It seems that destro needs a buff for raiding

[HeroicMythic]

Let us evaluate how viable a destruction warlock is in heroic nightmare raids by using the available data/parses from warcraftlogs. Out of the top 200 warlock parses, how many of them are affliction, demonolgy, and destruction? Let us also shine some light on how the 5th best (dps wise) destruction warlock is competing with other damage dealer classes on each boss.


Skorpyron:
2017-01-20 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 195, demo: 4, destro: 1
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 0

Chronomatic Anomaly:
2017-01-20 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 107, demo: 80, destro: 13
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 25 ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 1226
2017-02-06 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo:, destro: 19 ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 959
2017-02-16 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 1383

Trilliax:
2017-01-20 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 137, demo: 57, destro: 6
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 14 ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 2327 lol
2017-02-06 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 8 ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 1915
2017-02-16 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 2006

Spellblade Aluriel:
2017-01-20 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 104, demo: 95, destro: 1
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 8

Krosus:
2017-01-20 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 91, demo: 98, destro: 11
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 15 ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 2289
2017-02-06 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 6++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 2469
2017-02-16 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 1962

Tichondrius:
2017-01-20 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 140, demo: 35, destro: 5
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 12
2017-02-16 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 4770 FOURTHOUSENDSEVENHUNDREDSEVENTY

Atraeus:
2017-01-20 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 159, demo: 41, destro: 0 (zero)
Really? 0?
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 2 ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 1204
2017-02-06 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 6++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 830

Botanist:
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 51 , demo:66 , destro: 83 ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 552 (just wait till more shadows (90% of rankings) get to that boss)

Elisande:
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 10 , demo: 18 , destro: 172 ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 14

Gul'dan:
2017-01-28 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: 59 , demo: 69 , destro: 72 ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 358
2017-02-06 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: 67++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 307
2017-02-16 heroic out of top 200 available wl parses: affli: , demo: , destro: ++ the 5th best destro is overall at position: 370

Keep in mind that there are still some awesome warlock players who play destruction. Just imagine what would happen to the statics if those few players would not be counted.



Conclusion: The data of the first three weeks of raiding in hc nighthold indicates that destruction warlock is total garbage in 7 out of 10 bossfights. It is a complete failure. The lack of adequate performance is hideous and can be easily backed up by numbers. However, in 1 of the 3 "last" bossfights (Elisande) destruction warlock is among the best speccs(frost DK, assa Rogue, Shadow). Only few % difference between those speccs. In the 2 remaining bossfights (Botanist and Gul'dan) destruction warlock is doing ok. At Botanist 6th position out of 24 dd speccs. Gul'dan 17th position out of 24 dd speccs. So in conclusion, if you play destruction warlock, you will be 7 * total garbage, 1 * among the better speccs, and 2 * in the mid of the pack.

[sheggaro]

Too many trash mobs spawning during raid encounters, that's why. Rain of Fire needs to do its dmg way faster and it needs to do way more damage.

I mean ~270k dmg over 6 seconds for 3 soulshards is a joke.

[Deleted]

It needs a serious buff for everything, really, and a serious wreakhavocintothebinthrowage.

I'm seeing higher numbers from Unstable Affliction than from Chaos Bolt. It's getting ridiculous.

[evertonbelmontt]

I think these numbers can't be trusted.

Afflic is new and even demonology warlocks wasn't going demon to try afflic and see if they like the new rotation. Now that demon got the buff to Shadowbolt/demonbolt to scale better (much better with low # demons and break even at 12 demons ~), they're trying demon.

Destro, on the other hand, got more annoying/complicated to play if we're taking the opinions of every destrolock that posts here.
People dislike ELT: Blizzard should buff erradication.
People dislike RB: say it's too annoying when you're dealing with a real fight.
People still getting used to CDF: it's a buff but one more thing to press.

Even if they buff destro, it's not going to see more presence than afflic and demon because of that. But it will rise the numbers of ppl playing, a liiiittle bit.

[Deleted]

It needs a serious buff for everything, really, and a serious wreakhavocintothebinthrowage.

I'm seeing higher numbers from Unstable Affliction than from Chaos Bolt. It's getting ridiculous.

Yeah, how ridiculous is this. Considering Chaos bolt costs 2 shards aswell!

Although UA with MG requires a window that allows you to drain whereas CB doesn't have any prerequisites you just cast it. BUT STILL! I miss the feeling of when you release a CB you know its going to hit like a truck instead of a releasing a green noodle out your hands that's entirely based off our mastery which is entirely fucking RNG, unbelievable.

[evertonbelmontt]

I read myself now and i'm not sure I was very clear, so here it goes:

Destro needs an overkill buff so that people play it because it's become much more annoying. We have to see if it's a # issue for sure when 4p comes in, I heard it's great for destro.

[avahle]

I read myself now and i'm not sure I was very clear, so here it goes:

Destro needs an overkill buff so that people play it because it's become much more annoying. We have to see if it's a # issue for sure when 4p comes in, I heard it's great for destro.

4 piece makes the rotation even more awkward with RB IMO. And I don't think we need an overkill buff, people are still playing destro. There are lots of parses but none of them near the top. They need their AOE buffed, even with Channel Demonfire splash damage, the AOE is pitiful compared to other specs.
What they do need desperately IMO is an overhaul of mechanics to smoothen out the rotation. It's so annoying right now. You have a bunch of dps abilities that don't line up well. So for single target you have a 3-minute summon cd, a two-minute buff cd, a 1.5 minute summon cd, a dot with a cast time that needs to be applied twice and then has to be buffed and not refreshed before very near expiration, a maintenance buff that has to be refreshed every 20 seconds, a random hard-hitting spell that must be channeled for 3 out of every 15 seconds, portals that randomly proc and must be cast not to cap, and finally good old chaos bolt spenders and incinerate fillers. They don't synergize at all. It's just a huge mess.

[Deleted]

I think the main irk of people is that it used to work well, even in WoD, and then it got completely butchered albeit them having said they are fine with how it was. Just like BM Hunter, and we know what happened there.

[Zenny]

Looking at the logs, all 3 Mage specs and both Afflic/Destro needs some buffs. It's bizarre that out of the two pure RDPS classes only one spec (Demo) is actually competitive.

[bryce1242]

People dislike RB: say it's too annoying when you're dealing with a real fight.

RB is fine on bosses if you arent bad at the game but immune phases and swapping is worse when you use it. Backdraft really should be baseline though, if it was then destro would play fine imo (even if ELT is just as bad as DE)

[Deleted]

I read myself now and i'm not sure I was very clear, so here it goes:

Destro needs an overkill buff so that people play it because it's become much more annoying. We have to see if it's a # issue for sure when 4p comes in, I heard it's great for destro.

yeah Destro 4pc is fun and good, but so are other classes tier set. People often seem to forget that and think they are magically going to top damage meters once they have 4pc, but forgot to factor in that other players of other classes will have tier sets aswell eventually. Most tier sets roughly yield the same amount of % damage gain. Around 7-10%.

I just know, my personal opinion, Destruction became so annoying and un-fun for me to play that I moved away from it a week ago and it would take a lot to get me back to destruction and I simply don't see that happening in the next 1 1/2 years.

[TravelDude]

yeah Destro 4pc is fun and good, but so are other classes tier set. People often seem to forget that and think they are magically going to top damage meters once they have 4pc, but forgot to factor in that other players of other classes will have tier sets aswell eventually. Most tier sets roughly yield the same amount of % damage gain. Around 7-10%.

I just know, my personal opinion, Destruction became so annoying and un-fun for me to play that I moved away from it a week ago and it would take a lot to get me back to destruction and I simply don't see that happening in the next 1 1/2 years.

Nailed it. It's fucking obnoxious to play now. Now lets see if they make my Feretory work with Affliction so I can compete on the charts. (I have neck and boots)

[Gohzerlock]

If only they didn't touch destro and left it like it was in WoD with embers Like seriously what was the overhaul for? I don't think destro is just a numbers problem.

[avahle]

I don't think destro is just a numbers problem.

It never was. We were good damage wise after the initial buff and while we are definitely under now; we will most probably be fine numbers wise after a couple of tuning passes in the coming weeks. Mechanics/theme wise however, we are just a fucking mess this whole expansion.

[Deleted]

4 piece makes the rotation even more awkward with RB IMO. And I don't think we need an overkill buff, people are still playing destro. There are lots of parses but none of them near the top. They need their AOE buffed, even with Channel Demonfire splash damage, the AOE is pitiful compared to other specs.
What they do need desperately IMO is an overhaul of mechanics to smoothen out the rotation. It's so annoying right now. You have a bunch of dps abilities that don't line up well. So for single target you have a 3-minute summon cd, a two-minute buff cd, a 1.5 minute summon cd, a dot with a cast time that needs to be applied twice and then has to be buffed and not refreshed before very near expiration, a maintenance buff that has to be refreshed every 20 seconds, a random hard-hitting spell that must be channeled for 3 out of every 15 seconds, portals that randomly proc and must be cast not to cap, and finally good old chaos bolt spenders and incinerate fillers. They don't synergize at all. It's just a huge mess.

>this.

That's why i'm really underperforming this patch. I'm having hard times with the awkward rotation, and even when i play it well, i'm still under everyone else. (excepts hunters and maybe firemage depending on the fight hehe) Maybe "the rework" will be happening 7.2 patch ? I hope it so. Destruction is a terrible mess and i really don't want to play affliction like everyone else.

[Count Zero]

Destro tuning notes

Warlock

• Destruction
  
  • Chaos Bolt damage increased by 9%.
  • Rain of Fire damage increased by 30%.
  • Cataclysm damage increased by 29%.

"These will be applied with the next weekly maintenance."

I don't know why I originally posted this in the ptr thread, wasn't paying attention I guess.

[burek]

Yay for 1mil chaos bolts

Cataclysm wasn't lining up very well with add spawns on any heroic fight i tried using it. It would have been better if they reduced it's cooldown instead, or just buffed fire & brimstone somehow since it is mechanically superior to both cataclysm and rain of fire.

[Averrix]

Yeah, it's true. I play destro and my guild took a little hiatus after Emerald Nightmare, we tried ToV a few times, but people wanted a break. I'm not saying my guild is great or anything, but in EN, I was beating most of them on the fights. Now in NH, I'm getting destroyed, like it's not even close anymore. I'm trying to power level my affliction weapon, I have just one more trait to go. I just hate it, destro is my favorite spec and I wish Blizzard didn't screw it up so badly.

I think one of the major problems with destro is their mastery. I always love seeing when I do chaos bolt with havoc up, one hits for 750k, the other hits for 450k. I mean that's just stupid RNG.

[Zally]

>this.

That's why i'm really underperforming this patch. I'm having hard times with the awkward rotation, and even when i play it well, i'm still under everyone else. (excepts hunters and maybe firemage depending on the fight hehe) Maybe "the rework" will be happening 7.2 patch ? I hope it so. Destruction is a terrible mess and i really don't want to play affliction like everyone else.

I'm feeling it too. It's so bad right now that an undergeared affy lock out dps's me by a ridiculous margin. I was pulled off to the side at the end of raid and told to fix my dps or not going to be raiding. But my rotation is where it need's to be. I don't want to play Affy and demo, but I want to raid. It's a hard spot Blizz put us in.

[HeroicMythic]

They can buff the numbers within 5 minutes. After that they can work on the playstyle. Someone should ask a "blue" what they think about the amount of destros in top 200 WL parses...