[4.1] Shadeborn - 61SB/15BD/0 Ranger (Melee ST/Dual DPS Spec)

[huangchingho]

Since I can't find any Shadeborn guides that address some of the Shadeborn issues in order to maximize it's potential. I decided to make a quick guide with what I think is the most optimal way of playing 61 Shadeborn as it is going to be used in 4.1 especially with improved utilities for melee specs and (along with Bladedancer).

Spoiler!

Soulpacks are currently having discounts, go get them before it's too late!!
(2250 Credits for non-patrons, 2025 for patrons)

Firstly, what I think is the one of the most important things for Shadeborn is the correct opener as taking any Ranged (off)souls would trigger ranged autoattacks even when using Melee abilities.

What I think is optimal is as following: (I'll keep this as informative as possible)

-Have 3~5 combo points prepull (Marksman, Physician or Tactician to gain combo points when not in combat)
-Buff up: Inescapable Bond
-You want to be within 20m range when the fight begins (Meter starts counting)
-Charge is 20m range, Initial abilties are 35m range, so always try to start off within this range ( 20~25m).
-Use Innumerable Shadows twice to stack LVL64 Mastery "Repetitive Strikes" pre-pull, both has same durations.
-After using that ability, your first finisher will be "ranged", therefore, you can open in a 20m ranged distance.
-You want to be moving left and right with your character (A and D) before using initial abilities, that would force-cancel your Ranged autoattacks to prevent ninja-pulling or accidental pulls.

Actual opener:

Stand within 20m, apply Bond of Night, stack up Repetitive Strikes by using Innumerable Shadows, then Innumerable Shadows + Void touch whilst moving your character (W or A or D), Strangulate, the fight will start upon using Mirrored Strike, Use Sudden Appearance to charge to your target. Use Consuming Depths if you're lucky enough to get a proc, then use Spam macro 3x (very important here, 3GCDs include Scything Night, Deadly Strike, Shadow Flurry). Another finisher (only if you have 1-2 Combo points). Ignore your Consuming Depths proc here if you get one, continue with Burst macro 2x (which includes Nexus of Darkness, Shadow Flurry), Use your Consuming Depths Proc now. Then there are some variations before Shadow Twin ends. For example:

-(Scything Night, finisher(s), Innumerable Shadows + Void touch, finisher(s), Consuming Depths Proc, finisher(s)).
-(Innumerable Shadows + Void touch, finisher(s), Scything Night, finisher(s), Consuming Depths Proc, finisher(s)).

And so on...so forth...

Keep up the following abilities (Track them by KAlert):

-Buffs: Innumerable Shadows, Mirrored Strike (Try not to let them fall off)
-Debuffs or DoTs: Void touch, Strangulate, Consuming Depths (Try not to clip them)
- Use cooldowns whenever available or whenever you feel right: Shadow Twin. (I usually hold on to Nexus of Darkness when it is about to come up)
-Use Nexus of Darkness when you have 0~1 Combo point.
- Use Shadow Restoration to help out your healer when necessary.
- Takes a little while to min-max the flow.

Soulpoints:

Spoiler!

Below are my macros if you don't already have them: (Feel free to alter them to your preference)

Spam Macro:

Spoiler!

#show Deadly Strike
suppressmacrofailures
stopcasting
cast Call: Razorbeast
cast @self Energy Manipulation
cast Scything Night
cast Deadly Strike
cast Shadow Flurry
cast Shadow Lash
cast Quick Shot
cast Shadow Twin

Burst Macro: (Dessication is a PA ability)

Spoiler!

#show Nexus of Darkness
suppressmacrofailures
stopcasting
cast @self Nexus of Darkness
cast Call: Razorbeast
cast Dessication
cast @self Energy Manipulation
cast Shadow Twin
cast Deadly Strike
cast Shadow Flurry

Charge Macro: (Gap-closer) (Vapor Rush 30m Charge, PA ability)

Spoiler!

#show Sudden Appearance
suppressmacrofailures
stopcasting
cast Shadow Lash
cast Sudden Appearance
cast Shadow Grip
cast Flash of Steel
//cast Vapor Rush

INNUMERABLE SHADOWS + VOID TOUCH Macro:

Spoiler!

#show Innumerable Shadows
suppressmacrofailures
stopcasting
cast Innumerable Shadows
cast Call: Razorbeast
cast Void Touch

Consuming Depths proc macro: (Why need it? To prevent accidental double-taps)

Spoiler!

#show Consuming Depths
suppressmacrofailures
stopcasting
cast Consuming Depths

Double @focus interrupt macro: (Shift+F to add focus to your target that needs interrupts)

Spoiler!

#show Shadow Spire
suppressmacrofailures
stopcasting
cast @focus Weapon Barrage
cast @focus Shadow Spire
yell Int'd %t 10s CD

Hour-long self-buff: Inescapable Bond
Only three keybinds that require no macroing are: Bond of Night, Strangulate and Mirrored Strike.
Optional: Shadow Restoration, Meld Into Darkness (you can add "cancelbuff Meld Into Darkness" to all your other macros.

My KAlert set:

Spoiler!

KA::Ayeu9eNq9V2tvq0YQ/St8qZSrSim7y+7i7qfl1Ua6edQhrSpFQmuzsVEwRIBvbm7b/97hkQTbxMG+bQSR7Hg8zPGcc2b2eqni/NEIH5PM9QQSoXhI1ZMuBIaXAVzXrwFCWhjbyCE+pQzbNpHChK/UUSZc0+SuEp6q1E+3N2e3SaVXUTLPs/L2Uat7nSXZItJlqbO5jkwUqYiexnEpGDUFs0zBcX2jUwoZmVmK 8PLK9S9Cfwrv4a4vbMKTQtH9m5jwmqHm4cHfvTKNm6um+g4Iao CEHwQEbQBxbqbX4SaU+kHmIJQOiZOq+X2+rvrNQF0zXj6T3EM2 5RxxTomPfHcPADVL0qR66jDMuhRQelM2QsQWFrPFhNU3FuYpF3 +VFUSV/4jtFjSVBoN1T9W3vJhpVQ5UDkhVmv5s9GKkSezAIpZHPOwjj6B xLXjQVVS8ZGkRmFAHo1RYdn3XZf6IzR/GMqgr/0J/XZdGfmd4qrjPoL8gB7wrh50wIQOfTBiTxJsEPKAWH92KEhipZ3 mRRVmdNYq7lC2dEBLUoht0GoJEdiGRZ1E4eRbXtV4ki2V1skrK Erj7qdee00oVC1119YZi4wtCIochL+CM2e4ES9s+AtkMMm4Cm2 AKAscbwM7b0rboZu6j2+95Ehthvp4vB/G0rOsFScZMz8cWtR2fS0zcI8B8gXRRVadrkHDM4Q/1eDeyQT2px9oI9eohH/KsRu/PASB5iwLTzcC1Obd9+BUPkHyso6rO0tRNQe3Mwt/tVGdZtl7pQs1SbbTuWg5JfyhMBk4QgAWDYXrSsrAUiB7cjuQ1c VS2iVvpcLLdl0EfC98hlnFy/r5kPppiJ799OkQmbr5aKRB1lRuyqk19aKzsBslA+j5FxGGcOww s+hCyfdP53SLNiyekWsUzUDznoPr6RqeYbrbEbK49LRlg0GBvX poyjnLmf8g463vblJXrFcAxPP1QLcs9nrYTCpPUcS3EbWYTbDJ ncgSw+XPSKG6StuQjWFiNll59wru8CA3389nVgV5xWcyXuqwKV Y+XaqmNq1TBSBhi41uhwEk5cU2bSiI9Im1/PCdVEUf5c9oov4sgbfTQpG0ZCvNoh6FTreKnHZrit2l6nhRFXu jYuK6K5F4PeeF2iAwCm8AKhrhDbBQwckTvVl3OqGxydhZf+wZ+ ZzSB545eh4bQfOAyRHaWoZcddXr2y6/hNhWbqTusNfjpVbZYp6rSoxy+Fy8kxg5xMJETxl3q2MER+MrXf C04jLfNwzrIPIJUFbUfXOWPXXO2FLUZIBn3Jq7tE8uiTLpk/CKxXK9maW0SszR/fD5AQLtBO/bx7t5bcoaPoP/XFjTZOa+NP3hO0LDo98+lj5X/BqXO6S6nMH6TU5/VF2UEiU7job209ynsOSYB72QUGOX4gTcaQpyU83w1y2eNFIh62 4n/UEl1iBH3Ffv2IP14XR+yhnowfdKnliflkC5C0Ya8cImywPICz4 UDfUAoGg+hyBdr3bIHt13gVn1C4L3Sp770/jTOLnblsW/s/wvsXJWH

Ultimately, some parses and a video demonstration for you to replicate the same results!

Spoiler!

http://imgur.com/a/i63jq

Gear itemization? stack Attack Power (this spec has low base critical hit rates and attack power really is effective)

Leave a comment if you have a suggestion to propose. Enjoy! .

[Semiso]

Was gonna try to find you in game and pm you to post this for everyone to see, but kept forgetting like a pleb.


Anyhow thanks for posting it

[Bauum]

The finisher detonates and night cloaked blades are calculated off the buffs you have when void touch is applied so I'd put razorbeast on a separate button to make sure it lines up with the 15s void touch timer (and strangulate although less important). In a raid setting it should be a dps gain to clip void touch at the start after flaring/lava have been activated.

[Kreezhem]

Hey !

As i posted on another thread about the spec :

Alright, so i came up with 4 differents maccro that I'm currently playing with it and it's going good so far. It makes the spec easy to play and effective.

#show Scything Night
suppressmacrofailures
stopcasting
cast @self Energy Manipulation
cast Scything Night
cast Deadly Strike
cast Shadow Lash
cast Shadow Flurry

So that's basicaly my spamm maccro.
Then i change maccros on 2 occasions

First the is the burst section as i mentioned in my previous post :

cast Call: Razorbeast
cast Shadow Twin
cast Shadow Flurry
cast Nexus of Darkness
cast Shadow Flurry
cast Deadly Strike
cast Shadow Flurry
then get to 5 CP and spam shadow furry x2

and
30 secs CD block is the same without Shadow twin.
It might be important to note that i'm using Razorbeast to use my CD block and not NoD.


The second occasion to use something else than the maccro is when i have Scything Night down and Deadly Strike up at 3 or more Combo point. I prefer to use Shadow Flurry and then use my Deadly Strike. It's just a personnal preference.

Other than those maccros i just have to refresh the 2 dots and the 1 buff.

And here is my post about the parse, i parsed on a lvl 70 dummy to get more accurate dps output.

So i've done some training to get a proper rotation and did a few parse, here is my best result so far : 420k dps on a 5 minutes parse.

https://i.imgur.com/fEmtyny.jpg

As you can see there is 27k dps on dark bonds so that will make me at 393k dps between 90% to 35% then i'll get a 20k boost for the last 35% which give me an average of 403k for a fight from 100% to 0%.
I'd like to point that the proc is at 20% of my dps, so it's average. (22% being my highest) so i'm sure we can do more dps with that spec.

I've been hitting the dummies outside Alittu, i took a normal one because bosses give me more dps i guess it's the buffs.

As you can see in my first post, i have a different way of managing my CD, it allows me to use the ranger legendary more effectively.

Kreezhem

[huangchingho]

The finisher detonates and night cloaked blades are calculated off the buffs you have when void touch is applied so I'd put razorbeast on a separate button to make sure it lines up with the 15s void touch timer (and strangulate although less important). In a raid setting it should be a dps gain to clip void touch at the start after flaring/lava have been activated.

Interesting stuffs!

Technically, I can line up Void touch and strangulate with Call:Razorbeast (Though Void touch and strangulate can be preloaded) but I reckon it'd be a DPS loss to preload Call:Razorbeast, clip void touch or try to delay Call:razorbeast, it has a 10s downtime before coming off cooldown. I find that it is more effective to begin with after 2-3GCDS (which is after the gap-closer and using consuming depths), every second block will always have a buffed Void touch and occasionally buffed energy manipulation (which is normal). But clipping void touch is really something that should be avoided. Flaring lasts 60s, Lava lasts 40s. 3 Void touch will be used during Lava and flaring, and one more void touch before flaring ends.

tl;dr using call:razorbeast after fight beings and off-cooldown seems better (less annoying to delay call:razorbeast or clip void touch too)

Hey !

As i posted on another thread about the spec :



And here is my post about the parse, i parsed on a lvl 70 dummy to get more accurate dps output.



As you can see in my first post, i have a different way of managing my CD, it allows me to use the ranger legendary more effectively.

Kreezhem

You need to change up your spam macro though, Shadow lash is above Shadow Flurry, when will you be using finishers though?

You technically don't have to manage CDs anymore besides holding on to Nexus of Darkness to line up with Shadow Twin, to proc more damage. Raid cooldowns has 5min cooldown. Your rotations will always be the same.
(If you only have Call:razorbeast bind onto Nexus of Darkness, it's a DPS loss because Strangulate ticks reduces Nexus of Darkness's cooldown so NoD isn't 30s CD unlike Call:razorbeast. Also, sometimes you have to hold on to that macro for a good <10s)

LVL67 Raid boss dummy has the same magic resistance values as LVL70 Simulated Dummy but LVL70's have higher armor values. Shadeborn is a non-phys soul. Therefore the only inflated abilities are Deadly Strikes and Auto-attacks which is insignificant (~0.06% or ~300 DPS inflation)

[Kreezhem]

You need to change up your spam macro though, Shadow lash is above Shadow Flurry, when will you be using finishers though?

Yeah, my bad while translating my maccro in english. I messed up on line. Shadow Flurry is indeed before Shadow lash as you pointed out.

You technically don't have to manage CDs anymore besides holding on to Nexus of Darkness to line up with Shadow Twin, to proc more damage. Raid cooldowns has 5min cooldown. Your rotations will always be the same.
(If you only have Call:razorbeast bind onto Nexus of Darkness, it's a DPS loss because Strangulate ticks reduces Nexus of Darkness's cooldown so NoD isn't 30s CD unlike Call:razorbeast. Also, sometimes you have to hold on to that macro for a good <10s)

If you keep NoD for the Shadow Twin burst, you will use NoD only twice a minute then. So why not keep it a 30s CD and use it with Razorbeast ?
Or do you sucessfuly use 3 times NoD in a minute and have it up for the Shadow Twin burst ? (Which means it will be a 20s CD or less).

LVL67 Raid boss dummy has the same magic resistance values as LVL70 Simulated Dummy but LVL70's have higher armor values. Shadeborn is a non-phys soul. Therefore the only inflated abilities are Deadly Strikes and Auto-attacks which is insignificant (~0.06% or ~300 DPS inflation)

I had no idea about that, thanks for the info.



Kreezhem
Btw, I saw on your imgur that you have a legendary cloak is it from NMT ?

[Artewig]

Btw, I saw on your imgur that you have a legendary cloak is it from NMT ?

Yes. Drops in Comet of Ahnket

[Kreezhem]

Yes. Drops in Comet of Ahnket

That's what i figured out. But with rune and orbe you still are 200 dex lower. Even if you gain 300-350 ap, is it worth it ?

[Artewig]

That's what i figured out. But with rune and orbe you still are 200 dex lower. Even if you gain 300-350 ap, is it worth it ?

I was told it was, though I have no math to back that up.

[huangchingho]

If you keep NoD for the Shadow Twin burst, you will use NoD only twice a minute then. So why not keep it a 30s CD and use it with Razorbeast ?
Or do you sucessfuly use 3 times NoD in a minute and have it up for the Shadow Twin burst ? (Which means it will be a 20s CD or less).
Kreezhem
Btw, I saw on your imgur that you have a legendary cloak is it from NMT ?

You technically don't have to manage CDs anymore besides holding on to Nexus of Darkness to line up with Shadow Twin, to proc more damage. Raid cooldowns has 5min cooldown. Your rotations will always be the same.
(If you only have Call:razorbeast bind onto Nexus of Darkness, it's a DPS loss because Strangulate ticks reduces Nexus of Darkness's cooldown so NoD isn't 30s CD unlike Call:razorbeast. Also, sometimes you have to hold on to that macro for a good <10s)

If you did not understand what I meant here, you can refer to my parse video, not only that NoD has <30s CD, after using 2 NoDs within the minute, you will have another NoD waiting for the Shadow Twin's CD block, that's why I said NoD and Call:Razorbeast do not have consistent cooldown (same as NMT) therefore you need Call:Razorbeast elsewhere, as for macroing cooldowns, the one I have seems to be fine, I might try to improve the initial burst by lining up Call:Razorbeast for the inital Void touch and Strangulate for more procs from the first Shadow Twin (Higher Inital bursts).
Holding onto my NoD during Shadow Twin is to make sure I proc as much finishers damage as possible, (when I have 0-1 combo points, because Shadow Lash + Shadow Flurry = 2 GCDs, NoD + Shadow Flurry=1GCD). Doesn't mean that I use NoD less often.

And yes, if you neglect the endurance stats for the cloak, COA's relic cloak has higher stats (currently BiS). Other slots like the relic earring might not be a good choice on the contrary (or really close).

[Kreezhem]

Okay, thanks for the response huangchingho.
I'll be trying other rotations with the tips you just gave me.

Kreezhem

[huangchingho]

The finisher detonates and night cloaked blades are calculated off the buffs you have when void touch is applied so I'd put razorbeast on a separate button to make sure it lines up with the 15s void touch timer (and strangulate although less important). In a raid setting it should be a dps gain to clip void touch at the start after flaring/lava have been activated.

INNUMERABLE SHADOWS + VOID TOUCH Macro:

Spoiler!

#show Innumerable Shadows
suppressmacrofailures
stopcasting
cast Innumerable Shadows
cast Call: Razorbeast
cast Void Touch

Changed this macro, seems to be getting higher burst. (~650k peak at some point with my gear).
Void touch after Mirrored Strike seems to be neutral for opener.
Clipping a Void touch loses a GCD for finisher, meaning that one 2 less (unbuffed) void touch (1 from proc and 1 from expiration) and 1 less Night cloaked blades.
Still in progress of improving them.

[SwiftOwl]

That's what i figured out. But with rune and orbe you still are 200 dex lower. Even if you gain 300-350 ap, is it worth it ?

Very likely if the difference was only that (no mention of str in that comparison however, which is relevant).

More precisely, +1 dex gives a rogue +0.75 AP, +0.5 physical crit, and +1 dodge.
(Also, +1 str gives rogues +0.25 AP, and +0.5 physical crit. This dynamic is also seen with all callings ((dex, str) for rogues, (str, dex) for warriors, (int, wisdom) for mages, and (wisdom, int) for clerics), though with different main stats).

Thus, comparing [200 dex vs 300-350 AP] [remember, it was dex vs AP, not dex+str+etc. vs AP] is almost* equivalent to comparing:
[150 AP and 100 physical crit vs 300-350 AP], or
100 physical crit vs 150-200 AP.

*Granted, the arithmetic above which distilled dex down to physical crit and AP didn't factor in stuffs like souls and talent points in a soul's affect on such numbers (which is one reason stat weights vary by soul), though it's a start (at least) in comparing the two.

[huangchingho]

To be exact, these are the stats for both cloaks if you need to compare:






-288 all resists

[Kleytox]

Hi, me doing it this way:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V_Q2CXKXoI
Burst is not that high than yours but i end up with around 470k ( 67er Dummy)
I just play it

Greetz