Importance of SS for DRG

So I'm approaching (a very meh) first ever BiS for my DRG and I've been trying to keep to the proper stat ratios as is recommended, so my GCD is about 2.40. However I've heard from certain people that I should keep my SS low, but they didn't give a target SS or GCD number. If SS weren't important, I could ditch my Kinna Trident and aim for the Shire Halberd which I much prefer. Any thoughts?

2.40 sec is optimal duration of GCD so you can clip HT and Phb without them dropping off. However, some people might want them to be a bit lower (2.39-2.38) to compensate for latency when weaving in oGCD skills.

I'm not sure what did you mean by 'keeping SS low". As long as you meet the cut point, in this case, around 600 skill speed/ 2.4 sec GCD, everything should work out.

After around 650, or 2.38, it'll actually make the rotation more troublesome, as you could lose GCD uptime on double-weaves and your rotation may overtake your appropriate Life Surge timing, forcing you either to wait even longer before using Full Thrust or your WT/F&C or to hold off on using Life Surge for another 9-12 seconds, wasting some of its contribution over time. To put it another way, added skill speed is still technically a gain, as its additional attacks over time that you otherwise wouldn't have, but it trips over itself so much that it fairs even worth against the other secondary stats (Crit and Det), which can have more than double its contribution even if it were working perfectly.

I meant having my GCD around 2.45-2.48, but thanks for the info.

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Originally Posted by cetrei

I meant having my GCD around 2.45-2.48, but thanks for the info.

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That'd be something like 404 - 479 skill speed? As far as I know you'll want at least 500, or a 2.44 GCD. Dervy did a proof of concept for 490 SS, but it still occasionally failed to meet the essential timings on its final blows within his HT windows, so another 10-25 would probably be a lot safer, especially if your ping is over ~80 ms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA3FMkr9UjI

Going above 2.42 GCD you risk losing auto-attacks being buffed by Heavy Thrust and gives VERY little room to play around with when it comes to mechanics that force you to disengage during a bossfight, proceed with caution.

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Originally Posted by Sentinillia

Going above 2.42 GCD you risk losing auto-attacks being buffed by Heavy Thrust and gives VERY little room to play around with when it comes to mechanics that force you to disengage during a bossfight, proceed with caution.

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This is incorrect, Auto-attacks have been decoupled from Skillspeed since Heavensward.

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Originally Posted by cetrei

So I'm approaching (a very meh) first ever BiS for my DRG and I've been trying to keep to the proper stat ratios as is recommended, so my GCD is about 2.40. However I've heard from certain people that I should keep my SS low, but they didn't give a target SS or GCD number. If SS weren't important, I could ditch my Kinna Trident and aim for the Shire Halberd which I much prefer. Any thoughts?

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The answer to your question is complex.

599 is the ideal and is generally the gold standard because it allows you to fit your whole rotation under the 24 seconds of Heavy Thrust with the 2nd HT being buffed by the first.

This however, is not true for everybody as it assumes a specific ping. The 599 figure is designed for people with roughly 100ms latency, you will gradually need more SKS in order to maintain the same 24 second window as your ping goes up.

609 is ideal for people in the 120ms-ish range, 625/651 is for people like me who are on 147-150ms.

That being said, it all has to be tested. You can easily do your opener on a dummy and see if the 2nd HT is buffed by the first by checking the combat log. Likewise, try activating BfB half a GCD after True Thrust and see if the Phleb is applied before the BfB runs out. Those two are the biggest cases for having SkS.

If your ping is exceptional, feel free to attempt the riskier 542/572 SKS windows.

PS: any SKS outside of those breakpoints mentioned are borderline worthless.

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Originally Posted by CookieMonsta

This is incorrect, Auto-attacks have been decoupled from Skillspeed since Heavensward.

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I didn't claim auto-attacks were being affected by skillspeed. What I am talking about is the gap in Heavy Thrust uptime you get going above 2.42 GCD.

http://puu.sh/sKvCj/68db579748.png

once I heard: "imma have over 1k sks, so ill beat the crap out of the boss for the first minute, then im goin to fb and watch my timeline, if the boss is still alive, it's the other 3 dd's problem" lol