Shaman: Simple Questions/Simple Answers - Page 71

Ferala · 08/19/09, 5:49 AM

Time for a simple question:

I always wondered about the following. As a caster does your dps increase if you stand closer to the target?
Does the damage register the moment your LB cast finishes or the moment it is done traveling towards the target?

I assume that the damage is instant and that the graphical traveling is nice but doesn't influence the damage moment.

The moment sct shows the damage of the spell is usually very late, but maybe that is my usual lag.

Grymoire · 08/19/09, 8:16 AM

This is purely from my own observation not proven yet:

If you casted a Lava Burst but target dies before it reaches, the damage on that spell does not show, so therefore I think damage is only registered once the spell actually landed.

However I am not too sure about the "increase in dps" if you stand closer, as during the flow it won't make any difference, the only difference it will make is the final spell you cast landed or not before the target dies, and that shouldn't happen too often unless you clearing trash.

Ferala · 08/19/09, 9:14 AM

The question is whether or not that could be explained by server lag.

Emelia · 08/19/09, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Ferala

Time for a simple question:

I always wondered about the following. As a caster does your dps increase if you stand closer to the target?
Does the damage register the moment your LB cast finishes or the moment it is done traveling towards the target?

I assume that the damage is instant and that the graphical traveling is nice but doesn't influence the damage moment.

The moment sct shows the damage of the spell is usually very late, but maybe that is my usual lag.

Even if there was a flight time, it wouldn't affect your cast time, cooldowns or the GCD (since you don't have to wait for the spell to land before casting your next one) so it wouldn't affect your dps.

MatsT · 08/19/09, 3:49 PM

The flight time is "real" for players, if the target dies during spell travel, you will not do any damage. On a boss this is s very minor effect as the fight time is so long, but in theory it's best to finish the fight with chain lightning->shock instead of bolting, since it means you get 2 additional spells in. For mobs, the damage is usually calculated before the spells hit, you can observe this effect on mobs with very slow missiles.

Kaubel · 08/19/09, 8:17 PM

I recommend you stand in melee range and get killed. That will definitely affect your DPS.

Fucking idiots, use your head if you're going to post here. "Simple" doesn't mean "random crap I think up while I'm jerking off to leaked nude photos of Vanessa Hudgens."

Akumasama · 08/20/09, 12:44 PM

Stupid doubt about 3 different trinkets for Resto:

1) Figurine Sapphire Owl (got a buff, in the way that you can put epic gems in there)
2) Spark of Life (MP5 buff got pimped)
3) Tears of the Vanquished (TotC normal drop)

Tears is lovely, procs from totems and from a lot of stuff, proc rate is nice, and I love the int, that converts into some MP5 if you factor Replenishment and Mana-tide totem. I really like it! Feels like a mini pandora's plea.

Spark of life on the other hand got its already nice MP5 bonus buffed up, and it still has that very nice Haste +73 (although we all know how haste can be a double edged sword)

The Owl... most people I've had a chance to discuss with say it just sucks, even with the "pseudobuff" it got with 3.2 through epic gems (I use Dazzling gems in there, Int+MP5). I don't know what to say, I just feel... safer with Sapphire Owl on those fight where I struggle for mana. Anybody ever did a conversion into MP5 for Sapphire owl? I don't know how to make an objective comparison between these 3 trinkets, and I'm afraid I'm leaning toward the Owl just because of some sort of placebo effect...

Daidalos · 08/20/09, 5:41 PM

Originally Posted by Akumasama

Stupid doubt about 3 different trinkets for Resto:

1) Figurine Sapphire Owl (got a buff, in the way that you can put epic gems in there)
2) Spark of Life (MP5 buff got pimped)
3) Tears of the Vanquished (TotC normal drop)

I added tears and figurine to my trinket tab in my spread sheet. They are about equal for the most part.

Marauding Master · 08/21/09, 10:20 AM

I'm currently using [Hollowed Bone Knuckles] and [Fury], droprates hate me and I've been unable to upgrade so far. I've managed to get [Edge of Ruin]. Is it better if I use [Edge of Ruin] instead of dual-wielding? I'm unable to sim it properly because it cannot model 2H.

kaellia · 08/21/09, 11:40 AM

There's a reason that you can't sim it. That weapon is terrible for enhance shamans for a number of complex reasons (though I won't clog up this forum with them). To answer a simple question with a simple answer:

Enhance shamans should be dual-weilding as soon as they hit level 40. You should try to get two weapons as close to 2.6 or 2.7 speed as you can.

And lastly, that axe really isn't itemized for shamans. Strength and Armour Penetration aren't optimal stats for Enhance Shamans.

If you'd like to learn more, go to the Enhance Shaman Theorycrafting Think Tank link. It's easy to read, and has all the basic information (and more) that you'll need to gear up your toon effectively.

Here's the link: Shaman: Enhancement

Mogadee · 08/21/09, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by Marauding Master

I'm currently using [Hollowed Bone Knuckles] and [Fury], droprates hate me and I've been unable to upgrade so far. I've managed to get [Edge of Ruin]. Is it better if I use [Edge of Ruin] instead of dual-wielding? I'm unable to sim it properly because it cannot model 2H.

Dual wielding is by far much more dps than a 2 hander, provided you have the hit and expertise for dual wield. Windfury/Flametongue on slow/slow are our best weapon combo. Also, dual wielding will generate many more maelstrom procs allowing for more lightning bolt/chain lightning casts. And being a hybrid class, our lightning bolt casts make up for a good chunk of our dps.

kaellia beat me to it.

Houndstooth · 08/21/09, 6:37 PM

Originally Posted by Rouncer

After you reach the spell hit cap then hit rating loses much of it's value and ends up around the same level as Armor Penetration.

I assume that even after you have reached hit cap that EnhSim will correctly weigh the value of hit?

My question is mainly because even though I am above the hit cap, EnhSim will give me more dps with a yellow gem, e.g. [Wicked Monarch Topaz] than straight AP for [Aledar's Battlestar]. Obviously, it's partly because my crit AP sims at almost 2:1 vis a vis AP.

Mogadee · 08/24/09, 8:19 AM

Originally Posted by Houndstooth

I assume that even after you have reached hit cap that EnhSim will correctly weigh the value of hit?

My question is mainly because even though I am above the hit cap, EnhSim will give me more dps with a yellow gem, e.g. [Wicked Monarch Topaz] than straight AP for [Aledar's Battlestar]. Obviously, it's partly because my crit AP sims at almost 2:1 vis a vis AP.

Have you tried simming it with a full haste gem in there? My sims gave me the best results with either a haste gem or an armor pen gem. I am also seeing that with higher levels of gear, T9 or equivalent, that rawr prefers gemming +20 armor pen gems and the sim seems to support that choice.

But it looks like armor penetration is going bye-bye with Cataclysm; from early notes from blizz.

Ursalak · 08/24/09, 10:35 AM

Question about Enhancement T9 gear...

Was there ever a recommended switch point from T8 to T9? Looking at the set bonuses T9 2 piece doesn't look that great. At first glance I would think that we'd probably bypass 2 piece and go from four piece T8 to four piece T9. The other question is four piece of the lvl 232 version good enough or do we need to be in four piece of lvl 245/258 to offset the loss of the T8 bonues.

I'm hoping to have some free time to start simming some of these scenarios out by next weekend, but I was just curious if anyone else had already done this. When I tried to search the shaman forums, I didn't get any recent hits on "tier" and "bonus" and unfortunately "T9" and "Tier 9" are invalid words to search by.

Mersa · 08/25/09, 12:22 PM

Is it just me or does enhancement shaman DPS flux alot? I play one day and put out 4K dps the next day i struggle to hit 3K. i dont see to be able to put my finger on it, my gear is pretty good (see profile) my rotation is what it should be.
MW 5 = LB
SS
ES
LL
MW4 = LB

I'm hit and expertise capped. but still i struggle to put out competitive DPS sometimes. I seem to do better with the ret paladins haste aura buff, but i'm not sure. Could anyone tell me what my DPS should be like for my gear? or is anyone else experiencing similar problems?