The best way to get Arathi Basin rep is the Comp Stomp Brawl — and our guide will help you make the most of your matches

This week marks the premiere of the first-ever “Comp Stomp” Brawl in World of Warcraft. As its name implies to 14 of my 15 team members, this Brawl has players fighting computer enemies — not actual players. Yes, it’s a PVP Battleground that’s not actually PVP.

And it is the absolute best way to farm Arathi Basin reputation, bar none.

Thing is, it’s only around for the next couple days, and it’s on an 18-week cycle. That means it won’t be around again until July 23, and then November 26 after that — and that’s assuming no new PVP Brawls get added between then and now. As such, if you’re at all interested in maxing your reputation with The Defilers (Horde) or League of Arathor (Alliance), you’ll want to take advantage of this opportunity and win as efficiently as possible. That’s where I come in! Here are some tips on getting Arathi Basin rep fast and easy.

Do the math ahead of time

I know it might sound silly, but it helps to know what sort of time investment you’ll be looking at. Without any reputation bonuses, here’s how much of a grind to expect:

• 750 reputation per win (50 rep per 100 resources).
• 56 wins to go from Neutral to Exalted (42,000 required/750 per win)
• 28 wins to go from Revered to Exalted (21,000 required/750 per win)
• 14 hours to go from Neutral to Exalted (assuming 15 min per game)

That last one has the biggest room for error, but I’ve found that games take roughly 10 minutes if you consistently 4-cap the other team. Given a solid percentage of my games waft between 3 and 4 bases at any given point, plus the time it takes between queues, 15 minutes is a safe enough estimate. Point being, while this is the best way of getting Arathi rep, it’s still going to take time. If you want to get rep maxed before the Brawl is gone, plan your play sessions accordingly.

Know the AI behavior

I’m still learning some of the quirks of the AI in Arathi Comp Stomp, but I have a decent idea of some of their more notable traits. Using these, you can add a bit more strategy to your matches and hopefully help your team win faster:

• They will immediately switch to the target who’s trying to cap a flag.
• They seem to be afraid of water.
  • Okay, so not exactly “afraid,” but they will cross bridges rather than swim through water. You can use this to your advantage when kiting. [Ed’s note: AI don’t have feelings, Mitch!]
• When a base is under attack, expect most of their team to show up.
  • It’s a bit frustrating, since it removes the aspect of ninja-capping bases, but it also means that you’ll rarely have trouble 4-capping as long as someone is keeping them busy at the 5th base.
• Enemies on the road will follow you.
  • If you see a group of 2 or 3 enemies, and you think you can kite them? Kite them. You can toss damage in while you do, and you’ll be able to distract them from any base-claiming action as well.
• Lumber Mill “knock-off” tricks like Mind Control and Thunderstorm don’t work.
  • This enrages me to no end. [Ed’s note: Mitch does have feelings.]

It’s possible I’m missing some, but you’ll pick up on the AI’s behavior pretty quickly. While it’s still less choreographed than a dungeon, there’s no mistaking these NPCs for real players after you face off against a few of them and learn their shtick.

Remember what does and does not count in Comp Stomp

There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind before jumping into the Comp Stomp Brawl. While these aren’t necessarily related to the fighting itself, they can affect how you approach a game. For example, the first point below means defending bases doesn’t actually result in any additional Honor. That’s not to say you shouldn’t defend, but don’t be surprised when, at the end of the match, your whole team earned the exact same amount of Honor (plus or minus the First Win of the Day bonus).

• These enemies do not grant Honor nor do they count as Honorable Kills.
• That said, PVP talent are still active here (unlike Island Expeditions).
• You do not earn credit for several achievements here.
  • So far, wins count for Arathi Basin Veteran, 5-capping counts for Territorial Dominance, and a 6-minute win counts for Let’s Get This Done.
  • Anything involving Honorable Kills, assaulting bases, or defending bases does not count.
    • E.g., you will not earn credit toward Overly Defensive and other achievements like it.
  • Please note: Which achievements do and don’t earn credit during Comp Stomp may change.

All in all, Comp Stomp takes the AI of Island Expeditions, tosses them into Arathi Basin, and lets players experience a PVE-like take on a PVP battleground. Even if you’re not familiar with the battleground at all, the computers are tuned easily enough that you shouldn’t have to worry about too much as long as your team isn’t ignoring bases entirely. The tips above will hopefully help those among you who want to min/max your reputation gains while in the Brawl.