T10 Arcane Rotations revisited

by Tachyon on Fri. 12. February 2010, 18:59

Filed under: arcane, t10, rotation, mage, set bonus, featured



Within the mage community, there is still no consens on which arcane rotation to use, now that most raiding mages have the 2xT10 set bonus.
Some mages still use the ABx4AM rotation, others stick with the Mbarr if AB>=4 rotation, and I still see lots of mages spamming AB when they have lots of mana left, or during AP/IV/Bloodlust.

The poor mages seeking help in the official WoW forums are hinted towards the one or the other rotation, without anyone caring to explain why this or that rotation should be used. Arguing about arcane spell rotations is almost a People's Front of Judea vs. Judean People's Front thing.

Now several weeks have passed since the introduction of T10 gear, in which I was able to verify my simulated conclusions on T10 rotations. I cross-checked my results with those of other mages, browsed damage log reports of other guilds, but haven't found anyone using my suggested rotations yet. Good news is: my suggested rotation works, and it works well.

I used the same simulation as before, with the same settings:
  • 3000 Spell Power
  • Hit capped
  • 20% Spell Haste before talents
  • 50% Spell Crit including CSD

The casting strategies I used in the simulation are:
  • AB Spam
    Just chain-cast Arcane Blast, nothing more.
  • ABx4AM
    Cast 4x Arcane Blast, and the Arcane Missiles regardless of whether Missile Barrage procced (the chance that it procced is 87.04%). Using this strategy, you have a fair chance to use MBarr immediately when it procs, with the penalty to cast unhasted Arcane Missiles in 13% of all cases (impacting your mobility).
  • Tachyon A/B
    This is a generic casting strategy, where you cast Arcane Blast, use the Missile Barrage Proc after at least A AB stacks, or clear the stack with Arcane Barrage when Missile Barrage didn't proc after B subsequent Arcane Blasts.
    This time I only used configurations where we always keep casting AB until Missile Barrage procs (B->infinity, so never clear the AB stack with Arcane Barrage)
  • Tachyon A/B, lazy
    The Tachyon A/B rotations have one big flaw: they only work in that form if your reaction time is 0. Or if you can see some seconds in the future, to know if Missile Barrage will proc. Assuming that you don't have those superpowers, you'll notice a Missile Barrage proc only when you're already casting the next Arcane Blast.
    To model this effect, I created a lazy strategy, where you can't use Missile Barrage procs immediately.

Here's the simulated DPS and DPM for each of the casting strategies, evaluated by casting 1'000'000 spells with each strategy:



As the non-lazy Tachyon A/B rotations are only applicable withing a theorycrafting sandbox, and the lazy variants are more realistic, if faded out the non-lazy versions a little to make the chart more clear.

Conclusions from the simulation:
  • The DPS variance is relatively small, less than 4% from the best to the worst
  • AB spam has the worst DPS and atrocious DPM. Never ever use this again.
  • Waiting for 4 stacks of AB before using the MBarr proc yields the highest DPS
  • Using MBarr even before 4 AB stacks yields almost as good DPS, with way higher DPM
  • The Tachyon (A=0-2, B->Infinity, lazy) strategy has higher DPS and higher DPM than the ABx4AM strategy.

If you're below 50% case, you can start 3 spell casts of 2.5 sec base duration within the 5 sec 2xT10 proc uptime. With over 50% haste (and no lag), you can even squeeze a fourth spell start in, making maximum use of the haste buff.
During Bloodlust/Heroism, together with Icy Veins, it is therefore recommended to use the Tachyon A=3, B->Inifinity rotation (3xAB + 1xMBarr = 4 hasted spells if you're lucky with procs).

Detailled results for the simulated strategies:
  • AB SPAM
    11500295017 Damage done in 1984126.98 sec, costing 1719996236 Mana
    ArcaneBlast:
    * casts: 1000000
    * crit: 59%
    * avg hit=7756, crit=14096, cast time=1.98 sec
  • ABx4AM
    11236529338 Damage done in 1925358.18 sec, costing 647990080 Mana
    ABx4, MBarr 86.98%
    ABx4, AM 13.02%

    ArcaneBlast:
    * casts: 800000
    * crit: 59%
    * avg hit=5726, crit=10408, cast time=1.85 sec
    ArcaneMissiles:
    * casts: 200000
    * crit: 53%
    * avg hit=14753, crit=28825, cast time=2.24 sec
  • Tachyon a=0, b->infinite, lazy
    11047912901 Damage done in 1854542.44 sec, costing 620598122 Mana
    ABx2, MBarr 40.0076%
    ABx3, MBarr 24.0845%
    ABx4, MBarr 14.396%
    ABx5, MBarr 8.6189%
    ABx(n>5), MBarr 12.893%

    ArcaneBlast:
    * casts: 777500
    * crit: 59%
    * avg hit=5767, crit=10483, cast time=1.84 sec
    ArcaneMissiles:
    * casts: 222500
    * crit: 53%
    * avg hit=13144, crit=25686, cast time=1.89 sec
  • Tachyon a=4, b->infinite, lazy
    11259815033 Damage done in 1870174.6 sec, costing 729463468 Mana
    ABx4, MBarr 78.4767%
    ABx5, MBarr 8.6218%
    ABx(n>5), MBarr 12.9015%

    ArcaneBlast:
    * casts: 819377
    * crit: 59%
    * avg hit=5967, crit=10843, cast time=1.85 sec
    ArcaneMissiles:
    * casts: 180623
    * crit: 53%
    * avg hit=14753, crit=28825, cast time=1.98 sec


If you give the new rotations a chance, please let me know about your experiences with them. I know it feels weird to use MBarr before the AB stack is full, the numbers are not quite as high as they used to be, but they're way more frequent.

Amber wrote:

posted on Fri. 12. February 2010, 20:49

You are correct. I have been using that rotation for 4 days. On boss fights it is very mana efficient and dps is about the same as a 4 stack.

Snowdragon wrote:

posted on Fri. 12. February 2010, 22:13

I'm using the "Tachyon a=0, b->infinite, lazy" rotation for a few weeks now. Works quite well for me. A Question to regarding your simulation software: Is it considering raid buffs? If not it qould be very, very nice to do that, because raid buffs seem to change a lot!
If you like to have Webstats you can use mine at worldoflogs.com/guilds/600/
Armory Link: eu.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Norgannon&n=Snowdragon

Dave wrote:

posted on Sat. 13. February 2010, 04:00

I think 20% haste and 3000Sp is a little low for arcane. Are you considering procs, on use ? what buffs are you using ? are you considering the conversion of int to spellpower ?

I opinion is that most mages would have 25%-30% haste not including black magic. All you have to do is get your casts to below 1.25sec during heroism then 4xABMbar becomes best.

For me I'm running at 932 without black magic and i have on use haste items.
So I generally run A=4 when any haste cd is active i.e. Icy Veins trinket engineer glove enchant.

I have run both A=3 and A=4 when I have no haste cds in use and honest the only difference i find is that I need to evocate for 1sec less on a 5min fight

Floppydog wrote:

posted on Sat. 13. February 2010, 17:26

I've been using "Tachyon a=0, b->infinite, lazy" for a good while now, and i stand up well to the other arcane mage in my guild who does either "ABx4AM" or "Tachyon a=4, b->infinite, lazy" (i'm not quite sure which).

I am now over the 813 haste cap, so i figured i'd just give hell and use Black Magic as well. I try to use Mbarr before Pushing The Limit expires, so that i also get the haste bonus from Pushing The Limit on my AM channel. Therefore, when i have Hero or IV active, i convert to "Tachyon a=3, b->infinite, lazy" cast rotation.

I have a question tho. Sometimes the shaman pops Hero at unexpected times, or i mess up myself and active IV during Heroism. As i said, i'm overcapped on haste, but only if i activate Pushing The Limit. Without Pushing The Limit, haste cap during Hero+IV is a little over 1300, which i'm safely below. So then!

What spell rotations should i stick to during IV+Hero when i'm overcapped on Haste?
Head tells me i should go with AB spam, which also seems to work out quite good if i manage to start Evocation near the end of IV+Hero.

Cernobil wrote:

posted on Mon. 15. February 2010, 18:38

For better work this rotation is possible make a macro that cast arcan blast until mbarr doesn't proc and if they proc use instead arcane missiles?

Drenera wrote:

posted on Tue. 16. February 2010, 04:17

I've been using the "use missles the moment they proc" rotation since I got 2set T10.

The viability of this rotation is more dramatic in 10man raiding to 25man. With the many extra buffs in 25man you find mana much less of an issue, but in 10man(strict raiding as it happens) mana is STILL an issue, especially on latter fights like the lich king for instance. There's no way in hell I'd be able to sustain a ABx4 rotation on that fight.

cross wrote:

posted on Sun. 21. February 2010, 12:52

i practically never use ABar unless i need to move so i dont loose my build-up stack of ab's.

I use the A=0 b->inf. rotation especially in high lvl raids. It does seem on trash mobs the A=4 B inf seems to give me higher dps, perhaps of the lower hp the mobs have.

wINSE wrote:

posted on Mon. 22. February 2010, 06:59

soo is "Tachyon a=0, b->infinite, lazy" where you basically use arcane missiles as soon as missile barrage procs?

Winse wrote:

posted on Mon. 22. February 2010, 07:05

sorry for the double posting.. but the reason i ask is because I tried it on the heroic dummy in IF and my highest dps was ABx4, then AM when it procs and then a AB right after it. People tell me that the gcb on AB is too slow but I don't think that's the case.

I could be wrong.

David wrote:

posted on Fri. 26. February 2010, 01:42

Great information about arcane spell rotations. Thank you

Fimb wrote:

posted on Tue. 02. March 2010, 00:17

I'm just a tad confused. First you conclude:
"Waiting for 4 stacks of AB before using the MBarr proc yields the highest DPS"
but then in the end you write:
" I know it feels weird to use MBarr before the AB stack is full, the numbers are not quite as high as they used to be, but they're way more frequent."

So which is better: waiting for 4xAB before you use the MBarr proc or using the Mbarr proc whenever it procs?

Tachyon wrote:

posted on Tue. 02. March 2010, 16:29

@Fimb:

MBarr immediately after at least 4 stacks has 6020.73 DPS @ 15.44 DPM, which is the highest DPS simulated for this article. If all you care is DPS, and you never run out of Mana nor have to waste time regenerating it (Evocation), this Rotation would be the best.
But if you look at the graph, MBarr immediately after at least 0 stacks has 5957.22 DPS @ 17.8 DPM, which is only an 1% DPS loss compared to the highest DPS rotation, but at the same time a 15.28% DPM win. This rotation is therefore more optimal.

The Tachyon a=0/1/2/(3 if you have >50% haste), b->infinity rotations are thus the ones I recommend using, as they provide top notch DPS at the best DPM.

chunklestein wrote:

posted on Fri. 12. March 2010, 01:06

anyone have a macro that'll spam AB and switch to missiles once it detects the missile barrage buff? i'd write one myself but i don't have the patience to read all the wow api documentation

Tachyon wrote:

posted on Fri. 12. March 2010, 12:08

@chunklestein:

The ability to do conditional casts in macros has been removed years ago (I guess it was in the Pre-BC patch 2.0), so macros can no longer decide to use either this or that spell depending on a given condition.

Strobmoli wrote:

posted on Sun. 14. March 2010, 13:01

Tachyon, I think you are close to the facts with your theorycraft, but I think that there is a skill here which is also gear impacted that you are missing. Basically if you get an Missile Barrage proc and you have the chance to stack another AB and still get the 12% haste buff on your missile barrage (so drive the cast time for that down 12%) then I think stacking the extra AB (or 2 if you are lucky) is a boost for dps and dpm.

The trick is to get the barrages casting fast, and this varies a lot if you have black magic and if you are in a raid with other buffs popping on and off around you!

Tachyon wrote:

posted on Sun. 14. March 2010, 23:07

@Stromboli:
With haste=[>0%..50%], you can start up to 3 spells with a 2.5sec cast within the 5sec uptime of the 12% haste buff. If you want to use Mbarr as late as possible, but still hasted, you're in fact using the A=2, B->Infinity rotation (2xAB+MBarr if procced). According to the simulated values, its DPS and DPM is almost the same as if using MBarr directly (A=0) or after just one AB (A=1).
When (temporarly) over 50% haste, A=3 becomes another optimal option, with slightly more DPS than A=2, but a little less DPM. It's not that much more, <1%.[/>0%..50%]

Robson wrote:

posted on Mon. 22. March 2010, 14:23

Nice blog, we stay waiting for next ups. ^^
Greetings from Brasil.

Erik765 wrote:

posted on Mon. 22. March 2010, 23:06

I'm a little confused as I just stumbled across this site and have never seen rotations referenced the way you reference them...

Basically I'm wondering what the difference is between this

This time I only used configurations where we always keep casting AB until Missile Barrage procs (B->infinity, so never clear the AB stack with Arcane Barrage)


and ABSpam would be which you say is bad (I agree fro DPM)
AB spam has the worst DPS and atrocious DPM. Never ever use this again.



I'm probably simply reading this wrong (like I said, I've never seen rotations referenced that way)

But, wouldn't
we always keep casting AB until Missile Barrage procs
be a little like ABSpam?

If not, can you fill me in on how to read your rotations a little more or maybe put them in a format I'd be more familiar with? AB04MBAM? or something along those lines

Thanks

plolp wrote:

posted on Mon. 12. April 2010, 11:49

how much dps do you do?

Tachyon wrote:

posted on Wed. 14. April 2010, 10:38

how much dps do you do?


Depends on the fight. On an average farm raid, it about 10k DPS:
worldoflogs.com/reports/fjccenk47z0gdo63/sum/damageDone
(copy&paste link, as I disabled links in the comments)

Cross wrote:

posted on Fri. 30. April 2010, 09:18

Hey, is it possible to review howmuch minimum spirit you need to have to take molten armor or is it best to take mage armor for the mana regen?

Kaldera wrote:

posted on Wed. 05. May 2010, 14:50

Okay, so what's the conclusion? I just feel like I can be doing more. Also, during BL should we use the Abx4 instead? I've just got little questions for tweaks that can significantly help us

Tachyon wrote:

posted on Fri. 07. May 2010, 17:12

@Kaldera:

The conclusion is that the optimal cast sequence is Tachyon (A=0-2, B->Infinity, lazy), which means using Arcane Missiles as soon as Missile Barrage procs (or wait if you have up to 2 AB stacks). Casting more Arcane Blasts before consuming the proc increases your DPS only insignificantly, and lowers your DPM.

On burst phases where a spell multiplier such as Arcane Power, or a speed multiplier such as Bloodlust or Icy Veins is active, the rotations behave exactly the same relative to each other, this is why such effects can be omitted when simulating arcane rotations (fire rotations are different, due to cooldowns which don't scale with haste). On burst phases, use the same rotations. Switching to AB spam there is counterproductive.
Hope that helps, and wishing all my readers a nice weekend

Wyvernn wrote:

posted on Sat. 08. May 2010, 21:37

Hey Tachyon,

First of all I'd like to say I just discovered your site, and I think it's great. There are loads of great resources on here and I wish to thank you very much for that.

Now down to my question.
How did you simulate these casting sequences? Did you use a C++ or something program?

Would it be possible for you to release the source code so that everybody could model their own best DPS rotation given their individual stats?

For example, my arcane mage is running with about 3k SP self-buffed, 33.5% crit chance, and 928 haste (which is about 30%), and I recently picked up my 4 piece T10 bonus.

I would like to run my own simulations to determine the optimal rotation, not that I doubt your numbers, of course, but your crit chance seems abnormally high, given that as an Arcane Mage I stack haste instead of crit.

I used to do stack AB until it was >= 4 and my AM procced, and spam AB in burn situations, but I've been following your advice and have now been no longer spamming AB and instead am just stacking AB until AM procs at which point I reset the stack.

I have noticed much greater mana efficiency and the same if not greater DPS, of course dependent on each fight individually.

Thanks again for this great resource!

--
Wyvernn


mbt tataga wrote:

posted on Sun. 11. July 2010, 01:34

Thanks for this article. There are definitely tips in here that I will use.

Inygma wrote:

posted on Sat. 17. July 2010, 13:29

4 piece T10 working on LK fight, and have suddenly developed mana issues with my normal ABX4, MBar [if=proc] rotation. Going to give AB + MBar when procs a shot, but unsure whether I should be resetting when MBar doesn't proc by 4 stacks, and if so, using what? [/if]