Raiding: Should I regem and switch to Affliction?

[Pellanor]

I've just started raiding, and have been running a heroic instances as well. I've got ~800 unbuffed spell damage, 194 hit rating and 19.35% crit chance (including 5/5 demonic tactics). I don't have the gold to get my gear properly socketed or enchanted yet, but that'll be one of the next steps for me.

I've noticed that the suggestion for starting raiding is to spec affliction and get 5/5 suppression so that you can focus more on +spell damage, instead of spell hit, and that it's recommended to get around 1000 spell damage. I'm wondering if should be regeming in order to boost my spell damage and respec to affliction?

Here's my profile.
I've got a set of Manaspark Gloves, gemmed with Great Dawnstones, that I wear for bosses instead of the Dreadweave, which is why my spell hit is lower currently.

Thanks.

[Akasha]

Approving this thread as I'm too tired to repeat myself. Next time please follow the format required: Format to follow to get assistance with your gear. (READ FIRST!!) - The Warlocks Den Forums

[Pellanor]

Sorry about that. I managed to completely skip the bit where you mentioned the format guide in your last message. Here's the above post, reformatted (since I can't seem to edit it).

Character Name: Jokulhlaup
Armory Link: warcrafter.net
Talent Build: 6/44/11
Quick Info
Health: 7868
Mana: 7714
+Damage: ~800 with pet but without fel armour
+Hit: 216
+Crit: 19.43% (with 5/5 demonic tactics)

Have you read the gearing guide?
Multiple times

Items/Slots in need of immediate upgrade:
Pretty much all my blues could use upgrades, most of my gear needs to by enchanted and I've got a lot of green gems that need to be replaced.

Upgrades you are currently working on:
Right now I'm just trying to run heroics and kara to get the badge gear and anything else that might drop.

All about you:
I've noticed that the suggestion for starting raiding is to spec affliction and get 5/5 suppression so that you can focus more on +spell damage, instead of spell hit, and that it's recommended to get around 1000 spell damage. I'm wondering if should be regeming in order to boost my spell damage and respec to affliction?

I've got a set of Manaspark Gloves, gemmed with Great Dawnstones, that I wear for bosses instead of the Dreadweave, which is why my spell hit is lower currently.

Thanks.

[Barclande]

I'd finish getting Exalted with the Cenarion Expedition and pick up Ashyen's gift, excellent ring, or the Fused Nethergon with badges, though there are probably better things you can spend your badges on.

Also, quit gemming for worthless socket bonuses, you could get rid of some of your +Spell Dam/+Sta gems and replace them with pure +Hit or +Spell Dam and be better off overall. Unless you have a Meta your trying to keep active, there is really no reason for blue gems.

Since your not a tailor, FSW is out of reach for you, you are actually looking like you could get into a couple Kara runs though, if just barely.

I'd look for the badge upgrade guide linked in the Gear Guide and start looking there for upgrades, and get go for The Black Stalk to get rid of your last green.

[Pellanor]

Thanks for the reply.

I've already gotten a Kara run in, and am working toward pretty much everything you mentioned.

The reason for the crappy gems and enchants is that I can't afford better yet. The +spell damage / +stm ones were what a guildy was leveling jewelcrafting with so I got them for free. Same story with my enchants.


The thing I'm looking for advise for on the most is my Spell Hit vs Spell Damage. I'm hit capped, but only have +800 spell damage. Would I be better served by respecing affliction so that I can replace some of my +Spell Hit gems with +spell damage?

[Barclande]

You may be better off as Affliction, but 5/5 Suppression does not make up for lack of +Hit. It helps before your Hit capped, however, even as affliction 40-60% of your Dam still comes from SB, so being Hit Capped is still preferable to only being Hit Capped on Affliction spells with Suppression. You may however see a DPS increase as Affliction w/o suppression if your good at keeping all your DoTs up.

The other thing you could do, is drop the points you currently have in affliction and move them to Devastation and Destructive Reach. Increasing the Crit chance and range of your SB. Also, unless you use Shadowburn, I'd rather have the point in Destructive reach for the Range and Aggro Redux. Personally I feel Shadowburn is really only useful as a finisher on trash. I'd rather have less aggro on a boss than a finisher on trash.

[Warpy]

Unless you really love your felhunter and hate watching DoTimers, it looks like it's time for you to switch to affliction if you want to raid. Not only does affliction help (partially) with spell hit, it will increase your personal DPS in a long or multi-target fight considerably. Your pet's damage just doesn't scale as well as yours at this point, you can do a bit more damage without him. Farming is a little trickier with affliction, but fear-farming is good practice for the mayhem of raiding! You'll want a good Dot timer; but it's built into Quartz and Necrosis. DoTimer itself includes the succubus' seduce.

Have you had a look at the classic 41/0/20 raiding build for Kara-T5? For affliction, red spell-damage gems are what it's all about.