Warlock spec late AQ40/Naxx: 7/21/21 vs NF/Conflag - Page 2

Antarius · 09/01/06, 1:30 AM

In fights where aes aren't an issue, I've found that being Soul Linked specced (especially as an orc) to be the best damaging raid spec in the game.

When compared to SM/Ruin:
Any dps lost through Shadowmastery/Nightfall is made up through Soul Link/Master Demonologist making you nuke and dot (including fire spells) 13% harder.
Any lost DPS from ruin/devastation is WAY more than made up by a succubus dealing 38% more melee damage and 43% harder Lashes.

When compared to ds/ruin:
A succubus doing DPS is infinatly better than sacrificing a succubus, however you still have that same flexibility... and the only thing you lose against this build is where you "have" to sacrifice your pet because otherwise it's just not going to survive... and then the only talents you are missing are ruin and devastation, not honestly huge contributers to raid dps.

The "overpowered" pvp bonus of soul link is just a small benefit.I was MD/Ruin for the last 3 months. But I found I was doing equivilent DPS because of the loss of instant-corruptions (which really hurt my ability to completely blow away the rest of the guild by dotting up 6 trash adds at once in AQ), loss of improved lifetap and 3% damage bonus from soul link

.... the only thing I kind of miss is improved spell range.

Necrotoid · 09/01/06, 9:38 AM

Originally Posted by Bibdy

Originally Posted by Necrotoid

Bibdy - you say DS/Ruin shines for longevity. Is this because you use a restorative sacrifice (VW / FH)? Or simply the mana efficiency of your spells?

How many fights in late AQ40/Naxx would you really say you missed DS of either VW or FH for longevity?

I used the VW or FH saccing almost exclusively. I didn't see the point in sacrificing the Succubus on fights where I'm going to be taking damage. The intention was to make me less of a burden on the healers and be self sustaining.

But, for me at least, what I sought to gain from DS/Ruin wasn't sufficient to cover what I lost from Nightfall/Conflag. There are just too many fights and situations where NF/Conflag helps me and DS/Ruin doesn't.

Plus, NF/Conflag is waaaaay better at group PvP. That was pretty much the nail in the coffin for me ;)

Just one more question for you Bibdy: can you list what fights you miss DS the most for the regen bonuses? Thanks!

Bibdy · 09/01/06, 1:23 PM

Originally Posted by Necrotoid

Just one more question for you Bibdy: can you list what fights you miss DS the most for the regen bonuses? Thanks!

Hmm...

Thinking of every fight in AQ40 and the fights in Naxx that I've done (Raz, Noth, Spider Wing)...

I can't really think of anything besides Patchwerk, Faerlina and C'thun where heals tend to be few and far between because those fights are stressful on the healers and they don't always have the time to heal me - and I already stated that on C'thun I prefer the burst damage of conflag anyhow.

My intention for speccing DS was to become somewhat self-sustaining with the health regeneration of the voidwalker on (Abyss shard ftw?), but it turned out that every time I lifetapped to make use of the regeneration I would still have HOTs and things thrown on me.

So I started sacrificing the Succubus more often, but it occured to me that all I was doing was sacrificing the phenomenal burst damage of a conflag spec (plus Fel Concentration and Grim Reach) for 15% more shadow damage and not being able to hand out blood pact.

Necrotoid · 09/01/06, 4:08 PM

Thanks Bibdy, you've really helped me define my thoughts.