BLM Optimal Rotation Question - PrePot?

Which "opener" is better, As the Tank begins to pull:

• Hardcast Thunder 3 (timed perfectly to land right when tank pulls)
• Swiftcast
• Fire 3
• Raging Strikes
• Int Potion
• Fire 1 Spam ....

or

• Int Potion (timed perfectly to lose as little time as possible prior to first hit)
• Hardcast Thunder 3
• Swiftcast
• Fire 3
• Raging Strikes
• Fire 1 Spam .....

or

• Int Potion (timed perfectly to lose as little time as possible prior to first hit)
• Raging Strikes
• Hardcast Thunder 3
• Swiftcast
• Fire 3
• Fire 1 Spam .....

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My Current Rotation is:

Hardcast Thunder 3 (timed perfectly to land right when tank pulls)
Swiftcast
Fire 3
Fire 1 Spam (using any procs along the way)
Blizzard 3
Thunder 3 (Unless end of life on mob and thunder 3 won't tick the whole way through, then I use blizzard I waiting for full mana tick)
Fire 3
Fire 1 Spam....



Any room for improvement, and which of the 3 openers is best?

I always just open with Bliz3/Blizzard III/Blizzaga...

Blizzaga
Thundara (Thunder II/Bolt2)
Raging Strikes
Intellect potion
Firaga
Fire
repeat

Whats the logic behind opening with Blizz 3 when ur already at full mana?

Some people do it for full mp after thunder 3 and half cast for fire 3.

SC-F III - FI ('til about 500mp remaining), B III - FI (fast cast given by B III) - TH II - F III - F I - repeat <---when I time it right, F III proc always available right before I need to cast F III.

or SC-F III - F I ('til about 500mp remaining), B III - TH II or Scathe - F III - F I - repeat

Never use DMG buff to cast your Thunder. Cause if you get Thundercloud proc it will deal damage but not put the DoT cause the previous one was stronger. Bliz 3 is to have full mana after the Thunder 2/3 cast.

Though it is better to do the following:
Bliz3 > Thun 2 > Fire 3 > Rage > Fire 1

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kromix

Whats the logic behind opening with Blizz 3 when ur already at full mana?

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Because it means your Thunder II and Fire III are essentially free because of the mana ticks you'll get meaning you can go through your full rotation.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TaneshimaPopura

Never use DMG buff to cast your Thunder. Cause if you get Thundercloud proc it will deal damage but not put the DoT cause the previous one was stronger.

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It was changed in 2.1. Now if you apply a weaker dot, it will just refresh the dot without the previous damage boost. You can try it by casting a ragingstrikes's boosted Thunder followed by a normal thunder.

I always open with Bliz III, free Thunder and fast free fire III.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by baopee

SC-F III - FI ('til about 500mp remaining), B III - FI (fast cast given by B III) - TH II - F III - F I - repeat <---when I time it right, F III proc always available right before I need to cast F III.

or SC-F III - F I ('til about 500mp remaining), B III - TH II or Scathe - F III - F I - repeat

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Why do you use Fast cast for Fire I? It makes no difference as you're still held back by GCD. Even if you weren't held back by GCD, using it before Thunder II and then Fire III just seems pointless and a waste of MP. Even with a Firestarter Proc saved for the Fire III after Thunder II, you'll be using it with no Astral Fire buff at all.


As for OP, what I do is Blizz III > Swiftcast > Thunder III > Fire III > Raging Strike > Fire I spam > and go into my rotation, which is the same but without Swiftcast and Raging Strike and replacing Thunder III with Thunder II. I'll use Thunder III again whenever Swiftcast is available, unless I'm in Garuda EM and the plumes group up nicely for a good old Flare.

I'll start casting Blizz III just as the tank is about to pull, too. There'll be no use using Swiftcast on anything other than Thunder III in this rotation as Blizz III reduces the cast time of Fire III below the GCD.

I never use Int Potions as an opener, though. Keep your Int Potions for strict DPS checks since you're likely to only get 1-2 uses per run.