Hasted Bleeds – How do they work, and implications

A nice BFA change is that Rip, Rake and Thrash are now effected by haste. In addition, Jagged Wounds appears to be the top talent and haste is the favored stat in both single target and AoE. Because of all the other changes, DoT damage is again a significant portion of Feral DPS.

Because of this, there is now a more significant impact on refresh timers. The time between ticks appears to be the following formula (tested using logs as accurate to 2dpl)

=[Default Duration x 0.8 (if Jagged Wounds)] / (1+haste%)

Example, if you have JW and haste = 20%

Rake Tick = 3 x 0.8 / (1.2) = 2

Here is a cool table I prepared:

Here is a cool image comparing Rip ticks over 30s with 50% haste and 1% haste (NELF BTW)

Does haste effect damage per tick?

• No, except for a partial tick mechanic if you let the DoT fall off completely.
• Example if you have 10% haste + JW, and you cast Rake, Rake lasts 12 seconds. The time between ticks is ~2.182s, so you should expect 5.5 ticks. The ticks will happen per the following image. The last tick is a “partial” tick
• If you refresh Rake, in the above example during pandemic, you will have 24 seconds total, and expect 11 ticks, which is an integer. Because 24 / 2.182 = 11 you won’t have a partial tick in this case.
• If you refresh Rake, in the above example at 4 seconds (above pandemic), you will have 23.6s total. In this case you would expect 10.81 ticks, which would mean that the last partial tick when it falls off completely would deal 81% of a normal tick.

Implications

• Shorter timing between DoT ticks means that finessing stronger snapshotted DoTs below pandemic (late refresh), and refresh as close as possible to pandemic for weaker DoTs (on time refresh) will have a more consistent impact on DPS over a moderate length encounter.
• Before you would have had to wait 3 seconds for a Rake tick and 2 seconds for a Rip tick.
• An example to gain an advantage is that if you had a BT/TF Rake at pandemic (3.6s) and you had BT up to refresh that Rake, you have the option to pool before refreshing and every 1.6-2.0 seconds you wait (depending on haste), you gain an extra 15% damage per tick (because of the TF). This is a lot more lenient than waiting the full 3 seconds where you are more or less locked into a window, and is completely executable in a range of ST situations. For Rip a tick per 1.06-1.333s. Nice.
• Another example is if you had a BT Rake and you’ve activated TF, you should refresh BT+TF Rake as soon as it hits pandemic because the damage ticks are more frequent now, so you get 15.6 seconds of the BT+TF Rake instead of 12s if you refreshed at the bottom of pandemic.
• Although this type of per-tick snapshotting has been around for a long time, it has been fairly costly due to the complexity of other mechanics (e.g. Ashamane’s Rip). Now that certain complexity has been removed and the timing windows of ticks have shortened, there is now capacity for most players to finesse additional per-tick mechanics reliably.

Thanks for reading. Hope this was helpful.

 

Savage Roar refresh bug, updated Weakauras

Hey fellow readers

I am in the process of updating my weakaura timers for the relevant timers. For the last few months I’ve had a sensitive feeling that Savage Roar has been off so I decided to test all the dot/buff refresh rules. This bug has been reported and I have also sent our friend Guiltyas-the-feral-expert the updated figures for the wowhead guide.

Weakauras should be done later today. Making sure I capture everything

Hobosaurus’ Guide to Catweaving M+ (Legion 7.3.5)

Hello Friends, I’m Hobosaurus. What? Hobo? Aren’t you robo? No. We are 100% totally different people. Anyway, I am here to take over Robo’s site for now muahahaha. So, I have been receiving some questions regarding Resto’s catweaving so I will be breaking down the “mostly asked questions”. TAKE NOTE I’ve recently started playing resto druid more in mythic+ for 2 weeks now and achieved 4.3k raider score within that period so I’m still a work in progress.  I’ll add personal notes for dungeons (bosses mostly).

Black Rook Hold

Boss 1 – Amalgam of Souls, Chatoyants/Sephuz or Prydaz

• If you get the Souls Echoes debuff, Cha-cha left/right with your Echo debuffs every 3 drops so you don’t cuck your melee dps while catweaving.
• Add transition, Keep 1 add rooted up to proc your sephuz every time it’s up to maximize your sick dps and don’t forget to use your utilities such as Ursol’s Vortex/Typhoon to knockback adds from the boss. Keep it rooted until 15%.
• At 15% boss hp, He will cast Soul Burst. Prepare to Barkskin(+Ironbark if no one on your group needs it for maximum mitigation) 2s before cast go off and bear form to survive the Soul Burst.

Boss 2 – Illysanna Ravencrest, Velen’s + Chatoyantss or Prydaz or Sephuz

• On Tyrannical, I run Velen’s + Prydaz as the glaives actually really hurts a lot. (22+ onwards) and use Chats + Velen’s or Prydaz on Fortified(Up till like 23) depending on how tanky your comp is.
• For the Fel rush, be sure to be in bear form just in case you can’t get out of the puddle in time. I recommend saving mitigations for glaives still. Just practice more on your reaction time to get out of that spicy damage.
• If you are running sephuz, you can proc your sephuz with entangling roots on the adds would actually make me nut due to the haste buff FeelsGoodMan.
• Last note for this boss, If you’re a Night Elf, save shadowmeld if RNG is about to wreck you with a second glaives debuff or if boss is about to die you could just shadowmeld the fel rush to stop it’s cast.

Boss 3 – Smashspite the Hateful, Latc or Prydaz + Chatoyants

• Bear form for Earthshaking stomp. You could also top up your party with Hots like WG + rejuv on everyone before bear form. You should be able to survive every stomp just with bear form.

Boss 4 – Lord Kur’talos Ravencrest, Velen’s + prydaz on tyrannical / Chatoyant’s + Prydaz or Latc on Fortified.

• Depending on how confident you are, you could run my recommended legendaries.
• Phase 1 – Just smack him and top anyone up who get’s hit by the shadowbolt before he transitions. You shouldn’t need to heal much at all on this fights.
• Phase 2 – 3s before first shadowbolt volley, Ironbark + Barkskin yourself into bearform to survive it or Ironbark your party mate if he actually needs it more than you.
• When Stinging swarm is about to spawn, Hot + rejuv everyone and you could go into feral affinity if you are spec into it and don’t forget to save energy to swipe the crap out of the stinging swarm or heal the crap out of the person who gets the swarm.

Cathedral of Eternal Night

Boss 1 – Agronox, Latc + Chatoyants

• Healing isn’t really required here unless your stacks somehow gets super high tbh. Whenever the tank add spawns, be sure to as much dps as possible to help out your tank.
• If you position your Ursol’s Vortex correctly, you should be able to get them all into your vortex.
• Save blink for Choking vines.

Boss 2 – Thrashbite the Scornful, Latc + Chatoyants

• The only time you will be healing on this boss is the tank and when Pulverizing Cudgel is being casted.
• Pool your energy for when the books spawn.

Boss 3 – Domatrax, Latc + Chatoyants

• Pool your energy for when the adds comes up to help your dps kill it quick.

Boss 4 – Mephistroth, Velen’s + Prydaz

• You want to go full healing on this boss while pumping out some dps via solar wrath. Try to conserve your mana as much as possible.

Court of Stars

I still prefer sticking to Feral Affinity instead of Guardian affinity to roflstomp the trash pulls

Boss 1 – Patrol Captain Gerdo, Latc + Chatoyants

• Stay in Cat/Bear form when arcane lockdown is about to happen and dispel whoever in your group wants it. Don’t forget to ask!
• Dodge every mechanic.

Boss 2 – Talixae Flamewreath, Velen’s + Sephuz or anything really.

• Keep Hots up on everyone as the boss does damage constantly.
• Save huge CDs such as Tranquility for really important moments. E.g. everyone is at like 40% health
• Use Ursol’s Vortex’s + Typhoon combo to help your group if there is no cc available for the set of add spawns.

Boss 3 – Advisor Melandrus, Velen’s + Prydaz or Sephuz

• Get some range dps to bait the ghost so you can focus on healing
• When slicing maelstrom is about to happen, Pre-hot everyone with rejuv + WG + lifebloom whoever is paper as heck and start popping CDs on the 3^rd maelstrom onwards. You should be able to survive along with your group after using your artifact ability or Velen’s on one of the maelstrom and going into bear form.
• If possible, get your tank to get stun to dispel before maelstrom for sephuz procs.

Darkheart Thicket

I recommend that you talent into Guardian Affinity.

Boss 1 – Archdruid Glaidalis, Promise of Elune, the Moon Goddess + Latc

• Make sure to bait every Grevious Leap while staying in bear form. Frenzy regen every grievous leap cast should be sufficient to keep you alive. How to bait it? Stay the furthest away from boss.
• Keep MF + SF up while spamming solar wrath

Boss 2 – Oakheart, Promise of Elune, the Moon Goddess + Latc

• Every time the root spawns, Shapeshift in and out into bear form to clear the roots.
• Stay in bear form every shattered earth.

Boss 3 – Dresaron, Velen’s + Sephuz Secret

• Pre-Hot everyone before down draft/earthshaking roar.
• Bear form before earthshaking roar happens.
• Save displacer beast to dodge mechanics or close the gap between you and the boss.

Boss 4 – Shade of Xavius. Prydaz + SoTA

This is a very tricky boss to heal.

• Make sure you hot up everyone before every feed of the weak
• If you’re a Night Elf, you can cheese Nightmare bolt, Feed the weak and Induced Paranoia but I recommend saving shadow meld for the mentioned excluding Induced Paranoia.
• At 50% boss hp, Apocalyptic Nightmare will happen. Use whatever mitigation you have and go into bear form 2seconds before the cast happens.

Eye of Azshara

Guardian Affinity, Wild charge instead of Displacer beast and learning the boat skip.

Boss 1 – Warlord Parjesh, Sota + prydaz

• Bear form into frenzy regen every time he casts Throw spear at you or get ready to spam heal your party member.
• Use utilities when required to interrupt casts from the adds.
• After Boss 1, you could zone out and talent into Feral affinity if you want to.

Boss 2 – Lady Hatecoil, Latc if Guardian Affinity or Chatoyants if feral affinity + Prydaz

• On necrotic weeks, you would want to blow the adds up as soon as possible so your tank doesn’t take more necrotic stacks then he can handle.
• Bear form every Focused lightning

Boss 3 – Serpentrix, Latc + Promise of Elune, the Moon Godess on Guardian aff, Latc + Chatoyants on Feral aff

• Healing isn’t really demanding here unless adds live too long or no interrupt coordination.
• Nuke 1 add if you can to minimize the damage coming from them.

Boss 4 – King Deepbeard, Chats + latc or Promise of Elune, the Moon Goddess + Latc

• Pre-hot before every quake
• Try stacking the quake together to make life way easier

Boss 5 – Wrath of Azshara, Velen’s + Prydaz

• This boss isn’t as bad as the first boss imo.
• When crushing depth happens, Barkskin + bear form while saving iron bark for whoever requires if not just chug it on yourself if you don’t think you will survive. DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT GO INTO BEAR FORM IF CRUSHING DEPTH TARGETS YOU. It deals % health.
• Keep rejuvs up on your whole party at all times especially when boss reaches 10%.

Halls of Valor

Feral affinity is fine here but as always guardian affinity is much safer.

Boss 1 – Hymdall, Chatoyants + latc or Promise of Elune, the Moon Goddess + Latc

• Bear form the Horn of valor. That’s pretty much it.

Boss 2 – Hyrja, SoTA or Velens + Prydaz

• Save swiftmend if RNG decides to play tricks on you by putting double mechanic on a single player.
• On the lightning storm phase, put down Efflorescence while healing your party with Hots. You should save tranquility if healing gets very rough here.

Boss 3 – Fenryr

• Stack with your tank along with your party to soak Claw Frenzy since it splits damage.
• You could shadowmeld the leap if you want to.

Boss 4 – God-sking skovald, Latc + Chatoyants or Latc + FoN

• If you want to play it very safe, stand at a distance where you will have enough reaction time to blink away with Displacer beast or shadowmeld.

Boss 5 – Odyn, Chatoyants + latc or latc + FoN

• Nuke the add. Dodge everything.

Lower Karazhan

Usually before first boss, I’ll just stealth pass every mob and mass rez my party at the small entrance to the first boss.

Boss 1 – Opera (Wikket) Latc + Chatoyants

• Spam swipe cleaving the 2 bosses while maintaining your DOTs.

Beautiful Beast, Either bearweaving or catweaving works.

Westfall story , Latc + chatoyants

• Keep every dot up while spamming swipe on the adds including the boss.

Boss 2 – Maiden of virtue, Latc + chatoyants or velen’s + another healing legendary

• If you’re confident in keeping your party healthy, you could just catweaving the heck out of this boss.
• Make sure you are spread reasonably for Holy shock.
• Top up every party member with HOTs before Mass repentance happens so you don’t panic heal when you get stun for like 1second.

Boss 3 – Moroes, Full healing legendaries or FoN + Latc

Dodge every mechanic especially Will Breaker. Top everyone up and just spam mf in bear form. Save frenzy regen when you get garrote if you are running Guardian Affinity.

Boss 4 – Attumen

Be ready to dispel whoever has the ghost icon on them ASAP.

You could taunt swap when shared suffering happens to help your tanks if they require it. Make sure to stand at a reasonable distance for when it happens.

Upper Karazhan

Boss 1 – Curator, Latc + Chatoyants

• The only time you should be healing intensively is when there are too many adds up or your party decides to make your life harder by standing in the lightning.
• Shade of Medivh, Prydaz + Velen’s
• Save Tranquility for when Mirror Image happens and Innervate to spam regrowth on flame wreaths. Be sure to HoT up everyone for each special ability.

Boss 3 – Mana Devourer, Latc + Chatoyants

• You basically dps the boss 90% of the time while healing 10% when Energy Discharge happens.

Boss 4 – Viz’aduum

• dispel Chaotic Shadows when it’s safe or Burning blast if you miss an interrupt cast.

 Maw of Souls

Boss 1 – Ymiron the Fallen King, Latc + Chatoyants.

• Pool energy when adds about to spawn. Spam swipe when they are up.

Boss 2 – Harbaron, Latc or SotA or Prydaz + chatoyants

• Pool energy when Fragment is about to happen. Spam swipe.
• If dps is struggling to burn them, drop Ursol’s vortex to group them up again.

Boss 3 – Helya

• Havent really found an Optimal way to play against this boss so I just go full healing trinkets.

Neltharion’s Lair

Boss 1 – Rokmora, Latc or prydaz + Chatoyants

• Pool some energy for adds so they drop quick before Shatter happens so you heal less.

Boss 2 – Ularogg, Latc + Chatoyants

• Keep everyone with HoTs when he’s plays the guessing game with you.
• Refresh DOTs when he goes in the statue.

Boss 3 – Naraxas, Velen’s + Latc

• Bear form and MF the adds when they spawn at the cliff. Dispel whoever is squishiest in your party

Boss 4 – Dargrul the Underking, Latc + Chatoyants.

• Save typhoon to knockback the add into the rock to stun it.
• Spam wipe while maintaining DOTs when boss + add is grouped together.
• Bear form + MF behind the rock when magma wave happens.

Seat of the Triumvirate

• Boss 1 – Zuraal the Ascended, Latc + Chatoyants
• Typhoon/Vortex the adds to control them.
• DPS the shit out of the boss when he get stuns.

Boss 2 – Saprish, FoN + Latc

• Stay in bear form while spamming MF on the boss

Boss 3 – Viceroy Nezhar, Latc + Chayotants.

• Nuke every add if possible, Swipe when there’s 2 or more.

Boss 4 – L’ura, Velen’s + Prydaz

• Pretty much plan your mana well and heal through everything especially after the second backlash.

The Arcway

Boss 1 – General Xakal, Prydaz or Latc + Chatoyants

• Bear form wicket slam.

Boss 2 – Nal’tira, Latc + Chatoyants.

• Be ready to be in bear form and blink away when you get targeted by the blink strike.
• Shape shift when the add decides to root you.

Boss 3 – Corstilax, Latc + Chatoyants

• HoT up everyone before the missiles start flying

Boss 4 – Ivanyr, Latc or Prydaz + Chatoyants

• Spread out with Volatile Magic while in bear form.
• Coordinate where you want to drop Nether link. Save displacer beast for it
• Boss 5 – Advisor Vandros, I prefer bearweaving this so Latc + FoN
• In case you are cheesing the phase, just stay in bear form and spam mf.

Vault of the Wardens

Boss 1 – Tirathon Saltheril, Latc + Chatoyants or Velen’s + any healing trinket

• Save blink for when hatred happens.

Nuke the adds asap with swipe.

Boss 2 – Inquisitor Tormentorum, Latc + Chatoyants

• Sunfire/Moonfire when sap soul happens since it does not lock those casts or dispel.
• Save utilities like typhoon for the adds if required.

Boss 3 – Glazer, Latc + Chatoyants

• The only time healing is required is when people derp out and don’t dodge or during Glazer’s beam thingy.

Boss 4 – Ash’golem, Latc + Chatoyants

• Get ready to nuke the boss when transition happens.
• Smack any add when it spawns.

Boss 5 – Cordana Felsong, Latc + Chatoyants

• If you want to be the nice guy, pick up the orb after your rake stealth opener and when she disappears save displacer beast to find her asap.

Gear

So some of you might be wondering, what gear do I go for? When? After to speaking to Voulk ( The one who made the catweaving guide thank you very much Voulk ), I’ve added some screenshots below for reference about the gear you should be running.

This is the end of the guide for now. Let me know in any way I can improve the guide and I’ll edit it. Still researching the best way to do stuff in m+.

Bless. :pray:

Feral BiS for 7.3.5 (until BFA)

So a common question that comes up is “what’s best in slot”. Using raidbots/simcraft I have explored this question. I have used the following assumptions:

• You have insane luck so you can get 985/socket in every slot, perfect 985 relics, can get access to every 1000 ilevel legendary for druid.
• You have 92 traits (40 / 50 concordance traits) because you somehow farmed a ridiculous amount. I think 40/50 is probably a point or two more than the maximum if you are a mega grinder.
• There are 19 other pantheon trinkets in the raid (using the 19x Aman’Thul’s Vision option in raidbots). I have not gone and set it to 7 strength, 7 int, 5 healers, which would make you the only Agility Pantheon. That would increase haste value by a large margin.

I searched for a local maximum for each step.

Big changes – T19 vs T21 (T21 won)

Step 1: Set all items up by balancing stats (using stat weights get vers=crit=haste).

Step 2: Simulate top talents, investigate any that are within 2%

Step 3: Simulate tier 0/3 trait combos and find local maximum.

Step 4: Simulate tier 2 Netherlight traits

Step 5: Simulate Trinket pairs

Step 6: Repeat steps 1-5 until you can’t break out of the local maximum.

The first few iterations I ran with Incarn/Rake, but it eventually shifted to Shred/Incarn. From the get go and until the end, Torment the Weak was the best shadow/light trait.

In terms of revelations for items – Seeping Scourgewing smacked Eye of Command and Convergence of Fates. I investigated Nightbane Chest bonus + EoC, but that lost out to high mastery on tier 21 gloves.

I eventually figured out the arcway/cos Gloves/Boots would be good since crit=haste=vers so as long as you can gem them to be close enough you win. Similarly since the CoS ring gives auto-attack damage for free, you might as well pick it up.

After a few iterations I ended up being versatility light (it simmed the highest), so I was considering which necklace to run – I ended up with the 5% maximum energy neck since the sims indicate there is energy capping going on so it definitely helps towards that, for a minor amount of vers loss compared to another crit/vers neck.

I ended up with all items being locked except for waist and wrists, where I selected crit/vers/haste items, then balanced using gems (everything versatility except for one haste gem. For some reason it raidbots would spaz out by 10k dps if i changed the last haste gem to versatility.

Stat Weights with Vers=Crit=Haste

Trinket Comparisons with Seeping Scourgewing and Golganneth’s Vitality

Tier 0 and 3 with Shred and with Incarn

Tier 2 with Torment the Weak

 

Of course, for reference here’s a meme all legendary profile with 7/7 in every trait, 1014 weapon:

 

Finally if you want the copy/paste to explore it yourself:

# SimC Addon 1.9.1

druid=”BiSFeral T21″

level=110

race=night_elf

region=us

server=TheBestServer

role=attack

talents=3213231

spec=feral

artifact=58:0:0:0:0:1633:1:1327:1:1365:1:1153:1:1154:1:1155:1:1156:1:1157:1:1158:1:1159:1:1160:4:1161:4:1162:4:1163:4:1164:4:1165:4:1166:4:1167:4:1168:4:1505:4:1506:1:1507:1:1508:40

crucible=1739:1780:1167/1739:1780:1167/1739:1780:1167

#1161 rip, 1162 shred; 1163 is bite; 1164 tf; 1166 rake; 1167 incarn

#crit is 151580

#haste is 151583

#vers is 151585

head=,id=151801,ilevel=1000

neck=,id=134488,enchant_id=5439,gem_id=151583,ilevel=985

shoulder=,id=152129,enchant_id=5883,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

back=,id=152125,enchant_id=5435,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

chest=,id=152124,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

wrist=,id=144485,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

hands=,id=137480,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

waist=,id=151991,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

legs=,id=152128,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

feet=,id=137397,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

finger1=,id=134542,enchant_id=5430,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

finger2=,id=151636,enchant_id=5430,gem_id=151585,ilevel=1000

trinket1=,id=151964,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

trinket2=,id=154174,ilevel=1000

main_hand=,id=128860,ilevel=1014,gem_id=137308/133687/136720,bonus_id=723,relic_id=0:0:0/0:0:0/0:0:0

off_hand=,id=128859

#mainhand incarn: 137466/137363/144458

#mainhand shred:  137308/133687/136720

### Gear from Bags

# trinket1=,id=151968,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

# trinket1=,id=133642,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

# trinket1=,id=137459,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

# trinket1=,id=133644,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

# trinket1=,id=142167,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

# trinket1=,id=140806,gem_id=151585,ilevel=985

Mythic Plus Feral Notes

Sign petition

Personal notes. Every dungeon you want to pretty much run Predator/Balance Affinity/Typhoon/Incarnation/Brutal Slash/Moment of Clarity.

Black Rook Hold

Boss 1 – Amalgam of Souls, Behemoth/SotA

• The Soul Echoes debuff spawns then explodes in sets of three, so drop, drop, drop, move, drop, drop drop… etc. This way you don’t fill the entire platform with voidzones.
• During the add transition, entangling roots ONE mob and keep it rooted with Predatory Swiftness roots. This way you can ignore all mechanics for the rest of the fight and just tunnel the boss.
• When the boss casts the big aoe, make sure you use Survival Instincts + Bear Form.

Trash to Boss 2

• After the spider stairs, the hallway with the mini-boss is considered the hardest trash for melee in mythic plus (high groups tend to run triple range because of this hallway). You should try to tank the archers near a wall so you can line of sight the “shoot” mechanic, which hurts on high keys.
• Use Jungle Stalker / Racial / Maim / Typhoon to prevent the mobs from getting fortification (+health)

Boss 2 – Illysanna Ravencrest, Behemoth/SotA

• For the Fel charge, position yourself closest to the boss if you are the only melee in the comp, use SI and/or Bear Form as it comes out. You can opt to blink (safest) or walk sideways. Don’t walk into the fel charge line between you and the ranged.
• You can use instant cast (PS) entangling roots to keep the melee add outside. Jump and cast.

Boss 3 – Smashspite the Hateful, Behemoth/SotA

• Use bear form for the Earthshaking Stomp, and use Ashamane’s Protection to cheese charge soaks.
• Ashamane’s Protection cooldown is same as charge, so unless you start early you should rotate with the tank.

Boss 4  – Lord Kur’talos Ravencrest, Behemoth/Chatoyant

• Bear form + SI the first shadow bolt set.
• Save two BrS for insects, use BrS/Thrash/BrS. Plan your TF around getting a reset.

 

Cathedral of Eternal Night

Boss 1 – Agronox, Luffas/Chat

• You can thrash/brutal slash the fixate mobs.
• Save blink for when you get teleported and need to break the chain.
• Use Maim/Typhoon for the tank add to prevent tank deaths

Boss 2 – Thrashbite the Scornful, Behemoth/SotA

• You can shift the slow off, but blink usually works better
• Save BrS for the books that spawn.

Trash to Boss 3

• You should dispel poisons off the tank when fighting the mini-boss

Boss 3 – Domatrax, Luffas/Chat

• If possible, stay on the add near the boss so your Brutal Slash hits the portal keepers.
• Save Incarnation for the 50% transition if required.

Boss 4 –

Court of Stars

Probably take guardian affinity for this, handy for last boss and you don’t need balance affinity.

Boss 1 – Patrol Captain Gerdo, Behemoth/SotA

• You can power shift the debuff on higher difficulties instead of jumping if the damage intake is too high. Either shift bear or cancel catform
• Make sure that you aren’t glowing, as the ground effect is buggy. Glowing cat = dead cat.

Boss 2 – Talixae Flamewreath, Luffas/Chatoyant

• You should use typhoon for every 2^nd set of adds as a cc.
• Alternate kicks with tank for %hp debuff
• Use survival instincts if the adds might get a cast off or to stave damage off if healer is drinking or in between CDs.

Boss 3 – Advisor Melandrus, Behemoth/SotA

• In terms of timing, the mechanics are charge (leaves ghost), charge (leaves ghost), AoE pulse, repeat.
• The AoE pulse is physical damage, every second pulse can be immuned with Ashamane’s Protection. Drop all energy before AoE pulse and you won’t lose DPS.
• Don’t stand on the aftershadows. I recommend running all the way out and sitting in bearform when you don’t have Ashamane’s Protection on high difficulties. For the sets without Ashamane’s Protection you should use Regrowth and/or SI, and one charge of Frenzied Regen when you hit 50%.

Darkheart Thicket

Trash to Boss 1

• Dispel the poison before it expires and one shots the team

Boss 1 – Archdruid Glaidalis, Luffas/Chatoyant or Behemoth/Chatoyant

• Make sure you aren’t the furthest from the boss.
• Thrash all adds + boss when they spawn for Predator, make sure you don’t spam the second refresh.
• Save 2 charges for the adds.

Boss 2 – Oakheart Behemoth/SotA

• You can powershift the roots instead of DPSing them.
• Bear form the Shattered Earth (stomp) on higher difficulties.

Boss 3 – Dresaron Behemoth/SotA or Luffas/Chatoyant

• Stampeding roar the knockback for the non melee noobs.
• If you are picking up extra adds for predator, consider Luffas/Chatoyant and passively kill them off.

Trash to Boss 4

• Dispel debuffs when advised to by healer.

Boss 4 – Shade of Xavius Behemoth/SotA or Prydaz/SotA

• One of the hardest bosses to survive. Get a weakaura that warns you when the boss is targeting you.
• Bear form the Feed the Weak and use SI if required. Save Predatory Swiftness for this mechanic and use it while in Bear Form.
• Bear form the Nightmare Bolt and pre-move onto an ally
• Bear form + SI the 50% transition (Apocalyptic Nightmare).
• Avoidance only works on the 50% transition, the other mechanics are allegedly single target.

 

Eye of Azshara

Take Wild Charge for this dungeon and learn how to do the boat skip with Travel Form + Wild Charge hop. Take the healer up with you for mass resurrection.

Boss 1 – Warlord Parjesh, Behemoth/Chatoyant/Luffa/SotA depending on comp

• You can Ashamane’s Protection the Impaling Spear, or use Jungle Stalker/Shadowmeld.
• Make sure you assign kicks, use typhoon as an interrupt where required.

Boss 2 – Lady Hatecoil Behemoth/Chatoyant

• Clear the tornadoes using Skull Bash and Wild Charge
• Use bear form for the Focused Lightning (affected by avoidance)
• Self dispel to kill adds

Boss 3 – Serpentrix Behemoth/Chatoyant or Behemoth SotA

• You can usually solo an add here using a combination of Kick, Maim, Kick. Also use Jungle Stalker / Shadowmeld stun on an add where relevant.
• When the Poison Spit is down wind use Dash or Stampeding Roar defensively. On higher difficulties a pair can easily kill you.
• Some of the spawns are useful to use Ekowraith to brutal slash two targets, but others Ekowraith is useless.

Boss 4 – King Deepbeard Behemoth/SotA

• The Quake effect leaves a puddle under you then after four seconds, all quake puddles erupt. So stack up all of your own quakes, then move out after each spawn to conserve space.

Boss 5 – Wrath of Azshara Behemoth/SotA or Prydaz/SotA

• Typically you will want to save your cooldowns for 10% to make the second more lethal phase shorter
• For the Crushing Depths ability, you deal damage based on percentage of your maximum health. If you are the target, take off your weapon. If you are not the target, use Bear Form.

Halls of Valor

Boss 1 – Hymdall Behemoth/SotA

• Bear form the Horn of Valor (also reduced by Avoidance)

Boss 2 – Hyrja Prydaz/SotA or Behemoth/SotA

• Bear form literally every mechanic that targets you.

Trash to Boss 3 – Use Maim/Typhoon/Skull Bash on dangerous casts and heals where required.

Boss 3 – Fenryr Luffas/Chatoyant

• Use Ashamane’s Protection when you get targeted by the Scent of Blood and stand still.
• You should stand in for Claw Frenzy since it splits damage, but if your tank wants to solo it for whatever reason, you can max range the boss and still attack with balance affinity.
• Save Brutal Slash when Adds are spawning soon.

Boss 4 – God-King Skovald Behemoth/Chatoyant/Luffas/SotA depending on comp

• You should stand max range of the boss and either line of sight, blink or bear form the Felblaze Rush

Boss 5 – Odyn Cinidaria/SotA

• Plan your kicks out, you can use Maim/Typhoon to interrupt the add.
• Stampeding Roar when spreading/stacking for Branded buff
• Save Brutal Slash when add is coming soon so you get that two target goodness.

 

Karazhan – Lower

You can pull through the floor at the start on the way to the first boss and the doorway just after first boss with Luffas. Don’t do it.

Boss 1 – Opera Luffas/Chatoyant

• You want to save Brutal Slash for add spawns / proximity. Kick as required.

Boss 2 – Maiden of Virtue Behemoth/SotA

• Get the ground debuff early and Survival Instincts, then Bear Form before the Mass Repentance stun.
• Spread out most of the time.

Boss 3 – Moroes Chatoyant/Luffas

• Kick the relevant mob.
• Keep multi dots up on all relevant mobs.
• Save blink for Will Breaker, don’t blink on tables unless you want a sad fail blink

Boss 4 – Attumen Behemoth/SotA

• LoS or Bear Form the Mighty Stomp on higher difficulties.
• Max range so you avoid mounted strike.
• You can taunt Attumen’s Mortal Strike to prevent the tank from getting 50% max HP debuff, so the tank can solo the Shared Suffering more easily.

 

 

Karazhan – Upper

Boss 1 – Curator Luffas/Chatoyant or Chatoyant + X

• Only use Brutal Slash if you will hit a spark + curator.
• Plan out the last two Tiger’s Fury usages for the transition (use one just before killing the last add, then use the refresh during transition.

Boss 2 – Shade of Medivh Prydaz/SotA or Behemoth/SotA

• You can Displacer Beast, Meld, Jungle Stalker, Dash/Stampeding Roar the fire casts to avoid a lot of damage
• You can shadowmeld/jungle stalker the ice casts
• If you get Flame Wreath you will want to cast Survival Instincts back to back and consider Bear Form. Use Regrowth on any of the flame wreath targets including yourself when you have spare GCDs

Boss 3 – Mana Devourer Behemoth/SotA

• You can Bear Form + SI a couple (2-4) orb boys depending on difficulty, if you aren’t using an immunity.

Boss 4 – Viz’aduum the Watcher Behemoth/SotA/Luffas/Chatoyant depending on comp

• In Phase 1 if you get targeted by the beam, blink out before it casts the channel, then stand still until the beam spawns. Once the beam spawns, run back to the boss to continue DPS.
• In Phase 2 if you are using the range cheese, go Moonkin Form.
• If required you can blink the Chaotic Shadows to the back of the group and get dispelled (depending on composition)

Maw of Souls

Boss 1 – Ymiron the Fallen King Luffas/Chatoyant

• Save Brutal Slash charges when the adds are coming up soon.
• You can continue to DPS the boss despite the Screams of the Dead if you position yourself correctly.
• Usually I pull aggro on the adds so good idea to use Dash and run around in circles out of melee range so the adds clump on the boss. This also reduces tank damage intake.

Boss 2 – Harbaron Luffas/Chatoyant

• Save Brutal Slash charges for Fragment that aren’t on you. Use SI/Bear Form if it is on you. If you don’t have a defensive you can meld/jungle stalker and it will retarget someone else.
• Kick the Void Snap. Alternate with tank or someone else.

Boss 3 – Helya Luffas/Chatoyant (Phase 1) or Behemoth/SotA (Phase 2)

• Stand on the edge of the boat the entire phase 1 so you don’t get gibbed by holes. You can swap sides by using the front.
• Make sure you focus the sixth tentacle as a group.
• You can cast Regrowth fairly liberally in the last phase as nothing is going on.

 

Neltharion’s Lair

Boss 1 – Rokmora Luffas/Chatoyant

• Save Brutal Slash for the last Skitter adds before a Shatter so that you can reduce their HP significantly. Use SI if the adds have high HP or a freshie just spawned.

Boss 2 – Ularogg Behemoth/SotA or Behemoth/Chatoyant

• Save Brutal Slash for the totems that spawn. DPS the boss when the last set spawns and refresh dots as they continue to tick.
• You can run around in a fairly large circle while DPSing when playing the totem guessing game to avoid taking damage.

Boss 3 – Naraxas Behemoth/SotA

• Use Stampeding Roar on the tank if they require it to run out.
• Brutal Slash the adds running in at the magical crossover point (which should have a slow puddle from the ranged.

Boss 4 – Dargrul the Underking Behemoth/SotA

• Save Brutal Slash for the Magma Sculptor when it gets stunned.
• Use Typhoon/Roots/Maim to control the add where required.

Seat of the Triumvirate

Boss 1 – Zuraal the Ascended Luffas/Chatoyant

• Typhoon to control the adds.
• Before Umbra Shift happens, position yourself so you are opposite the void zones. Thrash, Blink into the void zone, Thrash again, then all the adds will clump near you. Brutal Slash twice. Exit the zone. Any adds you kill will trigger an eruption in the normal realm, that’s why you want to kill adds in the void zone. Use SI if you want.
• Multidot the void sludges. You can use Entangling Roots / Maim

Boss 2 – Saprish Luffas/Chatoyant

• Keep Rip/Rake/Thrash on all three targets. Fairly easy with Balance Affinity
• Kick as required, you can get each one.

Boss 3 – Viceroy Nezhar Luffas/Chatoyant or Luffas/Ekowraith

• Use Maim as required on tentacles. Save kick for important mechanics if required.
• Save Brutal Slash when the Shadowguard Voidtenders will spawn.
• Fiery Red Maimers can be a decent choice here.
• Stampeding Roar every second pushback

Boss 4 – L’ura Luffas/Chatoyant or Behemoth/SotA, optional: Prydaz

• Burst on the first Backlash can be pooled 5 CP Rip into Ashamane’s Frenzy, Rake, Dump brutal slash charges and Ferocious Bite. Save all Brutal Slash charges for first Backlash
• Burst on the second Backlash should be your Incarnation.
• Heal yourself in Phase 2 as there is nothing much to do.
• Use thrash single target if you took Luffas for the lengthy second phase.

The Arcway

Boss 1 – General Xakal Behemoth/SotA

• Ashamane’s Protection on the Wicked Slam
• Save Brutal Slash charges for Bat bois. They don’t have much HP so not worth using Luffas

Boss 2 – Nal’tira Behemoth/SotA/Chatoyant

• Put a world marker down for where you are planning to blink to. Rotate Dash, Blink, Stampeding Roar (stand on Tangled Web grip point to use it for other people).
• You can also use Skull Bash if the boss or an add is positioned well

Boss 3 – Corstilax Behemoth + any throughput legendary

• You don’t need too many stacks of the haste buff to stay energy capped, leave some for other classes.

Boss 4 – Ivanyr

• Spread out for the Volatile Magic, and use Bear Form on higher difficulties
• Kick as required
• Save Blink for the Nether Link. Usually I blink to the middle of the other two players then use Survival Instincts as required.

Boss 5 – Advisor Vandros

• Bleeds continue to tick if you refresh them just before you get teleported from transition
• Use Maim/Skull Bash during runback transition

Vault of the Wardens

Boss 1 – Tirathon Saltheril Luffas/Chatoyant

• Adds have quite a bit of HP, so you want to kill them fast. Save Brutal Slash if they are spawning soon. Kick/Typhoon to stop their cast.

Boss 2 – Inquisitor Tormentorum Luffas/Chatoyant

• Use a combination of Regrowth, Typhoon, Skull Bash (when not required) to break the Sap Soul.
• Use Maim to control lethal adds.
• Spam Thrash if you are facing away if you are in danger of energy capping.
• Kick the appropriate adds, usually Frightening Shout and the Warlock.

Boss 3 – Glazer Behemoth/SotA

• Before the shield falls off, pre-dot Glazer with Rip/Rake/Thrash and save Brutal Slash
• Stack inside Glazer’s hitbox. Standing max range as feral is very dangerous as you can get one shot by the Pulses

Boss 4 – Ash’golm Behemoth/Chatoyant

• Save Brutal Slash for the +damage transition
• Depending on your strategy for the Embers, keep thrash up on the adds that will die soon.

Boss 5 – Cordana Felsong Behemoth/SotA

• Make sure you use all your short cooldowns before the 40% transition.
• You should stun (5CP Maim) any adds that spawn to break Cordana’s shield and to prevent glaive tosses from the add.
• Pre Dot (Rip/Rake/Thrash) Cordana before she comes out of the ghosty ghost wall transition.

Sabertooth?

Sign petition

So a few people have been asking me – why do I run Sabertooth on Heroic Argus. For those of you unfamiliar with the specific build I run, it is:

Blood Scent, Displacer Beast, Balance Affinity, Soul of the Forest, Sabertooth, Moment of Clarity| Behemoth’s Headdress + Wildshaper’s Clutch

Stats: Go Crit heavy and use Shadow-Singed Fang

Here is a video of it in action:

 

I mainly use it in sale runs where half the raid is dead or inactive, but I use it for pugging sometimes (specifically against other ferals, so that they can feel sad to losing to a three button spec). Usually I beat Incarnation Ferals about 75seconds in when the Versatility Buff is ramped and Ferocious Bite is trucking.

Phase 1 having Sabertooth provides some crunchy Ferocious Bites which are buffed by the Versatility buff.

Phase 2 is somewhat neutral, and if you have shorter timings then you can finish using Berserk where you wouldn’t be able to cast Incarnation

Phase 3 is where you pick up a lot of DPS by casting Rip on all the targets, then refreshing Rip with FB on all the targets minus the first (physical add should die fast). If you run the standard moonfire build here, moonfire has low value since you don’t have enough energy to maintain cast mf/rake/thrash. Thrash has better DPE, and so Moonfire is close to a dead talent in P3.

Phase 4 you are very flexible to put Rip up on multiple orbs, and if they die slowly. The Rip(s) can activate your 4T21 for extra damage on the primary target, even when the orbs are at 0% hp and Rip is just ticking (but before the orbs despawn). Killing Orbs is a good idea in sale runs, don’t wanna slouch on this.

Sabertooth/WSC/Behemoth/SotF is not particularly well simulated on the current feral profile since there are some Thrash conditionals that are extremely handy. Thrash is the secret sauce that makes the build good.

• Keep up Thrash, particularly with Omen of Clarity. If no OoC then try using at 4CP instead of shred. Another good place to use it is to have less energy capping with Tiger’s Fury.
• Make use of OoC pooling since you can hold two charges.
• Figure out your own pooling strategy based on your haste/crit so you are ready for Ferocious Bite. You don’t want to shred at Four then hear 3 critical strikes go off from WSC.
• In phase 3, you want to use Thrash hitting two targets over rake to generate CP. In the opener I try to use thrash between targets 1/2, then rake target 2 if required, then thrash between targets 3/4 etc.

Is this build better than the standard build? Depends on raid comp and how fast P3 is. Most people have heroic on farm, so feel free to try out a new build every now and then.

Until next time, bless :pray:

Nice one warcraftlogs.com

Sign petition if you want.

February was an exciting month as I explored DPS strategies on farm bosses.

As can be seen from the tables, I need to certainly improve on total damage for the Antoran High Command and Aggramar encounters.

Antoran High Command total DPS is negatively influenced by strong raid DPS (unless you are in a meme guild that rotates people for ranking, which of course is a fun activity), Boss DPS seems to be on point, however.

Unfortunately for Aggramar, not having the third and final Incarnation due to being in a highly skilled raid does detriment to ranking for that measure.

I will probably not be playing too seriously until 2019 due to other commitments (house hunting and getting married), but I should continue to post sporadically. I should be posting the often requested Sabretooth video SOON®

Thanks all the fans.

 

Mythic Antorus Quick Guide

Guide to Antorus, the Burning Throne
Disclaimer: this is based off discussions with a number of top ferals including US 2nd ToS Feral Secretweapon and MDI friend Hippo. I may not have completed these encounters personally.

Garothi Worldbreaker
Behemoth’s Headdress and SotA
Run your typical single target build (2xxx232). Save combo points for each transition to instantly Rip the correct weapon.

You should opt to save combo points to refresh Rip back on the Worldbreaker before Displacer Beast out + Skull Bash back in.

Felhounds
Behemoth’s Headdress and SotA
Run your typical Single Target build but take Lunar Inspiration instead of Blood Scent. BT should be marginally higher since you have double dot potential (3xxx232), but MoC is easier to manage (3xxx231).

You can get some Incarnation dots up at the start of the fight before any real mechanics happen.

Put the off-hound on Focus and keep up Moonfire on that dog. If you are ignoring mechanics and want full double dot like in Heroic, take Wild Charge to alternate Skull Bash/Wild Charge swaps.

Antoran High Command
Luffas and Chatoyant (Optional SotA if you are in first robot for more boss dps on third robot)
You will want Predator and Brutal Slash. (1xxx221) Save charges of Brutal Slash for when one of the following conditions are met:
* Double bats
* Fresh spawn of minions
Use thrash on 4mobs and spread Rip where appropriate on the whirlwind fools.

To use the 1st Robot correctly and get those Skada Ranks:
* Use bear form before entering for more HP
* Use Tiger’s Fury before entering for more damage (Not yet confirmed but you’re in there for 30-45s anyway)

Refresh dots on bosses before they jump away (not yet confirmed whether damage continues to tick)

Place button 2 when the new adds will spawn at less than 3.5s, this will instantly give adds with the damage taken debuff.

The other robots are irrelevant spam 1 use 2 and 3 on cooldown.

Eonar
Luffas and Chatoyant
Predator and Brutal Slash build (1xxx221)
Where available request to be on the 2nd Ship phase, as you are one of few 3minute classes.
If you are on the 2nd ship, then pop incarn at the start and it will be up again for the ship phase.
Maximising damage is about always having a target. I recommend watching some POVs, there is a decent one on my channel with nearly full uptime. You can thrash spam the Bats.

Portal Keeper Hasabel
Luffas and Chatoyant
Predator and Brutal Slash build (1xxx221)

To maximise damage on this fight, you will want to finish the adds on the boss platform then go up to the add platform and dot up the add before returning, use two rake two Rip (Heroic Strat). You can blink Mid Air when returning to the central boss platform so you won’t energy cap during this pseudo 2target Cleave.

Given the decent burst AoE requirements I recommend BrS and Luffas for this fight.

Imonar
Behemoth’s Headdress and SotA
Standard ST build (23xx231)
Take displacer beast.
BT is slightly worse here since you have more Incarn uptime vs non Incarn uptime than standard due to the transition phase.

You should incarn on 1st/3rd/5th platform. If you run BT make sure you hard cast during transitions and execute Rip where relevant.

Try and have 5CP going into the next platform for fresh Rip or SR. Depending on your group, consider 1CP Rip during immune into 5CP refresh. You should not overcommit (i.e. don’t do a fresh Rip) before a transition.

Kin’garoth
Behemoth’s Headdress and SotA
There are a number of builds you can use on this fight based on your raid comp.

Horn of Valor is a good trinket in this encounter.

Robots at 38s then every 2minutes
2xxx221
You should typically skip BT on this fight since you don’t want to waste globals during Incarnation Robot phases. You can also run Savage Roar instead of Brutal Slash – if you have minimal robot/boss cleave or you are on farm this may be a better option.

For robot burst use the following:
Pool 5cp pre spawn then go TF Rip/Rake AF into BrS Bites. If you are night elf, 2min CD lines up.

You should save TF for 8s for first robot then use TF on Cooldown religiously.

Save a charge or two of Brutal Slash for boss + off Robot Cleave towards the end of the phase. You can also refresh Rip while boss is immune as you will only lose a few seconds during progression rather than bite the off Robot.

Without CoF use Incarnation between 4th and 5th Robot… at this point some of your raid may be dead so the last incarn may help on spare 4th wave robots. Your goal prior to the 5th wave (8:38) is to get the boss to 4%. The boss will die either between 4th and 5th or you will stack the raid on one of the 5th wave robots to nuke the boss HP, where your cooldown will be irrelevant.

Make sure you have a good grasp of timers you do not want to waste a high CP Rip and Rake prior to a robot phase. You CAN put up a 1CP Rip on the boss to ensure you get 4t21 FB procs to use on Robot – ensure you are ready to go on robots with 5CP or 4CP Rake into Rip.

CoF vs non CoF
Non CoF is 38(2x), 4:38(2x)and 7:38 (possible Cleave) = 5 effective incarns

Alternative Non CoF 0:38(2x), 3:38, 6:38(2x) (worse execute, use for quicker kill times) again 5 effective incarn

CoF is 0:00, 2:38 (2x), 5:08, 7:38 (possible Cleave) = 5 effective incarn

Alternative CoF 0:00, 2:38, 6:38 (aka hippo why are you running CoF SMH) which may help out your comp for 2nd and 4th sets but is same incarn amount as no CoF, so instead lobby to move lust or pots.

No CoF gives you a better trinket. Check your raid comp to figure out where you want your Incarnation.

Varimathras (edited for 12/12 hotfix)

Two main builds Behemoth’s Headdress and SotA without Predator, and Luffas/SotA with Predator. The non Predator Build is easier.
Take Brutal Slash. Take Renewal so you don’t retard blink or charge. Balance Aff is in for the extra add.
211×221 or 211×222 for Behemoth/SotA, 111×221 or 111×222 for SotA/Luffas
The spawn timers for adds are extremely consistent. I recommend using Tiger’s Fury during stealth opening to ensure it is up for the first add (and subsequent Marked Prey adds).

Don’t spam Tiger’s Fury if using Predator, you want to aim for maximum uptime. If using Predator Thrash/BrSx2 is the most you can squeeze in. I recommend using a weakaura that is precise enough with the spawn time to get you a minimum of 2GCDs.
Pool at least 2 Brutal Slashes for all Adds. You never have to hard-swap target, but you should get into the habit of doing it anyway.

Use Survival Instincts if you ever have to leave the raid then Renewal on the way back in. Use Stampeding Roar where required by the raid, probably during Frost phase to help debuff runners out.

Make sure you have TF and Ashamane’s Frenzy for the last Incarnation. (Delay AF or Incarn, up to you)

You can and should back up the rogues for the knockback using Skull Bash, particularly for the waves of mechanics that line up (around the 2nd rot in frost phase plus or minus 2)

Coven
Behemoth’s Headdress and SotA
A number of viable builds but Brutal Slash is the most useful for deleting healing adds, at the cost of being out of range with no Lunar Inspiration moonfire.

Take Mass Entanglement
2312221 and 3312211 are both viable builds.

When the walls spawn use mass entangle AND entangling roots to get 4/5 of one wall. The mobs are immune to damage so no one else can break it. Mass entangle may not work if someone else cc’s your add first so make sure you communicate this.

For standard DPS phases you will want to stand between both boss mobs and keep up all dots including thrash.
Fire Phase: hit at least 2 adds + boss
Lightning Phase: spread 2 yards continue to hit 2 bosses plus the closest lightning add with BrS and Thrash
Life Phase: there are minimal mechanics you can run around the room and delete adds using Brutal Slash. Highly recommend doing this as this is the main check for the encounter.

Aggramar
Behemoth’s Headdress and SotA (optional: WSC with thrash on adds for CP)
2313221
Save Incarnation for both intermissions.
Typically you will want Typhoon over Mass Entangle.

Alternative: Run 23xx23x because you like Savage Roar and don’t need as much transition damage.

With a 9 minute enrage you will get 3 uses: 1:30, 5mins, 8mins
You will probably want to avoid BT for this fight since your Incarn Phase you don’t want to use GCDs on regrowth. You can run it though for slightly heftier execute.

Intermission:
As with other immune phases, leave a 1CP Rip on the boss for 4t21 procs. Try and open with pooled CP Rip on the first add into Double Incarn Rake on both targets into Dump BRS into Rip on second target, fill with Shred. Adds should be dead in 25s or less so you can Incarn Rake the Boss. Don’t refresh Rip on the adds if not required.

For the normal phases, position yourself such that Brutal Slash hits Aggramar and a small add where possible – this is because it will increase your crit chance (if BrS crits on either target you get 2CP). Obviously don’t break cc that doesn’t want to get broken.

You will only get 1 Incarnation outside Intermissions. Make sure you have TF and Ashamane’s Frenzy for the last Incarnation.

Also use Instant Cast Entangling Roots where relevant.

Artifact Relics: An analysis based on real world data

If you think this is a troll, you’re a troll. Read all the way to the end.

This was a short project that I said would be helpful quite a while ago but I never got around to doing. It’s general knowledge that sims are predominantly single target and hence relic suggestions are heavily skewed towards single target output. This isn’t necessarily bad – there will always be damage to a main target required, but looking at sims in isolation has a flaw when the way you deal damage to the main target is incorrectly assumed. This report aims to enhance your knowledge using

In the real world, it is extremely rare for a pure single target encounter to exist, and if it does it is unlikely to be an important end boss (unless you want to count The Butcher as the end boss instead of Mar’gok from Highmaul).

So our analysis starts with the current Rank 1 All Stars Feral in Tomb of Sargeras – Quasy (r1) from Overtake (~r222). It’s Rank 1 so you know it’s good. Rather than selecting the best possible log for each encounter, I selected the best rated player and their best log – I think this methodology should be fine for now.

Obtaining the raw data from Warcraft Logs and splitting the .csv using Excel is fairly straight forward, giving you the following:

Now at this stage if you were only looking at the totals, some of you may call Quasy a dirty padder who, with a guild rank of 222 is clearly only able to rank highly because they use pad strats and its big boy Quasy’s week to rank.

Stop bullying Quasy you meanies. Fortunately there is a way to look at the data differently, on a boss-per-boss method and weight each boss accordingly. This is the next step. As you can see in the next image, Swipe and Thrash have zero value on 2 and 3 fights respectively. This is a fair approximation of a typical raid tier.

That’s great, we have the values for each ability – now how do we calculate the trait value? Well we have to make a few assumptions to generate the implied return per trait. Typically high end raiding Ferals are Rake/Rip heavy and Swipe/Thrash trait light. I played with the assumed traits and they don’t end up affecting the end result later on. The formula in general is Implied Gain = Per Trait / (1+Per Trait x Assumed Trait).

So for example if you already have 4 Traits in Swipe, the Implied Gain = 7% / (1+28%) = 5.47%.

Now there are special calculations for Shred and Feral Instinct.

For Shred, I extracted the amount of damage dealt outside of Incarnation (which typically has guaranteed crits) and the crit% of Shred outside of Incarnation and did the following calculation.

Shred Trait = [Shred No Incarn Damage / Total Damage] x [(1.05+crit%)/(1+crit%) – 1]

For Feral Instinct I grabbed all damage dealt while Feral Instinct was active, and did the following calculation:

Feral Trait = Implied Trait x [Damage During FI / Total Damage]

After compiling all of these cool items together, you get the following (in table and graph format):

As expected Feral Instinct out performs on Goroth, and Maiden due to the short fight duration and double damage phase respectively. Swipe and Thrash are excellent on Harjatan, Mistress and Desolate Host.

To conclude, if we were to weight each boss equally (1/9th weighting), we would obtain the following results:

Hence a good recommendation going into Antorus is to ensure you do not undervalue Swipe and FI – on the other hand you don’t want to over-commit to a full AoE build. The real-world data has the following weights:

FI [1.45] > Swipe[1.38] > Thrash[1.02] > Rake[1] > Rip[0.8] > FB[0.5] > Shred[0.41]

This is compared to the current weighting on the Feral Discord:

Rip[1] > Rake[1] > FI[0.8] > Shred [0.7] > Swipe[0.6] > Tiger’s Fury [0.4] > FB[0.3] > Thrash [0.1]

Hence with this data, I recommend the following that you take the following: 2xFI (Best Overall Relic) > 2xSwipe (Best non-ST Relic) > 2xRake (Best non Burst ST Relic)

 

I believe the Swipe is significantly undervalued, and Shred is significantly overvalued per current recommendations.

Hope this helps. Bless.

Closing of the Tomb of Sargeras (7.3.2)

Quick update that I thought I would like to share with you.

The excel sheet was made by a fan. The comment was slightly toxin, but I thought I would leave it in there for flavour. With Tomb of Sargeras coming to a close shortly, I am looking forward to the new challenges in Argus. 🙂

The fan is someone you might recognise on Feral Discord, so I won’t name them and their comical toxic comment.