Today’s post is a super special guest post from Angelya, the author of Revive & Rejuvenate. She’s written for my blog, and I have written for hers. If you want, check out my post on her blog!
As Balance Druids, we have a number of spells with cooldowns and damage over time spells to keep track of, not to mention our signature mechanic, Eclipse. Keeping up with all these different timers is a challenge for any class, but there are a few addons around to help us make it easier.
While some people prefer the Dot-timer-bar format of Squawk and Awe, I prefer a more visual (and colourful) interface. Power Auras Classic can take a bit of fiddling to set up, but it is extremely customisable. I use it on several different toons to notify me of a whole range of different types of events.
The types of events Power Auras can be used for is not just limited to your own spells and buffs, but can be used to show events on any mob or raid/party member around you as well. You could use it to show you when your focus has a debuff, or when your target has cast a certain spell. The possibilities are almost endless.
One really nice thing about Power Auras is that you can import other people’s configurations into your copy. If you have something that you’d like to show with a power aura, do a search for it – chances are someone else has posted something similar up already that you can use.
Eclipse
For Balance Druids, Eclipse is one of the most important procs to be tracked. It is useful to have a visible and obvious reminder of which type of Eclipse has procced and what spell we should be casting, as well as how much longer the Eclipse is active for.
Lunar Eclipse procs when we cast Wrath, increasing the crit chance of Starfire. Solar Eclipse happens when we cast Starfire and increases the damage done by Wrath. I always get mixed up between the names of each type of Eclipse, so I stick with colours.
Lunar Eclipse
I use a white aura to remind me to cast Starfire. I also included a countdown so I know how long Eclipse is active for.
When setting up the aura we need to enter the specific spell name “Eclipse (Lunar)”, or the spell identification number. For Lunar Eclipse, the ID is [48518] (including the square brackets). It’s the same number that’s at the end of the Wowhead link.
Solar Eclipse
For Solar Eclipse, I use the same aura but in green to remind me to cast Wrath. Use “Eclipse (Solar)” or the ID [48517] in the spell name field.
Import Strings
The nice thing about Power Auras is that you can import other people’s configurations directly into your copy. All you need to do is open the main window with “/powa”, click the Import button, then copy and paste the import string.
Here are the import strings for my two Eclipse auras.
Lunar Eclipse (white aura – cast Starfire)
Version:st3.0.0J; gcd:bofalse; b:nu1; anim1:nu1; g:nu1; optunitn:bofalse; ignoremaj:botrue; Instance25ManHeroic:nu0; stacksLower:nu0; target:bofalse; icon:stInterface\Icons\Ability_Druid_Eclipse; size:nu1; torsion:nu1; r:nu1; Instance5ManHeroic:nu0; begin:nu0; x:nu0; customsoundend:st; customname:st; groupany:botrue; isAlive:botrue; timerduration:nu0; unitn:st; bufftype:nu1; stacks:nu0; focus:bofalse; Instance10ManHeroic:nu0; raid:bofalse; texture:nu1; alpha:nu1; aurastext:st; InstanceBg:nu0; symetrie:nu0; owntex:bofalse; isResting:nu0; duration:nu15; mine:bofalse; spec1:botrue; multiids:st; randomcolor:bofalse; inVehicle:bofalse; speed:nu1; Instance5Man:nu0; sound:nu0; InactiveDueToState:bofalse; stacksOperator:st>=; realaura:nu1; TimeToHide:nu39550.484; threshold:nu50; exact:bofalse; id:nu7; HideRequest:bofalse; textaura:bofalse; Active:botrue; anim2:nu0; wowtex:bofalse; groupOrSelf:bofalse; customsound:st; soundend:nu0; beginSpin:bofalse; InstanceArena:nu0; inParty:nu0; tooltipCheck:st; GTFO:nu0; aurastextfont:nu1; stance:nu10; spec2:botrue; Instance10Man:nu0; customtex:bofalse; PvP:nu0; Instance25Man:nu0; isSecondary:bofalse; thresholdinvert:bofalse; inRaid:nu0; combat:nu0; Showing:botrue; UseOldAnimations:bofalse; buffname:st[48518]; y:nu-30; off:bofalse; texmode:nu1; inverse:bofalse; ismounted:bofalse; targetfriend:bofalse; party:bofalse; finish:nu1; timer.InvertAuraBelow:nu0; timer.lastShownLarge:nu14; timer.HideLeadingZeros:bofalse; timer.h:nu1; timer.ShowOnAuraHide:bofalse; timer.UpdatePing:bofalse; timer.Texture:stDefault; timer.ShowActivation:bofalse; timer.Showing:botrue; timer.CustomDuration:nu0; timer.HideRequest:botrue; timer.lastShownSmall:nu66; timer.y:nu-80; timer.x:nu22; timer.a:nu0.90000003576279; timer.Transparent:bofalse; timer.Start:nu39535.484; timer.id:nu7; timer.cents:botrue; timer.enabled:botrue
Solar Eclipse (green aura – cast wrath)
Version:st3.0.0J; gcd:bofalse; b:nu0.10588235294118; anim1:nu1; g:nu0.87843137254902; optunitn:bofalse; ignoremaj:botrue; Instance25ManHeroic:nu0; stacksLower:nu0; target:bofalse; icon:stInterface\Icons\Ability_Druid_EclipseOrange; size:nu1; torsion:nu1; r:nu0.023529411764706; Instance5ManHeroic:nu0; begin:nu0; x:nu0; customsoundend:st; customname:st; groupany:botrue; isAlive:botrue; timerduration:nu0; unitn:st; bufftype:nu1; stacks:nu0; focus:bofalse; Instance10ManHeroic:nu0; raid:bofalse; texture:nu1; alpha:nu1; aurastext:st; InstanceBg:nu0; symetrie:nu0; owntex:bofalse; isResting:nu0; duration:nu15; mine:bofalse; multiids:st; spec1:botrue; inVehicle:bofalse; speed:nu1; Instance5Man:nu0; sound:nu0; randomcolor:bofalse; InactiveDueToState:bofalse; stacksOperator:st>=; realaura:nu1; TimeToHide:nu37137.013; threshold:nu50; exact:bofalse; id:nu8; HideRequest:bofalse; textaura:bofalse; Active:bofalse; anim2:nu0; wowtex:bofalse; groupOrSelf:bofalse; customsound:st; soundend:nu0; beginSpin:bofalse; InstanceArena:nu0; inParty:nu0; tooltipCheck:st; GTFO:nu0; aurastextfont:nu1; stance:nu10; spec2:botrue; Instance10Man:nu0; customtex:bofalse; PvP:nu0; Instance25Man:nu0; isSecondary:bofalse; thresholdinvert:bofalse; inRaid:nu0; combat:nu0; Showing:bofalse; UseOldAnimations:bofalse; buffname:st[48517]; y:nu-30; off:bofalse; texmode:nu1; inverse:bofalse; ismounted:bofalse; targetfriend:bofalse; party:bofalse; finish:nu1; timer.InvertAuraBelow:nu0; timer.lastShownLarge:nu48; timer.HideLeadingZeros:bofalse; timer.h:nu1; timer.ShowOnAuraHide:bofalse; timer.UpdatePing:bofalse; timer.Texture:stDefault; timer.ShowActivation:bofalse; timer.Showing:bofalse; timer.CustomDuration:nu0; timer.HideRequest:botrue; timer.lastShownSmall:nu14; timer.y:nu-80; timer.x:nu22; timer.a:nu0.90000003576279; timer.Transparent:bofalse; timer.Start:nu37122.013; timer.id:nu8; timer.cents:botrue; timer.enabled:botrue
Other Power Auras
Some of the other auras I use include:
- Circular aura for Nature’s Grace, to help me avoid clipping the GCD
- Clearcasting
- An indicator for a missing Mark/Gift of the Wild
- Timers for Insect Swarm and Moonfire
- Cooldown timers for Force of Nature and Starfall
You can find import strings for these other auras on my Power Auras for Moonkin page, and also some other auras for Resto Druids here. I hope you find them useful!
As a huge fan of powerauras, I’m gonna post a link to my export just for visual contrast. It does the same stuff in one simple export. One of the most powerful features of Power Auras is that it allows you to configure your alerts to what works best for you. While Id encourage anyone to import the raw stuff, keep in mind that it might not be the right shape, location, or color for you. These things are easily changed by typing /powa, clicking the aura you want to edit, and then clicking edit. Most of the configuration is checkbox based or slider based, so it is very malleable.
http://www.relevarts-druid-reliquary.com/blog/?page_id=237
I guess I could drop a screenshot of how my Power Auras is set up. This is every single powa activated at the same time
http://qieths-quips.com/wp-content/gallery/random/allpowas.jpg
Obviously, this is a huge mess. Thats because I have encounter specific debuffs on either side, with huge icons, and they obviously wont all overlap in a specific fight.
Now, when it comes to general powas, showing buffs that I want to track, i have set them up as follows:
http://qieths-quips.com/wp-content/gallery/random/usefullpowas.jpg
If you notice the rune around my character, it is actually four buffs that I’ve set up to go together for a bit of an eye candy. The bottom part of the rune is eclipse. If I proc Owlkin Frenzy on that, the smaller rune looks like an extension, and the even smaller one for Omen of Doom is further inside. And then barkskin almost makes the rune a complete circle, to sort of signify complete protection
Power Auras is one of my favourite addons. I use it to keep track of my setbonus buffs and trinkets. And it’s an amazing tool for new encounters where DBM isn’t up and running yet.
Indeed, it is by far the best addon for tracking from my point of view. It can work in so many ways, I e.g used it for tracking Best Effort on innervate so you could optimize you mana pool as much as possible and aswell with similar use trinkets. It works as slam-spam alert on my warrior and with my enh. Shaman early in the game it worked good aswell by marking with auras what is on cd
I love power auras, and dont think i could go back to raiding without it.
http://warcraftmovies.com/movieview.php?id=155861 (early kill so dont be hating)
Above is my current setup, i use PA for my eclipse, also Starfall/Trees/Barksin/Innervate CD’s.
This is an old video, and i also keep track on my 2 trinkets proccing, so i can look for a good Double proc to blow CD’s on.