What is simming in WoW, and do you need it?
Quick answer
Simming means running a computer simulation of your character fighting a target dummy thousands of times to estimate your damage with different gear or talents. It’s most useful for close gear decisions as a damage dealer. You don’t need it to enjoy WoW, and it can’t replace practice or knowing the fight.
Key takeaways
- A sim estimates damage; it doesn’t measure how well you play.
- SimulationCraft is the engine; Raidbots is a popular website that runs it for you.
- Sims shine for close calls: trinkets, stat-heavy items, talent choices.
- Default sims assume a simple, uninterrupted fight and perfect play.
What is a WoW sim?
A simulation (“sim”) takes your character’s gear, talents and stats and plays out a fight thousands of times using an optimized rotation. The result is an estimate of your average damage per second (DPS), which you can compare between setups.
Because the simulated player follows its rotation perfectly, the number shows the potential of your setup, not your personal performance.
What are SimulationCraft and Raidbots?
SimulationCraft is the free, open-source simulation engine most of the community uses. You can run it on your own computer.
Raidbots is a website that runs SimulationCraft for you. You install the SimulationCraft addon in game, type its command to copy your character’s export string, and paste that string into Raidbots. From there you can run a quick sim of your current gear or compare several items at once.
When is simming actually useful?
Sims are most helpful when the right answer isn’t obvious:
- Choosing between two items with similar item level but different secondary stats.
- Comparing trinkets, whose special effects are hard to judge by eye.
- Testing talent builds for a specific number of targets.
- Deciding which item to spend an upgrade currency on.
Tip: If one item is clearly higher item level and has your main stat, you probably don’t need a sim to know it’s better.
What can’t a sim tell you?
By default, sims model a single target that never moves (often called a “Patchwerk” fight). Real fights have movement, add waves, mechanics and downtime that can change which gear is best. Sims also assume you never miss a beat in your rotation.
Use sims as a guide, not a verdict. If a piece of gear sims slightly lower but suits the fight you’re progressing on, it can still be the better choice.
Should healers and tanks sim?
Sims are built mainly around damage, so they’re less useful for healers and only partly useful for tanks. Healers and tanks usually rely more on stat priorities, community knowledge and how a piece feels in real content.
Tools mentioned in this guide
- Raidbots Runs SimulationCraft in your browser.
- SimulationCraft The open-source simulation engine.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to sim to play WoW?
No. Simming helps with close gear and talent decisions, but most players enjoy the game without ever running one.
Why is my real DPS lower than my sim?
Sims assume perfect play on a stationary target. Movement, mechanics, deaths and rotation mistakes all lower real damage, which is normal.
Is Raidbots free?
Raidbots offers free sims with optional paid features for faster or larger simulations.
