5.4 Affliction Tips & Quirks

[Meeloh 0]

Yes please open it! :)

[Caolela 2]

Hi guys,

 

Right now, I'm at 9095 Haste and 7957 Mast. Should I change a few gems & chants and forge to the 9778 Haste cap, or would losing the 683 Mast be worse than being below that Haste threshold? In earlier posts, I see that they're both nearly equal, but I know extra ticks can help a lot over the length of a fight. (BTW, I've always played Destro since I like the playstyle, but am going to try Aff for this patch.)

 

Thanks for the site! Very helpful.

[Zagam 1,982]

Hi guys,

 

Right now, I'm at 9095 Haste and 7957 Mast. Should I change a few gems & chants and forge to the 9778 Haste cap, or would losing the 683 Mast be worse than being below that Haste threshold? In earlier posts, I see that they're both nearly equal, but I know extra ticks can help a lot over the length of a fight. (BTW, I've always played Destro since I like the playstyle, but am going to try Aff for this patch.)

 

Thanks for the site! Very helpful.

Yes.

[hizzledots 0]

Hey fellow warlocks!

 

 

Mained a hunter for 2 years now swapping to a warlock. I have been raiding affliction in an alt raid in tier 15. I have a few small questions first most the bis lists I see don't recommend the 4 piece. What are your thoughts on 4pc tier?

Edited September 11, 2013 by hizzledots

[Zagam 1,982]

Hey fellow warlocks!

 

 

Mained a hunter for 2 years now swapping to a warlock. I have been raiding affliction in an alt raid in tier 15. I have a few small questions first most the bis lists I see don't recommend the 4 piece. What are your thoughts on 4pc tier?

That's odd.  The guide on the first post of this thread you're posting on has a BiS list that includes the 4pc tier 16 set.  Did you look?

[hizzledots 0]

That's odd.  The guide on the first post of this thread you're posting on has a BiS list that includes the 4pc tier 16 set.  Did you look?

Yeah that is why I was asking what the 4pc is worth (damage wise). This is one of the 3 bis lists I compared to.

Edited September 11, 2013 by hizzledots

[Zagam 1,982]

It's worth some additional DPS depending on how RNG plays into it and how good you are at managing your Soul Shards.  There's no flat value of its worth, but it is, in my opinion, worthwhile.

[hizzledots 0]

awesome well thanks for the information!

[Caolela 2]

Yes.

 

 

Yes...to what? Why be so cryptic? Do you mean the Haste point doesn't matter that much since Mast is just as good, or for this spec (unlike Destro say) should we always try for the next Haste point if it's attainable?

 

As an aside, the reason I've grown disgusted with Blizz and Destro both is after wracking my brain with several different gemmings/forgings and Sims, I noticed I couldn't get DPS to where it should be at whatever ilvl. Once I learned why (secondary stat scaling is poor, and what Blizz and community devs said about the spec), I decided to not play it as much, especially now with the 5.4 changes to warlock generally.

Edited September 11, 2013 by Caolela

[Zagam 1,982]

Yes...to what? Why be so cryptic? Do you mean the Haste point doesn't matter that much since Mast is just as good, or for this spec (unlike Destro say) should we always try for the next Haste point if it's attainable?

 

As an aside, the reason I've grown disgusted with Blizz and Destro both is after wracking my brain with several different gemmings/forgings and Sims, I noticed I couldn't get DPS to where it should be at whatever ilvl. Once I learned why (secondary stat scaling is poor, and what Blizz and community devs said about the spec), I decided to not play it as much, especially now with the 5.4 changes to warlock generally.

Cryptic?  You asked a question and I answered.  There was nothing obscure or mysterious about my answer.  You asked if you should hit a threshold and I said yes.  Did you need an explanation like the dozens of explanations laid out in the forums already about the breakpoints?

[Caolela 2]

Didn't mean to offend. I had looked through this thread (and others) and hadn't found a definite answer, at least not that made a lot of sense to me unless I missed something. That's why I asked specifically. I wasn't sure how important the Haste points are to Aff, like with Destro they're good to have but not so important.

[Zagam 1,982]

No offense taken.  They are much more important for Affliction than Destruction.  DoTs are the core of Affliction DPS.  DoTs are barely any part of Destruction's DPS.

[Gravy 0]

Thanks for the guides Zagam,

I have a question, or maybe it's more like a favor.  In section 10 you list the recalculated haste break points for the standard 13,737 bp for people using the bindings trinket.  Could you also post the recalculated breakpoints for the other standard bp such as 9778, 13157?  I got the bindings trinket on my guild's very first Immersus kill and really want to use it in place of Hydra (530).  I will upgrade it fully this week, and it's the normal version.

[Zagam 1,982]

Just do some reverse math!  I don't know what version you have (normal, Flex?)  But here's how you'd calculate it...

 

Haste Rating Needed * Amp 100+% = Haste Break Point -> Haste Rating Needed = Haste Break Point / Amp 100+%

 

For 9778 with 7% Amp, you'd just divide 9778 by 1.07 to get 9139. 

9778 / 1.07 = 9139

9139 * 1.07 = 9778

 

To double check your math, multiply 9139 by 1.07 to see 9778.  Insert 1.0x based on what version you have.  Perhaps when I'm not getting crushed at work and on WoW, I'll slap a table up there.  Thanks for recommendation.

[Rakupenda 15]

Isn't it just as simple as:

Old haste rating breakpoint/ (1+bindings%) = new haste rating?

 

Trinket at 6% amp

 

13737 / 1.06 = 12960

 

Beat me to it, lol

Edited September 12, 2013 by Rakupenda

[Gravy 0]

Thanks, I just wasn't sure it was as straight forward as that.  Blizz math you know...

 

Changing the subject Zagam, are you aware that on AMR, that UVLS is BiS for affliction on gear optimizer?  I see three versions at top of the list before ANY other trinkets are listed including T16. 

 

That is why I wanted the haste bp's.  I was just going to manually set my values/soft caps.

 

ps. My previous posts says normal raid bindings trink, to be fully updated fwiw.

[Bekon 0]

For fights like the fallen protectors, would it be better to cast empowered dots on main target and cast MG, or cast empowered dots and SS it to the other targets and then proceed to MG the main target?

[JvChequer 43]

For fights like the fallen protectors, would it be better to cast empowered dots on main target and cast MG, or cast empowered dots and SS it to the other targets and then proceed to MG the main target?

Better spread your dots.

[Zagam 1,982]

Multi-target = spread your DoTs always.  This is super important once you get the 2pc bonus because of how UA crits affect your MG damage.  It's not so important for Soul Shards now because only one version of Corruption can return shards.  You absolutely should open a fight like that by Soulburn:Soul Swap -> Rook -> Soul Swap:Inhale -> target He -> Soul Swap:Exhale -> Soul Swap:Inhale -> Target Sun -> Soul Swap:Exhale -> Target Rook -> Haunt -> MG.  When Rook's DoTs wear off, the other's DoTs wore off at the same exact time.  Reapply and spread.

[Omaric 246]

Either open up with a hard cast of all DoT's followed by a SB:SS or SB:SS twice so that you get all of the DoT spreads buffed by Pandemic.  Do not miss out on that extra time when you're rolling in buffs/procs.

[Zagam 1,982]

I roll with Breath and Wush, so I do my normal rotation until I get that magic 10th stack of Wush that is up with Breath (what up 23k Intellect bonus) to which I then Soulburn:Soul Swap and then begin my spread of deadly magics.  That ensures MONSTER DoTs with a huge Pandemic effect to unleash pain and misery everywhere.

[Omaric 246]

Cept you didn't mention dat shits!!  You all like, "put the things on the stuff and keep puttin' em on".

[EddyG17 2]

Multi-target = spread your DoTs always.  This is super important once you get the 2pc bonus because of how UA crits affect your MG damage.  It's not so important for Soul Shards now because only one version of Corruption can return shards.  You absolutely should open a fight like that by Soulburn:Soul Swap -> Rook -> Soul Swap:Inhale -> target He -> Soul Swap:Exhale -> Soul Swap:Inhale -> Target Sun -> Soul Swap:Exhale -> Target Rook -> Haunt -> MG.  When Rook's DoTs wear off, the other's DoTs wore off at the same exact time.  Reapply and spread.

  

I roll with Breath and Wush, so I do my normal rotation until I get that magic 10th stack of Wush that is up with Breath (what up 23k Intellect bonus) to which I then Soulburn:Soul Swap and then begin my spread of deadly magics.  That ensures MONSTER DoTs with a huge Pandemic effect to unleash pain and misery everywhere.

Does this mean that, in this scenario you should end your dot spreading with a soul swap inhale on Sun and HOLD the soul swap buff until the dots on Rook are about to fall off or soul swap buff is about to expire?

[Zagam 1,982]

  

Does this mean that, in this scenario you should end your dot spreading with a soul swap inhale on Sun and HOLD the soul swap buff until the dots on Rook are about to fall off or soul swap buff is about to expire?

This is impossible.  Inhale has a 3 second duration.  If you don't exhale in 3 seconds, you lose it. 

[JvChequer 43]

Wish they changed Inhale to 6sec CD, would help a lot.