Arcane Tactics vs Fire DPS

[Gobblo]

This post assumes that Fire outperforms Arcane in 4.3: Dragon Soul. Please consider boss mechanics when formulating your answer, not merely simulation results.

What are your thoughts regarding the 3% raid-wide damage buff from Arcane (Arcane Tactics) vs the DPS increase from Fire?

In other words, which results in higher raid DPS: Comp A or Comp B?

On the other hand, it isn't necessary to lose the buff even if one chooses Fire. There are several different combinations of specs that include either Communion or Ferocious Inspiration. At this point, the question diverges into a much more general one regarding spec flexibility within a class comp, but your comments are appreciated here as well.

[Guromin]

Gobblo,

I did make a thread just recently to talk about fire in 4.3 and it had answers to your much of your questions in it. Ret paladins can also keep the 3% damage buff up so if you have one of them don't worry about it. I'm really shocked overall as to how many people have claimed to be all for playing fire and now when they are presented with the oppertunity they shy away. It makes me wonder if too many people are worried that playing the easy spec (arcane) will make people believe your 'bad' once again. My two responces to this are: Go try it on PTR and see for yourself or stop worrying and just wait for 4.3 to come out. Arcane and Fire are both going to be good and I don't think people will consider anyone 'bad' in a pug run for playing either spec (if they do it well).

I honestly wouldn't worry too much about the buff. If you like playing arcane there's nothing wrong with that and it will give your raid the buff. If you don't like it then play fire and you will still be fine. If your indifferent or really want to do the best damage choose which spec based on the fight. I listed out the basics for mages on each of the fights bellow.

Morchock- One of the most simplistic fights, but there is a decent about of movement involved and because of this it is advantageous to have movement abilities. Under unusual circumstances I do believe that Arcane could compete with fire on this fight at higher gear levels, however, it is not likely that you will be given the privilege of standing still to dps.

Warlord Zon'ozz- This fight does not contain a lot of movement, but it does contain enough to potential hinder Arcane. This mainly depends on how many 'bounces' your guild wishes to do and how well you are able to keep it going back and forth. Our PTR group was not very good at it and we ended up doing a lot of running.

Yor'sahj the Unsleeping- No question fire is the best. Heavy AoE, high movement, and depending on your luck an ability that removed all of your mana for short time. I imagine top fire mages doing more than 50k dps on this fight (easily). It does depend a lot on luck, but if I was able to do 50k dps in LFR I think there will be mages capable of that or more on normal and heroic.

Hagara the Stormbinder- There is no good time for a burn phase with only a 12 second period of taking increased damage, but that is plenty of time to land a nice Pyroblast! and get a large ignite for combustion. In addition there is some AoE from frozen dps and heavy movement in the transition phases.

Ultraxion- This fight is about the closest fight to patchwerk we will ever see. Click a button when an event happens and otherwise stand in one place and do dps. Arcane may do very well at this fight on heroic. There is a mechanic that allows for 100% increased haste and 75% reduced spell cost, but from what I saw they changed this mechanic to be available to only healers. This will be Arcanes strongest fight if fire isn't capable of beating it.

Warmaster Blackhorn- I don't understand how anyone could do good arcane damage on this fight. There's constant movement to obsorb missiles landing on the ship, two melee targets just asking for dots to be spread across them, a small sapper that needs a slow (Blast Wave which also damages other adds), two drakes to dot on each side of the boat, and drakes that fly over the boat. Fire seems to be a much stronger choice on this fight.

Spine of Deathwing- At the begenining it may seem like arcane would do just fine hitting the adds, and if your in LFR raid it might be, but on Normal and Heroic when movement is required to cause the boss to do barrel rolls I think fire will become a better choice. In addition dots can be placed on the Hideous Amalgamation and spread to the Blood surrounding it for a good way to build stacks on the add or clean the out unneeded adds.

Madness of Deathwing- Arcane doesn't do well with haste. The large haste buffs on this fight and multiple targets to dot will make fire a better choice for overall damage on this fight. I could understand a player choosing arcane if a guild was in need of additional burst on the last platform or Deathwing himself, however, I believe Combustion's burst has become almost as powerful as Arcane's burst if a sufficient Ignite is present.

Hope it clears things up,

-Firelord Guromin