Full Name: Rodney Ryan PareAge:18
Hometown: West Greenwich, RI
Game Nickname: Talbadar
Team: Arenapwnage (Penance Treants Windfury)
Favored Class: Shadow Priest
Favored Team Composition: Spriest Ele Druid
Battlegroup: Bloodlust
Arena Rating Team/Personal: 2v2 2950, 3v3 2900
MLG: Shadow Priests have come a long way -- how does playing a Shadow Priest now compare to playing one three seasons ago?
Talbadar: The biggest troubles Shadow Priests had in TBC were mobility and mana. With the opening of WotLK, I was definitely not impressed with how the Shadow spec was looking. I'm sure I could have played it and achieved some decent ratings, but the changes in 3.3 were a huge help. Haste became a huge factor for all casters in the game, while Shadow was still stuck with crit as their only option to keep up. As soon as the patch hit, I went back to my old roots. With haste becoming a major factor for Shadow, it became a much more enjoyable and better arena spec than others.
MLG: In Cataclysm, what do you think will be the biggest changes to the Priests? How will this change affect the way the class is played in Arena?
Talbadar: There are a few things for each spec that are going to be huge in the expansion. The first one that comes to mind is the ability to move while casting penance. Discipline Priests are very vulnerable healers, so being able to move and cast will help them tremendously. The second change for discipline is power word: barrier. The spell is going to be just as useful, if not more useful, than the Death Knight anti-magic shell. For Shadow Priests, the new changes to intellect will give them a solid advantage over most casters. Their mana drains quickly but recovers much faster as their mana becomes higher. By stacking the new spell power stat: intellect, Shadow Priests will be able to rely more heavily on crit. Of course, life grip is going to be one of the best abilities in Cataclysm when it is released.
MLG: You seem to love playing on competitive levels; are there any other games you play competitively?
Talbadar: I have played a lot of MMORPGs in my time, but most of them were just for fun. I always tried to get to the top of ladders, but tournament-level play was never something I considered until seeing my very own partner, Snutz, get recruited for a team a few weeks after I took a short break from the game. I'm really interested in trying out my skills in Starcraft 2, though, as the game is gaining lots of popularity.
MLG: Your team has recently qualified for the Blizzard North American Regionals. How do you think you guys will do? Do you feel like there are some teams attending that might be a huge threat to you?
Talbadar: Overall, we have a good shot at Regionals. There are 3-4 matches where we have a firm advantage over comps unless they try to sneak in something different against us. There are very few comps, if any, which are impossible wins for our play style. There aren't any teams that have a clear distinct advantage, but our wizard cleave variation versus that of Complexity Red's wizard cleave variation seems slightly in their favor. They are going to be our biggest threat.
MLG: What are your thoughts on multi-classing? Do you think it can hinder a team's performance?
Talbadar: If the question is directed at tournament play, then it can hurt you and help you. It will mainly hurt you when you think your altered comp is a "counter" to the other team. If you have not played more than 10 games against a certain comp, you probably will find yourself short-handed when fighting top players of the same comp. However, multi-classing can help your team when you put extra practice in. I would recommend only multi-classing when it makes a huge difference in how the game will play out. Swapping to your alternative comp for just a slight advantage will only end up giving you extra losses. Multi-classing outside of tournament play is a good thing. It gives you a good sense of the weaknesses and strengths of classes while giving you a refresher from your own class.
MLG: What hobbies do you have outside of World of Warcraft?
Talbadar: I am currently a freshman in college (soon to be a sophomore) studying to become a mathematician. I also always look for new music (mostly trance) through podcasts, YouTube, links, and videos. I played baseball (nothing too serious) for 6 years but haven't really played since college started. My family also owns a boat, and I spend a great deal of my summer out tubing, skiing, wakeboarding, etc.
MLG: Your Shadow spec is very different compared to some of the more well-known Shadow Priests; why is this? Do you think your spec is more beneficial to your comp than others?
Talbadar: Unlike most specs, Shadow has 7-8 talents that are optional. I change my spec based on what I am playing and what I am fighting. For most comps, I run with a general spec that includes one point in martyrdom, with or without improved mind blast, which depends on whether I'm playing a class with a wound debuff. I posted about the martyrdom choice on AJ's Priest forums. Most Shadow Priests have used crit for most of their careers but have never really questioned having more damage from it. I took a hard look at it, and came to the conclusion that having spirit over crit was better. It completely opened up the skill cap of the class to much higher-tier players. You no longer need to use dispersion off cooldown for mana as you can help your team out defensively with shields, dispels, and even heals while maintaining efficiency. To answer the final part of the question, I always spec with our comp based on what we are up against and what I feel is(are) the optimal spec(s) for that comp.
MLG: Your team runs Shadow Priest, Elemental Shaman, and Resto Druid in 3v3 Arena. Do you think that your wizard cleave setup is stronger than some of the other variations? If so, why?
Talbadar: Honestly, our comp is one of the weaker variations of wizard cleave. We rely heavily on an offensive Druid to keep our CC going and unbelievable damage spikes to land kills. We often have to heal our partners when things are going wrong because we lack the control of the other wizards. The UA/Destro Lock version of the comp, instead of a Shadow Priest, is definitely a stronger comp overall. Shadow Priests are still basically gimped Warlocks, but having a Shadow Priest is still better in a few match-ups.
MLG: For someone just starting out in WoW Arena PvP, what is the most effective piece of advice you could offer? What are the fundamental keys to success?
Talbadar: I often play with a friend of mine from school who is a casual Arena player. I have helped him advance from being a 1600 player to a 2400 player over the past year or so, just by teaching him strategies and positional tactics to win games. The most basic piece of advice I can offer is to know all of the abilities in the game. Not just knowing what a Paladin's divine shield is, but all the little spells like wild growth and detect invisibility that give you an edge in the game. This is one of the easiest things to do without actually having to enter an arena. Something I used to do when I first started serious arena was watch videos of high-rated arena play. Players who come to mind for me are Noxn, Hydra, and Arma. I analyzed exactly what each global was used for, noted their positioning, and critiqued each tactic to help improve my own game. My most effective piece of advice after that is to make new and creative strategies when playing unfamiliar teams. Whether or not it's the best strategy, if you keep thinking these questions: "What can we do versus this? Where should I stand at the start? What's our first goal? Who should be our main target?" you will continuously improve.
In arena, one of the biggest keys to success is landing control at the right time. Lining up chain controls and damage at the same time will easily make your team, and you, become more successful. Also, learning to utilize every ability your class has available in any given match helps you become a stronger player. People laugh when I say I use mind control at least once every few games, but the spell is an amazing control ability even though it has a long cast.
The last thing I'll mention is that even though you may not always be successful, try different stuff. If something is not working, don't just assume you suck or your partners are bad. Try playing with different people, different comps, and different specs until you find one you truly feel comfortable enough with to take to the Arena. You do not have to be paired up with the best players on the server, either -- we had some troubles with our Druid's attitude a few months ago and ended up searching for a more suitable player. We found a much more humble and friendly player, which helped the team chemistry out tremendously. He is an amazing asset to the team. If you can't have fun while playing, what's the point?
Good luck, and I hope this helps.
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