Level 56 Afflorc needs gear AND spec help...

[phoenixzorn]

I'm sure there's a similar thread to this one somewhere in the forums, and yes I know how to use Search and I have watched "Posting and You" many times - and even have it linked on my own forums...

With that, I am level 56 now, and likely will be 58 or 59 by the time the servers go down for maintenance tomorrow, so the answers will of course change - literally - over night. Currently, I am specced 43/4/0, and had originally planned a 43/5/13, or more likely a 43/18/0 build for "instapets" and UA. There are likely some talent points in Affliction that I don't NEED, but I mostly like the way my character plays...

I idolize Locks like Shemp on Crushridge who oddly enough, just changed from Demonology to Destro for a raid, and usually has over 15k HP... Shemp taught me much of what I know about PvP, but I learned the most from a hunter, amazingly, she coached me while I was beating up her druid friend in a duel.

So to the questions.... I'm curious if I'm headed down the right path, or if I should be rerolling my talents right now. Also, my gear at lower levels was Stamina heavy, and now I'm +Damage heavy, and with not much Stamina.

Here's the character sheet for Icanhazurhp (me).

My biggest issues are that I can't beat a Feral spec level 55 druid at level 56, but everything else is easy. Yesterday, I got owned by the same druid repeatedly in Western Plaguelands, no matter where I was in the zone... it was like he knew exactly where I was going, or was going to be... I beat him once because I was riding down the road and he somehow caught up to me and I say his name in red before he stealthed, giving me time to prepare for a quick HoT, and then a proper fear, dots, Coil, and Siphon for the one kill that I thought would make him go away... But he came back, 4 more times, no matter where I was, and ganked me almost immediately after I got back to full health and mana after casting a new pet...

In PvE, if I have more than 3 mobs over level 50, I WILL die... it's not a question of agro management, it's just that I can't seem to get them all dotted, then keep my pet alive long enough for them to start dying... One dies, and I've already been Funneling my pet, and it's just not enough... he goes down, then I have 4 mobs attacking me. It doesn't matter if I Sac the Void, as with 4 mobs on you that all hit for 140+, Sacrifice goes away quickly. I already have Felcloth Shoulders in my bank for when I hit 57, and I'm looking for a tailor with the gloves recipe to make those for me, since I haven't found it yet.

I'd like some suggestions on how to effectively manage multiple mobs in places where social agro is the norm.... it's not like I'm tagging mobs and grouping them up - well, maybe in lowbie areas for fun - but for when I pull expecting 2 and end up with 4 or 5 level 53 mobs on my pet all at once. It's pretty hard to drain tank with 5 mobs beating on you, so that's out of the question, but how do I do this properly and safely?

I usually pull the first mob with UA, since it has cast time, then stick Siphon Life and Curse of Agony on each mob including the first one...

If I'm just fighting 1v1 mobs, I'll do UA, SL, Curse of Agony, Corr for a total of 5 dots with Shadow Embrace, and then I Life Tap, Drain Life, Soul Siphon and the mob dies. I finish every 1v1 with full health and mana, but I'm SSSSLLLOOOOWWWW compared to a Shadow Priest, which is just plain silly. Am I doing something wrong?? Should I go back to wanding mobs to death after dots? It's getting frustrating. Are we supposed to be this slow?

I do want to mention I tried Demonology at level 50 and found the Felguard to be lacking at that level, and it was boring as hell... I am not opposed to switching to Demonology if it will get me to 70 faster than my friend's Shadow Priest who is level 59 right now.... if I only I could get to Outlands and start kiting Demons... heh.