BFA: Hardcasting demonbolt... actually useful?

[Omedon]

So I'm doing some training dummy work on my beta demo, and I'm noticing something.

Unlike its oft-compared fire mage equivalent pyroblast, when it comes to casting time, damage and shard generation, if you're in a situation where standing still isn't going to hurt (like say, soloing)... Demonbolt seems actually... worth it.

As someone always out to shave buttons from the core rotation... I'm almost thinking shadowbolt isn't necessarily an off-bar choice, but might actually fit in a less "core" location in my keybindings.

To be clear... this is an alt that I will likely never raid with unless there is a horde-specific moment I must complete, she's my "see the horde story" character, but just sayin...

Demonbolt hardcasting... anyone else notice that it's not... like 100% wrong?

[Clozer]

as long as it is wrong.. why would you do it?

[Omedon]

as long as it is wrong.. why would you do it?

Honestly, to have one less button to worry about. But now that I've taken a good hard look I guess shadowbolt is unfortuantely still pretty much necessary.

[HCLM]

You can use 2 shadowbolts in that time which gives more dmg.

[bio347]

Shadow Bolt does 45% spellpower with a 2s cast and gives 1 shard. Demonbolt does 90% spellpower with a 4.5s cast and gives 2 shards. So DB does twice as much damage in slightly more than twice the cast time, and is therefore never worth hardcasting unless you have that Azerite trait that sometimes makes it worthwhile.

[DeuZWw]

kinda hopes for an azerite trait or something to make hardcastin Demonbolt worth.

Why? Because the casting animation of demonbolt is aweosme, and it being instant cast means we won't be seeing it.
Silly reason, maybe, but i do enjoy it.

Even more since i'm an Worgen, so my regular shadowbolt casting animation is retarded compared to the new Demon Bolt one.

The main problem currently, is that if you are mid-cast Demonbolt and you Proc the Instantcast buff, when Demonbolt finishes casting it will consume one Buff instead of saving it to make the next one instant cast. they should fix that

[Kyoda]

I think that hardcasting DB is just when you pull the NPC and want SS on demand, that means it only worth to cast in solo situations or raid.

[sugarfree]

I mean with Forbidden Knowledge, you'll probably want to hardcast one right?

Wow, talk about a rotation-changing trait. They weren't kidding when they said some of these traits will change gameplay.

[Bridius]

Like someone said you only hard cast demonbolt in solo content or countdown on pull timer. Shadowbolt does more damage and gets you more shards quicker outside of molten core. You want as many wild imps as possible so go with the shards for hand of gul'dan.