Shots Fired: A Machinist Guide

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Originally Posted by Alchemii

Snip

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That seems somewhat better, but whenever I've gotten Wildfire off duriong the first red shell, I've always somehow bursted for lower (due to holding my CDs in the beginning) DPS then if I use my WF at the beginning.

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Originally Posted by Jeckyl_Tesla

That seems somewhat better, but whenever I've gotten Wildfire off duriong the first red shell, I've always somehow bursted for lower (due to holding my CDs in the beginning) DPS then if I use my WF at the beginning.

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That may just be a timing issue then, when he starts getting closer to the 88% health, just let all your oGCD come up and save them for that wildfire burst your about to start.

Has anyone found a necessarily more efficient opener than the one posted in the OP? I get the feeling I'm missing it and I've seen a few others floating around, but haven't seen a consensus for the "best" opener.

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Originally Posted by Nibiria

Has anyone found a necessarily more efficient opener than the one posted in the OP? I get the feeling I'm missing it and I've seen a few others floating around, but haven't seen a consensus for the "best" opener.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNmFlIbdu2I

The opener that Hax uses is pretty close to the one that all the Good MCH's are using. There is a little debate about how you pre-pop your buffs and where you place Quick Reload but those details are really minor.

Such as Where do you put HC in your buff pre-pop and Do you use Quick Reload before or after Blank.

This is going to sound like a stupid question but after your opener... what do you do? Do you save your cooldowns for the next wildfire? Do you pop them as they come up?
I know people talk about CD management but after the opener I just feel lost lol.

You'll be popping Hawk's Eye, Blood for blood, Rapid Fire and Wildfire when they come up. At the 1:30 mark, reload will be on cooldown, so it'll be a mini-wildfire. Save Hypercharge for the 3 min mark when all buffs will be up again with Reload.

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Originally Posted by Cascadi

Some skills are also only usable while the Gauss Barrel is equipped, however, Gauss Barrel is pretty much useless outside of AoE pulls.

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Is this still currently true? Has this guide been updated since the buff to GB? Or did they only buff WM to 30%?

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Originally Posted by Krissey

Is this still currently true? Has this guide been updated since the buff to GB? Or did they only buff WM to 30%?

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No, GB is 30%, too. I'm thinking the guide is outdated. You want to get off Gauss around every time it's up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbOVITN8X-0

3:36 parse @ 1140 with stance dancing

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Originally Posted by Lavieh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNmFlIbdu2I

The opener that Hax uses is pretty close to the one that all the Good MCH's are using. There is a little debate about how you pre-pop your buffs and where you place Quick Reload but those details are really minor.

Such as Where do you put HC in your buff pre-pop and Do you use Quick Reload before or after Blank.

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Can someone enlighten me on the derivation for auto-attack potency listed in that Youtube video?

"Auto Attack Potency vs Gauss Barrel
To make auto attack potency fair we’ll use the GCD timer instead of weapon delay to determine it’s potency

(GCD/3)*100= Auto attack potency vs Gauss Barrel
example: GCD=2.41
(2.41/3)*100=80.3 potency"

What does this mean? What is the significance of the GCD timer being used instead of weapon delay? Why is the GCD value divided by 3? Etc.

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Originally Posted by VitalSuit

This is going to sound like a stupid question but after your opener... what do you do? Do you save your cooldowns for the next wildfire? Do you pop them as they come up?
I know people talk about CD management but after the opener I just feel lost lol.

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Same. I'd like to get a definitive answer with numbers to prove it, feels like all anyone wants to talk about it making huge opening parses on 2 minute combat dummies and Faust :p

If you pop your CDs on-cooldown, within reason (ie. you might not want to waste cooldowns when you're failing to proc anything on split shot, but wait until you get a proc or two along), then you certainly arn't going to hurt your DPS. Nonetheless I'd like to see some proofs to whether that is the best approach possible.

you're not really "saving" cooldowns for Wildfire. The only time you really sit on a cooldown is on blood for blood for 10 seconds, but because 3 of our CD's have a 90s cooldown tey just line up naturally. You just hold Blood for BLood for the same reason you used to do it on bard.

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Originally Posted by RyuujinZERO

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Quick Reload and Reload should be used on cool down just like any other GCD damage; you're losing both dps and TP whenever they're not used up. Only exception to this is if you need to reapply hot shot and leadshot before-the-fact.

All of your cooldowns can align with wildfire's 90 seconds, with the exception of raging strikes and hypercharge (which will line up on every other wildfire). They should be used on cooldown (except for raging, it's just not effective enough to use by itself without any other buffs like wildfire or barrage). The only exception to this that I can think of would be Faust since the fight will not last long enough for a third wildfire anyway, you'd get more milage delaying your second wildfire with hypercharge.

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Originally Posted by RiceisNice

with the exception of raging strikes and hypercharge (which will line up on every other wildfire).

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(I'm thinking this is just an oversight/incomplete thing).

Raging is 180s, Hypercharge is 120s. You'd want to hold on to Hypercharge for a minute until Raging/2nd Wildfire is up. If I've understood things right. This should also be the same time everyone else has their buffs up ready and can get more use out of the Hypercharge debuff themselves.

So do you guys hold on to ammunition till wildfire is ready, or use them when the cool down is ready?

you should only hold hypercharge for wildfire phases if you know 100% well that you will not lose a hypercharge in the fight if you delay it. one such situation is a1s - opener hypercharge, then save it for post jump phases, since the timer lines up neatly.

realize that it's only 5% extra vuln damage that is stacking with wildfire and your other buffs; the turret dmg doesn't affect it. so really, unless you know the script 100%, it's best to just use it on cd to benefit your group more.

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Originally Posted by Themis

(I'm thinking this is just an oversight/incomplete thing).

Raging is 180s, Hypercharge is 120s. You'd want to hold on to Hypercharge for a minute until Raging/2nd Wildfire is up. If I've understood things right. This should also be the same time everyone else has their buffs up ready and can get more use out of the Hypercharge debuff themselves.

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Raging strikes will line up with every odd numbered wildfire, assuming you use it off on cooldown everytime. Hypercharge doesn't really benefit from cooldown stacking because is doubling your turret's potency (which is not influenced by buffs). The 5% is a really small effect for overall wildfire contribution, considering it's physical vulnerability is also affecting the entire party and not just yourself. Don't forget that hypercharge also boosts the effectiveness of regen, so if you're in a progression run you have to consider that as well when holding or using hypercharge off cooldown.

which sub-stats are valued more as of 3.05?

http://i.imgur.com/RBCSDGJ.png

fairly accurate

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Originally Posted by Myon88

Can someone enlighten me on the derivation for auto-attack potency listed in that Youtube video?

"Auto Attack Potency vs Gauss Barrel
To make auto attack potency fair we’ll use the GCD timer instead of weapon delay to determine it’s potency

(GCD/3)*100= Auto attack potency vs Gauss Barrel
example: GCD=2.41
(2.41/3)*100=80.3 potency"

What does this mean? What is the significance of the GCD timer being used instead of weapon delay? Why is the GCD value divided by 3? Etc.

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Because if you're comparing AA and a straight increase in WS, it's unfair to compare two different timings. Using GCD you can directly compare AA potency to WS potency.

Are the stat weights in this post still relevant for this patch?

I think AA Potency should always be equalized to MCN current GCD. Since you are comparing it to Gauss Barrel and AA doesn't always line up with the GCD.

So say your GCD is 2.3s you would treat your AA as 76.7 Potency even though it may be 89 Potency @ 2.68 intervals.

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Originally Posted by Aiurily

fairly accurate

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So I may sound dumb here, but I don't quite understand the merits of stance dancing outside of high movement fights. Could you give me a quick rundown on the dps benefits? Is it just because the autoattack is a bigger benefit when those ogcds are down? Should we no longer run feint and instead run quelling strikes? Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Nibiria

So I may sound dumb here, but I don't quite understand the merits of stance dancing outside of high movement fights. Could you give me a quick rundown on the dps benefits? Is it just because the autoattack is a bigger benefit when those ogcds are down? Should we no longer run feint and instead run quelling strikes? Thanks.

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First off, you should never have run feint. Ever. like. ever. it's not even good.
And basically you either drop out for literally an autoattack inbetween GCDs, or essentially when there's nothing else to do you drop it for a few seconds until an oGCD is about to come up.

the idea is split shot + autoattack is more damage than splitshot+30%, so getting autos there would be worth it

Feint is dope for pvp though.

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Originally Posted by Odowla

First off, you should never have run feint. Ever. like. ever. it's not even good.
And basically you either drop out for literally an autoattack inbetween GCDs, or essentially when there's nothing else to do you drop it for a few seconds until an oGCD is about to come up.

the idea is split shot + autoattack is more damage than splitshot+30%, so getting autos there would be worth it

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Let's give Feint a fair assessment. I mean I think you should have set and on your bar but you should rarely ever use it, if at all. It is for those times when you can't drop out of GB and you need to dodge.

Once you learn an encounter though the use of Feint becomes almost non-existent... Just like Quelling Strikes.

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Originally Posted by Lavieh

Once you learn an encounter though the use of Feint becomes almost non-existent... Just like Quelling Strikes.

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Learning an encounter can reduce the need for Feint (I personally don't set it), but not always do you get a tank that is either great at holding enmity or they are lower gear level, and Quelling can be quite useful for that opener.

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Originally Posted by Lavieh

Let's give Feint a fair assessment. I mean I think you should have set and on your bar but you should rarely ever use it, if at all. It is for those times when you can't drop out of GB and you need to dodge.

Once you learn an encounter though the use of Feint becomes almost non-existent... Just like Quelling Strikes.

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I need to use quelling on A3S, and my tanks are by no means bad. Machinist burst is so insane lol.

Thread got linked in an article from MMORPG, though it's kinda asking for a buff :D lol

So Blood for blood, Hawkseye and Raging Strikes line up pretty good with wildfire+ rapid fire for burst. What i'm not shure about jet is how to use Reload after my initial burst.
I'm referring to a static encounter like Faust. After the initial burst should i either:
A) save reload für my second wildfire
B) use Rapid fire on cooldown and delay my second wildfire untill reload is back up again

Use reload on cooldown. You'll lose dps if you don't because you'll be spending quite a lot of time waiting on procs. Using Blood for Blood, Hawk's Eye, Rapid Fire, Wildfire and Quick Reload for the second buff phase. For the third phase, you'll have Raging Strikes and Reload up again for a proper buff phase. Personally, I'd also save Hypercharge for this one.

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Originally Posted by Odowla

I need to use quelling on A3S, and my tanks are by no means bad. Machinist burst is so insane lol.

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Your tanks need to work on their opening rotation*. Even with the insane burst your tanks should be able to hold hate. I have hit around 9k Wildfires and I have never gotten close to pulling hate.

I'm assuming you have a ninja; that really does make it easier. Also, the only way to hit 9k's reliably atm

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Originally Posted by Odowla

I'm assuming you have a ninja; that really does make it easier. Also, the only way to hit 9k's reliably atm

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Well my highest is 8.7, I just rounded up. I also don't have a ninja so my average is around 7.4-8k. I have never had problems with hate and I use something very similar to Hax's opener so it is very bursty at start. I also used a countdown when we pull so my first GCD lands at the same time our tank pulls. I have literally never felt the need to use Quelling Strikes in my raid group.

Is your main tank a WAR by any chance?

I haven't needed to quell, but we're starting to pull with Sword Oath, so i believe i'll need to - i usually g et to yellow ish right now

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Originally Posted by Odowla

I haven't needed to quell, but we're starting to pull with Sword Oath, so i believe i'll need to - i usually g et to yellow ish right now

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Fair enough, I'm fairly confident I would pull hate if our PLD pulled with SO. If I wouldn't pull hate, I would prevent a RA or two. In that instance I would set Quelling over Feint.

we just have the warrior pull with unchained so it's a non issue

for the mchs that bought weps, how much are you parsing on a dummy now? pretty curious. drop luck makes my accuracy too low to bother buying the wep, so i'll probably just skip it altogether

I haven't tried on a dummy yet, but I was doing about 850-900 dps in A3 today, which was 50+ higher than the second highest dps (a Drg). My initial burst hit 1600, including some movement dodging aoe during Wildfire and a a couple seconds wasted buffing up because there was no time to use them before fight started. No pots or food (but Disembowel). Didn't have time to really check on a dummy, though.

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Originally Posted by Aiurily

we just have the warrior pull with unchained so it's a non issue

for the mchs that bought weps, how much are you parsing on a dummy now? pretty curious. drop luck makes my accuracy too low to bother buying the wep, so i'll probably just skip it altogether

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Next week we can get two Accessories to help alleviate some accuracy problems. I was probably going to get the Gordian Neck and Fabled Bracelets.

I think that will put you at : http://ffxiv.ariyala.com/R6VY

Assuming you didn't get any shafts and you have crap for luck in Savage.

This week I will probably just get the weapon and keep using a gimp build until the following week.

Hrm... Did some tests on dummy. After about 5 min, my dps average (with Risotto) is ~1k. Which is weird because it seems like at ilvl 190, with Eso weapon and all Alex gear (except Chest), I'm doing less than some other parses here with lower level gear. I never got the Hive weapon, so I'm not exactly sure how it would compared. Trading 56 Det for 64 Crit and gaining 9 Skill Speed. It's definitely an upgrade from my Asuran weapon, though.

Then again, the really high parses are usually outliers and the fact that I can repeat 1k damage in multiple parses isn't too bad. My highest Wildfire was around 7.3k, but only averaged about 6.5k on most parses. It's possible if I had been luckier with Crits, I could have hit even higher numbers.