Black Mage Sanctuary - A Guide to DPS

Hi! I'm currently leveling BLM (lv.45) and I need some tips on the rotation for my level range.

My normal rotation on low levels is: Raging Strikes > Thunder > Fire till MP low > Convert > Fire till MP low again > Transpose > Blizzard > Thunder > (Blizzard x2 while I wait for Transpose cooldown to fall off) > Tranpose > Fire > Repeat.

So, should I continue to cast Blizzard while waiting for Transpose to fall off CD or is it better to just cast an Umbral Fire and begin to build up Astral Fire from there?

Also, should I cast Thunder on trash mobs? I know I should on post-50 content, but most of the time they die before Thunder reaches it's full duration on pre-50 dungeons, sometimes I don't even get a Thundercloud proc.

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Originally Posted by Fevelle

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Just for clarification, how low level are you talking? If you're in a dungeon you should use fire 2 if there are 3+ mobs. Convert while raging strikes is up is smart to get the most out of that buff. Once you have full mp, go right back into fire. You dont have to wait for transpose, but honestly it doesn't matter too much at that level. Once you have fire3 and blizz3 this will all change so no need to stress about rotation too much. Casting thunder on mobs is fine. Best time to do it is while you're in umbral ice waiting for mp to tick back up which seems to be what you're doing. Obviously don't use thunder if the mob is almost dead, just blizz1 instead. You seem to have a grasp on what you're doing so you'll be fine.

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Originally Posted by Fevelle

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Casting Fire 3 at any time gives you a full stack of Astral Fire and casting a Blizzard 3 at any time gives you a full stack of Umbral Ice. You should be using F3 and B3 instead of Transpose at your level and in any random dungeon where you have them available. Try casting Thunder on a secondary or even a tertiary target, if the mobs are dying too quickly for it to tick. Thunder is also good for AoE with up to four mobs when you can guarantee a TC proc, but you can't do that until 54. Could still throw it in for funzies to hope for a proc, as it's not like you need to min/max while leveling.

I think that's most of what you can do at low levels when you also consider what's in Garotte's post. At least I can't really think of anything else.

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Originally Posted by Garotte14

Just for clarification, how low level are you talking? If you're in a dungeon you should use fire 2 if there are 3+ mobs. Convert while raging strikes is up is smart to get the most out of that buff. Once you have full mp, go right back into fire. You dont have to wait for transpose, but honestly it doesn't matter too much at that level. Once you have fire3 and blizz3 this will all change so no need to stress about rotation too much. Casting thunder on mobs is fine. Best time to do it is while you're in umbral ice waiting for mp to tick back up which seems to be what you're doing. Obviously don't use thunder if the mob is almost dead, just blizz1 instead. You seem to have a grasp on what you're doing so you'll be fine.

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Really low levels, like 19-30, where I don't have F3 or B3. Is it better to wait for Transpose to fall off CD or cast an Umbral Fire that hits for less than a Blizzard and start building Astral Fire from there?

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Originally Posted by Fevelle

Really low levels, like 19-30, where I don't have F3 or B3. Is it better to wait for Transpose to fall off CD or cast an Umbral Fire that hits for less than a Blizzard and start building Astral Fire from there?

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Low levels you do Transpose > B1 > T1 > F1 spam usually. B1 first so you are more like to have nearly full MP upon re-entering Astral Fire, mainly post level 20.

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Originally Posted by Fevelle

Really low levels, like 19-30, where I don't have F3 or B3. Is it better to wait for Transpose to fall off CD or cast an Umbral Fire that hits for less than a Blizzard and start building Astral Fire from there?

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No don't wait for transpose. Like Sleigh said, When in astral fire and low on mp, Transpose > B1 > T1 > F1. There are exceptions. Like really low levels if you can only get one stack of Umbral Ice, you might do Transpose > T1 > switch mobs > T1 > Fire 1. Or if the mob is almost dead, just replace T1 with another B1.

I've been searching for BLM stat weights but I couldn't find it. I just want the values as I'm having trouble deciding which piece of gear is better.

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Originally Posted by Jinrya-Geki

This rotation is no joke. I ended using a similar way to the rotations posted. My god though it's extremely difficult to maintain it.

Movement is a killer. For me it feels to tight. I feel if I move even once the rotation is ruined. Feel the same?

Hopefully I can't get used to it.

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Honestly.. I feel the same way. If it's high end content (savage floors) I feel as if there's no point to going on as it kills a lot of my dps. Gear sometimes makes up for it but not always.

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Originally Posted by MikotoMina

Honestly.. I feel the same way. If it's high end content (savage floors) I feel as if there's no point to going on as it kills a lot of my dps. Gear sometimes makes up for it but not always.

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Just practice. Practice on dummy and try and get rid of any rotational mistakes. Then go learn the fights. It takes some getting used to but is very rewarding when you get it right.

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Originally Posted by Cherub

I've been searching for BLM stat weights but I couldn't find it. I just want the values as I'm having trouble deciding which piece of gear is better.

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According to Ariyala. it´s
SS 0.281
DET 0.246
CRIT 0.234

Thus in FFXIV, Secondardy Stats are not that important, and often doesn´t live up in DPS as what they are promising (heading for cover).

The most usefull stat IMO is Spellspeed as it helps you with your major weakness, the mobility.

All else is for me "Get that stuff with highest iLvl, which gives you just enough Accuracy to not miss"

Because like in real life: "It´s about who you are, and not what you wear"

^^ ... /em quietly leaves the lions cage