Maybe Emanee Doesn't Suck, Her DPS That Is

I did some experimentation this weekend and have come to the conclusion that unless a shadow priest can stand completely still and has a target flush with hit points, it's going to be nigh impossible for them to compete against the dps of mage's, 'locks, and huntards. Actually, even if they are standing completely still with a target that can receive loads of dot rotations, a shadow priest still isn't going to hit the 1.3k, 1.4k, and 1.5k dps those other ranged classes hit routinely.

As part of this research project, I did create some macroes that instantly cast my trinket and mind blast together. I used to mouse click this, but not having it bound to a keyboard saves precious seconds. I also created a macro that combines inner focus to shadow word: pain, but I'm not used to using that yet so I ended up overwriting that dot all weekend.

After working on those macros, I hit Terrokar Forest and started experimenting with dpsing mobs. First, I tried a full spell rotation over and over again. Renewing everything immediately after its cooldown, I still only averaged mid 500s. I did some other attempts using just mind blast, mind flay, and shadow word: death, leaving out all dots. Same thing, mid-500s. Granted, these mobs weren't alive long enough to even let vt tick out, let along shadow word: pain. But that's still a far cry from the 1k maxdps.com says a shadow priest geared like me should be pulling.

All this vexes me. I am very vexed.

It's frustrating to read similarily geared shadow priests on shadowpriest.com report their dps to be well above 1k. They don't disclaim those numbers based on what boss they're fighting; the implicaiton is that's the dps they hit when they raid. Maybe it's implied that 1k+ is a ceiling dps rate, and that more mobile fights see a drop. I know Emanee has briefly hit 1k dps on Fathom-Lord. She also does 900s against Tidewalker. Both those fights, she mostly gets to stand still and unleash. Without worrying about moving, I can focus my total attention on my cooldowns and dot timers. Throw some movement into the equation, and the best I can do is 600 to 700s. Void Reaver is the worst: not only am I constantly strafing (like everyone else), but I'm gimped down to using just three spells: shadow word: pain, vampiric touch, and mind flay.

At any rate, my next goal will be to maximize the efficient use of my mind blast and shadow world: death spells. I've got my dot renewals down to a science, but those other two spells have my only crit potential. I need to be unleashing them as often as possible. Before I respecced, I would cast vt, sw: p, ve, mb, sw: d, and two mind flays before casting another mb and then renewing vt. But I have four points in improved mind blast now, which means its cooldown is coming up sooner. I got some practice with it Saturday night raiding Kael, where I realized that I could cast the same rotation, but I needed only one mf before a second pause and then mind blast.

So until I feel I have my burst damage rotation as maxmized as my dot rotation, I've got some room to grow in the dps department. 1.5k worth? Probably not.