HowTo: SC / Pyro [AOE / mobile / flexible PVE DPS]

[lgw]

Due popular request...

What is this spec ?
It's a very flexible DPS spec for all kinds of PVE encounters, in particular those involving AOE. You should use it, if you need...
* AOE
* mobility
* target switching
* controlled DPS (= no DOTs)
* lack a dedicated Archon (no Burning Purpose)

What this spec is not...
* good for solo or PVP
* best ST damage (use 36/30 or 28/38 Pyro/Lock)
* heal (use 51/15 Chloro/Pyro or 38/28 Lock/Chloro)
* support (use 51 Archon + 11 Dom or 11 Pyro)

The Spec: 35 Stormcaller / 31 Pyro / 0 Archon

ST Rotation:
Thunderbolt > Ice Shear > Flame Bolt > (SF on) Storm Shard: Icicle > spam Cloudburst > at 5-2s Electrified remaining restart
(Assuming 3/3 Electrified on the target... Use Raging Storm / Electrocute / 3x Thunderbolt -- you can simply build a macro in that order, it's the only you'll ever need.)

AOE Rotation:
* Use the same rotation like ST on the priority target (= boss).
* Replace CB spam / Thunderbolt by: Forked Lightning to 3/3 Electrified <> Lightning Field. (CB is can still serve as filler when moving.)
* At some point add in Hailstorm > Lightning Field > Lightning Storm, and at about half CD of Hailstorm cast Arctic Blast > Flash Freeze.
* For pure AOE on trash just cut any ST spell.

Tips & Tricks:
* To finish mobs use LF even ST, as it hits instantly. In case Electrified / Ice Shear just ran out at last second simple use Inferno / Flame Bolt.
* On Akylios and similar encounters with large hitboxes aim your mob-targeted AOEs on those with smaller boxes (Jornaru on Aky, adds on Gaurath, etc). This might require a bit of tabbing back/forth if that's not your priority target, but it's just a small learning experience.
* Try to get into a group with casters, as Static Flux is a great raid-DPS boost. If any Cleric uses Shaman, those are the best. Have a full Charge bar and full debuffs ready on the target before you pop it - keep it for ST burns, at it's used up too fast on AOE.
* If you have more than 30s without adds, you can also use Hailstorm for ST DPS.

Understanding the Spec:
* The great advantage of this spec is that having more than one target not only increases your overall DPS, but also the DPS on the primary target due the multi-hit mechanic of Lightning Field with Charged Field.
* As virtually all your spells are instant on a 1s GCD, it's great on fight with high mobility or when you lack the increased cast speed from Burning Purpose.
* You only use direct nukes, making it a good choice to burn adds (no ramp-up / clipping like DOT based specs -- don't be afraid to burn burst-Electrifiers including Lightning Storm), and a safer bet on fights when DPS stops are called.
* Personally I use this spec due its flexibility for virtually all fights, outside a few high-DPS burns in HK / RotP (for which I got 28/38 Pyro/Lock). I don't even have the cookie cutter 36/30 Pyro/Lock on my roles anymore. Although not top tier, even for pure ST you can easily meet any DPS goals with this spec right now. The moment even a bit of AOE is involved your DPS skyrockets, being able to go toe-to-toe with fully HK geared Warriors of equal skill, possibly beating them.

Gearing:
* Spellpower > all else, as usual.
* As you can maintain Hypothermia 100% ST and 90%+ AOE and have a very high attack rate, the Watertouched Soulstone for 50 IS is a good choice. I persoanlly have it in my combined Akylios water resist / general SC Sigil.
* If lower geared you might get into mana issues on long fights... just bring some Mana Tonics (they're dirt cheap) and ask your Archon for Mental Flare in case you need a battle rez. Even full time AOEing on Akylios is easily managable with 2-3 tonics.

HF zapping stuff

[HorseMonkey]

Great guide, lgw. I am going to go over the AoE rotation as I see it. This is what I have found to be optimal.

For pure AoE do as such:

1. Target beefiest target (usually boss)
2. Flame Bolt
3. Lightning Storm (if you have charge toggle SF on and off)
4. Hailstorm / Arctic Blast (choose one)
5. Lightning Field x 3 (use SF)
6. Switch to Forked Lightning x 3 because Lightning Storm is on cooldown.
7. Repeat keeping up hypothermia via Hailstorm / Arctic Blast when it falls off.

Some macros to help:

show #Forked Lightning
suppressmacrofailures
cast Flame Bolt
cast [shift] Lightning Field
cast Forked Lightning

The above when bound to a button will spam Flame Bolt and then Forked Lightning when pressed. If you hold shift and press the same button it will cast Lightning Field. I find this a convenient method but you can make two separate macros if it helps. The key is to keep the 10% Flame Bolt buff up at all times.

[sculti]

actually the specc is 36 sc/30 pyro, 1% more waterdmg > 12,4% firedmg

flash freeze is a dps gain singletarget as well (like hailstorm)

if you got the synergy crystal make sure your 2 piece bonus doesnt fall off (replace a CB with LF if you get really unlucky with electrified refreshs not critting)

activate static flux for EVERY hailstorm/arctic blast/flash freeze/lightning field + as many cloudburst as possible, deactive it for other stuff
use hailstorm/arctic blast/flash freeze on aoe-rotations only if you got 3 electrified up

and use 36/30 pyro/lock or 38/28 lock/pyro, since their st-dps is higher
leave aoe-dutys to the warriors, since theirs is superior + in the same specc and there is no HH-enc which requires more than 3-4 warriors aoeing
use it for trash!

[Giggity]

I know this is really close but min/maxing is it better to keep spamming cloudburst till the last 2 sec remaining or restart rotation at 5 sec for an earlier icicle?

[sculti]

i restart at 5 secs electrifie to get icicle as fast as possible

(static flux off) ele refresh -> ice shear -> flame bolt -> (static flux on) icicle -> [hailstorm] -> [flash freeze] -> cb spam with leftover static flux

this fits with flamebolt as well cause you have the buff up for every dpsspell and it runs off for the electrifie refresh+ice shear which are low dps anyways

i did try proccing icicle with lightning field and refreshing late, wasnt a dps gain for me

[Morank]

Cool spec.

[Morank]

You could go 38/28, too (by taking points out of IGoP / Burning Bright) if you want an insta-cast Arctic Blast. Gain 1% more damage on water spells, lose 2% on air.

[Jhazvhug]

why would you ever use static flux over internalize charge? considering internalize charge is for ALL damage and is off the GCD, while static flux is only for air+water and its on the gcd?

[sculti]

static flux drains less charge

theyre both off gcd

[wolfz]

i tried this spec, since i am soo newbie with all this.

What is the 2 things on the target portret they are some sort of combo points ?

And all this spells fills all my facking bars, since there aren't many cooldowns.

My bar look like this right now, can;t press all those buttons, what i am doing wrong here?

http://i.imgur.com/EIhwv.png

This may probablly seem so idiotic to you guys ).

[AJ911]

Change your keybinds, there are a lot more buttons on your keyboard than 1-9

[Giggity]

i tried this spec, since i am soo newbie with all this.

What is the 2 things on the target portret they are some sort of combo points ?

And all this spells fills all my facking bars, since there aren't many cooldowns.

My bar look like this right now, can;t press all those buttons, what i am doing wrong here?

http://i.imgur.com/EIhwv.png

This may probablly seem so idiotic to you guys ).

1 is electrified stacks the other is hypothermia, if you read the descriptions of the spells they say which put which on the target and if you read the talent tree descriptions you'll see why they're important.


You can use all letters as well as 2 button combinations such as Alt+1, Shift+Q etc. Sort it out comfortably in key bindings.

[Giggity]

actually the specc is 36 sc/30 pyro, 1% more waterdmg > 12,4% firedmg

flash freeze is a dps gain singletarget as well (like hailstorm)

if you got the synergy crystal make sure your 2 piece bonus doesnt fall off (replace a CB with LF if you get really unlucky with electrified refreshs not critting)

activate static flux for EVERY hailstorm/arctic blast/flash freeze/lightning field + as many cloudburst as possible, deactive it for other stuff
use hailstorm/arctic blast/flash freeze on aoe-rotations only if you got 3 electrified up

and use 36/30 pyro/lock or 38/28 lock/pyro, since their st-dps is higher
leave aoe-dutys to the warriors, since theirs is superior + in the same specc and there is no HH-enc which requires more than 3-4 warriors aoeing
use it for trash!

Flash freeze isn't a dps gain ST, it hits a tiny bit lower than cloudburst for more mana, am I missing something?

[sculti]

maybe sth changed with the "different" glyph of power"

havent done any testings on sc/pyro since

it definitly hit slightly higher before

[wolfz]

i use static flux(storm charge consumer) or pyro charge consumer?