On the value of haste...

[Parablius]

Pretty self explanatory. I'm not seeking any deep mathematical theorycraft, but I want to see what the mage population has to say on the matter.

In a fight where you stand still for a full 360 seconds, will your haste play a key role in your damage output as compared to crit or spell power?

I vote absolutely essential.

[Strykie]

Haste is just as important as SP.

As an arcane mage having considerable amounts of haste can allow you to keep up 2pc t10 indefinitely.

[Fangose]

Haste is always nice.

[Deleted]

It entirely depends upon the spec.

[DirewolfX]

Why would you ask for an opinion not based on math? Mathematically haste is one of our best stats. Love and feelings won't improve your DPS.

[Carlash]

Haste = VERY important for arcane mages.
Simple explanation would be. If i do more arcane blasts than you in 1 min, i'll do more damage than you.

seriously though, I try to always go for gear that has haste + sp on it. not crit + hit because its just a bit useless once your hit capped.

but loads of people have loads of different play styles

[Lythox]

actually its simple as this:

Spell power gives you better mana efficiency (more dmg same mana cost)

Haste gives you more procs (more spells in same time, which also causes you to spend more mana unlike the stat above, Spell power)

Crit gives you the same benefits as spellpower, except it gets nerfed more by resilience, and in pve crit can give certain procs (i.e. hot streak) which can make it nice to choose over spellpower or haste eventually.

For the rest dps increase is about the same, 1% more haste means 1% more spells in same time aka 1% more dmg. 1% more crit means 1% of the time you get a hit that counts double dmg (crit) aka 1% of the time a extra hit aka 1% more damage. same as haste except its mana cost difference and haste giving u litterally one more hit meaning one more chance on a proc.

In pvp however haste is way more important than crit cause it also helps you to cc quicker, and get out of nasty situations quicker and gives u more things to do in short times cause your global cooldown gets reduced as well.

[Lolretadin]

Cmon man. Im a Retardin and I still know its essential.

[Carlash]

Cmon man. Im a Retardin and I still know its essential.

your not just a Retadin, you're a LOLretadin!!! =D

[Celebronde]

Firstly, lolretadin's post is win.

And now for my part. For ANY mage pve spec, haste is very much essential. Although spellpower will always be best until exceptionally high levels, haste comes second for arcane mages before crit. This is of course after hit capped. For a hit capped fire mage, once again, after a certain % fully raid buffed crit chance and a certain amount of spell power, haste scales best. I apologise for not having the exact numbers sorry.

I always gem SP/haste rather than /crit in yellow sockets if im going for the socket bonus.

[Angry]

Love and feelings won't improve your DPS.

QFT