SK DPS AA Thread (Post Gu52)

xpencinx · 07-01-2009, 12:31 PM

First off I think I'm by no means the most knowledgeable SK. I'm half decent geared (no avatar charms T3/4 pieces) and have a good pool of knowledge on the class but I want to know more. So I decided to post an AA thread for SKs that don't normally end up tanking in raids and instead dps. Sometimes I do end up OT in raid but this AA spec is used mostly for instances and dpsing on raids.

I also have a DA spec saved in the mirror SK/Shadows trees are similar in that spec but not the same. Just curious to see what other SKs are using. I've been thinking of swapping my DA spec out for a total DPs spec. Any advice you all could provide would be awesome. Thanks!

Rakushun · 07-01-2009, 06:35 PM

looks like an all out DPS spec. Difference for me is i dont have a DPS spec really. Been trying to get to a solid tank first so most of my gear is all defense and i got divine aura and the -1800 HP on the SK tree.

keldo · 07-01-2009, 06:40 PM

Stance enhancements are a waste of points. Lifetap added to DT is a waste of points. Not really a ton of options for "pure DPS" that aren't already no brainer choices, but you could drop the 15% shield effectiveness for 1.2% base to spells, and use 5 of the freed stance points to max out Spite. Also put 5 in Doom Judgment.

xpencinx · 07-01-2009, 08:15 PM

Good call on the point drops Keldo. I think I'm only going to drop Def points b/c it will still be beyond the cap. Shield effectiveness will go also and lifetap for sure. I tank mostly in Offensive so it is still worth it to keep it. Skills are around 500 with the enhancement. But do I waste 5 on Cavaliers Call or dump 5 into Pariah's Strike and 5 into Malice?

keldo · 07-02-2009, 01:59 AM

Cavalier's Call isn't bad, 1.2% base raidwide doesn't seem like much (and it isn't) but its still more than increasing a single CA or spell.

Mezelline · 07-02-2009, 02:19 AM

Well if you want a full dps spec this I would suggest.

Crusader tree is fine.

Shadowknight:
1. Remove 5 from DT enhancement (Leave total at 0, you can reach lower reaving abilities from other stems)
2. Remove 1 from the crappy small reactive hate buff (leave total at 4 so you can keep hateful respite)
3. Remove 2 from Feign Death enhancement, at 3 points you should be capped at reuse time...the last 3 points does nothing.
4. Put 3 more into Doom Rays (total 5). This also provides an alternate route to tap veins enhancement so you don't have to go through the DT.
5. Put 4 more into Anguish. (total 4) Small dps increase for small ca, but it is a base increase...as this is one of our most easily capped abilities, you will probably get a 20% increase in Anguish dps instead of 10%.
6. Get Pools of Blood, unconscious HP doesn't sound like much but it does come in handy. Very cheap for 1 point.

Shadows:
1. Remove 5 from ostance and dstance, the small skill enhancements are worthless.
2. Put 5 into enhance rescue, its actually useful for the occassions when you need to step up (likely on membluring mobs)
3. Put 5 into enhance raidwide, an extra 1% base spell raidwide can be huge. Most non sorcerers are SD overcapped, so a 1% base increase can actually result in a 2% increase in actual dps. Most raids tend to roll with 4-8 mages, so that is equivilent to a 8-16% dps increase for one mage. Perhaps a little more because it affects buff procs on scouts, but also a little less because it doesn't affect as many item procs anymore. This is really a no-brainer to me, unless you've got another SK in the raid specced for it.

The only questionable decision is whether to drop the 15% shield block in the Shadows-Crusader line for 5 points in enhance malice. I think you made the right decision keeping the shield block...however, the 5 in malice could get you a little more dps. (Probably a bit less than 1%)

xpencinx · 07-02-2009, 10:36 AM

Thanks everyone. I'm going to keep the spec I have for OTing and instances and mirror this spec so I'll drop shield effect and the stances and swap them out. Now if I use this spec we came up with that will mean we have another OT in raid so I wont pull agro at all. So I agree with Crus/SK trees but for Shadow Tree I think I should go a little different now that I look at it closer. Keep in mind I will hopefully never have agro b/c we'll have 2 other tanks lol.

So I would drop 5 from Def Stance, 5 from Battle Hardening in Fighter tree. Swap 5 into Pariah's Strike and the Other 5 go to Malice.
Then drop 5 from Shield Eff in Crusader's Tree and pick up 5 in Cavalier's Call. Looks like I would have no other place to put the 5 from Off Stance. So prob just leave them.

Regardless you guys are awesome and I definately appreciate the advice. Hopefully this will help my parse and my raids parse in general a little better. Thanks again.

Zimrathon · 07-02-2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xpencinx

Keep in mind I will hopefully never have agro b/c we'll have 2 other tanks lol.

Never, ever, use Grave Sacrament then

When I off-tank/DPS I move it to a different hot-bar ..lol

Rakushun · 07-02-2009, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zimrathon

Never, ever, use Grave Sacrament then

When I off-tank/DPS I move it to a different hot-bar ..lol

aye, i had to move that to a completely different bar from all of my other AOE's. That will really piss off the main tank and offtank :P

We were doing some SoH trash and i gave them warning i was going to hit it, still missed them off cause i took the few mobs. heh I ran out of other skills and i wanted to squeeze out a lil more DPS :P

Zimrathon · 07-02-2009, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rakushun

aye, i had to move that to a completely different bar from all of my other AOE's. That will really piss off the main tank and offtank :P

We were doing some SoH trash and i gave them warning i was going to hit it, still missed them off cause i took the few mobs. heh I ran out of other skills and i wanted to squeeze out a lil more DPS :P

That's exactly why I used it once and once only, MT couldn't get aggro back off me for love nor money until it had run off ..lol