[3v3] mage, priest, rogue

[Ziluzjara]

having trouble getting our team off the ground. Ive always been really into the 5's bracket and been pretty good at it, and just used my 2v2 and 3v3 as gimmicks or to help friends out. But recently the other priest on our 5's team was given leader, so i am no longer played on my 5's team. I dont wanna lose my title for the season, so i have been forced to focus on 3's. We run a mage rogue priest. We got up to 1970 rating with not too many problems, but anytime we get near the 2k rating we drop back down again. I'm dying really early on now and the people on the other team dont seem to be dropping. I have 400 resil and almost 11k unbuffed hp, yet i still get peaced durring a full duration stun or a well timed silence. We typically go after the other teams melee DPS or the healer if its a priest. Is this not a good strategy? Should the mage and rogue split dps? Am i dying because of my teammates failure to CC, or is it my fault? Is this still a viable class make up?

[Remedi]

I'm from a 3s team that's gotten as high as 2218, though we've since reformed to invite a Warlock (we're on our way back up :P), so he'll be able to get Gladiator with us without having to play 20% of the games we did (it would be a lot!). We run the exact same combination as you do.

It depends heavily on what you're facing, but my suggestion to you is, be on the offensive. "Impose Your Will" is the name of our new team's name, and for good reason! Be sure to CC effectively, as it's one of the makeup's strengths, but the big benefit of having a Mage/Rogue/Priest team is your ability to take someone down fast, and keep them from receiving heals. More than anything, be vocal. Any time somebody does a form of CC, let the rest of the team know. If a Mage CSs, let the team know. If he's sheeping someone, "sheeping war" works fine. If someone has been CC'd, let the rest of the team know. In a perfect world, we would each have the mindpower and dexterity to handle three characters at once. Proper communication is the closest thing you've got.

If you (the Priest) are going down too fast, consider targeting a DPS first. You'll have to have that much better CC to get someone down, and it can be dangerous, but it's your only real option if their team's DPS kills you quicker than your team's DPS kills them. Against some teams (Warlock, Mage, Druid) that give us trouble, we swap DPS (but don't split it). We have found that hopping back and forth between the Mage and Druid (while keeping the Lock CC'd as best you can), forces the Druid to go into humanoid form, spelling defeat for that team. That's one example I can give you of a hurdle we recently overcame. Are there some specific makeups you've had trouble with?

Also, consider adding a 4th and/or 5th to your team. As Team Pandemic has shown, versatility is a killer! Just when the team thinks it's the same old Mage/Rogue/Priest team, you swap the Mage out for a Lock! Or the Rogue out for the Lock! (We like Warlocks.) Anywho, let me know what gives you trouble, and good luck!

[Twisty]

I run that setup in 3v3, are currently 25th in Stormstrike battlegroup. I am the mage on the team if that helps. (woot!) It is an awesome group if you are running 3 awesome players, a weak link will show.

You, as the priest, have to be amazing. This is, dispelling BOF, quick mass dispels, nicely timed (and called out) fears on their healers, (fear ward!). We were 5 points off glad last season, and have since replaced our priest and are now contending in the top 25 rather than just almost making it in the top 50.

Dps shouldn't be split, the mage for the most part should be assisting with what I like to call the pain train, a 5k shatter combo. An opposing healer should never be targeted first unless its a druid or a double healer team.

Basically, if you're having trouble, the only thing I can suggest, given that you all are awesome players, is that you need more teamwork. If your mage doesn't click, and your rogue isn't using those blue daggers from the AH, just work on the teamwork. This setup isn't like a warrior, shaman, paladin setup where you can /sleep while your warrior stunlocks a rogue, it requires a lot of communication and teamwork. (Joking, of course!)

Also, TRY NEW THINGS. We were getting beat by warrior/shaman/paladin and I suggested going for the paladin (what am I thinking?) and I got a "I don't ever see that working" from my rogue. We tried it, and we won! (Yes, I rubbed it in his face). I'm not saying that is the fool-proof way to beat that setup, but each teams playstyles will be different and the only way to find out what works for you is to experiment.

[Playdough]

I run that setup in 3v3, are currently 25th in Stormstrike battlegroup. I am the mage on the team if that helps. (woot!) It is an awesome group if you are running 3 awesome players, a weak link will show.


Small world, we are currently 7th with the same set up and in bg5 also. We keep getting 2300ish and then lose to some 2 healer team that gets lucky but ehh.

As far as getting this set up off the groud, first off your mage has to be godly if your mage is the "weak link" well its not even worth playing the set up.

Also your rogue needs to know good target selection, at 2kish rating depending on how many games you have played you may just want your rogue to try out differant targets to get comfortable with the proper selection for when you make your push for the top.

Things I have noticed is make sure key buffs like bof and abolish poison are off everyone at all times (given for any set up but key with a rogue as dps), mainly just need to play alot and get comfortable with the set up, but I truely believe the group will only go as far as your mage lets you.

We normally always target a dps first unless -
1. Mirror match, for some reason I just last longer then other priests, I think its cause of our mage, he is rape, and our rogue does stupid damage.
2. There is another priest in the team we are facing.
3. Its a team we have played before and know there pally/druid/shaman is weak.

Just remember anyone is a viable target, like Twisty said pallys are very viable targets because of your mages ability to keep him snared/rooted and you dispeling bof. If you do go for a pally though apply so much pressure to him that he has to bubble without the mage using CS, so when he bubbles have a MD pre casted then as soon as you see immune call it out and the mage will CS and then back it up with a fear and its GG.

[Ayvix]

I run that setup in 3v3, are currently 25th in Stormstrike battlegroup. I am the mage on the team if that helps. (woot!) It is an awesome group if you are running 3 awesome players, a weak link will show.


Small world, we are currently 7th with the same set up and in bg5 also. We keep getting 2300ish and then lose to some 2 healer team that gets lucky but ehh.

As far as getting this set up off the groud, first off your mage has to be godly if your mage is the "weak link" well its not even worth playing the set up.

Also your rogue needs to know good target selection, at 2kish rating depending on how many games you have played you may just want your rogue to try out differant targets to get comfortable with the proper selection for when you make your push for the top.

Things I have noticed is make sure key buffs like bof and abolish poison are off everyone at all times (given for any set up but key with a rogue as dps), mainly just need to play alot and get comfortable with the set up, but I truely believe the group will only go as far as your mage lets you.

We normally always target a dps first unless -
1. Mirror match, for some reason I just last longer then other priests, I think its cause of our mage, he is rape, and our rogue does stupid damage.
2. There is another priest in the team we are facing.
3. Its a team we have played before and know there pally/druid/shaman is weak.

Just remember anyone is a viable target, like Twisty said pallys are very viable targets because of your mages ability to keep him snared/rooted and you dispeling bof. If you do go for a pally though apply so much pressure to him that he has to bubble without the mage using CS, so when he bubbles have a MD pre casted then as soon as you see immune call it out and the mage will CS and then back it up with a fear and its GG.

Hi Playdough, you stole roughly 60 points from my team this week, makes me sad =\

I run Soul Link Warlock/Holy Paladin/MS Warrior in 3's. We demolish everything except Priest/Rogue/Mage. the only way I can see to beat your combo is to get down the priest asap, but their Mage/Rogue always completely destroy me, forcing me to bubble, having Playdough mass dispel and it's gg from there for us. =\

[Playdough]

O man you play on ALL DAY, yea I remember those fights it was like 2 or 3, yea our rogue is pretty good at checking targets I personally dont like going after a pally but when he wants to I just say ok call for the MD.

Good games though, hope to see you around more.

[Ziluzjara]

Thanks for the tips guys it was all pretty helpful. The only teams we have problems with are double affliction locks and a pally all they do is drain my mana and then were done, and paladin warrior shaman is kinda hit or miss. We generally go after the shaman on that, and a warrior paladin paladin group, that had the most beast warrior possible. 5/5 merc, and stormherald. Any tips on those teams?

[Twisty]

I'd like to thank you for teaching our team how to beat ALL DAY.
and gg btw.

[Optosn]

A problem we encountered when first running this setup was our mage was specced for pure damage... specced deep in frost with no imp CS, so when we would go against our own setup our preist would die alot quicker... instantly sometimes because of the imp CS so after some harse words on vent we got our mage to respec and havnt regreted it since


Good practice for this setup ive found to help our team is going to an arean in the world and practice burning down our presit

This is one of the best setup's if not the best WHEN YOU HAVE TEAMWORK and the correct spec

without either you can struggle very badly at times

[Twisty]

A problem we encountered when first running this setup was our mage was specced for pure damage... specced deep in frost with no imp CS, so when we would go against our own setup our preist would die alot quicker... instantly sometimes because of the imp CS so after some harse words on vent we got our mage to respec and havnt regreted it since


Good practice for this setup ive found to help our team is going to an arean in the world and practice burning down our presit

This is one of the best setup's if not the best WHEN YOU HAVE TEAMWORK and the correct spec

without either you can struggle very badly at times

I run w/o imp cs. :(

We kill the rogue in mirror matches, too. We're at a positive record against Playdough's team (his mage is godly) and the mage from the top 5v5 team in our bgroup's team.

So basically, what I'm trying to say (besides stroking my e-peen) is, different things work for different teams! :D

[Playdough]

A problem we encountered when first running this setup was our mage was specced for pure damage... specced deep in frost with no imp CS, so when we would go against our own setup our preist would die alot quicker... instantly sometimes because of the imp CS so after some harse words on vent we got our mage to respec and havnt regreted it since


Good practice for this setup ive found to help our team is going to an arean in the world and practice burning down our presit

This is one of the best setup's if not the best WHEN YOU HAVE TEAMWORK and the correct spec

without either you can struggle very badly at times

I run w/o imp cs. :(

We kill the rogue in mirror matches, too. We're at a positive record against Playdough's team (his mage is godly) and the mage from the top 5v5 team in our bgroup's team.

So basically, what I'm trying to say (besides stroking my e-peen) is, different things work for different teams! :D

We changed up our strat and worked pretty well I think :)~

[Ayvix]

Twisty, please keep beating us over and over for 20 points a game when we finally break 2300, it's fun and I rather enjoy it

[Twisty]

Twisty, please keep beating us over and over for 20 points a game when we finally break 2300, it's fun and I rather enjoy it

We were beginning to think it wasn't possible. =(

Playdough's mage kicked my ass. Rank 1 blizz missed him by a gnome.

Fun playing against both of your teams though. <3<3

[Ayvix]

Twisty, please keep beating us over and over for 20 points a game when we finally break 2300, it's fun and I rather enjoy it

We were beginning to think it wasn't possible. =(

Playdough's mage kicked my ass. Rank 1 blizz missed him by a gnome.

Fun playing against both of your teams though. <3<3

I don't get it. We destroyed you in the first, what, 10 games, and then we got rocked. I'M SO CONFUSED.