Using Affdots to Best Advantage in Affliction

[Brenjack 3]

I have been using Weak Auras to improve my rotation and in the last couple of days have begun using Affdots to make my "Hard  Casting" between Procs more proficient.

 

I have a question on the color guide.

 

If the color is green, it means that my stats are better then the current stats when I cast my dots.  Than being the case, and say I have no procs and / or CD's, should I immediately just overwrite my DOT with a hard cast?

 

Normally I refresh my Agony and Corr when they are below 7 seconds (Pandemic).  Often the Affdot display turns yellow or green at 10 to 12 seconds on the dot timer.  Do I wait for the tick to get below the 7 seconds to take full advantage of Pandemic or do I overwrite my dots with new dots because my stats are now better?

 

lastly, if all my dots are red on Affdots and something procs or comes off CD, do I immediately just overwrite, or after a second or two will Affdots recognize the availability of a CD or a proc and change the color?

 

The numbers in the Affdot display

 

On a number of posts you have mentioned specific number values above or below which you would refresh a dot,  it is hard to pick up a full trail amongst these posts.  Could you possibly expound on the values and when to cast as apposed to maybe casting by the color?

 

So you ignore the color at times and go by the numbers?

[Zagam 1,982]

First off, please avoid using all capital letters in the topic subject.  We will read them regardless of capitalization, I promise.  It's just going to make me more cranky when it feels like you are yelling.

 

Affdots is a tool to help make decisions.  It should not be a tool that actually makes decisions. 

 

Affdots will be green when Pandemic will be used to its maximum effect as well as a DPS increase.

Yellow will be used when things are mucky and DoTs are soon to fall off.

Blue will be used when things are super charged but you just applied DoTs

Red will be used to tell you nothing will be better by reapplying.

 

The numbers in the Affdots display must be interpreted quickly and efficiently to maximize your DPS.  If you just applied DoTs and a huge trinket proc goes off and that number soars to 160, then I typically go ahead and reapply regardless of the color.  Doing 60% more damage is worth recasting my DoTs to me.  I'll also consider the length of the trinket.  UVLS was only 4 seconds, so you had to react super fast.  Bindings of Immerseus lasts 20 seconds, so you have some time to think.  There is no 'clear' number that you should make this decision...it's all reaction based and depends on what is going on in the fight at that moment and how long your buffs are going on.

 

You say you refresh your DoTs when their duration falls below a certain amount of seconds...that's not how you optimize DoTs.  You refresh DoTs based on your interpretation of Affdots numbers.  If your color is yellow, the number in Affdots is 94, and you have 3 seconds left on UA, recast UA.  If your Affdots number is 94 and you have 12 seconds left on UA, don't refresh. 

 

There's no magical number threshold that you should just not give a shit and throw DoTs out...practicing the spec, performing iterations in combat, and prioritizing your DoTs to receive the most power as possible will always optimize your DPS.  There is a setting in Affdots that allows you to adjust your yellow color to make it blue on a different value.  I believe it is default at 125, meaning regardless of time left, it'll shift from yellow to blue at 125.  This was the addon's author's way of telling you at 125, you shouldn't care how long the DoT is, just refresh it now.  I'm telling you there is no magic number to make that decision and all other factors going on around you must be taken into effect quickly.

[Brenjack 3]

First off, please avoid using all capital letters in the topic subject.  We will read them regardless of capitalization, I promise.  It's just going to make me more cranky when it feels like you are yelling.

 

Affdots is a tool to help make decisions.  It should not be a tool that actually makes decisions. 

 

Affdots will be green when Pandemic will be used to its maximum effect as well as a DPS increase.

Yellow will be used when things are mucky and DoTs are soon to fall off.

Blue will be used when things are super charged but you just applied DoTs

Red will be used to tell you nothing will be better by reapplying.

 

The numbers in the Affdots display must be interpreted quickly and efficiently to maximize your DPS.  If you just applied DoTs and a huge trinket proc goes off and that number soars to 160, then I typically go ahead and reapply regardless of the color.  Doing 60% more damage is worth recasting my DoTs to me.  I'll also consider the length of the trinket.  UVLS was only 4 seconds, so you had to react super fast.  Bindings of Immerseus lasts 20 seconds, so you have some time to think.  There is no 'clear' number that you should make this decision...it's all reaction based and depends on what is going on in the fight at that moment and how long your buffs are going on.

 

You say you refresh your DoTs when their duration falls below a certain amount of seconds...that's not how you optimize DoTs.  You refresh DoTs based on your interpretation of Affdots numbers.  If your color is yellow, the number in Affdots is 94, and you have 3 seconds left on UA, recast UA.  If your Affdots number is 94 and you have 12 seconds left on UA, don't refresh. 

 

There's no magical number threshold that you should just not give a shit and throw DoTs out...practicing the spec, performing iterations in combat, and prioritizing your DoTs to receive the most power as possible will always optimize your DPS.  There is a setting in Affdots that allows you to adjust your yellow color to make it blue on a different value.  I believe it is default at 125, meaning regardless of time left, it'll shift from yellow to blue at 125.  This was the addon's author's way of telling you at 125, you shouldn't care how long the DoT is, just refresh it now.  I'm telling you there is no magic number to make that decision and all other factors going on around you must be taken into effect quickly.

Hi Zag, and thanks for the reply.  I will do some homework on the dummies.  Sorry about the Cap's....  In business all headings are done in "Block Capitals"  and I did it by habit!

[Brenjack 3]

Hi Zag, and thanks for the reply.  I will do some homework on the dummies.  Sorry about the Cap's....  In business all headings are done in "Block Capitals"  and I did it by habit!

Zag I just got Bindings of Immerses yesterday.  Am I right in saying that it procs for 20 seconds and anytime in that 20 second window if I apply my dots they will have the trinket power for their full duration?  I ask because a guildee told me that all the trinket does is empowers whatever dots I have up whilst the 20 seconds ticks.

 

If my first statement is correct, then would it be good to refresh my dots just before the trinket proc falls off so they are empowered for another time period.

[Omaric 246]

Our DoT's snapshot our stats at the time of casting and the DoT's maintain that power for their entire duration until we refresh them again.  So yes, you're right in that if you refresh the DoT's at the end of the trinket buff they will *not* be reduced in power as soon as the buff fades.  The power will fade when your DoT duration completes.

[Cardio33 3]

Zag I just got Bindings of Immerses yesterday.  Am I right in saying that it procs for 20 seconds and anytime in that 20 second window if I apply my dots they will have the trinket power for their full duration?  I ask because a guildee told me that all the trinket does is empowers whatever dots I have up whilst the 20 seconds ticks.

 

If my first statement is correct, then would it be good to refresh my dots just before the trinket proc falls off so they are empowered for another time period.

Ideally I think you would want to refresh dots immediately when PBI procs or pop DS then refresh. And refresh those dots tight before either Pbi or DS fades. With this system you could easily get over 50 sec in an empowered COA proc

[Lockybalboa 618]

Ideally I think you would want to refresh dots immediately when PBI procs or pop DS then refresh. And refresh those dots tight before either Pbi or DS fades. With this system you could easily get over 50 sec in an empowered COA proc