[Crystalline Conflict] So what's happening in games like this one?

[Elfidan]

I always wait to group up, the game gives us a regroup macro exactly to avoid that and I use it liberally

The formula for that game was this:
* I show up, at least 3 enemy players stop what they are doing in their tracks and focus me
* After casting sleep and doing my best (in vain) to burst one down and keep distance, I start to retreat once I have to start spamming recuperate/purify/guard/grabbing health items. I'm chased back to our spawn, no teammates attempt to help or peel, and I'm killed.

So you tried to one versus three on the most paper bag job of all. Hell, you can't really two vs one on most of the "strong" jobs. The arena is a big old loop you got to run if you're getting focused and nobody stops to help you.

** I do try to just stay with my team a couple deaths instead of retreating but it's absolutely not the way to go (for this game) - they aren't helping peel or counter CC at all and if I don't retreat or keep distance I just die faster

Yeah you can't turret that just screams 'kill me I'm free' you got to know when to back up and go for a jog. It takes practice.

* The fight goes back to the crystal and the rest of my team is wiped
* I respawn, but wait on the platform for my team
* We all go in, and rinse and repeat me having to retreat and chased back to our spawn

Momentum is hard to break if the enemy team is moving as a unit but if someone is on the crystal its five to four and there's nothing but lack of synergy causing that to be a failed engagement. This all really just smacks of the major complaints most people have about communication sucking in general. Without seeing the match, I don't think anyone can definitively tell you what's going wrong. As it stands You don't seem to be retreating effectively and your team isn't peeling but Those are rare to find anyway. You should try using Shadowplay or similar recording software if you have it to review your play. It helped me break a lot of bad habits.