What does a Defiler bring to a raid?
All numbers are based on Adept III /Master I spells.
Group buffs:
Abhorrent Shroud- Increases physical damageresistance (641) and supplies a replenishing ward (211) against non-physicaldamage.
Malevolent Efflux- Increases Max health of group by281, increases mitigation vs. poison by 812, and increases mitigation vs.disease by 1015.
Rapacity- Increases STR by 75 and max health by 666
Crystallize Spirit- When a death blow is struck, grouphas 30% chance to summon a Crystallized Spirit into the group’s inventory. (Thecrystallized spirit is an AE heal from a one-use orb)
Single target buffs:
Portent- Increases max health of target by 844 andmax power by 421
Tendrils of Horror- Target has an 8% chance todecrease damage per second of target by 37 and decrease attack speed of targetby 26
Dire Invective- On a successful melee attack, targethas a chance to inflict 102 disease damage instantly and every 4 seconds (6triggers) and 70% of enemy’s power consumed will also be drained from theirhealth.
Ritual of Alacrity- (Optional AA buff) Increasesrecast, recovery, and reuse speed by 33% for 30 seconds.
Group Cure:
Noxious/Trauma
Voice of the Ancestors: Dispels 82 levels of hostileStun, Root, Fear, Daze, Stifle, and Mesmerize effects on the group.
Wards/Heals:
Malignant Shroud- Wards target against 1788 points ofdamage
Carrion Bulwark- Wards group against 2928 points ofdamage
Eidolic Ward- (Emergency ward) Wards against 1803points of damage. Has no casting time.
Purulence- (Emergency group ward) Wards against 2198points of damage. Has no casting time.
Spiritual Circle- Summons a limited pet to aid thecaster; casts a constantly recurring 518 point ward in an area of effect for 1minute.
Spirit Avenger- (Death Prevention) If target receivesdamage that would be fatal, a limited pet to aid the target is summoned, targetis warded against 1120 of all damage, and target is healed for 875.
Putrid Balm: (Small Heal) Instantly heals 649-794 ontarget
Sacrificial Deliverance: (Big Heal) Instantly healstarget for 1414-1724
Impious Accretion: (Group Heal) Instantly heals groupfor 1159-1356
Soulward: (Optional AA ward) Sacrifices defiler’scurrent health to 10% of their maximum health. The amouth of health sacrificedis turned into a ward on the target. This has no casting time.
Debuffs:
Abasement: Decreases attack speed by 27 and damageper second by 19.2
Malignancy: Decreases STR, AGI, STA, INT, and WIS by48
Umbral Trap: Decreases damage per second by 16.5
Abhorrent Seal: Decreases STR, AGI, and WIS by 76
Ruinous Anathema: Decreases mit vs. poison/disease by826
Putrefy: Decreases WIS by 126
Fuliginous Dominion: Decreases attack speed by 11.6
Caliginous Corruption: Decreases mit vs. poison/diseaseby 840
That’s great, Laenai, but what does all that mean?
In the main tank group:
The shaman in any main tank group will top the heal parse98% of the time with 24-30% healed zonewide. This is due to the wards that areconstantly running on the main tank and the group. The more damage prevention,the more the tank and his core of healers stay alive. On top of that, take alook at the buffs a defiler has to offer. The defiler has the ability to raisethe main tank’s maximum health pool by nearly 1800 points (more with Master I buffs),increase their resists versus poison/disease by 1023/1226, and also increasetheir attack speed and damage per second. The increase in health means the tankcan take more damage, the increase in noxious mitigation means the tank is lesslikely to take as much damage due to noxious spells and DoTs, and the increasein attack speed and damage per second means that the tank generates a touchmore hate. Ritual of Alacrity is a nice touch as it can be cast on either themain tank so that his taunts recast faster or on another healer so their healsrecast faster. Main tank, main healers, or the group in general getsfeared/stunned/stifled/etc? No problem. Voice of the Ancestors clears thatnasty DoT right up and keeps from jumbling up the hate list.
In the off-tank/main assist group:
Damage prevention is always key here as the off-tank/mainassist doesn’t have quite the healing power of the main tank group. Again, theraising of the maximum power pool, the attack speed/DPS is nothing but a bonusin the group, giving the off-tank a better chance to grab and keep agro and tobe able to take the damage the mob can dish out while tanking. This also puts atrauma/noxious group cure into the OT/MA group.
In the scout group:
Damage prevention and noxious mitigation are the two biggestbonuses a defiler brings to the scout group. In this group more than any other,the resists will be lower, the ability to rip aggro from the tank is higher,and fighting in close quarters for melee DPS increases their chances dramaticallyof taking physical and non-physical AE damage from the mob.
In the mage group:
Again, damage prevention is the major bonus to having adefiler in the mage group. Many a warlock has had their lifespan extended afterpulling aggro from the tank due to a defiler’s wards. Most times, its enough tokeep them standing while they de-aggro or run the mob back to the tank (orboth). Ritual of Alacrity is a big bonus here for mages looking to cast just abit faster.
In a nutshell
A defiler is a damage preventing, healing, physical attack andpoison/disease mitigation debuffing, health pool and poison/disease mitigationbuffing badass. (And I’m not biased just because I play the class, though it helps)