Warrior + Ele Shaman + Frost Mage + Disc Priest + Holy Paladin
Also known as: 2345 (Warrior/Ele/Mage)
Overview
Trades the Warlock for a Frost Mage: less sustained pressure, more control and a much sharper opener with Polymorph and Counterspell.
Playstyle
Open fast. Mage controls one healer with Polymorph while the Warrior and Shaman burst the kill target. If the opener fails, reset with Ice Block and Frost Nova and go again on the next Elemental Mastery.
Why It Works
Polymorph and Hammer of Justice remove both enemy healers at once, and the Warrior plus Shaman burst is enough to kill almost any target inside that window. The Priest and Paladin cover the fragile ranged players with externals.
Win Conditions
- Polymorph one healer, Hammer of Justice the other, burst the third player
- Counterspell a heal during the Elemental burst
- Chain Frost Nova and Intercept to keep a caster in Mortal Strike range
- Kill within the first minute before enemy cooldowns recover
Strengths
- Explosive opener with multiple instant control effects
- Counterspell and Earth Shock deny key heals
- Frost Mage survives well with Ice Block and Ice Barrier
- Double healer core with Blessing of Freedom and Pain Suppression
Weaknesses
- Less sustained damage than Warlock variants if the burst fails
- Mage and Shaman are both fragile against melee cleaves
- Dispels can strip Polymorph quickly against Paladin or Priest
- Requires precise timing across five players
Tips & Tricks
Mage announces Polymorph target and timing; nobody breaks it
Shaman uses Elemental Mastery only when the healer is controlled
Warrior Intercepts the kill target as the sheep lands, not before
Priest keeps Shadow Word: Pain on the enemy Mage to punish Polymorph attempts
Countered By
- Melee cleaves that train the Mage
- Comps with strong dispel coverage