Capping Out at +8. What to do?

I got some really good advice on starting Mythic+ in another thread. It’s been going well over the past few weeks. I’ve been pugging everything, but other than one run, everyone has been cool.

What I’m struggling with is what seems like a ceiling I’m hitting. I keep tackling +8s. Doesn’t seem to matter the instance, but I’m not timing them (whether my own or someone else’s).

Generally, I don’t die too fast - I tend to be the last DPS standing. My DPS is between 1.5mil/s to 2.5mil/s for most bosses (research seems to show that that is fine - is it?). 660 ilvl (and best-in-class stuff). So, I’m not really sure where to go next.

Any tips? Last time was very helpful.

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You gotta git gud

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Sometimes you just get into a slew of bad groups. It happens when you PUG. Seems like you’re doing fine, just keep pushing.

If you’re maintaining good DPS and not failing mechanics, there’s not much more you can do on your end.

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If the groups are wiping on bosses often enough to make this statement then its not really a personal dps issue. Just keep trying and getting better, there’s not much you can do about other dps dying on bosses.

If you feel your dps is bad, spend some time practicing on dummies and focus on AoE as well (since you only mentioned your boss damage, AoE is important in keys)

For timing keys your overall damage outside of boss fights will matter more than your boss damage. Focus on increasing your AOE damage

Work by listing your own key in group finder and inviting the most qualified applicants and aim for a comp that makes sense (a good balance of AOE and priority damage, a battle rez, and a lust as least)

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Without more details on how/why the keys aren’t timing it’s hard to tell.

Just keep focusing on self improvement, which can be dps, mechanic awareness, pre-planning offensive and defensive cooldowns based on pulls or boss phases, etc.

Really learning all of the trash and boss mechanics goes a long way.

Sometimes keys fail and there is nothing you can do, so the only thing left is try to learn and improve for next time

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Healing potions can be huge. Don’t need to splurge for the rank 3. Cheap rank 2s can be fine. I mention these specifically because you said you don’t die too fast. Slow deaths, which give you reaction time, are ideal for healing pot/lock cookie usage.

Otherwise, I would need more information about why you feel your keys aren’t being timed. Not looking to point fingers, etc.

Are you personally dying more than a handful per run? How about compared to everyone else?

Does it feel like dangerous npc casts are getting off? When I pug, I am less concerned about getting every cast my interrupt is up, and more focused on holding for dangerous casts. When I am with friends/guildies I trust more often someone will get the dangerous casts of my int is on CD.

How is over all damage? Not just boss. Your boss damage feels fine.

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Do a +9.

Problem solved.

I mean, obviously. But…besides that…

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I mean everyone else gave examples but git gud is what it all boils down too haha.

Basically keep grinding and git gud

Skill issue- of your group mates. Nothing much more you can do personally if you’re on your note as you claim.

Just keep plugging and pugging away, and ironing out your own personal skill cap, until you find a group that’s actually capable of the key level you’re attempting.

And there are M+ communities you can look to to try and mitigate the baddie RNG. WME, Casual Friday, and DnD are common mentions. I’d recommend you hit em up.

Honestly it sounds like bad luck- just keep trying.

When I first started doing Rated BGs, my luck was terrible- somewhere around a 30% winrate, lol.

I thought it was me- but then I’m like, I’ve PvPed for years, and in other expansions/seasons and it was never an issue…

So, I just kept powering through, and my winrate is near 50% now.

My score keeps going up, like there’s some bad luck protection- a win can net me 12-15 pts while a loss only seems to lose me like 6-8 pts.

Just need to form better groups with better players. Nothing you can do as a lock is going to carry the tank, heals, and 2 other dps. You can definitely work on your own rotations especially for big aoe pulls and throwing out your aoe stun and interrupts where appropriate. But if running your own key, be pickier and wait. And like said above, grab a hero, another bres, and some buffs. If you’re in a dungeon with sharpshooters/stone throwers, a dk grip comes in handy. You’ll figure out different group comp synergies.

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Appreciate that. Yeah, my AoE tends to be okay. Unless a paladin is in the group. Can’t out AoE them. But, just got out of a M+ and I was pushing around 3.5MM to 4MM for any particular pull.

2.5m is great on bosses, can I ask your AOE damage? AOE damage is more important to timing M+ than boss damage, because most of the time is spent fighting 6+ targets, besides workshop.

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I just got out of a M+ and I was seeing ~3.5m to ~4m.

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Is this sustained (at the end of the pull) or at the start/middle of the pull? And how many targets?

Does this mean everyone is constantly dying in your runs?

What spec are you running?

You should check your overall at the end of the run. Of course this will vary by the dungeon or how the tank is pulling, but generally if you are getting 2 mil dps overall/average for the run, you are doing fine for that 8 to 10 range.