Optimal Affliction Openers - Protectors & Shamans

[Cardio33 3]

 

 

Haunt or one tick of MG. Not both.

 

It's simple, lets say that all three dots on target [A] have 10 seconds left on their duration.

You inhale the dots, time pauses for those dots that you're holding. They don't tick down when you are holding them.

You turn to target and cast haunt with a 1.3 second cast. Then exhale the dots you were holding.

Right now, target [A]'s dots have ticked down from 10 seconds to 7.2 seconds,  you exhaled on to target dots that have 10 seconds left.

Inhale the dots on target that now have 9.5 seconds left on them and turn to target [A]

Cast haunt.

Right now, target [A] has dots with a 6 second duration on them. Target has 9 seconds left.

Exhale on to target [A]. Target [A] has now gone from 6 seconds, to 9.5 seconds that you were holding.

Rinse and repeat.

 

 

The DoTs that you hold with SS do NOT count down when you are holding them. So you pause their time, do something, release their time. Thus with a little planing using at least two targets you can extend the over all time of these empowered dots by a very long time.

Fantastic explanation thanks, I can visualize it now.  Seems like a lot of dot micro-managing.  Missing a single "exhale" by mistargeting or casting haunt late looks like it would completely screw you.

[Zagam 1,982]

This is why I dislike Affliction at times.  Losing track of your mega-empowered DoTs can cost you 25% of your DPS if you make a critical mistake.  Happened to me once on Protectors.  I accidentally pulled the wrong DoTs and overwrote the mega DoTs on the other two targets instead of taking the mega DoTs and applying them over the low target.  I muttered out a 'sunuvabitch' when I realized it.  Your DPS drops faster than the housing market did a few years ago.