I think I´m missing something

Classes Priest
1

I hit 60 yesterday with this characacter and I´m having a blast… However, after reading some posts on here, I´m kinda confused.

So far, I have been playing with a build focused on Apparitions and DoT (Coalescing Shadows), excluding Mind Spike althogether. I´m having fun, but I don´t know if my damage is actually good (low geared, no point on comparing dps at this point).

My rotation is:
Shadow Crash / Vampiric Touch (with Misery talent), Mindgames, Mind blast x2, Halo, and Mind Flay as filler, using SW Death on proc. Also got Dark Ascension instead of Void Form.

I tried a mind spike build, but didnt like it. I was using it on proc before Mind blast. But MS by itself does bad damage, and dint see the point.

I´m really liking SP, and was expecting to pick it as my main for DF (I have tried most classes so far, only Rogue, DH and Warlock to go), but with so many posts bashing the spec, idk if is a good idea now.

2

It’s all perspective in comparison to expectations. The spec is growing on me, but I still wish they went in a minor different direction.

I came back week before Prepatch, “fully” geared S3, 272ilvl, but 0 gear from S4. Past 2 weeks been grinding M+ hard, from a +2 to a +20.

At first I didn’t like it, but then I got addicted to wanting to be good at it. Once I accepted “It is what it is” I’m doing what I consider good damage for 288ilvl keeping up with 300ilvl toons with 25K - 30K overall in +15 - +20. Inspired some people to try SP, even had one SP say “You give me hope”.

Despite good damage, there’s still a lot to be desired.

  1. Coalescing Shadows is such a passive damage buff, tracking it pointless in M+. Probably makes sense to track in PVP for “big” hitter MBs. I just do M+.
  2. Dark Ascension just doesn’t do enough for M+. The VB & extended duration for VF allows for more Shadow Apparitions, and Mind Sear Mind Devourer procs plus normal Mind Sear Drain can extend VF from 20 seconds to 30 seconds+. I know this because I use Stun Grenade with PI/VF, then have the On Use FireStaff INT buff at 20 seconds, and have VF last until the INT buff wears off.
  3. Mind Sear as a spender is just OK. It solves the Searing Nightmare concern that most people had but it 100% does feel weird to spend on it.

My In Scope to make SP betten suggestions

  1. Give Shadow Crash +1 charge, lower cooldown by 10 seconds, increase target cap to 15.
  2. Buff Dark Ascension by increasing damage modifier. Animation-wise: More prominent like Dark Holy Avenger from Paladin.
  3. Coalescing Shadows needs more Animation indicators - It’s essentially Shadow Orbs.
  4. Buff Psychic Link. 15% shared damage is like 2-3% overall contribution to damage. Buff to 40%-50% to make MB builds and talents functional in M+.

My Out of Scope things I’d like to see

  1. Rework Mind Sear. Make it a Filler again.
  2. Rework Dark Void. Make it the AOE Spender. Some options I have for Design:
    • Have it be a Black Hole, like placement Frost Orb. Inspired by PVP Mage Talent.
    • Have it be a Dark Void (area), like a Fire Mage’s Flame Strike + Flame Patch
    • Have it be a Dark Gravity Area, like a Boomie’s Starfall.
  3. Rework Dark Ascension.
    • DA now Empowers Spells like Metamorphosis/Evoker.
      - Mind Blast becomes Mind Bomb. Hits 5 targets around main target.
      - Mind Spike becomes Mind Lance. Think a straight line mini Shadow Crash.
      - Mind Flay becomes Mind Beam. No longer a dot, casted straight beam.
      - Dark Ascension becomes Dark Ascending Blast. Hold and Release. Think Dark Hyper Beam. Similar to how VF turns into VB.
2 Likes
3

Mind spike is more dps than flay per gcd because of things like mind melt and the cdr on mindgames. Also because the points in the middle of the tree are ridiculously weak and there’s nothing else to take for single target.

1 Like
4

Oh God.
I tried a build with Spike, Torrent and Void Form. Now I understand the bloat complaint. I feel like playing piano.

5

The optimal build for prepatch ST runs spike, dark ascension, mindgames, halo, mindbender, and shadow crash, as well as Mind Flay: Insanity (Yes you cast flay and spike on ST), Surge of Darkness, Shadowy Insight, and Mind Melt.

The optimal build for DF will run all of that, as well as Void Torrent.

And in AoE yes you run voidform so that adds void bolt too.