Stat Priorities
Stat Priorities
Overall stat ranking:
- Single Target and AoE: Versatility >= Mastery > Critical Strike > Haste
Crit and mastery are two very good stats in Dragonflight. Vers is just vers; it works. Haste is terrible; it has very few interactions with our kit, and playing Thistle Tea removes any need for energy through Haste.
Stat Outline
Agility: Increases attack power and damage.
Critical Strike: Chance to do double damage and apply Find Weakness when you Crit with Backstab and Shuriken Storm.
Mastery: Increases the damage of all your finishers.
Haste: Increases energy generation, bleed tick rate, and attack speed. We run a bunch of energy talents, so it is rarely an issue which is why Haste is typically quite bad for us.
Versatility: Simple flat bonus to damage done and reduction to damage taken.
The best way to calculate stat priorities for your character is to "sim" your character.
Races
Horde
Tauren/Blood Elf: The reason why these two races are the best for subtlety is down to a common theme; crit. Tauren gives 2% crit damage which synergizes with our want to stack a lot of crit, Blood elf gives 1% crit flat which is also just a very good stat for the spec.
Alliance
Dwarf/Void Elf: Similar reasoning applies to the Alliance races. Dwarf also increases crit damage by 2%.
Enchants
Sophic Devotion is good for both single target and AoE
Frozen Writ can be very strong in both single target and AoE (sim your character)
Waking Stats on Chest Armor
Devotion of Critical Strike, Versatility or Mastery on rings
Fierce Armor Kit on Leg Armor
Gems
The gems you use dictate which secondary stat proc you get from the Elemental Lariat, so make sure to sim all kinds of gem combinations if you have the Lariat.
- Primary stat + crit (Inscribed Illimited Diamond)
- Crit + vers (Radiant Alexstraszite) = Lariat procs vers
- Vers + crit (Radiant Malygite) = Lariat procs crit
Consumables
Food: Grand Banquet of the Kalu’ak (or Fated Fortune Cookie) is our food of choice
Phial (ST): Phial of Tepid Versatility or Iced Phial of Corrupting Rage
Phial (AoE): Phial of Tepid Versatility or Iced Phial of Corrupting Rage
Iced Phial of Corrupting Rage is pretty much better in every scenario, but it does come with a downside of taking damage while having it applied, so always make sure it's safe to use so you don't die to the random DoT or the proc of the phial and consider asking your raid leader if they prefer the team not to use it.
I have not included any of the Agility Phials because they have downsides that we cannot easily overcome, such as standing still all the time or spreading 10 yards from other players. As a melee, this is not very feasible and ultimately unrealistic unless you’re the only melee in the group/raid and constantly aware of your positioning.
Potion: Elemental Potion of Ultimate Power
Runes: Buzzing Rune or Hissing Rune
Healthpots: Dreamwalker's Healing Potion