If I were redesigning Shadow’s AOE spells, I’d do the following (just brainstorming, could use feedback):
- Remove Mind Sear
- Remove Searing Nightmare
- Buff Vampiric Touch & Shadow Word: Pain
- Void Eruption is instant cast, has no cooldown, and costs 50 Insanity
- Shadow Crash remains a talent
- Psychic Link: Mind Blasts hits 4 additional targets afflicted by Vampiric Touch within 40 yards (for 100% of damage, up from 50%)
Mind Sear, even with Searing Nightmare, just feels dull to me. Somehow Mind Flay feels better. Possibly because our AOE damage is so distributed between DOTs, talents, Eruption, and Sear that Mind Sear itself does almost nothing: it doesn’t feel impactful. Compare to Eye Beam, or Bladestorm, or etc - where large portions of the specs AOE damage are invested into a single high intensity spell: those feel very impactful, Mind Sear is the opposite.
Shadow should be about multidotting for most AOE situations. Psychic Link with good DOT management should be amazing for council fights and most Mythic+ packs.
When there are giant trash pulls, spamming Void Eruption and Shadow Crash would look and feel great.