Letter to all bards about Mages Ballad

[Maku]

Your advice has virtually nothing to do with Grailer's request - they want BRD to play ballad whenever tank is running low on MP while yours is a fairly standard way of doing a WP run where ballad is used only when healer is low on MP and is not about to recover naturally on a "long run" pull.

You are indeed right. But this thread has derailed something harsh and since the current area around where I posted seemed to be talkin bout what is "normal" / "best" I figured it was something to be said. I am curious if you are going to say how all the other posts that have nothing to do with the OP have nothing to do with it though. ^^

I am curious - why open up with flame arrow (asuming that's what you mean by "fire circle") instead of Requiem - Battle Voice - normal single target rotation which includes FA?

Either way works I guess. I just Flame Arrow (sorry play the game in Japanese so I mess up the English some times) first because that means I am doing damage for those few seconds while singing.

[Zellata]

You are indeed right. But this thread has derailed something harsh and since the current area around where I posted seemed to be talkin bout what is "normal" / "best" I figured it was something to be said. I am curious if you are going to say how all the other posts that have nothing to do with the OP have nothing to do with it though. ^^

Other such posts didn't begin with "I am going to restate Grailer's advice..."

Either way works I guess. I just Flame Arrow (sorry play the game in Japanese so I mess up the English some times) first because that means I am doing damage for those few seconds while singing.

I just think it's more efficient to sing while tank is running in towards the boss, then do the usual rotation instead of opening up with unbuffed flame arrow - FA works much better after you get at least IR and BfB up.

[Viridiana]

I just think it's more efficient to sing while tank is running in towards the boss, then do the usual rotation instead of opening up with unbuffed flame arrow - FA works much better after you get at least IR and BfB up.

Last I checked, FA saw no effect from crit chance or Raging Strikes.

[Pellegri]

Last I checked, FA saw no effect from crit chance or Raging Strikes.

That's good then, because if it did gain crit from a 20% dmg buff then something would be wrong :P. Beyond that FA is better to use after you get a dmg buff going that will actually increase it's dot, foes is much better to use the moment the tank starts running into a boss fight so you don't sacrifice time you could also be on the boss casting a song where chances are will still be running when the boss dies(unless a group still kills tonberries for whatever reason in a speedrun, in which case it's no longer a speedrun).

[nismo_mick9]

Dear OP,

There are a lot of tanks for WP Speedruns who don't have these issues. You just labeled yourself as a bad.

Sincerely,
Everyone.

^^

This

[ziddyt]

That's good then, because if it did gain crit from a 20% dmg buff then something would be wrong :P. Beyond that FA is better to use after you get a dmg buff going that will actually increase it's dot, foes is much better to use the moment the tank starts running into a boss fight so you don't sacrifice time you could also be on the boss casting a song where chances are will still be running when the boss dies(unless a group still kills tonberries for whatever reason in a speedrun, in which case it's no longer a speedrun).

Notice the "or." He's saying Flaming arrow is neither buffed by crit chance (it doesn't crit, or auto-crits, whatever theory you want to throw out there), or Raging Strikes/Damage buffs.
Which is true.

[ih8tonberrys]

Rofl, bad and mad. You are a real gem of a player, if I saw you in DF (Who DF's WP SR's) I would promptly leave as doing a slow ass run with you would be more time wasted than waiting 15 minutes outside of DF.

I agree with this statement.

[Kitkat]

Notice the "or." He's saying Flaming arrow is neither buffed by crit chance (it doesn't crit, or auto-crits, whatever theory you want to throw out there), or Raging Strikes/Damage buffs.
Which is true.

There is only one buff that actually increases the damage on Flaming Arrow and that is because it buffs the Dex attribute which the potency is based on....meaning only Hawk's Eye will increase damage. Quick test shows this easily enough, but for fact basics:
Without buffs at 476 dex->79-85 dmg.
With Raging Strikes/Blood for Blood/internal release->78~84.
With only Hawk's Eye at 547 Dex->88-94dmg.

So the only buff that should ever be applied to increase Flaming arrow is Hawk's Eye since it directly affects the attribute that dmg is based on.

On Topic: As a brd it is customary to use songs appropriate to the situation; or to clarify, it isn't outside of the norm to use Foe when the action is taking place and ballad inbetween.

In the comparison of running only ballad instead of swapping between the two (or just using foe):
You can't negate the use of Off-gcd's just because they don't factor into your math, and any brd worth their potential will be using off-gcd for additional damage output.. There is the capability to factor in variables based on approximated activation equations that would give you a surmised probability within a +/- range of error (which even the basic damage equation will have because the variations are already there since no one ever does one static damage per attack, it is always +/- 5~10 dmg).

Additionally, even if you aren't using any DoT to reset Blood letter it would be that much easier to factor it into your math since it is a static reset cycle rather than and approximated one. Same goes for Misery's end.

[LunarEmerald]

Bards will naturally play ballad for white mages that are running low on MP. It's kind of silly to expect a Bard to play ballad for tanks without being asked. I don't mind doing it but you'll have to request it yourself. It's something very few need. Singing ballad when not needed is a waste of dps and the sign of a bad player.

[Venom]

there are a lot of paladins wanting ballad, warrior runs seem to be faster as they dont mind me using blm dmg buff.