5v5 Discussion: Matrix Comosition Analysis

Figured that I'll do a "brief" rundown of the absolute most common 5v5 matrices before moving on to more discussion topics focused on strategies.

The whole "Raddy's Score" thing is just my opinion on the overall team strength; it really isn't very meaningful, but I've played on and against these combinations a lot this season. (except never played on 2xWar)

"Classic Matrix" w/ Hunter

Composition: Warrior, Mage, Priest, Paladin, Hunter
How They Win: They either play to mana drain and outlast or try to use synchronized crowd control with scatter/silencing shot and counterspell pom+fireball to burst down a target. The beauty to this team is that even if you fail to get the kill during you window of burst, you can still win if you play defensively and let viper and mana burn do their thing.
In More Detail: Priest manaburns enemy priests to remove opposing manaburn if possible, otherwise the priest manaburns in order of priority: elemental shamans, hunters, paladins, and then the rest. Mage is most frequently AP/frost, he has focus CS on paladin, and sheep juggles opposing CC and DPS until warrior calls for burst. If mage is WE he will try to more actively put out damage to wear down opposing healer mana and will spend less time CCing. Warrior will generally focus opposing priest to prohibit mana burn to make the mana lasting power game more lopsided; occasionally, warrior will instead focus high priority targets such as UA locks. Paladin does all the healing and juggles between using freedom offensively and defensively; HoJ is generally defensively used to aid hunter or priest if they're taking heavy focus. Hunter sets scorpion pet on an opposing healer (not pally if possible) and uses viper + poison stacks to quickly mana drain that healer. Coordinates CC with mage to control opposing healing and CC, while mage focuses on controlling opposing DPS.
Weak Points: Hunter and Priest are "soft" targets against teams with warriors. Warrior becomes a huge soft spot against 4DPS caster teams as he's often forced to pursue into bad LoS if not careful.
Favorable Matchups: 2xWar. "Classic" w/ Rogue
Underdog Against: 4 DPS (caster), "Classic" w/ lock
Raddy's Score: 6.5

"Classic Matrix" w/ Lock

Composition: Warrior, Mage, Priest, Paladin, Warlock
How They Win: Use dominating crowd control to create windows for damage while wasting opposing cooldowns. Once BoP and Bubble are out of the way, they look for a kill when the warrior has a target pretty low. This team is in no hurry to end games and while it cannot play the long mana-draining game as well as other teams, it is very powerful in medium length games once the opposing paladin becomes controllable.
In More Detail: This team changes a bit depending on whether the mage is AP/frost or WE and whether the lock is UA or FG. Currently, it seems that WE mage and FG lock are most popular; they're also best suited to longer games. Warlock begins by getting tongues out and doing what he can to harass paladin to force bubbles while performing crowd control on opposing DPS. Mage puts damage on main assist with warrior to hopefully draw the early BoP and the mage also puts heavy CC on opposing DPS. Priest manaburns if free, but it is extremely unlikely this will happen as most teams will focus the priest. Paladin is the same as in the hunter version of this matrix as is the warrior, but the warrior is now required to do a fair share more damage to the main assist taregts to actually bring them down.
Weak Points: If ran as WE mage and FG lock, the only soft spot is the priest. He will always be the target.
Favorable Matchups: "Classic" w/ Hunter, 2.5 Healer
Underdog Against: 4 DPS (caster), 4 DPS (rogue), 2xWar
Raddy's Score: 8.5

2.5 Healer

Composition: Warrior, Mage, Priest, Paladin, Shaman (Elemental)
How They Win: Windfury + warrior gets on opposing softest target. Mage plays extremely heavy CC, often doing nothing but CC for most of the fight. When war gets a target reasonably low, heroism is popped, and mage and shaman burst collapse on target. If target is not bursted down, the momentum of heroism is used to continue to put pressure on target until it's finally brought down.
In More Detail: Priest manaburns and mind controls very actively. Paladin is generally the same as ever. Shaman starts by applying pressure to the main assist with warrior, but is really watching to be useful with heals in early game. Lots of times you'll see the shaman healing for pretty long windows early game. Warrior is on main target with freedom and aggressive dispels on his target by shaman and priest. Mage is typically Ap/frost, though I think AP/fire and WE are stronger for this matrix. Mage plays keep alive if AP/fire while CCing as best he can and then rips the target with ap pom pyro fireblast along with shaman burst. If a less focusable spec, mage will still do little but poly juggle. Because this team does not rely on crowd controlling healers to kill a target, often mage will use CS to limit opposing offense.
Weak Points: Mage if he's AP/fire, otherwise elemental shaman and priest.
Favorable Matchups: "Classic" w/ Hunter
Underdog Against: 2xWar, "Classic" w/ lock
Raddy's Score: 9

4 DPS (Caster)

Composition: Warlock (UA), Mage, Priest (Shadow), Paladin, Shaman (Elemental)
How They Win: Ridiculous crowd control and burst damage. Horrible survivability beyond early game, but the second most potent common team in the first 30 seconds. Paladin aggressively uses Bubble, BoP, and BoF to keep his casters alive long enough to do their damage. After a target is down, overwhelming CC lock in the victory. Enough interrupts and silences to totally lock down enemy healing for the window needed to get the kill. While it would seem this team is screwed if they don't win early, that is absolutely not the case as often the very act of surviving the damage wastes all defensive cooldowns and the majority of healer mana.
In More Detail: Priest does not manaburn but actively nukes main assist spamming death if not the focus himself and is also responsible for silencing a healer. Warlock is UA and UA is effectively the main assist as it is the target not getting dispelled. If the target is a warrior, Death Coil is used as the targets gets low to prevent Spell Reflection. The warlock coordinates with the mage to have a different Spell Lock focus. Mage is either AP/fire or WE. Either way he simply tries to put out massive damage early, and if he's WE, he tries to keep the pressure up even if a kill is not made. Typically mage handles the paladin as his CS target, and often can simply uses the silence instead of waiting on a cast when Counterspelling. Shaman assists the warlock and when the target drops low, NS EM CL is incoming. Shaman also watches for a target to control with earthshock, this is typically an opposing priest trying to manaburn or a enemy mage trying to CC.
Weak Points: UA lock, Priest, Elemental Shaman, Mage (if AP/fire)
Favorable Matchups: All "Classic" teams
Underdog Against: 4 DPS (Rogue)
Raddy's Score: 9

4 DPS (Rogue)

Composition: Rogue, Mage, Priest (Shadow), Paladin, Shaman (Elemental)
How They Win: Rogue guns for softest target with full CD while the rest of the team play the fight as if it the caster 4DPS team. This is the strongest early game matrix.
In More Detail: The main difference between this and Caster 4DPS is the rogue's early damage is huge in taking out a single target quickly whereas the UA lock grows stronger as the game drags on.
Weak Points: Mage if he's AP/fire, Rogue, Elemental Shaman, Priest.
Favorable Matchups: All "Classic", 4DPS (Caster)
Underdog Against: 2xWar
Raddy's Score: 8.5

2xWar

Composition: Warrior, Warrior, Druid, Paladin, Shaman (Resto)
How They Win: Warriors play harass and split DPS in the middle while healing crew avoids CC with LoS and heals intermittently. Warriors retread to healers out of LoS for big heals and then get back to harassing. The goal is to completely wear out opponents until warriors windfury or crit enough to collapse on a target for the kill.
In More Detail: Druid heals defensively far away from the actual combat until opponent grows oom or out of CD then comes in for aggressive cycloning. Warrior do their best to force healing of MS'd targets and waste enemy CD by intervening out of danger to their hiding teammates. Typically one healer will aggressively look to be drinking to make manaburning the healers even when they are visible not very effective.
Weak Points: None, maybe resto druid if he exposes himself
Favorable Matchups: 4 DPS (Rogue), "Classic" w/ Rogue, "Classic" w/ Lock
Underdog Against: 4DPS (Caster)
Raddy's Score: 9