Druid Changes - 1.8

[Skandranon]

Fire does more than Frost. So using the Mage's weaker nuke to compare with the Druid's strongest is a false argument, unless you are specifically referring to MC. In which case your statement should be Balance druids will outnuke mages in MC, not will outnuke them period

Also BWL. In other words, Druids outnuke Mages in the two instances where it really matters. Mages tend to outDPS rogues in the Deadmines, too, but we don't perform that comparison because it doesn't matter. Using fire spells at all is a false argument where serious PvE is concerned. The endgame isn't everything, etc, etc, but this thread is about the endgame, so mentioning fireball at all is a detour.

Mana plays a huge part in this. If the druid can outnuke the mage for 20 seconds but then goes oom in half the time, the mage may still be the better nuker on a tough raid boss. Frost Bolt is the most mana efficient of the repeatable Mage nukes and can be specced for even greater mana efficiency

I pointed that out, Brista, thanks. Actually, the numbers are not that far off. Druids can get around 1.8 damage per mana, as GG showed, and fully specced frost mages get around 2.0.

Next the Mage can add two powerful instants in to the mix

Fireblast is too short-ranged and is fire damage and CoC is even shorter range. Not that they're useless, but this point of yours directly contradicts earlier points you've made. Mage has greater efficiency - so let's use the terribly inefficient Fireblast and CoC? Mage is a specialist who can focus on one kind of +damage - so let's use both a fire and a frost spell?

Using these instants almost guarantees the mage will run OOM rapidly for not a particularly great DPS increase.

And lastly in terms of pure dps output the Mage can raise the whole output by 33% and toss in a POM Pyroblast if the issue of burst damage becomes important

If they're arcane specced. There are mages without Arcane Power and Presence of Mind, you know. As a matter of fact, three-quarters of the mages in my guild don't have Arcane Power. This is also a false argument, and you know it.