Shadow Embrace Broken?

[Koldar]

I've done a lot of theory and testing around this mechanic, and it's clear that blizzard wants to send affliction warlock to the ways of drain-life > shadowbolt which i agree with. It makes a lot more sense. But factor in a multi-target fight, and the mechanic seems very outdated. The simple solution is to not bother with mana feed, but their future changes contradict this idea. With mana feed returning 4-times more mana in 4.1 (using a felhunter (Demon Soul: Fulhunter will be amazing with drain life, especially as an Orc)), they've made it clear they want us to drain life primarily yet i do not see any changes to shadow embrace. If you're drain life affliction spec on hard mode multi-target fights, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you are spec'd for Bane instead of mana feed than this does not apply, until 4.1 of course. I'm not asking for an immidiate fix, because this one is tricky.. but i do think it's something that requires some attention moving forward.

[gherkin]

They don't want Drain > Bolt. The dps gains for a drain spec are not there until 4.1, and I believe Blizzard overshot the mark and I expect a Mastery nerf shortly after, followed by a specialization increase to 35%, or perhaps some base damage modifications.


Shadow Embrace is a PVP control mechanic to prevent you from doing a shit-ton of damage to everyone around you. It sucks balls but it's the best we got.
In a Drain Spec you should be casting Haunt single target to maintain the buff, and you can use nightfall procs to keep another buff up on a secondary target. It's not ideal but it does work better than bolting your current target, for me at least.

[Koldar]

Words of wisdom sir. I guess i completely overlooked its implementation into a PvP setting, with that said.. even glyphed the nightfall procs will not maintain a full stack on the secondary target, which results in an ugly non-bane spec'd hard-cast of shadowbolt.

I also very much agree that affliction will promptly receive a nerf once 4.1 hits.. even though it will surely ruin my day.

[Deleted]

I would be very surprised if blizz thought Affli would not be in need of a nerf post 4.1. With the current 4.1 changes, I get the feeling that I will be insanly overpowered, seing at the current state I find my dps more than ok.