Why do non-caster DPS do this...?

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Originally Posted by Selova

Because I'm not wasting my Life surge'd FT on a mob with sub 5% hp, start whacking that mob tanks.

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This.

And I say this as a tank.

Seriously, don't waste your spike damage on a mob with a sliver of health left. Let the tank finish it off.

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Originally Posted by Reinha

Because of skills like

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This, but how many jobs actually have that that aren't casters or whm? Also dunno why my quote cut half your post off, unintentional x

Because every time a Caster DPS uses an LB3 on a single target boss, I vow to switch targets when one is nearly dead.

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Originally Posted by Malmstrom

Don't want your long cast times going to waste.

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That's one of the specific reasons why I switch targets: so that I don't kill it while the caster is mid-spell and waste their time.
Also mentioned are things like using stronger abilities where they won't be wasted... I'm not going to use a Finish on a trash mob that's at 5% HP, that's just wasteful and slowing us down.

It's about efficiency.

Unless the tank is in immediate danger of dying there's no reason to stress what will die anyway in a couple more GCDs of AoE.

I'll usually switch to a higher health target for heavy hitters like Midare and then switch back if the low health target didn't already die. No point in over killing one mob when a Hakaze will do the job 2 seconds later. This only happens when there's two targets, though. 3 or more means AoE.