Improving your dps - keybinding efficiency

Being a good dps has a lot to do with using your powers as quickly as possible - both when standing still and when on the move.

If it takes you more than an instant to use an ability during a fight, then chances are you got room for improvement.

There are commonly two ways to fire off abilities: using bound keys or clicking on abilities with your mouse.

Bound keys will always be the fastest way provided you are able to do it properly. Some people can play very well using mouse-clicking, but this method is less desirable for three reasons:

Oh, the envy! Death Knight tank self-healing

Raegwyn, the Death Knight tank, solos TWO heroic bosses in Blackrock Caverns!

I've been playing Paladin tank for several years now, but there is no chance whatsoever that I could pull that off. There's clearly a lot of skill going on with Raegwyn, but Death Knight tanks are clearly in a very good spot these days.

Al'Akir

Three phases. Careful timing, strong combat awareness and coordinated movement required. A little bit of luck involved.

This raid guide is for 10-man normal.

Raid Setup

1-2 tanks, 3 healers, 5-6 dps

Improving your dps - rotation and prioritization

The next step for improving your dps after you've gotten the basics down, is about knowing your abilities and using them properly.

Many websites will help you understand the exact mechanics and effects of your various abilities, and you need to know each and every one by heart. Figure out which ones are your main damage abilities and how to use them to their full potential.

The use of combat abilities usually fall into some form of rotation pattern or prioritization system. Rotation pattern means using abilities in a certain optimal order and then repeat that order throughout most of the fight. Prioritization means that, instead of having a set order, one uses abilities as they come off cooldown, prioritizing the best ones before any other.