Indestructible...almost.

Another mission, the powers have called me away
Another time to carry the colors again
My motivation, an oath I've sworn to defend,
To win the honor of coming back home again!
No explanation will matter after we begin
Unlock the dark destroyer that’s buried within
My true vocation! And now my unfortunate friend
You will discover a war you’re unable to win...

Ok, so by now I consider it overplayed, and old (just over a year old) however it is still the mantra for my warrior, pvp and pve.

For those of you who aren't following me through the looking glass - I've been a PvE player for 4 years. Dabbled in PvP as a twink rogue (29 bracket) in classic just working over people back when it wasn't pvp...it was butchery. I tried to get into pvp in BC, but it was right on the cusp of where warriors were pretty much kited around and laughed out of arenas and BGs until late seasons when resiliance turned them into behemoths of punishment. So now, I've dedicated myself to some time for pvp since our pve progress in uld 10 has slowed to a crawl, and I still have yet to find someone who wants to take up the torch in PvE. And it's been one week.

...and 539 resiliance later, and a pvp respec.

Battlegrounds are not as I've left them, I've seen positive change to the battlegrounds I've been in - however, I take along a holy and a prot-ret/prot-holy paladin. In fact, I should list the things that I've learned through my lumps:

- Motorcycles are amazing. The ability to pick up someone rather then have them waste 3 seconds can be utilized in so many ways. A few times I've actually used the bikes defensively - we would ride in, and evacuate players about to be slaughtered by a horde mass, then roll around and hit their stragglers. They also have a sleak and low profile. I'm consistantly the first one out of the gate to cap stables in AB, and I'm betting I've skirted around some frustrated DK's grapple range.

- Elephants are too big (especially ones that carry passengers) - and make you a central target...with a big hit box.

- Never go anywhere alone. Don't die needlessly. These two go hand in hand. Not only does it deplete resources in maps such as AV, but it also means that you could have been playing a more useful role elsehwere. This feeds back into the bike thing - because usually you carry your own backup in the sidecar.

- Figure out a combat situation before you leap in. Take 5 seconds and look to see if they have any healers. Who's hurting, who's not. Size up the fight before you launch yourself in. You don't want to throw yourself into a combat where you have no healers, and 4 of your team are running after a resto druid in high resiliance gear while he's recieving 2 outside heals and a bazillion ret pallies playing cleanup. Granted, I could rush in and fear, but that has a very specific time and place.

- Heals win BGs. Not even the potent or 'best' heals, but those that are the fastest and hardiest healers. If you are stacked with resiliance gear and know who the enemy are going to target - you're a healer that's going to win BGs over the long term, so long as you're always doing something useful and not picking dirt out of your toenails, or off by yourself.

- Get ready from the get go. From the start of the BGs, I try to be inspirational and at least get the buff-classes to toss out a round. I'm amazed how many pvpers don't buff anyone. Usually a little creative encouragement can change this, especially when you couple it with positive energy. I shout last second (10sec) of prep before I have to mount/run. When it comes to the first battle of attrition that usually follows leaving the gates - it's amazing what buffs do to garner the advantage.

- Have a plan, see it through. That being said, don't make dumb plans. For example, After capping MT in EotS, you look across to FRR, if I have 5, and I see 5 or less. I'll suggest an attack across the bridge. If I see 5 or more, and they're stringing out towards the bridge, I'll hold, and ask for intel on BeT and flag. Of course, I vary up my plans a bit, people know what to expect the second time.

- Speaking of, my strategy is 'attack, attack, attack' (but do it smartly - never attack a solidified position unless you are assured victory) The moment you relent, the other side gains morale and you've been forced from an active position, to a reactive position. I know it sounds cliche to think of chess, but in it's simplicity - the reactive player is the losing player. If you hit hard, fast, and are 'everywhere' you win the mental battle, and the losing players will not only be losing ground - but will be playing at less then their best. 15 players playing at 100% efficiency is far more dangerous then 15 playing at 50% efficiency.

- On the flipside, if you are the one that's losing ground, it's important to be positive. Stem any bad talk in bg not forcefully, but with positive 'hoo-ah' messages like "comon guys, we can get this, regroup LM. G1-farm, G2-BS, G3-Stables. Leave once you have your 5." (this actually worked!) Sometimes people are just so negative. It's very easy to criticize and fall in their pit too. I just look at them and go "I'm better then that." I just talk over them with as much positive energy and direction as I can muster. Sometimes we lose (okay, we lose alot) however when I see familiar names in the next game they've often regrouped and playing much better then last game.

- Resiliance gear matters. I didn't see much of a change until about 450 resiliance (same as the defense baseline, ironically. As I gain resiliance, I've found more and more battles I can walk away from. I don't know weather this is just from experience, knowing who to target first, and what combo to use to ensure death, but I'm up to wading out of 2v1 and 3v1 scenarios as long as there's no healing involved (maybe the last guy emergency healing himself only to see his saving grace heal mortal striked and overpowered). I also encounter others with resiliance gear. In fact, there was a resto shammy I was hitting for 3 digits and I couldn't crit him for anything. He stood there, and his riptide was outdoing my damage. However, he forgot the rule above (about tonail picking) in which case, he was alone, I wasn't, my paladin friend was capping a flag out of sight. We won the battleground almost purely on this healer's pride.

- Strand of the Ancients still sucks for my side. Don't know what it is, but I actually saw one where 10/15 players each decided that getting their own cannon was more important then destroying siege weapons. My 3-team got 2 of the engines down ourselves and stopped a boat cold, however the other side burned through light resistance (gaining the people that sidestepped us or were rezing). As a result, the fight was 11 vs. 15 off the getgo. At least it was over quick.

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In closing, I'm going to keep battlegrounding. Even the catestrophic strand. My goal is to fill out the veteran achievements and my gear slots with resiliance. However, my most important goal, and I hope tankspot will help me with this:

Is to stay humble, and stay positive.

Often (Often being used as a qualifier, some people don't fit this category. Our benevolent leaders in this community are often the exception!) people who get to the end of pvp and pve content become...this disgusting elitist "omg that's easy" crowd that just radiate this cloud of "I'm better then you" that just disgusts me to no end. I don't ever...ever want to be like them.

I was like that in BC when we bumrushed through BT when the doors opened, and it made me leave the game when I saw the monster I have become.

Never again.

I will lead only where needed, but much rather give advice to the leaders from experience and wisdom, so that they can do it right, and learn from my mistakes. I will only guide with my hand in absence of a leader until one is present.

/philosophy

Next stop: Arenas.