BLM thunder question

So I just got thunder 3 and I was looking over the tool tips and noticed that they all have the same dot damage. So they only difference is up time on the dots, cast time of the spells for each tier and slightly more initial damage.

So my question is, is it better to just use thunder 1 initially for the short cast time and lower mp cost and only use thunder 3 for the procs? The dots tick the same its just only up for 18s instead of 24s and I don't see the initial damage making much of a difference between the two given that thunder 3 is almost 4 seconds cast time compared to the 2.4s thunder 1.

Typically you should use thunder ii and use your thunder iii when you get a thundercloud proc.

The only time I ever really cast thunder I is on trash mob that will die fairly fast anyway. Sticking with thunder ii in your single target rotation is your best bet.

Any particular reason why? Does it clip less? Or is the timing of the dots go best with the chance rate of the proc? Biggest thing I've noticed currently is I do like the cast time of thunder 2 during my ice phase as I'll pretty much get all my mp back during the thunder 2 cast where as thunder 1 i come up short needing a filler or thunder 3 the cast is just too long.

I personally use thunder ii because it fits in nicely with the entire rotation. Even with procs most of the time I won't waste tics or go without a thunder tic before I reset with blizzard iii. It's also like half a second faster to cast (I think) then thunder iii. Nothing you can do about the proc chance I'm afraid but pray to the RNG gods

I see. Thanks for the input.

I personally use thunder ii because it fits in nicely with the entire rotation. Even with procs most of the time I won't waste tics or go without a thunder tic before I reset with blizzard iii. It's also like half a second faster to cast (I think) then thunder iii. Nothing you can do about the proc chance I'm afraid but pray to the RNG gods

No problem

it´s quite a act of situation.

You will - most of the time - refresh the DoT while in UmbralIce3 - i noticed due to my spellspeed (and some RNG) - Thunder2 don´t always fill my MP Pool up completely...

I sometimes use 2x Thunder1 on 2 different Mob´s (when there is a Pack of 2-3) to increase my Proc-Chance.

But for the Basics, it´s like the Bards DoT´s, you want to keep the DoT up to Proc a T3 out...