I'm actually quite generous with the stackable de-buffs (Shadow Weaving, Improved Scorch, Winters Chill).

For the purposes of this modelling, I assume they are fully stacked right from the beginning. I also assume that the Fire Mage has ANOTHER Fire Mage out there keeping the fire vulnerability stacked with Scorch. This allows for a true-maximum dps sequence.

Similarly, I include CoA in the warlock calculations when in reality they will most likely be putting CoS/CoE/CoR.

There isn't much "real" about these models.

But.....we should be able to discern some general "relative" trends.....

-Ded

Ok cool... Yes as Mage I notice that COE helps a ton too.

But I still hopeing that BC will get more Fire Mages out there. As of now my Guild (Small) as 11 Mages at 60 with only 2 beening fire....

Try out this spell cycle for a warlock, got it from one who is usually #1 in dps in most fights in Naxx. Obviously only possible in a conflag spec.

Immolate
shadow bolt x 5
conflagrate
immolate
rinse repeat

Warlocks are going to be hitting sickeningly hard

Shadow Bolt is THE BEST scaling dmg spell in the game......... (Fireball is a distant second.)

In the gear/buff/debuff scenarios above, the 40-Destruction/21-Demonology Warlock has a 97% scale factor on Shadow Bolt. I'm not talking "damage scale factor", but rather "DPS scale factor". This means that for every extra unit of +dmg his DPS increases by 1. This is just incredible.

This is partly due to the many +shadow modifiers, partly due to the insane +crit gear and party +crit buffs, and partly due to how I model Improved Shadow Bolt. Essentially, when a crit occurs all the "future" damage due to the extra 20% is considered part of the crit bonus. I don't just give the Warlock all 4 ticks, but rather calculate how long it will be before he crits again. I assume that nobody will be "stealing" his 20% bonus, but I also assume that he does not get any benefit from other Warlock crits.

Anyway.....here is why I did not use Conflagrate in any of the shadow-dominated spell sequences:



If you go deep enough for Conflagrate, you'll probably get Shadow-and-Flame as well. If you also get Demonic Sacrific and have Shadow Weaving stacked, then Shadow Bolt will out-DPS Conflagrate.

It is possible to create a hybrid build with Conflagrate but not both of the other two talents (such as 40Dest/21Aff). It is also possible (but not recommended......heh) to be running without a Shadow Priest. In both of those scenarios Conflagrate will -barely- edge Shadow Bolt provided the Warlocks timing is perfect.

Thanks for the info.

I am assuming the reason why, besides the massive scaling shadowbolt gets and the ridiculous amount of debuffs it can make use of, it is because of the global cooldown that conflag triggers which causes shadowbolt to edge out over using conflag, essentially making conflag a 1.5 second spell. (If the dps sequence continues until the warlock goes oom).

Ah, just one more question. I am assuming you know imp shadow bolt affects ANY spell a shadow priests uses, and is only "used", goes from 4 to 3, when a non-crit shadowbolt or a mind blast hit the debuffed mob.

Ag, another question, what is the dps sequence you plugged in there for the shadow priest. I am just wondering how often you threw death in there. The more often you throw it up, the more your dps goes up, and from what I have seen, it is fairly easy to out heal the dmg you take from it. To do this though, gotta make sure death is before a mind blast, and not after it. We don't have an awesome scaling spell like warlocks do which can overcome an instants goodness.

Did you possibly just only do a regular dot/dot/flay/flay/flay/flay/flay cycle? Obviously not a rinse an repeat, since the dots have different timers when you have to refresh them.

Exactly. The minimum cast time for any spell is: ( global_cooldown + lag )

Spells with short cast times get penalized the worse by lag.....
I went back and forth on it, but in the end decided to include lag in the main reports I posted.

A patch or two ago Improved Shadow Bolt was changed to only provide the 20% bonus to non-periodic shadow dmg. (The 20% ticks were being eaten by weak Warlock DoTs severely reducing the talents usefulness.)

I interpreted "non-periodic shadow dmg" to mean only MB and Death.

It would seem strange if this also included Channeled spells. Are you 100% certain?



Yes, this is how I model it.

Mind Flay and SW:P get the benefits of Imp. SB but don't consume charges.

I know it is hard to see in all the noise generated by the report, but there is a line that starts with "Analyzing sequence" stating the actual spell sequence.

For shadow priests the sequence is: Keep SWP/VT up and then MB-Death-MF-MF while not refreshing DoT. I know this is more dangerous: It would be nice to have MB right after Death, but for the purposes of this model it doesn't matter provided you have Improved Mind Blast.

Wow! That's awesome!

Does that mean the Warlock DoTs also get the benefit but don't consume charges!?

Hmmmm...... That means there is going to be a real swing in SP DPS depending upon Warlock crits......which is a pain to model since I only consider one player at a time.

Ok..... I'll just have to go with recommendations from folks with more raid experience than me:

On average how often is the 20% shadow buff up on raid bosses?

-Ded

PS: Hmmmm..... More motivation to get moving on the multiplayer simulation. Rats.

I'd say at least half the time if not more. My guild has really geared Locks though.