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Essentially this a dps class guide to make you pew pew harder and longer.
but most importantly the math behind it and why item a is > than item b.
Anyways to begin the breakdown we must first define several important game mechanics that influence dps, Mainly the "two roll system", "spell damage?", "Spell haste and YOU!" and "How crit affects dps".
and now to begin:
-------------The Two Roll System---------
Basically the underlying concept behind the two roll system is thus: WoW calculates your chance to hit and determines whether or not your attack will
be resisted first. Thus this brings up the fundamental concept for Caster dps: +hit rating is THE most important stat up until you reach the hit-cap then it becomes an utterly useless stat. Now as far as hit goes the calculations are as follows: All bosses are considered to be level 73 elite mobs and consequently you have an 83%(with no hit rating) to successfully land a spell.
Since it is impossible to surpass a 99% chance to hit, you need 202 hit rating (assuming no talents) to achieve the hit cap. Talents subtract linearly from the hit percent (i.e elemental mastery reduces my necessary hit to 13%). Thus in itemizing your gear +hit rating will and should take precedence in your choice. As far as the math goes 1hit rating = 1.6spell damage.
--------------Spell damage and you!------
Now as far as spell damage is concerned we must discuss this in relevance to how it ultimately affects dps. We will assume no +bonus damage from stats talents for the moment or other spec related coefficients. Now spell have certain coefficients for +dmg effects: that is to say that shorter casting times reduce proportionally less amounts of bonus damage effects. A short table lists the relative values (note that all spell coefficients are calculated from BASE casting times):
(3.5 second casting time): 1.00
(3 second casting time): 0.857
(2.5 second casting time): 0.714
(2.0 second casting time: 0.571
(1.5 second casting time): 0.429
(instant casting time): 0.429
Further modifiers:
AOE spell receive and additional .333 coefficient (multiplied with the original)
on their damage
Spells that have a snare/slowing component (ie: frost bolt) have an additional .95 component
Note that: Talents with +% Damage (ie: Arcane Power) is multiplied after +Damage, so the effect will naturally scale with gear.
From this data we can infer useful insight on dps increases. First of all, longer cast times are preferred over shorter ones, that is to say that 1fireball is better than 2 scorches, further more this reveals the flaw with a fire destruction warlock: incinerates base cast time of 2.5 seconds gives it only 71.4% of bonus damage while shadow bolts base cast time of 3 seconds gives it 85.7% of bonus damage effects. Couple this with the fact that talents make shadow bolt a 2.5 second cast and you soon see that incinerate scales poorly with spell damage gear in comparison to shadow bolt.
Overall it can be said that spell damage dps increase can be modeled as: (spell coefficient * +damage effects) / (spell cast length)
for examples my fireball is a 3 second cast after talents (3.5 second base) and thus receives a bonus damage coefficient of 1. Thus for one point of dps increases i need:
(1*X)/3=1 so 3 spell damage yields 1 dps. (baring my other talents).
--------------------Spell Haste--------------
Now for the new golden stat that is being brought ot more of a forefront with patch 2.3: spell haste. Spell haste is the second best way to increase your dps, second only to hit rating. It further more scales perfectly with gear that is to say that 1% spell haste will yield a 1% dps increase at all times no matter what other gear you use. From the we can see that this indeed is a very powerful stat that becomes more powerful as you stack more of it. Remember that since +dmg effects are calculated using base cast times spell haste does not nerf your +dmg bonus keeping this stat far more competitive that it would be other wise. As for the numbers there is little to say:
15.6 rating = 1% spell haste = 1% dps increases
and 1 spell haste rating = 1.1 spell damage
note that while spell haste effects cast times and channeled spell it does NOT affect DOT lengths or the GCD(global cool down) thus spell haste is a poor stat choice for affliction locks or anyone who relies heavily on 15./instant cast spells. Baring those classes it is amazing for everyone else, healers included.
---------------Crit----------------
Not much to be said about crit other than it is the worst point-pre-point way to increase your dps regardless of class. This may come shocking to some but it takes nearly 3.8 crit rating to be worth 1 spell damage and even more for spell haste and hit. Thus this stat should be taken on a convenience basis. as for the numbers go
22.1 crit rating = 1% crit
80int = 1%crit
Note that standard crits (no talents) deal 150% damage of a normal spell.
For warlocks with ruin and frost mages with ice shards they deal 200% base
For fire mages with ignite factored in they deal 240% base damage
-----------Itemization-------------
Now that we have investigated individual aspects of stats we can compose a list of some of the best items in game and a general guide to stat prioritization
assuming you are NOT hit capped:
Spell Hit> Spell haste = Spell Damage > Spell Crit
At the hit cap however:
Spell haste = Spell Damage > Spell Crit > Spell Hit
As for itemization in trinkets go:
<<<<too>>>>
Essentially this a dps class guide to make you pew pew harder and longer.
but most importantly the math behind it and why item a is > than item b.
Anyways to begin the breakdown we must first define several important game mechanics that influence dps, Mainly the "two roll system", "spell damage?", "Spell haste and YOU!" and "How crit affects dps".
and now to begin:
-------------The Two Roll System---------
Basically the underlying concept behind the two roll system is thus: WoW calculates your chance to hit and determines whether or not your attack will
be resisted first. Thus this brings up the fundamental concept for Caster dps: +hit rating is THE most important stat up until you reach the hit-cap then it becomes an utterly useless stat. Now as far as hit goes the calculations are as follows: All bosses are considered to be level 73 elite mobs and consequently you have an 83%(with no hit rating) to successfully land a spell.
Since it is impossible to surpass a 99% chance to hit, you need 202 hit rating (assuming no talents) to achieve the hit cap. Talents subtract linearly from the hit percent (i.e elemental mastery reduces my necessary hit to 13%). Thus in itemizing your gear +hit rating will and should take precedence in your choice. As far as the math goes 1hit rating = 1.6spell damage.
--------------Spell damage and you!------
Now as far as spell damage is concerned we must discuss this in relevance to how it ultimately affects dps. We will assume no +bonus damage from stats talents for the moment or other spec related coefficients. Now spell have certain coefficients for +dmg effects: that is to say that shorter casting times reduce proportionally less amounts of bonus damage effects. A short table lists the relative values (note that all spell coefficients are calculated from BASE casting times):
(3.5 second casting time): 1.00
(3 second casting time): 0.857
(2.5 second casting time): 0.714
(2.0 second casting time: 0.571
(1.5 second casting time): 0.429
(instant casting time): 0.429
Further modifiers:
AOE spell receive and additional .333 coefficient (multiplied with the original)
on their damage
Spells that have a snare/slowing component (ie: frost bolt) have an additional .95 component
Note that: Talents with +% Damage (ie: Arcane Power) is multiplied after +Damage, so the effect will naturally scale with gear.
From this data we can infer useful insight on dps increases. First of all, longer cast times are preferred over shorter ones, that is to say that 1fireball is better than 2 scorches, further more this reveals the flaw with a fire destruction warlock: incinerates base cast time of 2.5 seconds gives it only 71.4% of bonus damage while shadow bolts base cast time of 3 seconds gives it 85.7% of bonus damage effects. Couple this with the fact that talents make shadow bolt a 2.5 second cast and you soon see that incinerate scales poorly with spell damage gear in comparison to shadow bolt.
Overall it can be said that spell damage dps increase can be modeled as: (spell coefficient * +damage effects) / (spell cast length)
for examples my fireball is a 3 second cast after talents (3.5 second base) and thus receives a bonus damage coefficient of 1. Thus for one point of dps increases i need:
(1*X)/3=1 so 3 spell damage yields 1 dps. (baring my other talents).
--------------------Spell Haste--------------
Now for the new golden stat that is being brought ot more of a forefront with patch 2.3: spell haste. Spell haste is the second best way to increase your dps, second only to hit rating. It further more scales perfectly with gear that is to say that 1% spell haste will yield a 1% dps increase at all times no matter what other gear you use. From the we can see that this indeed is a very powerful stat that becomes more powerful as you stack more of it. Remember that since +dmg effects are calculated using base cast times spell haste does not nerf your +dmg bonus keeping this stat far more competitive that it would be other wise. As for the numbers there is little to say:
15.6 rating = 1% spell haste = 1% dps increases
and 1 spell haste rating = 1.1 spell damage
note that while spell haste effects cast times and channeled spell it does NOT affect DOT lengths or the GCD(global cool down) thus spell haste is a poor stat choice for affliction locks or anyone who relies heavily on 15./instant cast spells. Baring those classes it is amazing for everyone else, healers included.
---------------Crit----------------
Not much to be said about crit other than it is the worst point-pre-point way to increase your dps regardless of class. This may come shocking to some but it takes nearly 3.8 crit rating to be worth 1 spell damage and even more for spell haste and hit. Thus this stat should be taken on a convenience basis. as for the numbers go
22.1 crit rating = 1% crit
80int = 1%crit
Note that standard crits (no talents) deal 150% damage of a normal spell.
For warlocks with ruin and frost mages with ice shards they deal 200% base
For fire mages with ignite factored in they deal 240% base damage
-----------Itemization-------------
Now that we have investigated individual aspects of stats we can compose a list of some of the best items in game and a general guide to stat prioritization
assuming you are NOT hit capped:
Spell Hit> Spell haste = Spell Damage > Spell Crit
At the hit cap however:
Spell haste = Spell Damage > Spell Crit > Spell Hit
As for itemization in trinkets go:
<<<<too>>>>
