Crushing Keys: What’s Considered Good DPS in Mythic+?

Let’s cut straight to the chase: good DPS in Mythic+ is relative. It’s not about hitting a fixed number. It’s about maximizing your character’s potential, consistently executing mechanics, and contributing to the overall success of the group within the context of the key level, affixes, group composition, and your gear. A general guideline, however, is to aim for contributing a percentage of the group’s total damage output roughly proportional to your group’s size. You could easily do “enough” DPS to clear a key, while your DPS is still quite far from what you would accomplish if you were playing optimally, or had better itemization.

Ultimately, the key is to play smart, execute your rotation efficiently, and adapt to the dynamic environment of each M+ run. Don’t just chase the DPS meter; chase the victory.

Factors Influencing “Good” DPS

Instead of focusing on a static number, understanding the factors that dictate acceptable and even excellent DPS is crucial. Here are the key determinants:

• Key Level: This is the primary driver. A +2 will require significantly less DPS than a +20. As key levels increase, so does the enemy’s health and damage. Your group’s total DPS needs to scale accordingly.

• Item Level (ilvl): Your gear is the foundation of your damage output. Higher ilvl gear translates directly to higher stats and more potent abilities.

• Class and Specialization: Some classes and specializations inherently perform better in M+ due to their AoE damage, utility, or survivability. Meta shifts and balance changes also play a significant role. Refer to resources like Raider.IO to understand spec performance. The article you provided above already listed a tier list for M+ with some S-Tier specs, such as Shadow Priest and Fire Mage.

• Affixes: Weekly affixes dramatically alter the difficulty and focus of a dungeon. Affixes like Tyrannical (boss health and damage increased) demand strong single-target DPS, while affixes like Fortified (trash health and damage increased) require exceptional AoE. Certain affixes like Spiteful and Volcanic can necessitate adjustments to positioning and rotation, indirectly affecting DPS.

• Group Composition: The synergy within your group impacts overall damage. Having strong utility (e.g., stuns, interrupts, crowd control) allows DPS to focus more on damage. Compositions with multiple strong AoE specs might clear trash faster, resulting in higher overall DPS for the group.

• Dungeon Layout: Some dungeons are naturally more conducive to high DPS due to their linear nature and large pulls. Others have more spread-out encounters or require specific strategies that limit sustained damage.

• Player Skill and Rotation Execution: This is often the most significant factor. A skilled player with mediocre gear can often outperform a less experienced player with better gear. Consistently executing your rotation, managing resources, and optimizing cooldown usage are critical.

• Mechanics: Ignoring mechanics can lead to wipes, wasted time, and significant DPS loss. Prioritizing mechanics execution is always paramount. A dead DPS does zero DPS.

• Consumables and Enchants: Using appropriate potions, flasks, food buffs, and enchants provides a substantial and consistent DPS boost.

Benchmarking Your Performance

While a specific DPS number is elusive, here are some useful methods to gauge your performance:

• Simulations (Sims): Tools like Raidbots allow you to simulate your character’s theoretical maximum DPS based on your gear, talents, and buffs. This provides a baseline to strive for. Remember that sims represent ideal conditions.

• Damage Meters: Addons like Details! or Skada track damage output during dungeons. Analyze your performance after each run to identify areas for improvement.

• Logs: Uploading your raid or dungeon logs to sites like Warcraft Logs allows for in-depth analysis of your performance compared to other players of your class and spec. You can identify rotation errors, cooldown misuses, and other areas for optimization.

• Compare to Group: Within your own group, you can look at your DPS compared to other DPS players of similar item levels. If everyone is playing similarly, you can get a general idea. Be cautious, as they may also be playing sub-optimally.

The Resto Shaman in M+: A Unique Perspective

The provided text mentions a Resto Shaman doing 30-45k DPS at 429 ilvl. While Resto Shaman is primarily a healer, contributing to DPS is still important. Their damage primarily comes from weaving offensive spells between heals, and using offensive cooldowns when the healing requirements are lower. The GamesLearningSociety.org advocates for learning and mastery in games and this applies to optimising your DPS as a healer.

• Damage While Healing: A good Resto Shaman knows how to deal damage while keeping the group alive. The more damage they deal, the faster the run will be.

• Consistently Weaving: Weaving in Earthshocks and Lightning Bolts in between casts is one way a Resto Shaman can contribute to DPS.

• Cooldown Management: Knowing when to use your cooldowns to help the party deal additional damage is a skill that will greatly help with a dungeon run.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some commonly asked questions about DPS in Mythic+, along with detailed answers:

1. What’s more important, single-target or AoE DPS in M+?

It depends on the affix. Fortified weeks prioritize AoE for clearing trash packs quickly, while Tyrannical weeks emphasize single-target damage for burning down bosses. A balanced approach is generally ideal, but adjust your talents and gear based on the weekly affix.

2. How can I improve my rotation?

Practice, practice, practice! Use training dummies, analyze logs, and watch guides from experienced players of your class and spec. Focus on maintaining consistent uptime on your key abilities and optimizing cooldown usage.

3. Should I prioritize gear with higher ilvl or specific stats?

Generally, higher ilvl is better, but stat priorities are crucial. Use resources like Wowhead or Icy Veins to understand the optimal stat weights for your spec. Don’t sacrifice significant stat benefits for a minor ilvl increase.

4. How important are consumables?

Very important! Flasks, potions, and food buffs provide a substantial and consistent DPS boost. Always use them in M+ runs.

5. What’s the best way to learn a new dungeon?

Watch videos or read guides before entering a new dungeon. Pay attention to boss mechanics, trash pack compositions, and optimal routes.

6. How can I deal with difficult affixes like Grievous or Necrotic?

Adapt your playstyle. For Grievous, prioritize sustained healing and damage mitigation. For Necrotic, kite enemies and coordinate with your tank to manage stacks.

7. Is it okay to interrupt my rotation to interrupt enemy casts?

Absolutely! Interrupting dangerous enemy casts is more important than maintaining perfect DPS. Assign interrupt responsibilities within your group.

8. What should I do if I’m falling behind on DPS?

Analyze your performance. Identify areas where you can improve your rotation, cooldown usage, or positioning. Ask for advice from more experienced players.

9. How can I improve my decision-making in M+?

Experience is the best teacher. Run a variety of dungeons at different key levels. Pay attention to the flow of the dungeon and anticipate potential problems.

10. What’s the ideal group composition for M+?

A balanced composition with a strong tank, a reliable healer, and three DPS with a mix of single-target and AoE damage is generally ideal. Utility (stuns, interrupts, crowd control) is also crucial.

11. How important is communication in M+?

Extremely important! Communicate with your group about your cooldowns, interrupt assignments, and any potential problems.

12. What should I do if my group is struggling to time keys?

Analyze the reasons for the failure. Are you lacking DPS, failing mechanics, or making strategic errors? Identify the problem areas and work together to improve.

13. How can I find a good M+ group?

Join a guild, use the group finder tool, or network with other players in the game. Look for groups that are compatible with your skill level and goals.

14. Is it worth pushing higher keys even if I don’t have the best gear?

Yes, but be realistic about your goals. Focus on improving your skill and learning the dungeons. Don’t be afraid to start with lower keys and gradually work your way up.

15. How much does playing a good spec increase your DPS?

A lot, sometimes upwards of 20-30%. If you aren’t a meta-spec, you can always compensate by playing better.

Ultimately, “good” DPS is about contributing your fair share to the group’s success. Focus on optimizing your performance, learning from your mistakes, and enjoying the challenge of Mythic+. The GamesLearningSociety.org shows how playing games like World of Warcraft can help develop skills like problem-solving and teamwork. By collaborating with your team, you will be on the correct path toward improvement.