Chaos Bolt please explain

[lockish 3]

First off I appreciate anyone taking the time to read this.  I didn't post logs because I am not really looking for a fix my dps answer.  I'm looking to understand my destro issue.

 

I've read the guides and need chaos bolt explained.   

 

Right now I'm casting 40% incinerate 19% chaos bolt and my incinerate damage is much higher.

 

I am doing great at consuming backdraft charges, keeping immolate conflag up, I just don't really know what I'm doing with the chaos bolt.

 

I have affdots to tell me when my stuff is getting buffed.  I just don't see how my chaos bolt is going to out due my incinerate with the way I'm casting.  I'm missing something.

 

 

Maybe for now til I get used to it at 3.5 embers cast chaos bolt every time?  I can play aff well so I understand empowered spells.  I'm just I dunno lost.  What I need is maybe a good rule of thumb now to get those chaos bolt stats up or ANY advice on people who had my similar issue. 

[Lockybalboa 618]

Get trinket proc, dump CB. Otherwise cast CB when you're at 3.5 embers so that you don't cap. Use havoc as much as you can to cleave targets with CB.

 

Trinkets that proc int are best, crit/mastery is good also, if you have haste procs then ignore them for CB casting. Trust me, time your CB well with your trinket procs and it will FAR out do your other damage. Nothing as sexy as a 3mil CB

[lockish 3]

So I cast cb every time I get a proc or I'm at 3.5

[Twinkielock 15]

Yes to both

[Macca 0]

Yer I think that's what he is saying, must admit I have been casting CB with a haste proc, I wont be doing that any more, also Dark soul: instability should always be cast when its ready before CB imo, I had a intellect trinket proc and DSI up and got a 1.2 million crit with 525 item level yesterday, was realy chuffed

[ertai 0]

If you have T16 4P bonus, casting chaos bolt just after reaching the third ember isn t more efficient? (When the goal is to avoid ember cap)

Doing so the chaos bolt will have the benefit of 4p proc and 2 embers will remain in case of 10 sec trinket proc

[Muoric 3]

For chaos bolts the thing you are interested in is sp/crit procs. The bigger the better. So basically use cbs when you either get a strong int proc from trinket, during ds, after 3rd ember fills up and you have the 4set bonus or as last resort at 3,5 to avoid capping.

I don't personally care for jade serpent anymore, it's not strong enough. Ofc if it's up it's nice, but compared to other procs it's nothing.

[Oldtrout 7]

If you have T16 4P bonus, casting chaos bolt just after reaching the third ember isn t more efficient? (When the goal is to avoid ember cap)

Doing so the chaos bolt will have the benefit of 4p proc and 2 embers will remain in case of 10 sec trinket proc

This is how I do it on a single target fight.

 

As long as you're tracking your embers and start casting the chaos bolt just as the Incin on 29 bits has been fired off, you can easily fit in a chaos bolt and then an immolate for the 4P bonus has expired. 

 

On multi target I think it's more beneficial to use those 5 seconds to refresh immolate on every target.

 

Also, depending on your haste rating and whether you get bloodlust / LMG proc, you can sometimes hit 3 embers while 4PC is on cooldown, at which point it's best to wait until 3.5 to cast your CB.

[Zagam 1,982]

This is how I do it on a single target fight.

 

As long as you're tracking your embers and start casting the chaos bolt just as the Incin on 29 bits has been fired off, you can easily fit in a chaos bolt and then an immolate for the 4P bonus has expired. 

 

On multi target I think it's more beneficial to use those 5 seconds to refresh immolate on every target.

 

Also, depending on your haste rating and whether you get bloodlust / LMG proc, you can sometimes hit 3 embers while 4PC is on cooldown, at which point it's best to wait until 3.5 to cast your CB.

This is an advanced technique.  The 3.5 Ember guideline is a rough measure to ensure you don't cap, but yes, after the 4pc, you'd want to do it after getting the 3rd Ember filled up AS LONG AS THE PROC OCCURS!  Remember that the 4pc has a 10 second internal cooldown, so sometimes this doesn't happen.  Don't get in a habit of blowing a CB as soon as your third Ember fills up.  WeakAuras or some other proc notification will assist with this.

 

Basically the posters above have summed up what I would say nicely.  Chaos Bolt will be your highest source of damage in single target situations if you time your Chaos Bolt with trinkets appropriately.  Remember, some trinkets don't help CB, but most of the SoO ones do. 

[skindogg 1]

So if I have a PBI and KTT, should I just ignore all the other low int procs like jade spirit, lightweave, etc, and concentrate on hitting CB on those 2?  Is there a third proc to maybe watch for that is key for CBs?

 

P.S. long time reader, first time poster.  Haven't posted logs since I'm still a noob but this site has helped me so much already.  Not sure what I would have done without it.

Edited November 13, 2013 by skindogg

[Omaric 246]

So if I have a PBI and KTT, should I just ignore all the other low int procs like jade spirit, lightweave, etc, and concentrate on hitting CB on those 2?  Is there a third proc to maybe watch for that is key for CBs?

 

P.S. long time reader, first time poster.  Haven't posted logs since I'm still a noob but this site has helped me so much already.  Not sure what I would have done without it.

 

Yeah, I don't generally worry about throwing out a CB just because Jade Spirit decides to proc.  It's not big enough to warrant it.  However, you also don't want to cap out on Embers, so just be sure to keep that in check.

 

If you have the 4-piece you can also use that as a decent proc, but again it kind of falls in with the smaller procs category unless you can get a few of them to line up.

[Silverman 0]

You can also cast CB if you have 3 embers and small proccs like JS or LW a.s.o. or  if you have a few of the smaller procs combined, more so, if you have the 4pc proc, even before the 3.5 "softcap". Also addons like Weakauras, Tellmewhen or ExtraCD will help you to decide if it pays out to cast a CB. If f.e. you have 2 embers, your Jade Spirit, Synap. Spr. and Lightweave, 4pc are up and you have a ICD of 60 sec for your PBI, then you can burn them. If your ICD is just about 3 seconds, then you can wait and refresh Immolate+ cast Incinirate until the proc.

[skindogg 1]

Yeah I have ExtraCD to watch the procs.  I only have 2pc now, but I do have the problem of hoarding my embers too much.  I do dump out CBs if I get either KTT or PBI proc.  I've been trying to line up DS with PBI but it doesn't always work out.  I think i'll start using them more if I get at least 2 other 'lesser' procs and have at least 3 embers.

 

Alright thanks for the advice guys!

[Ilion 8]

As a rule of thumb, you'll usually get one 4-pc proc on every 2 embers you fill.

[Kazistrasz 216]

See how well you've trained everyone Zagam? They now answer questions for you!

[Rakupenda 15]

See how well you've trained everyone Zagam? They now answer questions for you!

Should get into investing. Make your money work for you in the same way.

[Omaric 246]

See how well you've trained everyone Zagam? They now answer questions for you!

 

We call it a community.  Zagam actually taught me how to speak English.  And do my taxes.

[Zagam 1,982]

You guys give me too much credit.  Just because I lead the community doesn't mean I get credit for every positive.  The community doesn't exist without you guys, and you all are who I do this for.  It's awesome seeing everyone pitch in to make it a real community instead of one person telling everyone else what to do.  I love this place.

[Eddie 16]

Yeah, but your willingness to help out is contagious, and helped a great deal in breeding a helpful community. You deserve more credit than you give yourself for being such a positive force.