Frost mage / mutilate rogue 2v2

[Rixy]

This guide isn't finished because there's a few things I'd like to add, I also want some criticism from the people who browse these forums. I'm fine with adding more strategies for different teams compositions as well.


General Information

This is one of the best, if not the best 2v2 comp for Mages and Rogues that is currently available. It's easy to learn, but I'd argue hard to master. It takes quickly coordinated CC and a clutch opener to pull off a win, but when it goes wrong you're going to need a lot of patience.

Strengths

The synergy between Mages and Rogues allows for large amounts of pressure through damage and CC. This team is also very capable of going defensive against certain comps in order to reset the fight multiple times. It is not uncommon to get 3+ minute long games as this team, depending on the map and situation.

Weaknesses

As you would expect, many games can be decided as a win or loss in an instant. An unlucky blind resist can screw up your CC chain and allow your opponent to score a lucky kill on your rogue. When something like that happens, which I guarantee you it will, then you're just going to have to be patient.

For Mages

It is very important for your rogue to stay alive, it is also important that you use every CC available in order to score a kill while supplementing your rogues damage. Use Deep Freeze as CC.

You are going to want to be Spellstealing a lot vs certain teams, and Invisibility is another tool you'll be using liberally.

For Rogues

The opener is EVERYTHING for this team, so you're going to want to make sure you get a perfect one. Blowing Sprint in order to get a sap is perfectly acceptable; the longer you wait, the easier it is for your opponents to get the opener that you guys need so much.

As with most Rogue comps, patience is a virtue. You WILL get Hammered/Icy Touched/Ice Lanced/Auto Attacked out of Vanish multiple times, you just need to deal with the loss and move on.

Builds

Mage: 20/0/51

Rogue: 41/5/25

Gear

Mages

Gem for haste, and itemize for whatever else you feel comfortable with. I know some Mages who roll with 450 resilience and 700+ haste, and others chose to settle with around 450 haste and 650 resilience. It all depends on how you play. Engineering makes this team a hell of a lot easier, so I suggest you pick it up.

Rogues

The most important thing for you is to get FULL PvP gear, you're going to want to be pushing 800 resilience. Grab as much stealth gear as you can get your hands on, and pug Naxxaramas for some good weapons. Again, Engineering helps this comp so much, so you really need to train it.

Glyphs
Mage
There is no right answer for glyphs as far as Mages go, but I'll give you my choice anyway.

Glyph of Icy Veins
Glyph of Evocation
Glyph of Ice Lance

Addons and Macros

Addons

I've found that Power Auras, Spellalert, Afflicted2, Mage Fever and Gladius help a ton as far as Mages go, and I'm sure a few of them work out well for Rogues as well. My partner only uses Gladius and Afflicted, the bare minimum, and he does well.

Mage Macros

Quick Ice Block
Quote:
#showtooltip Ice Block
/stopcasting
/cancelaura Ice Block
/cast Ice Block
Water Elemental Summon + Nova
Quote:
#showtooltip Summon Water Elemental
/cast [nopet] Summon Water Elemental
/click PetActionButton5
Quick Pet Dismiss
Quote:
/script PetAbandon()
Counterspell/Counterspell Focus
Quote:
#showtooltip Counterspell
/cast [modifier:shift, target=focus] Counterspell
/cast [nomodifier:shift] Counterspell
Polymorph/Polymorph Focus
Quote:
#showtooltip Polymorph
/cast [modifier:shift, target=focus] Polymorph
/cast [nomodifier:shift] Polymorph
Deep Freeze/Deep Freeze Focus
Quote:
#showtooltip Deep Freeze
/cast [modifier:shift, target=focus] Deep Freeze
/cast [nomodifier:shift] Deep Freeze
Rogue Macros

My rogue doesn't use any macros, but I might add some basic ones later.

The Matchups

These are going to be written from my perspective, which includes instructions for the Rogue as well. Some of the more common, scrub friendly, teams are going go be receiving two difficulty ratings because you can encounter terrible players above 2200 this Season.

Death Knight/Holy Pally

Difficulty if they're good: 10/10
Difficulty if they're bad: 7/10

This set up is both your easy way to the top, and your quick way back down again. You can play them and do absolutely every thing right only to get nailed with some nasty RNG and lose the match.

I like to think that most of these teams contain bad players, so while it is easy to farm them, it's a hard loss because you know you lost to unskilled players.

You are going to be killing the Death Knight while using every bit of CC you have on his partner. Have your rogue take a wide route to the Paladin for the sap, as Death Knights are known to put DnD in the middle of arenas. If the Death Knight rushes you, you need to use Invisibility to open up on the Death Knight with a shatter combo at the exact time your rogue is opening.

The biggest challenge is Spellstealing Blessings. You're going to want to get them off ASAP so that you can continue to CC the healer. By the time sap is off the Paladin, the Death Knight should be fairly low, so put him into another Polymorph, if he does not Bubble, his partner will die.

When he Bubbles, you both need to book it and reset the fight, unless you're sure you can get a kill. Anyways, come back with a CC chain on the Paladin, it should be easy because you can use Blind after bubble.

Unfortunately, Death Knights tend to bug Vanishes A LOT, these fights can ultimately depend on your luck in order to win.


Death Knight/Resto Shaman

Difficulty if they're good: 6/10
Difficulty if they're bad: 5/10

This isn't nearly as common as pala (holy) / Dk so you shouldn't expect to see it after the 2200 brackets, but just in case you do, don't be scared of it.

You want to kill the Death Knight. Open with a Sap on the Shaman, spellsteal Earth Shield and Bloodlust, and keep a CC train on the Shaman. The Death Knight should die very easily, but like all Death Knight teams, you can still lose to bad luck.

Death Knight/Resto Druid

Difficulty: 9/10

We don't have more than one of these at a high rating on our Battlegroup, thank god. This is nearly impossible for you to beat if you're equally skilled. I'd suggest going on the Death Knight, but your limited CC is going to screw you over in the end. A Death Knight with his survivability is only further empowered by HoTs, so you shouldn't be able to win this fight.

It may be possible to force a trinket on the Druid with a blind and switch hard on to him, but if the Death Knight has half a brain, he'll Lichborne+Deathgrip and your switch is ruined.

Priest/Rogue

Difficulty: 7/10

Depending on the races of both teams, this fight can easily go either way. For this match, it really is all about your opener.

I start out using Invisibility whenever I see this comp in any arena. Our strategy is to Sap the Priest while I'm Invisible, and I open up by Spellstealing most of the Priests buffs. I open with a wide ranged Shatter Combo on the Priest while my Rogue opens hard then Vanishes to try to pull the Rogue out.

When their Rogue opens on yours, you need to Deep Freeze him immediately. I can not stress how important it is for you to force a trinket on the Rogue so that he can eat a full Blind.

Usually, with this kind of opener, you should be on your way to winning, but a Rogue with dispels can give your Rogue and you hell, so make sure you CC him well.

Mage/Rogue

Difficulty: 7/10

Ah, Mirrors. These fights can really go any possible way, which is why I hate them so much. One strategy that I love in particular, is to go Invisible and let my Rogue sap the other team's Mage so that I can Spellsteal his buffs and open with a Shatter Combo. However, this is easily countered by the Mage going Invisible.

If you can't find the Rogue out of stealth, just let the two Mages go at it until an Ice Block is forced, or one of you is found out of stealth. I'd say kill the Rogue if you find him, fake the Mage's Counterspell then Counterspell his Polymorph and the Rogue is dead for sure. Keep in mind, you can kill the Mage very easily if he is forced to Ice Block early.


Frost Mage/Disc Priest

Difficulty: 5/10

If you get a sap, it's a 0/10. Just counterspell any one of the Mage's trees and you'll kill the Priest.

Frost Mage/Frost Mage

Difficulty: 9/10

Having run both comps myself, I can say without a doubt that Double Frost Mage is a hard counter to Mage/Rogue. They are going to kill your rogue, and there is almost nothing you can do about it. You need to score a kill on one of the Mages by spamming as much damage into him as possible and hope your rogue doesn't get kited too hard by their incredibly high amount of snares available so that you can bring it down to a Mage vs Mage duel.

A sap is vital, but if they're smart they will just both use Invisibility and get into combat on you. This team can kill both of you, so if you're the Rogue, do not stay in stealth too long.

Warlock/Holy Pally

Difficulty if they're good: 6.5/10
Difficulty if they're bad: 1/10

I have mixed feelings about how difficult this team really is. We usually focus the Warlock while we CC the Paladin, but a broken/bugged Vanish means an instant loss vs this team.

Just force their cooldowns through damage and control and reset the fight once Bubble is used. If your Rogue dies to the Warlock, and you score a counter kill, just kite around until you can finish the Paladin.

Hunter/Holy Pally

Difficulty if they're good: 5/10
Difficulty if they're bad: 4/10

This is just a stupid team to fight, it really is. You are going to be killing the Hunter with CC on the Paladin. With this team, we don't usually reset the fight on Bubble, we keep damaging.

This isn't always hard to win, because most Hunter/Holy Pallys are absolutely terrible, but when you fight a team with good players, it's a hard fight to win.

Open with a shatter combo into your Rogue's cheap shot, and follow up the Sap with a Sheep, and then a Deep Freeze. By the second sheep, the hunter should already be using Deterrence, so you're more than half way there.

Remember, it is 100% necessary that you keep the Hunter slowed so your Rogue can pump damage into him. Spellsteal Freedom, Sac and BoP and you should win. If you chose, you can reset the fight and reopen after Bubble, but you don't have to.

Hunter/Resto Shaman

Difficulty if they're good: 510
Difficulty if they're bad: 1/10

I feel like an idiot for having to rewrite this, but this is one of the teams you're going to get your points from.

Just open with a Sap on the Shaman, and kill the Hunter. Counterspell the Shaman if he casts something, or if the Hunter is low. You should Spellsteal Earth Shield and make sure you keep the Hunter snared for your Rogue.


Warrior/Resto Shaman

Difficulty: 4/10

While this team has the propensity to severly screw you over on maps like Dalaran Sewers, you should beat it without a problem unless your Rogue is really tired and you're fighting Thorriorc and he tells you to kill the Shaman; do not kill the Shaman.

You want to be killing the Warrior while you CC the Shaman. Reset the fight if things get too dangerous, and make sure you don't underestimate a Warrior's damage. Ultimately, a Warrior without dispels isn't a successful Warrior against Rogue/Mage.

Warrior/Holy Pally

Difficulty: 5/10

This is much like Death Knight/Holy Pally, only it takes skill to play and it doesn't rely on RNG to beat your team as much. Focus the Warrior, sap the Paladin and Spellsteal his Blessings. Warriors can tank very well, and their damage is also something to be afraid of. While this can be an easy win, it can also be a fast loss.

Reset the fight when Bubble is used, and you should win when you reopen.

Ret Paladin/Resto Shaman

Difficulty if they're good: 8/10
Difficulty if they're bad: 6/10

I'd say this counters Mage/Rogue, but if you sap the Paladin then steal Earth Shield from the Shaman during Cheap Shot then Shatter, you should be okay. Use Images on this fight in order to **** over the Paladin. Just Spellsteal SaC or BoP. You can reset this fight on Bubble if you need to.

Ret Paladin/Disc Priest

Difficulty if they're good: 9/10
Difficulty if they're bad: 6/10

You should start with a Sap on the Paladin while you somehow Spellsteal as many of the Priest's buffs during the Paladins Sap. Your Rogue can open any time, and you'll need to keep CCing the Paladin. Once the CC runs out, you'll see a BoP, which should be a little easier to Spellsteal since you took most of his buffs in the beginning.

If you can take BoP, you just might win, if you get resists, you will lose for sure. By now, the Paladin is on DR with your CC, Pain Suppression is still up, and you're screwed.

Feral Druid/Disc Priest

Difficulty: 5/10

Thank you to Hyped of Ysondre for this strategy, I've never fought this team.

Treat this like Rogue/Disc, you want to head over there and Spellsteal the Priest's buffs while he is sapped, then hve the Mage open hard to draw the Feral Druid out. CC him with Gouge, Deep Freeze and Blind. You need to kill the Priest ASAP.

Feral Druid/Holy Paladin

Difficulty: 7/10

Treat this just like Feral/Disc, only it's a little bit harder. You'll be killing the Paladin and it's imperative that you force a bubble with in the first few seconds or you will lose. CC the druid with Gouge, Deep Freeze and Blind when he opens. Again, he needs to open on the Mage for it to work.

Once Bubble is used, have the Mage mess around with the Feral Druid while you get back into stealth. Reopen, and win.

[Martin240]

And again, copy+paste from:
[Guide] [2v2] Frost Mage/Mutilate Rogue - Arena Junkies Forums

[Overheat405]

lol glyph of ice lance onely does x4 dmg on target over lvl 80 (if u are lvl 80) so that glyph might be good for some lowbe bg or something but not for lvl 80 arena

i sugest Glyphs:
Icy veins
Evocation
Ice barrier

[Miksu]

Definetly copy pasta.

[Rixy]

I wrote this guide in Arenajunkies

[mowned41]

Nice guide, ty but ice lance over barrier glyph? No chance

[Gnomesquashr]

As most said, directly from arena junkies. If it would've been laid up here before arenajunkies it would've been more respected, now it's not possible to say if you wrote it or not. No rep because of lazyness until proven wrong!

[Tumvante]

Your shift click macros dosent work with key bindings? for example if I would have counterspell on button 1 and have fire blast key binded to shift + button 1 then ur macro dosent work or?

[Coolio Jenkins]

well I kinda liked it seeing as im a frost mage and can never master rogue/mage 2s