Can someone double-check my numbers? I’m trying to figure out some things about Curses. I’ll put them after the jump for those with a terminal fear of math.
Assumptions:
- No trinkets are used. In a real situation I would probably activate either this or this, providing a rather uniform amount of spell damage, because they’re in the same macro as my shadow bolts – but for now, let’s ignore them.
- Fel Armor is on. To be honest, Fel Armor is always on; Power Auras throws up a big glaring green shield in my face if it’s not so I have it on 100% of the time.
- There are no external sources of shadow or fire vulnerability, such as from a Shadow Priest.
- No resists, no partial resists. Shadow Bolt damage was figured by taking the high and low end of its range and finding the midpoint.
- No WoTLK changes are taken into account; for example, the new Shadow Embrace, which adds 5% fully talented; the new Improved Corruption, which adds a flat 20% damage to Corruption; the new version of Malediction that adds to the Curse of the Elements bonus and spellpower; Everlasting Affliction; or Haunt, which I would probably be keeping up at all times (and which I am going to have to find a spot for on my hotbar…). Wrath also brings newer, beefier versions of Curse of the Elements (no change in damage done, though…), Curse of Agony, Corruption, Unstable Affliction, and Siphon Life.
Now, in this hypothetical situation I came up with, these are the numbers I got for Curse of Agony (amplified and unamplified) versus Curse of the Elements versus Curse of Doom (amplified and unamplified).
Shadow damage: 871
Fire damage: 641
Shadow Mastery: 10% to all shadow spells
Malediction: Curse of Elements effect +3%
Contagion: Curse of Agony, Corruption, Seed of Corruption +5%
Amplify Curse: CoA + 50%, CoD + 50%
Empowered Corruption: Corruption spell coefficient + 36%
Curse of Agony: 1356 + (120% of 871) = 2401.2 + 10% = 2773.386 (4160.079 if Amplified)
Unstable Affliction: 1050 + (120% of 871) = 2095.2 + 10% = 2199.72
Corruption: 900 + (129.6% of 871) = 2028.816 + 5% = 2130.2568 + 10% = 2343.28248
Siphon Life: 630 + 871 = 1501 + 10% = 1651.1
Immolate: 942 + (65% of 641) = 1358.65
Shadow Bolt x4 (Average): 572 + (85.7% of 871) = 1318.447 + 10% = 1450.2917 each = 5801.1668
Total: (unamplified) 2773.386 + 2199.72 + 2343.28248 + 1651.1 + 1358.65 + 5801.1668 = 16127.3053
(amplified) 4160.079 + 2199.72 + 2343.28248 + 1651.1 + 1358.65 + 5801.1668 = 17513.9983
Curse of the Elements: 0, but adds 10% to all Arcane/Fire/Frost/Shadow spells (13% with Malediction)
Unstable Affliction: 2492.28276
Corruption: 2654.93905
Siphon Life: 1870.6963
Immolate: 1539.35045
Shadow Bolt x4 (Average): 6572.72198
Total: 2492.28276 + 2654.93905 + 1870.6963 + 1539.35045 + 6572.72198 = 15129.9905
Curse of Doom: 4200 + (200% of 871) = 5942 (8913 if Amplified)
Unstable Affliction: 2199.72
Corruption: 2343.28248
Siphon Life: 1651.1
Immolate: 1358.65
Shadow Bolt x4 (Average): 5801.1668
Total: (unamplified) 5942 + 2199.72 + 2343.28248 + 1651.1 + 1358.65 + 5801.1668 = 19295.9193
(amplified) 8913 + 2199.72 + 2343.28248 + 1651.1 + 1358.65 + 5801.1668 = 22266.9193
What’s all this show? It seems that Curse of Doom would be ideal for a boss, however, its damage can’t be exactly compared to the others because Curse of Doom ticks for 60 full seconds before doing any damage, where Curse of Agony is only a little over a third of that (24 seconds), so I’d get two full Curse of Agony runs in versus one Curse of Doom – however, Curse of Doom still edges it out in terms of sheer damage, so I left the math as is.
Basically, if the numbers above are accurate, I only want to be using Curse of Shadows on short fights where the dots won’t have time to completely tick – say, trash. On fights that take longer than 24 seconds, but less than one minute (and I have no idea what those would be… slightly tougher trash with lots of HP, like some of the beefier orcs in the Hellfire Citadel heroics?), Curse of Agony is ideal. And on bosses, which often last more than one minute, Curse of Doom is completely superior and leads to the most damage, period.
Does that look right? It looks right to me, and it feels right. But gut instincts aren’t always right.
Stop used to be a warlock, then he was a death knight; first he was Horde, then he was Alliance again, and now he's Horde again. For good this time. Lok'tar ogar! 
Remember, it’s not all about you. Your CoEl benefits other casters in your group. If 3+ people are benefiting from your CoEl then CoEl is superior to the damaging curses.
Putting that aside, in short fights, yeah.. it’s a toss up between CoEl and CoA. In longer fights.. CoD saves you a global cooldown (so less fiddling).
This is all assuming you keep your dots up.
Nibuca
http://chicanery.fibergeek.com/
That’s right. I actually left out an important part of hypothetical situation: no one who can benefit from CoE. That actually happens more often than you think; my guild seems hella low on mages, but have a lot of hunters and melee DPS.