I've putted the new 4T7 bonus in my model. It's a scaling 1.2% damage increase.
There are problems and benefits with this set bonus.
Problem: Attack priority
When dpsing, keeping up rake and mangle are a higher priority than using Tiger's Fury. Even if you try to look ahead to when tiger's fury will be up, due to the combined randomness of Omen of Clarity and combo points, using tiger's fury every time it is up is nearly impossible.
Benefit: Timing tiger's fury with berserk
I personally like to use Tiger's Fury right before berserking, as it grants an aditional 480 total damage if used at the correct time, and it is imperative to start berserk at >90 energy. Because of the attack priority issue, I sometimes end up waiting a few seconds on Tiger's Fury before using the Tiger's Fury + Berserk combo. The set bonus gives you a 3 second window to use tiger's fury each time and still have it ready for berserk.
TF is 2 energy per second when used every 30 seconds + 24 dps from the increased damage (or something like that)
TF is 1.5 energy per second when used every 40 seconds + 18 dps from the increased damage
TF is 1.5 energy per second when used every 30 seconds with 15 of the energy granted being overcap + 24 dps from increased damage.
It would be better to waste 1.5 energy than wait an extra second before using TF.
Clearly there's times when you should wait to use TF to get an extra burst in, like Berserk (it's a lot more than 480 extra damage btw), but in general cooldown use is preferred.
Even if you were picky about maximizing energy gain by timing TF:
Just as having TF on a 27s cooldown doesn't guarantee you'll be using it every 27s, originally having TF on a 30s cooldown doesn't guarantee you'll be using it every 30s. The cooldown reduction is just that, an opportunity for a TF ~3s earlier on average, or in other words a slightly-less-than-10% reduction in TF cooldown (also on average).
Been trying to find it on the forums, but so far I haven't seen any numbers or theories about it. (I might be terrible at searching :P)
But what weapon is gonna be the best choice for feral dps kitties after the patch? Will [Journey's End] still be the best weapon for us? Are there any maces/polearms that will be as good, or even better?
It's really hard to beat the ~300FAP just from being a higher item level. Betrayer seems like it'd be similar (in fact it has a similar stat distribution) as it's the only other 226 polearm/mace/staff.
It's really hard to beat the ~300FAP just from being a higher item level. Betrayer seems like it'd be similar (in fact it has a similar stat distribution) as it's the only other 226 polearm/mace/staff.
It's really hard to beat the ~300FAP just from being a higher item level. Betrayer seems like it'd be similar (in fact it has a similar stat distribution) as it's the only other 226 polearm/mace/staff.
Yes, the huge expertise on the [Staff of the Plaguehound] is a problem (at least I have a problem with having too many pieces that have expertise).
It limits the other pieces of gear we can use. The other weapons have 5 stats instead of 4, so that makes them a bit more balanced as well.
TF is 2 energy per second when used every 30 seconds + 24 dps from the increased damage (or something like that)
TF is 1.5 energy per second when used every 40 seconds + 18 dps from the increased damage
TF is 1.5 energy per second when used every 30 seconds with 15 of the energy granted being overcap + 24 dps from increased damage.
It would be better to waste 1.5 energy than wait an extra second before using TF.
Clearly there's times when you should wait to use TF to get an extra burst in, like Berserk (it's a lot more than 480 extra damage btw), but in general cooldown use is preferred.
I guess the main issue that comes up then is for pure feral dps should you bother getting the 2 extra pieces of valorous and sacrifice dps by not using the much better leather alternatives out there. Also the 480 damage part I was refering to only the extra damage from instant attacks since that is the only pure damage benefit of using it during berserk. It lasts 6 seconds at 80 extra damage per instant. Of course you still get the white attacks + damage, but that happens regardless of berserk or not.
Anybody know if shifting twilight opals will be included in this patch?
I haven't seen any evidence of them yet. The only blue I can find for it is "We'll look into it." ([Missing] Jewelcrafting recipes). I'm not counting on seeing them in 3.0.8.
A number of other missing Jewelcrafting cut recipes have shown on up the PTR, so there has been effort to get them in. Sadly, the Shifting Twilight Opal isn't one of the ones seen; the recipe item has never been found. So it does seem unlikely we'll get it in 3.0.8, unless it's added in the final PTR patch.
Is that CD reduction really that good? I haven't been able to raid with a cat spec that much yet, but I was under the assumption you'd use TF to get energy when it is low, which doesn't necessarily have to happen immediately when the CD is over (think multiple OoC procs, or just after a Berserk)
it doesn't have to happen, but in general, modulo OoC procs and misses, I'm waiting for energy to do specials except right after I pop tiger's fury, or right after I've had to stop dps for a few seconds (stun, movement, start of fight, etc.). OoC procs 5.8% per strike so while getting two or three in a row will happen, it's not going to happen very often. Even under Berserk, I can still use an average of 15-20 energy per second, while getting a base regen of 10, so most commonly I would need both Berserk, *and* a lucky string of OoC procs to have my energy go up much without a dps stop.
Also, I generally time berserk to come right after a TF, because the last thing I want to happen is waste some of my 15 seconds of Berserking with no energy. Starting with a near full energy bar, I can generally get off 13-14 specials in 15 seconds. With a low energy bar, I can still run out of energy if I don't get enough OoC procs, which cuts the effectiveness of Berserk massively.
Because of this, I'm rarely on berserk when TF comes off CD. The only time that would happen is if I'm timing a berserk to stack with a big damage buff or boss debuff, and in some of those cases, I would be timing my TF to match up with that as well.
All in all, I expect that >80% of the time, I can take TF as soon as it's up, so that 3 second cooldown savings, probably is worth at least 2.5 seconds on average in practice.
People also seem to be completely ignoring the fact that sure, maybe you can't use it at exactly 27 seconds, but you couldn't always use it at exactly 30 seconds either. A lot of times maybe 27 seconds is a good time to use it but 30 isn't. It's exactly what a 4pc bonus should be, a nice, but not irreplaceable and unbreakable bonus. It's worth making if you can, but its not going to break you if you can't. I'm looking forward to not keeping a t7 set bonus for 2 years like I did t4, though, it certainly saved gold and points by never needing another dps helm or shoulders.
People also seem to be completely ignoring the fact that sure, maybe you can't use it at exactly 27 seconds, but you couldn't always use it at exactly 30 seconds either. A lot of times maybe 27 seconds is a good time to use it but 30 isn't. It's exactly what a 4pc bonus should be, a nice, but not irreplaceable and unbreakable bonus. It's worth making if you can, but its not going to break you if you can't. I'm looking forward to not keeping a t7 set bonus for 2 years like I did t4, though, it certainly saved gold and points by never needing another dps helm or shoulders.
Yes there appears to be a lot of classes complaining about poor 2pc or 4pc bonuses.... but then Blizz have explicitly stated that they do not want something too good that prevents you picking up a non-tier piece in ulduar because you fear losing the set bonus of T7.
A number of other missing Jewelcrafting cut recipes have shown on up the PTR, so there has been effort to get them in. Sadly, the Shifting Twilight Opal isn't one of the ones seen; the recipe item has never been found. So it does seem unlikely we'll get it in 3.0.8, unless it's added in the final PTR patch.
Do you have more information about this? I've not seen any new recipes available, so it makes me inclined that someone was using an addon to link a gem cut that's NYI.
Yes there appears to be a lot of classes complaining about poor 2pc or 4pc bonuses.... but then Blizz have explicitly stated that they do not want something too good that prevents you picking up a non-tier piece in ulduar because you fear losing the set bonus of T7.
Well from a resto and balance point of view, the 4 pt bonus on our T7 sets differs big time as well. On the balance set you have 5% more crit on starfire and wrath, I consider that a top quality bonus, especially since crit % is a higher budget cost on gear than haste rating or hit rating are. Not to mention the abilities it affects like Nature's Grace, Improved Moonkin, Eclipse triggering and whatnot.
The resto set on the other hand has a 4 part bonus to a heal which I barely use at all. Heck at this moment I already have 4/5 parts of the set but I just prefer to run around with only 3 parts since I prefer the haste on the Leggings of the Boneyard over the crit and spirit from the tier pants (and I have both pants fully enchanted and gemmed so that is not the reason).
Nourish for me is a very underwhelming heal. Maybe the bit of love it gets in 3.0.8. will make me reconsider not going for the 4 pt bonus but we'll see about that. Right now I would gladly trade off that set bonus for something that affects a HoT.
Am i the only one who is fairly disappointed with the new 4t7 bonus ? An 1.2% dps increase across the board is.. well.. something, but i won't unequip 2 lvl226 items just to get this bonus. The only slots where we don't have access to 226 items is head/shoulders, thats where we want to get our 2t7 from. Just compare the new 4t7 with 4t6 or moonkin 4t7.. it's ridicolous.
There probably are others than you who are unhappy, tr33hugger, but I am very happy with it as it is a small but useful bonus that does not prevent you from upgrading by being too strong. As you say, while you would like to get the bonus, will not unequip two iLvl 226 items in order to get the bonus - surely that is not a case for concern but an indication that the bonus is of the right size. Bonuses such as the 2t4 or 4t6 and a few others in the past were much too strong as they kept people using gear for one or more tiers after it was supposed to be replaced.
01/11/09, 2:43 PM
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