Hello there Druid buddies!
I’d like to say again that this forum has been exceptionally helpful to me. Out main warrior tank is still on satellite internet and wont be able to tank for our Kara/ZA group for another 3 months. So, I’ve been thrown as an offtank again, and after your help, have started to hold my own. I’m not tanking Kara as we’re almost done farming it, but … I have been the OT the first 3 bosses in ZA! My pally MT issue has been resolved by us piggy backing pulls (I pull while he gets his mana up). This allows me to build enough treat to pull off his consecrate also… But I digress…
Question:
As a new kitty in Kara, (I don’t want to respect to boomkin for our Kara runs when ZA is the next day), I can’t seem to get my dps even on par with some of our lower geared mages/locks/hunters. I’ve managed to become hit capped, thinking this might have been an issue, but still, I’m ridiculously low. I know I need to increase my attack power (a lot) but I’m wondering if it’s my rotation. ->Mangle->shredx4->rip (and mangle if it falls off). Is it because the Kara mobs don’t bleed?, or that I just need to keep working on my AP?

Also, I’ve been looking at other feral dps’ers and many have an insane amount of AP (3,000+), but aren’t hit cap at 9%. Is this normal, because I would love to re-gem for agility or AP instead of hit..

Sabines



****(Ooops, please ignore this! I found the "kitty pew pew in Kara Thread!!)****** Reading now.. (when I should be working)

Hi druid ! :D

Well I am going to reply anyway because I like replying to these sorts of posts. :>

Being hit capped is good, but it sounds like you are still fairly early on in raid content when hit rating isn't really that big of a deal. Also remember that you don't need to be hit capped when you are fighting trash mobs - because they are not lvl 63 (or "Skull" level) you do not need the full 9%, you need a bit less than that. So you can safely drop a little hit rating and get more stats that way during trash mobs, if you have a ring or a belt or something to swap in. :>

With regards to your rotation.
The best rotation starts out similar to how you described - Faerie Fire Feral (FFF), Mangle, Shred till 5cp, etc.

But here is the thing. Because Mangle is less damage than shred, for basically the same energy, it's better damage to energy ratio to do more shreds than mangles.
So here is what we do.
When you have built your initial 5 CP, and you are ready to Rip, wait.
Just wait for a bit, let your energy tick up.
When your energy gets to 70 or 80, RIP, and the immedietely MANGLE.

Now both rip and the mangle debuff lasts 12 seconds. So the rip will fade one second before the mangle does.

The rip ticks every 2 seconds, that means when you rip, you then have a 1 second wait for the Global Cooldown, and then a one second window to hit your Mangle button until the first tick of rip arrives.

Hopefully you followed that... anyway the idea is that by waiting for enough energy to do both the rip and the mangle, you are ensuring that your rips enjoy the full benefit of of the mangle debuff.

So here's the complete rotation:

1. FFF
2. Mangle
3. Shred till 5CP
4. Wait... for 70-80 energy...
5. RIP
6. MANGLE
7. Shred up to 5CP again
8. Wait for 70-80 energy
9. RIP
10. MANGLE
11. Shred up to 5CP again..


and so on. :>


-Annikk

Also, I’ve been looking at other feral dps’ers and many have an insane amount of AP (3,000+), but aren’t hit cap at 9%. Is this normal, because I would love to re-gem for agility or AP instead of hit..

Firstly, feral druids get the vast majority of their attack power from the weapons they use.
If your weapon is lacking in AP, your druid will be generally lacking in AP as well. Consider Terrestian's Stranglestaff from Terrestian Ilihoof in Karazhan, or the S1 feral mace, as possible replacements?

Second, many druids do not get the full 9% because frankly they underestimate the importance of getting it =P
As I said previously, stats ARE better for you at this relatively early stage in your raiding career, but in SSC/TK and beyond, hit rating is golden.

And finally, 3k+ is pretty normal for a very well geared endgame raiding cat druid. With the right buffs it's possible to get quite a lot higher than that, too - I think the most I've been at is about 5100.


-Annikk

Consider Terrestian's Stranglestaff from Terrestian Ilihoof in Karazhan, or the S1 feral mace, as possible replacements?

S2 from honor imo. More stats than S1.

You will lose a lot of dmg if the mob is bleed immune. That's for sure.

GJ on getting hit capped - that's really important for bosses (and all 25 man content). As Annikk said, on (lvl 70 / 71) trash swap out some pieces for more ap / crit, as the hit cap is much lower for them. That should help your dps a bit.

Hey there!

Thanks for the rotation tip, Annikk, I never though to use the rip/mangle combo like that, can wait to try it out. I noticed that I was actually above hit cap (oops) so busted out some (more damaging) stuff that's been collecting dust in the bank and traded out a few gems. I'm at 9.2% right now, but noticed that my AP is looking a lot better.... However.. I have a probably silly question... In cat form I have about 2,500 AP.. not in cat for I only have 850 (http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Misha&n=Sabines) When you say having over 3,000 AP is normal, do you mean in cat form, or night elf form?


Sabines....(Not a blond.. I swear!)

He means in Cat form. The AP boost from Str to AP and AGI to AP is not reflected in the caster form stats.

Also feral weapons don't give attack power in caster form :> If I had 3000+ attack power in caster form, I would permanently be stuck in battlegrounds laughing my head off :p


-Annikk