Shadow PvP Question - RoguesFollow

kite him toward your allies and make it a 2v1 fight.

the rogues attack you for a reason. the fight is weighed heavily in their favor, as they are the anti-caster and we don't have especially great survival abilities like other clothy casters.

Ah well thanks for the replies, good to know it isn't just me then. I'm going to go for the stun resist meta gem in my pvp gear too just to try and level things a little more. Seems its a paper vs scissors thing in the end.

Yup, healing is key. Get Embrace and full DoT's up on them, and be ready to drop shadowform for PoM/Renew/Flash. Try and keep track of CoS cooldowns - most rogues will either pop it early to resist fear, or pop it just after the first fear to wipe the DoT's. Be ready to fear right after CoS is done if you can, and re-DoT his fast. Get rid of the raiding habit of dropping VT first, get SWP on there if the rogue's on you just to get something ticking.

I try and make sure I'm never taking a rogue alone - my rogue 2v2 partner's always there, and I make damn sure he doesn't die before the enemy rogue. I actually prefer the Mystical Skyfire meta, those 1.5sec Gheals are really nice in a pinch.

I have a harder time as a warlock.

My suggestion is to see them coming before they see you. Shield as soon as you sense any threat (or just periodically when you know where will be other players in the area). My priest has Improved Shield and Fortitude, so when they stun me, they basically spent it just to knock down the shield and then have to deal with my life. If they are not particularly powerful, I can re-shield as soon as I am done being stunned, which is when they are screwed because I can get off at least 1000 damage before they are not feared.
Fear them every chance you get. They expect it, but since it's instant, they wont know when (unlike with warlocks). When your fear is cooling down, keep moving and DOTing-- running does not always help, but at least they have to work harder to kill you lol. I like to hit Pain multiple times, just to build the Shadow Vulnerability if I am running.

Global cooldown is 1.5 seconds for a Priest. Casting Psychic Scream, PW:S and Renew takes a total of 3 seconds, plus any lag, and it's 4.5 seconds before you can start casting your VT.

Your strategy isn't a bad one, but it assumes the rogue is either too low level for Cloak of Shadows or that it and his fear breaks are on cooldown. Many rogues will pop CloS when their stunlock is winding down in anticipation of Psychic Scream.

I use a Nigh-Invulnerability Belt which usually helps enormously against rogues. I activate it as the stunlock wraps up, followed by Renew and Prayer of Mending.

If he's used CloS, I cast a heal to draw out his kick--might even get it off if he's used his energy trying to tear through my belt bubble like it was a PWS. Then I Psychic Scream the second his CloS is down, DoT him with Inner Focus/Devouring Plague and SW:P, and the real fight begins.

If he hasn't used CloS, I SW:D him--the extra damage won't break my belt shield--then Psychic Scream, DoT him with low level SW:P and start on a long heal. Then I Mind Blast and SW:D at the end of it. The idea is to hammer him until he uses the CloS so you can DoT him for real.

Expect Psychic Scream to be broken within a second and you'll never be disappointed. If it doesn't break, use the time to heal and get distance. At the end of the fear is when you want to haul out the big guns--don't break it prematurely with a ton of damage.

Edited, Jan 17th 2008 9:47am by emmitsvenson--crazy tags and spelling fixed

Edited, Jan 17th 2008 9:47am by emmitsvenson

Why did you include Inner Focus before the Shadow Word: Pain? Is it that mana expensive? I thought you'd want to save that for Shadow Word: Death or Mind Blast. Coupled with Shadow Power and some spell crit rating you're almost sure to get off a crit.

Your best bet is to assume that CoS is up but that Sprint is down in BGs. In arena assume both are up.

In BGs either scream or bubble to get a breather, find a way to remove crippling poison and kite. If Sprint is down (5 min CD) SW:P+Bubble+Scream+whatever else you want=dead rogue IF you keep out of melee range after the first attack.

In arena, assume the Rogue is there and keep the bubble up till the rogue reveals or find the rogue first. Remember CoS is a 1 min CD and their only other way to break/avoid fear is pretty much trinket out.

Once again, Get rid of crippling poison and kite. Rogue opens w/ Stun. Gets up 4-5 CP and drops your shield and maybe a bit of HP. Rogue will be low energy at this point. You MAY have a small window here to Scream or Bubble. If not, be prepared to use trinket if you get past 50% HP.

Come out of stun, fear the Rogue, Rogue trinkets. You are already running away. Throw dots as you run. Bubble. Rogue pops sprint to catch up. Just keep running DoTing and bubbling till Fear is back up. If Rogue has already CoS, fear, DoT and bring the pain, keep running. Sprint is the only mechanism(besides Shadowstep which is on a 30 sec CD and is the Subt 41 pt talent) for a Roge to catch you. 5 Min CD. Once thats gone, If you're still alive and can fear Rogue/dispell slowing poison then game set match rogue.