Smart Hot Streak macro for mages

[Ken]

I'm trying to think of a smart way make use of Hot Streak for mages while just using 1 DPS button. The idea is that you just smash this 1 DPS button and it triggers the hot streak when necessary.

Assume this as a standard macro:

#[your multibox targetting code]
/castsequence A, B, C, D

This is what I made:


/stopcasting [noexists]
#[your multibox targetting code]
/castsequence A, B, , C, D
/cast Pyroblast
/cleartarget


When the macro is called initially, the stopcasting doesn't have any effect. After casting spell B, a pause in the castsequence allows the macro to continue and cast Pyroblast. Then it does /cleartarget, which helps us to identify that Pyroblast is cast(consider it like a hacked-in boolean value in a programming language)

So when casting Pyroblast, the target is cleared. When the macro is then rapidly called again, stopcasting will be triggered because of the previous /cleartarget. This leads to 3 possible outcomes:
- There is a target, which means that Pyroblast wasn't triggered. Nothing special happens and the macro goes on to target and then cast a spell.
- There is no target and Pyroblast has triggered instantly, so the stopcasting won't have any effect, since the spell was instant.
- There is no target and Pyroblast has NOT triggered instantly, so the Pyroblast timer is going on ... stopcasting stops the Pyroblast.

This solves the logic problem I had, but the problem is that for each non-instant Pyroblast cast, the global cooldown gets triggered. The macro could be improved by making the castsequence larger, so the global cooldown is relatively lower to the total repeat time of the castsequence.
Does anyone have a better approach? Dump your ideas here!

[Feider]

Interesting. I am currently just throwing a [modifier:alt] in my dps macro and watching for procs through MSBT. Nothing too fancy.

[puppychow]

arcane is a better spec than fire or frost imo, especially for multiboxers. fire beats out arcane by a slight margin when you have best in slot (naxx25/maly25) gear and are doing 25 man raids only and have 320-360 hit, which is not something a multiboxer should be aiming for. While its true you lose the 10% extra crit from scorch being on bosses, the fact that elemental oath is up so much makes it not that big a deal, plus 10% crit is not that big a damage boost as you may think. You can spec frost of course as well, its just arcane is the highest DPS spec with varying levels of gear (requires the least amount of hit).

as arcane you can make a castseq of

#showtooltip Arcane Blast
/stopmacro [channeling]
... put target stuff here, or use [target=focustarget,harm][] in next line...
/castsequence Arcane Blast,Arcane Blast,Arcane Blast,Arcane Missiles,Arcane Barrage
/use 13
/use 14

(you can drop it to 2 Arcane Blasts and remove the Arcane Barrage if you want). Sometimes I do spec my mage fire for raids and when multiboxing I don't bother with pyro at all, just something like

#showtooltip
/assist focus
/castsequence reset=combat Scorch,Scorch,Living Bomb,Fireball,Fireball,Fireball,Fireball,Fireball, Fireball,Fireball,Fireball,Fireball,Fireball
/use 13
/use 14

obviously this is a loss in DPS due to no pyros or extra living bombs but for heroics and VOA (places I multibox) I find it no problem at all.

[Greythan]

Puppy, have you tested the /castsequence arcane/fire spec on a test dummy agaisnt a straight frostbolt spam from a frost spec? I've specced frost largely because I think its the most multi-box friendly. (Summon Water Elemental and spam frostbolt, drop in a mirror image/focus magic from time to time for spiked damage)

I had originally been fire and miss the big crits, but trying to stack scorches and watch for Hot Streaks made me go frost. Never specced arcane.

[Maxion]

I'm trying to think of a smart way make use of Hot Streak for mages while just using 1 DPS button. The idea is that you just smash this 1 DPS button and it triggers the hot streak when necessary.

Assume this as a standard macro:

#[your multibox targetting code]
/castsequence A, B, C, D

This is what I made:


/stopcasting [noexists]
#[your multibox targetting code]
/castsequence A, B, , C, D
/cast Pyroblast
/cleartarget


When the macro is called initially, the stopcasting doesn't have any effect. After casting spell B, a pause in the castsequence allows the macro to continue and cast Pyroblast. Then it does /cleartarget, which helps us to identify that Pyroblast is cast(consider it like a hacked-in boolean value in a programming language)

So when casting Pyroblast, the target is cleared. When the macro is then rapidly called again, stopcasting will be triggered because of the previous /cleartarget. This leads to 3 possible outcomes:
- There is a target, which means that Pyroblast wasn't triggered. Nothing special happens and the macro goes on to target and then cast a spell.
- There is no target and Pyroblast has triggered instantly, so the stopcasting won't have any effect, since the spell was instant.
- There is no target and Pyroblast has NOT triggered instantly, so the Pyroblast timer is going on ... stopcasting stops the Pyroblast.

This solves the logic problem I had, but the problem is that for each non-instant Pyroblast cast, the global cooldown gets triggered. The macro could be improved by making the castsequence larger, so the global cooldown is relatively lower to the total repeat time of the castsequence.
Does anyone have a better approach? Dump your ideas here!
The cleartarget is going to happen every time you hit the macro, so it'll stop casting next time you press it.

[heffner]

Interesting idea. I will have to play around with that. I was also going to try to find a macro so I can hear the proc on my main computer, but never found anything. What is MSBT?

So, if I understand this you basically want to cast a couple of spells, it falls through to Pyro and then stopcasting. If Pyro is instant the stopcasting has no effect since it's been cast already, but if it's not it stops?? As long as you can button spam through the stop casting it might work.

Scorch isn't a problem for me with the glyph of improved scorch, only need to cast it twice.

I was planning to just switch to Arcane when 3.1 comes out solely due to Hot Streak. Basically, Hot Streak is what gives the Fire spec the edge over Arcane (I believe this is true anyway). So, if I can't use it I figured I would switch.

[Kel]

You could try the /click castsequence method (explained elsewhere), it might be possible to have your first macro as /cast Pyroblast /stopcasting and then the second clicked macro as your normal cast sequence.

I can't remember if an interrupted cast incurs the GCD though, if it does I guess this method won't work.

[shaeman]

What is MSBT?

MSBT is miks scrolling battle text.

I downloaded this recently so I can watch for 5 stacks of maelstrom weapon on my enhancement shaman. It is possible to set it to watch for certain procs on other characters in your group.
This requires the setting up of triggers (which I haven't tried yet).

[Ken]

The cleartarget is going to happen every time you hit the macro, so it'll stop casting next time you press it.
Damn, I'll try to find a way around it.


You could try the /click castsequence method (explained elsewhere), it might be possible to have your first macro as /cast Pyroblast /stopcasting and then the second clicked macro as your normal cast sequence.

I can't remember if an interrupted cast incurs the GCD though, if it does I guess this method won't work.
The "/cast Pyroblast" will trigger the GCD, so I think this method won't work.

[Feider]

Quoted from "heffner"
What is MSBT?


MSBT is miks scrolling battle text.

I downloaded this recently so I can watch for 5 stacks of maelstrom weapon on my enhancement shaman. It is possible to set it to watch for certain procs on other characters in your group.
This requires the setting up of triggers (which I haven't tried yet).I have MSBT setup to only announce when my Mage gains Hot Streak and my Druid Eclipse. I disabled all events and added those 4 so I won't miss them in the clutter. I also have it announce when they lose those buffs so I know to stop trying to cast Pyroblast of Starfire.
The setup is not bad at all. . The only problem comes when in a group with another fire Mage or Boomkin. Their proccs show up also because you can't specify what toon to watch, only to watch all party members.

[puppychow]

Puppy, have you tested the /castsequence arcane/fire spec on a test dummy agaisnt a straight frostbolt spam from a frost spec? I've specced frost largely because I think its the most multi-box friendly. (Summon Water Elemental and spam frostbolt, drop in a mirror image/focus magic from time to time for spiked damage)

I had originally been fire and miss the big crits, but trying to stack scorches and watch for Hot Streaks made me go frost. Never specced arcane.

I was frost for most of TBC but haven't spec'd it at all for WOTLK. Its not at all competitive in DPS for PVE, arcane and fire beat it by quite a wide margin. Frost is of course an awesome arena spec.

My tank was a deathknight, and I don't believe the frost 10% spell dmg boost stacks with a unholy DKs 13% spell damage boost. WIth a mostly shaman team mana is never an issue so replenishment wasn't a big deal.

I think for a multiboxer arcane or frost are both perfectly good specs, I don't think fire is that great (FFB cast time too long, scorch wasted on trash, too hard to get hot streak procs worked in). If however you want to also solo play your mage then arcane is a better spec, since an arcane mage will do a much better job when solo raiding in naxx.

With dual specs a lot of this will change of course, I'll probably go arcane or frost spec for PVP/trash/multiboxing and fire (18/53/0 -- FFB is pretty much a dead spec in 3.1) for bosses.

[Feider]

FFB is pretty much a dead spec in 3.1Why is that? Did I missed something in the patch notes?

[shaeman]

Quoted from "heffner"
What is MSBT?


MSBT is miks scrolling battle text.

I downloaded this recently so I can watch for 5 stacks of maelstrom weapon on my enhancement shaman. It is possible to set it to watch for certain procs on other characters in your group.
This requires the setting up of triggers (which I haven't tried yet).I have MSBT setup to only announce when my Mage gains Hot Streak and my Druid Eclipse. I disabled all events and added those 4 so I won't miss them in the clutter. I also have it announce when they lose those buffs so I know to stop trying to cast Pyroblast of Starfire.
The setup is not bad at all. . The only problem comes when in a group with another fire Mage or Boomkin. Their proccs show up also because you can't specify what toon to watch, only to watch all party members.

Did you modify MSBT's standard triggers. I noticed that I could change self only to party for their standard triggers.
I'm pretty sure you can create triggers that watch for the same proc and can specify the toon name in them.
This might allow you to group with other folks without worrying.