Maybe others have never used this talent before either. It used to be that you could either choose it or another talent–Sins, maybe?! And Sins was simply better.
That said, some of your Disc gurus are now recommending Shadow Covenant–Jak one of them. Hence, maybe I am not alone in choosing it but without a clue about it or any prior experience using it.
Hence, the question is, how do you get the most of out of this ability? For example, should you cast Radiance before or after it. Should you use it after the group takes damage, or before? Should you cast it on the tank at all times? Should you have your Schism and two charges of Mind Blast up and hit them right after casting it? Should you have it appear on frames–as by adding it to Grid2? How does it work in relation to atonement? In a nutshell, what are the finer points and intricacies you should know and do so that you can use it well and maximize what you get out of it?
Any guidance about this talent would be of great value. Thanks in advance.
Yeah, I noticed that. Hence, I used it a number of weeks ago and wondered why anyone would take it. Is it because of the damage? Is it because you have to take it to allow you to talent for a shorter CD for your pet?
Really?
If this is the case, it is worth using at all? I mean if it is truly a weak heal and it costs a lot of mana, then why use it at all?
Just think of it as a mini cooldown that you CAN have 50% uptime on (15s buffed, 30s cooldown). You use it when you want to do a lot of AoE healing, or some burst damage.
Generally if you’re AoE healing you’re going to Radiance → Scov → HD Dark Penance or Radiance → Scov → 2x Mind Blast.
But if there’s not going to be any major damage coming out in the pull, or you don’t need to hold it for anything you can use it to buff up your ST burst, or use it to buff up Inescapable Torment if you took that.
Just note that it is pretty expensive on mana so using it off cooldown will start to drain your bar even if you’ve got void summoner and solace.
Yeah, I noticed that. Hence, I used it a number of weeks ago and wondered why anyone would take it. Is it because of the damage? Is it because you have to take it to allow you to talent for a shorter CD for your pet?
(Edit: I see now that it boosts healing via atonement and also boosts your damage output. Hence, it does seem quite good.)
Really? (Edit: For sure!)
If this is the case, it is worth using at all? I mean if it is truly a weak heal and it costs a lot of mana, then why use it at all?
Also, please forgive me for all of the questions. They are just in an effort to sort this all out.
Edit: I think I’m getting it. Best is to Radiance, then hit Shadow Covenant. Then go Schism, 2x Mind Blast, then Penance (or Dark Reprimand now that it’s Shadow), then Divine Star, etc. And doing so will boost your healing via atonement because your damage doing shadow spells is increased.
Yup. It increases your shadow spell atonement healing quite a bit (and all the talents supporting it like expiation, inescapable torment, etc). You don’t rely on the healing from shadow covenant itself really, you’re using it to boost your followup spells.
It doesn’t HAVE to be radiance. You can use it for a lot of single target healing, too. Especially if you take Vampiric embrace (I macro Scov and Vamp embrace together). But even without vamp embrace, it’s just a way to get strong healing. IE: You know Hyrja’s storm is coming - you can save a shadow covenant for that.
Vampiric Embrace is a weird spell. You cannot target anyone with it. The buff actually goes on you. I wish I clearly understood it to be honest. Is it a smart heal?
Not a smart heal, just targets damaged Allies. But does a lot of hps, I have it macro’d with Shadow Covenant, already so many buttons to remember, lol. But, I can hit SC and go into big damage burst and not even worry about atonements for its duration. Pretty effective really.
Its been recommended for quite a while bro. Ive been using it since the start. Its just become easier to use is all and more powerful.
I use radiance before. the whole point is to burst heal up. if you have no atonements out then shadow cov, Dark disc doesnt really work effectively.
obviously after since its a group wide heal and you can macro VE into it
I just cast it. You should be close enough to the tank and everyone
You cant always guarantee that. Shadow cov is a good oh my god burst heal as well as a predetermined heal. .
why?
You use it to burst heal. Self explanatory. I like working in a solace to boost HD pen with TE but you use what you have time for. Halo v DS is personal preference. Halo is awesome to use as a heal with shadow cov if your needing the heal, ie Noku lightening boss, but if your looking for pure damage then DS. I tried both and like halo more. Because i can use it as a heal if needed.
TBH its gotten to the point i barely rapture anymore. There is prob keys where its not even needed to be taken
You dont like to know how long a buff is up? You may already be looking at frames so it saves you eyeballing around if you have a weakaura also (I made one). The thing about knowing how a long a buff is up is it helps you to think in terms of what you want to cast. If the buff is up the last thing you want to cast is smite–seeing as Smite is holy, for example. And when it is not up, you may want to save up your Shadow spells for when you are going to cast your next Shadow Covenant.
Can it hurt to be aware of exactly when the buff drops? Maybe not for some, but in summary, it helps you with knowing and learning how best to use the buff. No?
Anyhow, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. They are all helpful!
It cant hurt but i still say why. The point is to use it to burst heal. you hit it, use your shadow spells, once people are healed up are you caring how many seconds you have after that?
The main point of it, and ive carefully said it… is to burst HEAL. not damage. Its purpose in my view is to heal. Sure you can use it on CD to damage if you think you wont need it but even then you will feel what and how many spells you can get off in the duration
smacks of arrogance for someone who hasnt been playing it. I didint swap to holy. I pugged disc since the start of season 1.
Yeah, I guess. But you dont care about your damage too? Is the content you’re doing not timed?
Lol! Hence, the questions. I didnt mean to sound arrogant. But to not care much about your damage in timed content seems a stretch. You do care, I’m sure.
That said, if you dont like to track buffs like I do, that is your business. If you dont think you need it to up your game, all the more power to you.
No i don’t. i do my 25k dps. I would like some dps trinkets to hit 30k but its not a driving force The current keys wont live or die on my dps. This isnt SL. The key is about our ability to heal
Mate i timed a 17 halls today so drunk i could barely function. Thats how little i care about these things
But if you look at the tier lists… the comment is about ability to heal. And the 5 heales outside the top 2 lacked that abiulity. hence the buffs to shammies, MW and disc
Good if you dont care one iota about the damage you do. And if you dont care about how long a buff will boost your damage either.
Sure, you are a healer. Healer damage in keys does not matter one iota to you. Or it does, but maximizing it in every way possible is not your concern. Only healing is.
Its about what the purpose is. Scov for me is about healing. Not dps. As i said this isnt SL
Dony get me wrong., i like to dps hence questions today about what dps pots people use. But in this season im more interested in healing since pugs dont interrupt and their dps can be very hit and miss
(i.e. mind blast, SWD, etc) with atonement up and the +20% healing talent from shadow spells.