Another help me threat: FFB spec

[Azioth]

Having so muchs threats asking for personal help, i feel like a dumb but... i really need help.
The problem is that I just switched from Arcane to FFB since during the last ulduar runs i noticed that Arcane is not good at all for longer fights, IE, IC: i had to worry about my mana than my dps, same as Thorim on the Arena, the damm blizzard just burn my mana.
So to switch for FFB i had to Regem ALL my gem to +20 hit (cuz i rarely have a spriest/chicken on raid, also the lock is Destro, and sometimes have another fire mage), yesterday I did VoA and OS 25 Man and find my DPS dropped at least 300 dps and i had to wait too much time to reach my higher dps, so if the fight is not at least longer than 24 secs my dps suck. I havent try'd this is spec on ulduar yet. but my dps was at 3.6-3.9k when with Arcane I was at 4.2-4.5k dps.
I Would like that some vets mages tell me how improve my dps and gear as well, and since seems my guild dont have a dedicated mage with experience I had to come here to find some advices.
My "Rotation" is:
Start with LB, Scorch 2 times, FFB, Scorch again, LB, Scorch 2 times, FFB till LB (If HS proc use Pyro) and then playing with the expire times If the LB has less than 3 sec refresh Scorch and then LB otherwise FFB and LB, use HS whenever proc IF scorch is not near to expire.
My spec is the cookie-cutter from EJ; 0/51/20 and my Glyphs are: Molten Armor, FFB and LB.
My Armory is:
http://www.wowarmory.com/character-s...erbog&n=Azioth
EDIT: Ignore the PvP Trinket, I have the Spider haste trinket from Naxx
Thank in advance for your time.

[Chaoslux]

Moar crits. Also if you are raiding with another fire mage (or more), try to get them for something like "I'll cast scorch 3 times and you cast it twice.", more mages will make each's dps higher because they'll be scorching less. Scorch is horrible.

Also, you said that if the fight is short, you are at a dps loss compared to your arcane spec. that's obvious, Arcane is a way better spec for quick short burst, even more so next patch.

Personally, i took Glyph of Scorch over Glyph of FFB just because i hate scorch so much, and a quicker 5% crit for all my spells and my raid seemed to outweight the 2% crit from the other glyph.

[Azioth]

thanks for taking your time and asnwer me.
I will look for get more gear with high Crit % I'm at 38% fire crt self buffed, but what about Haste? my FFB took 2.8 to cast and only do 4500 dmg (non crit) but when crits it does 10k-12K.
I Know my Dps is not bad but i hate being outdps'd by Locks (or shamans) with less gear than me and doing 4.4K almost at the begining of the fight

[Balgoth]

Well, imo anyway with FFB haste isn't as important to say TTw/arcane. FFB relies completely on crits....no crits = no dps. Also the amount of +hit gems you've got is pretty ridicolous tbh xP Keep your glyphs the way they are, having to cast scorches isnt THAT big of a deal, and 2% initial damage and 2% crit is better than a bit faster applications of scorch. Also with your rotation, just spam scorches, dont stop and start stop and start - its a waste of time and your FFB that u do after 2 scorches, loses out on 3% crit...and yeh trust me it makes a difference (Do however keep LB as u were doing) You nailed it in one when you said "my FFB took 2.8 to cast and only do 4500 dmg (non crit) but when crits it does 10k-12K." Thats why the spec is so crit reliant, 4500 - and 10-12k...no crits = no DPs.

Hope this helped xP

[aquifer]

also note, on a damage metre arcane dps WILL be higher, but you need to look at the damage, it will be lower, it is because of the way arcane is played.

[Icikiles]

You mentioned that you use Embrace of the Spider instead of PvP trinket which isn't the best with the way you have to gem the rest of your gear. Embrace has arcane written all over it. Pick up the Mark of the War Prisoner from H VH. Great hit and burn for spell power. Then resocket out the hit gems for spell power mostly pending the attribute of the bonuses on each piece. I think someone mentioned for you to not scorch as often. General rule I go by with scorch is a traffic light approach... when the buff shows half way from dropping its at yellow status. When its 3/4 through its red and needs reapplied asap. Try and make sure when you know a bloodlust is coming to time your CDs to it. During shorter fights you probably won't happen but good to know regardless

[Exera]

Moar crits. Also if you are raiding with another fire mage (or more), try to get them for something like "I'll cast scorch 3 times and you cast it twice.", more mages will make each's dps higher because they'll be scorching less. Scorch is horrible.

Also, you said that if the fight is short, you are at a dps loss compared to your arcane spec. that's obvious, Arcane is a way better spec for quick short burst, even more so next patch.

Personally, i took Glyph of Scorch over Glyph of FFB just because i hate scorch so much, and a quicker 5% crit for all my spells and my raid seemed to outweight the 2% crit from the other glyph.

Excuse me? Scorch glyph over FFB glyph? That makes about as much sense as using apples to make a banana split.

You don't replace FFB glyph with scorch glyph, actually you should have replaced scorch glyph with LB glyph as it's a significant higher DPS gain, on any boss fight you will ever do you'll never cast scorch more then 5 times at the very beginning(that is if you're raid only has one mage) after that it's simply refreshing it before it runs out which means you'll only be casting it once every 28th seconds or so.

FFB glyph is an essential raiding glyph, just like frostbolt glyph is for frost and fireball glyph is for TTW builds.

[Azioth]

Thanks guys for the help.
Icikiles i completely forgot that trinket, but i already wasted a bunch of gold regeming and dont wanna do it again (now), i got in mind (try to) get the +Hit trinkets from Ulduar 10/25, but today i was playing with wowhead and realice that if i buy the Tier 9 Chest i will gain 64 Hit which i will get it the next week, i know will lose some stats and the 2t8 bonus but, i hate the damm chest with no skirt and hopeful i will get another t8 piece (with some luck) from ulduar 25.

[Nashori]

Ok,first of all and most urgent lose the hit gems. FFB needs 268 hit rating with spriest/shaman in group to be hit capped.From what i've count you have right now about 350 hit rating.So, lose them and get spell power instead.Your 38% crit unbuffed is pretty decent for your gear, so dont gem crit, go spell power all the way.

Also, dont listen to wise asses saying FFB is not a good dps spec.As gear scales it is very close to FB/TtW. Ok, is more based on crits, thus RNG, but still very good and fun spec.As for your rotation, if your group need the crit buff go scorch 5 times and then start your cycle LB, FFB and HS when it procs.If you can avoid applying Scorch even better. The glyphs are the ideal, so don't mess with them.

Cheers,

Nash.

[Azioth]

Thanks Nash, but i can not drop that fems due the its just new and the raid groups are not stronger to count with a Spriest or Moonkin on every raid. And dont worry i like the FFB spec and the TtW/FB too, but for gear reason i didnt try the second. maybe when i get 2t9 n' 3t8.

[LavaDuck]

thread

[draxanlee]

thread

Dang!

[bkran]

I ll through my 2 cents into this ..... Offcourse arcane is better in short fights, no doupt about that. Also there is a fireball main nuke spec which might be more all around, specially with your gear. But clearly in Ulduar long fights frostfire is better. You should check out http://www.wowhead.com/?forums&topic=76671 too, seems to have some nice pointers around this build. Also it is a major dps loss if you get the scorch glyph, but it sucks bigtime to be the only fire mage ....
As hit goes, you have too much atm, try changing some jems or gear for more crit ( I see only 29% fire crit atm ) or more sp if your armory now is not the correct one.

Hope I ve helped a bit
cheers

[Azioth]

2 troll in a row lawl.

@ bkran:

I think im missing something, all you guys tell me that I'm over hit capped, but as i remember the Hit cap is 17%, so i have 14% + 3% for presicion = 17%, like i said, i usually have a Spriest on the raid 10 or 25, so should i drop my hit to 11% to be at 14% with a 97% of hit the boss no matter if i have a spriest or not?
My Crit is 38.89% with molter armor and my sp is correct 2069 unbuffed, near 2500 raid buffed.

[Nashori]

Frostfire Hit Rating Needed:
1) With Draenei, Shadow Priest/Druid = 10% = 263
2) With Shadow Priest/Druid = 11% = 289
3) With Draenei = 13% = 341
3) No Love = 14% = 368

These are the actual nunbers of required hit rating for FFB.If you're that unlucky to not have a Spriest and/or draenei in group, it just sux!