[6.0] Shadow Priest Discussion

[Jervaise]

there's not much to 'mess up' with dotweave. you build up to 4 orbs doing msx3/mb, then on your 4th orb you think 'time to burn' and msx2, swpain, mb, vt, dp etc. it just takes getting used to. the biggest thing is getting used to changing your cast priorities when you're at 4 orbs instead of 'max orbs'. just a matter of habit.

He means messing up due to constant movement. If you are messing it up on a dummy, yeah then there is something wrong anyway.

My opinion on the question though, know the fights. Know when you will be able to stand still and try to create an opportunity for weaving at that point. If you will be on the move for an extended period and you have 4-5 orbs, go for regular cop and build up an opportunity for weaving next 4 orbs.

[Shraug]

Hey guys, haven't read here in a while. I just wanted to mention some things that I've found throughout Highmaul so far, and my thoughts etc.

First thing is, I see a lot of people discussing Dotweave rotation etc. There are essentially two ways that I know of which are less than a hair difference in DPS, so it's just preference to you. First one is MB (4 Orbs) > MS > MS > SWP > MB (5) > VT > DP > Insanity > MB (3) > Insanity > DP > MB > Insanity > Insanity > MB > MS Spam.
Second, which I use: MB (4) > MS > SWP > VT > MB (5) > Insanity (x2 Depending on whether or not you're going to move in a couple of seconds or not) > MB (3) > DP > Insanity (x2 if you only did x1 on the first Insanity) > MB (1). I currently use the second one as it feels more fluid.
I think Shadow Priest DPS right now is in a REALLY, REALLY good spot. I love playing the class, and the kit itself is amazing.
The difference between Shadow Priests' DPS in a raid can range from min maxing on things like using Glyph of Reflective Shield on Imperator Mar'gok during Force Nova, and saving CD's for parts when you know you have to move (Shadow Fiend, Halo, etc. PW: Shield) ALWAYS BE CASTING SOMETHING ON THE MOVE
I've been using Mastery > Haste=Crit > Multistrike > Versatility as my stat prio.
I really hope Blizzard doesn't nerf us anytime soon, because we aren't blatantly OP, our Execute phase is just a TINY bit ridiculous. Hopefully they don't touch it without compensating for 20%< DPS phase.

[Yvaelle]

H2Priest is saying Mastery isn't weighted as high for CoP, yet everyone I see in in high end guilds is going all mastery.

I'm going all Mastery as well, is there a reason to switch? Even for weapon enchants more people I see are using mastery>crit and haste is just not even a thing on most priests I look at.

This may also be a situation where what the top end guilds are doing isn't best for the majority. The top end guilds are struggling with Mythic Butcher right now, and mastery is best for that specific fight. Most fights aren't Butcher though, and unless you are running into the enrage on normal or heroic butcher, it's definitely not worth gearing around a fight that isn't a DPS challenge on lower difficulties.

For CoP on multiple target fights, or even single target fights with movement - Crit meets and surpasses mastery - so unless you are regearing specifically for Butcher, crit is probably better for all the other fights you are going to use CoP on (it's also better for AS, if you happen to use that).

[Deleted]

I need to ask a question. Recently got the mythic ogron trinket and I have about 18% haste raid buffed. Should I use this trinket at the start of the fight with heroism or save it once I get 4 orbs and start dotweaving? I ask because with the trinket activated, my spike casts are 0.8 during heroism and higher haste messes around with dotweave a bit.

[Shraug]

I need to ask a question. Recently got the mythic ogron trinket and I have about 18% haste raid buffed. Should I use this trinket at the start of the fight with heroism or save it once I get 4 orbs and start dotweaving? I ask because with the trinket activated, my spike casts are 0.8 during heroism and higher haste messes around with dotweave a bit.

You should never stack your trinket with heroism/bloodlust.

[Deleted]

You should never stack your trinket with heroism/bloodlust.

Yeah that's what I thought, thanks for confirming.

[alencarandreh]

I have a question.
In execute phase, I am not using VT and SWP, because with CoP the SWD damage is nerfed with SWP or VT.

Is correct my execute phase or follow the rotation normally?

P.S.: Sry my bad english.

[Deleted]

Okay I'm a little bit confused about rotations now, so far I used:

MB (4th) -> SW:P -> VT -> DP -> MB (2nd) - Insanity (Clip) - Insanity (Clip) - MB (3th) - DP - Insanity - MB (1st) - MS...

This is a butcher log with this rotation, didn't seem too bad: https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports...pe=damage-done

What is worse about this rotation compared to the one you guys just posted? (MB4-MS-MS-SWP-MB5-VT-DP-Ins-MB3-Ins-DP-MB1-Ins-Ins-MB2)

Sorry to ask again about rotations...

[seraknis]

Okay I'm a little bit confused about rotations now, so far I used:

MB (4th) -> SW:P -> VT -> DP -> MB (2th) - Insanity (Clip) - Insanity (Clip) - MB (3th) - DP - Insanity - MB (1st) - MS...

This is a butcher log with this rotation, didn't seem too bad: --EDITED because of too few posts --

What is worse about this rotation compared to the one you guys just posted? (MB4-MS-MS-SWP-MB5-VT-DP-Ins-MB3-Ins-DP-MB1-Ins-Ins-MB2)

Sorry to ask again about rotations...

it's okay(it's a variant of MB(5)->SW:P->VT->DP->MB(3)), the problem i see is that you are casting the second DP right after a MB, which is bad since instead of having Insanity ticking 12 times during your dotweave it only ticks 10 times, you should insert a gcd filler between DP and the last insanity, so it becomes-> MB(3)-Filler(SF/Halo/Reflective shield/Glyphed SW/1gcdMF)-DP-Insanity(1gcd)-MB(1)-Insanity-Filler-MB(2)
With this one you should also avoid clipping your dots, or clip only the last tick or partial tick if you MS before the last MB(2).

The "standard" rotation that you wrote doesn't need a filler so it's usually a little better with it's flow.

[methz]

it's okay(it's a variant of MB(5)->SW:P->VT->DP->MB(3)), the problem i see is that you are casting the second DP right after a MB, which is bad since instead of having Insanity ticking 12 times during your dotweave it only ticks 10 times, you should insert a gcd filler between DP and the last insanity, so it becomes-> MB(3)-Filler(SF/Halo/Reflective shield/Glyphed SW/1gcdMF)-DP-Insanity(1gcd)-MB(1)-Insanity-Filler-MB(2)
With this one you should also avoid clipping your dots, or clip only the last tick or partial tick if you MS before the last MB(2).

The "standard" rotation that you wrote doesn't need a filler so it's usually a little better with it's flow.

or instead of using a rotation that doesn't make sense, just hit your forth orb, mind spike twice->swp->mb->vt->dp->insan->clip

[Alanar]

i'm gonna stick to haste :x

Same here, to much benefits to pass if going versa

[Deleted]

Is it just me or does the cooldown scaling of Mind Blast come with a slight delay when your haste changes? I wanted to macro Mind Blast on Shards of Nothing use but it seems that won't be possible and I need to macro something else or just have it completely alone and *gasp* suffer the ~0,05 second DPS loss since I need to press two buttons

[methz]

I need help understanding this^ I've also noticed when I have a TON of haste my insanity timer goes down a lot faster, is this just because of haste or is it a bug?

Insanity is 2 globals. The more haste you have, the faster those 2 globals pass.
And how the haste breaks work now; say you're halfway between one break point and the next, you'll get an additional tick at half the strength. Once you make it to that next break, it's a full tick.

[Makabreska]

You should never stack your trinket with heroism/bloodlust.

Does that also apply to Power Infusion? Is it then:Hero ends -> haste trinket + PI?

[Zlebar]

Does that also apply to Power Infusion? Is it then:Hero ends -> haste trinket + PI?

You should never even be using PI. Insanity, ToF, CoP

[Tanyn]

If you stack any of your haste buffs together it's likely that you'll go over the gcd cap and will be wasting some of it. I always wait for Bloodlust to end then I use my trinket immediately or if you have a dps check you need to hit shortly after.

[Nekusar]

Somehow I still manage to do amazing in raids

Update:

I need help understanding this^ I've also noticed when I have a TON of haste my insanity timer goes down a lot faster, is this just because of haste or is it a bug?

Haste scales how long you get the Insanity buff, it's default 6 seconds, you want about 15% haste.

Also saw your logs, you do ok, not amazing

[Alanar]

Isn't there a haste cap though? This seems to be my issue. I don't know when I should stop focusing on it or not. I already have the troll racial and the trinket. Stacking this with lust seems like a waste doesn't it? I mean, even if I'm not supposed to use them with lust, isnt mastery just better for weaving?

Do we even GET extra dot ticks anymore on damage besides multistrike?

- - - Updated - - -
Maybe that's why people say haste. I have no clue lmao.

I have to be honest with you, I focus on haste in pvp, reason: Lowers GCD, Lowers cd on MB(4.5 sec cd right now with CoP), Fasters casts.
Other stats have their uses absolutely I dont deny that, but for now I stick to haste cus it shows it's worth everytime in pvp.

and.. yes haste also gives an extra dot.

[Yvaelle]

I need help understanding this^ I've also noticed when I have a TON of haste my insanity timer goes down a lot faster, is this just because of haste or is it a bug?

Let's say you would be 2/3rds the way to your next dot tick when Shadow Word: Pain expires. Back when we had breakpoints, this would mean 2/3rds of a dot tick is not a tick, so you just lose that damage - that's why breakpoints existed: you wanted just enough haste to make sure you were getting those ticks, but nothing inbetween because it was just wasted stats.

Now, when Pain expires (18 seconds) it checks to see how close you were to your next tick - ie. 2/3rds - and does a final tick for 2/3rds the damage of a regular tick. This eliminates the effect of breakpoints for Pain/VT/DP. Breakpoints will still kind of exist for the comfortable number of Spikes inside a Blast, and etc - but dots are unaffected.

[BobAwesome]

So how many ticks of Insanity am I looking at during dot weave? I understand it's I clip it after a gcd worth of channeling, but is that only 1 or is it 2 ticks?