[5.4] Affliction Warlock and Encounter Specific Guides

[Kink]

Sorry for obvious question, but I'm not sure about one thing. How should I refresh my dots? After last tick, just before it or how?

Watch evrelia's video on the first page, explains everything.

[Gorthan]

There's one thing i'm not sure about: when we should refresh our dots on INT proc?
If a dot is inside the pandemic window and is more powerful than the existing one, no doubt: refresh.
But what if is it outside the pandemic window? There's a "% of power" where refreshing it immediately is better than spam MF while wait for the refresh window?

[xskarma]

There's one thing i'm not sure about: when we should refresh our dots on INT proc?
If a dot is inside the pandemic window and is more powerful than the existing one, no doubt: refresh.
But what if is it outside the pandemic window? There's a "% of power" where refreshing it immediately is better than spam MF while wait for the refresh window?

If you don't have Affdots addon yet, get it, it will tell you the power of the dot. Make your decision based on strength and time left till refresh window. There is no perfect answer to your question cause it depends too much on exact power, and exact time left. No addon will play the game for you, so it's down at some critical points to make your own decisions. I suppose you could math out some points along the line between obviously not refresh worthy and obviously DO refresh, but it would still come down to a gut call if it's right or not in between those. Affdots helps with that, but at the very cutting edge of it, you need to make the decision yourself.

[Daggot Ur]

Dear fellow demonlords

Due to some problems in our guild we now usually lack a haste buff in our 10man raid (our boomkin has to heal on some of the fights). As a result I feel that going for any haste threshold w/o the haste buff is quite a tough way to go. So I would like to ask you what should I do in that situation. Can't provide a link to my armory (battle.net is blocked at work), but I can provide a link to askmrrobot http://www.askmrrobot.com/wow/gear/e...ong/gnomeeater
Don't blame me for such a loosy reforging - New Year and Christmas -> too many alcohol made me forget about my 496 bracers and feet (currently equipped) and reforge to my previous ones (stupid me hehe).
Anyways, I was aiming for a 6151 haste break point (simcraft showed a dps gain). But without the constant hastebuff I feel that probably it is not the correct choice to do.

So I would like to ask for your advice what path should I follow? Get Haste vs Mastery +-500, or follow some specific haste break point (some 5320 - goblin racial for a 14th agony tick)?

[Shauni]

Dear fellow demonlords
So I would like to ask for your advice what path should I follow? Get Haste vs Mastery +-500, or follow some specific haste break point (some 5320 - goblin racial for a 14th agony tick)?

I think the whole warlock community is actually asking this question deep inside...

[EvreliaGaming]

Dear fellow demonlords

Due to some problems in our guild we now usually lack a haste buff in our 10man raid (our boomkin has to heal on some of the fights). As a result I feel that going for any haste threshold w/o the haste buff is quite a tough way to go. So I would like to ask you what should I do in that situation. Can't provide a link to my armory (battle.net is blocked at work), but I can provide a link to askmrrobot http://www.askmrrobot.com/wow/gear/e...ong/gnomeeater
Don't blame me for such a loosy reforging - New Year and Christmas -> too many alcohol made me forget about my 496 bracers and feet (currently equipped) and reforge to my previous ones (stupid me hehe).
Anyways, I was aiming for a 6151 haste break point (simcraft showed a dps gain). But without the constant hastebuff I feel that probably it is not the correct choice to do.

So I would like to ask for your advice what path should I follow? Get Haste vs Mastery +-500, or follow some specific haste break point (some 5320 - goblin racial for a 14th agony tick)?

You know in Simcraft's options you can uncheck the Haste buff, right?

Also, you know you're nearly 2% over the hit cap? I also would not recommend gemming Haste, although in your situation that may be different.

[Daggot Ur]

You know in Simcraft's options you can uncheck the Haste buff, right?

Also, you know you're nearly 2% over the hit cap? I also would not recommend gemming Haste, although in your situation that may be different.

Yes i know that i am above the hitcap I will reforge tonight to be at hitcap or at max of 0,25% less. My haste only gems were because I was trying to reach the 6151 haste breakpoint because simcraft showed a dps gain. I will try unchecking the hastebuff tonight and sim my char again.

I was wondering if there is a calculation of haste breakpoints a bit different from this https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...ZmFYa0E#gid=12

I mean its nice but all breakpoints are shown already with the hastebuff or other haste modifiers + BL. Maybe there is a similar calculation just for BL w/o the other haste buffs?

[Viggers]

Yes i know that i am above the hitcap I will reforge tonight to be at hitcap or at max of 0,25% less. My haste only gems were because I was trying to reach the 6151 haste breakpoint because simcraft showed a dps gain. I will try unchecking the hastebuff tonight and sim my char again.

I was wondering if there is a calculation of haste breakpoints a bit different from this https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...ZmFYa0E#gid=12

I mean its nice but all breakpoints are shown already with the hastebuff or other haste modifiers + BL. Maybe there is a similar calculation just for BL w/o the other haste buffs?

i think the consensus is pretty much keep haste and mastery close together, regardless of breakpoints.

[EvreliaGaming]

Yes i know that i am above the hitcap I will reforge tonight to be at hitcap or at max of 0,25% less. My haste only gems were because I was trying to reach the 6151 haste breakpoint because simcraft showed a dps gain. I will try unchecking the hastebuff tonight and sim my char again.

I was wondering if there is a calculation of haste breakpoints a bit different from this https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...ZmFYa0E#gid=12

I mean its nice but all breakpoints are shown already with the hastebuff or other haste modifiers + BL. Maybe there is a similar calculation just for BL w/o the other haste buffs?

6151 haste is not a breakpoint if you don't have 5% haste. You can see the unbuffed haste thresholds at the top of each section. You'll then have to do some maths to figure out the values for a goblin.

[Daggot Ur]

6151 haste is not a breakpoint if you don't have 5% haste. You can see the unbuffed haste thresholds at the top of each section. You'll then have to do some maths to figure out the values for a goblin.

Yes yes, I understand this. I was aiming for 6151 because previously we have a stable healer and always had a haste buff. But now its just a pain 8(. So you suggest I go for some reachable haste breakpoint?

[missbrooklyn25]

No one has proven that using a pet would be better. It's just assumptions what would be better. My guess is that it might've been the way to go before 5.1 but with the new KJC you shouldn't lose that much uptme on MG to justify using a pet.

Checking logs brings up an interesting point, though. There's some people using Fel Imp and some using the Observer. You'd think that by using a melee pet you would need to have him glued on same target all fight (pet travel time would get ridiculous otherwise). What it made me think however was if they benefit from the melee damage buff on the fight. Does anyone know?

I'll probably end up trying both. I run in a 10man grp, don't know if that makes it a difference or not but regardless were just about to start working on them anyway, i should have time to try both out.

[Moggie]

Wished I could understand Simcraft since it keeps trying to put me at about 6-7% hit, 8k+ Haste and mucho less Mastery. I'm slightly above the 6637 breakpoint yet sims just keeps adding to that, subtracting mastery and really killing hit. Based on the stat weights when input into wowreforge. This is at 498 ilvl so I'm at a loss unless everybody's seeing this?

[Lysakers]

There is one thing i cant seem to find an answer for anywhere on my opening rotation.

In Evrelias excellent video it is said that you should, after all your procs are up, refresh dots with Felflame.
I do so, but according to affdots that does not refresh Agony.
Is it correct that all you other locks out there "hard-cast" agony when refreshing dots with Felflame?
Or am i missing something?

[Deleted]

There is one thing i cant seem to find an answer for anywhere on my opening rotation.

In Evrelias excellent video it is said that you should, after all your procs are up, refresh dots with Felflame.
I do so, but according to affdots that does not refresh Agony.
Is it correct that all you other locks out there "hard-cast" agony when refreshing dots with Felflame?
Or am i missing something?

This is how i mostly do it. (with BL for first SB:SS)
If your int trinks/wep/cloak etc prov within like 2(?) ticks then ill use FF to refresh. Otherwise ill usually use SB:SS after the second Haunt. Clipping too much with an early SB:SS is bad (imo) and FF is useless if you wont get enough MG ticks between FF and your second SB:SS.

[Lysakers]

This is how i mostly do it. (with BL for first SB:SS)
If your int trinks/wep/cloak etc prov within like 2(?) ticks then ill use FF to refresh. Otherwise ill usually use SB:SS after the second Haunt. Clipping too much with an early SB:SS is bad (imo) and FF is useless if you wont get enough MG ticks between FF and your second SB:SS.

That still does not really answer my question.
FF does not refresh Agony. When using FF, do you then cast Agony to get the updated stat effects on that DOT as well?
Or leave it at a weaker state untill the next SB:SS?

[Viggers]

That still does not really answer my question.
FF does not refresh Agony. When using FF, do you then cast Agony to get the updated stat effects on that DOT as well?
Or leave it at a weaker state untill the next SB:SS?

in your opener agony is still ramping up. it is not worth refreshing it while below 10 stacks, and you will SB:SS just before procs/cd's end anyway which will be within agony's pandemic window and you will have ~full duration on all DoTs fully buffed to continue haunt'ing for a while even after DS ends

[Lysakers]

in your opener agony is still ramping up. it is not worth refreshing it while below 10 stacks, and you will SB:SS just before procs/cd's end anyway which will be within agony's pandemic window and you will have ~full duration on all DoTs fully buffed to continue haunt'ing for a while even after DS ends

Thanks, that means i will be saving 1 GCD on my openers since i so far has been refreshing agony when i FF.

The SB:SS you use just before procs and cd's end - that is used just before the first one ends right?
None of them ever end at the same time.

[Deleted]

For my opener I do not use fel flame at all. After watching this video by Method's Sparkuggz, my opener is a very smooth affair and often has me bursting at levels on par with our shamans.

I highly recommend watching it, really helped out my deeps.

[Viggers]

Thanks, that means i will be saving 1 GCD on my openers since i so far has been refreshing agony when i FF.

The SB:SS you use just before procs and cd's end - that is used just before the first one ends right?
None of them ever end at the same time.

thats a judgement call tbh

[Teye]

Sorry, but I would trust Sparkuggz over Evralia... I personally do things the way Sparkuggz does in that video when I play Aff.