Shadow - Do You Mindblast On CD?

[datrupimp]

ive tried both ways and switch from time to time

[ThrashMetalFtw]

The only time you should not MB on CD, is if you have TM, it proccs while u have MB on CD, and can't fit 3 MBs into the duration of the procc, or if you recast Dots, Emp Shadows runs out, you MB on CD once, and still haven't got an orb when your 2nd MB comes off CD. In that case, keep flaying for an orb. Some ppl might tell you to cast MB on CD regardless of orbs. Don't listen to bad advice, this will only make you do good dps, not awesome.

[TheTrueM4gg0t]

you are missing some options for that poll, at least the most important one...
casting MB on CD is better than just with orbs ( I guess)

but the right way to do it is:
1. MB off CD, you have a Orb: cast it!
2. No orb? cast MB, if ES buff lasts longer than ~8sec (so that MB will come off cooldown te refresh ES befor it falls of, and hope for a orb proc!)
3. No orb and ES falling off soon? Check your Dot updtimes left: dots still ticking over 8sec? Then cast that MB, you will "only" be having 7sec of reduced MF dmg.
4. No orb, ES falling of, dots running out: recast dots befor ES wears off! dots without ES = fail! Still use MB (or hold it and hope, but I'm not a big fan of hoping for 18% proccs)

long story short: watch your ES buff. Use MB as much as possible. Decide yourself what to do if no orbs come (Hope or Cast on CD)

[Deleted]

Very situational. I sometimes hold off Mind Blast a second or two if AA is about to come up or if I want to fish an orb for some mega buffed DoTS etc. But anyone Mind Blasting on cooldown will do good DPS, too bad very few even manage to do that.

[Worshaka]

you are missing some options for that poll, at least the most important one...
casting MB on CD is better than just with orbs ( I guess)

but the right way to do it is:
1. MB off CD, you have a Orb: cast it!
2. No orb? cast MB, if ES buff lasts longer than ~8sec (so that MB will come off cooldown te refresh ES befor it falls of, and hope for a orb proc!)
3. No orb and ES falling off soon? Check your Dot updtimes left: dots still ticking over 8sec? Then cast that MB, you will "only" be having 7sec of reduced MF dmg.
4. No orb, ES falling of, dots running out: recast dots befor ES wears off! dots without ES = fail! Still use MB (or hold it and hope, but I'm not a big fan of hoping for 18% proccs)

long story short: watch your ES buff. Use MB as much as possible. Decide yourself what to do if no orbs come (Hope or Cast on CD)

You actually only need ES to have time remaining = to a MB CD - your MF cast time. This is because you can cast MF just before ES expires so MF gets the ES buff applied to it and then when you finish casting MF you immediately cast MB to get a new refresh on MB.

So if my memory is correct ~5 sec remaining it's ok to MB. The only thing you are risking there is if in that 5 sec you need to refresh dots you are lessening your MF tick count and could end up with a situation where you have no orbs after the 5sec, however missing out on some non ES MF's isn't the end of the world.

[ThrashMetalFtw]

ES in itself isn't important. What is important is that you have it up when refreshing VT (and less important, DP). The additional MB count, by far outweights the loss dmg from MFing without ES up

[Deleted]

"Yes, I have 4t12"
"Yes, I don't have 4t12"
"No, I have 4t12"
"No, I don't have 4t12"

[eErike]

"Yes"
"No"
"No, not if ES have 1 sec left and I don't have any orb"
"No I don't have t12"

I'm up for nr 3.

[Yvaelle]

It's more complex than MB'ing on cooldown - you need ES for dot reapplications - so sometimes you need to wait - but generally think of it like this if you aren't MB'ing near your cooldown.

Is casting Mind Blast better than casting Mind Flay?

Are you casting Mind Flay while Mind Blast is available, why?

If the answer to why isn't something about needing ES for dot applications, or needing burst in next couple seconds, or archangel coming up in a second or two - you should be casting MB, not MF.

[nadrii]

I mind blast on cooldown unless the remaining duration on vt or dp is greater than the cooldown of mind blast (I say it that way only because I have seen people not spec imp mind blast!).

This simply means I keep empowered shadows up for dots but don't worry about it for mind flay.

[Bluepoet]

I like to keep it simple...if I cast MB, will the target's health bar jump in a downward direction? If so, cast MB...

So far, it's had that effect--100% of the time...