For raid dps in catform, which is the better set? Full Malorne? Or full Nordrassil?

I'm particularly interested in the contribution made by the set bonuses..



alorne Harness

http://www.wowhead.com/images/screenshots/30546.jpg


Stats:

AC: 2674
Str: 181
Agi: 150
Sta: 158
Int: 79
Hit: 0


Sockets:

eta: 1
Red: 1
Yellow: 2
Blue: 3


Set bonuses:

2 pieces: Your melee attacks in Bear Form and Dire Bear Form have a chance to generate 10 additional rage.
2 pieces: Your melee attacks in Cat Form have a chance to generate 20 additional energy.

4 pieces: Increases your armor by 1400 in Bear Form and Dire Bear Form.
4 pieces: Increases your strength by 30 in Cat Form.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Nordrassil Harness

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1761/nordrassilmf3.jpg


Stats:

AC: 2977
Str: 208
Agi: 161
Sta: 196
Int: 80
Hit: 18


Sockets:

eta: 1
Red: 2
Green: 2
Blue: 3


Set bonuses:

2 pieces: When you shift out of Bear Form, Dire Bear Form, or Cat Form, your next Regrowth spell takes 2 fewer sec. to cast.

4 pieces: Your Shred ability deals an additional 75 damage, and your Lacerate ability does an additional 15 per application.



-Annikk

Basically, Nordrassil is better for stats. No matter how you look at it, it's inarguably better in every way, although admittedly not by a huge amount.

What it comes down to for me, is this:

alorne:
2 pieces: Your melee attacks in Cat Form have a chance to generate 20 additional energy.

**VS**

Nordrassil:
4 pieces: Your Shred ability deals an additional 75 damage




We can show that if your damage was extremely low, say shreds were hitting for 20 damage, the nordrassil bonus would be better.
But if my shreds are critting for say, 25,000 damage, I'd be better off with the extra energy! Instead of 25,075 shreds, I'd rather get an extra shred in every now and then, for 50,000 damage!

So. It stands to reason that at some point, somewhere along the line, the 2pc Malorne bonus will become better than the 4pc nordrassil bonus. I have to choose between them because I can't have both.

I am too lazy to work out how to theorycraft this thing out. Halp :>


-Annikk

I recall reading somewhere, you want to keep the 2pc T4 until T6. I'd have to lookup the math, but I recall reading the energy translating to more dps than the 75 damage.

Thanks :> I suspected as much.
I'm getting a bit excited about all this because it's looking like T5 may finally be reachable for me, the guild is doing pretty good.. :>

3 piece T5, and 2 piece T4 then?


-Annikk

itt Annikk answers himself!

T4 2pt. bonus is the best cat dps set bonus we have, superior even to T6 4 pt. bonus (although only by a little).

Can someone link me the T6? Not even seen it yet :P And not sure where to look/what to search for.


-Annikk

here u go Annikk!

T6 (http://thottbot.com/?set=676)

Ferocious bites with the 4pc bonus is going to be a fight-ending move for me... being as I am a longtime fan of the top tier feral talent that increases ferocious bite damage. Another 15% added to that and considering all the extra stats involved and I should be critting for 7k.. :>

I think the 2pc malorne bonus is best for now though, and will probably remain that way. It really has made a massive difference to my dps


-Annikk

imo keep the 2pc Malorne even when you have 4pc Thunderheart.

nice site for some of your questions:
http://druid.wikispaces.com/ToskksDPSGearMethod