Fireball VS Scorch

Lets break down what we want to use as our main nuke.

Improved fireball as the only talent, no Damage bonus,

Fireball
3.0 seconds 633-805 425 mana
Scorch
1.5 seconds 305-361 180 mana
2 scorches
3.0 seconds 610-722 360 mana

Average
Fireball 719 damage for 425 mana 1.69 DPM
Scorches 666 damage for 360 mana 1.85 DPM

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Now add in talents
Empowered Fireball- Adds 15% more damage bonus
Improved Scorch- Adds 15% extra fire debuff
Incineration- 4% extra crit

Lets assume 600 damage bonus at 70 and 20% crit (numbers pulled out of thin air)
1 Fireball 719+690 = 1409 (damage above+ damage bonus gained, 115%)
2 scorch 333+257= 590 + 608 (damage from second hit which would have the 3% debuff) 1198

For adding in the crits we multiply 1.half the crit value (spells only get half again extra damage.
1409 X 1.10 = 1550 for 425 mana 3.65 DPM
1198 X 1.12 = 1342 for 360 mana 3.72 DPM

Now lets see how it stacks up over time 20 seconds

Fireball
3 seconds 1550 425 mana
6 seconds 3100 850 mana
9 seconds 4650 1270 mana
12 seconds 6200 1700 mana
15 seconds 7750 2125 mana
18 seconds 9300 2550 mana 3.65 DPM

Scorch
1.5 sec 661 180 mana
3.0 sec 1342 360 mana
4.5 sec 2043 540 mana
6.0 sec 2763 720 mana
7.5 sec 3503 900 mana
9.0 sec 4263 1080 mana
10.5 sec 5023 1260 mana
12.0 sec 5783 1440 mana
13.5 sec 6543 1620 mana
15.0 sec 7303 1800 mana
16.5 sec 8063 1980 mana
18.0 sec 8523 2160 mana
19.5 sec 8983 2340 mana 3.84 DPM

Looking at this ever 1.5 seconds the dps goes back and forth until the 19 second mark at which point Fireball spam wins. under 18 seconds scorch works better if you are to spam one spell due to better mana efficiency and the fact that you aren't as likely to overkill as much. This all assumes 600 damage bonus and all talents are taken.

Anything past 20 seconds you are a fool to do anything other then scorch for the debuff then follow with fireball spam.

Now lets apply this to leveling as that what this blog is mainly about


Before level 45 you wont have access to empowered fireball. So, that will take out 15% of the damage so after 18 seconds you are now at 8086 damage without those talents. Lets see the numbers as we level Damage bonus is 5 per level sound fair?

@22 (110damage)

Fireball 4
210 per 3 sec
VS
Scorch 1
238 per 3 sec (over 15 sec)

@24 (120)
Fireball 5
283
Scorch 1
249

@28 (140)
FB 5
303
S 2
327


We see that the most recently acquired spell edges out the other one slightly. But Scorch keeps the better mana efficiency all the way though. Also these numbers favor fireball slightly due to the spell damage being on the high end. Once I hit 22 and gain access I will re spec out of improved fireball to get impact and will use scorch as my primary spam until after 40 when I can get empowered fireball. This will also save on the overkill that I see using fireball at the moment. Faster spells & better mana efficiency = less downtime = more killing = faster leveling.