DPS
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AddOn Spotlight: SCTd
We all probably know SCT, or Scrolling Combat Text, the mod that puts incoming damage, buffs, etc. above your character's head, or down the side, or whatever. It's the AddOn that Blizzard ripped off borrowed for their built-in Floating Combat Text, and it's a true classic of the AddOn world.But what if you wanted to display your own damage, the damage you dish out, above your head? SCT - Damage (or SCTd) is the ticket there. It requires SCT, and can show all the damage you do, including names of special skills, resist information, coloration by spell school, DOT ticks, and so forth, right in the middle of the screen over your character's head where you can see it. It's very nice for ranged damage, since your target may be inconveniently located for the built-in damage display.It's a good mod, and I love it. I only wish it would show heals I do as well as damage I do -- I know SCT can show my heals, but it would work better for my setup if SCTd could do it too. New in the latest version of SCTd, by the way, is an oft-requested feature: the ability to show damage above your targets' name plates. It's still in beta, so to speak -- it's buggy and has some limitations -- but if you want it, there it is.Download SCTd at WoWInterfacePreviously on the SpotlightAddOns for the Complete Noob
An Outland gear guide for feral druids
Kaliban's Class Loot Lists (a.k.a. WoW Loot) does a pretty good job at providing overall views at gear for different classes, but I've never seen anything as detailed as this incredible list of Burning Crusade feral drood gear. They've got what looks like every piece for every gear slot, all organized according to its benefit to feral druids.And in addition to the Bear tanking gear list, whoever put this together (I heard about it from outintospace) has also provided a gear list for "Cat durids" (they're for fite)-- both for sustained DPS and burst DPS. This is a lot of work-- even if there was some kind of script involved in an API, this is a lot of information to put together and organize, and it could be the only gear guide you'll ever need as a feral druid in Outland.It's got all the way up to Tier 5, too, which makes this even more complete than Kaliban's List. Tier 6 isn't in there, but of course that's because we're just now hearing about what it will be. There you go, feral druids-- now you know exactly what gear you want and where it is. Get to tanking!Update: And to go along with the Hunter Wiki from a few days ago, someone has started a Druid Wiki as well. Thanks to commenter Metaphyzxx for the link!
In Death and Taxes, pallies heal and priests DPS
This Forums thread poster points out (probably discovered via the Armory) that every single Paladin in Death and Taxes (our Guild of the Year last year) is specced for healing-- right down the line, they're all 41/20/0. And as if that wasn't interesting enough, later in the thread, paladin Nidhogg of D&T posts, and actually lays out just what every class' role is in their raids. There's some surprises:Our warriors tank Our paladins heal Our druids heal Our priests DPS Our rogues DPS Our hunters DPS Our warlocks DPS Our mages DPS Our shamans heal As Pally Sucks says, priests DPS? While all the paladins heal? Nidhogg says the "utility + DPS" of shadow priests is something they can't pass up, so their priests are in shadowform (with one holy for spirit). In addition, he says all the paladins are specced for healing not because they're forced to, just because they like it. And they put 20 points in Protection, Nid says, because he likes having them for PvP.So what does it mean for class balance when you've got the hybrid healing instead of the main healing class in one of the most advanced guilds in the game? Sure, Paladins can do DPS, but when it comes down to it, a raid who knows what they're doing makes them healbots, and asks priests to all go in shadowform.
Ask WoW Insider: best spec for a DPS druid?
As we all know, some durids is bare and some is for fite. Today's Ask WoW Insider question comes from one o tehm durids interested in being more cat-like -- Corey asks: My main is, and always will be a Druid. I really enjoy the class and I try to focus mostly on a feral build since I like being able to DPS as a cat, and tank as a bear. Lately I have been searching for a spec that will give the best DPS output I can get, but haven't found that magic combination of talents yet. So I ask you... what is the best DPS spec for a druid? What say you, durids? Can you help this cat? Don't forget to send us your questions for Ask WoW Insider to ask AT wowinsider DOT com -- see you next week!
Adventures in Beta: Who will be queen of the DPS team?
Players in the BC beta have hit 70 and are beginning to raid, which means the return of Azeroth's favorite sport: complaining how underpowered your class is in groups! Warriors and rogues started fast out of the gate with some pretty heavy complaints. Warriors state that their rage generation has been nerfed enough that they won't be good DPSers anymore, and since druids and paladins can tank now, why would anyone bring a warrior? Rogues have noticed that they don't do damage as well as equally-geared mages and warlocks at 70, and since a lot of bosses have cleave and AOE attacks, why would anyone bring a rogue? Well, there are enough spare rogues and warriors running around to fill a large pit in Outland, and someone has to take the gear. Mages and warlocks have utility outside damage in raids, but rogues and warriors don't (unless you count suppression rooms, which you shouldn't.) The casters have fired back, claiming that mages were always intended to be top DPS due to ... the character class descriptions in the guidebook, apparently. They also note that casters have limited mana pools, unlike rogues' constantly regening energy and the warrior's rage bar, and that caster DPS is more dependent on group composition than melee DPS (i.e. shadow priest group damage buffs.) People from both sides and from healing classes have argued that because there aren't many great melee weapons and armor yet available at 70, melee classes appear underpowered -- but things will even out as better gear becomes available. Do you think the melee classes have a point? Should melee DPS be higher on average than caster DPS because of the extra healing required by melee? Are rogues and warriors really in trouble? Or are they just whining because they have to work harder to compete on the DPS meters? (Image from The Last Watch, Turalyon-EU server. DPS meters on Patchwerk in Naxxramas.)
WoW Moviewatch: DPS-adin III
Esotarious is back! Being a DPS-adin myself, I'm always excited to see pallies do respectably in PVE and PVP DPS roles. You may recall that back in September, Mike Schramm gave Esotarious a quote to use in his next video. We're happy to report that yes, Mike is indeed quoted near the start of Eso's latest creation. I really can't get over how good this makes paladin DPS look. I actually put on my pvp gear and headed out into Arathi Basin right after watching this video. Though his Dark Edge of Insanity makes my Herald of Woe look like a sponge bat, Esotarious has inspired me and legions of paladins everywhere to stop shutting up and buffing and get into the fray!Here's the link to the Dark Paradigm forums where Eso and his fans discuss the video. You'll also find links to download the full high-quality version of the movie there.
Bongiovi Acoustics unveils miracle DSP chip for car audio
If there were ever a time where we'd need to hear it before we believed it, this would be it. Tony Bongiovi, an audio engineer who's been around the block a time or two (read: he worked with Hendrix), has finally crafted the miracle chip he's been missing for decades. Dubbed the Digital Power Station (DPS, not to be confused with DSP), the microchip is described as a "very sophisticated equalizer," and while it was originally "the size of a refrigerator," he looked to Glenn Zelniker, a specialist in digital signal processing, to program a wee chip to do the same thing. The result is a dynamically programmed microchip based on an off-the-shelf DSP from Freescale Semiconductor, which is housed in special headunits (like JVC's KD-S100) and has more than "120 points of adjustment" to tune the tunes to fill each vehicle perfectly. Reportedly, the chip even turns factory speakers into high-fidelity drivers, as it calculates the dimensions of the vehicle and the abilities of the cones while outputting the audio. The JVC unit will cost "between $700 and $1,000 installed," since you'll have to schedule an appointment with your service department to get the correct software installed for your make and model, but we'd suggest a trial listen before you plunk down your one large.[Via PhysOrg]
WoW Moviewatch: DPS-adin rocking Naxx
If there's one thing the Paladin debate needs, it's more fuel added to the fire. That's why Esotarius of Argent Dawn didn't just want to tell people that Pallys in raids could do more than heal-- he wanted to show them. This video, of him DPSing during an encounter in Naxx, is crazy stuff. If you've ever thought a Paladin's role in raids was only to buff and heal, check this out. 2100 crit! That's wild, man. Of course, after the expansion hits, Blizzard is planning to take the Shammy class more offensive and the Pally more defensive (starting by nerfing Divine Shield?). But this video is evidence that Healadin isn't the only option for Pallys after 60.Update: Eso has more info about his build and the movie on this forum.
