Hello people of the forums, I have been doing a few m+ dungeons lately and been trying to get better at it… but at the moment i seem to have reached a ceiling.
I can clear a +8 with ++ but once i start trying to do +9 or +10 i really start to struggle. I did some dps testing at a dummy in stormwind and i do 40k dps and when i use cooldowns i go to 43k roughly.
Now to my question what can i do to improve? how can i reach that level of doing +15’s ?
Not all might agree with it, but if one is looking for help with their damage dealing or tank rotation, there are a couple of addons that help one with this.
I use Hekili which based on how many enemies you are engaged with, will recommend what abilities might be best to use next.
I do not know if the dps coming from the addon suggestions is the optimal one but it helps to reduce the time one spends on deciding their rotation and allows more time for one to be more aware of affixes, hazards etc.
It is also good for one who like me might switch between different classes at the drop of a hat.
Other than that, it might help to join some normal mode raids groups for the chance to get more gear. Normal is relatively easy to clear now and warlocks are always welcome for the convenience of the summoning stone.
Hekili is actually good for learning basic rotation.
You go to a training dummy and follow Hekili for half an hour and then you have the rotation memorized to the point that you won’t need to look it up during a run.
I’m unlikely to have an answer for you, but to help those who might, what exactly do you mean by “really start to struggle”?
Do you mean your DPS drops off, when compared with a +7 or +8? If so, what is your usual DPS on AoE and single-boss fights in both?
Or do you mean you are performing equally well, but the others in the group are performing better in +9/+10? What is their ilevel compared to yours?
Or is it a nerves issue? Are you getting flustered as you move higher?
Or something else, like having to move more, and so losing damage?
Being more specific may help someone to give better advice.
^ This please.
Including a Log can help alot!
Also,
NEVER EVER use an addon to help you with your rotation unless you simply don’t care. (since you ask for help, you clearly do care)
Not only will you (maybe) never learn/understand what you are doing, they are often only 70-80% correct.
The last 20-30% push is you knowing when to do what and why.
40k on one dummy or the AoE ones? 40ks fine at your ilvl on one target, not great on 5. Best advice is keep practicing 2 minutes at a time and try beat it. You can look at logs what people are doing at higher levels and compare yourself. If their top damage is dogs, and yours is super low then obviously you need to use dogs more etc.
Openers super important in m+ and getting that right makes a ton of difference. Demos a ramp class and you need imps out before big CDs like tyrant. Dont just smash hig cd’s straight away. Don’t think the basic rotations too hard. Dogs on CD → spam shadow bolt to generate shards → hit your demon procs (if you wont overcap shards) → hand of guldan to spend → implosion for AoE
Main reason for low damage is not managing shards and spending then well. Not overlapping big CDs with enough pets out to buff. Not getting dogs out asap, bad talent build or stats.
Run with friends, guild. Get gear an get comfortable with dungeon mechanics and tactics over time…so you can focus on your rotation etc.
Or push your own keys. Idk why so many ppl refuse to do it, but its by far the best way how to push rating, gear etc(as solo player). Its not that hard…just send you key in lfg and pick ppl that you like. Even though it doesnt like it from the forum perspective…the overwhelming wast majority of players are nice and not a-holes.
If you struggle with your damage check guides vids etc…start using keybinds if youre not doing it already, use macros, addons etc.
But most importantly dont do it all at once and hurr durr i need to be instantly 4k IO. Slowly progress and learn…everyone had to do it, you can too…just believe 
This is diffucult for me to explain… i notice i die way quicker my health bar drops faster for no reason even if i watch were i am standing… timers that i barely manage to complete a +9 azure vault yesterday with likd 30 secs remaining.
And i reinstalled dps meter today to get a better view on my dps again so i cant tell you how much dps i do in a aoe situation compared to single target and all that.
Well, you didn’t complete that +9; your whole group did! If you were with a really good group, they could have destroyed it even if you were AFK. 
Maybe the groups you have played with in +9/10 were (also) performing less well? How many samples are we talking about? Anyone can have a couple of sketchy runs.
A DPS meter will be informative. Just don’t look at it until the run is over. It will do the remembering, and you don’t need the distraction.
Are you using any other addons that give you information about the fights, like DBM?
A large amount of it is going to be a lack of fundamentals. You’re playing demonology warlock? If so then you’re playing a spec that focuses heavily on burst “combos” instead of consistent damage over long periods of time or a high impact spammable button. Variations in the first 5-6 buttons you press per pull, and any lost time for whatever reason between pressing them, are going to have an enormous impact on your overall damage. As is using things that are supposed to combo together individually or waiting too long and not using them at all.
It feels reductive to just say read a guide, as it’s not the sort of response you’re looking for by asking people in a collective like a forum, but building muscle memory (And it being the right muscle memory) is really going to serve you well. Nail down “What is my left hand doing when the tank runs into a pack of mobs and I have XYZ available”.
The next thing is ABCs. Always. Be. Casting. I get that standing still can be hard, especially in keys this expansion, but not getting overly scared by what’s going on, as well as using instant casts / procs during the movement you do have to do, will increase your dps and consistency on pulls.
Another thing is just being more comfortable, not just with your rotations but the dungeons themselves. The more things you learn / start being handled by your subconscious (Not really but it’s how I’d explain it) the more you’re able to apply brain power to the things you’re still learning. Knowing what cooldowns you want to use on what pack, having a decent expectation of what tanks are going to want to do next. It all comes with practice, but brains can only handle so much at once.
The higher you go. The more mechanics matter.
Stormbolts, cinderbolts, deathbolts, flamedance, eyestorm.
All those abilities you usually just ignore and let the healer deal with.
Interrupts, stuns, personal defensives, potions, flasks, becomes really important the higher you go and the lower your ilvl is.
I would recommend the Plater addon for nameplates.
It’ll allow you to see what an enemy mob is targeting with channels and spells. And allow you to prepare for incoming damage.
After all, you’ll do 0 DPS as long as you’re dead or running back to the group.
Learning your rotation is the easy part. Don’t focus too much on it.
Instead focus on what is going on in the dungeon, use recap every time you don’t know what happend.
It has helped me many times when i got one shot and went “huh?”
Also start to utilize your class talent tree, switch talents around if you know a certain utility is needed.
Don’t listen to anyone that mentions hekili.
The addon is awful and uses the APL from simulations, which assumes the uptime and perfect execution of the rotation.
This is where details and logs become usefull since you will be able to evaluate your deaths. Obviously you are not dying “for no reason”
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