Elemental confusion

[simpetar 12]

1. I was wondering where on the priority list Power of the Maelstrom is in ele single target rotation. The only place in the guide it was even mentioned was in ST for Ascendance build. That seems little odd; it is most likely to proc and stack up while Ascendance is active (PotM is triggered by LB), but as LB is so much more powerful, most of the stacks are likely to expire before they are used. Is it ok to let stacks fall off without using them, if, say, RNG is generous to give me lots of Lava surges in a row (but not so generous to proc more PotM)? Is it worth to synchronize PotM procs with Stormkeeper, and if so, how high does that climb up the priority list?

2. What is really higher on the priority list for ST: Icefury + 4x Frost Shock or Earth Shock? The guide says ES is better at 92+ maelstrom than Icefury between 56 and 76 maelstrom. This however means that Icefury followed by 4x FS will very rarely get priority on ST fight. ES is more readily available because it has no CD and takes only 1 GCD. Icefury has 30s CD, it has cast time and, 4 Frost Shocks take 4 GCDs. I understand that there are external factors: FS is more friendly for keeping up dps on the move, or bursting down several high priority, spread out adds (eyes on Gul'dan).

[Rhawax 0]

you should use stormkeeper after ascendence ends and then spam LB with sk and pom, but if u dont have a chance to use power of the maelstrom with it u shouldnt use it after

[Tarazet 144]

Stormkeeper is kind of a funny ability. If you break it down, it uses 4 GCD's to effectively give you 6 Lightning Bolt or Chain Lightning casts. Just two extra Lightning Bolts doesn't have much impact, but it is better than simply casting a series of Lightning Bolts as filler. In AoE situations, the burst is huge and you want to use it without a second thought. But single target it's another story.

The cooldown also provides 3 instant cast abilities that you can use while moving. To me, that last part is the key. Elemental was fabulous when Lightning Bolt could be cast on the move, but now mobility is really precious, especially if you opt out of the button-bloatish Icefury. That's a problem for a lot of specs, especially when they are competing with Affliction Warlocks or Frost Mages that have quite a number of instant casts that they use frequently.

So will you produce more DPS from using Stormkeeper on cooldown, or lining it up with specific procs, or will you do better using it when you need to move? It depends, and it's not just a matter of whether you're using this talent or another one. Every fight is a little different. As you learn each encounter, you'll gradually feel out the answer if you're trying to optimize your uptime.

Using it outside of Ascendance with SK and POM is a good general rule, but if you are having issues with mobility, or if you have frequent AoE interludes that are important, then you should hold back and save it for when it counts.

Edited April 3, 2017 by Tarazet

[simpetar 12]

Thanks for the replies. I was more concerned about PotM going to be waste than about movement. Gust of Wind (and goblin Rocket Jump) usually solve getting from A to B in a timely fashion and Earthgrab + Earthbind totems assist when kiting is needed. PotM is a golden trait after all and a proc on top, that should in theory have an impact on the rotation (or so I thought). The problem is, there is almost always something stronger to cast than a LB that may or may not be boosted by a proc which may or may not (depending on mastery) overload it.