What was the top DPS of each expansion?

[Tyrgannus]

First I think this thread is about TOP single target DPS, Patchwerk style without cleave and without cheeseing, otherwise it has no purpose.

This. One hundred times this. One of the big reasons I think everyone's memory of ICC damage being ludicrous was the 30% ICC buff which actually might as well have been the unofficial 35% ICC buff due to crit scaling and fun like that. If you wanted an accurate depiction of end game dos for Wrath, you would 5 man Patchwerk 25. I know it sounds ludicrous, but a full raid would kill it far to quick to make any sense and Patchwerk is the perfect target dummy fight. Super competitive dps wouldn't really be higher than 15k in Heroic gear if people did that.

[Bigbazz]

This. One hundred times this. One of the big reasons I think everyone's memory of ICC damage being ludicrous was the 30% ICC buff which actually might as well have been the unofficial 35% ICC buff due to crit scaling and fun like that. If you wanted an accurate depiction of end game dos for Wrath, you would 5 man Patchwerk 25. I know it sounds ludicrous, but a full raid would kill it far to quick to make any sense and Patchwerk is the perfect target dummy fight. Super competitive dps wouldn't really be higher than 15k in Heroic gear if people did that.

The problem is that Bloodlust uptime has always played a massive role in the overall dps done, it was more important than playing skill and you can't remove that factor and use your findings as valid, because it would not show a realistic view of things. Bloodlust uptime was certainly more important than player skill pre-cata when most specs were simpler "easy to learn, difficult to master" type specs, as apposed to the more complex priority/proc based specs of today. Inflation via buffs (tricks of the trade/hysteria for example) have played a massive role too.

Using my spreadsheet example of a full BIS Fury Warrior (WOTLK with Shadowmourne + RS25Hc items) on a 5min fight, if you take away the 30% ICC buff, no tricks/hysteria stacking or exploiting fight mechanics to inflate damage. Then you're left with 15k dps.



The thing is that tricks/hysteria stacking was a really important part of making dps requirements in a progression guild, so it's perfectly valid, the game was balanced around the assumption you would take advantage of your spells/buffs.