The Dilemma
today, i like to discuss about the last phase of tyrant velhari. for farming mode, we always save up our AW charges for phase 3, nowadays we also save our strength potion for p3 to sync with the
Aura of Malice damage buff.
when we bring the boss down to 30% hp, the
Ancient Sovereign will be spawned. shortly after that, he will cast a
Sovereign's Ward on the boss, reducing all damage on the boss by 90% and he will keep re-applying it on the boss while alive. every time the
Ancient Sovereign comes, i always have a dilemma in my mind.
choice A-
should i continue to focus macro crusader strike on tyrant to maintain 3 stacks of LOV? the good thing is that all our attacks on the
Ancient Sovereign will be stronger due to the 3 stacks of LOV. however, that means crusader strike damage will be gone to waste due to the 90% reduction
Sovereign's Ward on the boss.
choice B-
another way is to do a hard target switch to attack the soverign so that our crusader strike damage will not be wasted. in this case, we have to rebuild our 3 stacks of LOV. but the question is whether this is a dps gain or a dps loss? should we really care about crusader strike since it is our weakest ability during AW.
so let's find out which choice is better!
Character Stats
the damage in my spreadsheet is being calculating using these stats:
8500 strength
80% mastery
11% haste
3% versatility
3.6 weapon speed, 2522 to 3785 damage
a mythic BiS 2/2 upgraded geared paladin should have similar stats
Some Additional Notes
11% haste, unbuff
16% haste, after raid 5% buff
normal GCD = 1.5 ÷ 1.16 = 1.29 second
27.11% haste, raid 5% + seraphim (1000 ÷ 90)% buff
during seraphim, GCD will be 1.5 ÷ 1.2711 = 1.18 second
- auto-melee damage and SOT damage will be apply every GCD
- all abilities damage are calculated as "average"
How Aura of Malice works in phase 3
once the boss hp reach 40%, you will get this damage buff
Aura of Malice, which begins at 20% damage. every 5 seconds, the buff increase by 10%.
for example, in my guild, we took around 30 seconds to bring the boss from 40% hp to 30% hp. then the ancient sovereign spawn and took 11 seconds to walk to us.
damage multiplier
p3 begins = 1.2
5 seconds later = 1.3
20 seconds later = 1.6
40 seconds later = 2.0
60 seconds later = 2.4
by the time you get to dps ancient sovereign, at 40 seconds, the buff is already high enough to double your damage at this point.
Assume Worst Case Situation
i prefer to assume the worst case situation for choice B here.
let's say you are being forced to switch to ancient sovereign just when you activate AW and Sera. that means you have to rebuild LOV in the midst of ES + AW + tier set WOL + Sera. yes, i know this is bad luck, but it may happen.
then let's assume we kill the ancient sovereign exactly at 30 seconds lol, and then we are forced to switch back to boss in the midst of another fresh AW.WOL + Sera.
Choice A - Focus macro CS on Tyrant
| Choice A - Maintain 3 LOV |
| | | | | | | |
| Seconds | Rotation | HP | AW | WOL | LOV | Coefficient | Damage |
| | | | | | | |
| 0.00 | ES | | | | | | 325358 |
| 1.18 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 3 | 2 | 201002 |
| 2.36 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1.15 | 3 | 0.2 | 50043 |
| 3.54 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 3 | 2 | 219275 |
| 4.72 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1.25 | 3 | 2 | 219003 |
| 5.90 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 3 | 2.1 | 249425 |
| 7.08 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 3 | 0.21 | 63968 |
| 8.26 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1.45 | 3 | 2.1 | 278205 |
| 9.44 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 3 | 2.1 | 275944 |
| 10.62 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.2 | 201002 |
| 11.80 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 0.22 | 47867 |
| 12.98 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.2 | 201002 |
| 14.16 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.2 | 192723 |
| 15.34 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.3 | 210139 |
| 16.63 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 0.23 | 50043 |
| 17.93 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.3 | 210139 |
| 19.22 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.3 | 201483 |
| 20.51 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.4 | 219275 |
| 21.81 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 0.24 | 52219 |
| 23.10 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.4 | 219275 |
| 24.39 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.4 | 210243 |
| 25.69 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.5 | 228412 |
| 26.98 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 0.25 | 54394 |
| 28.27 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.5 | 228412 |
| 29.57 | judgment | 4 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.5 | 108588 |
| 30.86 | hammer | 5 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.6 | 237548 |
| 32.04 | crusader | 1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 3 | 2.6 | 155425 |
| 33.22 | hammer | 2 | 1.2 | 1.15 | 3 | 2.6 | 273180 |
| 34.40 | judgment | 3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 3 | 2.6 | 135518 |
| 35.58 | hammer | 4 | 1.2 | 1.25 | 3 | 2.7 | 308356 |
| 36.76 | TV | 1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 3 | 2.7 | 307480 |
| 37.94 | hammer | 2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 3 | 2.7 | 345358 |
| 39.12 | crusader | 3 | 1.2 | 1.45 | 3 | 2.7 | 212759 |
| 40.30 | hammer | 4 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 3 | 2.8 | 383731 |
| 41.48 | TV | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.8 | 245284 |
| 42.66 | hammer | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.8 | 255821 |
| 43.84 | crusader | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.8 | 152165 |
| 45.02 | hammer | 4 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.9 | 264957 |
| 46.20 | TV | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.9 | 254044 |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | Total | | 8049062 |
Choice B - Hard target switch to Ancient Sovereign and reset LOV
| Choice B - Reset 3 LOV |
| | | | | | | | |
| Seconds | Rotation | HP | AW | WOL | LOV | Coefficient | Damage |
| | | | | | | | |
| 0.00 | ES | | | | | | 304720 |
| 1.18 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 3 | 2 | 201002 |
| 2.36 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1.15 | 1 | 2 | 111623 |
| 3.54 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 | 2 | 195821 |
| 4.72 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1.25 | 1 | 2 | 195579 |
| 5.90 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1 | 2.1 | 222747 |
| 7.08 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2 | 2.1 | 151228 |
| 8.26 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1.45 | 2 | 2.1 | 263327 |
| 9.44 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2 | 2.1 | 261187 |
| 10.62 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 2 | 2.2 | 190253 |
| 11.80 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.2 | 119558 |
| 12.98 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.2 | 201002 |
| 14.16 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.2 | 192723 |
| 15.34 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.3 | 210139 |
| 16.63 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.3 | 124992 |
| 17.93 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.3 | 210139 |
| 19.22 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.3 | 201483 |
| 20.51 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.4 | 219275 |
| 21.81 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.4 | 130427 |
| 23.10 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.4 | 219275 |
| 24.39 | TV | 0 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.4 | 210243 |
| 25.69 | hammer | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.5 | 228412 |
| 26.98 | crusader | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.5 | 135861 |
| 28.27 | hammer | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.5 | 228412 |
| 29.57 | judgment | 4 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.5 | 108588 |
| 30.86 | hammer | 5 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.6 | 237548 |
| 32.04 | crusader | 1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1 | 2.6 | 138801 |
| 33.22 | hammer | 2 | 1.2 | 1.15 | 1 | 2.6 | 243961 |
| 34.40 | judgment | 3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1 | 2.6 | 121023 |
| 35.58 | hammer | 4 | 1.2 | 1.25 | 1 | 2.7 | 275374 |
| 36.76 | TV | 1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1 | 2.7 | 274592 |
| 37.94 | hammer | 2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1 | 2.7 | 308419 |
| 39.12 | crusader | 3 | 1.2 | 1.45 | 2 | 2.7 | 201380 |
| 40.30 | hammer | 4 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2 | 2.8 | 363209 |
| 41.48 | TV | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 2 | 2.8 | 232166 |
| 42.66 | hammer | 2 | 1.2 | 1 | 2 | 2.8 | 242140 |
| 43.84 | crusader | 3 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.8 | 152165 |
| 45.02 | hammer | 4 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.9 | 264957 |
| 46.20 | TV | 1 | 1.2 | 1 | 3 | 2.9 | 254044 |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Total | | 8147792 |
Result & Conclusion
i understand this is not a perfect way to measure dps accurately, but i believe it is very close to the real thing, which is good enough to do some analysis.
anyway, the result:
choice A - 8049062
choice B - 8147792
choice B is the winner!
to be honest, i was expecting choice A to be "significantly better" since it requires more skill to perform focus macro CS. but from the result, even in the worst-ever situation for choice B, it looks like a hard switch with a LOV reset is still a 1.2% dps gain. therefore, we should not under-estimate crusader strike.
in general practise (as well as my own calculations), i believe choice B will do much better, maybe around 5% dps gain because:-
1) you won't be that unlucky all the time, being forced to reset LOV stacks right at the beginning of every AW-WOL Sera.
2) ancient sovereign may take longer than 30 seconds to be killed, which is a dps loss for choice A, for wasting more crusader strikes.
3) ancient sovereign does not always stack on the boss closely because he will stop to cast spells. this is another dps loss for the choice A player as you will find yourself sometimes out of range and forced to waste time running to CS the boss. on the other hand, a choice B player will find himself very comfortable doing a perfect dps rotation on the sovereign directly.
4) for choice B player, you can also minimize your loss by doing the hard target switch either before or after AW-WOL Sera. for example, if the ancient sovereign spawned when you just happen to activate AW-WOL Sera, you don't have to switch immediately. ancient sovereign takes 11 seconds to walk to us, and another 5 seconds to cast on the boss, which takes around 16 seconds. that is enough time for us to finish the most important 3 LOV Stacks AW-WOL Sera dps on the boss before the
Sovereign's Ward is applied.
