Tashiana and raid-wide DPS?

tracheaspider · 08-08-2007, 02:36 AM

So I recently joined a new guild and since I'm always in the OT group, I'm going to spec for more DPS. Gonna switch from agi/sta to agi/int, of course. And for coercer tree I've currently got Mana Ward and Coercive Healing.

Certain elements would like me to spec into Tashiana for the sake of the raid's DPS. Now, I've already got 3 into Breakdown and 4 into Marred Psyche with my leftover points, making for a total of 2543 to arcane when both are up and I try to get them up early and keep them up (and can do so on 2 mobs on longer fights).

What I really want to know is, does Tashiana really do that much for mental casters? While I don't think I'd miss Mana Ward too much, is Tashiana going to benefit me and the raid enough to warrant dropping half of the points stuck in manas? (Not giving up Coercion since that would kind of defeat the purpose of going DPS.)

Revel · 08-08-2007, 03:06 AM

Well, the troubadour, yourself and the illusionist are the only classes that use significant mental-damage based spells. The only other class that has a mental-based attack is an inquisitor which gets a mental dot with debuff attached. So, you're not helping many classes with it.

The bigger problem is that tashiana still unfortunately doesn't last long enough for a significant increase in dps at 13 seconds, unless you can time it so that it lands for every Spell Scourge. It expires before the full duration of both of our dots. Also, in my personal testing, the increases weren't as large as expected, since I think I ended up at a point of diminishing returns raid-wide (we did have 2 brigands). You get better long-term results by spending time to use a Int Hex Doll, in my opinion, since this reduces all magic damage types.

You have more mental debuffage than you first calculated. With the int line, you gain Nullifying Staff, a melee-ranged attack that lowers 980 mental (at rank 6). A tier 7 hex doll adds an additional 784. So you would have 4307 already, not including other classes' debuffs (usually around 3000, not including dispatch).

So, my opinion is to keep mana and coercion lines, since having points in transfer potential and gorging thoughts helps you maintain your power pool when you're low.

Senelin · 08-08-2007, 05:15 PM

Your biggest source of DPS is going to invariably be your ability to remain below 30% power, so Revel is totally correct there. You're not doing your raid any favors with Tashiana.

Now, I see a lot of people saying that they spec for Coercive for DPS, but the only part in coercive that really makes any difference for me is the spell scourge. I actually only spec enough into it to get my +2 trigger, then I dump the rest of my points toward Thoughtsnap. You won't need the final, but I like having Sonic boom on a lower timer. If you're not specc'ing for the final you could also put extra points into Breakdown, which might show a marginal increase in DPS.

tracheaspider · 08-09-2007, 09:00 PM

Thanks for the replies, you two. And good point about Coercion. I have seen a few mobs (though only Vilucidae comes immediately to mind) who can go through 5 charges of Auspex, though it's a really good way to pull aggro and sometimes kill an entire raid. Think I'll keep what I got for Coercer tree for a few days to get a baseline and then play around w/ moving some points.

Don't suppose there's anyone who's going to argue in favor of Tashiana, even just to play devil's advocate?

Arani · 08-10-2007, 09:40 AM

I was tashiana specd when we had 5 chanters showing up for raids... I couldn't handle the dps loss it made me uncomfortable and woozy I specd out after a week, never looked back.

I thought it would be good to help tanks taunts land.. poor math. dps > slight chance taunt landing better.

Senelin · 08-10-2007, 06:14 PM

...snip

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arani

....I couldn't handle the dps loss it made me uncomfortable and woozy....

...snip

This quote is awesome.

Illuminator · 08-10-2007, 06:16 PM

Personal DPS wasn't the primary concern for my 70 coercer. I had spec'd Tashiana and Coercive Healing and would do so again.

Pinski · 08-10-2007, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illuminator

Personal DPS wasn't the primary concern for my 70 coercer. I had spec'd Tashiana and Coercive Healing and would do so again.

Good thing Tash is completely useless. Considering Psyche+Breakdown=~3k, combined with a troubador and a brigand, and you're chilling at -6k constant. Making Tash a huge pile of trash.

Manyak · 08-10-2007, 08:56 PM

Dont forget nullifying staff!!!!!

Illuminator · 08-12-2007, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinski

Good thing Tash is completely useless. Considering Psyche+Breakdown=~3k, combined with a troubador and a brigand, and you're chilling at -6k constant. Making Tash a huge pile of trash.

Get all of those on every single add right off the bat and you're golden!