Hello. First of all here is my toon. http://us.battle.net/wow/en/character/garona/sharmann/simple
My question is simcraft says I should be doing 36k on Ultraxion, (Patchwerk type fights) but I only do 29-30. Ive been playing this mage since vanilla so I pretty much think I know what im doing. My rotation is start with hardcast pyro - LB - use cooldowns - wait for big ignite then combustion - then flame orb - mirrior images - and so on. Keep LB up use hot streak everytime so on so on. I know my gear isnt the best as I took a big break after BD and BOT. I just started back about a month ago. So can you take a look and tell me why you think im doing 6k less dps than simcraft and rawr says I should? Thank you so much in advance.
4.3 Brief Fire Guide
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- sharmann
- Posts: 2
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- Guromin
- Posts: 190
Sharmann,
I looked to see if you had any logs posted on World of Logs, but there were not any. Here's my advice based on what I can see from your armory.
As far as Simulation Craft is concerned, you have to note that Simulation Craft assumes a perfect rotation execution with no interruption, low world latency, and no travel time to a boss from a spell. It's been my experience that Simulation Craft does not fully account for Ignite Munching (it does account for some, but not all). Simulation Craft states that my dps will be about 46k on Ultraxion, but my best attempt was close to 44k (and sadly I forgot to turn logs back on after reloading).
With all of that information given, 6k difference is too much. The occasional interrupt to rotation, increased travel distance, lack of raid buffs, and slight world latency should not cause a 6k differnce. It should be no more than 2-3k off depending on RNG.
Here are some general pointers that may or may not apply.
Make sure to never refresh Living Bomb before it falls off. Doing so causes 1/3rd of it's damage to be lost. (exceptions will apply to this)
If you waste more than 1 GCD in the other realm by clicking your extra action button there's room for improvement. I save Mirror Images for the 1st Hour of Twilight and then again when it comes off CD. Since it's only usable twice in the entire fight no matter what you do waiting so it's essential free in terms of GCD's is a good idea. I also use Flame Orb on the 2nd and when the timing lines up again (every 4th) and also with Fading Light.
You stated that you "use Cool Downs" after using Living Bomb, which is fine, but I've had little luck with it. I would like all of my CD's (especially haste CD's like Berserking) to be up when the Combustion is used. Use effects like Engineering intellect and trinkets I use when I get a Hot Streak proc (trying to give that every chance I can for it to crit). I don't use the Hot Streak proc immediately. Instead I wait no more than 2 Fireball casts to see if they crit and then I cast the Hot Streak. Two crits in a row powered with intellect procs results in a very large ignite and consequently a lot of combustion damage.
Right now you have haste on your gloves. Replacing that with +65 mastery would be a dps increase since mastery is quite powerful these days.
Having two 2 set's is not ideal. I know it's difficult to acquire a 4 set, but make that a priority above all other gear. Your reforging looks pretty good. I can tell you read the first post and did some calculating to go for the (1505) haste.
Without logs that's about the best I can do. I hope it helps,
-Guromin
I looked to see if you had any logs posted on World of Logs, but there were not any. Here's my advice based on what I can see from your armory.
As far as Simulation Craft is concerned, you have to note that Simulation Craft assumes a perfect rotation execution with no interruption, low world latency, and no travel time to a boss from a spell. It's been my experience that Simulation Craft does not fully account for Ignite Munching (it does account for some, but not all). Simulation Craft states that my dps will be about 46k on Ultraxion, but my best attempt was close to 44k (and sadly I forgot to turn logs back on after reloading).
With all of that information given, 6k difference is too much. The occasional interrupt to rotation, increased travel distance, lack of raid buffs, and slight world latency should not cause a 6k differnce. It should be no more than 2-3k off depending on RNG.
Here are some general pointers that may or may not apply.
Make sure to never refresh Living Bomb before it falls off. Doing so causes 1/3rd of it's damage to be lost. (exceptions will apply to this)
If you waste more than 1 GCD in the other realm by clicking your extra action button there's room for improvement. I save Mirror Images for the 1st Hour of Twilight and then again when it comes off CD. Since it's only usable twice in the entire fight no matter what you do waiting so it's essential free in terms of GCD's is a good idea. I also use Flame Orb on the 2nd and when the timing lines up again (every 4th) and also with Fading Light.
You stated that you "use Cool Downs" after using Living Bomb, which is fine, but I've had little luck with it. I would like all of my CD's (especially haste CD's like Berserking) to be up when the Combustion is used. Use effects like Engineering intellect and trinkets I use when I get a Hot Streak proc (trying to give that every chance I can for it to crit). I don't use the Hot Streak proc immediately. Instead I wait no more than 2 Fireball casts to see if they crit and then I cast the Hot Streak. Two crits in a row powered with intellect procs results in a very large ignite and consequently a lot of combustion damage.
Right now you have haste on your gloves. Replacing that with +65 mastery would be a dps increase since mastery is quite powerful these days.
Having two 2 set's is not ideal. I know it's difficult to acquire a 4 set, but make that a priority above all other gear. Your reforging looks pretty good. I can tell you read the first post and did some calculating to go for the (1505) haste.
Without logs that's about the best I can do. I hope it helps,
-Guromin
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- sharmann
- Posts: 2
Guromin,
Thank you so much for your advice. I have an old world of logs account from when I played before. I will do a LFR tomorrow and post it there. I am not in a guild right now so I just do LFR. I will try all your suggestions tomorrow. Yea I hate using two sets but thats the best I have right now. I will switch to 4 set as soon as I get lucky and win a roll. lol. I would go back and get 4 set t12 if I could but the pug Fireland groups on my server suck. Times like this a miss a good guild but I just dont have the time to commit. I only came back because I heard about the LFR and thats a good way for someone like me to still raid. Thanks again for your help.
Here is the link for my logs from LFR tonight. http://www.worldoflogs.com/guilds/184029/ I got lucky and won role on helm so one more piece to go. lol.
Thank you so much for your advice. I have an old world of logs account from when I played before. I will do a LFR tomorrow and post it there. I am not in a guild right now so I just do LFR. I will try all your suggestions tomorrow. Yea I hate using two sets but thats the best I have right now. I will switch to 4 set as soon as I get lucky and win a roll. lol. I would go back and get 4 set t12 if I could but the pug Fireland groups on my server suck. Times like this a miss a good guild but I just dont have the time to commit. I only came back because I heard about the LFR and thats a good way for someone like me to still raid. Thanks again for your help.
Here is the link for my logs from LFR tonight. http://www.worldoflogs.com/guilds/184029/ I got lucky and won role on helm so one more piece to go. lol.
Last edited by sharmann on 11 Jan 2012 02:17, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- Portalcakes
- Posts: 14
Hey Guromin, Thanks for your help on the thread i made earlier, i have another question.
we've had a couple Ti'tahk, the Steps of Time drop in our DW kills. (the haste proc staff)
Initially i didnt want it and have been passing on them, but i got curious tonight and went to check the internal cooldown on it. Turns out its a 60 sec ICD.. which results in it being around 300 and some change haste (napkin math) however the nice thing i found out about this was it's swappable and the proc remains going even after you've swapped weapons.
Was curious about your thoughts on that and if it would be viable to swap that weapon in every 60 seconds for your in hopes to proc it for extra combustion ticks and returning to a weapon with better stats/legendary after the proc has gone off.
we've had a couple Ti'tahk, the Steps of Time drop in our DW kills. (the haste proc staff)
Initially i didnt want it and have been passing on them, but i got curious tonight and went to check the internal cooldown on it. Turns out its a 60 sec ICD.. which results in it being around 300 and some change haste (napkin math) however the nice thing i found out about this was it's swappable and the proc remains going even after you've swapped weapons.
Was curious about your thoughts on that and if it would be viable to swap that weapon in every 60 seconds for your in hopes to proc it for extra combustion ticks and returning to a weapon with better stats/legendary after the proc has gone off.
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- Guromin
- Posts: 190
Portalcakes,
Very interesting idea. I haven't done much research on it (because I have Dragonwrath), but I will attempt to acquire one this week from LFR or normal madness and tell you what I think about it. Nice find :)
-Guromin
Very interesting idea. I haven't done much research on it (because I have Dragonwrath), but I will attempt to acquire one this week from LFR or normal madness and tell you what I think about it. Nice find :)
-Guromin
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- Deptdint
- Posts: 11
I tested this after reading your post and unfortunately it works much like a trinket; the ICD resets upon equipping. It makes sense though, since it would be ridiculously over powered otherwise.Portalcakes wrote:Hey Guromin, Thanks for your help on the thread i made earlier, i have another question.
we've had a couple Ti'tahk, the Steps of Time drop in our DW kills. (the haste proc staff)
Initially i didnt want it and have been passing on them, but i got curious tonight and went to check the internal cooldown on it. Turns out its a 60 sec ICD.. which results in it being around 300 and some change haste (napkin math) however the nice thing i found out about this was it's swappable and the proc remains going even after you've swapped weapons.
Was curious about your thoughts on that and if it would be viable to swap that weapon in every 60 seconds for your in hopes to proc it for extra combustion ticks and returning to a weapon with better stats/legendary after the proc has gone off.
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- Guromin
- Posts: 190
Deptdint,
My personal thought on this would be to use it in conjunction with the Legendary Staff. Begin a fight with Ti'tahk equiped and once it procs switch to Dragonwrath or another staff (dragonwrath has no ICD). I did not receive one in LFR and so I will not get one this week. I would be interested for someone to share their findings in this.
Sharmann,
After reviewing your logs I can tell that Combustion is a real problem in your damage. On Morchok (3.5m fight) your Combustion damage totaled to only 380k. With decent RNG, one Combustion of mine will do about 350-400k damage. I know your ilevel is a tad lower than mine, but certainly there's a problem when you Combustion is doing half the damage. I would review over my Ignite guide and see if that helps any. In addition I highly recommend you download My Big Ignite (link bellow). There was a recent update to it for anyone unaware that contains a new feature I really like (because I suggested it to the creator!). There's a timer for Ignite incorporated in it now so you can see exactly how much time is remaining to use Combustion.
http://www.curse.com/addons/wow/mybigignite
-Guromin
My personal thought on this would be to use it in conjunction with the Legendary Staff. Begin a fight with Ti'tahk equiped and once it procs switch to Dragonwrath or another staff (dragonwrath has no ICD). I did not receive one in LFR and so I will not get one this week. I would be interested for someone to share their findings in this.
Sharmann,
After reviewing your logs I can tell that Combustion is a real problem in your damage. On Morchok (3.5m fight) your Combustion damage totaled to only 380k. With decent RNG, one Combustion of mine will do about 350-400k damage. I know your ilevel is a tad lower than mine, but certainly there's a problem when you Combustion is doing half the damage. I would review over my Ignite guide and see if that helps any. In addition I highly recommend you download My Big Ignite (link bellow). There was a recent update to it for anyone unaware that contains a new feature I really like (because I suggested it to the creator!). There's a timer for Ignite incorporated in it now so you can see exactly how much time is remaining to use Combustion.
http://www.curse.com/addons/wow/mybigignite
-Guromin
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- Sethgsx
- Posts: 2
Hello! First time poster! I have recently began to get back on mage for DS but I have only been doing LFR. Recently, I did normal Madness of Deathwing and it seems by DPS was terrible. I have never checked my dps before so I thought I was doing ok. Question, what trick is there on the encounter that causes fire mages to do so much dps and does the rotation ever change for it? Also, is the best time to use up your CD's is during the cataclysm phase? TYSM for the feedback!
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- Deptdint
- Posts: 11
I use the staff primarily and I know for a fact that is viable. It procs relatively fast, so with a power aura or something to track it, it would be a nice boost to start. I don't have the Legendary so I am planning on sticking with Ti'tahk for the raid dps gain.Guromin wrote:My personal thought on this would be to use it in conjunction with the Legendary Staff. Begin a fight with Ti'tahk equiped and once it procs switch to Dragonwrath or another staff (dragonwrath has no ICD). I did not receive one in LFR and so I will not get one this week. I would be interested for someone to share their findings in this.
Re: 4.3 Brief Fire Guide
- Guromin
- Posts: 190
Deptdint,
Thanks for confirming. I'm hoping to get several people in my guild to start doing this :)
Sethgsx,
I don't know how bad "horrible" is, but as a general rule you should be doing about 40-45k dps to defeat the encounter on normal mode with 3 healers and 2 tanks. My personal strategy for the fight on normal will likely not work for you. There's a few reasons and first of all I have no idea what your gear looks like. Having the t13 4 set makes a huge difference. Almost all players in my raid group do 50k or more dps on Madness and we kill things very fast. So fast, in fact, that the first 3 arms/wings die before Cataclysm is cast. Using CD's when cataclysm has been cast just ends up being a waste... so I simply use Combustion when I am lucky enough to have a decent sized ignite. If there is time after Cataclysm is cast for you to use combustion and allow it to tick for the full duration it's certainly worth doing.
I don't really change my rotation at all, unless Fireball's cast time falls bellow 1 second which can happen on the first platform under Blood Lust and another haste effect. In this case, switch to Pyroblasts. Mana can be an issue on this fight, so use Evocation when needed and consume all mana gems. In addition it's worth changing your spec into Clear Casting over Improved Scorch.
Hope it helps,
-Guromin
P.S. I will be very busy next week so be patient with late responses :)
Thanks for confirming. I'm hoping to get several people in my guild to start doing this :)
Sethgsx,
I don't know how bad "horrible" is, but as a general rule you should be doing about 40-45k dps to defeat the encounter on normal mode with 3 healers and 2 tanks. My personal strategy for the fight on normal will likely not work for you. There's a few reasons and first of all I have no idea what your gear looks like. Having the t13 4 set makes a huge difference. Almost all players in my raid group do 50k or more dps on Madness and we kill things very fast. So fast, in fact, that the first 3 arms/wings die before Cataclysm is cast. Using CD's when cataclysm has been cast just ends up being a waste... so I simply use Combustion when I am lucky enough to have a decent sized ignite. If there is time after Cataclysm is cast for you to use combustion and allow it to tick for the full duration it's certainly worth doing.
I don't really change my rotation at all, unless Fireball's cast time falls bellow 1 second which can happen on the first platform under Blood Lust and another haste effect. In this case, switch to Pyroblasts. Mana can be an issue on this fight, so use Evocation when needed and consume all mana gems. In addition it's worth changing your spec into Clear Casting over Improved Scorch.
Hope it helps,
-Guromin
P.S. I will be very busy next week so be patient with late responses :)