Patch 5.4 patch notes
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The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsBlizzard posts early Arena Tourney standings
by Mike Schramm 
Mar 18th 2009 at 1:00PM
Arena players were worried in the last pro tournament that Death Knights might take over the Arenas and it looks like that might be what's going on here. Of course, there are still weeks left to go, so anything could happen, but as it stands right now, looks like the final winners will probably have plenty of Runeblade wielders in their ranks.
Filed under: Paladin, Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, PvP, Death Knight, Wrath of the Lich King, Arena
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
jerzz80 Mar 18th 2009 1:48PM
You cant look at this and see Locks everywhere an think Locks are OP. The ability to DOT from a distance is what makes the Locks popular in 3s.
They are OP cause they are on team with a DK and Pally. All they got to do is DOT while there OP partners own.
Locks are not OP at all, they just mix nicely with the vastly OP Death Knights and Pallies.
All I see here is the affirmation of what I know...
the arena is joke. Pally and DK OP ruined the arena.
Antistes Mar 18th 2009 2:47PM
It's time to sort something out.
"All they got to do is DOT while there OP partners own"
This means:
All of them have to do is damage over time spell while over at that place OP partners own.
and no it doesn't make sense.
This could make more sense:
All they have to do is to cast DoTs while their OP partners own.
Oh boy! I was only posting to clear this one out:
Their - The thing that they possess or own
They're - They are
There - Over at that place
And I'm not a grammar fascist. To differentiate between these three really matters if you are to be understood without decoding.
DeanSykes Mar 18th 2009 1:45PM
I'm commenting for nothing other then saying I love that a "The Wire" reference is in the #1 team name.
Chuddy Mar 18th 2009 1:51PM
ditto. Avon was awesome and sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet straaaaang. lol. Man. When what happened to him. it bummed me OUT. The gangsters were the more likeable ones than the police. The wire was a wonderful show.
mastercontrolcast.wordpress.com
Punjab Mar 18th 2009 2:15PM
Agreed.
Lee Mar 18th 2009 1:47PM
Let's think about this for a second, shall we?
Death Knights in Top Tournament Teams
US: 8/10 teams include a Death Knight
EU: 5/10 teams include a Death Knight
Total: 13 Death Knights
Paladins in Top Tournament Teams
US: 8/10 teams include a Paladin
EU: 6/10 teams include a Paladin
Total: 14 Paladins
Take into account that Death Knights are the new, hot class that everyone wants to try, and that Paladins have been around forever, and yet there are still more paladins.
Nerf Paladins, then we can talk about Death Knights...
bundee Mar 18th 2009 4:45PM
Pallies can dps and heal. All DKs dps. Compare DK numbers to hunters and mages.
Lee Mar 18th 2009 4:52PM
Druids, priests, and shamans can DPS and heal as well...compare their numbers to Paladins.
Ztup Mar 18th 2009 2:01PM
I agree. DKs are not the problem. We usually kill them first. The Holy Paladins are the problem. They are generally unkillable.
ScytheNoire Mar 18th 2009 2:12PM
What stupid commentary. Mike, stop hating on DK's. Death Knight, Paladin, Warlock is the problem, not DK's. Many of the top teams have the same combo, because the three most powerful classes are Paladin, DK, and Warlock, in that order. Paladins are still the single most powerful class in the game, way more powerful than DK's. So stop always crying about DK's Mike, it's lame.
Para Mar 19th 2009 5:06PM
ehhh no stop writing pure utter BS.
DKs are the most OP class by a mile. Hunters and rogues are next then every other class. Outside of that 1 setup warlocks can use warlocks are a freek kill in arenas and are not the OP class of TBC anymore.
Lyraat Mar 18th 2009 2:26PM
Yes, correlation does not imply causation, but it's a darned good place to start.
Assuming all classes were equal and balanced in PvP, we can assume that all classes would have the same representation. Thus, combining the two tourneys (NA + EU), we would see 6 of each class in the top ten; if all classes were equally good and played equally well, we would expect a near-random distribution of classes in the top ten (or any grouping.) Here's the actual breakdown:
Death Knights: 8 + 5 = 13
Druids: 0 + 0 = 0
Hunters: 3 + 7 = 10
Mages: 1 + 4 = 5
Paladins: 8 + 6 = 14
Priests: 0 + 3 = 3
Rogue: 0 + 3 = 3
Shaman: 2 + 1 = 3
Warlock: 8 + 1 = 9
Warrior: 0 + 0 = 0
The only class that comes close to average representation is Mage. All other classes are way above or way below the expected zero. Granted this isn't an ideal sample size, but it shows DKs, hunters, pallies, and locks are preferred far more than would be expected if all classes were equal. Does this imply they're OP? Not sure. Probably more to the point, it shows that top-end arena players prefer those classes and thus those classes are better-suited to PvP than the other classes. If pressed, I might say that DKs and pallies are OP with druids and warriors UP.
More data needed. This was just a one-minute, back of the napkin-type examination.
VerticalEvent Mar 18th 2009 3:44PM
Using info from WoW Census (not the most accurate way, but defintley better then nothing)
http://www.warcraftrealms.com/census.php?serverid=-1&factionid=-1&minlevel=80&maxlevel=80&servertypeid=-1
Shows that Paladins and Death Knights are above average in use (13% and 15%), while Warlocks are actually under sampled, at 7% (All this data is based on live servers, characters who are level 80; players are more likely to play characters on the tournament that they played often on live).
So, while it makes sense for Death Knights and Paladins to be above the sample, warlocks, being the most under played class on live, should be the least sampled characters, and be seen least on the Tournament servers.
But, Tournament servers have different rules, so some of these assumptions (ie. the actual class distribution) are likely to be off.
csdx Mar 18th 2009 2:39PM
what I find even more interesting than the class balance qq, is the large disparities in overall composition between the US and EU tournaments, granted still early, but there definitely is a trend here. I mean 8 US locks vs 1 EU lock and 3US hunters vs 7EU. Seems like the meta in each tournament is vastly different.
Zor Mar 18th 2009 2:44PM
how bout, since the DK are the experience, it stands to reason there would be more....theres more of them now on any server then almost any class..so it equates well with the reprentaion
and the absence of a 2 dps DK + what ever dominating the top spots totally makes this a moot point
more like proof they are not OP
maybe at 55 to entice the pewpew
but it works out in the end
its pallies that have screwed this game
Michael Mar 18th 2009 3:47PM
I have a hard time reading this. The only capital letters in your post are: DK and OP. No puncuation at all...
vyx Mar 18th 2009 2:52PM
Looking at the numbers above, Holy Pally is preferred (and druid very un-preferred) by the people in these teams. What does that prove? That Holy Pallys have more survivability than others.
So, let's ignore the whole "everybody must be completely equal omg how can one class ever be better at something than another class" bs and think about it.
There are 4 healing classes. One is a clothy. One is poly-morphed into a tree. One wears mail. One wears plate. You would expect, logically, that Pallys would have the highest survivability in an arena setting. You would expect that Shammys would be slightly less survivable but still better than priests and druids. Priests are preferred over druids, but I attribute that to the fact that their class healng mechanic (HOTs) is not well-suited to PVP.
I really don't see a problem with Holy Pallys being better at arena than other healers.
The people who should most QQ about these stats are DPS warriors -- there is no logical reason a DPS warrior can't perform on part with a DK.
Para Mar 19th 2009 5:15PM
O
M
F
G
"Priests are preferred over druids, but I attribute that to the fact that their class healng mechanic (HOTs) is not well-suited to PVP.
I really don't see a problem with Holy Pallys being better at arena than other healers."
I think this wins the title for one of the most idiotic posts here ever, even above the trolls.
Guess you didnt pvp in tbc vyx
Dario Mar 18th 2009 2:58PM
OMFG .... where did all the warriors and druids go ... QQ
GC is a jackass Mar 18th 2009 4:07PM
Wow...just Wow....the ineptitude of GC and his team is beyong belief...Arena's and BG's should be an exclusive option for the Dee-Kay n lolBubble Pallies only.