Elitist Jerks
Register
Blogs
Urban Rivals
Forums
New Posts


Go Back   Elitist Jerks > Theorycrafting Think Tank > Theorycrafting Think Tank
Elitist Jerks Login

gamerDNA Login

Welcome to Elitist Jerks
We're testing some new features on the site regarding OpenID registration and coordination with gamerDNA. If you experience any issues with registering an account, please take the time to fill out a report and send it to this e-mail address. We would appreciate any assistance you could provide in making sure everything is functioning as intended. Thanks!

If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ and the forum rules. Users must register to post and new registrations are subject to a one day "mute" period to get acquainted with the community.

Reply
 
LinkBack (34) Article Tools
  #1  

AoE Spell Cap Mechanics

Guide not updated for Wrath of the Lich King
In process of updating the guide. If you have values, please PM me or post them in this article.


This is not updated for WotLK, but I have added some listed values in this post. If the mechanics have changed, feel free to PM me, etc.

Area-of-Effect (AoE) spells are spells that will deal damage to each affected target on the spell's cast, according to the AoE spell's capabilities. In certain situations, players find themselves required to use such spells; using them, you will damage multiple mobs, which may be grieved by other competitors in your group or raid. Seeing the plethora of numbers may look fancy, but it's misleading in the sense that as you add more mobs, your damage output per mob lowers, and your total damage remains constant. This behavior is caused by a mechanic that is referred to as the "AoE cap," because upon reaching the cap's value, you will do no more total damage than if you had affected more mobs. By referring to this value, you can determine your options when in AoE situations, like choosing which spell to use, or which talents to choose.

 

Contents

[top] Explanation of an "AoE Cap"


An "AoE Cap" on a certain spell means that you will deal AoE damage to mobs normally, but when you reach this cap, you deal no extra total damage. In an AoE situtation, you will do your normal damage to an amount of mobs, but when you affect a number of mobs such that you reach the cap, the cap is divided by the number of mobs you're affecting. An exception to this rule is critical strikes, which are somewhat affected by the AoE cap; the critical strikes portion of damage is not counted towards the cap, and is extra damage, but the critical strikes themselves are based upon the cap-modified damage. There are two ways to "boost" the damage cap: critical strikes and damage increasing debuffs (on the mob). If a hit from an AoE spell is resisted, the hit is excluded from the cap, and that mob is not counted in the damage calculations; if you land a partial resist, then it's assumed that it will function the same way as a normal, complete resist.

[top] Examples


A theoretical example of Arcane Explosion; 1000 damage cap, 500 hit per mob:

One mob:
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob1] for 500.
500 damage done total
Two mobs:
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob1] for 500.
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob2] for 500.
1000 damage done total.
Three mobs:
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob1] for 333.
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob2] for 333.
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob3] for 334.
1000 damage done total
The three-mob encounter does 333 damage to each mob (the 334 is from the decimals), which is because of the 1000 damage cap. Because I deal 500 damage per mob, it took me two mobs to reach the cap; when I add a third, I exceed the cap, so my damage must be modified to re-equal the cap. The theoretical cap is 1000, so the equation to solve for damage is: 1000 / 3, or 333.3 damage to each mob.

Another example is below, involving one critical strike; 1000 theoretical cap; 500 base, normal damage; 750 unmodified critical strike:

One mob:
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob1] for 750 critically.
750 damage done total
Two mobs:
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob1] for 500.
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob2] for 750 critically.
1250 damage done total; 1000 damage is counted towards the cap, and 250 is extra damage
Three mobs:
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob1] for 333.
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob2] for 333.
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob3] for 500 critically.
1167 damage total; 1000 is counted towards the cap, and 167 is extra damage from the critical.
Also, because CoE and such damage-increasing debuffs "avoid" the cap, a situation can be true:
With a cap of 1000; a base, normal hit of 500; and two mobs:
No mobs with CoE:
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob1] for 500.
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob2] for 500.
1000 damage done total.
One mob with CoE:
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob1] for 550.
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob2] for 500.
1050 damage done total; 50 extra damage.
Two mobs with CoE:
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob1] for 550.
[Player]'s Arcane Explosion damages [Mob2] for 550.
1100 damage done total; 100 extra damage.

[top] AoE Damage Cap Listings


Any spells not listed are not subject to this rule; all spells listed are of its current max rank.
A [Placeholder] tag means that we require you to help us! If you know of a certain spell's max rank's damage cap, PM me or post so I know to edit it into the tables.

Numbers are outdated as stated above; however, as stated below, most AoE spells have a cap of ~25000.

Roywyn suggested that spells have an AoE cap of 25000/second (Druid: Simple Questions/Simple Answers) for all spells under the effects of an AoE cap. The tables reflect this and will be changed if evidence is found.

[top] Mage AoE Spells


Spell Name Damage Cap
Arcane Explosion*: 37500
Dragon's Breath*: 37500
Flamestrike*: 75000; DoT portion not included, nor is subject to cap
Blast Wave*: 37500
Cone of Cold*: 37500
Blizzard: 25000 per tic; 200000 total
Frost Nova: 25000
Water Elemental's Freeze: [Placeholder]
*Abilities with a secondary effect might have a lower cap.

[top] Warlock AoE Spells


Spell Name Damage Cap
Seed of Corruption* 37500
Rain of Fire 25000 per tic; 200000 total
Shadowfury* 37500
Hellfire 25000 per tic; 375000 total
*Abilities with DoT components or other secondary features may have a lower cap.

[top] Druid AoE Spells


Spell Name Damage Cap
Hurricane 25000 per tic; 250000 total
Swipe [Placeholder]
Hurricane may have a lower cap due to its slowing function.

[top] Priest AoE Spells


Spell Name Damage Cap
Holy Nova 37500
Mind Sear [Placeholder]
Holy Nova may have a different cap due to its healing function.

[top] Hunter AoE Spells


Spell Name Damage Cap
Volley 25000 per tic; 150000 total

[top] Shaman AoE Spells


Spell Name Damage Cap
Fire Nova Totem [Placeholder]
Magma Totem [Placeholder]
Thunderstorm [Placeholder]

[top] Paladin AoE Spells


Spell Name Damage Cap
Holy Wrath [Placeholder]

[top] Warrior AoE Spells


Spell Name Damage Cap
Thunderclap 25000
Shockwave [Placeholder]

[top] Inspection of AoE Spell Caps


By using this data, we can conclude a few details about situations where AoE is relevant.

[top] Spell Choice


By using this information of spells' caps, we can conclude that certain spells will be superior than others when you're in a situation that allows you to be capped. If you're facing an abundance of mobs, you will generally become AoE capped; thus, the AoE spell that has a larger cap will essentially deal the most damage. You may also determine the DPS value of the spells, by dividing the cast time with the spell's cap.

[top] Talent Choice


With this evidence we can conclude that talents that increase an AoE spell's damage will have no effect if the mob would become AoE capped without the talent. Parts of talents can become wasted if only a portion of the talent's points will help reach the AoE cap. An example is Improved Cone of Cold, which increase Cone of Cold's damage by 35%. This talent becomes useless in situations where you will get AoE capped without Improved Cone of Cold. However, you may also become capped with one point; thus, you may choose to re-spec to only choose 1/3 Improved Cone of Cold, which will conserve some of your talent points. Some talents will increase the critical strike chance of an AoE spell, and unlike damage increasing talents, these talents will not be wasted, as critical damage is bonus damage.

[top] Stat Choice


AoE caps can also lead players to change their stat composition when they're in AoE situations. Spell Damage is a stat that will increase your AoE spell's damage, but if the spell would be capped without this added damage, it essentially becomes wasted. You could, however, gear for Spell Crit and Spell Haste, which increase your damage output by "avoiding" the AoE cap.

[top] Patch 3.3


Coming in patch 3.3, the AoE spell cap mechanics will change: The normal damage you deal with any spell to one target, multiplied by 10, will become the cap of the spell. This change will most likely increase the caps for the majority of people. Any data from the PTR is welcomed, including any miss or critical hit data.


Contributors:
Created by Spazzball, 05/18/08 at 11:04 AM
Last edited by Spazzball, 11/11/09 at 6:19 PM
14 Comments , 16277 Views
Old 05/22/08, 1:36 PM   #2
 Kalman
And It's Delicious
 
Kalman's Avatar
 
<>
Orc Shaman
 
No WoW Account
Holy Nova max rank caps at ~5k (tested by myself and tedv).

Originally Posted by Vontre
Oh, nah, I just type things for the sake of typing things. ^_^
Originally Posted by Lyta
The dog nailed me like three times that day. It resulted in my ass hitting the ground and my legs waving in the air.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 05/27/08, 8:59 PM   #3
Moshne
Piston Honda
 
Moshne's Avatar
 
Draenei Shaman
 
Malfurion
It should be noted that AEs that can crit (like the totems), the crits raise the damage ceiling. I'm working on getting some numbers for you on it excluding the crit damage.

EDIT:

Fire Nova Totem - 9975 - before crits

Magma Totem - ~1500, I'll do some more testing for more exact on it, but needless to say its too low.

Last edited by Moshne : 05/27/08 at 9:12 PM.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 07/16/08, 7:24 PM   #4
Bubbs
Piston Honda
 
Bubbs's Avatar
 
Undead Mage
 
Boulderfist
AFAIK, Consecrate does not suffer from the consequences of the cap.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 07/17/08, 6:12 AM   #5
Roywyn
Bald Bull
 
Roywyn's Avatar
 
Gnome Mage
 
Argent Dawn (EU)
Awesome work! I always wanted to do a write-up about this but never found the time for it.
A few notes to add:

* Paladin - Consecration and
* Shaman - Fire Elemental - Fire Nova are uncapped
As far as I know, those two are the only spells that are not capped.

[E]: Mage - Frost Nova: 1600 cap.

* Mage - Water Elemental - Freeze
I have no idea whether this one has a cap and how high it is.
Would be great if some frostie could please run into The Stockades to find out

Not sure if you want to include downranking for snares, but:
Frost Nova rank 1 - 230 cap.
Blizzard rank 1 - 575 cap per tick, 4600 total.


* Damage Talents and buffs
Those have no effect on the AoE damage caps.
Examples:
Your Arcane Explosion hits 2 mobs for 500, 500.
You activate Arcane Power. Your next Arcane Explosion still hits 2 mobs for 500, 500.

Improved Cone of Cold, Demonic Sacrifice are examples for other common talents that have no effect at the AoE Cap either.
* Molten Fury does not affect the cap either, it simply counts as damage buff as well.


* Damage Debuffs like CoE, Stormstrike, Imp. Scorch/Shadow Bolt, Misery, Shadow Vulnerability, etc.
Those DO allow you to go beyond the AoE just like crits can.
Example:

Your Arcane Explosion hits 2 mobs for 500, 500.
If the first mob has CoE, it hits the 2 mobs for 550, 500.
If the both mobs have CoE, it hits the 2 mobs for 550, 550.


[Edit]: Confirmed debuff/molten fury behaviour, added frost nova.

Last edited by Roywyn : 07/17/08 at 8:17 AM.

The Blue Bar and you - the complete Fire Mage 2.4 mana compendium: http://elitistjerks.com/658230-post3191.html

DPS spec and class comparison in Naxxramas gear: http://code.google.com/p/simulationc...i/SampleOutput

And [Timbal's Focusing Crystal] doesn't proc on AM.
Neither does [The Egg of Mortal Essence] since 3.1.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 07/17/08, 10:38 AM   #6
Pitbuller
King Hippo
 
Tauren Shaman
 
Wildhammer (EU)
Curse of elements vs Seed of corruption.

CoE will raise all Aoe damage but holy.
So we can assume that more than 90% damage is affected my CoE.

If (1 / 1.1) * 0.9 healt points is greater than Seed of corruption AoE cap then CoE spam is more dps than SoC spam.
-malediction (1 / 1.13).

Some example:

Abominations
HP - 180,000
(1/1.1) * 0.9 * 18000 = 14727.

So CoE do more damage to abominations than Seed spam. Also you can debuff almoust all mobs before Tank let AoE go free.


Also shadow priest spamming Shadow Word: Pain give misery + 1/5 stack of shadow weaving so this is best AoE spell that priest can do.(if VT mana gain isn't what needed)

Slow, slower, shaman weapon.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 07/31/08, 1:25 PM   #7
Arelenda
Don Flamenco
 
Human Warlock
 
Argent Dawn (EU)
Rain of Fire cap: 6710 per tic
Hellfire cap: 5205ish per tic
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 07/31/08, 2:20 PM   #8
Spazzball
Von Kaiser
 
Gnome Mage
 
Proudmoore
Are those accurate? They seem too high to be caps per tic. If someone can confirm those, then I'll add them up in the tables. Thanks though!
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 09/02/08, 6:16 PM   #9
Roywyn
Bald Bull
 
Roywyn's Avatar
 
Gnome Mage
 
Argent Dawn (EU)
Originally Posted by Spazzball View Post
Are those accurate? They seem too high to be caps per tic. If someone can confirm those, then I'll add them up in the tables. Thanks though!
Rain of fire ticks every 2 seconds. Hellfire ticks every second but is not ranged and damages the caster.
Also, Arelenda did some more testing in the same post in the warlock forum, so those are very likely accurate.


Also, Freeze (from Mage pets) doesn't seem to be capped, I hit 20+ mobs for full damage.
Not that it matters since the damage is shit anyway (scales with ~1% of the master's +dmg or so).

The Blue Bar and you - the complete Fire Mage 2.4 mana compendium: http://elitistjerks.com/658230-post3191.html

DPS spec and class comparison in Naxxramas gear: http://code.google.com/p/simulationc...i/SampleOutput

And [Timbal's Focusing Crystal] doesn't proc on AM.
Neither does [The Egg of Mortal Essence] since 3.1.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 10/22/08, 4:33 AM   #10
Flash_aha
Glass Joe
 
Undead Priest
 
Anub'arak (EU)
Thunderclap in 3.0

As for 3.0 Warriors Thunderclap just as Paladins Consecration doesn't have an aoe-cap.
I've tested it on live by pulling ~50-70 mobs in ud strat(those packs from the front- to the backentrance).
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 11/26/08, 3:12 PM   #11
Meghane
Glass Joe
 
Human Mage
 
Windrunner
Have all those been updated for ranks above 70? they just seem a little low for the damage ranks 70+ do. It seems you become capped with about 8-9 targets with most the mage aoe spells using the highest rank in wotlk and i remember being able to get at least 12-13 mobs at 70 in TBC before getting capped...that was before it could crit though so I don't know.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 11/26/08, 3:28 PM   #12
 manly
Soda Popinski
 
manly's Avatar
 
Troll Mage
 
Mal'Ganis
The numbers are closer to 25k+ now. Definitely outdated.


Log on with different model:
1- Create a character of the desired model. Log on/off.
2- At character selection screen, select your actual character; mouseover the new, desired model character, and hold down left click; hit enter and release left click at the same time.
bug Arcane Potency only applies to the first Arcane Missile bolt.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 11/26/08, 6:38 PM   #13
Nite_Moogle
Not Helpful.
 
Nite_Moogle's Avatar
 
Tauren Shaman
 
Mal'Ganis
The cap for Thunderstorm is definitely 25k on the nose; easily tested during the assault on the Undercity while under the effect of Thrall's buff and Elemental Mastery.

Originally Posted by CheshireCat
Eh, my nostalgia goggles aren't as good as they used to be.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 02/25/09, 9:15 PM   #14
Spazzball
Von Kaiser
 
Gnome Mage
 
Proudmoore
Ok, I've been back and have leveled to 80. I'll be updating this guide for the Mage section soon enough. (I'll need to test values unless someone has them.)

If anyone has the values for other classes (or Mages) please PM or post here.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Old 04/06/09, 7:56 PM   #15
Spazzball
Von Kaiser
 
Gnome Mage
 
Proudmoore
The information in this article is still out-dated. If anyone knows of the numbers for the caps, feel free to PM me or post them here. I have also recently received information from user Zavis on three of the Warlock caps, and they might (I am wanting) a validity-check.

Thanks to all who have helped thus far.
 
User is offline.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Go Back   Elitist Jerks > Theorycrafting Think Tank > Theorycrafting Think Tank

Article Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
[Theorycrafting] Spell haste vs Spell dmg for Warlocks csi Class Mechanics 10 04/29/08 7:29 PM
The mechanics of spell hit with counterspell Errelno Class Mechanics 9 05/03/07 6:33 PM
Spell Hit, Spell Crit and mages CHeeSY-CrAfT Public Discussion 46 12/24/06 5:00 AM
Spell Vulnerability resist Mechanics Ska Public Discussion 48 10/01/06 12:19 AM
Quick Spell damage mechanics question DeeNogger Public Discussion 9 09/27/06 8:14 AM