WotLK Living Bomb & Hot Streak

[fieryfrostyflow]

Every comment in this topic should be regarding the actual topic. Please do not spam the comments or start new topics in the comments.
This topic is mostly about Hot Streak.
Also before commenting and stating some facts, test them ingame on the dummies or something similar.
How does Living Bomb actually proc Hot Streak?
In a sitution where we have 2 targets, use LB on one and wait for it to go off. When it explodes it hits both targets.
Fireball hits and crits the target affected by LB before LB explodes.
When LB explodes we have 4 possibilities. Both targets are hit in all 4 cases.
1. LB critted only the target affected by it. That way the caster gets Hot Streak proc because of the firball crit.
2. The second target (the one not affected by living bomb) is critted, but the main target is not. That way the caster doesn't get HS proc.
3. Both targets are critted. Mage gets HS proc and if his next spell crits he will get another HS proc. Meaning that the second target crit, even though the caster has HS proc unused, will count as 1/2 for the next HS.
4. Both targets are not critically hit. This case is clear.
The point is that when there are multiple targets, every target hit by LB's explosion is hit with different spells, but at the same time. Since it's at the same time we can't determine which crit counts and which doesn't. Only that the main target has priority like it's the first target that LB's explosion hits.
I tried this many times and always I got the same result. There are still some holes in this "script". If you see something that isn't correct or just want to add something please do so, so we can try to understand how the spell and the talent actually work.
Best of luck.

[Whiteman]

with glyph of living bomb there is chance that tick can crit and proc Hot Strike but that % is so low, like 2-3 times in fight that happen

[Sky]

Quick note: While http://wotlk.openwow.com/item=45737 will make the periodic damage from Living bomb able to crit, http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=44448 explicitly states that "Any time you score 2 non-periodic spell criticals in a row using Living Bomb, you have a 100% chance the next Pyroblast spell cast within 10 sec will be instant cast."

So, in other words, only the explosion when Living bomb expires will count towards the 2-in-a-row crit requirement for Hotstreak. The ticks will not.

Regarding the main topic, I've had the same results:
From what I've tested personally, in fights such as Lich king or Halion (heroic), that have plenty of adds adjacent to the boss; The http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=55362 explosion, if it crits, it will only count as one critical strike. Meaning, even it the blast hit 2+ targets, I only get 1 of the 2 crits needed to proc http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=44448.
The same behavior happens if you multi-dot many nearby targets, the explosions only count as 1 crit, no matter how many targets they (critically) hit.

Edit: Disregard the paragraph above

[Jakkre]

Regarding the main topic, I've had the same results:
From what I've tested personally, in fights such as Lich king or Halion (heroic), that have plenty of adds adjacent to the boss; The http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=55362 explosion, if it crits, it will only count as one critical strike. Meaning, even it the blast hit 2+ targets, I only get 1 of the 2 crits needed to proc http://wotlk.openwow.com/spell=44448.
The same behavior happens if you multi-dot many nearby targets, the explosions only count as 1 crit, no matter how many targets they (critically) hit.

Can't confirm that. Just tested LB on 4 dummys that are close to each other and just one explosion triggers hot streak when it crits on two targets.

Also, I think the point of the OP is that one LB explosion can only give two crit stacks and trigger Hot streak when the explosion crits on the target where LB was applied plus on one additinal target.
I tested that and can confirm that this is the case.

[fieryfrostyflow]

Okay so in order to clear things up let's talk about Living Bomb first.
Living Bomb lasts 12 seconds, over that time it ticks 4 times and explodes. So 4 ticks + explosion. The last tick happens at the same time as the explosion.
To understand what I want to say next you need to follow the steps.
1. Find 2 dummies. Not 4 or 3 but 2. You can find them in Orgrimmar behind the building in which is warrior's trainer or in Undercity.
2. Crit only once with Fire Blast/Fireball/ Scorch/Frostfire Bolt. Right now you have 1/2 crits needed for Hot Streak proc.
3. Use Living Bomb on only one target. We will call that target *the main target*, and the other one *the secondary target*.
4. LB explodes. We have a couple of cases. Keep in mind that LB's explosion needs to crit, not the last tick. If the last tick crits it will deal the same damage as non-critical LB's explosion.
1st case : LB explodes and crits only the main target. You get Hot Streak.
2nd case : LB explodes and crits both targets. You get a Hot Streak proc and 1/2 crits needed for the next Hot Streak proc.
3rd case : LB explodes and doesn't crit any targets. Nothing happens.
4th case : LB explodes, doesn't crit the main target but crits the secondary target. You don't get a Hot Streak proc.
Only the 2nd and the 4th case are important. 2nd case is clear. It means that if you have a Hot Streak proc and you critically strike with Scorch/Fireball/Frostfire Bolt/Fire Blast/ Living Bomb you will have 1/2 crits needed for the next HS. Simply put, get 3 crits in a row, use your Hot Streak, crit one more time and you will get a Hot Streak.
The 4th case is pretty simple for 2 targets. It means that LB hits the main target first then the secondary. But when there are more than 2 targets it becomes more complex. There might be a "range difference" or a "target type difference" implemented. However when there are more than 2 targets, for example on Anub'Arak 25 when there are 2 or more Nerubians under the boss you can't really keep up with all your crits and procs so that part is not really important for us to know in raids. What is important is how it works because it might be bugged which is just bad for us mages

[Jakkre]

I tested what u described in the 4th case on Icecrown and Blackrock and its the same thing even though Blackrock runs on a different core.
If u collected already 1 crit and lb explodes and doesn't crit on the main but on the secondary target then u don't get a hot streak proc.

Also tested the following:
If u attack 3 targets and LB doesn't crit on the main but on two secondary targets then u get a hot streak proc.
If u attack 4 targets and LB crits on the main and crits on two secondary targets while it doesn't crit on the last secondary target then u get a hotstreak plus one crit charge.

I think the following is the case: LB explosion hits the main target first and after a short delay it hits all secondary targets simultaneously.
I don't think that LB explosion has some sort of range difference. If for example there are 3 targets. LB crits on main target, doesn't crit on the second target that is the closest to main but crits on the third target, which has the highest distance to the main target, then it still procs hot streak.

[fieryfrostyflow]

The following statements are for Lordaeron.
I don't think that the thing with 4 targets is correct, basically you crit first 3, you have HS and one charge, then you don't crit, you shouldn't have a charge.
About the 3 targets not even that works on Lordaeron, but not 100% sure, that's how I remember it from this morning.
And by hitting secondary targets simultaneously you mean that if it crits one of them then they all count as a single crit? If there are 3 targets, main and one secondary are critted you have HS and 0/2. If all 3 are critted then you have HS and 1/2.
If there are 4 targets, main and 2 secondary are critted then you should have HS and 0/2.
The thing is this can sometimes help in raids but what's more important is finding out if it's bugged or if it is how it should work.
If you know how it worked on Retail please share your experience.

[Jakkre]

I don't think that the thing with 4 targets is correct, basically you crit first 3, you have HS and one charge, then you don't crit, you shouldn't have a charge.

No, because all three secondary targets get hit at the same time and not in a order. Two secondary targets receive a critical hit and one a normal hit.
My point is that the normal hit wont remove the charge that u collected with the critical hit when LB explodes on secondary targets because the exploison hits all secondary targets at the same time.

And by hitting secondary targets simultaneously you mean that if it crits one of them then they all count as a single crit?

No, they don't count as a single crit.
U can get a hot streak (2 crit charges) just from the explosion of secondary targets.

To my observation it works like that:
If LB crits on two secondary targets ull always get a hot streak, no matter how many other secondary targets receive a non crit.
If LB crits on one secondary target ull always get a crit charge, no matter how many other secondary targets receive a non crit.

[smtCreative]

TLDR: When LB explodes it damages the primary target THEN the secondary target. Scorch Crit (1/2) -> LB Primary Target Non-Crit (0/2) -> LB Secondary Target Crit (1/2).

[fieryfrostyflow]

Meh, it might be like you said Jakkre. I probably made a mistake while testing so I didn't see that. Anyway thanks for the help guys :)