Promise

Any of you raiding defiler's tried going a AA spec that's pet-less? Been thinking about giving it a try to see how well it'd work.

razieh

While most people hate the pet I doubt there is a raid build better than with one containing STR line.

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J'avance plus vite que la musique!

Twisted

Its annoying... but other than skilling STA for fastcures and a debuff that's useless without STR, there's no real alternative.
AE immunity proc from the pet is just too useful, tough.. especially with dirge+templar proc enhancing buffs.

Korvac

I've done away with my bitch. I use agi and wis lines now and it works very well. I maxed out the heal crit and ritual parts of these lines respectivley. The range on the STR line buffs really limit it's effectiveness on certain encounters like Wuoshi. But if you plan on using the dog for dps or debuffs at all during raids you will need the STR line, no way around it.

Haciv

I did the AGI / STA line and it's very liberating to not have your entire AA setup depend on a triple arrown down dog. STR line is nice but a dogless AA can be very effective and worry free. Oh... the fast cures kickass too.

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Permafrost.Vicah & The Army of Darkness

razieh

So you put 8 points in to everything except one ability down the agi line and wis+ritual?
Fast cures are not the best part of the line coagulation is kind of a waste as well, the part of that line thats best is the AoE increase which you cant use effectively with out str line...... With that being said I really don't understand how you can have a effective build and use of your points with out going down str line.

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J'avance plus vite que la musique!

Korvac

I did 8 8 6 0 2 in the wis line and took alacrity. I use it as an extra jesters for someone in my group, or as a little extra kick for one of our dps peeps. The ritual gives me enough power regen that I don't have to worry about regen when lookin at gear(also have cannabalize on my defiler tree). The Agi line I put 8 in the crit heals other points can't remember exactly just shit for soloing.

I honestly think the dog is overrated, it can be a help at times yes but it's minimal and random at best. The haste buff and wards it gives from the str line are often useless due to the short range on both of them. The extra heal crits I get and the use of ritual to get a timely boost on my heals more than make up for the lack of the dog buffs. The only thing that mutt is useful for is the debuffs, which I admit can be effective. But we run with 2 defilers in the raid and our other has the str line set-up.

I haven't been in this setup for more than a month so far but as of yet I belive that not only have I lost very little, but I may be even more effective as a healer. Again, my AA's are always subject to change and I tinker with them alot so I'm not sayin this is the best way to go, just another way for those who hate draggin that thing around with them everywhere, and still be quite effective in high end raiding.

EDIT-Before you say it, I know the 6 in aggression is useless in raids without the str line, it's simply there to fill some space for alacrity and for soloing/instances. This set up is so I don't have to cast that dog at all in raids.

Promise

Couple of quick questions for you Korvac if you don't mind answering.

Do you or your guild use ACT (I assume you do) and if so what are your heal parses looking like? Also are you the MT defiler or OT defiler? How often is your raid make up include that 2nd defiler that is pet-speced and do you think you would stay pet-less even in a raid makeup where you was the only defiler? If you wouldn't mind pay a bit more attention during fights like Woushi, Mayong, PHH, C-Mayong and give me your honest opinion on if not having a dog for some of these fights weaken your class ability to be the best that you can be.


I'm honestly really wanting to loose this stupid dog, as a good portion of the time the pathetic speed-bump of a dog is dieing to repoiste's by EoF raid mobs so I loose all of the benefit's of having a dog anyways (until I can re-summon it). Thanks for your opinions, and all of you other defiler's that are posting as well. I believe regardless I'll be speccing "pet-less" soon enough to test it myself but it never hurts to find out from other's who has already tried it!

Haciv

Well, I never said the fast cures were the best part of the line nor did I say I took coagulate

I did 44881 AGI / 4748 STA. I didn't focus anything into infective bites because... well... I don't use the dog. I have crits, cures, and a little offense. It's what works for me.

Are my AA's the best possible out there? Hell no, there are awesome abilities with the dog. On the other hand, my AA setup does not rest in the hands of a weak dog. While other shamans are recalling / rebuffing their dog in combat, I'm keeping the people alive.

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Permafrost.Vicah & The Army of Darkness

Odox

I'm a MT defiler and i'll say i've never used that dam dog once. Just for the fact if it dies at the start or mid fight your screwed pretty much on all your dog aa's. You can't recast during mid fight well not in MT group. I've always used my agil line and sta. 8 into cures 8 into heal crit and 1 into coagulate just for the fact that every little hp makes a difference on your MT. Plus being on a pvp server having shield stun and a root work great. Nothing like having insta cure or your single/group ward criting.

As for heal parses I top out at #1 usually never below 3 unless i'm slackin.

But hey play your defiler the way it suits you is the best way to play.