Sup, buddies?
I'm very happy to present 1.7.3.9 alpha 2. The star of this hour is the WitchDoctor, I've done every optimization possible for the WD code to maximize out of Cloud of Bats build while still ensure no negative effect was casted upon code for other builds. Code tested with a 200k dps, 1500 vit (500k eHP) WD on MP10. As you guys know already, CoB continuous channeling has now been part of the original Trinity code, however, the channeling is usually disrupted by other spells automatically and/or mana is not efficiently used, so the WD would recast CoB frequently, and much of mana is lost. The nature of CoB means there's a huge benefit from continuous casting of CoB since the damage scales exponentially the longer the cast sequence is. (with my 200kdps WD, a initial CoB crit is about 800k-1mil, however this would increase to around 3mil if casting is not disrupted). So what I've done with the WD in this version is mostly:
- guarantee most economical use of mana
- guarantee best uninterrupted CoB cast possible
- correct bugs
The optimizations in details are as follows:
- Spirit Walk: Honored Guest will not spam OCC anymore (unless movement OCC checkbox is ticked), elimination of this bug will help save the spell for mana replenishment during combat, this benefits all builds, esp. the mana hungry CoB build.
- Big Bad Voodoo fixed, now will cast correctly when elites are
realluclose (to ensure the WD stays in the buff zone dealing damage).
- Horrify now can be used with CoB build. Previously, CoB build means staying away from Horrify since it drives mobs away while CoB is a very close range spell. Now Horrify:Frightening Aspect will be cast before combat, will not be cast when surrounded by mobs, unless HP drops significantly. Horrify before combat typically increases eHP by 80-90% - much better survivability.
- Locust will not spam at very close range when CoB will be used instead (since a locust cast will disrupt CoB channelling causing a great loss of mana, and big loss of damage from what should have been a continuous channelling, as CoB gets better the longer the cast is).
- Locust will now cast only when the will be enough mana to CoB afterwards if CoB is present.
- If Sacrifice is used together with CoB, the code will now ensure that sacrifice is cast (and disrupt channeling) only when there is abundant mana to recast CoB afterwards.
- Spirit Walk: Honored guest is now used only when mana is truely needed. Originally, Honored Guest is cast always when mana is lower than 50%, even when 50% is more than enough to cast mana intensive spells like CoB and others, this is very inefficient and usually when mana is really out, Honored guest had been cast a few seconds before already so there's no way to replenished mana. With the new codes and priority, attacks will continue well below 50% mana, until it is not possible any more then Honored Guest will be casted to make best use of every drops of mana.
Enjoy, give feedback. And if you could, please donate. All donation will be used for the good of the community by investing in gear for other characters waiting for re-coding (Monk, DH, Wiz). (For these 3 char, I need to create an average lv60 toon each, with 200k dps and enough eHP and life steal to sustain MP10, which translate to about 1.5bil - 2bil gold/char, so I'm 4.5-6 bil gold short at the moment, donation either by paypal or by ingame gold is highly appreciated).
DOWNLOAD 1.7.3.9 alpha 2 starring the Witch Doctor