Arcane Mage
vs
Balance Druid
Debating whether to play a Balance Druid or Arcane Mage? Knowing which currently performs better DPS in PvE might help make a decision.
This page analyzes multiple simulations for both Balance Druids and Arcane Mages using profiles and settings intended to achieve their maximum DPS. Multiple sim environments are used to test how they perform in various conditions. Is one the AoE king? Does one scale better with gear upgrades? Is one more bursty, and more reliant on big cooldowns? Below analyzes the data to find the strengths of each.
Simulation results were created with SimulationCraft
Using game data from Patch 10.2.7 • WoW Dragonflight •
- Arcane Mage
Best AoE DPS (in perfect settings)
Arcane Mage achieved 7.04% more AoE DPS than Balance Druid when there was no movement or lag.
Balance DruidBest boss DPS (in perfect settings)
Balance Druid achieved 6.7% more maximum boss DPS than Arcane Mage when there was no movement or lag.
Best boss DPS (in realistic settings)
Balance Druid achieved 27.18% more maximum boss DPS than Arcane Mage when dealing with occasional movement, lag and crowd-control.
Least affected by movement (single-target)
Balance Druid’s single-target DPS was -69.65% less affected by increased movement compared to Arcane Mages.
Best gear scaling
Balance Druid scaled better with increased item-levels, single-target DPS benefited 10.17% more from 446 ilvl to 488 compared to Arcane Mages.
Simplest Gameplay
Balance Druid has fewer damaging abilities which could indicate a simpler rotation.
DPS less dependant on big cooldowns
Balance Druid’s DPS is less bursty, meaning it had more consistent damage. With 24.62% less difference in lowest and peak DPS during a fight when compared to Arcane Mages.
While the above highlights the DPS advantages between Arcane Mage and Balance Druids, the DPS potential should not be the only factor in your decision. Ultimately, you should also consider the playstyle that you enjoy most while crushing it in Mythics+ and Raids!
Resources
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