PvP noobie looking for Graves/Murkalot/MPD strat

[Bellaryl]

So...now that I have 776 pets (638 unique), and more than 300 at level 25, I thought to try my hand at PvP and those achievements. I really don't like PvP as a rule. I'm not here to wtfpwn everyone, or to chomp on people out of sheer ego. I just would like enough wins to get my achievements and experience the whole PvP pet battling scene. Once I get my achievements, I'll go back to leveling my lowbies as normal!

I've done some research. Apparently the Graves / Murkalot / MPD team is a pretty solid one and I have them all. What I *don't* have is a reliable strategy for how to use the team - at least from groups I trust, like this one. I've looked on the warcraftpets site and on wowhead, but haven't found a good consensus on what to do. For pet battling, this is one of the nicest, most helpful sites, and the only place I'm brave enough to actually speak up and ask for help!

I would be really grateful to people who employ this team on a regular basis sharing their strategy with me. Many thanks in advance!

-- I'm still trying to get into the 4000 club! Next week is pet xp bonus days! WOOO!

[Aranesh]

Hey Bellaryl!
I'm not big into PvP myself but I stumbled upon this thread recently and I believe it might give you some good strategic hints for a Graves team: http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/15161313510
Hope there's some good info in for you
Good luck with the pvp achievements!

[Chibimage]

If it's any interest - my Graves, Fossilized Hatchling, Tolai Hare Pup entirely wrecks that team every time. In fact, (insanely) my pvp team is undefeated, over 100 wins so far. It got so ridiculous I don't even do the weekly anymore, I feel as if I won pvp. lol So if you've seen me and the Fossilized Hatchling is named Deeno and my Tolai bunny is Thumper and I beat you, sorry, that was me. (Graves' name I kept)

Just because it seems like a good idea to buff your Graves AOE once with Murkalot, it opens you up to too much vulnerability. Giving your opponent an opportunity to get a free attack in isn't a good idea. All that switching is going to be a downhill battle. Against regular teams it will work - but against any strong meta team, not so great.

I think everyone should use my team, by the way, so the meta becomes so ridiculous Blizzard looks at changing how overpowered those two undead pets are.

[Kel]

For those of us without Graves, or Murkalot, we'll just stay out of PvP all together.

[Tekulve2012]

Chibi..
You've got a great pet site with some fun and useful pet stuff..I appreciate what you've done there...but your post here may be misleading.

Anyone who wins 100 pet pvp matches likely has some mastery of the particular chosen pets moves and how to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.

Graves is a top tier pet...Foss.Hatch. has the undead racial and added AoE damage ..so also a very good pet.
Rabbits are ok with their avoidance and speed...

If an inexperienced pvp player were to use that trio(I believe) they would get some wins sure... but Graves offers an instant advantage much like the fragment of anger, (h/h) bone serpent and in most cases the MpDragonling

Rabbits get maimed by speedier pets with thrash..like the Imperial eagle chick(p/p) and others...2× ..or 3x undead on a team doesnt always work either...lots of pets hurt them quickly and badly...vengeful porcs, alpine foxlings and some aquatics to soak damage or take weak damage from undead atks
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pet pvp success does not require murkalot or graves...for those who want proof...check out Discodoggy's pet pvp blog..the guy regularly wins with lesser used comps
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PS
For the love of everything sacred folks, check out the pet pvp value of stun moves(especially on a s/s breed)..pets like the puddle terror, slithershock elver and others really hurt your opponent's plans...many people switch out after a stun, which often further improves your control of the match..or can negate the extra turn the undead racial gives

Another useful pet pvp bunch of moves are : shields (emporer crab ore eater,etc) or sandstorms (anubisath,etc) and crouch (fox, worgs ,mr wiggles)...these mitigate AoE damage to various degrees of success..unfortunately , humanoids need to avoid Graves so plan to dispatch with Graves asap if there is a humanoid in your comp

[Chibimage]

I don't *only* have 100 pvp wins, I only have well over 2000 -- but my Graves, Foss Hatch and Tolai Hare Pup team has 100+ undefeated wins. Since I began using that team, I have not lost a single match up. I've only had 1 tie.

Don't shake a stick at the Tolai Hare Pup, you mention the one bird with Thrash -- yet, no one* runs with that bird. I often don't even have to use my Tolai Hare Pup, most fights are finished by Graves. (* there are always small exceptions)

Graves is also not hard to get, just time consuming. Heroes of the Storm is free to play, and getting level 20 is free as well. It was really fun to get, too and I learned all about MOBAs, which added to the overall fun as well. I played with my husband and two sons often, we had a great time.

All I'm saying is, my team is stupidly overpowered. More people *should* use it, so Blizzard might actually look at how stupidly overpowered strong moves are with the undead racial.

I honestly prefer themed and fun teams -- unfortunately they do poorly in PVP.

[Drudatz]

I don't *only* have 100 pvp wins, I only have well over 2000 -- but my Graves, Foss Hatch and Tolai Hare Pup team has 100+ undefeated wins. Since I began using that team, I have not lost a single match up. I've only had 1 tie.
All I'm saying is, my team is stupidly overpowered. More people *should* use it, so Blizzard might actually look at how stupidly overpowered strong moves are with the undead racial.

yes please more people use that team so I get more wins against it with my Blossoming Ancient, Singing Sunflower and a Ore Eater your team is so easy to beat cause it cant outdmg my heals.

Don't shake a stick at the Tolai Hare Pup, you mention the one bird with Thrash -- yet, no one* runs with that bird.

Please mate we understand you just started pvp battles but here in eu I have seen people use that pet.

Graves is also not hard to get, just time consuming. Heroes of the Storm is free to play, and getting level 20 is free as well. It was really fun to get, too and I learned all about MOBAs,

It might be fun to YOU but most people i know that are pet collectors hate them...

[Tekulve2012]

Hiya again Chibi

My post didnt suggest that you only had 100 wins, I simply said ..anyone with 100 pet pvp wins would get the importance of using pet abilities properly

I also never whined about Graves..I have the pet and can tell you he participated in a dozen or so of my 2.5k pet pvp wins

The game is undead heavy ..so there will be people running undead counter teams...just not well against you it seems...I urge people to get into pet pvp if they enjoy battling with their pets...Discodoggy's Blog (with vids now)...shows that any pet team can be beaten
Tekulve

[Chibimage]

yes please more people use that team so I get more wins against it with my Blossoming Ancient, Singing Sunflower and a Ore Eater your team is so easy to beat cause it cant outdmg my heals.

[/quote]

Er, well, someone runs that team in my meta and I beat them consistently. He just forfeits now when I get him in a battle.

Perhaps my long experience in PvP pet battles helps me make better choices in gameplay. I've found that most people begin with Graves. That is a mistake.

Edit:

I love Discodoggy's site - but he gets insanely lucky with his matchups. On Stormrage, there is very little variation in opponents. I've been told by GMs that we pool from the entire region for our battle pet matchups in PvP but I think they're wrong. The meta is so different for people on all the different servers. I think it's our battlegroup. It's also time of day as well and time of week. You will always get the OP teams on Tuesday & Wednesday while everyone is doing their 10 weekly wins. At the end of the week on Sunday & Monday you will see more variation.

[Tekulve2012]

Hiya
People who have done pet pvp should know that you wont win many games on auto pilot

Sure a 3x Fragment of Anger,bone serpent or MpD could get you some no brainer wins but what would be the point.

I still contend that many 'advantage gaining'moves are under used in pet pvp...people scream for Murkalot and Graves nerfs...but a speedy pet that stuns ... shields, ...crouch ....sandstorm all throw a wrench into opponents' plans

the (p/b breed) alpine foxling in particular really pounds undead and has great lasting power when crouched...i highly recommend people try it vs undead
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I greatly respect Discodoggy's ability as a battler ...
I love the creativity he has as a team builder.

He often posts cool pet battle screenshots...which I love since the art work shown in the settings for battles..and our pets in action... are way underrepresented on the web.

I agree his meta is weak by times ..I never get to face some of the chump trios he shows ..but I guess your pet pvp matchups are as susceptible to rng as anything else in WoW...and beating great teams is rewarding

[Drudatz]

Er, well, someone runs that team in my meta and I beat them consistently. He just forfeits now when I get him in a battle.

Did you just claim you win with Graves, Foss Hatch and Tolai Hare Pup vs Blossoming Ancient, Singing Sunflower and a Ore Eater while not starting with Graves? sorry but there is no way that is even remotly possible as long as tree and flower have heal and sunlight each.

[Papazol]

What I *don't* have is a reliable strategy for how to use the team - at least from groups I trust, like this one.

1. Murkalot - bless. hammer, fallin murloc, rughteous inspir.
2. Graves - consume, bonestorm, grave destruction.
3. MPD - bress, thunder bolt, decoy.
turn 1 - murkalot - rughterious insp.
turn 2 - graves - bonestorm.
turn 3 - graves - consume.
turn 4 - graves - grave destruction
turn 5 - graves - consume.
turn 6 - graves - bonestorm
turn 7 - graves - consume
turn 8 - graves has all skills on CD, so if he isn't dead yet, you may switch him on murkalot.
turn 9 - murkalot - rughterious insp.
turn 10 - MPD - thunder bolt
turn 11 - MPD - decoy
turn 12 - switch on murkalot
etc.
Main idea this team in aoe dmg. Grave destruction and thunder bolt are the more effective than less alive pets opponent left. Bonestorm does more dmg for full team. In most common case, you will kill one from backline pets without it will enter to battle.
Your opponents will try to change your game order with some stuns, swaps etc. And you need some expirience to play with it. Sometime you will lose.
But, from another side, in like 1/3 battles ppl just will flee from your team before start, so...

[Chibimage]

Sorry Drud, it's quite possible, because I easily beat that team with mine, every time. (Takes forever, yawn - stall teams are the trolliest of them all) He just doesn't do any damage so none of my pets die, while the damage that I can do is just a bit more than what he can heal, and so, it's an assured win.

The guy figured this out, and so, simply forfeits when he gets me as an opponent.

[Bellaryl]

Hey Papazol - thank you SO much for your strategy, that's exactly what I was hoping for...not just the rotation, but what the strategy behind it was. Your post was really helpful, and I wanted to thank you!

[Discodoggy]

Thanks for the mentions. I hope you two, and everyone else, are enjoying the pet battle event. There sure seems to be a lot of Molten Corgis around

gets insanely lucky with his matchups.

I agree his meta is weak by times ..I never get to face some of the chump trios he shows

I hear this a lot, I can only assume that people are facing MPDs, Ore Eaters, Teroclaw Hatchlings, Bone Serpents and FoAs much more frequently on other metas. Here's the (already outdated) data from my meta:

http://pvppetbattles.com/2015/08/11/100 ... -pvp-data/

I guess I'm lucky to see that much variety.

[Rafein]

Usually the guy will open with Murkalot, and then go to Graves.

A Night SHade Sproutling with Blind ruins his opening. I also have a team with 2 critters and a Ghostpup, and Ghostpup's shield can have your entire team block one attack.

[Tekulve2012]

The foss.hatch is just an ok pet, running 2 x undead is easy to beat unless you're talking the ghastly kid/graves consume corpse exploit

The MpD is far tougher to handle, especially if the player saves it to be his/her finisher

[Mrbeankc]

It's reached the point that you can't win in pvp without getting the promotional pets. It's like Magic The Gathering. You will lose simply because someone else spent more money than you did. Graves is a perfect example of this.

[Grinderman]

Ummmmm....HotS was free.