BRD DPS (And how to improve mine!)

[Eissels]

Hi! So, since I (finally) hit 50 and have at least a basic parody of a real armor set, I figured it was time to set about optimizing how I perform, since now it's just a matter of waiting around for DF for Coils and EX primals. Currently, I'm ilvl 88 with Artemis Zenith.

What sort of ST DPS should a bard be pulling at that ilvl? I have nothing to base myself off of other than the other bards in my guild, and all of them are i105+. Currently, I'm pulling spike DPS of around ~410 for about 10 seconds while all of my CDs are up, which slowly dwindles before settling at roughly ~280.

I've heard a lot of different theories on how CDs should be used, so I might be doing it wrong, which is why I'm here! Currently, my "rotation" is thus:

Straight Shot -> Blood for Blood - > Raging Strikes -> Hawk's Eye -> Internal Release -> Windbite -> Bloodletter -> Venomous Bite -> Barrage (As all my CD's line up at about 10 seconds), then I after I follow the priority of:

Straight Shot Buff
Misery's End
Bloodletter Proc
Windbite
Venomous Bite
Straight Shot Proc
Heavy Shot.

And I refresh my CDs individually as they come off CD. Now, I've done what I can to read up on BRD, but there's almost nothing discussing optimal cooldown usage and rotations.

I've heard arguments for SS > BL > IR > Windbite > RS > HE > Venomous bite > B4B Barrage > priority as a macro, as well as one CD between each GCD, bloodletter BEFORE all cooldowns, and bloodletter after. I've been experimenting with them all, but I'm only one person and doing a multitude of 3-4 segments with each one takes a lot of time, so I was hoping to hear from other Bards!

What DPS should I be doing around my iLvL, what works best for you, and how can I improve?

[Ooshima]

The exact opening sequence is up for debate - amongst the bards who have cleared T9 in our FC (including server 1st and 2nd), it seems that everyone had a slight difference in sequence but eventual parse numbers are within acceptable range.

BRD's DPS parse are largely dependent on BL procs and also critical rate. It is pointless to discuss a number without a standardized parsing method.

However, an i90 BRD with i90 weapon should be able to pull 300 and above, in fact all i90 DPS benchmark are 300+. Go run a few rounds of Titan EX and see what numbers you are pulling - should be 300+ unless you died or being jailed a lot of time.

[Felessan]

However, an i90 BRD with i90 weapon should be able to pull 300 and above, in fact all i90 DPS benchmark are 300+. Go run a few rounds of Titan EX and see what numbers you are pulling - should be 300+ unless you died or being jailed a lot of time.

Not possible. ~270-280 is reasonable high plank for ilvl/weapon 90 Brd for a long fight.
If i90 could pull 300+ than i110 should pull 420+ and with i115 weapon should pull 450+ - that beyond reasonable numbers for bards.

[Judge_Xero]

Not possible. ~270-280 is reasonable high plank for ilvl/weapon 90 Brd for a long fight.
If i90 could pull 300+ than i110 should pull 420+ and with i115 weapon should pull 450+ - that beyond reasonable numbers for bards.

Your 270-280 Range seems reasonable, but I don't think the difference between i90 and i110 is a 40% increase and an extra 5 ilvl on the weapon isn't a 7% damage increase.

Last I checked, i90 -> i110 was ~25%

[MrSigy]

Your 270-280 Range seems reasonable, but I don't think the difference between i90 and i110 is a 40% increase and an extra 5 ilvl on the weapon isn't a 7% damage increase.

Last I checked, i90 -> i110 was ~25%

280 @ I90 is correct.
Currently with 106ilvl.
I'm capping on 421 non burst dps and somewhere from 600-800 dps on burst (depends on bl)

[Mikedizzy]

As long as you do not totally butcher your rotation your dps will be fine. Trying to max every point of damage is not necessary in this game so far and will never make or break the fights. Mechanics are always the equalizer and just because you are not hitting the mathematical max dps does not mean a darn thing. I would not worry so much about it.

[Felessan]

Your 270-280 Range seems reasonable, but I don't think the difference between i90 and i110 is a 40% increase and an extra 5 ilvl on the weapon isn't a 7% damage increase.
Last I checked, i90 -> i110 was ~25%

Bard gets ~25 dps from each 2 points of weapon damage (90->95 is 1 point upgrade, 95->100, 100->110, 110->115 is 2 points each).
Main stat difference between 90 and 110 is 16% and secondary stats are mainly neutral/slightly negative due to shift from crit to skillspeed.

Currently with 106ilvl.
I'm capping on 421 non burst dps and somewhere from 600-800 dps on burst (depends on bl)

I assume that this is with HA bow?

PS. And all these numbers are with DRG buff of course, without it numbers will be slightly lower)

[RathSkybreaker]

Get around 400 DPS on T8 w/ivl 107..

Straight shot up always, OGCDs weaved properly, manage barrage properly when you can, same with ogcds, macros are not Satan, Bard is the Master Race.

[Eissels]

snip

Do you have a DRG? Just curious.

I updated it a bit, and I macrod together all my CDs in the order of RS > IR > HE > B4B > Barrage, and now my opener looks a bit more like this:

Straight Shot > Macro x2 (RS/IR) > Windbite > Macro x2 (HE/B4B) > Venomous Bite > Barrage/BL > Heavy Shot > Flame Arrow > go into priority, weaving repelling/blunt if it's safe and I don't have a BL proc. I also moved BL (and my CDs) onto a big bar of their own near my character so I can watch for them more closely. It's been a slight improvement (280-290 as opposed to 270-280) but I'm still not at 300. Grr!

What other macros do you use, and should I be weaving my oGCDs different? I've heard macroing BL onto HS results in a DPS loss because of how macro priorities worked, and I've heard macros with CDs both does and doesn't.

I might be overthinking this, I just want to be able to be the best I can be. :[

[RathSkybreaker]

...[

Yup we do :# , numbers like that are hard to pull without a dragoon honestly. Not only that, but my healers don't need ballad.

I use the macro that probably 90% of bards hate, but as an example

/micon "Straight Shot"
/ac "Straight shot" <t>
/ac"Bloodletter" <t>
/ac "Misery's End" <t>

Every ability on my bar is technically a macro since I put bloodletter and misery's end on every ability. The key to making this work is to figure out when you need to be spamming for your procs and when not to, after awhile it becomes natural and you never got locked up by an OGCD, I'll not argue that non macro users have a higher DPS potential than I do, however in 99% of the cases, it's strictly potential.

Relying on macros also really helps you out if you end up shot calling as it allows you to more avidly focus on mechanics while keeping an extremely high DPS output. \O_O/ people have their preference, but mine numbers seem to be suitable, at least up until T7 savage :O