Dragoons: A Rotation Reborn

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HaiHai

Got mah Spear ^.^

Now if only the boots...

It's weird to me as well that people always say DRG gear drops in coil. My group never really seemed to see much other than the terrible belt and chest from turn 1. All of the good pieces, like the pants, gloves, ect, have only ever dropped once, and some accessories have never dropped at all in the months we have been doing coil. I guess rng gonna rng. We only ever seem to see caster dps and bard loot. Heck the first few times we killed Twin we only saw bows drop. Talk about irritating.

---

I think boots should drop before T5, because optimally... wouldn't you want the acc from Myth boots once you get the Allagan Spear? Seems like less contradictory loot should drop there. Oh well life is hard~

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JetBrooks

I think boots should drop before T5, because optimally... wouldn't you want the acc from Myth boots once you get the Allagan Spear? Seems like less contradictory loot should drop there. Oh well life is hard~

---

I mean I guess it depends on what pieces you have to play around with accuracy wise. If you have the proper pieces from other turns than accuracy shouldn't be an issue, and the Allagan boots are BiS for practically every set across all accuracy levels if I'm not mistaken. For example when I got the spear my set dropped to 470 acc, and with the boots it would drop slightly lower, but I have extra pieces like the Allagan gloves + Wyrm gloves to help around with accuracy changes.

For those with high ilv gears (85-90) and not caring about acc, how's your dps on extreme primals? There seems to be a lot of downtime and most of the other class of equivalent ilv gears outdps me (based in order of emnity). Is this supposed to be the case?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kaethe

For those with high ilv gears (85-90) and not caring about acc, what's your dps parse on extreme primals? There seems to be a lot of downtime and I usually only do around 200-220dps . Would like to know if others are facing the same issues

---

parsing fights? I have no idea what you are talking about, we don't do that here

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kaethe

For those with high ilv gears (85-90) and not caring about acc, what's your dps parse on extreme primals? There seems to be a lot of downtime and I usually only do around 200-220dps . Would like to know if others are facing the same issues

---

If you survive, good enough XD I have a hard enough time finding people who can do just that.

allow me to rephase :

For those with high ilv gears (85-90) and not caring about acc, how's your dps on extreme primals? There seems to be a lot of downtime and most of the other class of equivalent ilv gears seems to be dishing more dps output (based in order of emnity). Is this supposed to be the case?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kaethe

allow me to rephase :

For those with high ilv gears (85-90) and not caring about acc, how's your dps on extreme primals? There seems to be a lot of downtime and most of the other class of equivalent ilv gears seems to be dishing more dps output (based in order of emnity). Is this supposed to be the case?

---

I mean, you're a non-BRD/SMN on a Titan fight. That's just the way it is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrandoH

I mean, you're a non-BRD/SMN on a Titan fight. That's just the way it is.

---

can i assume it's the same for the other 2 primals and its an inherent problem for melees and not just DRG in particular?

not being competitive on dps, but just wondering if ive not been maximising DRG's potential


and what rotation do you guys use to break Ifrit's nails?

"I don't parse", but "my friend's brother's cousin" was in my group and told me outside of the game that my DPS on Titan EX is between 280-310. He also said that my DPS on Garuda EX was 250-280, and Ifrit at 300.

There is no meaningful disadvantage for melee on the extreme fights. The only arguable case is with Garuda re: WWs, and to be honest I don't even pay much attention to the mechanic. When I hop to the second add, I pop Keen Flurry and go to town. A 3.2k Wicked Wheel when I have 5k HP is not very relevant.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BrandoH

I mean, you're a non-BRD/SMN on a Titan fight. That's just the way it is.

---

Not sure what you're saying. Dragoons destroy Bards and Summoners on Titan. Well, DRGs beat virtually every class almost all the time on Titan. The only times a DRG may not "win" a Titan parse when they're competing with a Monk or BLM who are really good and can optimize the fight timing exceptionally well.

Bards and SMN can compete on Ifrit solely due to massive tab-dotting of nails. They do a decent job on Garuda because of tab-dotting adds as well as full uptime. In all 3 cases, a DRG should still match their DPS at worst. And in the case of Ifrit, the DRG should be tab-dotting as well (as long as the group's total DOT spam does not cause nail timing problems).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kaethe

and what rotation do you guys use to break Ifrit's nails?

---

1. Keep HT up.

2. If you are next to a double nail after HT (third nail phase), then chain ROT on both.

3. Use oGCDs.

4. Make sure to reserve DFD for a double nail (third phase).

5. Make sure to reserve SSD to move to the next nail.

6. Tab-Phlebotomize nails (second and third phases) clockwise*. When you run into the howling healer, turn around counter clockwise and get back with the DPS stack, using TTT on each nail. You should have 0 downtime because it takes less than 2.4x seconds to run from one nail to the next.

7. If using direct damage on double nails (third phase), use Doomspike.

8. Keep HT up.

Note: Both the PH spam and Doomspike will being to drain your TP hard. Don't blow it all and make sure you use Invigorate.

* When using this approach, you still want to nuke down the first nail to move the DPS stack and leave room for the healers. Start tabbing with PH on basically the third nail (nuke first nail, finish combo on second nail, but don't stick around, move to third nail and PH, then to fourth and continue). Be sure to continue to use oGCDs while moving and spamming PH.

If you're finding your damage is low on Titan then you need to learn his pattern a bit better because I figure you're not fully utilitising your abilities. Knowing when you can and can't use Blood for Blood or jumps for example, it makes a big difference in that fight. I tend to not use jumps when Slides/Weight are next in the rotation, and wont use blood for blood if tummult is coming, it's just a case of knowing exactly when to and not to do stuff. Generally though, you should never stop attacking except for the short period when you back away from a landslide, but you could use a range hit then if you want to, I tend not to though because I would rather not drop my combo.

Just a report,

I had a miss Heavy Thrust in T5 Scourge with 473 ACC. Can't provide any proofs, but yeah.

For Titan, I always will use BFB after a Stomp, except at the very beginning or during the Heart Phase (use it right away in the beginning, Heart I try use it when it comes up, but may hold it for after the Gaols if timing is off), just to ensure its not up at that time. I'll also hold it for the Superbomb.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ihm

If you're finding your damage is low on Titan then you need to learn his pattern a bit better because I figure you're not fully utilitising your abilities.

---

I agree! Drg should be dpsing near or at the top on this fight. Most the landslides you can dodge and continue to attack at the same time, same thing goes for plumes. The times I can't be doing my combos on titan, I always throw my spear. This usually only happens during the final phase line bombs, or the 2 sets of line bombs and the one open row~ Specifically when it's in the back. Even then tho I continue to dps and finish my combo then elusive jump back and throw my spear.

^ Don't stick around the gaolers too long though. If you get gooped and that landslide comes your way from them not being killed fast enough. GG


Side note:
I got my boots/spear this week! Both in one go :D
Now my drg has all maiming pieces (cept belt). Would sink myth for wyrm body but idk seems kind of pointless, when I could start working on healer since my warrior/blm are pretty much done too >.>;
http://imgur.com/FPJis8l
http://i.imgur.com/qvAjblZ.jpg
http://imgur.com/FPJis8l

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FantasyForever

I agree! Drg should be parsing near or at the top on this fight. Most the landslides you can dodge and continue to attack at the same time, same thing goes for plumes. The times I can't be doing my combos on titan, I always throw my spear. This usually only happens during the final phase line bombs, or the 2 sets of line bombs and the one open row~ Specifically when it's in the back. Even then tho I continue to dps and finish my combo then elusive jump back and throw my spear.

---

Can u explain parsing?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VaShawn

Can u explain parsing?

---

http://cdn.instanttrap.com/trap.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EasymodeX

"I don't parse", but "my friend's brother's cousin" was in my group and told me outside of the game that my DPS....

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ayvar

parsing fights? I have no idea what you are talking about, we don't do that here

---

http://i.imgur.com/UjXJn5u.gif

Anyway. You guys seen the Leviathan Fight? you're basically facing him 24/7, like Demon Wall. Rip Chaos Thrust.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EasymodeX

1. Keep HT up.
2. If you are next to a double nail after HT (third nail phase), then chain ROT on both.
3. Use oGCDs.
4. Make sure to reserve DFD for a double nail (third phase).
5. Make sure to reserve SSD to move to the next nail.
6. Tab-Phlebotomize nails (second and third phases) clockwise*. When you run into the howling healer, turn around counter clockwise and get back with the DPS stack, using TTT on each nail. You should have 0 downtime because it takes less than 2.4x seconds to run from one nail to the next.

7. If using direct damage on double nails (third phase), use Doomspike.

8. Keep HT up.

Note: Both the PH spam and Doomspike will being to drain your TP hard. Don't blow it all and make sure you use Invigorate.

* When using this approach, you still want to nuke down the first nail to move the DPS stack and leave room for the healers. Start tabbing with PH on basically the third nail (nuke first nail, finish combo on second nail, but don't stick around, move to third nail and PH, then to fourth and continue). Be sure to continue to use oGCDs while moving and spamming PH.

---

While this might seem good to maximize damage, I really don't see how this is a proper or even effective way to do the nails. I find that a simple impulse drive / disembowel combo / ocd abilities is generally the way to go. It helps control the healing / stacks for the fight.

I use IR / BFB at the start, then use them on cooldown until it comes close to the next nail phase. For the nail phases I use the BFB and Bloodbath to help maintain hp.

This strategy with decent dps generally allows us to kill all the nails (even the big one) without using limit break, and is much easier for the healers to manage because they're dying at the same pace.

I really can't imagine letting a dot tick out on any nail other than one near the tank (if you're chained and can't leave ifrit)


For reference: Ifrit as DRG i90 @ 436 accuracy // 227dps (22%) at the end of the fight

Quote:

---

For those with high ilv gears (85-90) and not caring about acc, how's your dps on extreme primals? There seems to be a lot of downtime and most of the other class of equivalent ilv gears outdps me (based in order of emnity). Is this supposed to be the case?

---

I got a pretty crazy accuracy amount (500 ish T_T) because I really can't play in CT (far too boring :p) and no luck in turn 4 / 5 so far, but I still can answer your question : between 270 and 310 dps on titan X (310 was the highest I did, but hey 2 warriors tanking so their debuff was up a lot), consistantly. No lb yadda yadda.

On Ifrit usually, by the time I do ID - Dis - legsweep or Ph the nail im attackin is already destroyed. No need to use TTT whatsoever

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sygmaelle

I got a pretty crazy accuracy amount (500 ish T_T) because I really can't play in CT (far too boring :p) and no luck in turn 4 / 5 so far, but I still can answer your question : between 270 and 310 dps on titan X (310 was the highest I did, but hey 2 warriors tanking so their debuff was up a lot), consistantly. No lb yadda yadda.

On Ifrit usually, by the time I do ID - Dis - legsweep or Ph the nail im attackin is already destroyed. No need to use TTT whatsoever

---

What Warrior debuff are you referring to? Storm's Eye doesn't affect us if that's what you're referring to.

Guys, can I use 2 hot bars at once? Using a gamepad and I'm out of slots! Can I keep a second bar on screen for buffs only? And use gamepad while clicking on on second bar (buffs) with mouse?

Oh meh thought it was the case for storm's eye

Woot. Got those Allagan Gauntlets of Maiming last night :D First clear on T1-2 (yea I know, way behind)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VaShawn

Guys, can I use 2 hot bars at once? Using a gamepad and I'm out of slots! Can I keep a second bar on screen for buffs only? And use gamepad while clicking on on second bar (buffs) with mouse?

---

The best bet is using the expanded hotbar option so that holding L2 + R2 give you an additional 8 actions. That's where I put the less used abilities like Second Wind, Invigorate, Elusive jump (all on D-pad buttons) and also the AoE moves (Heavy Thrust on same button as normal bar, then Ring of thorns, Doomspike and Dragonfire Dive on the face buttons). Should have enough space on the main bar for everything else :D (side note, I use the same layout for both sides so it doesn't matter which trigger I pull first but its personal preference)

If not, you could look at maco'ing in some abilities like Internal Release and Bloodbath into Vorpal Thrust and Full Thrust which would use them on cooldown. I would avoid macro'ing into True Thrust as I've noticed a tendency of it not registering the attack towards the combo (specifically on Heavy Swing w/ Warrior)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eclips

While this might seem good to maximize damage, I really don't see how this is a proper or even effective way to do the nails. I find that a simple impulse drive / disembowel combo / ocd abilities is generally the way to go.

---

The IDC chain is bad for nails. Nails should not be surviving long enough for the CT DoT to have any meaningful impact if you use it on the nail being attacked. In addition, the pierce debuff is basically in the same situation unless your entire group is DRG+BRD. By the time you get the second GCD off, the nail should be down to 40-60% hp.

Quote:

---

This strategy with decent dps generally allows us to kill all the nails (even the big one) without using limit break, and is much easier for the healers to manage because they're dying at the same pace.

---

We use this approach to sell Ifrit with 3 DPS. The nails should die at a consistent pace regardless, but that is a skillcheck for your group.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EasymodeX

The IDC chain is bad for nails. Nails should not be surviving long enough for the CT DoT to have any meaningful impact if you use it on the nail being attacked. In addition, the pierce debuff is basically in the same situation unless your entire group is DRG+BRD. By the time you get the second GCD off, the nail should be down to 40-60% hp.

---

You don't really need to use CT. The point of the combo is to put 400 potency on the nail +10% more for the bard before you move on. As long as the dps in the group is focusing the same nail, you really only get time for 2 globals, from my experience.

Quote:

---

We use this approach to sell Ifrit with 3 DPS. The nails should die at a consistent pace regardless, but that is a skillcheck for your group.

---

While that strategy may work for your ifrit extreme selling group, I don't think the majority of players here are selling ifrit extreme while DPSing. I think most of them are spending their time trying to clear and gear. Asking a player in a duty finder group / whatever to spam dot ifrits nails just seems like a bad idea to me. In my opinion, it seems safer and easier to just focus one nail at a time until it is dead. If you have time for 2 gcds, impulse drive + disembowel. If you have time for 3, tt,vt,ft.

I think that really it just depends on your group makeup. If you're in a voip'd ifrit selling group with gear, it probably doesn't really matter how you want to optimize your strategy as you could probably maximize your dps by just sitting ifrit during the nail phase and letting your group take care of most of the nails if you really wanted to. I think answering Kaethe's question in a way that helps MOST players is more productive in this situation.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eclips

You don't really need to use CT. The point of the combo is to put 400 potency on the nail +10% more for the bard before you move on. As long as the dps in the group is focusing the same nail, you really only get time for 2 globals, from my experience.
[...]If you have time for 3, tt,vt,ft.

---

180 220 180 220 180 220 = 200/s + 10% on remaining pierce-incoming health (50% base hp affected, half group applicable via pierce damage = 2.5% total nail EHP removed = 1/(1-.025) = 1% increased total DPS) = 200 + 1%*(200*4 * 1.3) = 210.4 pps

150 200 330 150 200 330 = 227 pps

Then again the staggered damage of the TTT can often be inefficient.


Not bad I guess. I would suggest that you preload the ID on the current debuffed nail then initiate with DE on the next where possible. Skipping to the next nail to drop a CT would be efficient. Actually you could get complicated:

ID on nail 1
DE nail 2 (apply debuff to full hp)
CT nail 3
ID nail 2
DE nail 3
CT 4
ID 3
DE 4
CT 5

That would be pretty interesting. Could throw the PH with the CT. Lot of hectic movement though.


PH spam seems a lot more stable with:

320 320 320 320 320 320 = 320 pps.


You can basically do 50% more damage during nail phase by being effective, or not. Note that Bards should be tab-dotting as well, which means less pierce debuff synergy than in a vanilla approach.

Moreover, you're basically pressing tab and pressing 1 button. It's pretty simple and leaves a lot of time for the player to consider mechanics.

Quote:

---

Asking a player in a duty finder group / whatever to spam dot ifrits nails just seems like a bad idea to me.

---

Dunno, I just try to optimize DPS on a DPS class.

Quote:

---

you could probably maximize your dps by just sitting ifrit during the nail phase and letting your group take care of most of the nails if you really wanted to.

---

That's very very stupid.

I see what you're saying EMX but I can't help but keep in mind that this game was made for a ps3. All of the math / strategies you put out here are good in theory, but I can't see a practical use for this unless you're in a dot heavy group composition. I'll give your strategy a try in the next ifrit extreme I do, but I feel like I'm going to lose a lot of damage / autoattack uptime on nails when I have to move to dot the 3rd nail and go in reverse once I reach the searing wind nails. Does every ph you use tick all the way out? I just can't see the 3rd and 4th nails lasting 18s when the rest of the dps are just assisting them down.

I feel like you're getting confused about why I use ID/DE. The piercing debuff is a moot point as it is still a consistent 400 potency in 2 gcds as you make your way around. In most all of the groups that I've downed ifrit extreme with, (as drg, blm, whm, and pld), the nails only last 2 globals per as long as people are assisting. Sometimes they die even quicker when a BLM is on his game. This gives me about 5 seconds on the first nail, 5 seconds on the next nail, and bam, the group is on the 3rd nail by the 10 second mark. That one dies in 2 gcds, the next in 2 gcds, etc.

Maybe if the group DPS is very low I could see that you would be maximizing dps this way, but when you have 3 other competent DPS in your group, the tab-dotting strategy becomes very ineffective.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eclips

I feel like I'm going to lose a lot of damage / autoattack uptime on nails when I have to move to dot the 3rd nail and go in reverse once I reach the searing wind nails.

---

Takes some getting used to but you should be able to maintain nearly 100% contact. It takes like 2.3s to run between nails. The only tricky part is continuing to use oGCDs like Leg Sweep and Jump while doing that. That can take more timing and is more suitable for the third nail phase.

Quote:

---

Does every ph you use tick all the way out? I just can't see the 3rd and 4th nails lasting 18s when the rest of the dps are just assisting them down.

---

Yes pretty much. I skip the first nail and start DoTing the second one and continue around. The first one probably only ticks for half or 2/3s of the DoT, but that's still 270p, much more than the ~210-227 average.

Quote:

---

I feel like you're getting confused about why I use ID/DE.[...] That one dies in 2 gcds, the next in 2 gcds, etc.

---

In this case you should use the standard TTT combo. If the nail you just used True/Vorpal on is about to die (e.g. wasted Full Thrust damage), then move to the next nail pre-emptively and use FT directly on it. The TTT combo is more efficient than using ID+DE spam across the board unless you "waste" a lot of the FT damage potential.

Quote:

---

Maybe if the group DPS is very low I could see that you would be maximizing dps this way, but when you have 3 other competent DPS in your group, the tab-dotting strategy becomes very ineffective.

---

Have all the DPS tab DOT ^_^.

Actually we had a Bard and SMN both tab-DoT in my first clear.

It's simply efficient. Edit: Back then I was just TTT spamming. FWIW one DPS should maintain direct damage only to make the nails go down at a consistently staggered pace.

I did the phlebotomize tab dotting on my first Ifrit EX clear. Another nice advantage is that you're spending less time at each nail, giving you more flexibility to dodge murderous healers running around with Searing Wind, which in my opinion, is the hardest part of the fight as melee =p

I can see that having a bard, summoner, and dragoon all dotting out the nails could be a viable way to complete the nail phase. I imagine whatever your last dps slot is, it is the one that sacrifices their dps rotation to defeat the nails.

... Which is entirely my point. It seems that this strategy spreads your damage and takes even longer, due to the fact that you have to wait for dots to tick out and and take longer on the beginning nails (which makes things difficult for the healers / melee).

I find 2gcds or less by each damage dealer on each nail to be far quicker and far more manageable / simple / easier to heal as a strategy for that fight.

Spreading dots might increase YOUR overall DPS, but I find killing the nails quicker increases the groups overall DPS. The sooner the nails are dead, the quicker you can jump back on ifrit and the sooner the healers can refocus solely on the tanks.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eclips

I imagine whatever your last dps slot is, it is the one that sacrifices their dps rotation to defeat the nails.

---

BLMs have minimal tab-dotting efficiency. Monks have a rather good efficiency, but it is very awkward to execute on nails. Also, Monks have a fast enough GCD that they can't really run between nails effectively (at least, do so and maintain positional bonuses). Those two classes should be the go-to direct damage classes to simply punch nails in the face.

Quote:

---

... Which is entirely my point. It seems that this strategy spreads your damage and takes even longer,

---

... DRGs, BRDs, and SMNs tab-dotting will cause the nail phases to complete much, much more quickly.

Quote:

---

due to the fact that you have to wait for dots to tick out and and take longer on the beginning nails (which makes things difficult for the healers / melee).

---

The DoTs will tick out regardless. The only adjustment is how much direct damage you need to throw at the first few nails to give healers standing room. If you have a lot of players with DoTs, you probably need to adjust and throw more direct damage on the first few to begin the rotation.

Quote:

---

I find 2gcds or less by each damage dealer on each nail to be far quicker and far more manageable / simple / easier to heal as a strategy for that fight.

---

It's quicker to spend 1gcd of 3 players and 3 gcds of 1 player per nail (total: 6 GCDs) rather than 2 GCDs from 4 players (total: 8 GCDs). ... or less. It's been awhile since I've done Ifrit with 4 DPS. Probably 1gcd of 3 players and 2gcds of 1 player for a total of 5 GCDs versus ~7 or something.

In terms of complexity ... shrug. It's not complex for a player or two to go tab-DoT. It's frankly a bit trivial but it's a bit refreshing compared to doing virtually the same rotation as the other hundred hours of combat time.

Quote:

---

The sooner the nails are dead, the quicker you can jump back on ifrit and the sooner the healers can refocus solely on the tanks.

---

Yes, which is why throwing out 320p per GCD is better than throwing out 227p per GCD. You're not being logical.

I feel like more often than not we play with entirely different group compositions and see this fight from an entirely different perspective. Yes, your math checks out. Yes, your strategy kills nails quicker overall if everyone tab dots. However, and you know this, theorycrafting and rotations look good on paper but are not practical on each fight.

So let's put it like this, if you have a primarily a dot damage group, spread damage among the nails and tab phlebotomize while designating either the blm or the monk to kill nails.
If you have a primarily burst group, just do a gcd or two on the nail and move on. That's how I would suggest it to people.

So basically we pop our dmg buffs at the beginning of the fight and on the nails phase? Due to eruption it's probably not worth popping the buffs some other time?

What's the strategy to maximise dmg output when you're chained? Focus on a nail close to Ifrit and do our normal rotation?

Is it possible to maintain cd on the jumps to close the distance after eruption ends? Especially the two - eruptions phase.

EMX, is our aoe wide enough to hit two nails (3rd set) ?

I can get in a full set of abilities with full duration of buffs after he descends from hellfire & before he goes to do 'cars'.

HT-IR-ID-BFB-Dis-Sweep-CT-PS-Ph-Jump-TT-VT-LS-FT-DFD/SSD

Now, sometimes I can get a fracture off too, so the dots ticking still as he does 'cars'. Just make sure to position yourself ready to heavy thrust as he moves himself to the tank, and be sure to get into the safe zone when the fire plumes are gonna go up.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Andyman

I can get in a full set of abilities with full duration of buffs after he descends from hellfire & before he goes to do 'cars'.

HT-IR-ID-BFB-Dis-Sweep-CT-PS-Ph-Jump-TT-VT-LS-FT-DFD/SSD

Now, sometimes I can get a fracture off too, so the dots ticking still as he does 'cars'. Just make sure to position yourself ready to heavy thrust as he moves himself to the tank, and be sure to get into the safe zone when the fire plumes are gonna go up.

---

But if you pop buffs on the phase after he'll fire and before 'cars', your buffs would still be on cd when the nails appear? Or at least only IR would be ready

Suppose it depends if your group needs it for that phase or not, the group I run with is heavily geared so its really a non-issue, so I like to get all my burst out in one go. The cooldowns come back up quickly again anyway, as they're recharging during the car phase & eruptions etc. They're pretty much good to go again.

In terms of buff timing on Ifrit, use them at the start of the fight. They should be up pretty soon before Ifrit jumps. Hold them until he lands and does his mass AOE, then pop them. You should have pretty much exactly ~22 seconds during the eruption sequence before he jumps again for charges.

After that, your buffs should be available right before [second] nails. You can either burn them or hold them. Hold them if your group DPS sucks on nails. Otherwise it doesn't matter much. Usually I just pop them. In either method, the buffs should be available for the next ~22s eruption sequence.

After that, it doesn't matter. Even if you use your buffs before third nails, the nail phase generally lasts long enough for you to re-use your buffs. If not, then your group DPS is good enough that your buffs don't matter for the nails anyways.



In terms of the leash, if your OT is leashed you should continue whatever nail pattern you were doing. If they swap to MT or you are leashed to MT, then go do some sustained DPS business on the nails under Ifrit or near him (IDC chains, tab-PH). Just make sure you are careful when you pop the nails for the debuff timing. E.g. don't be stupid. There is a decent length for the 1stack leash, so you have some room to work with. Generally 3-4 nails should be accessible from the MT leash position.


Also, yes, using Doomspike is DPS-efficient on double nails. Just watch your TP.

Quote:

---

So let's put it like this, if you have a primarily a dot damage group, spread damage among the nails and tab phlebotomize while designating either the blm or the monk to kill nails.
If you have a primarily burst group, just do a gcd or two on the nail and move on. That's how I would suggest it to people.

---

If you have a group with highly efficient DoT classes, then you need to do direct damage. If you have a group with direct damage or mixed damage, you should tab-DoT.

Dotting is simply more total DPS. Direct damage is necessary to control the nail deaths. So you need both.

I have no problem pulling this off on the ps3, actually it seems to be really fun and it's not as hard as it sounds as long as you keep an eye on you buffs & debuffs:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Januzeal

I have no problem pulling this off on the ps3, actually it seems to be really fun and it's not as hard as it sounds as long as you keep an eye on you buffs & debuffs:)

---

it's a lot easier with the third bar.