G’day WHU! T to the ap Tapington here with a 1v1 guide against warriors! We’re going to take a look at each spec and rundown each important ability they have, and what we have to counter it.
Now, there’s a reason why you don’t find 1v1/duelling guides for WoW PvP, and it’s very good reason. Every fight is different. Not majorly different, as you know a mage is always going to be casting frostbolt, deep freeze off cooldown etc. but there isn’t enough consistency in duels to follow one strat for every duel. Instead we’ll go through techniques and tricks we can use to counter their abilities. Most of the time, in a fair one on one fight between a Hunter and a Warrior, the Hunter should take almost all of the wins. With the amount of cooldowns we have, unless we get outplayed, we should win quite easily.
Notable Warrior Abilities:
- Colossus Smash(Will have the armour piercing effect reduced to 50% in Patch 4.1)
Counter – You can do quite a few things to counter the damage from CS. Use RoS on yourself, use deterrence, or just get out of his melee range.
Counter – Most of the times you can just sit in it, and other times it just breaks off Rend/Deep wounds.
This just allows them to wait for their gap closers to come off cooldown. Just get to range and build up focus so you can burst after Shield Wall is down.
- Charge
Usually you can jump the charge and end up just outside their melee range during the stun. If you get lucky, sometimes you can disengage the charge, and have it land on you while you’re flying through the air and land a good 15 yards or so away. Occasionally you can predict when they’ll use charge and just use Deterrence to immune the stun. If everything else is down and you have to, usually use trinket on this.
Another gap closer, easily countered by Web most of the time.
Arms Warrior:
This is a big one to save trinket for, and when it is not DR’d by Charge, lasts a whopping 5 seconds, and a geared warrior can easily take you down from half to nil in a Throwdown.
Another thing to look out for is Imp Hamstring, it’s almost as deadly as Throwdown when you don’t have Master’s Call up to stop it. I would highly recommend saving Master’s Call for Imp Hamstring if you can.
Though the damage is quite low, it’s a great CC-avoider.
Tap’s Commentary:
Arms warriors have some of the best burst damage in the game, and is the highest mobility spec for warriors. They have great control with Imp Hamstring, Throwdown, and a very short cooldown on charge. Note that Throwdown shares a DR with the Charge stun.
The Duel.
Feeling like a video tutorial for this 1v1 guide, and I might continue the tradition for later articles when I’m able to gather footage for it. The duels are against my 3v3 team’s warrior, Crumpetslol, who unfortunately isn’t that geared and only got to level 85 a few weeks ago. He is still one of the best warriors on Saurfang, and a great player all round.
Very interesting Tap, thank you. Am really enjoying your contributions to the site, keep it up. /cheer
Will you post similar guides for other classes? As you said, each fight is different, but still… this was cool. More please
I can’t wait to see Hunter vs Hunter.
I’m also really enjoying your posts, Tap; it’s making me consider trying PvP again, once my guild can reliably do Maloriak & Magmaw without an SV spec.
In your video, the way you talk about cooldowns makes it seem like you have a very precise idea of when your opponent’s abilities are going to be ready again, i.e. “lay a trap when charge is coming off CD.” How do you keep track of other player’s CDs? I didn’t see anything in your UI in the video, and looking back at your basic guide, the only addon that looks relevant is Gladius, which I didn’t seem to see in the video at all.
Gladius only works in arenas bud.
”How do you keep track of other player’s CDs?”
Memory, Practice, etc. Just do your best to get familiar with the cooldown length, and compare it to one of your own abilities.
That’s very interesting and something I will watch a few times I think. I notice that the pet was not always on your opponent, he seemed to be more ‘Here use your cooldown on this’ rather than dealing significant damage.
The thing I took away from this is that if you know what your opponents toolbox is, you can have counters for them readied, and then it’s about manipulating them to use them defensively so they lose the initiative. This seems to be where you’ve used your pet, as well as your own skills and trinkets.
Is that correct?
I’m assuming you were in MM for this video?
(I’m a PvP noob – actually never done it. It scares me).
A word of advice if you’re scared to start pvp?
Just queue up and do it anyways.
Sure, you will die. Alot. Just about everybody does. But man, those first few arena victories feel GREAT – when everything just seems to come together. And the most important part? You can only get better …
The reason the pet is not on the warrior, is so he 1. doesn’t kill it, 2. doesn’t gain rage from auto attacking it, and three, if it’s on him it’ll cause blood craze/fury heals.
<3 Great job Tap keep it up.
……Marry me xD
Great timing on the Video Tap. I am new to pvp but have been doing BGs a lot lately due to the enourmous amount of time required to wait for a random instance. I am getting crushed by warriors and their charge. Just cant seem to get away and stay away so I definately need some help. Wondering if there is any chance that on this video, or at least future ones that you could narate what you are doing and why as the fight progresses. It would be great! Are you constantly jumping for a reason? Thanks for all the pvp help.
Jump shots, and out-ranging the charge stun is part of the reason why I spam the space bar, but mostly it’s just for warming up the hand, finger speed, and fun.
Nice stuff! Q: Did you do any scatter shots in the video? I couldn’t quite tell.
He used a few scatter shots!
Really nice stuff this is! Loved the video, especially the comments!
Keep Up the good work!
I’m curious to know why you keep your pet by your side any time your opponent isn’t trapped.
DRs aside, as you can macro pet abilities to your abilities, is there any other reason?
nicely done! it’s great fun watching you playing with those poor poor warriors.
just a note about the font: its sometimes hard to read.
stick to raiding tap…i duel in raid gear,bm style….its like the crane technique no defense if done right…and if your worried about warriors…step up to blood dks…..their warriors on steroids….just wow,,,ive goten board with dueling …been to 9 servers and cant find any one that can beat me….so now i just hang out in tol bard waiting for 2 or more to fight,,,and to get where i am today…just takes time and the ability to read spells.
If you’re going to blather on and berate others abilities at least have the nuts to post your characters name and realm so you can back up your arrogance.
Someone ban this troll already.
+1 on adding a talk through walk through. I pvp daily, and unlike you, I have a bit of trouble with warriors quite often. I think it is jumping the gun with my trink, and not gaining distance quick enough. But, usually, I am smashed trashed, and rezzing in 5-8 secs. I run my pet on def, but manually cast web, I see u run passive, what are your thoughts other than dead pet= bad?
I’ve always had a fairly high APM (Starcraft/RTS term for Actions Per Minute – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbpCLqryN-Q) So I found it easy to control my pet, while doing everything else, quite specifically too, like moving him around corners using ctrl-3 so he LoS’s the opponents nukers, etc. It’s just a little extra control, not really that necessary, BUT you don’t want to ever want to be in a situation where you need to use your pet, perhaps web, on a target that it is out of line of sight of, because it was on defensive and followed your previous target around a corner to china.
^Above post was in reply to “Anonymous”.
To avoid any confusion: My earlier comment, as well as Ambev’s, were attached to a post which Frost has removed from the thread.
Hi Tap first of all i would like to say thanks for all the info u posted so far some of it has been helpful:).
I would like to say that i started arena late this season i play as BM for arena mainly in 2v2 with holy pala partner but have been struggling to hit the rating 1550 due to silly mistakes or points losses been weird compared to points gained from winning. if anyone wants to look me up i am on Chamber of Aspects EU armoury feel free to give advice if u spot a fault in gear pvp wise in pve i rock
anyway to the point i find warriors to be pretty easy now in arena since i got 3k+ res i usualy force the healer to pop all his/her trinkets then lock them down with pala stun waiting while i burn warrior down with full CD burst and with out heals warrior dead in about 4-6 sec lol love my pet he saved us more than once.
I would love to see more post/vids of u dealing with other classes though as someone said earlier knowing all class toolbox will give us that edge as i only play hunter it could be the dif for me to push that rating.
P.S Frost you rock all the info over past couple years as helped me become An awsome hunter plz both keep up the good work.
Rhonan — you can disagree, but please do so respectfully, with data or reasoned opinions, and without name calling. Perhaps you’d like to share your unbeatable character’s name and realm so people can take a look at your record and how you’re optimizing for pvp?
Actually, I would probably transfer one of my hunters to his realm, as right now I have four hunters here on Garrosh. I’m currently only PvPing with two of them. One is level 85, and getting some nice honor vendor gear. But my other is but mid 20′s, and I’m trying to level him solely on PvP. If Rhonan is as good as he says, I’d love to watch some, and learn a bunch.
That is, if…
Hello fanboy-Rhonan, it’s nice to see your egotistical comments flowing from one article of mine to another. I think we’re all ready to see your skills, so why don’t you stop talking yourself up and give us a video? Or are you all show and no go? You could whip us up some tutorial videos on how to deal with X, or you know, at the very least identify yourself with your armoury page? It’s a bit hard to believe you are as good as you say while your character name remains unknown.
Do us a favour and back up words with some actions, so we can know just how you got to “where i am today”. Cheers bud.
It’s funny, but I still can’t find a post of yours that mentions your toon’s name anywhere. I really am curious to see how far you’ve gotten in arena. Please post your character’s name here, so we can see for ourselves. If you don’t have the guts to do so, please refrain from all the denigrating comments and vague boasting. If you want to look up my toon, it’s Pepprdgefarm on Stormscale. I’m still fairly new to arena myself, so don’t pretend to be an expert. Time to put your money where your mouth is.
Good stuff, Tap. I appreciate your tips. Specially because it reminds us of a very good tip from “The Art of War:” know yourself and your opponent and you will be unbeatable. The other thing is a good tip from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Don’t Panic! Melee classes will attempt to close up.
Keeping track of their cooldowns is smart, exploiting a weakness instead of worrying about reduced dps on plate.
“Don’t Panic” …he says on today. May 25th. International Towel Day. The day we celebrate the life of Douglas Adams, the author of the Hitchhiker Trilogy.
Sorry for the OT. Neat vid Tap…maybe let the text hang a bit longer and perhaps fight a warrior that can avoid traps.
Unfortunately the quantity and quality of players on Saurfang was lacking, so I was unable to get the best footage, but I thought it would still serve the purpose of getting the gist of hunter v warrior strategy. The video is intended to be paused, and replayed a few times at parts to really see everything that is going on.
Firstly, this guides very useful, as my one and only level 85 is a hunter, and probably always will be (I mean, why switch to a hunter support class?). I have a very select knowledge of what other classes are capable of at 85, and this is generally limited to PvE. So information on their “big” PvP moves and what can be done to counter them is priceless to someone like me. Love the video too, just helps hammer home the message.
One on frost mages would be nice, anytime I meet one I spend the rest of my time trapped in a cold blue cage of despair.
Rhonan – what!? As the WHU has a long standing tradition of informing PvE hunters of how to squeeze every ounce of awesomesauce out of the cannon they are carrying, it has never delved deep into the PvP aspects of the game. As such many of the people who visit this site (fairly large assumption on my part) won’t be overly apedt at PvP. If, like me, you use these guides as a starter for ten, they are incredibly useful and insightful.
As Tap has said in previous posts/comments if your a fairly decent PvP ladder topping hunter this will probably all be fairly obvious to you and won’t cover all aspects in your opinion. But these guides arnt really designed for people like you, to be honest if your comments are as constructive as the last few you’ve posted I dont the WHU is designed for you.
One of the best way to learn how to raid/PvE is to do some PvP..
kiting, jumpshot, cc, reflexes, etc.. all needed in both, but pvp makes you learn it fast
Now we r talking
Awesome post Tap , as someone who has only played as hunter this is very very helpful.
This is exactly the sort of stuff I wanted to see. Not having alts for every class I don’t know the various things the other classes have to use. Great stuff Tap, PLEASE keep these coming.
Excellent, this is just what I was looking for as well.
Someone asked why all the jumping. JUMP SHOTS of course! When running away from a target, you can jump, do a 360 degree turn and land going the same direction, losing no speed, and keeping the gap. During that jump, while facing the target, you can squeeze off an instant shot. I do that all the time, even on my mage (which I try to play as if he were a hunter, lol). I’m assuming using a mouse to turn and run with. I have never used keyboard turning, and have slowly been remapping those keys into attacks since I dont use them for control.
Although, has anyone else noticed that while using strafe, you can run away from your target and still shoot at them? You just end up with a skewed camera view from the side, and cant see where you are running to. I was using the “A” to strafe with, and holding down the “RIGHT mouse button” to run away, while looking sideways. Anyone find this useful at all?
For those scarred, or not sure about PvP. FIRST THING TO REMEMBER: Your gear doesn’t take any damage from dieing in PvP. Unlike a dungeon or raid, where dieing 5 times can cost 50 gold in repairs, dieing in PvP will cost you very little. The damage received in PvP is measured in copper, sometimes silver, never gold.
Here’s a big tip too, do the Random BG’s, as often as you can. Also, do BG’s on their Holiday Weekend (Call to Arms). That BG will have extra honor points awarded, and you can build up a lot of honor VERY quickly to get gear with.
This past weekend was Strand of the Ancients. I played about 12 hours total SAT and SUN. I had no PvP gear to begin with. Now I have almost all the BLOODTHIRSTY gear from the Honor vendor. Boy what a difference that PvP gear makes. I went from less than 1k resilience (my level 85 gear I made with my LW, Bloodied dragonscale set) to over 2600 in less than 2 days. AND… The gear is better than my PVE gear I already had.
So not only did I get a lot of PvP experience, but I also got some nice upgrades in gear. So don’t be scarred! Just jump in, and do it.
My personal favorite is Strand of Ancients. It seems everyone else hates it, but I like it because its at most, 16 minutes total. And sometimes as quick as about 5 minutes. Lots of honor during that time, make sure to catch it when its on its Call to Arms.
when 4.1 is aired i broke my gun on arena =/ after 30+ mins battle
question; im really a hunter noob, i play a mage but im leveling my hunter and intent to use as my main, should you spec for peircing shots? because the dot from that breaks freezing trap and scatter shot
It’s up to you, and your playstyle. Do you need slightly more damage, or better control? If the former, spec piercing shots, if not, vice versa.
some nice moves Tap and some food for thought just a couple of questions
first I noticed you mounted a couple of times how did you get out of combat to mount ?
second you was timing the warriors cool downs is this with an addon or was you on coms with your mate to show us how its done or can you time just buy looking at warriors cast bars and cont down in your head (I know this is possible coming from a FPS back ground UT99) ?
great pvp series so far learnt a lot so far keep it up
He feign deathed to get out of combat.
Out of combat? You have to call back the pet, and then feign, and you’ll drop combat. It’s a trick I learnt from playing a rogue, and eating from, and into stealth.
Timing on the warrior’s cooldowns? Just memory and practice. It really just comes down to being familiar with the game. And if you can link or connect their cooldown(s) with your own, it’s even easier. For example, against a rogue, shadowstep has about the same cooldown as disengage.
I am a god* at PvP and I loved this type of information. As I watch the video I’m wishing I could more easily see what is happening with ability sequencing (other than slowing the video down, pausing, and searching for what icon just lit up). Would I be the only one interested in a slow-motion version of this type of thing with real-time voice over about what is exactly happening?
Warrior: charges
Hunter: x ability
Warrior: this
Hunter: uses fancy macro that dots warrior, feigns death, cancels dot, ice traps, uses trinket, rocket jumps, focused fire, trinket, and aimed shot. Easy peasy, like pie, people.
*-awful
I don’t think this is mentioned anywhere but, you can jump shot cobra shots if you time it right. Do one jump turn, to start up the shot, than another jump and turn to finish the shot when it’s almost done. It’s tricky to do the chaos that is pvping, but it can add some available focus to finish off a opponent with a signature move.
It’s easier to just run sideways, and constantly switch which side is facing the opponent, so you get a full 360 degree awareness of what’s around you.
Reading this makes me so happy I could cry. I have been looking for 1v1 guides all over the internet for ages.
haha very nice man…very nice…I’m not a PvP guy but it’s always nice to know other classes a bit so you know the approach you are going to use…
Usual encounter for me is outside when I make myself clear that I want to fight alliance. I usually look at their health and kind of decide that they have gear simillar to my own just by looking at them. I nearly always win unless its paladins I fight. Damn I hate thos faggoty light bringers.
Cheers m8 and continue the good work!!!
think ill be moving to a server near you frost…sounds like its time to hunt alies….see yall soon,,,just look for the only hunter out their with 1k resill pwning every one…and ive allreay posted my name and server here 6 times in past posts…the hunt is on and you are now my prey.
stalk ya latter
lol
if you have 1k resil, then I doubt who will be the prey 
ppl with 1k resil could be 2 shotted anytime, so please show your great skills in some vids so we no longer doubt about u or just shut up
This is so awesome, thank you! I don’t have much time to play at the moment, and so I’m STILL a noob at PvP weeks and weeks later (doing 3 BGs in a row once a week just isn’t that much practice), and I do tend to get owned by warriors. This is very very helpful… *rubs hands* Off for some more practising!
Hi Tap!
nice guides so far but i really feel like you left out (or i overlooked it in which case just ignore this post) the use of different pets especially in 1v1.
With the “new” Cata mechanics you are able to access 5 pets and thereby 5 pet ablities in the same duel. When Trap/Scattering/outranging an opponent youre able to get the demiss pet off without losing anything or very little but the gain is pretty awesome if i may say so myself:P
For the example of Hunter vs Warrior i’d usually go with:
– cat (pre duel agi buff) or Sting/Lock Jaw
– monkey “throw shit/blind”(to get the first trap off without a problem which can proof very hard otherwise – if the warrior is smart)
– spider (web, roar)
– crab (pin, intervene charge, roar, charge)
– scropid (disarm, intervene, roar)
I really feel like if a pet used its special ablity it out lived its purpose.
For everyone out there having trouble with keeping track of your opponents CDs i’d like to suggest the combination of Tidyplates and Icicle
Sorry for my outrages english i’m german;>
This is exactly the sort of stuff I’ve been waiting for. Thanks.
this video from 4.0.6 – but in 4.1 diminishing return of Charge was removed – so fulltime stun from it every charge
with so many warrior+priest setup on 2×2 arena who dispell traps this tactic looks not so good
anyway jumping was a nice tip
Aimed shot is a waste vs plate. the 3 secs you spend casting can be used to gain distance
its 50 focus for what barely hits harder than arcane shot (22 focus), don’t forget the 50 focus in turn makes you have to cast steady shot more while being closer to the warrior because of AiS cast time.
Starting in Camo and dropping a trap vs a war is meh too, any war worth their salt will spell reflect freeze trap seeing that opener,
Nice video Tap! I’ve been implementing these techniques in bg’s as well and they really help. The FD into mount is a nice trick to. Keep up the good work.
The video was pretty bad, its clear you dont know what you are doing and there are much much more efficient ways to killing a warrior
I just wanted to say, great video! It gives mediocre players like myself hope that improvement is possible.
Really great article with very interesting information. You might want to follow up to this topic!?! 2012
Hi- Mäyhem here from Spirestone
I think that this was a super helpful 1v1 post for learning how to beat warriors.
I would also just like to note that Scatter shot is a must for beating any good warrior.
A well timed scatter shot can get you max distance or completly negate a Throwdown.
I Always start my duels off in camo with a freezing trap at my feet.
You clearly show that even without entrapment warriors can ~easily~ be controlled and handled with proper Cd’s . Thumbs up for the video and thumbs up for WHU!!
I used your technique and beat a geared feral druid. I used masters call which i never used before and i think i will use it for now on lol. your guide helped a lot. keep it up!