Topic: MSD or other Meta after 2.3 for arenas?

[puffyier]

With a 45 sec cd being implemented for 2.3, would you still use MSD as your meta of choice?
Your other viable choices are stam/stun resist and the new crit/crit damage, here are the three choices, which ones would you guys prefer?

Chaotic Skyfire Diamond
+12 Spell Critical & 3% Increased Critical Damage
Requires exactly 2 Blue gems

Powerful Earthstorm Diamond
+18 Stamina & 5% Stun Resist
Requires at least 3 Blue gems

Mystical Skyfire Diamond
Chance on spellcast - next spell cast in half time
Requires more Blue gems than Yellow gems

Powerful Earthstorm is the easiest for me in terms of requirements - i can gem the rest of my gear to be damage or tank without having to replace it and is always a solid choice. Mystical has been the superior gem in this season so far, but usually requires some creative gem choices since any res/crit gems will make you stack the same amount in glowing nightseye/solid stars. It's looking like the new Chaotic meta will make you go mostly Runed Rubies/Potent Topaz - making you more akin to glass cannon (a bit harder then glass, not as hard as a cannon).

I'm just not sure what I will go for next season... all 3 are solid choices :\

[Miyumi]

I think I will probably use the CSD if possible. I really don't like the cooldown on the MSD, and especially with hunter's being able to dispell, as soon as the flare circles you they can arcane shot it and poof!.

Plus...If my mana is going to be less, and hypothermia is going to get nerfed, I want to pack more punch while I am up. I'd like to at least try having spell damage gems and things and see where it gets me, especially when alot of my damage comes from my elemental while I'm CCing and more + damage means he does more too. Just my 2 cents ^^;

[nara]

Earthstorm Diamond. when theres something i hate, its being stunned.

[Robiin]

Earthstorm Diamond. when theres something i hate, its being stunned.

Blink, Ice Block, Trinket!

Stunning shouldn't really be a problem for a mage :O.
We have it good comapred to some other classes.

[nara]

meant rather random stuns like blackout

[Malachim]

The Chaotic Skyfire Diamond looks pretty interresting to me.

Don't like idea of putting a CD at all on the MSD, it procs alot on silly stuff when you don't need it at all, it even procs when you use your mount afaik(or making bandages), so if it procs when we mount before an arena game it means that i can't use it for the first 30 seconds of the game, lol. Whatever, I think you got my point.

[otop]

There have been numerous changes to the MSD, I would wait and see what the final internal cooldown is, otherwise I would do the CSD. Ice mages generally do not need the stam and resil because usually they are not the first to be focused.

[Hoove]

4 second evo is good enough reason to use MSD. It's normalized but proc rate will still be about the same. MSD for me.

[Frenetic]

The new incarnation of MSD is fairly awful, but there's really not anything better at the moment. Exactly 2 blue on the CSD is too steep a price imo and is also a ridiculous requirement. Relentless Earthstorm Diamond is basically the same thing for hunters and the requirement is much more manageable. Best we can hope for is that blizz takes another look at the MSD or CSD and bumps down either the MSD cooldown or the gem requirement for CSD to "at least" instead of "exactly" 2 blues.

[Opel]

anyone thinking of using the 300 mana on spell cast gem?

[Mujica]

The 12int 300mana back on spellcast (2% proc rate on avg) only comes to about 25mp5 at like 100casts per minute? Im sorry, the maths on Wowhead as a highlighted green post. Im currently going with the CSD since i've been told you cap your crit reduction at 25% meaning 3% worth of resilience crit reduction damage leaves my opponent, that and i dont have to depend on a proc, which as a personal choice, i like.

[Lexly]

mmm i think i'm gonna use this one
Chaotic Skyfire Diamond
+12 Spell Critical & 3% Increased Critical Damage
Requires exactly 2 Blue gems

[Windwalk]

I'm addicted to MSD. Although chain procs were nice, you're still going to get more than three procs in an average arena. It's awesome to be able to poly a warrior or a rogue who's on you without worrying about pummel/kick.

[Tyveris]

After playing with it yesterday, I do miss the chain procs greatly, but it is still hands down the best meta because it is so game changing. I had my first focused Evocation and it was the greatest thing ever.

[Aasgeir]

noone here considering destructive SD?

14 crit rating and 1% spell reflect.

I feel like MSD is too useless after the nerf, not maily because the hidden CD, but because the duration of the buff has been nerfed. in arena I find it impossible to get benefit of the buff 80% of the times because either it's proccing in a useless situation or i can't/Dont need to cast any cast time spell within 5 secs because of interruption. I'm constantly moving and mostly instants. when it was 10 sec duration i could first do those nessesary isntants and still have some time left on the buff to get benefit from it, thats still not the case.

I'm also considering 12 crit rating and 3% crit dmg, but I'm not sure.

if u crit with +3% crit dmg and ice shard, how much is ur crit dmg %?
206% or 203% ?

[Mujica]

To correct my earlier post, for the large bulk of the mage community who dont already know, CSD needs EXACTLY 2 blue gems to activate itself making it useless to the large bulk of mages who use more than 2 blue gems or less than 2 ( very few). I myself am going with Insightful Earthstorm Diamond beacuse of this recent insight or a Powerful Earthstorm.

[nara]

noone here considering destructive SD?

14 crit rating and 1% spell reflect.


i thought about using that. very two sided gem. either reflect a dot that wont let u sheep or fear that wins u the game.

[Seerjin22]

As badly as I would love to fit a CSD into my S3 Helm, I believe I will be sticking with the MSD.
The Focus-Evoc is simply priceless. :)

[Zoia]

Currently using PED but thinking about going MSD

[xjunky]

CSD is ok for shatter combos, an extra 200dmg or so all up. But it is not nearly as good as MSD, even with the cooldown, and the evocation focus is massive. The only thing that can be argued is that CSD has more agreeable requirements allowing for the socket of more crit/dmg gems.

I think im going to go 1 or so blue gems in my gear, then the rest 12 spell dmg BT gems, easily meeting the requirements for MSD. With the full silk set and staff i should be able to have around 20% crit, which is enough for shatter combos.

[Athana]

I got Helm, Chest and Gloves yesterday and gemmed with MSD.

[Quick Shot xMLx]

I tested my S3 helm with CSD vs. my S2 helm with the 18 stam gem to see the difference in damage. I did the test on my friend's full merc Warrior with 292 resil at that moment. Found that my ice lances were hitting about 100 dmg higher and my frostbolts for about 150 damage higher with the CSD. I find this to be a pretty decent increase and helps is negate some damage that resil reduces. Overall I would recommend checking it out since the 45 sec CD on MSD is pretty useless imo.