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R1 Behaviors & Coaching Points

Learn the specific behaviors, positioning, and decision-making patterns that separate R1 players from the rest

Healers

Holy Paladin

  • Anchor positioning: Midline, never frontline
  • Pre-Sac swaps: Sac before CC, not after
  • Clemency management: Double Freedom/Bop proactively on melee core
  • Playmaker role: Calls entire team's defensive rotation

Holy Priest

  • Mass Dispel timing: Always ready for Bubble/Block
  • Preemptive GS: Guardian Spirit before lethal damage
  • Grip mastery: Save allies from swaps or Grip enemies into CC chains
  • Spectral Guise: Breaks CC chains or sets up Fear

Resto Druid

  • Cyclone engine: Off-healer + CC bot, rotates Cyclones flawlessly
  • Beam + Vortex synergy: Chains with Boomkin
  • Pre-positioning: Max range before swaps
  • Drinks constantly: Never OOM at R1

Mistweaver Monk

  • Pre-Cocoon: Saves targets before swaps
  • Ring of Peace: Shut down melee trains
  • Transcendence mastery: Always has port ready for swaps
  • Offensive CC: Paralysis → Leg Sweep → swap pressure

Resto Shaman

  • Totem rotation: Tremor on Fear, Grounding on Polys, Cap for peels
  • AMZ anchor: Spirit Link always on swaps, never random
  • Purge trains: Strips enemy defensives proactively
  • Hex off targets: Hex healer on team swaps

Core Melee

Arms Warrior

  • MS uptime: Mortal Strike always up
  • Banner timing: Skull Banner → team burst, Demo Banner → peel
  • Reflect mastery: Mass Reflect clutch CC
  • Peel role: Intervene/Charge stuns to peel melee off healers

Unholy Death Knight

  • Gorefiend setups: Pull entire team into CC chain
  • AMZ anchor: Always ready for caster pushes
  • Disease spread: Rot pressure on whole team
  • Grip discipline: Only grips into kill setups

Feral Druid

  • Bleed anchor: Rip/Rake rolling on everyone
  • Bash → Cyclone setups: Offensive CC every kill go
  • Node play: Solo ninja/defend mastery
  • Displacer escapes: Never dies to melee swaps

Subtlety Rogue

  • Sap play: Cross-saps off healer CC
  • Smoke Bomb: Drops bombs only in kill setups
  • Vanish bombs: Uses vanish as offensive CC extender
  • Node control: Wins bases by pressure + CC, not damage

Retribution Paladin

  • Utility anchor: Sac/Bop/Freedom perfectly for swaps
  • HoJ chains: HoJ healer every kill go
  • Execution Sentence: Lined up with Warrior/DK burst
  • Off-heals: Keeps teammates alive during healer CC

Windwalker Monk

  • Ring of Peace: Shuts down melee trains in backline
  • FoF kill anchor: Leg Sweep + FoF for burst kills
  • Port mastery: Transcendence always ready for swaps
  • Paralysis chains: Disables healer on kill goes

Casters

Frost Mage

  • Poly bot: Never lets healer breathe
  • Deep + Orb combos: Burst only inside CC windows
  • Ring mastery: Ring choke points or defensive peel
  • Peel role: Novas/CoC to keep melee off healers

Affliction Warlock

  • DoT uptime: Full spread at all times
  • Fear chains: Fear → DR resets, perfect CC
  • Gateway anchor: Sets gates proactively for team
  • Rot mindset: Focus on AoE attrition, not single kills

Destruction Warlock

  • CB setups: Chaos Bolts only inside stun/CC
  • Fear discipline: Fear healer before every CB go
  • Shadowfury anchor: Sets up kills with AoE stun
  • Defensive usage: Never dies with defensives unused

Balance Druid

  • Starfall anchor: Always has AoE pressure rolling
  • Beam + Vortex: Defines fights with CC combos
  • Off-heals: Plays like second healer with HotW
  • Pre-positioning: Never out of place on swaps

Shadow Priest

  • MD bot: Mass Dispel clutch bubbles/blocks
  • Fear chains: Psychic Scream → CC rotations
  • VE clutch: Vampiric Embrace saves team on zergs
  • Off-healer: Flash Heal spam during pressure windows

Elemental Shaman

  • Midline positioning: Between team and backline
  • Kick discipline: Kicks enemy healer on CD
  • NS Hex sequencing: After trinkets/dispels
  • Purge bot: Strips defensives proactively

Hunters & Tanks

Survival Hunter

  • Trap play: Freezing Trap healer every swap
  • Roar of Sacrifice: Always used on kill target
  • Peel bot: Roots, slows, scatter to peel melee off healers
  • Kiting anchor: Never dies, constant pressure

Beast Mastery Hunter

  • Pet utility: Roar of Sacrifice, interrupts, freedom
  • Burst discipline: Bestial Wrath only in kill windows
  • Trap → Kill Command: Defines swaps with trap chains
  • Pet management: Never lets pet die, positions correctly

Guardian Druid

  • Flag carrier anchor: Knows peel rotations perfectly
  • Pre-CD usage: Barkskin/Instincts before burst
  • Mobility mastery: Dash/Displacer → never caught
  • Peel synergy: Vortex + Bash to reset pressure

Protection Paladin

  • Utility tank: Hands on teammates, not just self
  • Bubble discipline: Only for swaps
  • HoJ play: Stuns healer on swaps
  • Defensive caller: Leads defensive CD rotations

R1 Core Principles

Positioning is Everything

R1 players are never caught out of position. They anticipate swaps and pre-position accordingly.

CD Management

Perfect cooldown usage - never waste defensives, always have them ready for the right moment.

Team Coordination

R1 players call everything and coordinate perfectly with their team. Communication is key.

Pressure & Control

Constant pressure through damage, CC, and utility. Never let the enemy team breathe.

Adaptability

Read the game state and adapt strategies on the fly. No rigid playbooks.

Objective Focus

Every action serves the team's objective. Personal glory takes a backseat to team success.