If you haven’t tried single target Flameshaper yet, try it. I’m getting 8 mill plus crits with Envelope alone on a training dummy and 11mill plus in raids. Open with Living Flame for the three stack talent DoT, pop Dragonrage and Tip the Scales, fire a Shattering Star and Fire Breath with Tip, then let rip with 2 Envelope.
Try it! It’s weak in AoE, but melts in ST.
Im not a huge fan of the cooldown desync of firebreath that’s now baked into it. I like it when my empowers line up.
Also its only a little bit better in raw single target than scalecommander. Drops off like a hot brick when a second target is introduced, and most encounters are cleave.
Did you see the AoE build from Lizzimcguire? The amount of AoE burst it does is absolutely rediculous.
Here is a sample of it in action
Weak in AoE? HUHHH
I use the single target build, not taking AoE talents since I use it to raid. I suppose it can be great in AoE, but you have to lose out on ST and Scalecomander is a much more balanced choice for doing both.
Sorry, I can’t stop giggling at “Envelope.” I’m just imagining 8 million letters bursting out and flying all over the place after an envelope hits the training dummy. 
Yes, spicy ST; I think I might try it in delves at least.
Usually end up getting 10~20mil damage per engulf cast when counting in the Consume Flame damage, on single target.
Flameshaper has TONS of burst damage with usually popping out 60~80mil damage just in the Living Flame> Dragonrage > SS > TTS FB >Engulf(x2) opener and manages to be competitive in a lot of scenarios as far as PvE is concerned and since there are a lot of good builds for it like Firestorm+Snapfire for ST, the full left-side build for massive AoE pulls, the four-capstone build that works in a few different ways (either full ST, Eternity Span, or Volatility)… It’s a bit more flexible when deep breath may end up being a liability.
It’s probably doing it wrong, but I always hold Dragonrage until whatever my mastery percentage is chipped off the boss as getting full mastery (most of the effect of Dragonrage) doesn’t do anything if you’re already getting your full mastery because the boss is at full HP!
That said, Flameshaper’s SO good for those big-number-good endorphin jolts! I’m glad they’re getting brought up to be competitive with Scale Commander (or at least closer-to).
I think the idea of using dragonrage on pull is mainly so you can cast it as many times as possible during a long fight.
Main reasons:
Uptime, you can delay a late Dragonrage without losing a full cast but if you delay an early one, you might depending on the fight timing. If the fight ends at a number like 2:30, 4:30, 6:30, etc, holding it means losing a dragonrage at the best possible moment (entirety in the execute range).
Alignment, lots of things work on 2 minute timers (Like Rik, if you lust on CD you’d effectively have it every time the intermission ends).
Big Buffing, if it’s a lust on pull it’s a no-brainer to Dragonrage, especially with potions.
Essence burst. It’s free damage.
Bonus points to the 4pc more or less guaranteeing that every dragonrage will be bringing a 40% buffed fire breath, and with tip and engulf, it’s kind of a big deal.
i just cant stand the playstyle, I didnt want to play a warlock
I actually found it refreshing to have another spell in my rotation, especially since that extra spell makes such lovely numbers.
Flameshaper is quite nice to play, but single target feels like doodoo when specced into Firestorm and Feed the Flames. The AoE is amazing though. The overall numbers is very competative with meta specs which makes me quite happy.
I do miss the constant mobility from scalecommander.
There’s another build that doesn’t use FTF and the node above it ID, and instead takes Azure Celerity and Scintillation. ST feels great with these instead.
If you’re mainly pugging then taking those 2 over FTF and ID is better, can’t rely on the random routes each pug tank seems to use to always pull massive.
In my experiance you dont need routes for the FTF build as long as the tank is pulling about 3+ mobs per pull. I find this build does extremely well in terms of overall numbers and makes up for the slight lack of single target. Its a build that Lizziemcquire came up with. They have a video on how to perform optimally in all scenaros utilizing this build.
Using all that information is netting some very competative numbers. For example, my personal record in Priory 13 at ilvl 668 is 4.98m overall dps, while averaging about 1.7m to 2m dps on single target boss fights.
The AoE is absolutely rediculous sometimes when you get constant snapfire procs. You’re about guarenteed to pull aggro off a tank bursting at 25 to 30mil dps (with lust and all cooldowns).
Play Style of Flame is refreshing (Opener/Aoe) compared to the Mindlessness of Scaley.
Downside…I have to worry about threat again.
Edit: Also I feel like you should enjoy it while it lasts…Blizz tends to Nerf Fun things.
I do miss the extra mobility and defensiveness of scalecommander, but flameshaper has been quite refreshing.
On a plus note, if flameshaper were to get nerfed (hopefully not!) we have a fallback option.
I did decide to give it another crack with scalecommander being bland in single target, and i did get over my dislike of the empower cooldown desync.
It’s refreshing to play dev a little bit differently, with a little more complexity. I do wish that engulf had a visual that was both actually visible and also unique. Because it’s current spell effect is just the explosion from a pyre iirc.
Thought i would miss the extra mobility from scalecommander but it turns out i only needed those extra hovers because i was using deep breath every ~40 seconds.
It’s also really nice to see myself on the dps chart again without bombardment damage being siphoned away from me.
I was just comin in to ask what happened to the 10-15 mil single target crits I was getting 2 days ago, they seem to have evaporated
Let me amend this after experimentation… They F-n Nerfed Engulf!!! I was getting 12-17 mil crits on the main target for about a week to week and half since I change from Scale. They are GONE, same rotation setting up the big Engulfs, max now I’m getting 4-6 TOPS!!! They did something with these past 2 updates, the raid last night, the m+9 Meadery, the target dummy ALL of them not Once breakin 10 let alone hitting harder. I Am Livid