1.8 38/28 Guide Discussion Thread

[Rexer]

Use this thread to discuss the 38/28 guide I posted in the Mage DPS guide section. It's called "[1.8] Rexer's DPS Guide" because I wanted to leave in the old method, in case people wanted to reference it. Quite frankly I think the guide is useless because most people wont be able to do it while learning new mechanics, so I'll start playing with specs/rotations that are a bit lower in dps, but much lower in complexity.

With the following stats/buffs, I'm doing 2900 dummy-dps consistently, using the method in the guide (I still make mistakes every now and then).

2056 SP
1120 Crit
Trinket: Abyssal Mark of Power
Weapon: Captured Tsunami
Self Buffs: Fire Armor, Glyphs, Flaring Int
Other Buffs: Cake, Heroic Brightsurge, Burning Powerstone
And no one in my party, or hitting the same dummy

[buddens]

i will check this spec out again. after a few days when 1.8 is out (when the hype wave is over). but id rather see also a 30/36 guide for 1.8 with lifeleech in rotation. can u add that? specially when to cast it.. and more

[Primal]

I wouldn't say the complexity of 38/28 has increased, it certainly isn't 3x harder than it has been the last few months.
If anything it's going to be easier since the SLD changes make Charge management much more forgiving.

You shouldn't just leave IC running between SLD casts, you should still toggle it off as necessary to give the IC buff to your most important abilities.
It's also beneficial to have Fireball and Flame Bolt on separate buttons so you can more effectively manage Combust stacks.

The 36/30 spec can really go 2 ways, either you can stick to the 1.7 method and have a pretty easy time or you can add in Life Leech to increase throughput and complexity. I feel that if you're going to add LL you may as well swap to Defile since you're already most of the way there.

I haven't been on the PTS recently since my connection is a mess but I'll certainly be hitting the dummies pretty hard when I have a chance.

[Rexer]

Oh, I meant 38/28 is 3x harder than 36/30 using notactive macros. I'm trying to compare the old and new methods. I couldn't agree more about how adding LL and Sac-life to 36/30 makes it almost as complicated as 38/28, to the point where you might as well just go with 38/28

I've updated the guide so that there are 2 methods.

[doobism]

Just thinking about you saying you were lookin at ways of "dumbing it down" at an acceptable loss of dps. I have an idea. Perversely, by massively complicating macros, but ah well.

Remember the old bard 1 button buff spam? Some used it for archon buffs, and I know some even use it for dots. I'm talking about the keybindings method, not the other one that got fixed.

With dot rationalisation you could do 1button for all 8s cds (countdown and SV) and 1 button for 16s.

Could be dicey, but maybe not too much of a loss overall.

[Rexer]

wait how do you combine 3 16s dots to one key?

[doobism]

So you take an odd key. I used to use ` because it's close enough, but I never really utilise it.
Then open up an ability bar you're not using. For the sake of argument, go action bar 3, Button 1. keybind ` to the button.
Save this setting and enter /exportkeybindings 1

Then for the next position:
Action Bar 3, Button 2
Save and export again /exportkeybindings 2

repeat for however many skills. For this I'l just do for defile and Dark touch.

Once you make these macros all you have to do is keep pressing the key you bound and it will cycle through casting the dots:

#show Defile
suppressmacrofailures
cast Defile
importkeybindings 2

#show Dark Touch
suppressmacrofailures
cast Dark Touch
importkeybindings 1

Then put those two macros on Action Bar 3 button 1 and button 2. It's local so I've never seen any lag or anything from using the method. The big problem with the method is that if you get lost, you might think you're back to defile but you're not. Obviously not as big an issue with only 2 skills, but still, casting dark touch instead of defile isn't great. To solve that I used to have a macro with just importkeybindings 1 to just go back to the beginning, mostly the confusion only came at the beginning of fights where the last fight had ended on the wrong skill. I played around with it for archon ages ago, but dumped it cos it was taking up macro space for a sequence that only happened once every 5 minutes.

Honestly I don't know if this would make 38/28 more approachable or not, I haven't tried it. Might be a lot of work with no great benefit. Just a thought.

[Fridge-RaideR]

At the 36/30 spec, shouldnt you change stuff a bit because of the saclife dmg change?

with 36/30 you can turn on saclife dmg, use all ur spells, when its off, you turn on IC, do all your spells, 15sec later you do saclife again.
(with 36/30 there is NO charge management anymore)

Also with the notactive macro's you screw up your saclife damage, as they overwrite saclife damage.

[Maple]

I wonder what the best add-on for this spec would be? Don't like Karuul with it too much tbh.

And yes, this spec is A LOT tougher to play than the usual 36/30, but it's the best ST dps you can get, it shouldn't be that close in 1.8. I'm learning it right now and I do struggle with it a bit, but I suppose it's just a matter of practice. However, I can't imagine I could use this spec properly in an unfamiliar encounter.

PS. Keep up the good work!

[Primal]

Some people use Whimsey's Dot Timers or NKrebuff instead of Karuulalert.
I haven't tried them personally.

@Doobism
I'd never thought of doing that with the bars.