Combat without AoC

[Larinnian]

Just thought I'd ask here, but I had a friend yesterday tell me that Combat is essentially useless without an AoC.
Seeing as I was thinking of swapping my Mut spec for a Combat spec, but I've had the worst luck with drops (Used a coin on both lfr and flex Sha of Pride every week since the patch dropped and still haven't got AoC... 6 tier chests and counting now) I would like to know if you guys think this is true or not, because if it is, I'm going to have to refrain from swapping specs until I get the fabled drop.

[ymirsson]

Combat gains alot from the reduced CDs and yes, until you have one, assuming almost equal weapons, combat won't pull ahead.

[DakonBlackblade]

Whithout AoC I think both Combat and Sub are inferior to Assas, what made both these spec viable all of a suden wasnt any Blizzard tweeks it was AoC, since the trinket gives almost nothing to Assas and is godly for the other 2 specs.

[Larinnian]

Ugh damn I thought so. I finally saw the trinket drop. And I rolled a 5. It went to the hunter that already had the flex version. I'm rolling with a damn 502 trinket.
If you guys need me, I'll be in the corner of Vale of Eternal Sorrows, crying.

[Warstar]

Personally I found combat to be a dps upgrade switching from assassination since there's so much room for cleave fluffing on a lot of the bosses. Also I have always just enjoyed combat more so perhaps there was some rose tinted glasses in effect.

Also, all three specs are viable now and similar enough in dps (except if you're going like sub for spoils which would just be silly) that you should just play whatever you want to play. The nerf to assassination at the start of SoO kinda threw me off of the spec since I was looking for an excuse to play combat anyways.

I feel your pain about that trinket. Took me forever to get one too it felt like.

[mongoose6]

Whithout AoC I think both Combat and Sub are inferior to Assas, what made both these spec viable all of a suden wasnt any Blizzard tweeks it was AoC, since the trinket gives almost nothing to Assas and is godly for the other 2 specs.

Actually the Blizzard tweeks put all three on an even playing field for once. AOC is just icing on the cake for Sub and Combat. If you prefer Combat and have the weapons for it, by all means go ahead and switch without AOC. The changes to sinister strike have made the theoretical combat max actually possible to attain.

[Larinnian]

The nerf to assassination at the start of SoO kinda threw me off of the spec since I was looking for an excuse to play combat anyways.

Yeah that totally threw me off aswell. I really love Blade Flurry, so I think I'll swap from mut to combat this afternoon and see how it goes. And keep hoping for the damn trinket.

[Deleted]

From a pure patchwerk standpoint assass > the other two if you don't have AoC, but for cleaving combat is still better than assass.

Dayum did I drool when I extra rolled my HCWF AoC on the second week of heroic progress

[Nightman]

I think is really all depends on the weapons you currently have, if they are both around the same ilvl go with whatever play style you like. I switched to combat after i got the mace off iron. I didn't have the AoC when i switched and still pulled decent numbers, better numbers than Assassination.

[Maelstrom51]

I wouldn't say its essentially useless without AoC, but combat does gain a lot from it. Still, Combat won't be far behind Assassination, if at all.