Highmaul Warlock Style - Normal, Heroic, & Mythic

[Stunlocked 8]

Gahdda, I'm sure you're aware of this already - but out of curiosity I tried simming using GoServ instead of GoSup with DS.  By default Simcraft is using the felhunter with GoServ instead of the Doomguard (even if I have DS selected).  

Edited January 11, 2015 by Stunlocked

[Zagam 1,982]

Does GoServ effect Demonic Servitude? allowing me to have two Doomguards out? If not what pet do you recommend we use with GoServ summon (felhunter, imp, or succy?)

You could honestly spend a couple of Tomes and test it to find the answer yourself.  For the lazy, yes, you can have another Doomguard out for 20 seconds every 2 minutes.

 

Good. I've been doing this a lot but wasn't sure if it was actually better.

It goes back to the old GoServ vs GoSupr for Demonology and timelines of when fights end.  If a fight ends closer to an even minute and low seconds such as 4:20, 6:30, or 8:40, then Service will win out.  Supremacy evens out as you go deeper into odd number minutes since GoServ is almost off of CD but not quite, thus losing a small bit of uptime the longer you go without using the cooldown.  Over many instances, Service will win out if you're coordinated and talented enough to line them up with Dark Soul.

 

Gahdda, I'm sure you're aware of this already - but out of curiosity I tried simming using GoServ instead of GoSup with DS.  By default Simcraft is using the felhunter with GoServ instead of the Doomguard (even if I have DS selected).  

You're doing something wrong.  When I modify the talent to give me Service instead of Supremacy in Simcraft, it chooses a Doomguard and uses a Doomguard.  If you still have the problem, you can manually change the pet under the APL where it says "default pet" and put "Doomguard" instead.

[Stunlocked 8]

Maybe I have an old version of Simcraft, but I get an error when I try to change the default pet to DG. I will download the latest and try again r.

[Oldtrout 7]

So the final phase on mythic tectus, because I'm running with Mythic Shards, I've been thinking that the big 20 second burst AoE window I get may actually be better spent with Hand of Gul'dan > Cataclysm in caster > Hand of Gul'dan, rather than what it seems every other lock is doing (meta cataclysm + chaos waves - I was also doing this myself tonight). My chaos waves benefit nothing from my haste proc, whereas the shadowflame and corruption ticks could be huge. After the second HoG I pop meta anyway and manually apply doom, so I'll only be losing between 3-14 seconds on doom ticks for each mote respective of the first I apply it to, to the last.

 

How I was normally handling the last phase felt clunky - pop meta, pop my big aoe spells, then go back to caster to apply corruption to as much as I could, then back to meta to spam ToC and immo aura (basically meta > caster > meta all within my DS / trinkets / potion duration). This way I do it allows me to do big aoe in caster, pop meta and stay in meta with 100% immo aura while I finish applying dots. The fury gain from the HoG and corruptions (as well as starting the phase with a lot) should be enough to allow me to keep meta up for a long time.

 

Sorry for the convoluted post, I don't even know why I'm posting this, just thought I'd share I guess. Having checked countless logs I see every single demo lock using chaos wave, and yet in theory I don't see why HoG won't do just as much damage with a haste buff.

 

Hopefully it dies on tuesday and I'll have some nice results to show for it.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Oldtrout

[Nytemare 2]

Maybe I have an old version of Simcraft, but I get an error when I try to change the default pet to DG. I will download the latest and try again r.

 

I have the latest 602-33 and default is felhunter, when I change it to =doomguard I get the error. 

Player Nÿtemare_Active unable to find pet service_doomguard for summons.

 

Also using Go Serv + DS this is just for Destro locks right? Demo still goes Demonbolt + GoSup, and I have no clue about affliction

Edited January 12, 2015 by Nytemare

[Stunlocked 8]

Does anyone know how exact the DBM timers for Imperator: specifically the one for Arcane Aberration?  I've been trying to use them to pre-cast Havoc.  It seems like there's a bit of a delay between when the DBM timer reaches zero and when the Aberration is up and able to be targeted, and I've had cases where Havoc expires before I can get the cleave off.  

[Vile 9]

I've found that casting when the add timer is at around 5 seconds is a good, safe timing.

[gahhda 95]

So the final phase on mythic tectus, because I'm running with Mythic Shards, I've been thinking that the big 20 second burst AoE window I get may actually be better spent with Hand of Gul'dan > Cataclysm in caster > Hand of Gul'dan, rather than what it seems every other lock is doing (meta cataclysm + chaos waves - I was also doing this myself tonight). My chaos waves benefit nothing from my haste proc, whereas the shadowflame and corruption ticks could be huge. After the second HoG I pop meta anyway and manually apply doom, so I'll only be losing between 3-14 seconds on doom ticks for each mote respective of the first I apply it to, to the last.

 

How I was normally handling the last phase felt clunky - pop meta, pop my big aoe spells, then go back to caster to apply corruption to as much as I could, then back to meta to spam ToC and immo aura (basically meta > caster > meta all within my DS / trinkets / potion duration). This way I do it allows me to do big aoe in caster, pop meta and stay in meta with 100% immo aura while I finish applying dots. The fury gain from the HoG and corruptions (as well as starting the phase with a lot) should be enough to allow me to keep meta up for a long time.

 

Sorry for the convoluted post, I don't even know why I'm posting this, just thought I'd share I guess. Having checked countless logs I see every single demo lock using chaos wave, and yet in theory I don't see why HoG won't do just as much damage with a haste buff.

 

Hopefully it dies on tuesday and I'll have some nice results to show for it.

 

Demonic Fury efficiency.

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rJe2JnY_lQZ_tLJLDSYL_gniNLW4_vWW1GXeC7_gE5A/edit#gid=0

 

Chaos Wave is the highest damage per cost ability that demonology has on a single target. When you move up to 2-3 targets nothing can even come remotely close to the damage of chaos wave in meta. Add dark soul, the gap widens massively further.

 

It has less to do with the damage of hog vs CW and more to do with the damage of chaos wave vs toc and sf.

[Oldtrout 7]

Demonic Fury efficiency.

 

It has less to do with the damage of hog vs CW and more to do with the damage of chaos wave vs toc and sf.

 

But why? Almost all of the damage in p3 of Tectus comes from the initial few casts. In this particular fight it's about how much damage you can achieve in that bursty spike of 5-10 seconds, not how effectively you're spending fury in metamorphosis. Yes, two CWs in succession will do more than two HoGs + their respective shadowflame damage, even perfectly timing the stacks. Add Dark Soul and it tips further towards CW because of the 6% / 12% mastery benefits. However, I'm going to have huge haste buffs (mythic shards + heroism) that'll do nothing for CW but could do a lot for shadowflame (I think maybe 2 extra ticks per duration? unsure). I think that it's just possible that a crazy haste-buffed HoG could win here.

 

I still do use CW in many situations when I have procs up, I'm not doubting its power at all. I'll even be using it whenever the charges are back up in this phase beyond my initial two-HoG stack.

 

Anyway, I guess I probably posted my thinking for the kind of feedback you gave, thanks. I'll still be trying it and seeing how I do, I don't think it's as clear-cut which should be used, at least in my situation of running Shards over Copeland's (but if it is true that CW is just the winner no matter the situation, then I guess I'll be using Copeland's instead).

Edited January 12, 2015 by Oldtrout

[Mikedawg 4]

Does anyone know how exact the DBM timers for Imperator: specifically the one for Arcane Aberration?  I've been trying to use them to pre-cast Havoc.  It seems like there's a bit of a delay between when the DBM timer reaches zero and when the Aberration is up and able to be targeted, and I've had cases where Havoc expires before I can get the cleave off.

DBM displays the cool down of the ability, not the spawn timer. As the other poster said, havoc at about 5 seconds seems to work.

[Gnar 26]

Does anyone know how exact the DBM timers for Imperator: specifically the one for Arcane Aberration? I've been trying to use them to pre-cast Havoc. It seems like there's a bit of a delay between when the DBM timer reaches zero and when the Aberration is up and able to be targeted, and I've had cases where Havoc expires before I can get the cleave off.

This has been my focus for a while now. Cast anytime while he is casting the Arcane Wrath right before the aberation. Both have timers so even if both timers are off they will be off together so when Wrath comes you know the aberation will follow and u will have about 4 sec to CB and then depending on raid dps you can havoc right before it dies to copy at least 1 SB. Very worth it for the refund and free damage plus you usually cast this second havoc as an on the move spell from resonance. Edited January 13, 2015 by Gnar

[JvChequer 43]

With recent buffs I don't see any fight where Destro could outshine Demo, maybe Kargath since we're pretty bugged but no one cares to Kargath.

 

Butcher: Affliction probably still be Best choice by a minor dps increase.

BS: Demo can CW little adds plus burn down way better than destro the Big adds, PLUS, doing flamegun with Demo it's way better.

Tectus: Demo will be king

Twin ogron: Demo with demonbolt maybe will be better than Affli and affli better than Demo with cata. Dunno really.

Ko'ragh: Demo

Imperator: Demo can burn down adds with double CW pretty amazing and single target on transitions will be great,

[juribe 1]

The only fight I question is Imperator. Will the Demo buffs be enough to overtake Destro's super strong Shadowburn sniping/cleaving? We'll be working on that fight this week, I'll probably test both this week and see where it ends up.

[gahhda 95]

But why? Almost all of the damage in p3 of Tectus comes from the initial few casts. In this particular fight it's about how much damage you can achieve in that bursty spike of 5-10 seconds, not how effectively you're spending fury in metamorphosis. Yes, two CWs in succession will do more than two HoGs + their respective shadowflame damage, even perfectly timing the stacks. Add Dark Soul and it tips further towards CW because of the 6% / 12% mastery benefits. However, I'm going to have huge haste buffs (mythic shards + heroism) that'll do nothing for CW but could do a lot for shadowflame (I think maybe 2 extra ticks per duration? unsure). I think that it's just possible that a crazy haste-buffed HoG could win here.

 

I still do use CW in many situations when I have procs up, I'm not doubting its power at all. I'll even be using it whenever the charges are back up in this phase beyond my initial two-HoG stack.

 

Anyway, I guess I probably posted my thinking for the kind of feedback you gave, thanks. I'll still be trying it and seeing how I do, I don't think it's as clear-cut which should be used, at least in my situation of running Shards over Copeland's (but if it is true that CW is just the winner no matter the situation, then I guess I'll be using Copeland's instead).

 

Mostly irrelevant now. The buff last night pushed the gap between chaos wave and HoG by 10%, not even during dark soul. Chaos Wave is now just better for any # of enemies >1.

[Liquidsteel 279]

Thought I'd add my PoV for our Mythic Imperator Mar'gok kill from yesterday!

 

 

Finished world 121 which I'm so proud of us for achieving, as we've only been together since creating the 10 man team last March, and going 25 man in June.

[Mikedawg 4]

Congrats! That's awesome!

[Jazii 0]

Grats liquid! Coin/get anything good?

 

For mythic Ko'ragh any tips/tricks for orb soaking?

[Liquidsteel 279]

Sadly nothing dropped I could use,though I did manage to coin warforged gold, which is nice.

Looking forward to reset tonight and trying out these Demo buffs!

[Liquidsteel 279]

For Ko'ragh no real tips needed, just stand in the orbs when necessary.

[yibsu 1]

Grats liquid! Coin/get anything good?

 

For mythic Ko'ragh any tips/tricks for orb soaking?

 

Nothing Warlock specific, but if there's fire/suppression field on it don't stand in it until the orb is about to drop. You actually can eat through your shield. Same deal with if the boss/adds are out of range. No need to chill inside the swirly circle the whole time, just be in it when the ball comes down.

[Paracel 165]

For Koragh I'd just add that Dark Bargain reduces balls damage coming into your shield by 50%. 
Can help if fight gets long and you are the first soaker.

[Stunlocked 8]

Does Sac Pact work as well? 

 

Dark Regen is probably a good idea as well since a healer may be focusing on you. 

[Phenax 12]

Does Sac Pact work as well? 

 

Dark Regen is probably a good idea as well since a healer may be focusing on you. 

Dark Bargain is insane for orb soaking because if you leave the center of the room right after DB expires your nullification barrier will negate the DB damage.

 

I use Dark Regen + Tonic for the first seconds and then Dark Bargain after I am only going to be soaking for 8 more seconds.

[Just1Number 0]

I play Demo on Brackenspore and there your Wrathguard (or Observer if you are needed for interrupts) runs a lot if you switch targets correctly and dont have it on passive. I send it on the main Boss and, if I have to interrupt, the add is most time close enough for that (at least with the observer)

[Djargo 4]

Finally downed Mythic Imperator tonight, and coined the staff! Nice upgrade from a HC staff