A full fire specs only real rotation is for keeping your scorch stack up. This works out at 1 scorch every 5 fireballs if you're spamming, which for lots of bosses you won't be as you'll be busy doing other things.
I've seen that 5:1 before and I don't understand it; if you don't hit mana problems, you can wait 9 fireballs before renewing scorch in a stand and spam fight (although you're better off with 8:1 in case of resists and to allow for lag.)
The 5:1 is most likely for mana consumption reasons, but getting the N:1 mix right is really just fire's equivalent of "How many arcane blasts in this rotation?"
Melador> Incidentally, these last few pages are why people hate lawyers.
Viator> I really don't want to go all Kalman here.
Bury> Just imagine what the world would be like if you used your powers for good.
Between Bloodlust, Quag's Eye (/mourn) and Berserking you end up with some odd ratios. Quartz has a cute little feature that shows the estimated time remaining on Imp Scorch though and I just generally refresh as needed. On the relatively rare raids where we have three mages, I quite often don't cast scorch at all after the initial two.
As well, Quartz is obviously nice for /stopcasting macros. It's not a replacement for Fastcast of course but you work with the tools available.
I tried out a /stopcasting macro with Quartz for the first time today...and wow. Made a huge difference.
I didn't think it would, honestly, since my latency is not horrible. Usually around 150ms, up to 190ms at worst--down to 120ms at best. But, geez.. I saw right away the huge leap on damage meters.
Basically, I went to #1 on the Gruul trash without even trying (just spamming Fireball) and easily passed the other hardcore Mage who is usually neck-and-neck with me. He had to move to Fireball+Fireblast rotation and last second instant-casts to keep up with me on later pulls.
The interesting thing about it was just how variable the delay really was. I mean, many casts would be almost non-existant lag segments... 80-120ms and the like. On Fireball casts, that is hardly worth considering.
Other times, I would see 250-400ms delay segments. It's amazing how much time I actually cut off on some of the casts, despite having a generally solid connection. Hard NOT to recommend Quartz to just about any caster right now. It's great.
So, how should I go about using quartz with a /stopcast macro? Should I have a normal fireball keybind, then keep my eye on the latency portion of Quartz to determine whether to use a fireball keybind with the /stopcast in it?
Stopcast your Fireball and Scorch. I'm otherwise more than satisfied with stopcasting, except in PVP/ grinding it sometimes causes troubles if I get spell pushbacks. In such cases my reflexes sometimes make me stop a cast too early as it gets pushed back at the latest possible moment. This is also why I haven't put /stopcast on fireblast / blastwave / such.
I rather be sure for not to interrupt my fireball with too early fireblast when trying to gank someone :P
So, how should I go about using quartz with a /stopcast macro? Should I have a normal fireball keybind, then keep my eye on the latency portion of Quartz to determine whether to use a fireball keybind with the /stopcast in it?
I use two action bars two switch between.
On my first action bar, I have my usual spells.
On my second action bar, I have the same setup, but with Fireball and Scorch /stopcasting'ed, Ice Lance replaced by a /stopcasting'ed Arcane Blast, and Polymorph replaced by a macro that polymorphs your focus, sets a focus if you have none, and of course a /stopcasting.
Use the first action bar when spell pushback is an issue, or you just want to slack a bit - watching only the last inch of your cast bar for a whole fight might get you a headache
Second action bar when DPS matters, or when you just want to improve handling those macros.
It took me a while to get rid of my habit to just spam the button Just practise a bit on Dr. Boom or the totem protected shaman in Shadowmoon Valley.
I've seen that 5:1 before and I don't understand it; if you don't hit mana problems, you can wait 9 fireballs before renewing scorch in a stand and spam fight (although you're better off with 8:1 in case of resists and to allow for lag.)
The 5:1 is most likely for mana consumption reasons, but getting the N:1 mix right is really just fire's equivalent of "How many arcane blasts in this rotation?"
I always assumed that was being suggested as an optimal rotation when raiding with at least two other fire mages in a 25-man. That rotation would more or less always keep 5 scorches up. At least that was how I interpreted it. With 5 mages I suppose a 8:1 or 9:1 would indeed work.
I always assumed that was being suggested as an optimal rotation when raiding with at least two other fire mages in a 25-man. That rotation would more or less always keep 5 scorches up. At least that was how I interpreted it. With 5 mages I suppose a 8:1 or 9:1 would indeed work.
Maybe I haven't drank enough Dew this morning, but you only need 1 scorch every 8 cast to keep up the entire stack. The 5:1 was a good compromise of dps and dpm.
I did my best to read through this thread, unfortunetly it is far too massive to go through efficently. I was curious as to others thoughts of the last few talents spent in my current arcane/fire build. The build is 32/29 currently. In arcane I went to Spell Power and in fire I took 4/5 Fire Power, versus a 38/23 build (3/5 MM traded out for 4/5 FP). My playstyle is heavy heavy crit, I simply enjoy myself more with it.
My question was if anyone had a formula for MM vs fire power and which would produce a higher plus damage amount.
Oh, for my amont of int.... I belive I am sitting at 11600 self buffed (note that the 38/23 build would allow for 1 more point in arcane mind). My fire damage is somewhere close to 790.
Maybe I haven't drank enough Dew this morning, but you only need 1 scorch every 8 cast to keep up the entire stack. The 5:1 was a good compromise of dps and dpm.
Sorry I should have been more clear. I meant 5:1 would keep up the stack if you had less than 5 mages, for example if you only had 3. Although it's entirely possible that I have not had enough coffee yet this AM as well; it was a long weekend.
Maybe I haven't drank enough Dew this morning, but you only need 1 scorch every 8 cast to keep up the entire stack. The 5:1 was a good compromise of dps and dpm.
You only need 1 scorch every 8 casts, but maintaining a scorch stack is more complicated if a mage has to do things besides pure DPS (like move, cast counterspell, AE, or is silenced occasionally).
The scorch debuff does last 30 seconds, meaning without latency, you can do 9:1 for just stand and spam, with only a single mage. 5:1 would refresh it whenever it was only part of the way down.
What do people use for keeping track of the scorch debuff timer? The new 2.1 features for debuff timer are awesome, but it only works if I was the one who started the stack. I've also been using chronometer, but it's downright unreliable and wont catch me refreshing the stack most of the time.
I use NECB as it is awsome for monitoring other players CDs in PvP as well as seeing what they are currently casting. PVE wise it keeps track fo the debuffs you apply.
What do people use for keeping track of the scorch debuff timer? The new 2.1 features for debuff timer are awesome, but it only works if I was the one who started the stack. I've also been using chronometer, but it's downright unreliable and wont catch me refreshing the stack most of the time.
Quatz is awesome for keeping track of the scorch debuff and I even think it can track it even if you didn't put up the debuff.
Quatz is awesome for keeping track of the scorch debuff and I even think it can track it even if you didn't put up the debuff.
It doesn't seem to track the debuff if you didn't start it. It does appear to refresh it even when I don't though so I imagine it is somehow tracking other people refreshing it too (this is even when it's fully stacked).
Not actually a member of Refusion on Burning Blade.
NECB has an option to track the scorch debuff, and it looks like (I may be wrong) after the most recent upgrade it's refreshing when other people scorch too.
Inform your dealers and whores of my credit, and pour me a goddamned drink!
It doesn't seem to track the debuff if you didn't start it. It does appear to refresh it even when I don't though so I imagine it is somehow tracking other people refreshing it too (this is even when it's fully stacked).
It's using the new blizzard API where you can actually query how much time is left on the debuff from the server. It will always be correct, it doesn't have to guess like Chronometer/NECB. However, it only works for debuffs that you "own", or started yourself.
I used to use NECB but it's too bloated in my opinion, back in the day when it used to be Chronometer/Antagonist/Big Wigs all in one package. Anyone know of a more lightweight mod that has the functionality?
For myself I've been trying out Lukewarm MageTimers for the scorch debuff (amongst other things). Currently gets a little over excited with Combustion, but on the whole its not too bad.
NECB has an option to track the scorch debuff, and it looks like (I may be wrong) after the most recent upgrade it's refreshing when other people scorch too.
Yes, I noticed that after the last update as well and had a mage friend test it out as well. He does not have NECB, but when his scorches refresh my NECB debuff timer as well. Lets me eke out a little more DPS when I'm not scorching unnecessarily.
5:1 was the safe option back when the debuff portion of the spell had it's own resist check, and you couldn't get an accurate timer for when it dropped off either.
5:1 was the safe option back when the debuff portion of the spell had it's own resist check, and you couldn't get an accurate timer for when it dropped off either.
We are also dealing with Shadow Priests, Warlocks, other Fire Mages (Fireball) all competing for those precious 40 debuff slots.
I had just assumed the 5:1 was due to not wanting the debuff to fall off entirely due to reapplication of other raider's debuffs.
We are also dealing with Shadow Priests, Warlocks, other Fire Mages (Fireball) all competing for those precious 40 debuff slots.
I had just assumed the 5:1 was due to not wanting the debuff to fall off entirely due to reapplication of other raider's debuffs.
Debuffs are prioritized. Unintended debuffs will be the first to go. This includes things like bleeds/impale/ignite. Debuffs that aren't specifically cast but are byproducts of actual damage spells. (although imp scorch/shadow weave are byproducts they are higher in the debuff priority order)
Was a bigger deal when ignites rolled. e.g. Hunters pushing off a 5k rolling ignite with scorpid sting.
Between Bloodlust, Quag's Eye (/mourn) and Berserking you end up with some odd ratios. Quartz has a cute little feature that shows the estimated time remaining on Imp Scorch though and I just generally refresh as needed. On the relatively rare raids where we have three mages, I quite often don't cast scorch at all after the initial two.
As well, Quartz is obviously nice for /stopcasting macros. It's not a replacement for Fastcast of course but you work with the tools available.
05/24/07, 2:59 PM
Just practise a bit on Dr. Boom or the totem protected shaman in Shadowmoon Valley.
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