So, I'm looking for some tips to increase my dps as an Arms warrior, and I'm willing to share what I've understood so far.
Before that, it is important to note that I've only tested things with my current gear since I don't have a good Spreadsheet right now. Some assertions may turn out wrong with a different gear.
Also, I don't know if there's a good notion to compare OP and Slam. Since the main question is 3xOP vs 2xSlam, DPE is not the good value and DPR is not always relevant. I would like to use
DPS but it isn't the good notion since DPS is meant to compare Dragon Roar vs Stormbolt, for instance. So I will refer to DPgcd (damage per duration of the gcd triggered by the technique), I don't think
it's an usual term and I would gladly use a better one.
- OP has a better DPgcd than Slam.
That means that, during a CS window, 3xOP is better than 2xSlam.
- OP has a better DPR than Slam.
That means that, outside of a CS window, OP is better than Slam.
- Skull Banner increases the DPE of OP more than those of Slam. Recklessness (and every +% crit buff) increases the DPE of Slam more than those of OP.
That means that during a CS with Recklessness, you should use Slam instead of OP.
- During Recklessness, Slam has a better DPgcd than OP.
- During Recklessness+Skull banner, Slam has still a slightly better DPgcd than OP.
- During Recklessness+Skull banner (4PT15), Slam has a better DPgcd than OP.
I should provide the same datas for DPR, which is more important than DPgcd outside of a CS window, but I lost my values. I would run some tests again soon.
---------- Post added 2013-03-14 at 10:37 AM ----------
What to do during a CS window? Especially, how many OP should we use during a CS window?
For the sake of clarity, I will only compare the cd of OP/Slam, even if you should use MS instead of Slam when available.
These two technique have a similar DPE so it's not a huge approximation.
Edit: I was told it wasn't clear. In the following, I will sometimes say something like "you can fit 2xOP and 3xSlam in a CS window", what I mean is that you can fit 2 OP and 3 non-OP techniques. Since MS and Slam trigger the same gcd, the distinction MS/Slam is not very important in a timing discussion. And since they deal roughly the same damage it's actually not important in a damage discussion either.
Tl;dr When I say "Slam", if MS is not on cooldown you should read "MS".
First, for obvious reasons you should never end a CS by an OP. If there is less than 1s remaining to the CS debuff, Slam is always better than OP.
Then, the question of "how many OP":
- A CS windows lasts 6.5+ seconds.
That means that, in perfect condition, every technique in this sequence fit in the CS debuff: CS-OP-OP-Slam-Slam-Slam.
Actually, that's the best you can fit in a CS window. It requires to have no delay on technique, so you can't do this while moving and you have to be careful with MS, for instance MS-CS-OP-OP-MS-Slam-Slam is not a correct sequence since MS will be used on cooldown and won't be "pre-loaded" (I don't remember the good term for this mechanism.)
You can, of course, replace 2xSlam by 3xOP, which make it deals even more damage but require to delay MS until the very end of the sequence CS-OP-OP-OP-OP-OP-MS which is a rage loss and is not possible if you don't have enough TfB stacks.
In conclusion, a 2-OP CS (or 5-OP CS) is the best sequence damage-wise but may be tricky and leads to mistakes or rage starvation, also it is hard to do it several times in a row in case of CS procs.
You can fit 2xOP and 3xSlam, or 5xOP and 1xSlam with such a sequence.
- If you cannot manage to achieve such a CS sequence, the second better option is a 0-OP CS (or 3-OP CS).
It' still abusing the fact that a CS window lasts slightly longer than 6 seconds.
It is really easy to use it consistently and you should almost never fail it even in movement.
It's the CS sequence I use almost everytime, since I'm cautious.
The 3-OP sequences should look like one of these :
Note that the last one may be a bit tight since you use two MS on cd which delays the sequence.
- MS-CS-OP-OP-MS-OP-Slam
- MS-xx-CS-OP-MS-OP-OP-Slam
- MS-xx-xx-CS-MS-OP-OP-OP-MS
I'd rather do MS-xx-xx-CS-OP-MS-OP-OP-MS, even if it means delaying an MS, but again I may be too cautious.
In conclusion, a 0-OP CS (or 3-OP CS) is a bit of a dps loss but is easier to use and more convenient in case of successive CS proc.
You fit 3xOP and 2xSlam, or 0xOP and 4xSlam.
- At last, using a 1-OP sequence (or a 4-OP sequence) is probably the worst CS sequence.
I can't find any way to justify this kind of sequence.
It leads to a CS with only 1xOP and 3xSlam or 4xOP and 1xSlam.
Conclusion: I highly recommend to try to always deal a 3xOP 2xSlam sequence. It's easy, it won't lead you to rage gap and it can be easily chained if you have several CS procs. During Recklessness it should be replaced by a 4xSlam sequence.