Black Mage Sanctuary - A Guide to DPS

When my Enochian timer gets tight and I'm forced to follow my Blizzard 3 with an immediate Blizzard 4, I sometimes find myself sitting in Umbral Ice with about 60% mana and 20 seconds on my Enochian timer. I'm tempted to go straight into Fire 3, but more often than not I find myself shifting into Astral Fire before the mana tick. I'm trying to figure out what to do with this time, and I have a two options:

Fire 4 > Blizzard 3 > Blizzard 4 > Thunder 1 > Fire 3

This might be the next best choice, but the problem with this option is that usually because of a Thundercloud proc that I had to rush Blizzard 4 in the first place, so the Thunder DoT is still up and ticking.

Fire 4 > Blizzard 3 > Blizzard 4 > Blizzard 1 > Fire 3

As far as I can tell, I should either cast Blizzard 1 or Thunder 1, and the answer about which is better to cast has to do with how many ticks I there are left on my Thunder DoT. Can anyone give me advice on what to do in this situation? 40 potency x 5 tics (15 seconds for 1 tic every 3 seconds) = 200 potency > Blizzard 1 at 180 potency?

Im guessing the essential question here is: 'How many ticks of Thundercloud/Thunder 3 = Blizzard,' because otherwise Thunder 1 would be better than Blizzard 1. Is the answer 40 potency x 5 tics (15 seconds for 1 tic every 3 seconds) = 200 potency > Blizzard 1 at 180 potency? The tooltip for Umbral Ice 3 doesn't say that it decreases the damage / potency of ice spells so that should be correct, right?

The pure cut-off where Thunder is better than B1 is 6s left on any Thunder or less, in terms of potency.

30 initial + 40 per tick, 4 ticks = 160 + 30 = 190.

However, pure potency isn't all there is, it's also about getting that chance for Thundercloud, and my personal cut-off is 9s, or basically one more tick of clipping.

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Originally Posted by Sleigh

The pure cut-off where Thunder is better than B1 is 6s left on any Thunder or less, in terms of potency.

30 initial + 40 per tick, 4 ticks = 160 + 30 = 190.

However, pure potency isn't all there is, it's also about getting that chance for Thundercloud, and my personal cut-off is 9s, or basically one more tick of clipping.

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That's actually the mathematically correct one:

Quick and dirty study on thunder

The rotation I've been sticking with lately is:

Leylines+B3 -> RS+F3 -> F4x2 -> Sharp+F1 -> F3(fs) -> F4x2(or if timing permits 3). I weave Thunder spells in when I have the time or if enochian falls off for some reason. I realize this might not be the most dps optimal, but I've been able to refresh enochian in as little as 5s if the fight permits. I currently have my f3's with a swiftcast, but I'm considering removing it in favor of having it for emergency B4's or double flares if enochian falls off. I'd also point out that I don't play with a static or a parser, so this is from raw content running experience. When my cd's aren't up I use the same rotation. If there's heavy movement I won't refresh enochian just to have it fall off.


(I wasn't aware that the rotation had been updated since I last looked at it. I'll make changes to my opener.)

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Originally Posted by Kerii

I currently have my f3's with a swiftcast

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Every single one? Swift F3 if you drop AF is the only thing I can think of that could maybe be useful. Save your swifts for something better.

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Originally Posted by NOC_NA

The following issues have been addressed:

An issue wherein casting the black mage action “Fire III” immediately after receiving the “Firestarter” effect would result in an uninterruptable cast instead of an instant cast.

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Was this a new issue I didn't run into, or are they talking about the issue that has been around since 2.0? Because if that's the case, I'm going to jump up and do the happy dance IRL right now.

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Originally Posted by nugglets

Was this a new issue I didn't run into, or are they talking about the issue that has been around since 2.0? Because if that's the case, I'm going to jump up and do the happy dance IRL right now.

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If you mash Fire III after casting fire I you'll still hardcast fire III and get the proc midcast.
It's most likely an issues you (and i) didnt run into

I ran into that damn bug about 20 times in my ARR career, including during my best 570+ T11 run pre-echo. It was like a F1 > Firestarter really quick on reaction while moving but it turned into a hardcast F3 during my AF period. Really freakin' annoying, good riddance.

Carreer BLM here with 10-20 ping and that bug never ever happened to me, you couldn't interrupt the cast by moving? O_o

No, it'd be a 3s cast, unstoppable, full MP costing F3. You just happened to be able to move during it.

the bug has happened to me before, i have about 30 ping. Seemed to have happened about 30-40 times and almost always happened if i stutterd a fire 1 into a quick firestarter.

^ that. it happens with Straigher Shot procs (and, occasionally, during MCH abilities with rapid fire on..) too.

You'd still go fire 1 > fire 1> (proc) fire 1 > f3, if you had to, unfortunately.

I have had the same thing happen before or even in 2.0 a issue were as Ice 3 would not seem to register, it would hit but mp even 8 seconds later would not fill so had been forced to hit ice again.
At least that issue seems no longer around that i have noticed.

On a side note, iLevel 200 weapon's Spell Speed is such a quality of life buff on your rotation. Wtb more Spell Speed.

It's going to be really interesting to see how the BLM plays with an ilvl 250 spell speed build, whenever that happens

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Originally Posted by Aikaal

On a side note, iLevel 200 weapon's Spell Speed is such a quality of life buff on your rotation. Wtb more Spell Speed.

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What min/max range are you getting at the moment with weapon on Fire IV ? Party buff preferably.

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Originally Posted by OneWingedSora

What min/max range are you getting at the moment with weapon on Fire IV ? Party buff preferably.

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That'd be terribly annoying to test and actually get the true min/max range. B2's fine, it scales appropriately with the potency.

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Originally Posted by Sleigh

That'd be terribly annoying to test and actually get the true min/max range. B2's fine, it scales appropriately with the potency.

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That works too.

Hey guys. Curious as to what you all plan to upgrade with eso next? Picked up the ilvl 200 wep today leaving me with i190 all slots but chest and 1xring (ilvl 180 pieces). The somewhat obvious choice for me would be chest next but that would cause my accuracy to drop down to 553. From what I understand our accuracy cap is in the low 600's? With that said I'm not currently in an alexander savage raid group but would like to be if the situation presented itself (not highly likely). What would you pro's do in my situation?

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Originally Posted by Happosai

Hey guys. Curious as to what you all plan to upgrade with eso next? Picked up the ilvl 200 wep today leaving me with i190 all slots but chest and 1xring (ilvl 180 pieces). The somewhat obvious choice for me would be chest next but that would cause my accuracy to drop down to 553. From what I understand our accuracy cap is in the low 600's? With that said I'm not currently in an alexander savage raid group but would like to be if the situation presented itself (not highly likely). What would you pro's do in my situation?

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Get the chest, and if you by chance join a static and get to A2, eat accuracy food. Simple

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Originally Posted by Garotte14

Get the chest, and if you by chance join a static and get to A2, eat accuracy food. Simple

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Thanks! Cheers

das

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Originally Posted by Happosai

Hey guys. Curious as to what you all plan to upgrade with eso next? Picked up the ilvl 200 wep today leaving me with i190 all slots but chest and 1xring (ilvl 180 pieces). The somewhat obvious choice for me would be chest next but that would cause my accuracy to drop down to 553. From what I understand our accuracy cap is in the low 600's? With that said I'm not currently in an alexander savage raid group but would like to be if the situation presented itself (not highly likely). What would you pro's do in my situation?

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A1Savage no misses with 492/496 Acc
A2Savage no misses with 543 Acc - misses with 496 acc...still testing the acc cap there

your acc is way too high ;

Has there been any extensive testing done with accuracy in Savage? Planning my build out a little bit and I'm shooting for around 560 as of right now. I haven't heard of much being needed beyond that for A3 at least. Its crazy how much accuracy is saturated on gear right now.

Working on A2 right now and I don't need any accuracy at least until A4 from the sounds of it.

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Originally Posted by OneWingedSora

What min/max range are you getting at the moment with weapon on Fire IV ? Party buff preferably.

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Pot, voiced foe, rs, ta I get about 11.1k-11.5k crit highest. It would be slightly more with Battle Litanny but my group isn<t running Dragoon right now. I'm getting about 1150-1180 DPS on enrage wipes of A3S right now.

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Originally Posted by SaucepanKaoz

um, aikaal, you can still swift f3 in ur opener and fit 5 f4s and a proc in ur pot with fey wind. Meanwhile you're letting enochian eat into ur gcd, then you let rs and pot in the same weave eat into ur gcd. You're also wasting 3.5 second of ley lines. The 0.5 second gain from swift f4 (2.5 vs 3) and 189 potency vs whatever the amount of seconds enochian and rs eats into your GCD and 3.5 seconds of ley lines. 6 f4s is sketchy when i do it, sometimes i get instant b4, sometimes not, which would mean a loss in casts.

I don't have any math, I'm just curious if you thought about that. Did you calculate potency per gcd or potency per second? Cause potency per gcd is wrong. The only fight I do swift f3 is a3s anyways, due how it's designed. But that's for another dicussion.

Here's some a3s blm pov if you're interested. My enochians cd was misstimed by 1-2 seconds for some reason, threw me off a bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAVWCeR7MsY

190 weapon, x pots, tarts, lb3 cast, no foe, 195
http://puu.sh/jpKwZ.png

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I'm at work so I can't check but I can tell there is zero gain from using swiftcast on the first F3. It's preference and it makes more sense to me to keep it for movement. Hardcast + 2 OGCD is actualyl shorter than Swift F3 + 2 OGCD because you eat the whole global of F3 that is 2.5 seconds. It doesn't take that much time to use 2 OGCD. I also use Swift in A3S during my F3 proc for 4th F4 so I don't lose downtime there. So even if you gain Leylines time, I still feel Swiftcast on F3 is not the best solution.

It's more preference, I'm doing really good the way I open, I do have the Foe edge over you on that fight but my group have overall less DPS than you :( My best attempts has been 1150-1180dps.

I dream of a DRG, NIN, BRD, AST, SCH group

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Originally Posted by Aikaal

Pot, voiced foe, rs, ta I get about 11.1k-11.5k crit highest. It would be slightly more with Battle Litanny but my group isn<t running Dragoon right now. I'm getting about 1150-1180 DPS on enrage wipes of A3S right now.



I'm at work so I can't check but I can tell there is zero gain from using swiftcast on the first F3. It's preference and it makes more sense to me to keep it for movement. Hardcast + 2 OGCD is actualyl shorter than Swift F3 + 2 OGCD because you eat the whole global of F3 that is 2.5 seconds. It doesn't take that much time to use 2 OGCD. I also use Swift in A3S during my F3 proc for 4th F4 so I don't lose downtime there. So even if you gain Leylines time, I still feel Swiftcast on F3 is not the best solution.

It's more preference, I'm doing really good the way I open, I do have the Foe edge over you on that fight but my group have overall less DPS than you :( My best attempts has been 1150-1180dps.

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Mate, you have 2 more weapon damage, FOE, trick, and probably use drac pot. That wasn't close to my best attempt, ur not close to even stepping into my realm C!@0, Kappa

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Originally Posted by Garotte14

Get the chest, and if you by chance join a static and get to A2, eat accuracy food. Simple

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Source? Maths?

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Originally Posted by Aikaal

I'm at work so I can't check but I can tell there is zero gain from using swiftcast on the first F3. It's preference and it makes more sense to me to keep it for movement. Hardcast + 2 OGCD is actualyl shorter than Swift F3 + 2 OGCD because you eat the whole global of F3 that is 2.5 seconds. It doesn't take that much time to use 2 OGCD. I also use Swift in A3S during my F3 proc for 4th F4 so I don't lose downtime there. So even if you gain Leylines time, I still feel Swiftcast on F3 is not the best solution.

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I think the reason he swiftcasts F3 at the start of A3S is because he's standing 2 oclock of the boss so he uses it to get there without losing casts. Thankfully, I just stand 6 oclock of the boss so I can just start with my normal opener and save swiftcast incase I get targeted by Protene Wave or Sluice.

Still a very impressive video but there is room to squeeze more DPS, Sharpcast Thunder > Thundercloud on the other hand during P2(I think your group definitely has the DPS to not get negatively affected by that) , flaring the tornado to hit 3+adds, etc. I also don't know what the merit was for using fire 1 > thunder > fire 1 > sharpcast > fire 1 during last phase ? Was this an execution error or is this intentional ?

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Originally Posted by Aikaal

It would be slightly more with Battle Litanny but my group isn<t running Dragoon right now.

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Does Battle Litany increase your crit damage? I never paid any attention (almost never get to group with a DRG), but I always just assumed it was a flat +15% crit chance aka the most overrated buff in the game.

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Originally Posted by SaucepanKaoz

Mate, you have 2 more weapon damage, FOE, trick, and probably use drac pot. That wasn't close to my best attempt, ur not close to even stepping into my realm C!@0, Kappa

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A weapon he could've gotten yesterday at the earliest.

How much extra DPS overall Foe even is nowadays? Last number I heard was around 4%, but that was long ago.

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Originally Posted by Waliel

Does Battle Litany increase your crit damage? I never paid any attention (almost never get to group with a DRG), but I always just assumed it was a flat +15% crit chance aka the most overrated buff in the game.

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It only increases the Critical Rate; Critical Damage is unaffected.

I also got my eso weapon yesterday :D
Probably chest or boots up next.
I do not have math and stuff but here is the coat and it's stats (well upgraded coat)
Gordian Gown
and non upgraded Goetia Coat
@ Saucepan, why are you so rude saying Aikal is not in your realm in terms of dps, you know this for a fact? I highly doubt it.
Aikal has actually been helpful to the community....

<3 Haru :D

I feel the opener is all about the Spell Speed and latency you have. Some people can't do 6 Fire IV without getting screwed by latency.

I start at 6o'clock so yeah I don't have to move at beginning.

You do have 1 iLevel then me despite I got the weapon lol. As a suspected, you went for the 210 ring, that's why you don't have the weapon. I still haven't got a clean last 45 seconds on the fight so I can pull more :3 Still, congrats on the kill!

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Originally Posted by Aikaal

<3 Haru :D

I feel the opener is all about the Spell Speed and latency you have. Some people can't do 6 Fire IV without getting screwed by latency.

I start at 6o'clock so yeah I don't have to move at beginning.

You do have 1 iLevel then me despite I got the weapon lol. As a suspected, you went for the 210 ring, that's why you don't have the weapon. I still haven't got a clean last 45 seconds on the fight so I can pull more :3 Still, congrats on the kill!

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Yup lol, we tried to kill it week 1 so i bought it first week. Week 2 is still decent, considering no1 killed it week 1.

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Originally Posted by Aikaal

<3 Haru :D

I feel the opener is all about the Spell Speed and latency you have. Some people can't do 6 Fire IV without getting screwed by latency.

I start at 6o'clock so yeah I don't have to move at beginning.

You do have 1 iLevel then me despite I got the weapon lol. As a suspected, you went for the 210 ring, that's why you don't have the weapon. I still haven't got a clean last 45 seconds on the fight so I can pull more :3 Still, congrats on the kill!

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You know how much i'm going to be spamming you about good latency in 3.1

Please enjoy it

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Originally Posted by Dervy

Source? Maths?

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It didn't require math or a source. I just made a statement. He isn't even in savage and he wanted to know if he could get the chest next. I'm only stating that if by chance he joins a static and doesn't meet accuracy caps, he can eat food. I'm in no way saying for everyone to buy the chest next. We're still waiting on accurate accuracy caps and stat weights to really find out what the next piece should be.

Having a weird time with the eso staff, at 770~ ss it feels like my rotations ending in a weird spot (about 14~ ) seconds till Enoch drops but low on mp so I usually B3 t1 f3 f4 B3 b4 (ill tick back to full mana at this point)

From what im seeing though sauce swift-sharp-f3-f1 is the swift casted f3 to slip in rs and pot?

I see you beginning each rotation like that though.

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Originally Posted by Aikaal

Pot, voiced foe, rs, ta I get about 11.1k-11.5k crit highest. It would be slightly more with Battle Litanny but my group isn<t running Dragoon right now. I'm getting about 1150-1180 DPS on enrage wipes of A3S right now.

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Battle Litany doesn't increase crit damage, just %. But anyways, I am getting about 3.95k-4.35k Fire IVs with the chest + 210 ring. i192. Highest burst was 9k crit Fire IV no Foes/TA which would translate to about 11700 with Foes & TA.

Though it sucks having to downgrade to i180 accessory on A3S since I don't have the accuracy to use the 210 chest + 210 ring/wrist :C And I am sitting at 600 sspd only.

Reporting no misses at 531 accuracy on A3S, 3 misses at 523 so accuracy cap is probably somewhere in between.

I've also had no misses at 531 in A3S. Why are there so much ACC on caster gears this time when the cap is so low.. -_-

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Originally Posted by Uninstall

I've also had no misses at 531 in A3S. Why are there so much ACC on caster gears this time when the cap is so low.. -_-

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Can anyone tell me what accuracy is in A2? Only number I'm finding is 587, but if A3 is 531 no misses, that don't make sense.

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Originally Posted by Garotte14

Can anyone tell me what accuracy is in A2? Only number I'm finding is 587, but if A3 is 531 no misses, that don't make sense.

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Casters only need rear accuracy so that's why the #s you find are so different from reality for casters.