The talent increases the base proc rate from 50% to 65% but given that it cannot proc more than every 4.5 seconds, is it really worth it? Has anyone done any theory crafting around the actual damage boost provided by this talent? My initial thinking is that the increased proc rate will be largely "wasted" on attacks that fall within the 4.5 second dead zone.

For me it looks like any more than 33.33... % makes no sense. So even initial 50% very strange number.

Even though this is a necro, I think for the most part it's more useful as you get higher because you phase out Thrash so you can Shock and Wither. So it helps on the odd occasion when you are force positive and do throw in a Thrash.

Given that the chance of proc is 0% whilst locked out, the higher the percentage on any given attack, the higher the likelihood that Dark Charge will proc to the timer (the higher the likelihood that it will proc the first GCD it is able to proc).

 

So yes, a valuable talent.

 

Besides, what else would you take in its place?

 

Electric Execution is worthless, Thrashing Blades is virtually useless as the most efficient priority system largely bypasses Thrash except in corner case circumstances. Nerve Wracking isn't worth it, since the only targets where you'd really see a difference from extra damage can't be "controlled" by Spike or Electrocute.

 

Everything else is being talented regardless, so of all the options available to you, Swelling Shadows is the best.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Omophorus

Swelling shadows is mostly a filler talent, that you place points mainly because you have to spend them on something to get to the things higher up in the tree, since they don't open up until you have spent so many points in the same tree.

 

What else would you spend those points in?

 

Trashing Blades? You should not be using trash so much that it is worth it.

 

Electric Execution? Probably the most useless of them all.

 

While all 3 of these have only a very insignificantly small increase to your damage output, that really does not make noticeable difference, at least Swelling Shadows affects both your damage output and self-healing, while the other 2 are only for damage.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Eternalnight