catmicrowaver

Out of:

0/41/30
0/40/31
0/55/16

Which spec is better / easier to play while gearing up at 80 running heroics and pug raids? Fun factor and utility are important as well.

 

pfooti

41/30 is fun and easy and does okay with mediocre gear. 55/16 (or 3/53/15 if you're not hit capped) does pretty well and brings buffs (5% spell crit, demonic pact). I don't particularly like 40/31, since conflagrate by itself (without backdraft, cataclysm, etc) doesn't seem worth giving up the felguard for).

 

Lillyanne

I haven't really gone to this site or played wow in two months until just two days ago. I kinda caught up a bit after reading all the unread posts that were here since my last log in (jesus you guys post a lot), and I'm kinda back on track. But there are still a few issues that seem to be evading me. I'll ask one here.

1. why isn't improved shadowbolt taken in any spec that isn't affliction? I thought the 5% crit buff would be realyl great to have. I've searched the forums and the only thing I can find is that destro locks don't want shadowbotl in theior rotation, and that scorch/isb are overriding each other in some kind of bug. Is this it? Do you all assume you will have a mage every time for the crit buff? It just seemed like a must have talent for me.

 

Netfelix

Deep Demo specs (no emberstorm) also take Imp SB.

You CAN take Imp SB in the fire based specs, but, it is a personal DPS loss to throw that SB for the debuff. If there's no mage, and you like the destro spec, I'd go with something like : Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

The only thing you would really lose should a mage show up while you're in this spec are filler points, and the option to spec replenishment.

 

pfooti

Yeah, affliction warlocks (and demonic pact warlocks) use shadowbolt as their nuke. Destruction warlocks and hybrid (41/30, 40/31) demo/destro warlocks use incinerate as their nuke and therefore don't need ISB. If you're worried about raid composition, I'd suggest getting a dual spec set up where one half is the demonic pact spec - that provides a fair spellpower buff (if no ele shaman) and the 5% crit buff (mage). Swap between the two specs based on what the raid needs.

 

ElJoser

Kind of mentioned this earlier but it seems to have been glanced over. Are deep Destro specs still using Soul Fire on their Backdraft cooldowns? Haven't seen it in any of the rotations listed recently, but I was using it to great effect pre-3.1 with my deep Destro build

 

Menestheus

Soul Fire is currently only used by builds with Decimation. If you don't have Decimation (or do have it and don't have the buff) then you are better spent casting your standard filler spell (Incinerate for deep Destro).

 

Diogenetic

The various new buffs to Incin (Glyph, 4pcT8, F&B talent change) likely make it little to no dps gain for deep destro, even during bloodlust + backdraft. Though I would be interested in seeing a simcraft that modeled using it only under those conditions, for mana conservation if nothing else.

 

Swyft1

Why does 3/13/55 use Glyph of Lifetap, while 0/13/58 uses Glyph of Immolate? Could not find any explanation for it, neither in the Simcraft-Thread nor anywhere else.

 

Lillyanne

I think it's because the 13/58 builds take improved soulleech.

 

oresteez

Just to expand on this answer:

Because you are taking Improved Soul Leech, you have less of a need to life tap as often. Since you are life tapping less, it reduces the benefit gained from using the Glyph of Life Tap. Not using 4 piece tier 7 will also reduce the benefit of this glyph, so you have many factors to consider when choosing specs.

I try to read every thread every few days, and I know this has been extensively discussed--perhaps try the Destruction thread. The Mage Equivalent: The Destruction Warlock

 

mercurio

I have a question regarding CoD, haven't used it in so long I forgot the answer.

When CoD actually does it's damage, how does bonus damage get applied? Do bonus damage buffs on the caster affect it at cast time even if the buff is no longer on the caster when it does it's damage? For example, sparks on malygos.

And for bonus damage debuffs on the boss, is it applied at cast time or when the damage from CoD is actually dealt? Like with the singed debuff on Hodir?

 

Menestheus

It should be using your spell power and damage buffs at the time of cast and the bosses debuffs at the time it ticks.

 

Manny

So anyway I made out like a bandit last night in Ulduar adding these to my collection:

[Conqueror's Deathbringer Robe]
[Living Flame]
[Overload Legwraps]

Yay! So this morning decided to get my vault in because I was two badges short of my t8.5 head, ended up buying that..

[Conqueror's Deathbringer Hood]

So now I'm a wee bit stuck. I'm not sure if I should keep using my [Valorous Plagueheart Leggings](Which contains 2x [Purified Twilight Opal] to activate my meta), or my [Overload Legwraps]. The problem arises because now I am going to need a new meta. I usually use the 21 crit rating and 3% increased crit damage. This is where I run into my problem. My 2 blue gems that I use to 'turn on" my meta I shoved into my pants (lol).

So my questions are:
Should I use the [Overload Legwraps] and regem, stick to my [Valorous Plagueheart Leggings] or use [Valorous Deathbringer Leggings] and socket those with two [Purified Twilight Opal]?
Should I use [Living Flame] over [Dying Curse]? I know living flame has an absurd amount of hit, but would the sp bonus from dying curse make it a bigger dps increase since it's supposed to proc about once a minute?

 

mercurio

Thanks Menestheus, that's what I figured, just needed to verify.

Manny, drop a blue gem in your belt since there's no set bonus and it doesn't matter(purified twilight opal of course), and one on the t8.5 helm, and then there's your two blue gems for the meta.

 

VenomByte

You are most likely best off using the [Overload Legwraps] and [Dying Curse], and regemming where appropriate (assuming you do not forfeit tier bonuses to do so). It's hard to know for sure since your armory is in PvP gear at the moment.

 

Maddette

Ahoy there,

Currently leveling my alt warlock atm, but when she reaches 80, would it better to stick to Affi? As newly 80s won't have the gear to make Destro work for them. Or doesn't it matter between Affi / Demo at newly dinged 80?

 

miothan

what potion would be best for me as 0/13/58, with heroism my incinerate is down to 1.23 sec cast time, with haste potion its down to 0.936 (below cap O_0) so my question is :

Will i gain more dps/dmg with Potion of Wild Magic, or will haste potion be better with the additional 0.23 sec lower cast time on my incinerate?

 

fontaine

<moved question to simulation thread>

 

Maxion

Assuming a hit rating sufficiently above the cap to negate the 12 hit loss, would it be worth replacing icewalker with the engineering boot enchant Nitro boosts which gives 16 crit rating?
Or would it be better to get the 18 spirit enchant as someone suggested in the compendium thread?

 

krilz

Haste potion is better, it scales much better then crit does. Also, if you reach 0.936 seconds with potion, is that with or without Backdraft? If it's with; then the cap is really 0.7 seconds since Backdraft also reduces GCD.

 

Menestheus

Use a speed increase boot enchant like Tuskarr's Vitality. Ulduar has a LOT of movement gimmicks and the increased movement will mean you can spend more time casting and less time running and might save your life one day.

 

coasty

Recently speced Destro and was confronted in a raid by a DK telling me to curse CoE. There was a S Priest in raid, therfore i refused and continued to use CoD. Am I missing something other that the slight gain form 10 to 13% and need to use CoE even with a SP or Bumpkin in raid?

 

Menestheus

It sounds like you are very confused. The three class/specs that can provide +13% magic damage are Warlock (any spec), Moonkin and Unholy DK. Shadow Priests provide Misery which is a +hit debuff (shared with Imp FF from a Moonkin) not a damage boost. All of the +magic debuffs are 13% these days, Malediction doesn't increase the bonus anymore.

Basically, you should have listened to the DK (unless he was unholy) and cast CoE, if you are going to assume you know more than other raid members then you should make damn sure you are right. By ignoring his request you were losing 13% DPS as well as losing 13% off all other casters (and a lesser amount off partial spell damage classes) and all for a ~6% personal DPS increase using CoD.

So yeah, you were dumb and should have done as you were asked.

EDIT: And your Destro spec could use some work.

 

coasty

wow, i fell like a real toolbag for doubting a DK that brought over 6k dps to the raid. After seeing his performance I figured I should invesst some time and research this new found knowledge. Thanks for the fast responce and I will respond to him ingame and give my apology for my stupidity.