SCH DPS spell selection

Total potency

• Bio II: 0 initial potency + 350 potency over 30 seconds = 350
• Miasma: 20 initial potency + 280 potency over 24 seconds = 300
• Bio: 0 initial potency + 240 potency over 18 seconds = 240
• Thunder: 30 initial potency + 210 potency over 18 seconds = 240
• Shadow Flare: (0 initial potency + 250 potency over 30 seconds) / (3.0/2.5 corrective for cast time) = 208
• Aero: 50 initial potency + 150 potency over 18 seconds = 200
• Miasma II: 20 initial potency + 50 potency over 15 seconds = 70
• Energy Drain: 150
• Ruin II/Ruin: 80

DoT's damage per second

• Bio: 240 / (18 sec duration + 2.5 sec cooldown) = 11.7
• Thunder: 240 / 20.5 = 11.7
• Miasma: 300 / 26.5 = 11.3
• Bio II: 350 / 32.5 = 9.9
• Aero: 200/20.5 = 9.8
• Shadow Flare: 300 / 30.5 = 7.5
• Miasma II: 70 / 17.5 = 4

Considerations:

• Bio, Aero, Miasma II, and Ruin II have instant cast times on the global cooldown.
• Miasma II is AoE across 5y, so it beats Ruin spam at 2 targets and is a viable DoT at 3 targets.
• Shadow Flare can inflict a Slow effect, and will replace Sacred Soil if it is in effect.
• Bane will generally yield higher damage for your aetherflow charge than Energy Drain as long as Bio/Miasma/Bio II have more than 6 seconds remaining.

When you don't have global cooldowns to spare, use the total potency chart to pick your spell.

When you can afford to apply DoTs back-to-back and time is an issue, use the damage per second chart.

* This thread was inspired by the WHM DPS spell thread. I could not find any of this same information from the SMN threads, so please let me know if anything is incorrect.

My rotation:
Bio II -> Miasma -> Bio -> Bane -> Thunder -> Aero -> Swiftcast -> Shadowflare -> Miasma II -> \tabTarget Thunder or spam Ruin.

Thunder: 30 initial potency + 210 potency over 18 seconds = 240
Aero: 50 initial potency + 150 potency over 18 seconds = 200

I always try to make sure that I'm always ready to switch back to healing ASAP, so I favor the stuff that are instant-cast. I find it's all situational, really. If we are running into three or more enemies, I'll take the time to throw up Shadow Flare first, then heal whatever damage has happened, then throw on Cleric Stance and go Areo - Bio - Ruin II. If everyone is fine and no serious damage has been taken, I move onto Thunder - Bio II - Miasma - and another Ruin II. By then there is usually damage needing to be healed even in the more bulky of parties, so I'll throw off Cleric Stance and go back to healing.

Quote:

---

Shadow Flare can inflict a Slow effect, and will replace Sacred Soil if it is in effect.

---

This is important to know. Though generally it's not a game breaker in most cases, the game doesn't really tell you this.

I'm glad to see the numbers run here because I feel Bio is under appreciated. It doesn't seem too powerful at first glance but it adds up so quickly if the DoTs are refreshed efficiently but it gets left to run out so often. :(

During trash pulls, I find that the tank will drop rather quickly until I pull up Shadow Flare. That slow effect can make a surprising amount of difference, not to mention the DoT effect tacked on.

Rotation of mine : Bio II Miasma Bio swiftcast + bane thunder aero and spam of energy drain + ruin 2 (single target obviously)

Went up to 270 dps with that on last boss in AK. But its just stupid that your dps pretty much rely on crit RNG. If you got 20%+ crit overall and a bard in your group it will grant you good support dps, otherwise ... not so much

Is it even realistically possible to gets all of the ticks from a DoT spell? Due to the global timer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sharazisspecial

Is it even realistically possible to gets all of the ticks from a DoT spell? Due to the global timer.

---

Yuri has tested it and the game seems to wait until the next global tic to apply the DoT or start the countdown, one of the two, so you always get your full amount of damage.

Also, thanks for all the DPS information Yuri, it will be very helpful for a few FC members as I don't play SCH.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Delvish

During trash pulls, I find that the tank will drop rather quickly until I pull up Shadow Flare. That slow effect can make a surprising amount of difference, not to mention the DoT effect tacked on.

---

Considering that Shadow Flare has twice the duration of Sacred Soil, it has very good utility due to the slow debuff effect, and decent damage mitigation due to slow.

A 5% extension on cast bars means more time for melee/tanks to dodge telegraphed abilities, which can be very useful.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Estellios

Yuri has tested it and the game seems to wait until the next global tic to apply the DoT or start the countdown, one of the two, so you always get your full amount of damage.

Also, thanks for all the DPS information Yuri, it will be very helpful for a few FC members as I don't play SCH.

---

I haven't actually done definitive testing, it's just my observation that debuffs/buffs wait a second to become applied and then begin ticking for its full duration.

It wouldn't be that hard to test, I suppose. Cast Bio a dozen times or so, and see if it ticks the HP down exactly 6 times every time.