Dragoons: A Rotation Reborn

Thanks for sharing Ihm.
I must do something wrong: I open your document under GoogleDoc. Some values are in error (writing #NAME in the cell) as I guess GoogleDoc doesn't use the same formulaes. I click on "File" and "Download as..." and ask for an xlsx format. Once opened under Excel I still have that error on some cells, all those related to food.
Do I do it wrong on the recovering method? Or is it that I downloaded it at the exact time you were modifying something on food?

Edit: I downloaded it again by rightclicking on it and asked "Download" and it works correctly now. I guess opening the doc and asking to get it in xslx wasn't the good way to get it.

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Originally Posted by Ihm

Not sure really how I could pull that off in excel. Would need to have a sheet for each then pull them together on a display sheet. Wouldn't really work particularly well, you'd be better off making two copies of the sheet honestly, unless someone knows a way I'm missing?

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I haven't looked at the spreadsheet in question, but one possible option would be to use the restrictions as an override. E.g. you have a general selection pool, but that selection pool is overridden by preset filters. If the filter = pre-T5, then zero-out Boots of Maiming from the selection pool.


On a separate topic: general reminder to avoid too much discussion about the detailed functionality of individual parsers. Don't want the thread to get deleted and stuff.

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Originally Posted by Ihm

Not sure really how I could pull that off in excel. Would need to have a sheet for each then pull them together on a display sheet. Wouldn't really work particularly well, you'd be better off making two copies of the sheet honestly, unless someone knows a way I'm missing?

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there's a way to do drop-down menus in excel, but I'm not that good.
I did add an option to my spreadsheets to choose to exclude turn 5 drops though, if you wanna check em out

Oh, to make a general drop-down in Excel, go to Data -> Data Validation. Allow: List. Check the "in-cell dropdown" option. In the source field type your options separated by commas: A,B,C,D or use the reference to select the options from elsewhere in the spreadsheet.

Hey there guys, sorry for the newbie questions (and the multiple posts for this) but I'm trying to get this cleared up:

With patch 2.1 has the rotation really changed that much? I'm hearing conflicting opinions on whether to keep stuff like Fracture in the rotation. So far I'm feeling the Phlebotomize and Jump buffs but I'm not exactly feeling like Fracture is adding that much to my dps.

Just to make sure I'm not being a complete tool, the rotation as I know it is basically HT-Ph-Fr-ID-Dis-CT-TT-VT-FT-HT-Ph-Fr-TT-VT-FT-ID-Dis-CT-TT-VT-FT and so on and so forth, sprinkle off-GCD moves in appropriate places.

Secondly, I'm unclear on if I'm actually using the time that buffs/bleeds/debuffs are up properly. Let's use Chaos Thrust and Heavy Thrust as examples. The basic rule of DoTs is that you keep them up as long as possible, and refresh them just as they end right? So when exactly is that proper 'end' point where I should refresh it?

I've been told to refresh Heavy Thrust during it's last second of uptime (basically, hit the key when the counter is at 1) so that Heavy Thrust will enhance it's own damage by 20% and then refresh itself so I can be on my way. However I've also been told it's okay to wait until either the buff icon shows no counter, or even if I start doing the Heavy Thrust animation just as I visibly see Heavy Thrust expire on me.

With a DoT like Chaos Thrust or a debuff like Disembowel I've also heard conflicting knowledge. Some have told me to immediately refresh Chaos Thrust just as the counter hits one so it does it's last tick of damage and then I refresh it. Others have told me that the last tick applies when the counter shows no number or it does the last tick exactly as it expires.

Also any tips to where an enemy's flank ends and their rear begins in general? Is there also a 'prime' position most Dragoon's prefer, or is it left up to preference?

Finally, any good behaviors to observe when switching targets due to add phases like EX Garuda's Suparna and Chirada? Just things like, say I've just put all of buffs on and got my DoTs and debuffs on Garuda, then she brings out her sisters. I was in the middle of my Thrust combo and have VT or FT comboed and ready to go. Would it be best to just finish my combo on Garuda? Do I just switch to Chirada ASAP and continue the combo on her? Should I just drop it and start from the beginning of my rotation?

I love the guide and it's super clear on the rotation itself, the dps numbers, and things like leveling and gearing. I'm just curious about these things because the only things I really think are missing are just the general behaviors and thought processes. It's great to see the rotation and numbers but just seeing what separates your average Duty Finder dps from someone who really knows the class would be nice.

Just... so sorry for that. The 1000 character limit kills me.

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With patch 2.1 has the rotation really changed that much?

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No. The best rotation is still H IDC P TTT H TTT // P IDC H TTT P TTT.

The second-best (and much simpler) rotation has changed a bit -- I posted somewhere up there ... page 87-ish maybe*?

Either way, Fracture is bad. Don't use it.

* If anyone has other ideas for good rotations, just post it and I can run it through my model.

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With patch 2.1 has the rotation really changed that much?

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No. The best rotation is still H IDC P TTT H TTT // P IDC H TTT P TTT.

The second-best rotation has changed a bit -- I posted somewhere up there ... page 87-ish maybe*?

Either way, Fracture is bad. Don't use it.

* If anyone has other ideas for good rotations, just post it and I can run it through my model.

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Secondly, I'm unclear on if I'm actually using the time that buffs/bleeds/debuffs are up properly.

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Make sure they're always up. Buffs calculate at the beginning of the animation -- e.g. when you press the button. Using any attack when the HT buff has "no" time (less then 1.0s) left will still pick up the +15% damage as long as the buff was present when the attack began.

You've been misinformed about DoTs. DoTs tick every 3s on the server timer. It doesn't actually matter what exact moment you have your DoTs applied -- the server will check every 3s irrespective of the timing of your debuff.

For DoT timing, just make sure they're up. There is no more DoT clipping conflict, so as long as you're not clipping the whole thing, you're good. There is no reason to pay close attention to the "last second" of DoT or anything of the sort.

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Also any tips to where an enemy's flank ends and their rear begins in general? Is there also a 'prime' position most Dragoon's prefer, or is it left up to preference?

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The rear arc is generally defined as the "gap" in the target reticle. Look on the ground: the circle on the ground of your target is the reticle. It will actually be a "pacman" shape with the rear arc being blank. That's the rear. The flanks are kind of the same on the sides but I don't know of any easy way to tell. They seem to be pretty wide.

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Finally, any good behaviors to observe when switching targets due to add phases like EX Garuda's Suparna and Chirada?

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You should almost always switch immediately and continue/finish whatever combo you're in the middle of, unless the add switch requires very specific high burst (Twintania Conflags, or Dreadknights). Generally speaking, it is also helpful if you can anticipate the switch and preload the Impulse Drive on the main target, then you can start with a Disembowel on the add. Just be wary of threat.

If the add switching is very "loose", then you can even finish your TTT combo on the primary target, then start up the ID then switch. This approach will optimize your personal DPS across the fight, but it will reduce your DPS (and the group's DPS) on the add.

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Just... so sorry for that. The 1000 character limit kills me.

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You can edit your original post and the edit will have no character limit.

Is there a reason why IDC comes before P in the rotation now? If you do P first then IDC your next application of P will align itself with the time remaining from the first idc and they'll expire at the same time.

That's the thing, you don't want them to expire at the same time. You want 0 downtime on any of your dots. So once your Plebotomize is down, chances are you're going to reapply HT and go back to applying it. That's a potential loss of 1-2 ticks where Chaos Thrust could've dealt some damage. H IDC P TTT always makes sure there's at least 1 dot ticking as the other one is about to expire.

Can't remember the exact page, but someone calculated H IDC P TTT is around 2 dps more than H P IDC TTT