ARENA CHECKLIST (1-20)

Here is your comprehensive checklist for arena. This isn’t something you do once and you’re done. You want to review this weekly or monthly on your own, and continue to sharpen up in each area. There is a dedicated page for each item below.

Review each area below slowly and carefully, and you’ll see your arena score increase dramatically when you incorporate the information.

1. Abilities
Re-read all your abilities once a week to refresh for any small edges you may have forgotten about. Discuss them with other ppl that play your class. Re-read them after every patch. Know which ones are magic, not magic, dispellable, etc.

2. Add-ons
Do you have all your addons set up properly for arena?

3. Arena Strategies
Have you watched some PvP videos and talked to a few pros on our server to get an idea of what your role will be, both in terms of offense and defense? Perhaps read some forums (arena junkies closed down in 2018?) … At minimum, know how to best open with your comp.

4. Coaching
Find someone on the server that plays your class/spec at 2K+ level and ask for help. 9/10 people like to share advice and help out. Ask that person to sit in skype with your team and listen to your communication.

5. Communication Skills
Do you have a good mic, skype+vent, and are you ready to verbalize all CC’s you cast and on you, as well as calling out trinkets, etc?

6. Configuration: Spec / Reforge / Gems / Enchants / Glyphs
Have you picked a few top-10 player’s profile from arena junkies or armory to see what the best players are doing?

7. Counter Class Knowledge
Have you thought about which classes can remove your spells? Which ones you cannot CC with your CC ability? Etc… instead of memorizing the ones that don’t bother you, just memorize the 1-2 which can actually counter your offensive or defensive ability. Have you studied what classes are immune to your most important abilities? Do you have a contingency to handle those situations?

8. Defensive Strategy
Have you discussed with your partner how you will save him when he’s in trouble? Have you discussed how you will help him “reset” his toon to full hp/mana if needed?

9. Diminishing Returns
Have you figured out what DR you share with your teammate, and make sure that you have a good composition?

10. Duels
Invest in duels and make sure you can survive (as healer) or crush all 10 opponents. Work on your weak spots the most. Use duels as a way to find those blind/weak spots.

11. Equipment
Do your best to keep all your PC equipment up to date. Big screen, (5 or more) button mouse, full-size keyboard, good graphics card(s), a quiet room, and a good mic.

12. Fake Casting
Make sure you have /stopcasting built into ALL long-cast abilities that you have regardless of healer or dps

13. Keybindings
Are you 100% keybound? (not 70%, 80%, 90%…)

14. Macros
Have you reviewed a few sites for macros and set them all up (best tend to be on arena junkies)? Have you built in /stopcasting into all abilities? Do you have focus macros set for all applicable abilities?

15. Maps / Locations
Have you studied each map, and have an idea the best place to LOS, manage up/down, and figure out best way to separate opponents?

16. Match Preparation
Mark all players with a raid icon before each match. This will help you find each other quicker. Discuss based on the map where you go. For example, in sewers you might say “running left boxes.”

17. Offensive Cooldowns
Have you discussed with your team your OCD’s and how and when you will use them? Do you have an ideal sequence or two in mind?

18. Take Notes
Take notes on all difficult wins and losses, and be persistent and tenacious in terms of pushing yourself to improve. Figure out what classes tend to beat you. Duel them MORE. Get those players on skype and have them explain how they are beating you.

19. 525 Professions
Have you maxed out two 525 professions to get extra stats?

20. Healer Nuke Rotations
If your healer has a few seconds to help nuke a target, is he prepared?