How do I pvp as WAR?

[Satyagrahi]

What I call "the calculated burst" is the mode you will be in most of the time. This is what it sounds like--waiting for just the right time to unleash a huge amount of damage. In nearly every case, you will be responsible for staying on the opposite team's healer, trying to dps and harass and interrupt and distract in any way you can (I should mention that I am thinking of The Feast, not a frontline scenario). Often your opening burst was on the healer, but if it was on something else, you usually switch to the healer and STAY on the healer after that first quick opening.

Calculated burst mode consists of building a natural 5-stack of wrath, by using wesponskills and vengeance/berserk/raw intuition (be careful with raw intuition). Your goal is to put so much pressure on the healer, that either they die, or someone else dies when the healer has to heal themself.

Because a single critical fell cleave does far more damage than fracture, and because burst is far more effective than dot, do not use fracture. Your main goal in calculated burst is to build wrath for fell cleaves, and fracture is bad for this.

Your goal in calculated burst is to be able to do this:

Debuff with SE
Have at least 3 wrath
Heavy Swing > Skull Sunder
Activate berserk and inner release
Fell cleave
Infuriate
Fell cleave
Butcher's block....mercy stroke...etc

Use full swing and stun/holmgang when possible, for the ultimate calculated burst. Best when you are "built up" and ready to activate berserk/IR. It's also very effective to stun right after your first fell cleave, assuming the target does not have resistance. Usually I wait to see if they resist stun, though, before making the call to burn through my fell cleaves. Do not be afraid to holmgang in anticipation of stun wearing off, but beware that holmgang against a whm with fluid aura can be a bad thing.

Due to the nature of stun resistance, it is a very good idea to SAVE stun for when you have berserk/IR/infuriate all ready.

One tip for being good as war, is to lock onto your target, and hold down the forward button at all times. This keeps you GLUED to your target as much as possible, and you won't be reacting to their position, which is effected by latency and your own reaction delay.

Good luck and get those CRIT fell cleaves

Note: fitting 3 fell cleave in a berserk window is great for pve, but doesn't seem to be too effective in pvp. I notice that my hits are pretty weak when I nerf DET for skill speed. The other reason is by the time you could build a third fell cleave, you are either CC'd or the healer has healed themself.

Also note: feel free to use random fell cleaves while you are waiting on your berserk/IR/infuriate timers to all be up again. This keeps pressure on the healer. It also makes them think your fell cleave isn't too powerful