I know you’re accustomed to using Fear in PvE so you probably aren’t familiar with the concept of Diminishing Returns. DR is the process by which Blizzard intentionally limits the usefulness of certain forms of crowd control, especially in PvP combat. Here are the rules:

- When a spell with diminishing returns is used against a target in PvP, the first effect has full duration.
- On the second use of the same category of spell (ex. Fear), that spell’s duration is reduced by 50%.
- On the third use, the duration is reduced by 75%.
- On the fourth attempt, the target becomes immune to the spell.
- Spells must be used on the same target within 15 seconds of the *end* of the duration in order to be diminished. In other words, if a target hasn’t had a Fear spell active on them for more than 15 seconds, the next slowing spell will have full effect.

Right now, Fear lasts 12 seconds, 6 seconds, 3 seconds, and then the target becomes immune. With the next patch, it will last 10 seconds, 5 seconds, 2.5 seconds, and then the target will become immune (all forms of CC lasting more than 10 seconds to start will be reduced to a maximum of 10 seconds on first application).

And how many times I get feared in an Arena match really depends on a lot of things. If I’m able to use line of sight to stay away from the Warlock (or if the Warlock is otherwise occupied), I don’t get feared at all. But I have been in situations where it seemed like I spent the entire match running around like a chicken with my head cut off. =)