My fire mage - what shoud I improve?

[Stefek 0]

Hello everyone,
according to simulation: 

https://www.raidbots.com/simbot/report/4ZjKMAFyVSYz1gRosymmUq

my fire mage should perform 39k DPS in 3 minute static combat.
Unfortunately my DPS on target dummy is about 28k accoring to thos log: https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports/jwG8tcxQrmZT47q1/#fight=4&type=damage-done

I use (at least I'm trying) rotation from this forum and from Preheet Youtube video.
Such great difference suggests my playstyle is extremely bad.
What is wrong? My build? My rotation? Me?
Thank you very much for any advice.
Best regards, 
Stefek

[jinsu2301 273]

For future testing, make sure to do a target dummy sim, not a patchwerk sim, and only select the buffs for the sim that you are actually using on your dummy test (I don't think you were using a pot on the dummy?). That way you get better comparable numbers.

So, if you subtract 5-10% DPS for not being in a raid, and another 4% for the two pots, you are only looking at a 3-4k DPS difference. And that's really just up to optimization.

I don't play mage, so I can only speak from a general perspective. But what strikes me immediatly is the sim's use of Combustion. Rather than using it immediatly, it waits until it has a couple of procs up, such as Quick Navigation and Focused Energy, to maximize the damage potential. Despite what every single guide likes to tell you, you don't always want to use your big damage cooldowns on, well, cooldown. If it won't allow for an extra use of that CD over the course of the encounter, then delaying it by 10-20 seconds likely doesn't make any difference.

In this specific case, the sim managed to cast 10 Pyroblast during Combustion. You only managed 7. On the second Combustion, the sim almost managed 8, you did 6. And during Combustion with a bunch of procs and Rune of Power, 2 or 3 extra Pyros make big difference.

Preach did a pretty good video last year highlighting proper CD use (the relevant part starts around 12:35). But also keep in mind that, in an actual raid, you simply might not have that kind of leeway.

Edited August 10, 2019 by jinsu2301

[Stefek 0]

https://www.raidbots.com/simbot/report/c3mqQEA2gx3E3UPihwfUCb

You were right, simulation on target dummy (with all consumables I used) showed 32,8k DPS, so this is not so big difference. And huge thanks for advice about Combustion and Pyroblasts! 

[CodeRazor 47]

Hey @Stefek,

My guess is that you want to raid with your fire mage, so i will try to give you some tips regarding that. I will split them in three parts : rotation based tips, gear improvements, and other stuff.

Rotation based tips : 
- Make sure you are never capped on Fire Blasts, when combustion is not active.
  - For example, if you are casting a Fireball which doesn't crit and you have two Fire Blasts charged, with a third one charged above 50% its better to use both of those before the Fireball reaches the target to get a guarranteed Hot Streak.
  - The above is not applicable when you are a couple of seconds away of activating Combustion.
- Try to always perform "Pyroblast fishing" when combustion is not active. Whenever you get a Hot Streak, do not cast the Pyroblast immediately, but instead cast a Fireball and at the end of the Fireball's cast release the proced Pyroblast. This way, we are leveraging the 1-2 second grace period we get to potentially get a new Heating Up or even another Hot Streak if both of the spells crit.
- One thing a lot of fire mage players have issues with is Rune of Power usage. The main rule is to always have it up for Meteor and Combustion. Always keep an eye on upcoming raid mechanics tho, to make sure you are not going to waste it.
- Looking at your talents, i would imagine you are using Alexstrasza's Fury and Flame Patch on mythic+ only, and that you use Flame On and Conflagration when you are raiding. 
- As for Firestarter, Searing Touch is better on every boss in the Eternal Palace, except for some specific instances : 
  - Lady Ashvane (especially on mythic, but applies to casual heroic guilds as well), if your raid leader has assigned you to keep your cd's to push on the boss' health instead of the starting shield. In that case ( which is what my raid leader asks me on mythic ashvane) i go for Firestarter so that i can output decent dps on the starting shield while keeping Combustion until the shield is down.
  - Sometimes on Queen Ashzara as well.

Gear Improvements : 

- I see you do not have any benthic gear equipped. Benthic gear is insanely strong, and outdpeses even 445 gear in some instances, inside the Eternal Palace.
  - Akana's Reefstrider Soles (Feet) is a flat 3% Critical Strike damage. 
  - Vim's Scalecrusher Belt (Waist) provides a damage proc.
  - Those two are very powerful and easy to obtain unlike raiding gear. Try to get them both with a socket and then upgrade them using mana pearls up to 420 ilvl. (imo 425 is not worth it)
- Hyperthread Wrist Wraps (bracers from King Mechagon) are super strong and once you get them you are not likely to replace them. They provide a singificant dps boost overall, but more importantly they increase the burst dmg you output during your combustion, which is the main reason you are in a raid as a fire mage. Examples include but are not limited to : bursting lady aschave when the shield is down, nightmare realm on Za'qul etc.

Other stuff that will definitely increase your dps : 
- Getting a third Blaster Master trait, albeit getting a chest with a Blast Master trait.
- Doing Nazjatar follower quests to obtain Memory of Lucid Dreams rank 3.
- Getting your Heart of Azeroth to level 60, to get rank 3 Crucible or Flame, which is our best minor.
- Try to balance your secondary stats. Your current stat distribution seems good for cleave scenarios, for single target you will need more haste/versatility instead of mastery. Also try Torrent of Elements as your weapon enchant.

Sample sim :
https://www.raidbots.com/simbot/report/eHUU8dG8iR6j3NMAReFMxi

Gear compare with the items i suggest above : 
https://www.raidbots.com/simbot/report/bsbf5uCug9F7szNEviUQ6y
 

PS : The gear compare sim shows something that is not always obvious in world of warcraft nowadays : bigger ilvl doesn't necessarily mean better item.

Edited August 11, 2019 by CodeRazor