managing dots on multiple targets

[nicycle]

Please help this newb lock out.

I'm using dotimer now but I would like to click the icon/bar to recast the spell. Is this possible in vanilla? And is there an addon what can do such thing?

I tried dotimer, but didn't really understand the ghosting option and it bugged a couple of times if both mobs have the same name/level.

How do you guys manage your dots when you are fighting 3+ mobs? Just wondering if there is any logical way to do it.

Like to hear your opinions.

[Lifealert]

counting down multiple timers in my brain

[Drain]

I pay attention to the durations on the dots. They do not fall off randomly. They have a set duration which is always the same unless they get dispelled, which mobs generally don't do.
SL: 30 CA: 24 COR: 18
This obviously means Corruption will expire first, and is thus the only one that needs to be monitored. If a target lives long enough for it to fall off, you can then reapply this one, and watch for the next one. Agony would be up next, then finally, SL. But Agony is usually not worth reapplying, because it has a slow build up on its DPS. The majority of its damage is towards the last fraction of its duration, meaning that if a mob won't live this long, it's not worth recasting. In many situations, such as in dungeons vs trash, it's not worth casting the first time, because a group might down mobs in 10-15s each. Corruption is great here, which will do most of its duration, Agony is not, nor is SL. When you know something is going to die quickly, before most of a dot is used, you may as well crank out a Shadow Bolt, or even Immolate.

My cast rotation is usually the same as their list above, with the longest one being applied first. But it really varies on play style. You might opt to use Corruption first because of Nightfall, or Agony first so it has more time to reach its harder hitting ticks. I literally just use them in order of durations, longest to shortest, to ensure each has the highest chance of reaching its end. If I use Immolate at all, it would be at the end there, but because this one has a cast time, it's actually favorable to cast it before the mob is hitting you, assuming no one else is tanking the target. In other words, this is a good pull nuke, so the cast time is not interrupted by attacks. But it's not mana efficient for someone deep in Affliction or with +shadow gear. I generally don't use this spell at all once I get SL.

But eventually you just get used to the durations. After planting your rotation enough times, you'll develop an instinct for when things start to expire. You're doing the same rotation again and again, day after day, at some point it becomes a second nature for when dots expire. Vs mobs, reapplying them usually isn't necessary to begin with, but vs players, you might want to in order to ensure they die, not escape with 1% health or start eating food to survive. People typically down a Warlock, then try to start eating food, hoping to survive whatever is left on the dots. If you res with a SS, your main strategy is to reapply all the dots, ensuring death. Even if they kill you again, this time they're probably dying too, so they also get to corpse run. Hope the kill was worth it.

[Lifealert]

You were actually allowed to use agony in raids?

[Drain]

This should have been obvious enough already, but for whoever it concerns; we weren't talking about raiding.