Post by Anhinga on Jun 5, 2015 14:16:32 GMT -8
I have played a boomchicken off and on since Wrath. I am by no means even within the ballpark of an expert, but I know it well enough that I think I could help out some of you fledgling (heh) chickens!
The most important aspect of your moonkin rotation is your starsurge usage. Keep that in mind as you read this guide.
STEP 1: MASTER THE BASICS
While there are lots of buttons and cooldowns available to the moonkin, I am going to start with the bare bones rotation.
Your arsenal in STEP 1:
The basic rotation:
(I will make a flow chart out of this when I can)
1. What phase are you in? If lunar, go to 2, if solar, go to 5.
LUNAR
2. Is moonfire on the target? If not, cast it. Also, cast moonfire if you are just about to leave lunar phase and you have <20s left on moonfire.
3. If you have a charge of empowered starfire, cast starfire. If not, go to 4.
4. No charges of empowered starfire? Cast starsurge ONCE. This will give you 2 stacks of empowered starfire. If you have no charges of starsurge left, cast starfire until a charge becomes available.
SOLAR
5. Is sunfire on the target? If not, cast sunfire. (Keep in mind sunfire last ~1/2 the time as moonfire. It is generally a good idea to cast it when you enter solar phase, and when you are just about to leave solar phase).
6. Do you have a charge of empowered wrath? If so, use all of your charges of empowered wrath. If you have no empowered wrath charges, go to 7.
7. No empowered wrath? Cast starsurge ONCE. This will get you 3 stacks of empowered wrath. If you have no charges of starsurge left, cast wrath until a charge becomes available.
** You can probably see the manner in which you need to use star surge ONLY when you need an empowered starfire/wrath. NEVER cast star surge if you already have stacks of the appropriate spell in your current phase.
Your *basic* rotation will look something like this:
So you think you've got the basics? Time to move on!
STEP TWO: INCLUDING IN YOUR COOLDOWNS
Your step two arsenal will introduce the following spells:
Your basic rotation stays the same. The only difference is what you cast when you are under the effect of CA and CoE.
Your new...STEP TWO rotation!
1. prepull: Cast CA then CoE.
2. While under the effects of CoE, cast 1 SS and then cast 2 SF's. Repeat 1SS/2SF while you are buffed by CoE.
3. When CA and CoE are off of cooldown, either use astral communion to return yourself to Lunar phase, or wait until lunar phase to blow these two cooldowns. Starfire does more damage than wrath, so you want to always use these cooldowns in lunar phase.
STEP THREE: MASTERING THE ROTATION (aka learning precisely when to cast what, and ways to help +++ your dps)
*** this is a work in progress***
The most important aspect of your moonkin rotation is your starsurge usage. Keep that in mind as you read this guide.
STEP 1: MASTER THE BASICS
While there are lots of buttons and cooldowns available to the moonkin, I am going to start with the bare bones rotation.
Your arsenal in STEP 1:
Balance energy bar (BEB): where you track if you are in a lunar (i.e. moon) or solar (i.e. sun) phase. Most people have their BEB set up horizontally, with lunar on the left and solar on the right.
Starfire (SF)/Wrath (WR): Starfire is used when in lunar phase, wrath in solar. You should always cast the correct spell in the correct phase.
DOTS: You have 2 dots, moonfire (MF) and sunfire (SuF). There share the same button, with moonfire appearing when you are in lunar phase and sunfire appearing when you are in solar phase.
Starsurge (SS): When you case starsurge, you will increase the damage (aka "empower") of starfire (2 charges) if you are in lunar phase, or wrath (2 charges) if you are in solar phase.
Starfire (SF)/Wrath (WR): Starfire is used when in lunar phase, wrath in solar. You should always cast the correct spell in the correct phase.
DOTS: You have 2 dots, moonfire (MF) and sunfire (SuF). There share the same button, with moonfire appearing when you are in lunar phase and sunfire appearing when you are in solar phase.
Starsurge (SS): When you case starsurge, you will increase the damage (aka "empower") of starfire (2 charges) if you are in lunar phase, or wrath (2 charges) if you are in solar phase.
The basic rotation:
(I will make a flow chart out of this when I can)
1. What phase are you in? If lunar, go to 2, if solar, go to 5.
LUNAR
2. Is moonfire on the target? If not, cast it. Also, cast moonfire if you are just about to leave lunar phase and you have <20s left on moonfire.
3. If you have a charge of empowered starfire, cast starfire. If not, go to 4.
4. No charges of empowered starfire? Cast starsurge ONCE. This will give you 2 stacks of empowered starfire. If you have no charges of starsurge left, cast starfire until a charge becomes available.
SOLAR
5. Is sunfire on the target? If not, cast sunfire. (Keep in mind sunfire last ~1/2 the time as moonfire. It is generally a good idea to cast it when you enter solar phase, and when you are just about to leave solar phase).
6. Do you have a charge of empowered wrath? If so, use all of your charges of empowered wrath. If you have no empowered wrath charges, go to 7.
7. No empowered wrath? Cast starsurge ONCE. This will get you 3 stacks of empowered wrath. If you have no charges of starsurge left, cast wrath until a charge becomes available.
** You can probably see the manner in which you need to use star surge ONLY when you need an empowered starfire/wrath. NEVER cast star surge if you already have stacks of the appropriate spell in your current phase.
Your *basic* rotation will look something like this:
start in lunar phase: MF -> ((SS -> SF -> SF )) -> repeat (( to )) until you enter solar phase -> SuF -> // SS -> Wr -> Wr -> Wr \\ -> cast // to \\ until you are leaving solar phase.
So you think you've got the basics? Time to move on!
STEP TWO: INCLUDING IN YOUR COOLDOWNS
Your step two arsenal will introduce the following spells:
Celestial Alignment (CA): Your BEB is paused, and your spells with benefit from both the maximum lunar AND solar state. Also, casting MF will also cast SuF. Lasts 15s/3m cooldown.
Incarnation: Chosen of Elune (aka battlechicken mode) (CoE): Increases spell damage by 15%. Lasts 30s/3m cooldown. See how CoE and CA share the same cooldown time? Handy isn't it!
Astral communion: Handy channeled ability that increases your BEB movement.
Incarnation: Chosen of Elune (aka battlechicken mode) (CoE): Increases spell damage by 15%. Lasts 30s/3m cooldown. See how CoE and CA share the same cooldown time? Handy isn't it!
Astral communion: Handy channeled ability that increases your BEB movement.
Your new...STEP TWO rotation!
1. prepull: Cast CA then CoE.
2. While under the effects of CoE, cast 1 SS and then cast 2 SF's. Repeat 1SS/2SF while you are buffed by CoE.
3. When CA and CoE are off of cooldown, either use astral communion to return yourself to Lunar phase, or wait until lunar phase to blow these two cooldowns. Starfire does more damage than wrath, so you want to always use these cooldowns in lunar phase.
STEP THREE: MASTERING THE ROTATION (aka learning precisely when to cast what, and ways to help +++ your dps)
*** this is a work in progress***