Ok so we discussed your personal best skill yesterday (yours rather than your classes defining skill).
Today we look at your worst.
Once again, we aren’t talking about worst skill per se (someone say wand specialization?), rather your application of a skill or technique that leaves you in tears and your mates rofl.
Gnomeaggedon is bad at something?
Well, I could write an essay or two on how bad I am at kiting or AoE grinding (I wouldn’t touch this anyway, not after Zupa’s response yesterday), but really I wouldn’t be telling you anything you didn’t already know, so let’s think about something else…
Probably my most misused spells are Amplify/Dampen Magic.
It’s probably the influence of the quantity of solo time, mixed with the bit of PvP I have done, but 99% of the time you will find me running buffed with Dampen Magic.
Now this is good practice, when soloing, and arguably while PvPing, but while raiding… not necessarily the best choice.
On top of that, I remember reading on EJ a long time ago that buffing neither is almost as bad as buffing the wrong one.
The Basic Rules
The basic rule is:
- Amplify Magic where a fight is purely physical damage.
- Dampen Magic where the fight is primarily Magic damage.
That’s the basic rule, and I know you are already thinking that there is magic in all sorts of fights, so you really aren’t convinced right now, so on with a few more “rules”.
If the incoming offensive damage occurs less frequently than the incoming heals, Amplify.
If the incoming offensive damage occurs more frequently, but is low, Dampen.
Examples
Amplify: once every 30 seconds you get hit with a spell effect for 2k damage.
So once every 30 seconds you are going to take an extra 240 points of damage, but every 5 seconds you will be eligible for a heal that has been boosted by 255. Win for Amplify Damage.
Dampen: every 3 seconds you are receiving 400 damage, every 5 seconds you are eligible for a heal. You are now reducing those damage ticks by 240 regularly, and while a heal will loose a bit of omph (255), it is balanced out by the fact that less damage needs to be healed. Think Melee is Maiden of Virtue. Win for Dampen Magic.
Mixing it up
Now there is a good chance that life isn’t that easy, and Maiden is a nice simple example of this. (Yes I know it’s an old fight, but it’s a great example)
- Melee is taking frequent low level damage, so they should get Dampen Magic.
- Ranged on the other hand, are taking occasional large Magic hits. They should be receiving Amplify Magic.
Fights like Patchwork, everyone should just be Amplified, in particular the tanks as it will make it significantly easier to keep them up.
You can Buff the Buff!
Remember that by throwing 1 or 2 points into the Magic Attunement talent, you can buff your buffs!
Would you?
Mmm probably not, well not unless you are Mage heavy (not a heavy Mage), or your raid particularly likes the buff (don’t over sell it!), and it is deemed important to have the improved buffs.
Mind you… I was crying when trying to cast Arcane spells the other day, you practically need to be counting mob nose hairs (and there are plenty of them) before you are in range, so maybe an extra 3/6 yards might not hurt (well, you at least, your DPS will suffer, but you can enjoy the view)
/GnomeFail
Now my failure with Amplify Magic is three fold.
- I haven’t built my definitive list of when to use each buff. I should know prior to a fight whether I should Amplify or Dampen each member of my party.
- I haven’t taken the time be energy to sell the constant use of these spells, this people generally don’t want them, even when I know that they are beneficial.
Try to convince someone to take extra damage (Amplify) or receive less heals (Dampen). Even if you know it’s the right option, it’s hard to sell. - I just plain forget to use them. Hell, I forget to buff myself with Amplify Magic, instead running with Dampen. Occasionally I wonder whether it’s my fault, rather than the healer’s fault that I die. Would that extra 255 heals have saved me at that last moment?
Of course I must admit that one thing that is very painful about the spell is it’s 10 minute duration and single target cast. I will use my mana bar buff people, and to have to do that every 10 minutes us prohibitive.
/YouFail?
So tell me two things:
- When do you (or should you) Amplify/Dampen Magic?
- What is your (Mage) skill failing, why and what tips would you give to others with the same failing?
Gnomer and Out!
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http://gnomeaggedon.net/2009/05/26/whats-your-mage-bad-at/
Oh, the Amp/dam thing. Horrible. Think I had a post about it once upon the time, my forgotten spells. The only way to figure that out for me is to look it up and then memorize it. If I remember right there was a list in a post at EJ over the raid bosses in TBC. Just to learn it by heart. I don’t know if there is anyone for WotLK. If not, please make one for me!
I’ve been poking around for a WotLK list for a while and haven’t seen one. I would really like to find one… I keep meaning to experiment with this, but it’s hard to remember and to find people willing to toy with it when we’re already “getting by.”
I do seem to recall that Dampen did not work against Loken in HoL… but I don’t remember if I ever got around to trying Amplify.
Maybe everyone can post their findings here and our favorite gnome would be so kind as to compile them?
We almost never use amp/damp magic. Mostly because we all forget anyone has it. ^_^;;
However, I’d like to mention that I am terrible about using trinkets/cooldowns. The only way I could get myself to use them was to make a macro using a cooldown (ex. Combustion), trinket (ex. Cannoneer’s Fuselighter), and Scorch (my opening spell). I even went so far as to make a couple more for them without Combustion for when that’s on cooldown. ^_^
Also forgot to add the most recent one I realized…
I can’t move and attack. I just can’t. I’ve spent all of my 80 levels planting myself on the ground and burninating until things die or kill me first. I plant, then cackle maniacally as they fall over dead right before they can hit me. Or weep when they get to me and are still at half health. Kiting? Terrible at it. Running away? Terrible at it. Moving during a fight? Terrible at it.
Amp/Damp….Since I’m an Arcane Mage the whole slow thing. I try to remember but when I’m deep in my rotation, sometimes I just don’t do it.
Well I use amplify/dampen magic when a raid member tells me hehehe. So I guess I’m never sure when to use those.
I’m kinda with Sprink with the movement thing. I’m not too bad kiting in PVE but in PVP I suck. I see those mages on videos moving like crazy lunatics as they fight and I’m just useless at it. My mind just can’t think quick enough under the pressure of PVP. A big thing for me is my keyboard set up since I use different keys than most and most of my stuff is not bound to a key so I have to click on that particular function. Not very efficient I know.
I have like only 6 things bound to keys. Makes my hubby cringe.
I guess if I was to recommend something it would be having your keybindings set up efficiently and ask a good pvp mage for some tips on their key arrangement.
I must write up a list of all the encounters, define what should get used in which fight, then post it to the EJ and official forums…
My list would be a complete crock of course, but the smart Mages out there would quickly set me straight…
@Sprink: Movement’s OK.. just spend a grinding session only using instants… No.1 you will discover instants you had forgotten about, and No.2 you will train yourself for those high movement fights.
Concerning buffing buffs:
Sup dawg so I herd u like buffs so we buffed yo buff so you can buff while you buff.
and when this buff Gnome is buffed, he’s buffed x 4
He’s not just da bomb, he’s da living bomb!
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