Affliction Lock Dueling TipsFollow

Well for some odd reason, i love to duel. Dueling is not the best representation for PvP but it does help with overall understanding of other classes and your abilities in certain situations. I do think of myself as an above average PvPer but not an expert. For those of you who also love to duel, here are a few tips for a 70 Affliction lock (sorry demo/destro/hybrids) and tricks that ive picked up for certain class 1 on 1 battles. Note: I am taking into account that gear for both players is equal.

Preparation:
Create Healthstone
Recognize opponents spec
Put all of your buffs on (makes dispelling just a little more annoying)
Choose appropriate pet for opponent (obviously in a normal PvP situation you will not have this luxury)

Druids: Quickly analyze there spec. A Balance druid will normally start in moomkin form, Feral-Cat/Bear, Resto-caster form/tree
Choosing a Pet. Felhunter for all 3. Aggressive. Spell lock on auto.
Balance: If close enough, felhunter will spell lock right off the bat. Follow up with a fear, UA>CoA>Corruption>Siphon life, keep close to the Druid. Most Balance druids will summon there treants at the end of a fear, at this point use your iHoT while next to the druid which will fear him and the treants. Follow up with renewing DoT's, drain life if less that 2/3rds hp. If you are close to full, fire off a shadowbolt. If the Druid is still alive, he should be low on health. If he stays in moonkin form, just drain tank and keep DoT's up. If/When he shapeshifts out of moonkin to heal, deathcoil, fear (will only last 4 seconds) renew DoT's.
Feral: Cat form. Felhunter's paranoia should help quite a lot for locating the druid while he is stealthed. If they have gotten out of range, just move around spamming tab and a DoT. If you are jumped, when you get out of the stun use iHoT. Quickly use UA>amp curse>CoA>Corruption, healthstone, then run the opposite way to give you as much distance as possible to avoid a shapeshift into bear and charge. He will most likely use sprint, when he gets in range deathcoil and fear. Renew DoT's and drain life if needed or fire off shadowbolts. If he isnt dead by then, CoE and kite while renewing corruption and siphon life.
Resto: 1v1 a resto druid should not be too much trouble to beat. Use the strategy for dueling Balance druids. The only difference is to keep your spell lock on manual and use it while he is casting a heal.


Hunters: Spec: If your lucky, some BM hunters have spirit bond. Easily noticable buff. Sadly though, figuring out a hunters spec wont happen until the battle has begun since all 3 specs use the same gear.
Choosing a pet: I will actually recommend using a VW for all 3 specs. Leave the taunts on manual. Passive.
BM: (duel starting off next to eachother)Many BM hunters will start the duel off by using Bestial Wrath and the stun. If this happens it is easily distinguishable because they are bigger and RED. If they do not start off with BW, use iHoT and UA>amp curse>CoA>Corruption. Leave out siphon life because you need enough time to cast fear while the hunter is running in fear. This will prevent him from using BW even longer. If you miss it and they do use BW and stun, pop your VW bubble and stay close to the hunter. Drain life to regain the lost hp while stunned and renew DoT's. Because of the drain life, the hunter will probably be a ways away but this will normally outlast the BW (if bubble destroyed and he has not ended BW, keep moving towards him while and use your Healthstone. After BW is over, deathcoil and spam drain life.
MM: You will probably not know he is MM until later on in the duel so just start off with iHoT to be safe. Follow BM strategy in keeping him fear locked. After the fear is over, expect a silencing shot. Make sure to stay close to the hunter with your DoT's up. If he uses ice trap its a blessing in disguise. While you are undamaged and hes trying to gain distance, your DoT's will be clocking away. After the ice trap is over, bubble, fear hunter, DoT's, healthstone if low on HP, deathcoil when fear ends, spam drain life.
Surv: Follow strategy for MM. You can tell he is surv because you will probably gain a debuff (expose weakness) pretty early in the duel.
Note: Traps-Ice trap is actually helpfull. Snake trap try to use the AoE agro from the VW. This will normally get rid of some of the snakes and rid you of there annoyance. Frost trap-just keep trucking through it and try to stay close to the hunter. Immolate-nothing you can do to prevent the damage after it hits. If you notice it early, get your VW to hit it. Explosive-lol

Mages: Spec: Check out there buffs and gear. Fire-Molten Armor and +fire dmg gear. Ice-Frost Armor, Ice Barrier, +frost dmg gear. Arcane-Preference to the mage. Hard to figure out at first.
Pet: Felhunter. Aggressive. Spell lock on auto.
Some mages will use invisibility at the start of the duel. This will be a pain. Run around spamming tab and a DoT while keeping a look out for the mage. If they do use invisibility, turn Spell lock to manual.
Ice:(invis) They will start far away, normally summon there elemental and sick him onto you. Have your felhunter attack the mage and try to keep out of range. When the felhunter engages the mage or the mage pulls back and keep the elemental after you, turn around and banish the elemental. After the banish, spell lock and fear, DoT. Some mages will ice block out of the fear. Keep a watch on the elemental because it will probably break soon. Stay close to the mage while he is ice blocked and when he comes out, use iHoT, DoT, drain life/healthstone if needed, and rebanish elemental if needed. After the fear breaks, deathcoil and fear. renew DoT's and fire off a shadowbolt if needed. By then the battle should be over. If you start next to the mage, the felhunter will auto spell lock at the start of the duel allowing you to fear.
Fire: (invis) When he appears, he will probably be close and use dragon's breath. When the stun is broken, spell lock, fear, DoT, drain life/healthstone if needed. Deathcoil when fear is over, and fear again (4 seconds). In these 4 seconds, renew instant DoT's and run out of range. The mage will probably blink and try to close distance. when he is close, use iHoT, DoTs, shadowbolt.
Arcane: Same strategy as fire except watch out for the counterspell. It will silence you for 4 seconds.
PoM/Pyro: Same strategy as fire except it is very important to fear lock or stay out of range.

Paladin: Spec: Holy - 1H+shield and +healing gear. Protection - 1H+shield and +defense/dodge/resillience(tanking gear). Retribution - 2H weapon
Pet: Felhunter. Agressive. Spell lock on auto
Holy: Felhunter will spell lock at the start of the duel. Fear and DoT. Make sure you get UA on because it will prevent them from dispelling your spells(if they do, even better). As the fear is about to wear off, use CoE, keep range while the target is feared. Kite while keeping corruption and siphon life up (possible to also throw in immolate if you want). The pally might use there bubble at this point and heal back to full. Get to max range, when the bubble breaks use CoE, fear (4 seconds), DoT and remember to keep CoE up. By this time, he should be close to dead. If he starts to heal (flash of light spam) again just keep your DoT's up and use CoT. If you see holy light, throw out Death Coil to interupt it, move close to him and use iHoT to prevent any further healing. DoT and Shadowbolt. If you happen to be low on hp somewhere in there, just use your healthstone. Also in a fight with a holy paladin, you might go oom so just remember to dark pact before life tap.
Prot: Basically the same strategy except you do not have to worry as much about the heals.
Retribution: Again, close to the same fight except you need to watch out for the stuns.

The rest of the classes will be added later. Its getting late.


Edited, Nov 2nd 2007 3:46am by Tugnus

Yes,you can see invisb mages when having detect invisibility.

felhunter spellock on auto ? i dont recommend that at all ...

Yes you are right its the end "thing" in the BEstmaster tree, and also dueling duruids isnt that easy, they pop flight form fly away heal then cat then kill you!