Cower question

[Bob]

I'm just posting my answer here, to not "pollute" the Black Morass thread more than we've already done :narnar:

For me aggro is becoming a problem unfortunately, which kind of sucks because I don't have any space left in my bar for Cower :sad: .

When I come to think of it, I have actually never really used Cower (well, can you blame me - have been resto for two years, still learning the feral way of life :flirty:). I haven't experienced too much aggro problems (really think I've only been going cat when Nefertem has been tanking, which he does good as a prot warrior), but if I get "unlucky" with the crits, I def can happen:

I usually start a fight with Pounce, Mangle and than Shred (also with Tiger's Fury all at the start if I remember), and if two or more of those crit, I pull aggro - and than I just hope the tank has his taunt of CD.

But how good is Cower? Is it something I should use regularly when I have energy to spare, or just save it for situations as the one described as above?

[Gorion]

from a tank view, as much as you can (depends on cooldown)
 
pulling aggro can have disastrous chain effects, even if its for 2-3 seconds

[Sandrion]

Cower reduces your amount of hate against a mob by 1170. However Cat form has a 71% threat modifier, which means that every point of damage generates 0.71 threat. This also applies to Cower, so in reality it will reduce your hate by 871 threat. Rouges have the same threat modifier and feint works in a similar way if I recall correctly. There is one down side to Cower though; since it's considered a melee attack it can miss, be parried or dodged :sideways: .
 
About when to use it. It really depends. You will need 110% more aggro then the tank in melee range. So when you pull aggro, even after Cowering (which is on a 10 sec CD) the tank probably won't get aggro back, because you're still higher on the threat list. It's best to 'ride the aggro wave'. Just do as much damage as you can without pulling it of the tank. You can use Cower when you start generating more threat per second then him; you can get some extra specials in that way. At least in threory :narnar: .
 
Aggro shouldn't be a problem on bosses though. The tank should have enough rage to spend there.
 
I wouldn't recommend using Tiger's fury and Prowl at the start of a fight. First of all (most of the time) Tiger's fury is a waste of energy and thus DPS. Additionally you don't want your first few blows to be harder at the start of the fight, better give the tank some time at the start to prevent him from blowing his Taunt early on (some tanks even Taunt at the start of a fight every single time, so they can be sure they have the mob on them for at least the first 6 seconds). And prowl is a stun, a mob that's isn't hitting the tank isn't getting him rage (pallies are the exception ofcourse). On the other hand DPS can happily nuke on :devil: .
 
In other words, give your tank a break Bob  :narnar: .
 
Take it easy at the start.
 
Here is the Cat DPS checklist (in order of importance):
-Don't pull aggro. As long as you are able to stay behind a mob, you can use Shred (which does more damage per point of energy then Mangle).
-Make sure your energy bar isn't full at any point during the fight, so you don't waste energy ticks. Take it easy at the start of the fight, to avoid stressing the tank. You don't have to empty your bar immediately.
-Make sure Mangle is up whenever a bleed is ticking or when you're using Shred, for improved damage.
-Make sure you don't have any DoTs ticking and you have spend all your combo points when the mob dies. It would be a waste otherwise.
-Make sure your energy bar is empty at then end of the fight.
-Don't forget to use your damage trinkets. Wait for your energy bar to get above 79 and chain some attacks while it is active. You want to use as much specials as you can during that period.
-Use Rip instead of Ferocious Bite. Bleed damage can't be mitigated.
-Spend OOC procs wisely.

[Bastet]

-Use Rip instead of Ferocious Bite. Bleed damage can't be mitigated.

More importantly Rip uses a fixed ammount of energy, where FB uses all, specialy if your much above the FB cost, then use something else to bring down your energy, because the converted energy doesnt do a whole lot of extra dmg.

[Sandrion]

Yes, I forgot to mention that. Thanks for noting Bastet .
 
Hopefully they'll make it work like Evicerate one day .... The way it works now is pretty annoying.

[Bob]

In other words, give your tank a break Bob  :narnar:

Aw, do I have to? That's just boring - and no challenge for the tank either :narnar:

But thanks Sandrion, always enjoy reading your posts - learn something new every time :thumbsup2:

[Bastet]

Druids now finaly have to do as rogues, and allow for several seconds of agro time before starting to unleach there full power. When you get upto the numbers Sandrion mentions (3k ap / 30% crit) and starting with a full bar of energy you can get 2k 3k 3k crit before your bar is empty, this is not a terribly good idea :narnar: (KTM really helps for DPSing)
 
For both bear and cat goes though, always keep FFF up, as its a sizeable dps increasement for all melee (and works wonders with sunder & curse of recklesness)