🔥 Combat Mastery · Lesson 7 of 17

Cooldowns, Resources & the GCD

When you press your buttons matters as much as which buttons. Cooldown and resource discipline separates good players from great ones.

7 min read

Use your cooldowns

  • A cooldown sitting unused is damage or healing you never did - use them close to on cooldown.
  • Hold a cooldown only for a known burst window or upcoming mechanic, not just in case.
  • Over a long fight, one extra use of a two-minute cooldown is a huge total gain.

Resource management

  • Do not overcap your resource (Rage, Energy, Focus, Runic Power, and so on) - capped resource is wasted generation.
  • Do not bottom out either; keep enough to react.
  • Spend on the right ability for your target count.

The global cooldown

  • Most abilities share the global cooldown - every wasted GCD is lost throughput.
  • Weave instant abilities during movement so you never stand still doing nothing.
  • Do not clip your casts or channel longer than you need.

Key takeaways

  • Use cooldowns near on-cooldown unless a burst window is coming.
  • Never overcap or bottom out your resource.
  • Never waste a GCD - always be casting something useful.