3 DPS / 2 Healer Cleave
The balanced 5v5 approach — three DPS with two healers. More kill pressure than Eurocomp but less survivability. This template works with many DPS combinations (Warrior/Lock/Mage, Warrior/Rogue/Lock, Warrior/Hunter/Lock, etc.). The key is having enough burst to kill during CC windows while still having two healers to survive enemy pressure. A good middle ground for teams that find triple healer too slow.
General Strategy
Balance of aggression and survival. Three DPS means you have real kill pressure — MS + DoTs + burst from a third DPS creates overwhelming damage. Two healers keep you alive but you're more vulnerable to enemy burst than triple healer comps.
Win condition: coordinate a go where two enemy healers are CC'd and all three DPS unload on the kill target simultaneously. With MS debuff, DoTs, and burst during CC, most targets die in 4-6 seconds.
Building Your Team
Core: Arms Warrior (MS is mandatory) + SL/SL Warlock (DoTs + Soul Link) + Resto Druid or Paladin healer. The flex spots are: third DPS (Frost Mage, Sub Rogue, or BM Hunter) and second healer (whichever you didn't pick first).
Best third DPS options: Frost Mage adds Poly CC and Shatter burst. Sub Rogue adds Sap/Blind CC and opener burst. BM Hunter adds ranged pressure and Scatter/Trap CC. Pick based on what CC you need most.
Coordination
In 5v5, the biggest mistake is doing damage without coordinating. Three DPS doing random damage loses. Three DPS hitting the same target during CC on healers wins. Call goes clearly: 'Going [target], CC [healer 1] and [healer 2], go NOW.'
Matchups
vs Eurocomp (Triple Healer)
Hard. Triple healer is very durable and you lack the sustained mana drain to win the long game. Must score kills during CC chains. If the game goes 15+ minutes, triple healer wins the mana war.
- Must kill during CC chains
- Long game favors them
- Coordinate goes perfectly
- Mana war is tough
- Triple healer is very durable
vs Melee Cleave
Similar power level. Comes down to execution. Your third DPS adds damage they don't have. Their Rogue adds CC you might not have. Target calling decides.
- Similar power level
- Third DPS is your edge
- Their Rogue CC is their edge
- Execution wins
- Target calling decides
vs Caster Cleave
Close matchup. They have more CC, you have more sustained physical damage. Warrior must reach their casters. Spell Reflect. Protect your healers from CC chains.
- More physical damage
- Warrior must reach casters
- Spell Reflect
- Protect healers from CC
- Close matchup
vs 4 DPS Zerg
Favored. You have healers, they don't. Survive opener and you win. Two healers handle their burst. Then your sustained DPS wins.
- You have healers
- Survive opener
- Sustained DPS wins
- Two healers handle burst
- Favored