Hello everyone,
I’d like to open a discussion about how Diminishing Returns (DR) works in Mists of Pandaria Classic, specifically in the context of stuns and crowd control chaining in PvP. While DR is intended to prevent infinite CC from a single source, certain team compositions can still chain multiple types of CC in a way that completely denies a player control of their character for extended periods.
The Issue: DR Doesn’t Prevent CC Lockouts with Certain Comps
When multiple classes rotate crowd control from different DR categories (stuns, fears, incapacitate, silences, etc.), the result can be 15–20 seconds or more of near-total control denial. This leads to a frustrating experience, especially in 3v3 arenas, where it can feel like you’re not actually playing the game.
Examples of Common Problematic Comps:
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RMP (Rogue + Mage + Priest):
Sap → Polymorph → Fear → Kidney Shot → Ring of Frost
➤ Minimal overlap in DRs, massive control window. -
Feral + Hunter + Priest:
Bash → Freezing Trap → Psychic Scream → Cyclone → Scatter Shot
➤ 100% CC uptime if coordinated well. -
Warlock + Warrior + Paladin:
Shadowfury → Howl of Terror → Shockwave → HoJ → Fear
➤ DRs rotate perfectly across categories.
Also notice how silences like Silence (Shadow Priest) or Counterspell (Mage) are often used after a CC ends, preventing any kind of response or defensive usage. They don’t share DR with other CC types and are devastating when timed properly.
This isn’t about any one spec being broken, it’s about how multiple sources of CC stack in unhealthy ways.
DR System — Strong in Theory, Weak in Execution
The DR system reduces the duration of CC within the same category, but says nothing about rotating CC from different categories. That means players can be juggled from one CC to another with no DR penalty:
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Stun → Fear → Incapacitate → Cyclone → Silence
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DR resets between each category, so full durations apply.
Even defensive trinkets can’t always help if you’re baited or faked early on. A well-coordinated team can completely shut you down, regardless of your skill level.
Why It Feels So Bad
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You’re locked out of playing your character for long stretches.
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You can’t react, move, or press cooldowns.
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Healers are especially punished — targeted first and perma-CC’d.
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Burst damage can end the match before you ever interact.
Possible Solutions (Open to Feedback)
Here are a few community-driven suggestions to consider:
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Introduce soft DR across categories after multiple consecutive CCs.
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Cap the total amount of CC a player can receive over a short period (e.g., no more than 12s of total CC within 20s).
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Apply a debuff after a certain number of CCs, reducing further CC durations or granting temporary immunity.
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Revisit trinket CD or availability in certain brackets, to give players more options to break out.
These changes wouldn’t remove CC from the game , they’d just make it fairer and more interactive.
Final Thoughts
DR is an essential system in WoW PvP , but as it currently works in MoP Classic, it leaves room for abuse. Certain team comps can chain crowd control in ways that create an unfun, unplayable experience, particularly for newer players or those caught out of position.
We love the skill and coordination involved in high-end PvP, but no one wants to be stuck watching their screen for 20 seconds without input.
Thanks for reading.