Originally Posted by Finkum
There was some discussion about this trinket in the Warlock thread a couple of days ago. Someone claimed the hidden internal cooldown was only 18 seconds (rather than 45, which is typical for trinkets with a proc effect), and that this made it quite competitive. Although I don't have any data to refute this claim I think it unlikely that the ICD is in fact that short, which means that Icon/Crusades/Hex Shrunken Head are all significantly better (assuming intelligent clicky use, at least).
I'm not sure how TLC compares to Quag's eye - going by item level you would assume that TLC is better, but given the number of times this has been untrue before...
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Going by item level on purely gimmick effects is a sure-fire way of failing in your judgement. TLC in effect has only three aspects:
1) it only gains value from a Shaman's +lightning crit talents and a SP's Misery.
2) Provided you don't crit faster than 3 times per 2.5sec (it's internal CD) there is no restriction to it's rate-of-fire
3) It effectively adds (average bolt size) / 3 to each crit you make. This is like saying "every time you crit, add 240 (if memory serves)"
Consequently, this trinket gains in value based on one things, and one thing only:
How many crits per second you have. Notice, crit RATE is irrelevant. Cast time is only relevant by proxy. Ultimately, ONLY crit/sec will determine this trink's DPS benefit. That, and shaman +crit talents.
Fireball and Shadowbolt are abysmal for it. Frostbolt is merely bad, and so is arcane blast. The only way TLC becomes "good value" is in a Scorch-spec (presumably 33/28/0) which is bullshit in it's self, and an AM spec. Particularly a high-hasted one, which is way worse even than 33/28/0. Or for elemental shamans at T4 gear levels. Though I reserve the right to be horribly wrong, because I can't put a value on how much benefit they gain from other trinks at that level.
Using TLC as a firemage is even worse than using Tymbal's. And that's pretty damn bad to start with.
Originally Posted by Khell
After reading numerous posts concerning specs and gear, I had a few questions of my own. Currently my mage runs an Arcane Frost build for PVE. My gear is very good for the level of content we are raiding and comparatively I would say I am ahead of our other mages. My largest gear concerns currently are a helm and off-hand. Besides what I am wearing, at my disposal I have a full Spellfire set, Belt of Blasting, Lightning Capacitor and Crescent of Silvermoon to list a few. I would consider this all to be inferior however; I just wanted to list it for suggestion purposes.
I am not very worried about gear at this point however; gemming, build and rotation would more likely be my top concerns. Currently my rotation is AB Spam 3x followed by 3x frost bolts. The crit damage on frost spells is immense and has been doing well for me. I use this rotation throughout any non-aoe encounter, however do not think that the gap in damage I have properly reflects my gear level. That is to say, when there is a gap in damage.
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Your gear is slightly odd in some respects. Firstly, if you stay arcane you need to drop both blue gems you're wearing (sta/dmg and flat sta) for spirit. I kid you not, the mana gain is hugely critical. Nobody should ever gem flat stamina as a mage in a PvE environment. You most certainly should not swap anetheron's for blasting, the 22int on ane's is much superior to BoB.
I'd suggest dropping frost from your cycles and going full-on arcane. I've never advised this to anyone before, but seeing as you're on merely 62 hit, I'd question the value of any spec including frost or fire. Obviously, you can drop some gear for more hit, but given your gear isn't that hot to start with I'm wondering why gimp yourself to cater for that.
I'd advise a 50.0.11 spec, like Kavan or myself. Irrespective of whether you do that or stick with arcane/frost, you must keep in mind: The whole, only, sole purpose of arcane is to sustain as much AB as possible. Don't under any circumstance try and make it work with Frbolt, with AM or any other crap. AB is the only goal, and any other spell you cast is ONLY because (1) you're low on mana (2) you have CDs coming up and you won't have the mana to sustain AB through them or (3) You're doing it wrong. Clearly, mage armor is the only armor you should ever consider.
I see you're running 17 frost. This is a bad idea. The whole point of 40.0.21 and the main reason it's superior to 50.0.11 is Cold Snap. No Cold Snap, no reason to spec FrBolt. You also have missed out Frost Channeling. Each time you cast a FrBolt that does not cost 15% less, that's mana you Won't spend ABing. There is simply no excuse not to get both Fr Chann and C-Snap as arcane-frost. Drop Slow (because it's beyond shit) and magic absorbtion (because it's moderate to bad) and spec those. Alternatively, as I said before, go full arcane-IV. Your low hit will not be kind to FrBolt.
Your primary trinket is questionable, though if you chain-pot it's not bad. You absolutely need a new head, preferably one with a meta-socket. CSD is hugely powerful. Engineering head and T5/T6 head are all excellent. Bracers off Rage will also help you as they have spirit on too.
All in all, rate gear with the following ruler:
1 int = 1.2 dmg
1 spi = 0.7 dmg
1 crit = 0.65 dmg
1 haste = 1.1 dmg
lastly, even for arcane, you're 1% below hitcap. At this raiding level, it's unacceptable. If you're with an E-shaman, fine, but given you deffinitely don't have a dranei in the group, you'll have to make that 1% up somewhere. Until the hitcap, treat 1hit = 1.6dmg.