Unholy DPS - Single & Multi TargetFollow

Let me start off with this: I am level 75 and here is my armory. Alessan (And just like everyone else on here, I'm still testing different builds, but this one has worked the best for me so far. I have been unholy since creation, sometimes tank, sometimes dps spec'd)

On Single targets I agree with the already posted:

IT > PS > BS > BS > SS > UB
SS > SS > SS > DC

I do between 1k and 1.4k depending on type of mob (armor, mobility, shadow resistance(SS), etc..)

My issues start with multiple targets.

Now before I get into my thoughts on it, let me just go ahead an say that all tanks now, regardless of class have excellent abilities to hold AoE threat. Therefore when I go into pulls that consist of 3 or more mobs, my goal is to maximize damage on all the mobs and burning them all down quickly.

So let's say the tank pulls and you are targeting the first kill. Obviously you are going to start your rotation on that first kill since the main amount of threat from the tank will be on that target. This is where I have conflicting opinions between myself and some previous posts here. From the posts here most would say it's best to go with this.

IT > PS > Pest > BS > SS > UB

The biggest issue I keep running into is that with this new AoE ability of all the tanks, most dps is using as much AoE as possible on trash mobs. This means that by the time I finish the first line of my initial rotation on the main target, not only is it dead sometimes before I finish it, but the next mob is running low on diseases already, which means I can either re-apply(usually the mob dies before I can get anything else off after this), strike without diseases up at a lower damage, or cry myself to sleep...

So basically by the time I get to the third mob, I have to re-apply to continue and by the time I re-apply, that mob is dead. Obviously as I said I could strike without the diseases up, but as Unholy that just isn't practical or maximized.

So, with that in mind, here is the rotation I began using a couple days ago:

IT > PS > Pest > DnD > UB

My typical rotation after that is to stay on the main target (which normally is dead very quickly thereafter)and switch to the 2nd in kill order. At that point I:

IT > SS > BS > Pest > DC*

Now keep in mind that every time you use Pest, it refreshes the diseases on the rest of the mobs.

With my 3 diseases ticking the entire pull, DnD ticking for the first part of it, and UB for most of the pull, my dps has increases substantially. I am running anywhere from 1.5k to 2k (topped out at 2.8k on some pulls last night) depending on the size of the pull.

Obviously this will only work if the tank isn't completely retarded and unable to use their abilities correctly. I have used this method with each type of tank, and haven't had any issues. (Last night the level 73 Pally I ran Old Kingdom and AN with only had 12k unbuffed hp heh)

Now DnD does state that it's a high threat attack, but with the 25% reduction in threat from Subversion I wasn't even close to pulling the adds off any of the tanks. I actually ran into more problems single target-wise with a pally tank, getting close to the threat cap.

And so with this, I come to you all for opinions and hopefully tested theories on if this is the best way to maximize on those multi trash pulls or if I'm missing something entirely.

PS: I also use DnD on boss fights when they have adds, like all of them in AN or the portals in Violet Hold, it helps the tank/healer immensely to keep everything in one place.

PSx2: Also another trick I have picked up is switching off the main target to an add/next target in kill order and popping Pest, then switching back to the main target. That refreshed the diseases on the main target with only one blood rune and leaves my Frost and Unholy runes available for more SS's. This works well on boss fights with adds and on pulls where there is a "Captain" type mob with lots of HP.

Edited: Updated Sig





Edited, Dec 15th 2008 9:27am by Galenmoon

DnD is a complete waste of runes for a DPS ability.

Generally as blood I put up PS/IT, then pestilence/oblit and the first mob will be dead, move on to the second and HS/Oblit and that mob will die, then dump RP on the third to kill that mob.