Something is Rotten in the Isle of Conquest

Ihrayeep writes:

(A)lliance has a 37% win ratio here, which is drastically less than all the others. I’m used to losing slightly more (anywhere from 45-49 win, usually) but this is abnormal enough to raise an eyebrow. My initial response is the default one, to claim that alliance sucks, because that’s usually as good a fallback reason as any…except I can’t see why they would suck so much MORE in this bg than the other ones. It’s the same people playing. And it’s not like IoC has any “new” concepts — it’s recycled different things from AV, AB, and SotA, all of which alliance does significantly better in. So what gives here?

This matches my own experience in the Alliance side of the Ruin battlegroup.  My record in IoC is dismal: 2 wins out of 8 played.  25%.  Yikes.

Ihra’s theory about the elevation asymmetry of the map is a good one.  While the layout is symmetric, the addition of arial combat makes elevation matter in a way it doesn’t in, say, Arathi Basin.  The Lumber Mill affords you better visibility and one less way in to defend than the Gold Mine, but both sides can reach it equally without a “weak” or “strong” side.  That’s not the case in the IoC because there are cannons and vehicles involved.  If there were cannons on the Lumber Mill you better believe it would be the single most important node in Arathi Basin.

I haven’t seen the Hangar Blitz in my recent ventures into the Isle of Conquest; it’s all Docks, all the time.  And when the Alliance loses the Docks, sure enough the Ally Keep falls shortly thereafter.   So while the Docks convey an offensive tactical advantage to the Horde, they convey no corresponding advantage to the Alliance — except to deny them to the Horde.

The whole article is worth reading, as well as the other Honor per Minute analysis Ihra has done.  I’d be lying to say that I’m not pleased my initial hunch that Strand of the Ancients is the best might be right, after all.  :-)

Warlock Battlemasters

When I first started PvPing, I eyed the achievement lists and found one at the bottom that gave me pause: Battlemaster.  A title well beyond even Justicar, one that shows complete mastery of the battlegrounds through the Burning Crusade.  Okay, there’s a goal to work towards, I thought.

Then I started working towards it, and holy moly, is that one hard achievement.  Alterac Valley was the easiest of the lot for me to get started on, what with being in my 50s and the Alliance owning that bracket.  Warsong Gulch was much worse for me as a Warlock, being a squishy cloth wearer.  As I started grinding out the reputation and trying to run the flag, I realized how long of a haul I was in for to get the Battlemaster title.

When I started playing a Death Knight, the situation in Warsong Gulch improved dramatically.  Achievements which formerly seemed impossible (Iron Man) were trivial, and I could romp through the field with impunity.  The experience really opened my eyes as to how some things that are easy with one class can be seemingly  impossible for another.

But “seemingly impossible,” much like the “mathematically impossible” Yogg+0 kill, doesn’t mean “impossible.”  It just means “really fucking hard.”

So it’s with some awe that I congratulate Jagoex on reaching the pinnacle of battlegrounds with his Warlock.  Serious, heartfelt congratulations!

Someday I hope to join you.  It’s just a matter of time.  :-)

More Isle of Conquest Info

Arrens has another great post up on his site on The Isle of Conquest. The whole thing is worth a read, but I especially liked:

If your team is able to control the docks and the workshop or the hangar, achieving an IoC victory is a simple matter.

This is very, very true.  Hold 2 of the 3 middle bases, and you can win.  Hold only one, and you won’t.

(Alliance on Ruin, you paying attention?  My win rate is terrible.  Help a warlock out.)

On Jousting

I might be in the minority, but I enjoy jousting at the Argent Tournament.  While it doesn’t make much sense that my skinny little warlock arms could hold and aim a 20-foot lance on charging horseback — or that I would want to use such primitive methods — I embarked on a rigorous exercise program and have gotten pretty good at it.

I still don’t get to wear plate mail, though.  That kinda sucks.

I was going to share some tips with you on how to joust, but Keeva over at Tree Bark Jacket has already put together a comprehensive guide to knocking people off horses with long pointy sticks.  She describes my technique perfectly — it’s her Method 2:

1. Get 3 stacks of Defend up.
2. Talk to the NPC.
3. As he runs away, spam Charge until it goes off.
4. Swing around in an arc, and throw Shield-Breaker as you move back around to melee range.
5. Get back into melee range and spam Thrust.
6. Whenever the NPC walks away from you, back up and spam Charge until it goes off, then repeat steps 4 and 5.

Keeping 3 stacks of Defend up at all times is your priority.  The idea is simple — take less damage than you give out.  It is not quick, but you will win.

This technique works on both Valiants, Champions, and even Boneguard Commanders.  Against the Scourge your attacks do substantially more damage than they do to you, so the key is just avoiding additional mobs, just like normal PvE.  There are always a few Commanders at the top of the stairs if you have trouble finding a group for the Battle Before the Citadel.

The rest of Keeva’s article and accompanying video is worth a look if you’re having problems jousting.

Also, don’t forget that Outfitter has the ability to let you mouse over a mount and automatically equip a Lance.  This saves a lot of irritation in the long run, so if you use Outfitter (who doesn’t use Outfitter?) check out the Argent Tournament options.

Now if only we can get flying jousts…

A Treatise on Battlegrounds Redux

Arrens has put together an introduction to battleground strategies with some great tips for those new to PvP:

The key to winning AB is defense of nodes. If you race from the gates once the match starts and cap Farm only to ride off into the sunset picking a fight with someone on the road to LM, do us both a favor, won’t you? Shoot yourself with a shadowbolt. Because I will hate you. Instead, if you cap a node, have the good common courtesy to defend it. Ask a friend to stick around with you so you can chat and D up together. If you see the opposing team coming towards you, call it out in /bg. And wait for them to come to you. Never, ever, ever leave your post. Fight on the flag.

Good advice!