Starfall Mechanics

[djpete]

I just started playing boomkin in cata, having been a long time feral/resto. After reading through all the forums, it seems like a huge chunk of our DPS comes from starfall. In certain fights, it seems to be absolutely OP and a way to cheese the meters. However, in some fights, I'm very reluctant to use it for fear of aggroing adds/breaking cc. With all the smart AI given to other classes' abilities in cata, it seems to be a huge oversight to miss this one for boomkins. Anyone know if Blizz will address this in the upcoming patch?

Also, can someone clarify the mechanics of starfall in terms of hitting LOS/different-tier mobs? I will do some testing when I get back from work. But every time I run SFK, I'm scared to aggro any adds in nearby rooms/levels.

[Mudkiper]

Basically.. it will break CC, it doesn't really care about LoS either. The best way to use the spell in heroic's is to use Glyph of Focus... but still, be careful!

[akille]

yeah, be very very careful with it. With great power comes great responsibility.
I remember when they changed the glyph of starfall to make it a 1 min CD and allowed it be much more a part of the rotation. Every new boomkin i raided with in ICC would pop it in the first room leading to marrowgar, as we were clearing up one of the sides, and pull everything.
Now, I only use it on Boss fights in dungeons. That's really the only time you need the big guns. Everything else can be burnt down with the regular wrath/starfire rotation.

[Iyotanka]

Starfall does do huge DPS but it's best not to use it on most trash pulls. Considering you should be CCing as much as possible anyway most AoE is a bad idea. For bosses just ask the tank to take out any groups in the general vicinity and you'll be good. After enough time you'll be able to judge 40yards by eye.

I don't believe it can hit any mobs LoS'd behind a wall or anything, but if its just a pillar be careful. A mob may move out from behind it and you're toast. Know that one from personal experience. As for mobs on different levels or tiers...well...I was in regular Vortex Pinnacle a few days ago with a guild run and we were on the trash before Altairus - you know the ones on the ramps. If you've been there before you know that the boss is watching you from his platform on high. Well I used starfall and I hear over vent "...Iyo...did you use starfall...?" Next thing I see is chain lightning or some such and 3 of us die. Apparently the boss thought we pulled and immediately tried to run away and treated us as he would cowards in such a situation. The group survived and finished the pull but I felt like a dumbass.

[djpete]

Yeah, I agree that I don't use it when I feel like it's risky. But as something that's integral to our dps rotation and something we spend a prime (and major as suggested above) glyph on, it is situational at best. Anytime where you need to CC adds on boss, fight in tight spaces, fight near stairs, you will probably not want to use it. Honestly, the easiest way to change this is to only let it hit mobs that are in combat. This will still gimp dmg on "cc the adds" fights but atleast I don't have to worry about a random pack of mobs in another room/level.

[Blizzyb]

I don't believe it can hit any mobs LoS'd behind a wall or anything, but if its just a pillar be careful.

Back in ICC, I pulled Stinky through the wall during the knockback giant leading up to him. Not sure if that was a bug in the wall or starfall doesn't care about walls, but just sayin.

[parkerlynne]

I just don't use Starfall in dungeons period anymore. I keep it for raid boss fights like Maloriak since it is cheaper than an extra hurricane.