On the subject of Vampiric Embrace it’s worth noting that it’s magnitude is higher than HG, so from a raw damage perspective it is a harder hitting.
Technically true, but VE doesn't summon a Soul Puppet, thus no Wraith Claw damage, no Soul Investiture stacks, and no synergy with the Risky Investment feat (which I use for single-target, but not AoE). Because VE can't compete with Curse Bite or Killing Flames, I don't really think of it as a DPS-focused power.
I can't give an educated opinion there because I haven't played with Shadowclad much. My assumption right now is that we have too high of a deflect chance vs. mobs to make it work reliably the way we'd like it to, but I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has actually played with it.
> @obsidiancran3 said: > Oh I run perma-puppet, so never have a problem getting Wraith Claw and cannot get Risky Investment
Consider trying it with single-target; you might be surprised at the damage potential
For AoE I can’t be bothered to do Risky Investment because there are no AoE powers aside from the daily that trigger a puppet, but I can’t think of a good reason not to use Risky Investment when doing single-target. The 10% bonus damage to the Puppet from Soul Desecration can’t compete, and you don’t need perma-Puppet when HG refreshes it for you.
I can't give an educated opinion there because I haven't played with Shadowclad much. My assumption right now is that we have too high of a deflect chance vs. mobs to make it work reliably the way we'd like it to, but I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has actually played with it.
One of my guide mates gave me one and I've used it since then, but I'm not really sure how it compares to other options.
Little update from me, what I find is working for me Barkshield + Vorpal
AoE setup. For single target, I switch to Killing Flames, Hadar's Grasp, Hellfire Ring, and Sigil of Devoted to Soul Sight Crystal. For AoE I use Accursed Soul, for single: TCurse. For AoE - Tenser's Transformation, for single: mostly Bat Swarm, but it depends on party (if everyone is spamming Swarm, I stick to Tenser's).
Rotation AoE: Hellfire, Curse Bite, Fiery Bolt, Curse Bite Rotation single: Hellfire, Hadar's, Killing Flames (you want to keep Soul Investment up and buff yourself). If enemy is annoying and moving a lot, I switch Hellfire to Curse Bite.
Right now, out of combat, I'm: 137k power, 70k arpen, 72k crit, 70k accuracy, 109k combat advantage, 68k defense and I still miss some items (offhand, maybe new rings and new armor/arms/boots - will test best setup if I'll drop them :P)
It's not bad but could be a little better imo. I think we lack a little magnitude on encounters/dailies compared to other classes but yet, I'm far from optimal gear so can't really compare.
On the subject of Vampiric Embrace it’s worth noting that it’s magnitude is higher than HG, so from a raw damage perspective it is a harder hitting.
Technically true, but VE doesn't summon a Soul Puppet, thus no Wraith Claw damage, no Soul Investiture stacks, and no synergy with the Risky Investment feat (which I use for single-target, but not AoE). Because VE can't compete with Curse Bite or Killing Flames, I don't really think of it as a DPS-focused power.
Hadars grasp is abit misleading. Reason being that the 175 magnitude damage is only for the unbuffed version which hits once on application and 4 times every 0.5 seconds for a total of 5 hits. Each hit is 35 magnitude
The curse consume part adds 1 second to the duration, but what the tooltip doesn't tell you is that it also add an extra 2 hits for 35 magnitude as well. So it actually does 245 magnitude on a curse consume, and there is zero reason why you would use this without a curse consume especially with the risky investment feat
As for class features NPNM + ACC are just best all round. being able to have Combat advantage on any mob you hit almost 100% of the time no matter where you stand far out performs any other option. you lose less time from positioning and less moving is more DPS No matter how good you are you will not have CA on all mobs because it relies a lot on other people/companions/soul puppets being in the right spot Mobs can move around ruining your position so you have to yet again re position. all of this is lost damage the 25% damage boost rebuke doesn't hurt either aswell as better spark generation than any other at will outside of AOE heavy packs where Eldritch Blast is great
on a pure 1 target only fight with perfect positioning all the time and a stationary boss ACC + dust to dust is the best. But lets be honest that never happens, all it takes is 1 twitch as most bosses have ridiculously small hit boxes and that big daily/killing flames combo you lined up just lost a huge chunk of damage.
Deadly curse looks a decent option on the surface, but its really quite poor. it cannot crit and it cannot deal CA damage. at best its between 2-3% of total damage making it worse than Dust to Dust by quite alot
I actually run the alternative build to curse consume and it does quite good honestly. I stopped also switching from aoe setup with perma puppet to RI setup on bosses, simply running NPNM+DTD all time and skip Cursed Bites completely. KF 24/7, HFR all time except 1. boss and HG on boss 2+3 vs FB on trash all time. The uptime from RI and the options to stack puppet buff in between running trash is too bad imo. KF spawns a puppet by timing/killing a mob, puppet is no big point in my ACT shards anyway. Warlocks Curse works and HFR is the only option to get a significant sparkgain infight. I feel like doing better that way. But I can´t tell what options are available with those mentioned procs from Bilethorn and Curse Consume, maybe there are other good working setups. Combat Advantage without NPNM is not working that good also in bossfights I rarely have that blue circle active even being in touch with mobs, @vorphied mentioned it allready. Blink Dog spends CA 50% on a target, not sure if there are any other companions that do better. I don´t see many options to vary setup in general.
I actually run the alternative build to curse consume and it does quite good honestly. I stopped also switching from aoe setup with perma puppet to RI setup on bosses, simply running NPNM+DTD all time and skip Cursed Bites completely. KF 24/7, HFR all time except 1. boss and HG on boss 2+3 vs FB on trash all time. The uptime from RI and the options to stack puppet buff in between running trash is too bad imo. KF spawns a puppet by timing/killing a mob, puppet is no big point in my ACT shards anyway. Warlocks Curse works and HFR is the only option to get a significant sparkgain infight. I feel like doing better that way. But I can´t tell what options are available with those mentioned procs from Bilethorn and Curse Consume, maybe there are other good working setups. Combat Advantage without NPNM is not working that good also in bossfights I rarely have that blue circle active even being in touch with mobs, @vorphied mentioned it allready. Blink Dog spends CA 50% on a target, not sure if there are any other companions that do better. I don´t see many options to vary setup in general.
One of my main concerns with becoming accustomed to running HFR outside of AoE is that, unless I'm missing a tooltip somewhere, its spark gain is unintendedly high. I'm not logged in right now, but IIRC it's granting additional sparks even without crits.
Regardless I still don't like it for single-target, but I am glad to hear that players are finding more than just one way to be successful at Warlock.
Hope everyone has been enjoying their adventures around the Realms! Figured I'd stop in and say I may dust this bad boi off in the coming week or two w/Mod 19 just about to drop.
Though I'll freely admit I'll probably get a bit wrong, and will need to stand on the shoulders of giants (current peeps who've been active around the internet on Warlocks) to get the info corrected. I'll also, almost definitely, be looking at things DPS wise but I'll give the Healer the good ole college tray also for posterity.
Basically...
3
plasticbatMember, NW M9 PlaytestPosts: 12,456Arc User
Welcome back, Leeroy.
*** The game can read your mind. If you want it, you won't get it. If you don't expect to get it, you will. ***
“He raised his staff. There was a roll of thunder. The sunlight was blotted out from the eastern windows; the whole hall became suddenly dark as night. The fire faded to sullen embers. Only Gandalf could be seen, standing white and tall before the blackened hearth.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers
Hoping to find some time in the coming days/weekend to post my thoughts on Warlock in Mod 19.
They will mainly be focused on Hellbringer as that's what I've been playing the most. I have built a Feypact/Hellpact Soulweaver, but I am currently super duper bad at healing... lol So I have quite a bit to go on that road.
To be clear much of Mod 19 has been laid out already, so I'll be standing on the backs of giants who have already done a lot of work on preview/live and generally giving my opinions/personal findings while referencing the work already done!
Comments
Contagion - Cleric
Testament - Wizard
Pestilence - Ranger
Dominion - Paladin
NIGHTSWATCH
Obsidian Oath - Warlock
A whole lot of other Obsidian toons as well.
> Oh I run perma-puppet, so never have a problem getting Wraith Claw and cannot get Risky Investment
Consider trying it with single-target; you might be surprised at the damage potential
For AoE I can’t be bothered to do Risky Investment because there are no AoE powers aside from the daily that trigger a puppet, but I can’t think of a good reason not to use Risky Investment when doing single-target. The 10% bonus damage to the Puppet from Soul Desecration can’t compete, and you don’t need perma-Puppet when HG refreshes it for you.
Contagion - Cleric
Testament - Wizard
Pestilence - Ranger
Dominion - Paladin
NIGHTSWATCH
My character Tsin'xing
Barkshield + Vorpal
AoE setup. For single target, I switch to Killing Flames, Hadar's Grasp, Hellfire Ring, and Sigil of Devoted to Soul Sight Crystal. For AoE I use Accursed Soul, for single: TCurse. For AoE - Tenser's Transformation, for single: mostly Bat Swarm, but it depends on party (if everyone is spamming Swarm, I stick to Tenser's).
Rotation AoE: Hellfire, Curse Bite, Fiery Bolt, Curse Bite
Rotation single: Hellfire, Hadar's, Killing Flames (you want to keep Soul Investment up and buff yourself). If enemy is annoying and moving a lot, I switch Hellfire to Curse Bite.
Right now, out of combat, I'm: 137k power, 70k arpen, 72k crit, 70k accuracy, 109k combat advantage, 68k defense and I still miss some items (offhand, maybe new rings and new armor/arms/boots - will test best setup if I'll drop them :P)
Mod 10:
[Combat (Self)] Critical Hit! Your Killing Flames deals 16636893 (1009292) Fire Damage to Ethraniev Marrowslake.
Mod 9:
[Combat (Self)] Your Murderous Flames deals 376274433 (18876929) Fire Damage to Red Tiamat Head.
Mod 10:
[Combat (Self)] Critical Hit! Your Killing Flames deals 16636893 (1009292) Fire Damage to Ethraniev Marrowslake.
Mod 9:
[Combat (Self)] Your Murderous Flames deals 376274433 (18876929) Fire Damage to Red Tiamat Head.
Mod 10:
[Combat (Self)] Critical Hit! Your Killing Flames deals 16636893 (1009292) Fire Damage to Ethraniev Marrowslake.
Mod 9:
[Combat (Self)] Your Murderous Flames deals 376274433 (18876929) Fire Damage to Red Tiamat Head.
Obsidian Oath - Warlock
A whole lot of other Obsidian toons as well.
I stopped also switching from aoe setup with perma puppet to RI setup on bosses, simply running NPNM+DTD all time and skip Cursed Bites completely.
KF 24/7, HFR all time except 1. boss and HG on boss 2+3 vs FB on trash all time. The uptime from RI and the options to stack puppet buff in between running trash is too bad imo.
KF spawns a puppet by timing/killing a mob, puppet is no big point in my ACT shards anyway.
Warlocks Curse works and HFR is the only option to get a significant sparkgain infight. I feel like doing better that way.
But I can´t tell what options are available with those mentioned procs from Bilethorn and Curse Consume, maybe there are other good working setups.
Combat Advantage without NPNM is not working that good also in bossfights I rarely have that blue circle active even being in touch with mobs, @vorphied mentioned it allready.
Blink Dog spends CA 50% on a target, not sure if there are any other companions that do better.
I don´t see many options to vary setup in general.
Regardless I still don't like it for single-target, but I am glad to hear that players are finding more than just one way to be successful at Warlock.
Contagion - Cleric
Testament - Wizard
Pestilence - Ranger
Dominion - Paladin
NIGHTSWATCH
Hope everyone has been enjoying their adventures around the Realms! Figured I'd stop in and say I may dust this bad boi off in the coming week or two w/Mod 19 just about to drop.
Though I'll freely admit I'll probably get a bit wrong, and will need to stand on the shoulders of giants (current peeps who've been active around the internet on Warlocks) to get the info corrected. I'll also, almost definitely, be looking at things DPS wise but I'll give the Healer the good ole college tray also for posterity.
Basically...
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers
They will mainly be focused on Hellbringer as that's what I've been playing the most. I have built a Feypact/Hellpact Soulweaver, but I am currently super duper bad at healing... lol So I have quite a bit to go on that road.
To be clear much of Mod 19 has been laid out already, so I'll be standing on the backs of giants who have already done a lot of work on preview/live and generally giving my opinions/personal findings while referencing the work already done!
Also... Thanks mi amigo!