DPS improvement for a t6/sunwell warlock!

[Lolia]

I'm in something of a rut DPS-wise. Our last Brutallus kill, I pushed only slightly over 2100, and I think my gear should afford me better numbers, especially with such a stacked group - shadow priest, elemental shaman being the mainstays, as well as constant drums of battle uptime.

The World of Warcraft Armory
^ is a link to my character and how she is currently outfitted. When I was doing 2100 dps on Brutallus, I was using the Fang of the Leviathan and the Chronicle off Rage; I haven't had a chance to see what difference my staff makes, though I can assume it will be substantial.

I have materials to make the Sunfire Handwraps (Sunfire Handwraps - Item - World of Warcraft) and the Loop of Forged power (Loop of Forged Power - Item - World of Warcraft), so once I've got the sunmotes, I'll be throwing those in there instead of t6 and my Hyjal rep ring. I'd love to acquire the ring from timed ZA (Mana Attuned Band - Item - World of Warcraft), which my guild does weekly, but I'm not sure which ring to toss out - Forged Power, BT Trash (Ring of Ancient Knowledge - Item - World of Warcraft), or not use the Mana-Attuned at all?

My neck is bad. I'm trying for the ZA drop, or the neck from s4 - the guardian's pendant of subjugation, with, I think, a pyrestone or lionseye in.

Looking at my chest, I am considering using 3 lionseyes and 1 seaspray instead of what I have now - is this a good idea? Or am I just so hopelessly awful I should /delete and reroll? :P

[Theleb]

To be honest, why even worry? Any changes you can make right now are quite marginal to be honest

The Sunfire Handwraps are the best ingame (and as you know you'll still keep the 4pt T6 bonus) as well as the Loop of Forged Power, so all you really need to do is replace the neck and you're about as optimised as you're going to be

Ok, ok...if you're REALLY worried....

The Band of Ancient Knowledge and the Loop of Forged Power are the best according to Leulier's (I'm ignoring hit with the Leulier's rating as thats not an issue) CP rates the top 10 Thusly (bear in mind again, DP incorporates hit)

1. Ring of Captured Storms (High Warlord Naj'entus - Black Temple) DP: 6676
2. Ring of Omnipotence (M'uru - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 6562
3. Loop of Forged Power (Sunwell Jewelcrafting, BoE) DP: 6416
4. Mana Attuned Band (Timed Event - Zul'Aman) DP: 6238
5. Fused Nethergon Band (60 Badge of Justice) DP: 5040
6. Ring of Ancient Knowledge (Trash drop - Black Temple) DP: 4914
7. Band of the Eternal Sage (Exalted with Scale of the Sands) DP: 4480
8. Sin'dorei Band of Dominance (Eredar Twins - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 4192
9. Ring of Endless Coils (Lady Vashj - Serpentshrine Cavern) DP: 3952
10. Band of Eternity (Revered with Scale of the Sands) DP: 3904

Necks come out in this order (Leulier's concours):

1. Pendant of Sunfire (Jewelcrafting SWP, BoP) DP: 6854
2. Amulet of Unfetterd Magics (Eredar Twins - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 6492
3. Translucent Spellthread Necklace (Essence of Souls - Black Temple) DP: 6172
4. Guardian's Pendant of Subjugation (PvP Honor Reward) DP: 4464
5. The Sun King's Talisman (Quest reward - Tempest Keep) DP: 4352

While you have the exactly right idea, you can probably juggle 1 or 2 dps here and there so DL the Spreadsheet and see what you can come up with:

WoW Warlock DPS Spreadsheet

You should pick up a fair amount of DPS with comparison to Fang/Chronicle even without worrying about the hit so I wouldn't be at all suprised if, all those things considered, you push 2200 dps next time.

[Lolia]

I guess I feel like I'm not pulling my weight; the other warlocks in my guild think that with my gear as it is now, I should be pushing upwards of 2400 dps - which would be awesome, no doubt, but either I'm just AWFUL or they're plain wrong.

Knowing my luck, the moment I get the Vindicator's pendant, S4 will come out, but if it's newer version rated that highly (and its only a couple points different from what's out now) I'll grind it out this weekend and throw a lionseye in there. It's a big damage drop, I think, but if I remember right it's 1200 damage, then stack the hell out of haste (for destro)?

You def. sorted out some of the concerns I had about rings and necks, and I suppose you're right - 20 or so haste here and there isn't a huge upgrade, so I may wait on re-gemming things for now. Thank you!

(also: wtb open office version of that spreadsheet!)

[Theleb]

Guardian's Pendant of Subjugation - Item - World of Warcraft vs Vindicator's Pendant of Subjugation - Item - World of Warcraft

Worth saving for S4, whenever that is

Regards theoretical vs Actual DPS.....I find that even things like sheer annoying random mechanics can impact your figures so what you "should" be doing is purely theoretical...throw up your curse and SB Spam doesn't really allow for much to go wrong so all things people equal I bet you do more next week.

[Lolia]

I hear s4 will be mid/end of this month, which is just, gaaah. I suppose it's worth the wait, considering I hate the honor grind!

[mcgee84]

Originally Posted by Lolia

I hear s4 will be mid/end of this month, which is just, gaaah. I suppose it's worth the wait, considering I hate the honor grind!

While it could come on the 24th, that'll be the earliest, as it will be at least two weeks from this Tuesday, according to B Nakk.

WoW Forums - Why the secrecy about Season 4?

[Pure Balance]

At the end of the gearing your warlock thread there is a max dps set put together that you should look at. Oddly enough I think it drops nethervoid cloak for the one off illidari council if I recall correctly.

[Theleb]

Weapon: Sunflare (Kil'jaeden - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 22642
Off-hand: Chronicle of Dark Secrets (Rage Winterchill - Mount Hyjal) DP: 6044
Wand: Wand of the Demonsoul (Trash drop - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 3740
Head: Cowl of the Illidari High Lord (Illidan Stormrage - Black Temple) DP: 13280
Neck: Amulet of Unfetterd Magics (Eredar Twins - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 6492
Shoulders: Mantle of the Malefic TIER 6 (Mother Shahraz - Black Temple) DP: 7580
Back: Cloak of the Illidari Council (Illidari Council - Black Temple) DP: 4488
Chest: Sunfire Robe (Crafted Sunwell recipe) DP: 13024
Wrist: Bracers of the Malefic TIER 6 (Kalecgos - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 6358
Hands: Sunfire Handwraps (Sunwell BoE Tailoring) DP: 7752
Waist: Belt of the Malefic TIER 6 (Brutallus - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 9830
Legs: Leggings of Calamity (Brutallus - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 11976
Feet: Boots of the Malefic TIER 6 (Felmyst - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 10342
Finger: Ring of Omnipotence (M'uru - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 6562
Finger: Ring of Captured Storms (High Warlord Naj'entus - Black Temple) DP: 6676
Trinket: The Skull of Gul'dan (Illidan Stormrage - Black Temple) DP: 8295
Trinket: Shifting Naaru Silver (M'uru - Sunwell Plateau) DP: 6772

[Rizob]

I wouldnt rely on one data point of 2100 dps. Gotta consider the RNG in the fight and casting mechanics:

could get 2+ burns which wastes a significant amount when you have to run out of the slash cone (especially if burns hit when hero is popped);

could have a lower/higher than expected crit rate as well as partial/full resists (i've gotten like 22% crit on one kill, 37% on another);

poor soul shatter timing can also threat cap you too early on.

[Chinkmachine]

Originally Posted by Lolia

I guess I feel like I'm not pulling my weight; the other warlocks in my guild think that with my gear as it is now, I should be pushing upwards of 2400 dps - which would be awesome, no doubt, but either I'm just AWFUL or they're plain wrong.

Knowing my luck, the moment I get the Vindicator's pendant, S4 will come out, but if it's newer version rated that highly (and its only a couple points different from what's out now) I'll grind it out this weekend and throw a lionseye in there. It's a big damage drop, I think, but if I remember right it's 1200 damage, then stack the hell out of haste (for destro)?

You def. sorted out some of the concerns I had about rings and necks, and I suppose you're right - 20 or so haste here and there isn't a huge upgrade, so I may wait on re-gemming things for now. Thank you!

(also: wtb open office version of that spreadsheet!)

As Rizob said, theoretical DPS is almost never achieved, I mean the theoretical stats of a fully sunwell geared warlock is around 1350 shadow unbuffed, 22% crit, and 500 haste, depending on how you gem, which could "theoretically" pull 3k+ dps. But what happens when your tank can't hold agro? What happens when you get unlucky RNG with no crits, what happens when you get 3 burns in a row? What happens if you don't get bloodlusted at a correct time, shatter at a correct time? I mean sure the warlocks in your guild can say you should theoretically put out 2400 dps and your only doing 2100, but go and input their gear on a dps spread sheet and look at the difference they're lacking from their own "theoretical" max dps.