The Art of the Solo Queue
So it’s taken me quite a while to find an offensive Sovereign build that I liked, but at last I have it… I realized that aside from killing tanks, which isn’t really a WE’s job, but is something that I enjoy; the thing I liked about defensive sovereign the most was the ability to escape. When the shit hit the fan I had enough survivability to get out of there without going down. In offensive sov you are so squishy that normally is not an option. Well, the best compromise I found is going BALLZ OUT dps with offensive sov and picking up Cleansing Wind 3. I have healed for as much as 5k on a single cast
and the 2 minute cooldown is very nice. 30 Realm points is a lot, but cheaper than many others which cost 45 to max.
So in my last solo queue SC i pulled down 30 kbs, had 2 deaths, and nearly 300k damage which was the most for both sides… and I did it with Masterful Treachery slotted lol. My theory is this- that MT actually forces you to play more strategic, and even in a pug or solo queue situation you can make a difference bringing so much DPS so suddenly. The buff to stealth in 1.3.6 is very noticeable, and I don’t ever have issues with stealth breaking anymore unless i am close enough to be spotted and get attacked.
My spec is OYK and MT, with pierce armor, EotC, and IP. I use OYK for the knockdown rather than HS. The anti-kiting potential makes up for the lack of a second heal debuff. This build also works for ganking- but obviously is not as good as defensive sov/witchbrew for 1v3, 1v4 etc. That’s ok… I’m being more surgical with my playtime now and the rps have actually been moving fairly quickly as I focus on guild groups and playing efficiently; I’m 1/5th of the way to 87 and I’m ok with that.
Anyway, I guess the point is offensive sov certainly can work (and btw 5% dps from glyphs is worth more than 30 damage bonus according to my tests…), and it does make you squishier, but with CW3 I think you’ll find that even solo this build can work very well. I’ve seen other “big name” witches whining that without guard/mega heals they can’t go squishy but I disagree- I think MT forces you to play the crafty backstabbing sniper, and with that 30% dmg bonus from stealth I can get over 2400 PA, and 2200 AW… which so far anyway is more than I’ve been hit for with Torment, even by WHs in offensive Doomflayer
In other news a RP was talking smack and he’s not one of those players who is on anyone’s radar so I called him a freenown corpse in a stack of bodies… ahem. Anyway, i liked this WH’s response to that:
Hey, I resemble one of those freenown corpses in said stack of bodies… Since this thread is a jumbled mess of everything at this point, I thought I’d entertain… myself… with an average Joe’s fight with Taransula: Riding along, checking my six, wondering how my shiny new free loot from a bag will work out, riding some more *POOF–DEAD* Wondering now, maybe a glitch, I never saw any destro… Now checking my combat log to see what the heck just happened. Taransula happened. Ouch.
Naturally he is exaggerating, but I thought it was funny… and flattering of course
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about 2 years ago
Cleansing Wind III is awesome for soloing. Definitely increases the survivability of any dps class.
Also where are the warbits?
about 2 years ago
SOON I promise! As in within the next week most likely; I haven’t seen the sketches yet but they are done. And yeah CW3 is amazing, definitely not just for soloing. If people know who you are you’ll get several BW rotations and SW dots on you at the same time… CW3 makes em cry
about 2 years ago
Has this setup changed your thoughts on going for the doomflayer defensive set?
about 2 years ago
Doomflayer defensive is flat out superior to offensive because it is only 4 pieces. Offensive chest also has 4% crit and 60 melee power on it, so you wear that with other 4 defensive. Also defensive shoulders have 3% crit on them, it’s a match made in heaven… I mean can you imagine AOE proccing 723 unmitigatable lifetaps? Each one healing you for 1085… it’s absolutely sick. Not to mention the bubble.
Offensive has a 10% chance to proc more melee power; but it won’t proc all the time, I know I have tested it with sov and it’s not up as much as I’d like. The sov proc adds +130 melee power, which is in fact LESS than the boost you get for 5 glyphs. Not to mention the glyphs buff proc dmg and melee power doesn’t.
about 2 years ago
Thanks for the reply. So you’re thinking of keeping the OYK/IP build rather than the WB build? Hows that working for you so far. As a WB build myself, sometimes the lack of burst on an AM or healer is frustrating, but then you face a tank or mdps & most often win that encounter.
about 2 years ago
T,
Just started reading your blog. Some good tidbits in here. I’m playing a Mara on Volkmar now and just go to 90 last weekend. Can say without a doubt def DF is pretty op, but I’m fortunate to have both sets and offensive DF is unstoppable in a group. The haste + dmg procs are insane. If I were you, work on getting 8 pieces
about 2 years ago
Definitely a nice combo, makes me wish WH had MT
Are you basically running 6 piece offensive and 5 glyphs?
I’m interested in using my offensive set and trying a build around that, but the squishiness (~13% chance to be crit?!) bugs me…
Any tips for scrub WH?
about 2 years ago
yep, running 6/5 for the melee power proc and +5% dmg. btw, that 5% dmg is MORE than 30 damage bonus worth- and as a WE it is doubly effective since it amps kiss procs and witchbrew.
i have 10% chance to be crit with this build, which is a lot, but i’ll take it. i have guard, have the tank targeted and just follow him around like a puppy- i can tell who he’s on before he says anything, i assist and most targets explode
about 2 years ago
Oh yeah I hear ya, but my damage bonus and crit will be insane in defensive DF, and with fast attack speed that 723 unmitigatable lifetap will annihilate guarded turtle-healers… everything about WE that makes defensive sov OP is magnified with the DF armor to the point of absurdity. Can’t wait