General guidelines

1) If it has a casting time (or is any mage spell), and does direct damage, the base coefficient for the DD is casting time before talents / 3.5.
2) If it's channeled and is not a mage spell, and does direct damage, the base coefficient for the DD is casting time before talents / 5.0. (Apparently there are some exceptions tho, such as Starshards.)
3) If it has a DoT, the base coefficient for the DoT is duration before talents / 15.
4) If it's both direct damage and a DoT, the direct damage part gets its base coefficient multiplied by DD / (DD + DoT), and the DoT part gets its base coefficient multiplied by DoT / (DD + DoT), where DD = average direct damage before talents and gear, and DoT = average damage over time before talents and gear. (NOTE: fireball seems to be an exception to this rule; there are probably others.)
5) If it's AOE, multiply by 1/2; except for healing spells multiply by 1/3. In some cases, apparently when the effect lasts for 8 seconds, additionally multiply by 0.83. (Note: this used to be just 1/3 for everything before patch 2.0.3, after which things make much less sense.)
6) If it has a snare component (frostbolt, mind flay, etc), multiply by 0.95 or 0.9.
7) If it does both damage and healing (life tap, devouring plague etc), multiply by 0.5. (NOTE: only in some cases - compare life tap, siphon life, drain soul, vampiric touch etc.)
8) There are probably other rules as well but I can't think of them right now.

Preliminary notes

First off, even if a spell gets 0% of the character's spell damage, it will be affected by talents, debuffs on the target, etc. Example: The DoT portion of a rank 12 fireball normally ticks for 19 damage, but with both the fire power (+10%) and playing with fire (+3%) talents, it will tick for 21-22 (19 * 1.1 * 1.03); and with improved scorch (+15%) on the target it will tick for 24-25 (19 * 1.1 * 1.03 * 1.15), etc.

Second, all damage (and healing) increasing talents, as well as all mana cost decreasing talents, now seem to be multiplicative (see above). All empowered talents however are additive, as said on the talent: "gains an additional X%". For example, the normal coefficient for arcane missiles is 5/3.5, and the max rank of the empowered talent increases this to 5/3.5 + 0.45. One exception is the druid talent empowered rejuvenation, which increases the relevant coefficients from X to X * 1.2; this also affects the initial heal of regrowth. Other exceptions might exist.

Mage spells - thanks Eylirria, Kelith & co

Fireball - 100% / 0% (3.5/3.5)
Frostbolt - 81,4% (3/3.5 * 0.95 - snare)
Fire blast - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Arcane missiles - 143% (5/3.5)
Blizzard - 94,9% (8/3.5 * 1/2 * 0.83 - aoe, 8 secs)
Scorch - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Cone of Cold - 20,4% (1.5/3.5 * 1/2 * 0.95 - aoe & snare)
Arcane explosion - 21,4% (1.5/3.5 * 1/2 - aoe)
Pyroblast - 115% / 20% (custom as of 2.0.3 - 25,02% * 12/15)
Flamestrike - 23,6% / 9,9% (417/757 * 3/3.5 * 1/2 - 340/757 * 8/15 * 1/2 * 0.83 - aoe, dot 8 secs)
Blast wave - 19,3% (1.5/3.5 * 1/2 * 0.9 - aoe & special snare)
Frost nova - 2,79% (1.5/3.5 * 1/2 * 0.13 - aoe & immobilization - custom)
Dragon's Breath - 19,3% (1.5/3.5 * 1/2 * 0.9 - aoe & "snare")
Ice Barrier - 10% (custom)
Molten armor - 0%
Arcane blast - 71,4% (2.5/3.5)
Ice lance - 14,2% (1.5/3.5 * 1/3 - normal damage against frozen; one third against non-frozen)

Water Elemental




Warlock spells - source - thanks Krythal, Gagorian & others

Shadow bolt - 85,6% (3/3.5)
Corruption - 94% (custom as of 2.0.3 - used to be 120% = 18/15)
Curse of agony - 118% (custom as of 2.0.3 - used to be 160% = 24/15)
Drain life - 71,5% (5/3.5 * 0.5 - both healing and damage)
Drain soul - 215% (15/3.5 * 0.5 - both "healing" and damage)
Searing pain - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Rain of fire - 94,9% (8/3.5 * 1/2 * 0.83 - aoe, 8 secs)
Shadowburn - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Siphon life - 100% (30/15 * 0.5 - both healing and damage)
Hellfire - 214% (15/3.5 * 1/2 - aoe)
Death coil - 21,4% (1.5/3.5 * 0.5 - both healing and damage)
Immolate - 19,8% / 65,3% (34,7% * 2/3.5 - 65,3% * 15/15)
Soul fire - 115% (custom as of 2.0.3 - used to be 171% = 6/3.5)
Unstable affliction - 120% / ?? (18/15 - proc apparently scales, but dunno how)
Curse of Doom - 200% (60/15 * 0.5)
Drain mana - 0%
Conflagrate - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Shadowfury - 19,3% (1.5/3.5 * 1/2 * 0.9 - not confirmed)
Life tap - 80% (custom)
Dark pact - 96% (custom - not confirmed)
Incinerate - 71,4% (2.5/3.5 - not confirmed)
Seed of Corruption - 120% / 21,4% (18/15 - 1.5/3.5 * 1/2 - not confirmed)

Pet scaling: TODO

Priest spells - thanks Bekah

Shadow word: pain - 120% (18/15)
Vampiric touch - 100% (15/15)
Mind blast - 43% (1.5/3.5)
Mind flay - 57% (3/5 * 0.95 - snare)
Mana burn - 0%
Starshards - 171% (6/3.5)
Devouring plague - 80% (24/15 * 1/2 - both healing and damage)
Shadow word: death - 43% (1.5/3.5)
Renew - 100% (15/15)
Flash heal - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Greater heal - 85,7% (3/3.5)
Smite - 71,4% (2.5/3.5)
Power word: shield - 10% (custom - not confirmed)
Holy nova - 7,1% (1.5/3.5 * 1/3 * 0.5 - aoe, heal, both damage and healing - not confirmed)
Holy fire - 73,5% / 17,7% (402/547 * 3.5/3.5 - 145/547 * 10/15 - not confirmed)
Prayer of healing - 28,6% (3/3.5 * 1/3 - aoe, heal - not confirmed)
Lightwell - 0% (not confirmed)
Circle of healing - 14,3% (1.5/3.5 * 1/3 - aoe, heal - not confirmed)
Binding heal - 42,9% (1.5/3.5 - not confirmed)
Prayer of mending - 14,3% (1.5/3.5 * 1/3 - "aoe", heal - not confirmed)
Shadowfiend - thoroughly unknown, probably 0%

Paladin spells - thanks Snow & co

Avenger's Shield - 14,3% (1/3.5 * 1/2 - "aoe") - NOTE: crits for 200% damage
Consecration - 94,9% (8/3.5 * 1/2 * 0.83 - aoe, 8 secs)
Hammer of Wrath - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Holy Shield - 5% per charge (unknown derivation)
Flash of Light - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Holy Light - 71,4% (2.5/3.5)
Holy Shock - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Exorcism - 42,9% (1.5/3.5 - not confirmed)
Holy wrath - 28,6% (2/3.5 * 1/2 - not confirmed)
Crusader strike - 40% (hey, it says so on the spell )
Judgement of Command - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Judgement of Vengeance - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Judgement of Righteousness - 73% (unknown derivation)
Seal of Command - 20% (unknown derivation)
Seal of Vengeance - 17% per tick (unknown derivation)
Seal of Righteousness - depends on weapon and weapon speed:


Coefficients are 9.2% per 1.0 Speed for 1H and 10.8% per 1.0 Speed for 2H

Seal of Righteousness with +198 spell:
Rank 8 (58 - 1.6 Speed 1H) | 36- 37 | 65- 66 | +29 | 15%
Rank 8 (58 - 2.2 Speed 1H) | 47- 47 | 86- 87 | +40 | 20%
Rank 8 (58 - 3.2 Speed 2H) | 95- 96 | 164-165 | +69 | 35%
Rank 8 (58 - 3.7 Speed 2H) | 118-119 | 197-198 | +79 | 40%

Druid spells - thanks Boevis & Kazanir

Starfire - 100% (3.5/3.5)
Wrath - 57,1% (2/3.5)
Moonfire - 14,9% / 52,2% (34,8% * 1.5/3.5 - 65,2% * 12/15)
Entangling Roots - 90,0% (27/15 * 0.5 - immobilizing)
Healing touch - 100% (3.5/3.5)
Rejuvenation - 80% (12/15)
Regrowth - 28,5% / 70,1% (49,9% * 2/3.5 - 50,1% * 21/15)
Insect swarm - 76% (12/15 * 0.95)
Hurricane - 107% (10/3.5 * 1/2 * 0.9 * 0.83 - nonsensical derivation)
Tranquility - 22,2% (10/15 * 1/3 - aoe, heal - not confirmed)
Lifebloom - 46,7% / 42,9% (7/15 - 1.5/3.5 - not confirmed)

Shaman spells
Healing wave - 85,7% (3/3.5)
Lesser healing wave - 42,9% (1.5/3.5)
Chain heal - 23,8% (2.5/3.5 * 1/3 - "aoe", heal)
Earth shield - 286% (10/3.5 - not confirmed)
Lightning bolt - 85,7% (3/3.5)
Chain lightning - 35,7% (2.5/3.5 * 1/2 - "aoe")
Earth shock - 38,6% (1.5/3.5 * 0.9 - annoyance)
Frost shock - 38,6% (1.5/3.5 * 0.9 - snare)
Flame shock - 21,4% / 17,1% (50% * 1.5/3.5 - 50% * 1.5/3.5 * 12/15 - not confirmed)
Flametongue weapon - 10% (custom)
Frostbrand weapon - 25% (custom)
Searing totem - 367% (55/15 - not confirmed)
Fire nova totem - 21,4% (1.5/3.5 * 1/2 - aoe - not confirmed)
Magma totem - 66,7% (20/15 * 1/2 - aoe - not confirmed)
Healing stream totem - 133% (60/15 * 1/3 - aoe, heal - not confirmed)
Fire elemental totem - unknown, if any
Earth elemental totem - no idea
Water shield - unknown

Downranking
Each rank of a spell has a "maximum level"; this means the level before the next rank of the spell is learned. For example, Dragon's Breath rank 2 has a max level of 63, as rank 3 is learned at 64. However there seem to be some exceptions - with some spells and ranks, the max level differs by up to 3 in either direction (source: Gagorian: personal communication). This isn't entirely clear yet and more research is needed.

Anywho, assuming we know the maximum level of each rank of each spell, the following coefficients then apply:

Healing spells: (max level of spell + 6) / player level

Damage spells: (max level of spell + 4 ) / player level

That is, the final effect of the spell is multiplied by this coefficient.

These are from Gagorian and are (apparently) tested and verified by him. Some discussion, though not necessarily on this matter, can be found here.

Deviations from the base damage

Spells (well, at least damage spells - probably healing spells too) scale when you go up levels. When you learn a spell, its base damage (before talents, gear, etc) is what you see on Thott or Alla; however, when you then level up, the same spell will do slightly more damage, around 1-10 points. There doesn't seem to be one simple number to explain how much additional damage each spell receives; rather, from some preliminary testing done by Gagorian indicates that most spells have two unique coefficients that determine this scaling, according to a common formula. Note that the game's default tooltip does not take all damage-increasing talents into account (but does take some), and is therefore also inaccurate in reporting these differences. In addition there are rounding issues (we do not know which values are rounded and how). All in all, unless you just learned the spell and didn't level up after that, it's difficult to tell exactly how much damage it's supposed to do... until someone (myself, Gagorian, whoever) figures it out.

TODO: non-shadow priests; druids; shamans; warlock pets; damage spells downranking; and of course all the unknown and uncorfirmed stuff


http://forums.elitistjerks.com/viewtopic.php?id=9593[/quote

This post has been edited by Bogardan: Jan 29 2007, 03:40 PM

Super nice forum, I'm going to bookmark it