The Colosseum: Bearzerk, rogue of Mannoroth
The Colosseum takes us inside the world of the Gladiator (Relentless, Furious, Deadly, Brutal, Vengeful, Merciless, and otherwise), to interview some of the top Arena fighters on the battlegroups. Our goal is to bring a better understanding of the strategy, makeup, and work that goes into dueling it out for fame, fortune, and Frostwyrms. We're especially focused on the people who play these games, to further shed light on the world of the PvP player. If you'd like to be interviewed for The Colosseum, please feel free to contact us -- be sure to include your armory as a link!
Gladiator Bearzerk of US-Mannoroth won't be wearing his gladiator title much longer -- he'll be upgrading to Relentless Gladiator! Our rogue interviewee today is team captain of a rogue-mage-priest composition named A B C that was able to go on a victory streak and get the coveted title on the last day of the season.
Read on after the break to see what Bearzerk had to say!
WoW.com: Who are your teammates?
Bearzerk: My teammates in season seven were Nobodyseven (mage) and Lfv (priest).
WoW.com: What's your general plan against other 3v3s?
Bearzerk: Usually, our general plan for 3's is to make clutch switches. When we get a kill, the opposing team doesn't expect it at all. However, at times we do train a single target when a switch is unnecessary.
WoW.com: What challenges does your team have?
Bearzerk: I think our team honestly doesn't have any challenges since we've played together more. When we first started the team it took us a bit to get along and get strats/coordination and play styles down -- which got us off to a very bad start. We've progressed over time to play nearly at the top of our game.
WoW.com: You mentioned that your 3v3 team "got off to a very bad start" -- why didn't you stop playing when you were doing poorly?
Bearzerk: At times I thought we would not play anymore at the start. I'd have to say our team stayed together because Nobodyseven would influence us to keep going and that we'd only get better. Apparently, it worked out for the best.
WoW.com: What's your opening strategy?
Bearzerk: Opening strategy for us mainly depends on what map it is and how the opposing team is positioned. If we get Ring of Valor, sometimes I will be able to get a Sap -- but we don't depend on it. On that map, our mage usually opens with a Frost Nova into a Psychic Scream from the priest. Any other map we usually know what we'll do and when we'll switch.
WoW.com: How do you work out target designation and swaps?
Bearzerk: Since we all know when to call a good switch, over time we've learned to listen to each other. It will be a good switch any time it is called. If a switch is called at a wrong time, the person calling switch will go back to our main target. At times we will call to fully dispel someone and make an easy switch to clinch the win depending on what setup our opponents are playing.
WoW.com: What signals that you need to radically change strategy midmatch? (And how do you accomplish that change?)
Bearzerk: Symbols we mainly look for is:
Someone is not dying for whatever reason.
Need to change the crowd control because of diminishing returns, or if the crowd control will be broken at the time.
Need to peel off of my mage or priest or even the need for my teammates to peel off of me at times.
Someone is fully dispelled and our target is not dying.
WoW.com: Do you have favorite classes to kill on the opposing team?
Bearzerk: I'd have to say my favorite class to kill is rogue, not sure why I just like to. Another two would have to be mages and shamans. We had numerous games this season where my mage would not do any damage. In those games, if he did any damage, it was very little -- and I would end up soloing the opponent. This happens with other classes but rarely compared to these three.
WoW.com: What spec do you play? What advantages does that spec provide you that others do not?
Bearzerk: I play 44/4/23 assassination. I feel this spec gives the best damage I've tried of all specs thus far. I spec into Focused Attacks and gear for agility. I'm up to 46.03% crit unbuffed so my energy shoots up really fast for top damage.
WoW.com: Why did you choose to play rogue-mage-priest over other possible compositions?
Bearzerk: To be honest, I transferred to play with Nobodyseven as we have known each other for some time. We ended up getting lucky to have a great priest like Lfv. As a team, we became closer over time which kept us together more than any other players I have played with before.
WoW.com: How do you schedule your playtime? Do you try to play at times when lots of teams are queueing up?
Bearzerk: Our playtime was scheduled around my raids mainly, and when Lfv wanted to queue! We took a very long break from December 21st to January 18th (which was the final day of the season). Nobodyseven went on vacation and my computer was infected for three weeks. Luckily, I got it fixed on January 17th and was able to play the next day. My internet went down Tuesday (the 19th) from no payment as well! We were very lucky!
WoW.com: How does it feel to be a Relentless Gladiator?
Bearzerk: Almost makes up for not getting glad in season four or five for team hopping!
WoW.com: What are you trying to improve?
Bearzerk: I'd like to keep improving my win-loss ratios to the best of my ability.
WoW.com: What did you think of season seven in terms of balance?
Bearzerk: In terms of balance, I think it was the best in Wrath of the Lich King thus far -- besides protection warriors.
WoW.com: What do you think about the resilience changes for season eight? Do you think it's the right move?
Bearzerk: I think resilience changes will be a good move. I do think it is the right move as I hate losing to teams like death knight + warrior that don't do anything but Charge and Bladestorm -- they land kills without Mortal Striking anything. However, I believe they should take off the 47 minute timer for each arena game.
WoW.com: Will certain classes be affected more than others?
Bearzerk: I do not think certain classes will be effected more than others. They will just have to find new strategies to land a kill, mainly by draining mana and cooldowns.
WoW.com: What's the biggest thing that differentiates a good player from a great player?
Bearzerk: I believe what differentiates a good player from a greater player is:
Knowing what to do and when to do it.
Quickness of abilities.
Knowing your position and role in the game.
WoW.com: What's your advice to players who might be wanting to pick up arenas for the first time?
Bearzerk: My advice would be to watch PvP videos (I am looking into making one before expansion)! Also, duel classes to learn abilities and when your opponents would possibly use those abilities.
WoW.com: Thank you so much for giving us a great interview Bearzerk -- is there anything else you'd like to say?
Bearzerk: Looking forward to another great season and hope to get rank 1 in all brackets.
The Colosseum is WoW.com's interview series spotlighting strategies, compositions, and tactics from the Arena fighters who use them. For more PvP information, be sure to hit up Blood Sport and the Art of War(craft). If you'd like to be interviewed for The Colosseum, please feel free to contact us -- be sure to include your armory as a link!
