BLM questions

[SamanosukeShiva]

Personally I use t2 instead of t1 for dot, because of the duration. With t1, it always falls off before you reapply it, and reapplying it sooner is a dps loss.

[SephYuyX]

Thunder management is too much effort for little difference. File that under "no1cur"

Don't forget the different tiers also wear off at different times. So in order to make the most of it you'll have to start casting before the DoT ends, and have it apply right as it does. So if you're using T1 that means you'll have to cast it more often.

Who is going to do that? I know none of you are.

Thunder I does 240 dmg, DoTs for 18 secs, takes 2.5 sec to cast. = "96 DPS"
Thunder II does 295 dmg, DoTs for 21 secs, takes 3 sec to cast. = "98.3 DPS"
Thunder III does 340 dmg, DoTs for 24 secs, takes 3.5 sec to cast. = "97.1 DPS"

I'd be willing to bet that you can fit at least 2 cycles cleanly in a T3 window, but not a T1. (not at pc to test)

But also remember that you have to remember which T youre currently DoTing. Did you cast T1 and it never proced? Well that means youll have to reapply sooner. Oh wait, it did proc, well that means you used a T3 so you can wait 5 seconds longer to reapply. Good luck fitting that in to your process.

Use T3 fulltime and you'll go less crazy for the small amount of difference there is.

PS. I'm sure it also makes a difference for how long the target plans on being alive. So now you have to have it planned out to where that fits in too.

Also don't forget you'll be running around dodging attacks getting interrupted, losing out on a 3 stack switch because you couldn't cast for 10 seconds, have to use transpose for 1 UI, have to wait a tick to get some mp back, and get back to where you can start a rotation. Plus other stuffs.

All of that just made your small T1 differences pointless.

GLHF.

[SephYuyX]

Btw, does anyone else thing BLMs cross abilities are shit aside from heal and raging strikes?

Thank god I can increase my DEX by 15%. Eye for an eye isn't self, right? Or maybe every 120 secs I can cast quelling strikes with virus so my nukes will do slightly more with less agro for 10 secs.


Argument for not using heal assuming you're in a competent group.
But otherwise Heal, RS, and Virus? Cast Virus and RS and go nuke happy for 10 secs.
RG, Virus and QS I suppose If you don't need heal?

90 secs on virus, 180 on RS, so guess you could use virus twice.

[Icarian]

Went to test BLM a little bit on a dummy and parse it on FFXIVAPP, I know they both aren't reliable but I'm running into some whooping discrepancies here.

My BLM is barely pushing 155-160 DPS, my MNK does 225-230 and my friend does... 285-290, on a SCH no less.

One thing is not being very reliable and all that, but there's some huge differences, my MNK is full DL with Ifrit weapon and a piece of AF2, the SCH is in full DL with Garuda's weapon, my BLM has Ifrit weapon, AK set and some meh pieces from Immortal Flames to fill in.

I'm sure I can do a better rotation on BLM to maybe scratch 10 more DPS, but not 50+. What is going on?

[Niiro]

Btw, does anyone else thing BLMs cross abilities are shit aside from heal and raging strikes?

Thank god I can increase my DEX by 15%. Eye for an eye isn't self, right? Or maybe every 120 secs I can cast quelling strikes with virus so my nukes will do slightly more with less agro for 10 secs.


Argument for not using heal assuming you're in a competent group.
But otherwise Heal, RS, and Virus? Cast Virus and RS and go nuke happy for 10 secs.
RG, Virus and QS I suppose If you don't need heal?

90 secs on virus, 180 on RS, so guess you could use virus twice.

Virus lowers STR/DEX, it doesn't have any effect on your damage.

[SephYuyX]

Virus lowers STR/DEX, it doesn't have any effect on your damage.

I thought that was the case as well, but XIVDB says INT and MND too. I was at work when I posted (and still not at a pc to check), so wasnt able to verify.

*checks xivdb again*
Interesting, seems there is a main/sub toggle button, and a level slide.. Never noticed that.

Ok then, virus is worthless.

[Alkar]

It's not worthless, it's extra stuff you can cast to support your party. I'd set Eye for an Eye for the same reason.

[SephYuyX]

I'll make sure to use Choke/Shock/Burn too.

[amentis]

I'll make sure to use Choke/Shock/Burn too.

I had a sick-ass pure int gear swap for those spells TYVM.

[Eldelphia]

ACN has a boost to Virus which adds the other stats.

[Secksi]

We're talking boss rotations here right?

This is what I do, not saying it's the rotation to use, but it's what I've been using.

Precast Thunder 3(so that it lands shortly after the boss is pulled) > Swiftcast + Fire 3 > Fire 1 spam > Blizzard 3 > Scathe > Fire 3 > Repeat.

I use Convert when I have Raging Strikes up to get more Fire 1 casts in.
I use procs when they happen, but never interrupt a spell to use one, or wait to see if I get a Firestarter proc.
After the first Swiftcast, I use it to reapply Thunder 3, unless I can't continuously rotate Umbral/Astral with level 3 spells(Ifrit charges for example).
If I have a Firestarter proc when going into Umbral phase, and I ended Astral phase with very low MP, I use Scathe twice, then Fire 3 to get back to Astral.
If I have to move RIGHT NOW and my GCD is up I'll use a proc if I have one, Swiftcast + Thunder 3, or Scathe.

This is all single target, and I usually just wing it for AoE.

I have a few questions of my own now though. What's better between Darklight Robe of Casting(32 Vit, 33 Int, 43 Accuracy, 30 Spell Speed) and Demagogue Mask + Half Robe(26 Vit, 26 Int, 24 Determination, 35 Spell Speed)?

(6 Vit, 7 Int, 43 Accuracy) VS (24 Determination, 5 Spell Speed).

Does accuracy do anything for BLM(are there half/quarter/full resists like in FFXI?)? Is there an accepted Determination vs main stat ratio? Should I just get the Darklight even if it isn't the best since Demagogue looks so bad?

My current gear/stats in the spoiler in case that makes a difference in the decision.

Spoiler: show

[Alkar]

I'll make sure to use Choke/Shock/Burn too.

They're all off the GC so it's simply stupid/lazy to not use them whenever you can. You can use them after a Fire III with Firestarter or a Thundercloud Thunder III while waiting for the GC.

[SamanosukeShiva]

@Seksi Darklight by far, 7 INT is huge.

[Frein]

Scathe starts the GCD, so I don't know why some of you people try to fit it into your rotations. The only thing I'm wondering about is should I cast the last Fire if it puts my MP below Blizzard III cost so that I have to wait for a Transpose tick to get my Umbral Ice going or not. If I do, I get a longer burn phase, but the recovery is slightly delayed as well.

I also wonder if it's beneficial to interrupt your Fire when you get a Firestarter proc. It gives you an extra cast and makes sure you don't waste any procs in your burn phase but it's also a momentary hit to your DPS.

[Alkar]

Scathe is good when you're moving (unless you have a proc ready and need to move), I personally don't fit it anywhere else.

[SephYuyX]

Does accuracy do anything for BLM(are there half/quarter/full resists like in FFXI?)? Is there an accepted Determination vs main stat ratio? Should I just get the Darklight even if it isn't the best since Demagogue looks so bad?

2DTR=1INT
There are resists, but i'm not sure if theyre static or just randomish differences. ACC does help from the dmg done being a range of say 167~185, to being 185 always.

I had a sick-ass pure int gear swap for those spells TYVM.

I did too

[Toth]

Any one have a good bonus stat distribution? All INT?

[SephYuyX]

Any one have a good bonus stat distribution? All INT?

Thats what I've been doing, and I think most others since they removed the distribution cap.

[Falisa]

Hurray a BLM thread.

In regards to the question about accuracy, yes it does but just like it would for every other class. You can just up and completely whiff one of your spells. I have had no issue with accuracy sitting around 415 until Turn 2 of Coil, which I started parsing about 94% accuracy. I had to throw on one of my demagogue pieces to replace a darklight to raise my accuracy to 428 and that stopped my whiffing.

For thunder, I always kind of felt like it was a waste but I have continued to try and keep the thunder dot up to as close to 100% uptime as much as I can. I think I will try out only using it during ice phase, during a pull or when I know invulnerability will soon wear off (for example after a primal astral flow).

Now for a question on my end, what do you think the best usage is Convert is? Currently, I use it at the beginning of a pull and when it comes back up later on in a fight to use a double flare. I typically spam through my mana with typical fire 1 usage, pop raging strikes somewhere in there so that its up for convert, and I use a flare when I don't have enough MP to cast another fire, pop convert, use 1 more fire and finish it off with another swiftcast flare, then transpose. This is the only time I ever use transpose, but I'm wondering if its better to just use a single flare here so I don't have to wait for mana at all.

[SamanosukeShiva]

I personally use only single swiftcast flare w/ convert, cast time for double is just too long, you'd do as much damage doing fire1 with proc, you'd be wasting GCD everytime you wait for mana.