Let's talk about Sharpcast.

I don't think anyone would disagree that this ability not only adds to the problem of the very tight duration on AF in between Fire 4s. The fact that you can't really weave it like a true off-GCD makes the implementation of this spell half-baked. The idea behind sharpcast seemed really cool when it was announced but little did we know that it would have little to no utility besides proc'ing a Fire 3 for extra DPS or to extend Astral Fire.

Sharpcast in a rotation contributes to the lack of fluidity in the current BLM rotation since you're wasting a good 1.5-2 seconds waiting for the game to finish the "cast-time"(aka, the animation)of sharpcast before you start actually casting Fire. Waste of time.

continued on next post.

I'm sure the solution to this little flaw is to extend AF duration a little bit which is what many have been saying already. But isn't it time that SE has looked into either front-loading certain spell effects or making instant abilities truly instant? It's like when you chuck a potion or eat food; they're instant abilities that still animation lock you. It absolutely "kills the feel". I haven't minded it much before but this damn spell is just making a mountain out of what was once just a mole hill.

Anyone agree?

I only ever find myself using Sharpcast to make sure the first Fire gives me a Firestarter Proc. (Fire III, Sharpcast Fire, Fire IV, Fire IV, Fire III, Fire IV, Fire IV)

Other than that, it's pretty useless. I find myself ignoring Thundercloud procs all together as it just messes up an already tight rotation.

Exactly my point, sharpcast is practically useless, and, for what we use it for, which is to proc firestarter on the first Fire, all it does is ruin the fluidity of the rotation by wasting your time with an animation that doesn't apply the buff until you complete the animation and doesn't let you cast fire 1 until you're done dancing around, making it to be what I feel is a rather weak off GCD. It might as well just be on the GCD...

I love it. In the rotation itself it has a small gain, but it's a fantastic way to refresh after a phase change like in Ravana, or to open a fight in certain ones regardless of preferred opener so you can save Swiftcast for mobility (for instance, T13 with 3.0 BLM any opener starting with Swiftcast F3 might be at a disadvantage).

Well I never use swiftcast to actually open a fight, that's what precasting is for. But wouldn't it be a DPS loss to sharpcast Fire 1 and then open with F3 instead of just hard casting F3 and following up with Fire 1? The latter is nearly a 50 increase in potency versus sharpcasting F1 > Firestarter. It only takes you about .46 seconds more of total time to get that 50 increase in potency which I find to be worth it. But I guess if you're anticipating casting interruptions, it could be useful.

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Originally Posted by Dajinn

Well I never use swiftcast to actually open a fight, that's what precasting is for. But wouldn't it be a DPS loss to sharpcast Fire 1 and then open with F3 instead of just hard casting F3 and following up with Fire 1? The latter is nearly a 50 increase in potency versus sharpcasting F1 > Firestarter. It only takes you about .46 seconds more of total time to get that 50 increase in potency which I find to be worth it. But I guess if you're anticipating casting interruptions, it could be useful.

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MP mainly. F3 is expensive, F1 is not. To see what I mean, try a raw F3 into an Enochian rotation vs a raw F1 into an Enochian rotation, without using Convert (as you wouldn't have after most phase shifts). The F3 is also a very good way to insert non-GCDs instead of doing them raw.

Ahhh yeah, true about the MP cost factor.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dajinn

Well I never use swiftcast to actually open a fight, that's what precasting is for. But wouldn't it be a DPS loss to sharpcast Fire 1 and then open with F3 instead of just hard casting F3 and following up with Fire 1? The latter is nearly a 50 increase in potency versus sharpcasting F1 > Firestarter. It only takes you about .46 seconds more of total time to get that 50 increase in potency which I find to be worth it. But I guess if you're anticipating casting interruptions, it could be useful.

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First: I am still figuring out lvl 60 BLM

Okay that's out of the way.

I've been using Sharpcast regularly on opening to put me directly into AS III for Enochian. Pretty much any time I NEED AS III I use it. I wish I didn't need it, though, the lvl 60 rotation is mind boggling strict on timing. I wish it flowed better.

I only use it to ensure I have Firestarter procs when I need them. I used to use it to weave in Thunderclouds before I hit 60. Now I can I never afford to use Thundercloud. Buh. Either Yoshi P really likes being a turret or these changes weren't tested thoroughly. I guess we'll see more once Alexander is out.