As mentioned, the 4pc was...highly lacking. I don't normally post about upcoming changes, but...
With the upcoming patch, our 4pc is now slated to increase damage by 10% in addition to the cooldown that is already on starsurge. In short, the new set bonus will make more sense to pick up now, beyond just for the ilvl upgrades.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Gearing Strategy - Boom/DragonSoul
DS has been around a bit, we've had time to do a bunch of tests with gear and gear sets, etc.
There are 2 things to consider when playing with gear.
1) We're on the edge of a haste breakpoint with new gear, and you can get over it with certain combinations of gear. This is huge for multi-dot fights and a slight improvement for single target fights.
2) Our 4 pc in the new tier is...rather sad. As a result, if you have heroic from prior tier, hang onto the 2pc from it (I suggest hands and chest, as they're fairly well itemized) until you can get to 4pc Heroic of the current tier. Neither tier is great for shoulders and are a lot better than what you had before if you had tier (and there really aren't other options for the new tier), or don't break your set if you had a non-tier there. The new legs and head are very well itemized, and great places to upgrade, even from heroic in the prior tier. If you are coming in with normal prior tier, I suggest not loosing the old 2 pc until you can go 4pc as well, though it is good to do this as quickly as possible, even with raidfinder gear.
Regarding the haste breakpoint, I'll simply mention the numbers around where we currently are.
With DI: 2639 will get you +5 ticks
Just with NG up: 3102 will get you +5 ticks
With DI: 3783 will get you +6 ticks (this isn't possible without a bunch of heroic t13 gear and some other item choices that would go against normal max ilvl gearing)
If you're on the edge (within 50 or so) of those breakpoints, it is worth gemming some reds to reckless orange to get over that cap, or swapping in a slightly less ilvl item that has more haste on it (as in if you have the raid finder version of the haste/mastery ring, but not the normal, and are replacing a ring without haste on it naturally, such as shanox's heroic).
If you're not on the edge of the haste cap, do as usual, go for ilvl and then reforge into haste and stay at hit cap.
Note: When getting new tier, you may find some of it hard to upgrade without swapping 2 peices, rather than just 1, since they changed where the spirit is on the gear (from legs/hands to shoulder/chest). In the end, we will want 5 tier, but the chest will likely be resto to pick up haste instead of mastery, so don't use the chest to get to 4pc.
There are 2 things to consider when playing with gear.
1) We're on the edge of a haste breakpoint with new gear, and you can get over it with certain combinations of gear. This is huge for multi-dot fights and a slight improvement for single target fights.
2) Our 4 pc in the new tier is...rather sad. As a result, if you have heroic from prior tier, hang onto the 2pc from it (I suggest hands and chest, as they're fairly well itemized) until you can get to 4pc Heroic of the current tier. Neither tier is great for shoulders and are a lot better than what you had before if you had tier (and there really aren't other options for the new tier), or don't break your set if you had a non-tier there. The new legs and head are very well itemized, and great places to upgrade, even from heroic in the prior tier. If you are coming in with normal prior tier, I suggest not loosing the old 2 pc until you can go 4pc as well, though it is good to do this as quickly as possible, even with raidfinder gear.
Regarding the haste breakpoint, I'll simply mention the numbers around where we currently are.
With DI: 2639 will get you +5 ticks
Just with NG up: 3102 will get you +5 ticks
With DI: 3783 will get you +6 ticks (this isn't possible without a bunch of heroic t13 gear and some other item choices that would go against normal max ilvl gearing)
If you're on the edge (within 50 or so) of those breakpoints, it is worth gemming some reds to reckless orange to get over that cap, or swapping in a slightly less ilvl item that has more haste on it (as in if you have the raid finder version of the haste/mastery ring, but not the normal, and are replacing a ring without haste on it naturally, such as shanox's heroic).
If you're not on the edge of the haste cap, do as usual, go for ilvl and then reforge into haste and stay at hit cap.
Note: When getting new tier, you may find some of it hard to upgrade without swapping 2 peices, rather than just 1, since they changed where the spirit is on the gear (from legs/hands to shoulder/chest). In the end, we will want 5 tier, but the chest will likely be resto to pick up haste instead of mastery, so don't use the chest to get to 4pc.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Firelands 101 - The whole nutshell
OK, it has been a while, and I've been short on time, so I'm going to make one large post with all you need to know for FL.
Spec - not changed much, but drop lunar shower, picking up aoe or utility talents along with dreamstate (for when you multidot a lot, since it no longer costs less mana).
Gear - Originally, we were to keep t11 4pc until we got the full t12 4pc of the same lvl (heroic to replace heroic). Thanks to the t11 4pc nerf though, go ahead and go to 2pc 2pc when you can. The shoulders are still the slot to go non-tier with spirit/haste instead. We still have the same stat priority as well.
Boom Boss DPS Strats
Shannox - Any way your raid decides to do this, multi-dot everything while going through your rotation on your main target, including if somebody is stupid enough to get stuck in a trap.
Beth'tilac - This is where you can shine with dreamstate and having removed your lunar shower. Stay on the bottom. Get to solar and double dot every spinner and the drone. Mushroom and typhoon the spiderlings, then use normal rotation once Beth'tilac drops down. For filler, use starfire so you don't push out of solar until the burn phase.
Lord Rhyolith - Stack with everybody in middle, just stay solar, shroom the little adds and double dot/starfire the larger adds. When called to help turn the boss, starfire the correct leg. Enter normal rotation for burn phase. You won't be top damage here on normal mode, let the single target and channeled aoe folks have the fun.
Alysrazor - We are ok to fly, but fire mages and spriests are much better (and aflic locks are great too). If you're flying, do your normal rotation as much as you can until wrath is more than haste capped, then get into solar for double dotting and spam starfire...when dropping down, dot up the hatchlings as you fly past. If you're not flying (which is the usual), run through your normal rotation and dot up both hatchlings while killing the add on your side, and double dot alysrazor while it flys by each time. During tornado phase, have picked up at least 1 feather prior and try to get through the fire hoops on the ground to pick up the haste buff, even if you weren't flying. During burn phase, solar beam an add so it can't channel power into Alysrazor and pop every cooldown you have during this phase for maximum dps.
Baleroc - Pure dps burn, just go through your rotation and pop your cooldowns as they make sense to. If you're called to be a shard soaker it won't hurt dps, but be sure to use barkskin each time your stacks get higher to make healing much easier.
Majordomo Staghelm - Keep dps on him with your rotation the whole time. Throw a dot, or two if they live long enough, on the secondary adds during cat phase (Especially as you transition him since the dots will keep ticking while everybody is stunned).
...and that leaves Ragnaros - "TOO SOON!"
Phase 1 - Burn him
Transitions - As ranged you'll probably have 2 adds to worry about further from the hammer. This is cake as a boom. Set up shrooms under where the closest one will spawn that you're handling. Pop starfall just as it is about to spawn, blow the shrooms when it spawns, then double dot it. Double dot your second add while backing up, and then be ready to typhoon. Sometimes I get dots off on another add to help somebody else and then typhoon 3 or 4 adds (including my 2nd one).
Phase 2 - shroom the stacks, typhoon when folks need to move the stack off of fire to give more survivability, starfall during the packs when it is up.
Phase 3 - Just burn him down, make sure to save cooldowns towards the end of p2 for this. Thanks to the extra adds (scions) in the last transition you should have starfall up again by the time you fully enter p3, even if you use it during the transition. Dot both of the scions and rag while doing normal rotation on the appropriate scion, then rag as you push into full p3.
And that...is all of FireLands normal in a Boomkin nutshell.
Spec - not changed much, but drop lunar shower, picking up aoe or utility talents along with dreamstate (for when you multidot a lot, since it no longer costs less mana).
Gear - Originally, we were to keep t11 4pc until we got the full t12 4pc of the same lvl (heroic to replace heroic). Thanks to the t11 4pc nerf though, go ahead and go to 2pc 2pc when you can. The shoulders are still the slot to go non-tier with spirit/haste instead. We still have the same stat priority as well.
Boom Boss DPS Strats
Shannox - Any way your raid decides to do this, multi-dot everything while going through your rotation on your main target, including if somebody is stupid enough to get stuck in a trap.
Beth'tilac - This is where you can shine with dreamstate and having removed your lunar shower. Stay on the bottom. Get to solar and double dot every spinner and the drone. Mushroom and typhoon the spiderlings, then use normal rotation once Beth'tilac drops down. For filler, use starfire so you don't push out of solar until the burn phase.
Lord Rhyolith - Stack with everybody in middle, just stay solar, shroom the little adds and double dot/starfire the larger adds. When called to help turn the boss, starfire the correct leg. Enter normal rotation for burn phase. You won't be top damage here on normal mode, let the single target and channeled aoe folks have the fun.
Alysrazor - We are ok to fly, but fire mages and spriests are much better (and aflic locks are great too). If you're flying, do your normal rotation as much as you can until wrath is more than haste capped, then get into solar for double dotting and spam starfire...when dropping down, dot up the hatchlings as you fly past. If you're not flying (which is the usual), run through your normal rotation and dot up both hatchlings while killing the add on your side, and double dot alysrazor while it flys by each time. During tornado phase, have picked up at least 1 feather prior and try to get through the fire hoops on the ground to pick up the haste buff, even if you weren't flying. During burn phase, solar beam an add so it can't channel power into Alysrazor and pop every cooldown you have during this phase for maximum dps.
Baleroc - Pure dps burn, just go through your rotation and pop your cooldowns as they make sense to. If you're called to be a shard soaker it won't hurt dps, but be sure to use barkskin each time your stacks get higher to make healing much easier.
Majordomo Staghelm - Keep dps on him with your rotation the whole time. Throw a dot, or two if they live long enough, on the secondary adds during cat phase (Especially as you transition him since the dots will keep ticking while everybody is stunned).
...and that leaves Ragnaros - "TOO SOON!"
Phase 1 - Burn him
Transitions - As ranged you'll probably have 2 adds to worry about further from the hammer. This is cake as a boom. Set up shrooms under where the closest one will spawn that you're handling. Pop starfall just as it is about to spawn, blow the shrooms when it spawns, then double dot it. Double dot your second add while backing up, and then be ready to typhoon. Sometimes I get dots off on another add to help somebody else and then typhoon 3 or 4 adds (including my 2nd one).
Phase 2 - shroom the stacks, typhoon when folks need to move the stack off of fire to give more survivability, starfall during the packs when it is up.
Phase 3 - Just burn him down, make sure to save cooldowns towards the end of p2 for this. Thanks to the extra adds (scions) in the last transition you should have starfall up again by the time you fully enter p3, even if you use it during the transition. Dot both of the scions and rag while doing normal rotation on the appropriate scion, then rag as you push into full p3.
And that...is all of FireLands normal in a Boomkin nutshell.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Power Auras Boomkin Update
I've gotten a lot of requests for help with noticing things, or having a UI that tracks cooldowns and procs. Quite frankly, the built in UI sucks. It will show you a starsurge proc, but everything else only shows up for a split second when you proc it, with no information as to if you're still in it or not. This is an updated set of power auras, it includes moonfire/sunfire as a combined dot, newer trinkets (sorry only the ones I've been using, which are the Witching Hourglass and Theralion's Mirror) and the Power Surge enchant. Personally I usually run with the dot tracking turned off, as I prefer xperl's target and target of target frames for that, so feel free to turn off any of these you don't like, the rest will still keep working.
If you have a specific one you'd like to add in place of those, it is pretty simple to do inside of Power Auras. Just look at the buff your trinket/enchant gives you for a name, then edit one of the proc detectors with that name instead of what I put in, and then go to the animations section and adjust the animation to be the length of the buff. Tada, updated for your own items. :)
So, here's the strings (type /powa, click import set, and paste this in):
As a bonus, a lot of people need to move out of the group faster on Val and Ther when they're exploding. This should help (just perform a single import):
If you have a specific one you'd like to add in place of those, it is pretty simple to do inside of Power Auras. Just look at the buff your trinket/enchant gives you for a name, then edit one of the proc detectors with that name instead of what I put in, and then go to the animations section and adjust the animation to be the length of the buff. Tada, updated for your own items. :)
So, here's the strings (type /powa, click import set, and paste this in):
Set=Boomkin@
Aura[1]=Version:4.3; b:0.898; icon:Spell_Nature_NaturesBlessing; buffname:Nature's Grace; r:0.949; groupany:false; unitn:Only for raid/group.; texture:4; symetrie:3; isResting:0; stacksOperator:=; size:1.5; y:0; finish:0@
Aura[2]=Version:4.3; target:true; icon:Spell_Nature_StarFall; buffname:Moonfire/Sunfire; x:64; bufftype:2; alpha:0.5; owntex:true; isResting:0; mine:true; stacksOperator:=; exact:true; combat:true; size:0.19; y:62; timer.h:1.56; timer.Texture:Monofonto; timer.enabled:true; timer.cents:false; timer.y:22; timer.x:64; timer.Transparent:true@
Aura[3]=Version:4.3; b:0.6431; g:0.4392; icon:Ability_Druid_Eclipse; buffname:Ability_Druid_Eclipse; r:0.349; begin:1; groupany:false; unitn:Only for raid/group.; texture:5; isResting:0; stacksOperator:=; exact:true; wowtex:true; combat:true; size:0.5; y:100@
Aura[4]=Version:4.3; b:0.1961; g:0.6118; icon:Ability_Druid_EclipseOrange; buffname:Ability_Druid_EclipseOrange; begin:1; groupany:false; unitn:Only for raid/group.; texture:5; alpha:0.75; isResting:0; stacksOperator:=; exact:true; wowtex:true; combat:true; size:0.5; y:100@
Aura[5]=Version:4.3; g:0.6902; icon:Spell_Nature_Lightning; buffname:Innervate; r:0.302; groupany:false; unitn:Only for raid/group.; bufftype:7; texture:23; alpha:0.1; owntex:true; isResting:0; stacksOperator:=; exact:true; size:0.02@
Aura[6]=Version:4.3; anim1:4; g:0.5059; icon:Spell_fire_meteorstorm; r:0.2706; begin:1; groupany:false; unitn:Only for raid/group.; bufftype:9; texture:15; isResting:0; multiids:5; speed:2; stacksOperator:=; threshold:56; size:0.5; y:216; anim2:2@
Aura[7]=Version:4.3; target:true; icon:Spell_Nature_InsectSwarm; buffname:Insect Swarm; x:-64; isAlive:0; bufftype:2; alpha:0.5; owntex:true; isResting:0; mine:true; inVehicle:0; stacksOperator:=; exact:true; combat:true; size:0.19; y:62; ismounted:0; timer.h:1.56; timer.Texture:Monofonto; timer.enabled:true; timer.cents:false; timer.y:22; timer.x:-64; timer.Transparent:true@
Aura[8]=Version:4.3; b:0.1529; icon:Ability_Druid_ForceofNature; buffname:Force of Nature; r:0; begin:5; x:-64; bufftype:15; texture:23; alpha:0.35; wowtex:true; size:0.5; y:191; timer.h:1.56; timer.enabled:true; timer.y:188; timer.x:-80@
Aura[9]=Version:4.3; g:0.9922; icon:Ability_Druid_Starfall; buffname:Starfall; r:0.6745; begin:7; x:65; bufftype:15; texture:45; alpha:0.6; wowtex:true; size:0.5; y:180; timer.h:1.56; timer.enabled:true; timer.y:188; timer.x:53@
Aura[10]=Version:4.3; b:0.0039; g:0; icon:Ability_Paladin_SacredCleansing; buffname:Power Torrent; r:0.5451; x:-1; texture:23; isResting:0; duration:12; stacksOperator:=; combat:true; size:1.1; torsion:1.5; y:-155; anim2:4; timer.h:1.95; timer.enabled:true; timer.y:-180; timer.x:-17@
Aura[11]=Version:4.3; b:0; g:0.1765; icon:Achievement_Halloween_Witch_01; buffname:Witching Hour; r:0.3176; x:1; texture:23; alpha:0.65; isResting:0; duration:15; stacksOperator:=; combat:true; size:1.1; torsion:1.5; y:-225; anim2:4; timer.h:1.95; timer.enabled:true; timer.y:-247; timer.x:-17@
Aura[12]=Version:4.3; b:0; g:0.3059; icon:Spell_Arcane_Blink; buffname:Revelation; r:0.3176; x:1; texture:23; alpha:0.65; isResting:0; duration:20.75; stacksOperator:=; combat:true; size:1.1; torsion:1.5; y:-294; anim2:4; timer.h:1.95; timer.enabled:true; timer.y:-317; timer.x:-17@
Aura[13]=Version:4.3; b:0; g:0.9922; icon:Ability_Mage_ArcaneBarrage; buffname:Shooting Stars; x:144; groupany:false; unitn:Only for raid/group.; texture:143; isResting:0; speed:1.5; sound:23; stacksOperator:=; size:0.7; torsion:0.78; y:163; finish:0@
As a bonus, a lot of people need to move out of the group faster on Val and Ther when they're exploding. This should help (just perform a single import):
Version:4.3; b:0.149; g:0; icon:Spell_Holy_ConsumeMagic; buffname:engulfing magic; bufftype:2; sound:17; combat:true; size:2.09
Thursday, February 10, 2011
WTF OP Enh Shams
I can't help it... it is rant time.
I just got an enh sham in my group for SFK as a random heroic.
They did very well, so after a couple busses, I looked at their gear.
This is when I was shocked that they did quite well with a 312 green main hand weapon and a 333 off hand weapon, a crafted/rep purple or two, and a smattering of other greens amongst the 333 and 346 blues.
Then, on the last boss, I had to rant.
I pulled what I thought was a fairly respectable 16k+ for a heroic boss, considering that in any pug I am usually top damage in raids, and in guild runs I'm usually near the top too. However, the mentioned sham pulled 19.8k as averaged across the fight, putting me to shame...in crap gear.
Bliz, wtf?
I just got an enh sham in my group for SFK as a random heroic.
They did very well, so after a couple busses, I looked at their gear.
This is when I was shocked that they did quite well with a 312 green main hand weapon and a 333 off hand weapon, a crafted/rep purple or two, and a smattering of other greens amongst the 333 and 346 blues.
Then, on the last boss, I had to rant.
I pulled what I thought was a fairly respectable 16k+ for a heroic boss, considering that in any pug I am usually top damage in raids, and in guild runs I'm usually near the top too. However, the mentioned sham pulled 19.8k as averaged across the fight, putting me to shame...in crap gear.
Bliz, wtf?
Important changes with 4.0.6
4.0.6 is now finally live. Along with it are a small smattering of boomkin changes.
In general:
Moonkin form looses armor bonus, gets 15% damage reduction. Cool, since it should just be spells hitting us in raids anyway.
You'll have more mana as a few things (moonfire/sunfire) cost less mana to cast now.
Planting shrooms is now instant so can be done while moving and they do more damage, very handy for raid AoE damage such as on Cho'Gall.
Starfall is now smarter (won't hit mobs you're not in combat with), except when it bugs (often), and drops more stars more quickly.
Meta gems are fixed, but we also have new ones so who cares. You should now use Burning Shadowspirit Diamond.
If you aren't a LW, enchanting now has an Int to wrist enchant, use it.
The stat priority shifts to move Mastery above crit, as our mastery got a buff, so now the priority is:
int > spirit/hit (to hit cap) > haste > mastery > crit
Really, most of these are minor for us. Our play style is the same, as is our cast priority, we just get a little more out of some of our gear and the new gems.
Also, a note: it appears as if all the glyphs got switched around on the talent tree I had posted before, so here's what you'll want to be using in almost all cases:
Prime: Moonfire, Insect Swarm, Wrath
Major: Starfall, Rebirth...optional last spot as Focus, Monsoon, or Innervate depending on fight.
Minor: Mark of the Wild, Unburdened Rebirth, Dash (all optional, as they don't affect combat, but are often helpful)
Once you reach certain gear levels, and for certain fights, the StarSurge glyph may be good to replace one of the above.
In general:
Moonkin form looses armor bonus, gets 15% damage reduction. Cool, since it should just be spells hitting us in raids anyway.
You'll have more mana as a few things (moonfire/sunfire) cost less mana to cast now.
Planting shrooms is now instant so can be done while moving and they do more damage, very handy for raid AoE damage such as on Cho'Gall.
Starfall is now smarter (won't hit mobs you're not in combat with), except when it bugs (often), and drops more stars more quickly.
Meta gems are fixed, but we also have new ones so who cares. You should now use Burning Shadowspirit Diamond.
If you aren't a LW, enchanting now has an Int to wrist enchant, use it.
The stat priority shifts to move Mastery above crit, as our mastery got a buff, so now the priority is:
int > spirit/hit (to hit cap) > haste > mastery > crit
Really, most of these are minor for us. Our play style is the same, as is our cast priority, we just get a little more out of some of our gear and the new gems.
Also, a note: it appears as if all the glyphs got switched around on the talent tree I had posted before, so here's what you'll want to be using in almost all cases:
Prime: Moonfire, Insect Swarm, Wrath
Major: Starfall, Rebirth...optional last spot as Focus, Monsoon, or Innervate depending on fight.
Minor: Mark of the Wild, Unburdened Rebirth, Dash (all optional, as they don't affect combat, but are often helpful)
Once you reach certain gear levels, and for certain fights, the StarSurge glyph may be good to replace one of the above.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Moonkin 101 for Cata 85
Not much has changed, really. Most of the additional talent points are optional to do with as you see fit. If you're having mana issues, consider picking up Furor in Feral, since you'll get more mana back per eclipse proc that way.
Stat priority is still:
int > spirit/hit (to hit cap) > haste > crit/mastery
Crit is a bit better than mastery right now, but once we're in full raid gear mastery may be slightly better than crit. In either case, reforge out of them both into other things (haste if you can, spirit if you can't so spirit can become haste from someplace else).
The Hit cap for 85 is 1742.
Not that it is a huge worry anytime soon, but natures grace can soft cap haste at 3102.
If you can hit that haste cap, and refresh dots during NG, you can get an extra 4 dot ticks at this point, so I would strive for it.
The new Meta Gem is the Chaotic Shadowspirit Diamond. Both it and the lvl 80 version we were using are supposed to go back to being 2 blue gems, rather than more blue than red gems as it states now. However, if you want to activate it now, put spirit on the other end of every gem and reforge everything away from spirit/hit. Expect to want to regem again once they fix the meta though.
Stat priority is still:
int > spirit/hit (to hit cap) > haste > crit/mastery
Crit is a bit better than mastery right now, but once we're in full raid gear mastery may be slightly better than crit. In either case, reforge out of them both into other things (haste if you can, spirit if you can't so spirit can become haste from someplace else).
The Hit cap for 85 is 1742.
Not that it is a huge worry anytime soon, but natures grace can soft cap haste at 3102.
If you can hit that haste cap, and refresh dots during NG, you can get an extra 4 dot ticks at this point, so I would strive for it.
The new Meta Gem is the Chaotic Shadowspirit Diamond. Both it and the lvl 80 version we were using are supposed to go back to being 2 blue gems, rather than more blue than red gems as it states now. However, if you want to activate it now, put spirit on the other end of every gem and reforge everything away from spirit/hit. Expect to want to regem again once they fix the meta though.
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