With Blizzard's fast approaching $120k arena tournament, it's time to look at the popular 3v3 formats that should play a key roll in the event. While setups change faster that starting 5s in Counter-Strike, its still a good base for understand how the "paper-rock-scissors" nature of 3v3 arena tournament play. Each setup can be countered by another setup making the organization of teams the most important element to success at the top level.

The most popular 3v3 combination for teams rated over 2200 is the Rogue, Mage, and Priest, also known as "RPM" or "RMP". This team heavily focused on ending the match fairly quickly with the Mage and Rogues burst damage. Depending on the Rogues spec, their playstyle varies. For instance, if the Rogue is specced into Mutilate, the Rogue will have good solid damage with poisons and decent mobility. If the Rogue is Shadowstep, they cannot be easily kited by other classes, have sharper burst damage, and may live longer with the Cheat Death ability.

The rogues primary role in the group is to burst a target down, and looking for the right time to effectively use his Crowd Control abilities such as Blind on an opponent. The Mages job is to time his Counterspells effectively from healers and potential match winning attacks from the other team. Sheeps should always be used to keep your team at an advantage. The priests job is obviously to keep your team alive with heals, but that does not mean the Priest cannot play agressively using spells like Mana Burn. Mass Dispel should always be the Priests main spell that could possibly make or break your game. Theoretically you would want to use it to dispel things like bubbles and Heal over Time spells.

This combination can be a bad match up against a team with a Druid and a Warlock. The team may also suffer some difficulties due to limited life with the Priest and Mage.

The second most popular build for arena teams over 2200 would be the Druid, Warrior, and Rogue. This team relies on continuous damage from the Rogue and Warrior with the Druid staying alive from any attackers that might try to kill him or her. The Warriors main job is to deal damage and keep up Mortal Strike on their target. If acceptable you may help the Druid kite by using the Hamstring ability on a melee target.

The Rogue should use his intterupts and Crowd Control abilities to help out the Druid as much as possible while dealing damage to their target as his main priority. The Rogue should always have poisons on. The Druids job is to keep his allies alive by casting healing spells like Life-Bloom and Rejuvination. The rest of the team will depend on the Druid to Cyclone and Entangling Root's their opponents to keep them disabled. The Druid is also expected to ling of sight and kite opponents who try to kill him or burn his mana.

This combination is exceptionally good with survivabilty, late game burst, and can become very productive with well timed Crowd Control. Good matchups for this team are teams with Warlocks, because Rogue's and Warrior's use melee as their source of damage, and with so many intterupts and stuns, the Warlock will go down fairly quickly while not being able to cast off any fears. Bad matchups for this team
is the RPM combination, beacuse dispells will destroy the Druid HoT's. Priests and Purges are the countercomp for this group and can change your whole play style from agressive to completely defensive.

The third most popular combination is the Rogue, Warlock, and Druid. This team focuses on fear as their main advantage. The Rogue will normally focus on DPS and will blind/kick if neccesary. They should always have poisons on. The Warlock should Crowd Control the chosen target with fear and offer DPS to aid the Rogue.

They may also want to use their Mana Drain ability if neccesary and have a Fel Hunter out for certain situations like keeping the team mobile and Spell Locking enemies like Mages. The Druid, depending on the situation, could be have the team be a little more reliant on the Druids survivability, though the Druid needs to try his best to keep his Warlock alive and mobile. The Druid should use his Entangling Roots and Cyclones effectively to stop the healer or DPS from aiding their team.

This team has a lot of versitility when it comes to different situations but may suffer some problems against countercomp teams like the Druid/Warrior/Rogue set up, who will probably try to burn down your Warlock quickly and disabling the Warlock from casting off spells like Fear.

The fourth most popular group would be the Warrior, Priest, and Druid. This team can be a lot more defensive with Mortal Strike, Burns, and Cyclones/Roots. They can probably be well off in an outlasting game because they all have somewhat incredible survivabilty aspects. The warrior should have Mortal Strike up and DPS the chosen target while using his interupts wisely.

He should always help the Druid and Priest stay mobile by using Hamstring and other Intterupts. The Priest should be using his burns on the chosen target and fearing, his main tool would be his dispels and burns to outlast their opponents. Dispelling things like traps from your Warrior will help greatly. The Druid should heal and Cyclone/Roots a target to get them at a disadvantage but also try to open up with a Pounce on the selected target that you want to burn, then Root them so it's easier for the priest.

This team is a good matchup against other teams that rely on ending the game quickly, like teams that have two or all DPS in their comp.

The Warrior, Warlock, Druid is the fifth most popular combination for teams over 2200. The team is able to outlast and have decent Crowd Control. The Warriors job is to have Mortal Strike up at all times while dealing damage, though it is his job to Intercept and Hamstring enemies who are trying to kill your Warlock. The Warlock job is to stay alive! Most of the teams you face will try to kill your Warlock as soon as possible, so help from your Warrior will be greatly appreciated in keeping your opponents mobility low.

Have a Fel Hunter out and Devouring things to keep your Warrior mobile will be returned. The Warlock should DoT everything and keep on the move, using Fear when you have the chance, though you shouldn't risk it if you're being chased by somebody such as a Rogue. Spell Lock should be used on classes like Mages so you can relieve your team of some annoying spells. The Druid should keep your team alive and Crowd Control targets with Roots and when they have time, Cyclone. It's important for him to not get Mana Burned if you are facing a Priest or Warlock, so he should always be on the move and not in LoS. Keeping up your Warlock is probably the most important part, so your team will have to work as one to help each other out.

This team may suffer a bit from burst damage teams that focus on the Warlock. This team's burst damage is not at all impressive, so keeping up DoTs and having the Warrior fully mobile should be your choice of playstyle.