Sorry, I have not said anything yet, but I usually do not get too excited about proposed changes on PTR until they have been out there for a while or unless we are close to the patch and have a good idea the change willl exist in the patch. However, I did talk a little about the change in the Simple Question forum since a direct question was asked.
Since the change is still preliminary in my mind, I have not done a detailed analysis yet, but here is what I think about the proposed change of reducing the base cast time of AI from 2.9s to 2.5s. Currently in T14 gear, the cut off where casting AI instead of AS as the focus dump is worthwhile is around 1.3 to 1.4s cast time. I still need to evaluate when we get closer to the patch and see the gear whether the cut off point will be the same. I am hoping that with AI scaling realtive to AS that it will become a little higher.
Even is the cut off point for using AI does not increase, the reduced AI cast time appears like it will make AI both more usuable and usable more often. Below is a table of haste levels needed to make the cutoff points under different scenarios.
Haste from gear needed to meet AI use points with a 2.5s AI base cast time
| Scenario | 1.4s | 1.3s |
| T14 4P Unhasted | 29.87% | 39.86% |
| T14 4P BL | 0% | 7.58% |
| T14 4P RF | 0% | 0% |
| Unhasted | 41.16% | 52.02% |
| BL | 8.59% | 16.94% |
| RF | 0.83% | 8.59% |
As can be seen, while we still have the T14 4P and using the recommended at least 9.09% haste from gear, using AI as the focus dump is beneficial now not only just during RFs in the CA phase, but during all RFs and even BL. Note that during BL that the AI cast is already below the 1.4s cut off without any haste from gear at 1.398s. The AI cast time is naturally below the 1.3s cut off during RF without any haste from gear.
Once we lose the T14 4P, more haste is required to make using AI an option; however, with the at least 9.09% haste from gear, AI is recommended for use during any RF since the cast time will be below 1.3s and is probably worthwhile to use during BL since the cast time is below 1.4s. I assume that with gear scaling that the cut off will rise a little and be closer or over 1.4s, such that it will be beneficial to use AI during BL outside the CA phase.
What still needs to be evaluated is whether it is still maximum DPS for MMs to stack both RF and BL during the CA phase or whether it is better to have BL outside the CA phase to allow more AIs. I am anticipating that still stacking them during the CA phase will be best, but I am not certain on that.
Regardless, this change will make it worthwhile to cast AI more often. It helps that the T15 4P will proc off either of the MM focus dumps. If we are using AI more often, then I agree its beneficial to use the AI glyph in most situations.
