.
5) Toughness - Shamans can take a lot of hits.
6) Ranged interrupts.
7) Poison/Disease cleansing totem

You forgot one of the biggest reasons.
Both affliction warlocks and shadow priests have a very hard time to start dps, heroism helps reuce that time by 30%.

Edit: Damn you vanhorn.

[Darklordace]

kinda heroism reliant imo

[tiberius]

kinda heroism reliant imo

Heroism = fast Fears
Heroism = fast Draines