[Mage] Stop DPS on the Boss - in 5.2

[schwarzkopf]

I'm playing arcane, and have been practicing a scorchless rotation. Finding it quite smooth.

Problem I've got is that in some fights, there is a boss and adds and raid leader calls stop dps on the boss (to avoid double boss cooldowns etc).

In 5.2 - the only way I can stop DPS on the boss is to stop dps altogether as I'll be having to cast ABar to reset stacks, and it cleaves.

What's the recommended solution to this problem ?

[Deleted]

Switch spec.

[Aquamonkey]

Switch spec.

To Frost if you want to be specific. It's the only spec you can still DPS with and not cleave.

[mulvita]

You just have to make sure not to glyph icelance and your bombs all cleave.

[Polarthief]

To Frost if you want to be specific. It's the only spec you can still DPS with and not cleave.

That's weird, I didn't know Pyroblast, Fireball, and Combustion cleave without IB...

Plus, most Frost Mages are going to use Ice Lance glyph because they don't really have much else (besides WE and IV), unless it's a fight that calls for no cleave.

[Deleted]

Use evocation, it consumes your charges. In my test evocation+haste build is much better than rop+mastery|haste

[Shangalar]

Focus an add and continue as usual. One Barrage hitting the boss for 50% damage isn't a tragedy. If the raid leader is good, he knows that everyone won't or can't stop dps and will call to stop at least several million before.

[Akraen]

Focus an add and continue as usual. One Barrage hitting the boss for 50% damage isn't a tragedy. If the raid leader is good, he knows that everyone won't or can't stop dps and will call to stop at least several million before.

I would like to emphasize the latter portion of Shangalar's response.

In my heroic raids I always add a buffer for DPS stop-calls because I know x% of my raid has issues like this. If your raid leader isn't doing this, it would be constructive criticism to approach him about changing it and adding a few hp% to a callout.

[Polarthief]

I would like to emphasize the latter portion of Shangalar's response.

In my heroic raids I always add a buffer for DPS stop-calls because I know x% of my raid has issues like this. If your raid leader isn't doing this, it would be constructive criticism to approach him about changing it and adding a few hp% to a callout.

I love being the callout guy but not having to be the raid leader

[crunk]

scumbag dps it up bro, if everyone is stopping thats more dps you get to do

[Shangalar]

So far the only boss where we actively had to stop dps was Amber Shaper Un'Sok Phase 1, I wanted to maintain 6 Charges all the time so I just refreshed Blast every time it was about to fall off and dps-ed the little ambers when they were up along with the shapechanged tank.

[Polarthief]

scumbag dps it up bro, if everyone is stopping thats more dps you get to do

And then push the boss to Phase X because you wanted to pad meters, getting the whole raid and/or raid leader to yell at you and make you feel like shit for your next pull.

Great plan you got there

[Lenarific]

scumbag dps it up bro, if everyone is stopping thats more dps you get to do

Just Over 10

[crunk]

gotta take risks if you want those ranked parses, rite?


on a serious note, just dps ever so slowly to keep stacks up. maybe run into melee and start using explosion? as a moonkin "stop dps" means "get 1 cast away from lunar eclipse". make sure you intimately know why you're stopping and when the boss is going to push, don't use dots, and work with the numbers. some times, though, "stop dps" does really mean "stop dps" in which case you afk and pick your nose like the rest of us peasant classes - poor mages

[s315h1n]

Arcane Explosion would have been the better choice.. does way less than a six-charge Blast. =)

[Shangalar]

True but Explosion is impossible to miss and in "stop dps" cases, Blast's lack of design/sucky spell effect is useful for once

[Aquamonkey]

That's weird, I didn't know Pyroblast, Fireball, and Combustion cleave without IB...

IB is a crucial part of the Fire rotation, not using it would cripple your DPS. The whole point is to continue DPS'ing without cleaving.

Plus, most Frost Mages are going to use Ice Lance glyph because they don't really have much else (besides WE and IV), unless it's a fight that calls for no cleave.

How is glyph of Ice Lance an issue? You know ahead of time that you'll have to stop and don't want to cleave. Just take out the glyph, the universe isn't going to implode if you don't run with 3 major glyphs.

[crunk]

True but Explosion is impossible to miss and in "stop dps" cases, Blast's lack of design/sucky spell effect is useful for once

well explosion does negative damage on 1 target so if you explain your class situation to your raid lead you shouldn't have to be "sneaky" about it. comparing to moonkin again, after i explained to my raid leader why i was still casting starfires on a spine amalg (to set up solar burst for tendon) he was fine with it. if youre in a guild of smart players he should understand. like i said, just know %s and get comfortable with the raid damage so you don't pull an oopsie and they'll thank you later for keeping good damage.

[Summer]

I remember comparing my unwanted splash damage on ambershaper to our frost DK's Howling Blast and deciding I don't actually have any problems :P.

[Deleted]

And then push the boss to Phase X because you wanted to pad meters, getting the whole raid and/or raid leader to yell at you and make you feel like shit for your next pull.

Great plan you got there

Padding meters/maximising uptime doesn't lead to pushing the boss if you're a good player