9th INNING WARLOCK CHANGES

[Annoroth 5]

Fel Flame's Mana Cost Increased 100%

 

Incinerate damage increased 5%

[JvChequer 43]

I think that's.....good for destro and bad for DEMO.

 

Irrelevant for affliction since felflame is pretty rare used.

[HollyC 9]

To be completely honest, the idea of being as good as I can become on all three of my specs didn't cross my mind simply because I can only bring two of them to a raid; at least an LFR. Whether my guild will be able to accommodate me on a Flexible remains to be seen, but we're talking it out.

 

So this brings up another question: For those of you who try to improve as much as you can at all three specs, not just for warlocks but for any class (four in the case of druids)... you don't actively return to a trainer to swap out continuously depending on individual fights, do you? Or do you? Or do you just bring the two specs that you think are most useful overall to a particular raid and swap between them (which only takes a minute) between boss fights?

 

This is an honest question, not a challenge.

 

And... I will give Destruction a try, to see if I can manage to get the hang of it. I'll have to read some of the information here on the boards about it.

 

This also brings up another question: How do you handle gemming and reforging on gear to accommodate all three specs as much as possible? Or do you have to carry two (even three) sets?

[Zagam 1,982]

Fel Flame's Mana Cost Increased 100%

 

Incinerate damage increased 5%

This was not intended to be a buff or nerf.  This was intended to make Destro players quit using Fel Flame as a filler.  It has almost no effect on Demonology since most of our spells use DF as a resource instead of mana.  This does, however, SLIGHTLY hurt Demo's mana regen during movement.  This can be mitigated with proper Meta use. 

 

This was PURELY a 'HEY QUIT USING FEL FLAME YOU HACKERS.  IF YOU DONT USE INCINERATE, I'M GOING TO CLAIM YOU'RE USING AN EXPLOIT.' - Ghostcrawler, Patch 5.4

[Zagam 1,982]

To be completely honest, the idea of being as good as I can become on all three of my specs didn't cross my mind simply because I can only bring two of them to a raid; at least an LFR. Whether my guild will be able to accommodate me on a Flexible remains to be seen, but we're talking it out.

 

So this brings up another question: For those of you who try to improve as much as you can at all three specs, not just for warlocks but for any class (four in the case of druids)... you don't actively return to a trainer to swap out continuously depending on individual fights, do you? Or do you? Or do you just bring the two specs that you think are most useful overall to a particular raid and swap between them (which only takes a minute) between boss fights?

 

This is an honest question, not a challenge.

 

And... I will give Destruction a try, to see if I can manage to get the hang of it. I'll have to read some of the information here on the boards about it.

 

This also brings up another question: How do you handle gemming and reforging on gear to accommodate all three specs as much as possible? Or do you have to carry two (even three) sets?

It depends entirely on your goals and ambitions.  I brought two specs into SoO knowing they could get me through even if another spec was slightly better for one or two particular fights.  For normal modes, this was insignificant to us.  However, for Heroics, I'll be reforging and respecing SPECIFICALLY for that fight.  For some lesser geared/experienced guilds, this effort may be needed for some of the later bosses in SoO. 

 

You handle gemming and reforging by chosing a decent combination of both.  If you play Demo/Aff, Demo's breakpoint is 8.1k and Aff's is 9.8k.  If you're going to play both, go ahead and hit the 9.8k.  If you play Destruction/Aff, you will want tons of Mastery because Haste benefits Affliction while Mastery benefits Destruction more and Haste is almost crap for Destro.  Carrying 2-3 sets of gear is just unachieveable...early pushes for gear call for distribution of loot to maximize your raid's performance.  Later in the tier, if you want to have a set built specifically for Demo or such, you could do that, but don't expect it early on.  It's both selfish and wrong. 

 

I'll mention this, as well...your performance playing the spec will LARGELY overshadow any minor nuances of not being completely optimal with your stats.  Basically...if you're playing a spec that isn't optimally set up with gems and reforges, this does NOT disable you from performing well.  Your stats are a minor part of what you do.  They're just the easiest to argue and adjust, so players focus on them too much. 

[Kaboozey 16]

This was PURELY a 'HEY QUIT USING FEL FLAME YOU HACKERS.  IF YOU DONT USE INCINERATE, I'M GOING TO CLAIM YOU'RE USING AN EXPLOIT.' - Ghostcrawler, Patch 5.4

 

Someone is still really upset about his (ridiculous) statement regarding UVLS.

 

@Omaric: I expect (request?) a "Dear Diary"-like log for your adventures in crit based Destro.

[Zagam 1,982]

I'm not upset.  I just think it's hilarious he said the word "exploit" when it came to us using a trinket THEY designed.  They keep giving Warlocks tools that we find ways to optimize performance and then they go "NO NO NO NO, YOU PLAY THE WAY WE WANT YOU TO, NOT THE CREATIVE AWESOME WAY!"

[Meeloh 0]

As much as I hate destro it seems to help the raid out a lot more than affli on certain fights. Oh well at least I can still play my beloved affli on most fights.

[Omaric 246]

Someone is still really upset about his (ridiculous) statement regarding UVLS.

 

@Omaric: I expect (request?) a "Dear Diary"-like log for your adventures in crit based Destro.

 

Haha, maybe later I'll try.  Right now we're too focused on getting to heroic modes and Demonology is way too dominant for me with mastery.

[Kaboozey 16]

Haha, maybe later I'll try.  Right now we're too focused on getting to heroic modes and Demonology is way too dominant for me with mastery.

 

Well yeah.  You'd need to take gear specifically with crit/X to go balls out with it, and that won't likely happen unless it would be otherwise DE'd because no other player needs it.  I didn't expect you to testing it any time very soon.

[Peatzah 0]

I plan on playing destro/aff. That being said, anyone have any input on if I should go for a specific haste breakpoint? With Immolate breakpoint at 10124 and Agony at 9778 I figured it'd be best going for the 10124 since the recent Immolate buffs. After that, dump everything I got into Mastery.

[Omaric 246]

I plan on playing destro/aff. That being said, anyone have any input on if I should go for a specific haste breakpoint? With Immolate breakpoint at 10124 and Agony at 9778 I figured it'd be best going for the 10124 since the recent Immolate buffs. After that, dump everything I got into Mastery.

 

Sounds like you're on the right track, assuming your ilvl can support you.  I don't suggest doing it unless you can get your mastery about equal to or greater than your haste simultaneously.

[Omaric 246]

 

Greg Street‏@Ghostcrawler

Re: Destro. We're going to hotfix an increase to Incinerate and Conflag chance to produce embers.

 

 

More Destruction buffs.

[Meeloh 0]

Yup Conflagrate and Incinerate now have 15% chance to generate an additional burning ember.

[EgoReaper 9]

(god I love scrolling through the warlock forums)

Holly, In answer to your question, being a paladin main, I have to carry 2 sets of gear no matter what (holy and ret). I am arguably good at both specs, but one thing that makes me so much better than a lot of players at them is that I always find flaws in my gameplay. For instance, on almost every boss there is, I constantly forget about my Execution Sentence (essentially the DoT version of the Druid's Lifebloom). I look at that, and see myself losing probably 2 to 3k dps because of it. Now, imagine finding absolutely a ton of flaws like that and looking at what your dps is afterwards.

To answer your question about reforging and gemming. On my shaman, when I play resto/ele, I'll usually gem/reforge for whatever spec they need me in more (currently not using ele as my gear is way too low). In the case of a 2 dps specs where the stats required are roughly the same, you want to reforge for the spec you're more comfortable with. Unless your guild is really pushing heroic content and is really calling you out on low dps, you should reach the boss kills as others get geared.

As for all these buffs to destro, it may be that some destro players feel like KJC is a pretty hefty nerf to them since they can't cast chaos bolt on the run now (and let's be fair, that's a long time to have to stand still).

[Likmask 4]

Well honestly, i could sacrifice some seconds to burst 4-6 million damage during proccs and Cd's :)

[Kazistrasz 216]

Well honestly, i could sacrifice some seconds to burst 4-6 million damage during proccs and Cd's

 

I will quote Lore, who once quoted an old GM of his own: "It's pretty easy to calculate the DPS of a corpse." That 4-6mil damage from a CB cast isn't worth being in the wrong place.

[Soulzar 42]

So I have noticed that Soul Link is showing up as a damage source under my Damage done on WoL.  Am I missing something obvious or is WoL incorrectly reading the incoming dmg split to your pet via Soul Link as damage done by you?

[Omaric 246]

That's working as intended.  That's generally how Soul Link has always worked as a damage equalizer.

[Zagam 1,982]

Nah, he's reporting it as damage done.  It shouldn't be listed like that, much like how Unstable Vita was reported as damage done in terms of rankings and such.  It SHOULD be reported as damage taken and damage absorbed which you could translate into damage done to your demon, but I don't think that friendly fire damage should be recorded as damage done, which it currently is.

[Omaric 246]

Oh I misread.  Lol at Soul Link padding.

[Rakupenda 15]

It used to count as damage done. What was the transfer back then, 20%? Forgive the timeline, I think it was just before Cata when they were making some changes to Fel Armor...

 

I remember back then it would actually proc Fel Armor's heal for 2% (3%?)  damage done increasing the amount mitigated by 22.4% (23.6% if it was 3%) instead of the flat 20%. You would still take 80% of the damage, but then be healed for the "damage done" to your pet, reducing the net damage you took 77.6% instead of 80%

 

Blizard ignored my bug report because Cata was soon to be released and with Fel Armor's heal being taken away it would fix itself.

 

I was in MC when I first noticed it, and I let the dogs just pound on me. The scrolling heal text would be pop up. Recount confirmed the only damage I dealt was with Soul Link, and 3% of the damage turned into the healing I received.

[Kazistrasz 216]

It used to count as damage done. What was the transfer back then, 20%? Forgive the timeline, I think it was just before Cata when they were making some changes to Fel Armor...

 

I remember back then it would actually proc Fel Armor's heal for 2% (3%?)  damage done increasing the amount mitigated by 22.4% (23.6% if it was 3%) instead of the flat 20%. You would still take 80% of the damage, but then be healed for the "damage done" to your pet, reducing the net damage you took 77.6% instead of 80%

 

Blizard ignored my bug report because Cata was soon to be released and with Fel Armor's heal being taken away it would fix itself.

 

I was in MC when I first noticed it, and I let the dogs just pound on me. The scrolling heal text would be pop up. Recount confirmed the only damage I dealt was with Soul Link, and 3% of the damage turned into the healing I received.

But do you remember when SLSL was 80% reduced damage with 3% healing and Siphon Life DoT to make you invincible? :D

[Rakupenda 15]

But do you remember when SLSL was 80% reduced damage with 3% healing and Siphon Life DoT to make you invincible?

Wrath-baby here, unfortunately. So, NO! I do not :(

[Zagam 1,982]

But do you remember when SLSL was 80% reduced damage with 3% healing and Siphon Life DoT to make you invincible?

I didn't play a Warlock until ICC.  Might surprise a few people haha