[WOW] Dark Simulacrum

[Ualaa]

Looking for information for Dark Simulacrum.
So far, compiling information taken from Wowhead and Youtube - YouTube - Dark Simulacrum

Not sure if all of these are current, or what has been added or removed.
Mostly interested in the PvP aspects, of course.

1. You do not interrupt the target's spell, you copy the spell after it's cast. This isn't like spellsteal or spell reflect -- if they cast it, it will still go off (in case some of you DKs are hoping to interrupt that Lava Burst or big heal).
2. You can only use the attack once (hence the minute cooldown). It has no cast time.
3. They must be mana-based spells. Spells that don't use mana (i.e. Word of Glory, Lay on Hands) can not be copied.
4. This is an ability aimed towards PvP. At the moment, it cannot be dispelled, but it can be removed via Pally bubble of Mage iceblock.
5. It keeps spell requirements. (Lava Burst will not crit unless there's a Flame Shock on the opponent, etc.)
6. It scales based on your AP (if it's a spell that scales).
7. You have 20 seconds to use the spell before it wears off.



Druid:
- Healing Spells: Healing Touch, Lifebloom, Rejuvenation, Remove Curse, Tranquility
- Offense: Entangling Roots, Hurricane, Moonfire, Starfall, Starfire, Typhoon, Wrath
- Buffs: Thorns
- CC's: Cyclone, Solar Beam
- Other: Rebirth (Requires Reagent)


Mage:
- Offense: Fireball, Flame Orb, Pyroblast
- Buff: Frost Armor, Mirror Image, Time Warp
- CC: Frost Nova, Polymorph
- Other: Blink, Conjure Food


Paladin:
- Healing Spells: Cleanse, Divine Light, Flash of Light, Holy Radiance, Holy Shock, Light of Dawn
- Offense: Avenging Wrath, Consecration, Exorcism, Hammer of Justice
- Buff: Hand of Freedom, Seal of Insight, Seal of Justice, Seal of Light, Seal of Righteousness (Seals last 1 minute)
- CC: Repentance


Priest:
- Healing Spells: Circle of Healing, Flash Heal, Penance, Renew,
- Offense: Dispel Magic, Holy Fire, Mindblast, Smite
- Buffs: Divine Hymn, Guardian Spirit, Inner Fire, Inner Will, Pain Suppression, PW: Shield, Shadowform
- CC: Psychic Scream, Silence
- Other: Lifegrip, PW: Barrier


Shaman:
- Healing Spells: Chain Heal, Healing Rain, Riptide
- Offense: Earth Shock, Fire Elemental, Flame Shock, Frost Shock, Lava Burst, Lightning Bolt, Purge, Thunderstorm
- Buffs: Bloodlust/Heroism
- CC: Hex, Windshear
- Other: All single totems, but none of the Call of (Multiple totem drops), Far Sight
- 4.0.3 Removed: Ghostwolf, Feral Spirit, Shamanistic Rage, Windfury


Warlock:
- Offense: Chaos Bolt, Immolate, Incinerate, Shadow Bolt
- Buffs: Demon Armor, Soul Link
- CC: Death Coil, Fear, Howl of Terror
- Other: Healthstone, Soulstone
- 4.0.6 Removed: Pets

[Tim]

I could very well see this being amazingly useful as:

All bound to a single keystroke across all toons

On DK1

/cast [target=arena1] Dark Simulacrum

On DK2

/cast [target=arena2] Dark Simulacrum

On DK3

/cast [target=arena3] Dark Simulacrum

On DK4

/cast [target=arena4] Dark Simulacrum

Do that as your opener button mash for arena. Then follow up with the same for death grip. Then do your monsterous DPS. This would most likely capture the heal from the healer, the bubble from the mage, the fear from the locks/warriors/priests, etc. Really useful. Especially if it grabs their CD pops.

From a BG perspective I'm not sure, I'd have to think about it a bit. The reason is that the CD to cast this could better be used by something else I'm thinking.

[Ualaa]

I'm leaning towards casting this at a priority target.
Rather than going with arena frames.
It is wasted on Hunters, Rogues and Warriors.

Then having the "stolen" spell cast at arena targets, by each DK.
Each with a macro, something like:

/target [@arena1]
/cast Polymorph
/cast Hex
/cast Fear
/cast Entangling Roots
/cast Hammer of Justice

Although having wings (Avenging Wrath) on DK's would be nice.
As would the Pally self-bubble, where you can still attack.

Possibly have two macros... and mash one after the other.
Or use an addon to extend the macro limit.
So you can do buffs/beneficial effects on the party, and debuffs/nukes/cc on opponents.

From what I've read, it scales off of your attack power.
But healing spells hit for only 20% or so, what you would expect of them.
There is no talent support, glyph benefits etc.

It is pretty random what you get.
Although in arena on Thu or Friday, a DK got my Pallies bubble and used it after his partner fell, against my Pally and the Mage partner.

[Ualaa]

Talking to others with the 4x DK / Healer team...
Two general approaches to Dark Sim.


Some put the spell into their spam macro.
And since it is spammed, the debuff will often (one minute cooldown) be up on a given target.
And once they cast something which uses mana, using the spell again duplicates whatever was cast.
It is fairly mindless in what you get, but you use the ability as often as possible which probably results in the most total benefit out of it.


The other approach is to focus on the opposing healer.
Or if you're playing arena 5's, then to bounce between the two.
Once one of them is rather low, pop Runic Empowerment to refresh all your runes.
And you either finish them off, or they pop something like Bubble, Pain Suppression or a big heal.
Which you then have for your DK's.


You can also have it target your focus.
If you see them casting something nice (anything not instant), hit Dark Sim and whatever they cast is yours.

[Tim]

Quick question: do you have to actually cast Dark Simulacrum on the target, and THEN cast it again to use a spell they just cast? You don't get to pick the spell, do you?

[Ualaa]

The mechanics are...

Cast it, at a target that uses mana, otherwise it is wasted.

Once it lands, the next spell (mana using) that is cast in the next 8 seconds will be copied. There doesn't seem to be any way to negate the effect, but if you notice it you could cast a useless spell or do nothing for eight seconds... which is probably a win, if you cast it on a priority target that needs a special very soon or they're dead.

Once you have a spell copied, your DS icon changes to the icon of whatever it is... and clicking the button/macro will cast that spell. You have 20 seconds to use or lose the spell.

Others have reported embarrassing incidents of Iceblocking their four DK's, without a cancel aura macro made, resulting in the death of their healer... but they still won the game.
Since you can copy a Pally's bubble (had a DK copy Juds's bubble last week), neither Iceblock nor Bubble remove the 8 second debuff, once it has been applied.

I'm still playing with/learning the ability; not sure yet the best approach.
Definitely interested in input from others, how they use it and when, etc.