Spell calculations as of 2.0.

The following are final multipliers and are not mentioned in the formulas:

* Shadow Mastery: 10% shadow
* Emberstorm: 10% fire
* Contagion: 5% Curse of Agony, Corruption, Seed of Corruption
* Curse of Shadow: 10% shadow (13% with Malediction)
* Curse of the Elements: 10% fire (13% with Malediction)
* Soul Link: 3% all schools
* Demonic Tactics: 5% all schools

This wasn't the case before patch 2.0, but now everything applies in the manner you'd expect.

For example, if you have Curse of Shadow, Soul Link and Demonic Tactics, that's a final multiplier of 1.10 * 1.03 * 1.05 = 1.18965 (19%). Another example: Curse of Shadow, Shadow Mastery and Contagion = 1.2705 (27%) to Curse of Agony, Corruption and Seed of Corruption.

I also provide example damage for someone with +500dmg in gear. No talents, buffs or debuffs are included in those calculations for simplicity.

Also note that crit chance and procs is not included and no attempt is made to analyse average long term damage. That would be an incredibly long post in itself!


Note:
DPS = Damage per second (damage done by the spell over its total duration)
DPM = Damage per mana (damage done for the mana cost)
DPCT = Damage per cast time (damage done by the spell for the time it took to cast)
Gear coefficient = What percentage of your gear goes to increasing the spell's damage
Gear-to-DPS = What percentage of your gear goes to increasing DPS using this spell (i.e taking cast time into account)

Affliction

• Drain Soul
  15.0 sec cast, 15 sec, 5 ticks, one per 3 sec
  Rank 4 (Lvl52): 454-459 shadow / 15 sec, 290 mana.
  Rank 5 (Lvl67): 620 shadow / 15 sec, 360 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 214.3% shadow (42.9% tick)
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 1528dmg, 306tick, 102DPS, 102DPCT, 5.27DPM
  Rank 5 +500dmg: 1691dmg, 338tick, 113DPS, 113DPCT, 4.70DPM
  
  
• Siphon Life
  Instant cast, 30 sec, 10 ticks, one per 3 sec
  Rank 4 (Lvl58): 450 shadow / 30 sec, 310 mana.
  Rank 5 (Lvl63): 520 shadow / 30 sec, 350 mana.
  Rank 6 (Lvl70): 630 shadow / 30 sec, 410 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 100.0% shadow (10.0% tick)
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 950dmg, 95tick, 32DPS, 633DPCT, 3.06DPM
  Rank 5 +500dmg: 1020dmg, 102tick, 34DPS, 680DPCT, 2.91DPM
  Rank 6 +500dmg: 1130dmg, 113tick, 38DPS, 753DPCT, 2.76DPM
  
  
• Corruption
  2.0 sec cast, 18 sec, 6 ticks, one per 3 sec
  2/5 Improved Corruption reduces cast time from 2.0 to less than a global cooldown
  Rank 4 (Lvl60): 818-824 shadow / 18 sec, 340 mana.
  Rank 5 (Lvl65): 900 shadow / 18 sec, 370 mana.
  Without Empowered Corruption:
  Gear coefficient: 93.5% shadow (15.6% tick)
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 1288dmg, 215tick, 72DPS, 644/859DPCT, 3.79DPM
  Rank 5 +500dmg: 1368dmg, 228tick, 76DPS, 684/912DPCT, 3.70DPM
  With 3/3 Empowered Corruption:
  Gear coefficient: 129.5% shadow (21.6% tick)
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 1468dmg, 245tick, 82DPS, 734/979DPCT, 4.32DPM
  Rank 5 +500dmg: 1548dmg, 258tick, 86DPS, 774/1032DPCT, 4.18DPM
  
  
• Drain Life
  5.0 sec cast, 5 sec, 5 ticks, one per 1 sec
  Rank 6 (Lvl54): 355 shadow / 5 sec, 300 mana.
  Rank 7 (Lvl62): 435 shadow / 5 sec, 355 mana.
  Rank 8 (Lvl69): 540 shadow / 5 sec, 425 mana.
  Without Soul Siphon:
  Gear coefficient: 71.4% shadow (14.3% tick)
  Rank 6 +500dmg: 712dmg, 142tick, 142DPS, 142DPCT, 2.37DPM
  Rank 7 +500dmg: 792dmg, 158tick, 158DPS, 158DPCT, 2.23DPM
  Rank 8 +500dmg: 897dmg, 179tick, 179DPS, 179DPCT, 2.11DPM
  With 2/2 Soul Siphon at 60% effect:
  Gear coefficient: 71.4% shadow (14.3% tick)
  Rank 6 +500dmg: 1139dmg, 228tick, 228DPS, 228DPCT, 3.80DPM
  Rank 7 +500dmg: 1267dmg, 253tick, 253DPS, 253DPCT, 3.57DPM
  Rank 8 +500dmg: 1435dmg, 287tick, 287DPS, 287DPCT, 3.38DPM
  
  
• Curse of Agony
  Instant cast, 24 sec, 12 ticks, one per 2 sec
  Rank 6 (Lvl58): 1036-1047 shadow / 24 sec, 215 mana.
  Rank 7 (Lvl67): 1356 shadow / 24 sec, 265 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 120.0% shadow (10.0% tick)
  Rank 6 +500dmg: 1642dmg, 137tick, 68DPS, 1094DPCT, 7.63DPM
  Rank 7 +500dmg: 1956dmg, 163tick, 82DPS, 1304DPCT, 7.38DPM
  
  
• Amplified Curse of Agony
  Instant cast, 24 sec, 12 ticks, one per 2 sec
  Rank 6 (Lvl58): 1554-1570 shadow / 24 sec, 215 mana.
  Rank 7 (Lvl67): 2034 shadow / 24 sec, 265 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 120.0% shadow (10.0% tick)
  Rank 6 +500dmg: 2162dmg, 180tick, 90DPS, 1441DPCT, 10.06DPM
  Rank 7 +500dmg: 2634dmg, 220tick, 110DPS, 1756DPCT, 9.94DPM
  
  
• Unstable Affliction DoT
  1.5 sec cast, 18 sec, 6 ticks, one per 3 sec
  Rank 2 (Lvl60): 840 shadow / 18 sec, 330 mana.
  Rank 3 (Lvl70): 1050 shadow / 18 sec, 400 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 120.0% shadow (20.0% tick)
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 1440dmg, 240tick, 80DPS, 960DPCT, 4.36DPM
  Rank 3 +500dmg: 1650dmg, 275tick, 92DPS, 1100DPCT, 4.12DPM
  
  
• Unstable Affliction Dispel
  Direct Damage
  Instant cast
  Rank 2 (Lvl60): 1145 shadow, 330 mana.
  Rank 3 (Lvl70): 1432 shadow, 400 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 200.0% shadow
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 2145dmg, 1430DPS, 6.50DPM
  Rank 3 +500dmg: 2432dmg, 1621DPS, 6.08DPM
  
  
• Death Coil
  Direct Damage
  Instant cast
  Rank 3 (Lvl58): 400 shadow, 480 mana.
  Rank 4 (Lvl68): 519 shadow, 600 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 21.4% shadow
  Rank 3 +500dmg: 507dmg, 338DPS, 1.06DPM
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 626dmg, 417DPS, 1.04DPM
  
  
• Curse of Doom
  Instant cast, 60 sec, 1 ticks, one per 60 sec
  Rank 1 (Lvl60): 3200 shadow / 60 sec, 300 mana.
  Rank 2 (Lvl70): 4200 shadow / 60 sec, 380 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 200.0% shadow (200.0% tick)
  Rank 1 +500dmg: 4200dmg, 4200tick, 70DPS, 2800DPCT, 14.00DPM
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 5200dmg, 5200tick, 87DPS, 3467DPCT, 13.68DPM
  
  
• Seed of Corruption DoT
  2.0 sec cast, 18 sec, 6 ticks, one per 3 sec
  Rank 1 (Lvl70): 1044 shadow / 18 sec, 882 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 150.0% shadow (25.0% tick)
  Rank 1 +500dmg: 1044dmg, 299tick, 100DPS, 522DPCT, 1.18DPM (capped)
  
  
• Seed of Corruption AoE
  Direct Damage
  Instant cast
  Rank 1 (Lvl68): 1110-1290 shadow, 882 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 33.3% shadow
  Rank 1 +500dmg: 1367dmg, 911DPS, 1.55DPM
  
  

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Generated on Thu Feb 15 17:46:24 2007 GMT
Source available from: http://www.pslam.demon.co.uk/warlocksticky-2007-02-15.tar.gz

Destruction

• Shadow Bolt
  Direct Damage
  5/5 Bane reduces cast time from 3.0 to 2.5 sec
  3.0 sec cast time
  Rank 10 (Lvl60): 482-538 shadow, 380 mana.
  Rank 11 (Lvl69): 541-603 shadow, 420 mana.
  Without Bane, Without Shadow and Flame:
  Gear coefficient: 85.7% shadow
  Rank 10 +500dmg: 939dmg, 313DPS, 2.47DPM
  Rank 11 +500dmg: 1001dmg, 334DPS, 2.38DPM
  Without Bane, With 5/5 Shadow and Flame:
  Gear coefficient: 105.7% shadow
  Rank 10 +500dmg: 1039dmg, 346DPS, 2.73DPM
  Rank 11 +500dmg: 1101dmg, 367DPS, 2.62DPM
  With 5/5 Bane, Without Shadow and Flame:
  Gear coefficient: 85.7% shadow
  Rank 10 +500dmg: 939dmg, 313/375DPS, 2.47DPM
  Rank 11 +500dmg: 1001dmg, 334/400DPS, 2.38DPM
  With 5/5 Bane, With 5/5 Shadow and Flame:
  Gear coefficient: 105.7% shadow
  Rank 10 +500dmg: 1039dmg, 346/415DPS, 2.73DPM
  Rank 11 +500dmg: 1101dmg, 367/440DPS, 2.62DPM
  
  
• Searing Pain
  Direct Damage
  1.5 sec cast time
  Rank 6 (Lvl58): 204-240 fire, 168 mana.
  Rank 7 (Lvl65): 243-287 fire, 191 mana.
  Rank 8 (Lvl70): 270-320 fire, 205 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 42.9% fire
  Rank 6 +500dmg: 436dmg, 291DPS, 2.60DPM
  Rank 7 +500dmg: 479dmg, 320DPS, 2.51DPM
  Rank 8 +500dmg: 509dmg, 340DPS, 2.48DPM
  
  
• Immolate Initial
  Direct Damage
  5/5 Bane reduces cast time from 2.0 to 1.5 sec
  2.0 sec cast time
  Rank 8 (Lvl60): 279 fire, 380 mana.
  Rank 9 (Lvl69): 327 fire, 445 mana.
  Without Bane
  Gear coefficient: 20.0% fire
  Rank 8 +500dmg: 379dmg, 190DPS, 1.00DPM
  Rank 9 +500dmg: 427dmg, 214DPS, 0.96DPM
  With 5/5 Bane
  Gear coefficient: 20.0% fire
  Rank 8 +500dmg: 379dmg, 190/253DPS, 1.00DPM
  Rank 9 +500dmg: 427dmg, 214/285DPS, 0.96DPM
  
  
• Immolate DoT
  2.0 sec cast, 15 sec, 5 ticks, one per 3 sec
  Rank 8 (Lvl60): 510 fire / 15 sec, 380 mana.
  Rank 9 (Lvl69): 615 fire / 15 sec, 445 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 65.0% fire (13.0% tick)
  Rank 8 +500dmg: 835dmg, 167tick, 56DPS, 418DPCT, 2.20DPM
  Rank 9 +500dmg: 940dmg, 188tick, 63DPS, 470DPCT, 2.11DPM
  
  
• Conflagrate
  Direct Damage
  Instant cast
  Rank 4 (Lvl60): 447-557 fire, 255 mana.
  Rank 5 (Lvl65): 512-638 fire, 280 mana.
  Rank 6 (Lvl70): 579-721 fire, 305 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 42.9% fire
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 716dmg, 478DPS, 2.81DPM
  Rank 5 +500dmg: 789dmg, 526DPS, 2.82DPM
  Rank 6 +500dmg: 864dmg, 576DPS, 2.83DPM
  
  
• Rain of Fire
  8.0 sec cast, 8 sec, 4 ticks, one per 2 sec
  Rank 4 (Lvl58): 904 fire / 8 sec, 1185 mana.
  Rank 5 (Lvl69): 1212 fire / 8 sec, 1480 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 95.0% fire (23.7% tick)
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 1379dmg, 345tick, 172DPS, 172DPCT, 1.16DPM
  Rank 5 +500dmg: 1687dmg, 422tick, 211DPS, 211DPCT, 1.14DPM
  
  
• Hellfire
  15.0 sec cast, 15 sec, 15 ticks, one per 1 sec
  Rank 3 (Lvl54): 3120 fire / 15 sec, 1300 mana.
  Rank 4 (Lvl68): 4590 fire / 15 sec, 1665 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 215.0% fire (14.3% tick)
  Rank 3 +500dmg: 4195dmg, 280tick, 280DPS, 280DPCT, 3.23DPM
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 5665dmg, 378tick, 378DPS, 378DPCT, 3.40DPM
  
  
• Soul Fire
  Direct Damage
  5/5 Bane reduces cast time from 6.0 to 4.0 sec
  6.0 sec cast time
  Rank 2 (Lvl56): 703-881 fire, 185 mana.
  Rank 3 (Lvl64): 893-1051 fire, 215 mana.
  Rank 4 (Lvl70): 1003-1257 fire, 250 mana.
  Without Bane
  Gear coefficient: 115.0% fire
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 1367dmg, 228DPS, 7.39DPM
  Rank 3 +500dmg: 1547dmg, 258DPS, 7.20DPM
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 1705dmg, 284DPS, 6.82DPM
  With 5/5 Bane
  Gear coefficient: 115.0% fire
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 1367dmg, 228/342DPS, 7.39DPM
  Rank 3 +500dmg: 1547dmg, 258/387DPS, 7.20DPM
  Rank 4 +500dmg: 1705dmg, 284/426DPS, 6.82DPM
  
  
• Shadowburn
  Direct Damage
  Instant cast
  Rank 6 (Lvl56): 450-502 fire, 365 mana.
  Rank 7 (Lvl63): 518-578 fire, 435 mana.
  Rank 8 (Lvl70): 597-665 fire, 515 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 42.9% fire
  Rank 6 +500dmg: 690dmg, 460DPS, 1.89DPM
  Rank 7 +500dmg: 762dmg, 508DPS, 1.75DPM
  Rank 8 +500dmg: 845dmg, 564DPS, 1.64DPM
  
  
• Shadowfury
  Direct Damage
  0.5 sec cast time
  Rank 2 (Lvl60): 459-547 shadow, 545 mana.
  Rank 3 (Lvl70): 612-728 shadow, 710 mana.
  Gear coefficient: 14.3% shadow
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 574dmg, 383DPS, 1.05DPM
  Rank 3 +500dmg: 741dmg, 494DPS, 1.04DPM
  
  
• Incinerate without Immolate
  Direct Damage
  2.5 sec cast time
  Rank 1 (Lvl64): 403-467 fire, 325 mana.
  Rank 2 (Lvl70): 444-514 fire, 355 mana.
  Without Shadow and Flame
  Gear coefficient: 71.4% fire
  Rank 1 +500dmg: 792dmg, 317DPS, 2.44DPM
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 836dmg, 334DPS, 2.35DPM
  With 5/5 Shadow and Flame
  Gear coefficient: 91.4% fire
  Rank 1 +500dmg: 892dmg, 357DPS, 2.75DPM
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 936dmg, 374DPS, 2.64DPM
  
  
• Incinerate with Immolate
  Direct Damage
  2.5 sec cast time
  Rank 1 (Lvl64): 503-583 fire, 325 mana.
  Rank 2 (Lvl70): 555-642 fire, 355 mana.
  Without Shadow and Flame
  Gear coefficient: 71.4% fire
  Rank 1 +500dmg: 900dmg, 360DPS, 2.77DPM
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 956dmg, 382DPS, 2.69DPM
  With 5/5 Shadow and Flame
  Gear coefficient: 91.4% fire
  Rank 1 +500dmg: 1000dmg, 400DPS, 3.08DPM
  Rank 2 +500dmg: 1056dmg, 422DPS, 2.97DPM
  
  

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Generated on Thu Feb 15 18:23:54 2007 GMT
Source available from: http://www.pslam.demon.co.uk/warlocksticky-2007-02-15.tar.gz

Miscellaneous

• Life Tap Rank 6
  Convert 424 health to 424 mana. Instant cast.
  Formula: 424 + 0.8 * shadow health lost
  Formula without Improved Life Tap: 424 + 0.8 * shadow mana gained
  Formula with Improved Life Tap: 508.8 + 0.96 * shadow mana gained
  Gear coefficient: 80% shadow, 96% with 2/2 Improved Life Tap
  Gear-to-"DPS": 53%
  Gear-to-"MPS": 53%, 64% with 2/2 Improved Life Tap
  +500dmg example: 824hp, 824mana, 988.8mana with 2/2 Improved Life Tap
  
  
• Dark Pact Rank 3
  Drains 545 pet mana to you.
  Formula: 545 + 0.96 * shadow mana drained
  Gear coefficient: 96% shadow
  Gear-to-"MPS": 64%
  +500dmg example: 1025mana
  

Edit: Added Dark Pact based on Nayson and Loolita's testing.
Edit: Quantrix confirms that Dark Pact is always 0.96*shadow regardless of Improved Life Tap.

Raid spam damage


Improved Shadow Bolt
Tricky beast this one. To calculate its total effect on average raid shadow bolt damage, you need to consider the chance that at least one of the last 4 shadow bolts hit, crit and the vulnerability wasn't resisted. That last point is important - the proc itself also has a resist chance!

Formula: 1 - (1 - hit * crit * hit)^4
hit = Total chance to hit, fraction (e.g 0.88 if you had 5% hit gear on lvl63 boss)
crit = Total chance to crit, fraction (e.g 0.15 for 15% total)

Some typical values are hit=0.88, crit=0.15, which results in shadow vulnerability being up 39% of the time. That means it increase raid shadow bolt damage by 7.8% on average.

Critical hits and Ruin

Average spam damage is increased by crit gear and to a lesser extent intellect. Ruin increases your critical strikes from 150% of normal to 200% of normal. The increase in damage depends on your crit rate. That means +crit translates to different amounts of equivalent +dmg depending on this talent..

Average DPS including crits without Ruin: (1-crit)*1.0 + crit*1.5 = 1 + crit * 0.5. An increase of 0.5% DPS for each point of +crit
Average DPS including crits with Ruin: (1-crit)*1.0 + crit*2.0 = 1 + crit. An increase of 1% DPS for each point of +crit

If your shadow bolts are averaging 1000dmg with 15% crit rate, then without Ruin you average 1075dmg, and with Ruin you average 1150dmg. 1% more crit would give you another 5dmg without Ruin, and another 10dmg with Ruin.

Note that this average also stacks with Improved Shadow Bolt. Players who spec this and Ruin will gain roughly 12dmg equivalent per point in hit or crit.


Which spell to cast
This is why I've introduced the "DPCT" figure - Damage per Cast Time. This tells you how much damage you will do for the time it took to cast it. For example, Shadow Bolt deals very high damage but it's 2.5-3.0 seconds cast, whereas Corruption does higher damage total and only takes 1.5 seconds. Assuming your target lives long enough for the DoT to deal full damage, you are better off spending 1.5 seconds to cast Corruption than you are to cast Shadow Bolt.

I have removed the table because a) it's annoying to update and b) it only takes one talent point to completely shift the order of this table. It's not actually very useful and you'll need to work out your individual table.

What that means, for example with an SM/Ruin build, is it's always better to get your DoTs on a raid boss target first and keep them refreshed, rather than spamming shadow colts. This also shows that destruction warlocks who use Conflagrate whenever it's off cooldown will have a net gain in DPS.


Shadow and Flame vs Shadow Mastery
Not an incredibly to compare the two seeing as they're so deep into different trees, there are a lot of other talents not accounted for, and your entire DPS style will be different. But just as a data point:

Average bolt damage with 5/5 SM: 1.1 * (510 + 3/3.5 * gear)
Average bolt damage with 5/5 S&F: 510 + 1.2 * 3/3.5 * gear

With no +dmg gear at all, SM warlocks will do 561dmg, S&F will do 510dmg.
S&F will start doing more damage when you have more than +595dmg, at which point your shadow bolts are dealing 1122dmg.

Again, this doesn't mean "Spec S&F for raids!" because it doesn't take into account a huge number of other factors.


Edit: Added DPCT concept. Added Shadowburn.
Edit: 2006/12/18 - Added Shadowfury. Added Shadow and Flame data points.
Edit: 2007/01/14 - Removed DPCT table because it's pointless without talent points.

I hate bumping my own threads (but also useful as a reserve!)

Edit: In fact, this would be a good place to put Demonology coefficients if anyone knows them. Or that might be better off in a sticky of its own, e.g "Demonology calculations". Any volunteers? :)

well written, vote for sticky here.

/bump
deserves sticky

Looks very nice mekka.
/bump
/sticky plz

Great, stickey!

---

Q u o t e:

• Dark Pact Rank 3
  Drains 545 pet mana to you.
  Formula: Untested, need volunteer :)
  

---

Dark Pact Rank 3
Drains 1131 mana with +611 shadow damage

The increase in mana drained was 586-587 for all ranks with +611 shadow damage, so it looks like base + 0.96 * shadow (doubt SM factors in, my build is 37/3/11).

---

Q u o t e:

Dark Pact Rank 3
Drains 545 pet mana to you.
Formula: Untested, need volunteer :)
[/ul]

---

1037 mana with 512 shadow damage. Build is a very experimental 43-8-0, so i got Shadow Mastery. But then finding someone with enough points for dark pact who doesnt take Shadow Mastery could be a problem!

---

Q u o t e:
Dark Pact Rank 3
Drains 1131 mana with +611 shadow damage

The increase in mana drained was 586-587 for all ranks with +611 shadow damage. My build is 37/3/11

---

That's a coefficient of 0.96 - the same as Life Tap with 2/2 Improved Life Tap. Does Improved Life Tap increase Dark Pact?

/bump Sticky!

Intresting info

bumping for sticky

do you know if the +damage is worked out the Same for Seed of Coruption? it works the same as Immolate so wouldn't it make sense thats the damage is applied in the same manner? or would it be the opposite as its a DoT that ends with a DD instead of a DD that has a DoT trail? I know this would be 95% guess work as no one in live has SoC yet, but maybe with a little help from people in the Beta if its still running someone can work it out :P

On a related note does anyone know if the DoT is consumed if the 1044damage limit is reaced before it runs full, becuase if it did it would be a little........pointless.. If you got too a stage where with all the DoT's and SB's it was exploding after the 1st or 2nd tick it woudn't really matter how well it scalled as it would always do 1044 plus the explosion

---

Q u o t e:
That's a coefficient of 0.96 - the same as Life Tap with 2/2 Improved Life Tap. Does Improved Life Tap increase Dark Pact?

---

Seems like it; it would make sense if Life Tap and Dark Pact used the same 0.8 coefficients initially. Improved Life Tap probably modifies the coefficient which is also used for Dark Pact calculations, maybe it's even working as intended. I'm sure there are some locks out there who specced 0/2 Improved Life Tap and Dark Pact who can help.

BUMP!
Gief sticky plx :)

Sticky please as it is worth alot.