Mage: Simple Questions/Simple Answers - Page 190

Cartical · 12/02/10, 5:40 PM

I do apologise for what I hope isn't a stupid post. I just realised I am not 100% certain on the workings of FFB. In the following talent, Fire Power Rank 3, Increases the damage of your Fire spells by 3% and gives your Flame Orb a 100% chance to explode for 1134 to 1336 damage at the end of its duration it states we get a 3% bonus to our fire spells. I assume this still affects FFB even though I'm a frost mage. But does it STACK with Frost Specialisation?

The Frost specialisation says increases damage of Frost spells by 25% (which must affect FFB) and then the talent says increases fire spell damage by 3% - does that make 28% overall increased damage for FFB casts? (and for Frostfire Orb too) Or is FFB always counted as EITHER a Frost or a Fire spell and only benefit from one or the other?

andastra · 12/03/10, 3:49 PM

Originally Posted by Wizeowel

I don't have statistical evidence because that would require gathering 1000s of combatlogs of mages with several combinations of glyph choices. But as I linked in my post, Vontre's Magegraf has modeled all the glyphs and calculates pyroblast higher. You have to make your own decision whether you trust Vontre, although he's been providing solid theorycrafting tools for years now.

It confused me at first as well since I'm used to the old rotation. With mana problems, however, we're going to be casting scorch more often and fireball less often. When I last looked at Vontre's Magegraf, the fire break down had us casting almost as many pyroblasts as fireballs.

Moonfaxx · 12/06/10, 7:17 AM

The new technique Fire mages employ is Scorch Weaving, whilst using Molten Armor, in conjunction with the Improved Scorch talent. Scorch is free to cast, and cast frequently in rotation alongside Fireball. Think of Fireball as a high damage, yet unsustainable nuke. Scorch is the lower damage, yet infinetely sustainable nuke. If you get the balance right - you'll make your mana last a long time and avoid going OOM - and still be able to deliver competitve DPS. If you get the balance wrong, by casting too many Fireballs, you'll go OOM and need to cast excessive Scorches afterwards while you regain mana, reducing DPS.

My apologies if this has been addressed previously. My question is with regards to the need for weaving Scorch in between Fireball casts. As I understand it, a fire mage has become like a Wrath of the Lich King-era arcane mage in that they should be nearing zero mana at the end of the fight (for optimal DPS).

With that in mind, it seems to me that the only need for casting Scorch prior to going OOM is during movement. During stand-still moments, why not chain-cast Fireball until OOM, then Scorch as necessary to rebuild mana? This ensures that the mage is nearly OOM by the fight's end (and thus, near optimal DPS given that they have cast the maximum Fireballs that their mana could sustain).

Naqaj · 12/06/10, 8:05 AM

As a Fire mage, you'll want to keep your Mana at a level so that you can keep casting Fireball during the final 35% of the the fight. If you burn down to zero at the wrong time, you'll miss quite some damage during the execute phase.

Generally speaking, you'll want to avoid having to use Scorch during phases where you have special buffs or when the boss is weakened. That's easier to achieve if you don't completely drain your Mana.