Paladin Efficiency Charts

Mezelline · 03-23-2008, 03:43 PM

So I've been trolling around, trying to find a Paladin casting efficiency chart so I can figure out the best spell order, much like my Warlock. And I was kinda surprised to not find one, so I decided to write up one. Anyway, you get to benefit from a warlock-come-paladin

Paladin Casting Efficiency chart:
Basically this is the list of paladin spells sorted by the amount of dps they do, which is calculated by (max tooltip damage) / (casting time+recovery time). This chart assumes that DoTs last their full duration, you're only fighting one mob, and enough crits that the average damage of your spells = max tooltip damage. All numbers are from Ad3 figures, 680 str, 340 int, 100 spell/ca mod.

Basically this chart tells you whats the best ability to cast at any given time. It does not tell you which ability does the most overall damage, or help you get an absolute dps figure...its only good for comparing abilities in a relative sense.

6755 - Consecrate
2000 - Holy Strike
1973 - Lance (assumes non-horseback)
1219 - Break Will (assumes non-undead)
1123 - Doom Rays
1099 - Conviction
962 - Smite Evil
980 - Swift Attack(8pt)
727 - Refusal
683 - Cleave Faith
669 - Faith Strike
645 - Penitent Kick
583 - Castigate (assumes effect not removed)
531 - Legionaire's Smite(4pt)
511 - Judgement
495 - Circular Smite(m2)
471 - Heroic Dash
429 - Verdict
304 - Marr's Glorious Blade (Frog racial)
254 - Hammer Ground(4pt)

Paladin Recast efficiency chart:
The next chart is one that will give you a clue as to how big a % of dps your spells should be, given an infinite duration fight. This includes an analysis of recast timer, and helps you decide which spells are worthwhile upgrading first. For example: Faith Strike has a mediocre casting efficiency, but its quick recast means that you'll probably get more total damage out of it in longer fights that a higher cast efficiency, slow recast spell like Conviction.

123 - Consecrate
79 - Cleave Faith
74 - Faith Strike
71 - Penitent Kick
48 - Lance (assumes non-horrseback)
45 - Break Will (assumes non-undead)
40 - Conviction
37 - Holy Strike
36 - Swift Attack(8pt)
32 - Verdict
28 - Judgement
26 - Heroic Dash
19 - Legionaire's Smite(4pt)
18 - Circular Smite(m2)
18 - Smite Evil
14 - Refusal
10 - Doom Rays
5 - Castigate (assumes effect not removed)
5 - Hammer Ground(4pt)
3 - Marr's Glorious Blade (Frog racial)

Your actual dps is going to be a blend of the two charts, depending upon the duration of the fight. If its a quick 20second fight than your the optimal dps will probably match the first chart. If its a longer, 10 minute fight than the optimal dps will probably match the second chart.

If you want to find charts for AEs, simply multiply any given ability times the number of mobs in the encounter, if the ability can hit multiple targets. Otherwise leave it the same.

Another thing to note is that these efficiency charts don't include an analysis of autoattack damage. So if you time your abilities between autoattack swings, probably the longer casting abilities will drop in efficiency.

Tharinor · 03-24-2008, 10:03 AM

Circle of Conviction is missing from your list.

Which ones to cast/not cast and in what order is a little less simple than this list, IMO. For max DPS, you need to be aware of your weapon delay at various points in an encounter (when temp haste buffs are up), and you need to try to group your CAs/Spells to fit between them as best as possible. Also, it helps to know when certain debuffs from your raid/group are up like Dispatch so that you can maximize your benefit from these.

I doubt I'm the only one who tries to group them into specific "in-between swing" sets. For example, I might group Faith Strike, Cleave Faith, and Penitent Kick all between two autoattacks, and Refusal of Conviction between another pair of autoattacks (maybe paired with another quick cast/recovery).

If you group them right, you tend to end up with few that sit idle for very long if at all.

Tharinor · 03-24-2008, 10:09 AM

Something else to consider is mobility:

When on the move (such as jousting or positioning encounters, raid or group), be aware of what can be cast on the move. Verdict and Circular Smite are both abilities that you can time between bow shots to land as soon as you're within range. They are also good AEs to use when turning group encounters (whether you're OTing adds on a raid or just out grouping somewhere). They aren't necessarily the most efficient use of power but in situations where power consumption is not an issue (which should be just about never except maybe Venril) they are a good way to add an extra bit of DPS.

boli · 03-24-2008, 01:41 PM

Also resists have to be taken into account... Holy strike whilst highly efficicnt in terms of damage has a hit % which lowers the hit rate untill all debuffs are down. Whereas smite evil whilst less dps efficient is unresistable and generally gives much betetr dps rating than those mentioned here, (autoatatck, proc, smite evil is often the order of damage single mob or multiple)

Voidwraith · 03-27-2008, 12:03 PM

Thank you for doing the legwork. Having used the Warlock charts you were talking about myself, I was also surprised to find that there was no efficiency chart for paladin spells/arts.

Kudos.

Perenti · 03-27-2008, 08:15 PM

One of the problems with these charts is that there are so many provisos for a Tank using them. Sitting back and sniping with Nukes is a lot simpler propostion than Tanking with them.

Just working on interrupts and stuns at critical times throws efficiency out of the window. Also the time factor of casts and the need for fast agro etc,

Mezelline · 03-30-2008, 12:33 AM

Tharinor, I am pretty sure circle is on my list, maybe you read it before my edit hit or something.

Granted there is some argument to be had in saying that timing spells/CAs between autoattacks are important. But lets be honest, pretty much all paladin abilities are either CA-style quick or AE-casttime long. There's not a whole lot of middle ground, so paladins actually have an easier time dealing with timing issues than pretty much all other classes. And besides, there's not a huge need to time them because its not like they do omgfabulous dps. ^_^

Ability timing makes some sense for dps scouts but it is wasted on tanks imho; dps classes can watch their combat spam and button-mash appropiately, but tanks have to focus on too many other things to carry it off successfully. What little dps you gain from properly squeezing abilities between autoattack you lose from extra abilities, and as paladins get a ton of their dps from abilities...

boli makes a good point, certainly resistability is a factor, but a minor one assuming raid debuffs. The only exception I could imagine is OJ mobs, but even then miss rates are going to effect all abilities equally (yes yes baring Smite Evil) so it won't be a huge deal.

Perenti makes an excellent point about there being more to spells/CAs than pure dps, as other attributes such as cast-on-the-round, irresitability, stun/stilfe (and the hidden aggro they create), etc. But like I said, these charts are for pure dps comparisions...and its impossible to bring in such tangibles into a serious dps analysis.

Tharinor · 03-30-2008, 04:45 PM

I'm going to disagree. I have no problem whatsoever pairing up my abilities between autoattacks and getting them all in as they reset. It's not that hard to do.

Voidwraith · 03-31-2008, 09:06 AM

I guess I don't understand the negative criticism. No one is telling anyone not to time their button mashing with the auto-attack. What the list is good for is figuring out which ability is best to use (for max DPS) at the time you were looking to hit a button...however often that may be.

Thank you again for the list.

Tharinor · 03-31-2008, 12:06 PM

The criticism is this comment: Ability timing makes some sense for dps scouts but it is wasted on tanks imho; dps classes can watch their combat spam and button-mash appropiately, but tanks have to focus on too many other things to carry it off successfully. What little dps you gain from properly squeezing abilities between autoattack you lose from extra abilities, and as paladins get a ton of their dps from abilities...

The poster makes it sound like this is impossible, too hard, and/or yields little to no improvement. However, in my opinion, the Paladins who are able to do this are going to be the better ones.