Optimal BRD rotation?

I have a fresh 50 BRD thats been sitting for quite a while (lets put it this way - I still have myth gear on him). I took him into Labyrinth and ST for the first time (dozens of times on WHM, so I'm not new to CT) and found it's pretty damn fun in 8-24 raids - playing songs when I see it (Ballad for WHMs/SMN on mid MP or after a raise, Foes for BLMs in the group, Swiftsong for the running between) and so on. So I'd like to play it a bit more.

But I don't know - as I main WHM - if theres a particular rotation I should be doing in the meantime.
So, I'm asking, ss this a viable rotation? Or is there something in particular I'm missing/don't know?

For Raids/Trials, I've been scrubbing together generally this:

At pull start:
- Internal Release
- Raging Strikes
- Flame Arrow
- Windbite
- Bloodletter
- Venomous Bite
- Heavy Shot
- Straight Shot
- Repeat Heavy and Straight
- Repelling Shot when it's off CD (but I'm a bit forgetful about it)

This is with weaving in Blood Letter if and when it pops up, between CD and when it resets itself + refreshing DoTs and Rain of Death if in with those trash mobs between bosses in CT. I've RoD'd bosses for the debuff but I don't think it's particular debuff (lowers evasion) is helpful when most are geared these days.

My reasoning for Raging and Internal at start is getting the DoT/flaming arrow blathering out damage from the start, and still using Hawk's Eye as a backup damage buff (unless I'm misinterpretting the skill descrip?) to keep some damage high while IR and Raging are on CD. I tend to re-use Internal in between (faster cooldown).

....After IR and RS goes down, then:
- Hawk's Eye
- Barrage (for the in-between auto attack hits)
- Re-apply DoTs when needed under Hawk's Eye
- Rinse and repeat Heavy and Straight shot
- Rinse and repeat weaving in Blood letter

Repeat rotation(s).

At enemy 20% HP (not mentioning DoTs/buffs as it's dependent on timing):
Quickly consecutively:
- Heavy shot
- Misery's End
- Straight Shot
- Blood Letter
- Heavy shot

In dungeons I've used generally the same rotation on mobs/bosses, but additional Rain of Death in mobs and Quelling strikes if I see my threat meter getting high (being WHM main, my eyeballs tend to habitually drift to the party list).

My current rotation is (changes pretty often)
Raging > Straight Shot (you want this up before your first dots) > Blood for blood (Bloodletter) > Wind Bite (Internal (Hawkseye)) > Venom (Barrage) > Heavy (flaming arrow) > Heavy (Blunt Arrow) > IR should be at 5-4 seconds now so i Wind bite (repealing) > Venom > and SS should be on 1 second or literally just falling off so > Straight shot >

after all this generally speaking youll have 5 gcds till you need to reapply your dots, so thats 4 heavys and 1 straight inbetween (obviously this is subjective depending on procs)

http://angered.guildwork.com/forum/t...ide-by-krietor

^ hes gotta better grasp on things

Copypasta'd this from another thread I posted this opener in:

Windbite (Bloodletter) > Venomous Bite (Hawk's Eye + Blunt Arrow*) > Straight Shot (Blood for Blood, Raging Strikes) > Heavy Shot (Internal Release + Barrage) > filler (Flaming Arrow + Repelling Shot**) > filler until DoT reapplication

Filler is basically Heavy Shot and Straighter Shot procs. If you get a Bloodletter reset during the opener, weave it in and pick up from where you left off. Blunt Arrow and Repelling Shot are optional due to animation locks, along with whether or not you are on silencing duties for the former, and whether or not you're in a safe position to use the latter. Most importantly, this rotation allows you to reapply your DoTs with all the buffs up without having to clip them too early. Oh, and if you're using a HQ X-Potion of Dexterity, use it after Internal Release and before Barrage in the opener.

If you have any more questions about this opener, do not hesitate to ask.

Awesome, thanks for the infos, guys! xD Didn't realize to do Straight Shot before the DoTs, also.
Thanks, again! :D

Making sure that your Straight Shot buff is up before reapplying DoTs is pretty handy. For an opener, I highly recommend using the one I've posted. With my current raid setup, I usually average around 500+ using that opener.

After the opener, keeping Straight Shot up for DoT reapplication boosts the chances of getting those Bloodletter resets. If you're lucky enough, you'll get two resets between GCDs which is, for lack of a more subtle word, orgasmic.

Good luck, Saseal! May your arrows fly true!

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Originally Posted by SlyRoyale

Making sure that your Straight Shot buff is up before reapplying DoTs is pretty handy. For an opener, I highly recommend using the one I've posted. With my current raid setup, I usually average around 500+ using that opener.

After the opener, keeping Straight Shot up for DoT reapplication boosts the chances of getting those Bloodletter resets. If you're lucky enough, you'll get two resets between GCDs which is, for lack of a more subtle word, orgasmic.

Good luck, Saseal! May your arrows fly true!

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Why would you open with both your DoTs not fully buffed?


Given your gear you should be able to burst 700+ with X-pot or 600+ without. Having your DoTs fully buffed especially with IR is extremely important in your opener. If you are lucky with your IR buffed DoTs and they crit often (and thus your BL procs), you could even sustain 500+ into 2 mins of the fight before starting to drop to 480ish zone and slowly normalize.

EDIT: BTW 510 acc is under accuracy from T11 onwards if not wrong. T13 you need 535 which means you need to switch food to Lava Toad Legs (I didn't really bother about acc per turn because right from the start, with full crafted I am already way over 535 accuracy).

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Originally Posted by SlyRoyale

Making sure that your Straight Shot buff is up before reapplying DoTs is pretty handy. For an opener, I highly recommend using the one I've posted. With my current raid setup, I usually average around 500+ using that opener.

After the opener, keeping Straight Shot up for DoT reapplication boosts the chances of getting those Bloodletter resets. If you're lucky enough, you'll get two resets between GCDs which is, for lack of a more subtle word, orgasmic.

Good luck, Saseal! May your arrows fly true!

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500+ DPS on opener isn't too good, though. I assume that number is in a party (a.k.a fully buffed). Also, I don't see why you wouldn't use potions on that opener, it's a really big part of your damage on opener.
Just an advice, read the link Krietor posted. I do over 800+ openings unbuffed, and usually do much more with Disembowel/Trick Attack/PT Buff/Food.

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Originally Posted by Inkin

500+ DPS on opener isn't too good, though. I assume that number is in a party (a.k.a fully buffed). Also, I don't see why you wouldn't use potions on that opener, it's a really big part of your damage on opener.
Just an advice, read the link Krietor posted. I do over 800+ openings unbuffed, and usually do much more with Disembowel/Trick Attack/PT Buff/Food.

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Depends on how many seconds have passed. Usually we want to see how long the burst can be sustained. If we are referring to first 10-15s / peak DPS number as shown in ACT, BRDs right now can hit 1000 mark (with the right conditions).

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

Depends on how many seconds have passed. Usually we want to see how long the burst can be sustained. If we are referring to first 10-15s / peak DPS number as shown in ACT, BRDs right now can hit 1000 mark (with the right conditions).

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I'm referring to the peak DPS number. And 1000 is certainly not the highest number.

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

Why would you open with both your DoTs not fully buffed?

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The reason why I use this opener is because starting with Straight Shot wastes a potential Bloodletter reset. By opening with Windbite, I've already set myself up to receive the boon of River of Blood's effect. With the Straight Shot opener, you need to get a Straighter Shot proc within 3-4 GCDs. If you don't you are faced with the following options:

1) Reapply it early, wasting potency and TP over a more potent and cost-effective Heavy Shot.
2) Clipping the two DoTs early, which is also a waste of potency and TP.
3) Reapply DoTs without Straight Shot up, which defeats the purpose of the opener in the first place.

On top of that, with the opener I provided you have all of your buffs up when you have to reapply your DoTs. With the traditional Straight Shot opener, to stack your buffs and get the most out of your DoTs, you would have to hold them all for long enough that you'd end up losing your DPS. From another angle, if you were weaving in your cooldowns as soon as possible, you would only have some buffs up for the first set of DoTs, and some buffs up for your second set. It's not as good as having all of your buffs up for the second set and none for the first.

That is why I open with Windbite instead of Straight Shot. I used to use that opener, but after changing it to the one I use now I've seen greater improvement in my numbers. Most of all, it feels a lot more fluid to me since everything in that opener just synchronizes well. I can crit up to 800+ with Heavy Shot and Bloodletter during the opener, but my DPS is far more sustained throughout the whole fight.

I haven't missed a hit on Kaliya or anytime during T11 as I usually hit the rear on the boss and nodes. It could be higher, but it works and I'm still putting out good numbers.

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Originally Posted by Inkin

500+ DPS on opener isn't too good, though. I assume that number is in a party (a.k.a fully buffed). Also, I don't see why you wouldn't use potions on that opener, it's a really big part of your damage on opener.
Just an advice, read the link Krietor posted. I do over 800+ openings unbuffed, and usually do much more with Disembowel/Trick Attack/PT Buff/Food.

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As Ooshima said, it depends on how long time has transpired in the parse. The static I help out says I sustain some of the best DPS they've seen out of any other BRD before me, and that 500+ DPS number they provided was from at least a minute or two in the fight if my memory serves me correctly. Any longer, it's usually 400+ or a little lower should I make a fumble, had to sing frequently, or got KO'd. As for leaving out the HQ X-DEX pot, that was intentional for those who don't raid or are struggling with gil or materials to get them. If you do have one, it's best to use it after Internal Release and before Barrage in the opener I provided.

Won't bother answering all of that, I'll just tell you to read Krietor's guide, try his opener and see what numbers you get.
Could you also give out parses on things such as FCoB or a 3-minute dummy parse?

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Originally Posted by Inkin

Won't bother answering all of that, I'll just tell you to read Krietor's guide, try his opener and see what numbers you get.
Could you also give out parses on things such as FCoB or a 3-minute dummy parse?

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Why bother replying if you're not going to refute the post I spent time explaining my points? Either properly participate in the discussion, or save yourself some time and don't bother replying at all. What you just said was completely classless and undermines your stance on the issue.

And as much as I would like to refute your points with parses, I am on the PS3 and would have to rely on a PC player to parse for me. It sucks, 'cuz I'd be running parses all day if I could just to see where I stand every time. I'll see if I can get someone to parse for me and I will check out Kriertor's guide once I find it. Once I get two parses featuring both openers, I will post them here.

EDIT: Nevermind, I saw the guide before. My points still stand on the matter, but I will give it another shot otherwise.

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Originally Posted by SlyRoyale

Snip

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Try out the other way. In theory you have valid points there but the opportunity cost exchanged with opening with unbuffed DoTs isn't justified. You are betting on a chance to receive 1 or at most, 2 BL procs with your opener VS guaranteed, more potent DoTs ticking with the chance of more crit ticks form IR.

I'm on PC and I run ACT all the time during raids, and the difference is easily seen. Sometimes after a wipe, one or 2 of my CDs aren't up. For example, after wipe, say my Raging Strikes aren't ready and we decided to go ahead - the burst DPS clearly suffers quite a dent there.

You should definitely try out a rotation where you apply your DoTs buffed.

And nope I don't happen to have the 3 problems you have written there. If you are talking about re-applying a Straight Shot buff without it being a proc, then my point to you is you don't always get to re-apply it proc'd. It's something you eventually have to deal with, and in the opener, the potency/cost suffered without being a proc is rather insignificant compared to a properly opening buff burst with buffed DoTs and the CDs end in tandem with your X-Pot.

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Originally Posted by SlyRoyale

Why bother replying if you're not going to refute the post I spent time explaining my points? Either properly participate in the discussion, or save yourself some time and don't bother replying at all. What you just said was completely classless and undermines your stance on the issue.

And as much as I would like to refute your points with parses, I am on the PS3 and would have to rely on a PC player to parse for me. It sucks, 'cuz I'd be running parses all day if I could just to see where I stand every time. I'll see if I can get someone to parse for me and I will check out Kriertor's guide once I find it. Once I get two parses featuring both openers, I will post them here.

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I said I won't bother answering, simply because Krietor's guide does it for me.
You're talking about greater improvement in your numbers and what not with your opener, but you just said you don't run a parser to see where you stand. I'm saying I would like numbers instead of "I saw improvement!" or "I was told that ... if I remember correctly". I fail to see how you can see improvement without running a parser or someone telling you your numbers precisely.
Thanks for taking the time to write up your thoughts on the matter, though. Will be waiting for your parses. :)

Okay, I had a friend parse both rotations and this is what came out of it.

DoT opener: http://puu.sh/dvtcK.JPG
Krietor's opener: http://puu.sh/dvtHk.JPG

From what can be shown here, the DoT opener is 10DPS stronger while Krietor's opener is spikier. The former would be better in longer fights, while the latter may be better for SCoB-style fights.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, this is with my raid setup I've posted earlier.

One parse doesn't necessarily mean it's superior, not by a long shot. Parsing for optimal rotations literally means nothing as it does not take into account the rng that comes with your standard hit ranges, crit% or the bl proc chance.

For some reason, your DoT opener parsed higher min/max hits than when you used Krietors opener and this is shown in both Auto-Attacks and your out-going abilities. The crit% on both parses are also noticeably varied and your opener also had a lot more hits registered, despite it being a shorter parse, which is odd to say the least. All of these would affect the DPS of the parses.

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Originally Posted by Dervy

(...)and your opener also had a lot more hits registered, despite it being a shorter parse, which is odd to say the least. All of these would affect the DPS of the parses.

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This could be due to Bloodletter procs. As to what caused the spike in DPS toward the end, it could be several procs or buffs comming off cooldown just in time to make the cut.


SlyRoyale, you'd need to run at least 10 parses on each opener and find an average for each to even begin to make a case for either.

Thing is, other bards I've talked to have tried out both openers and the most common finding they've noticed is that the DoT opener is usually 10 DPS greater than Krietor's. It's a small increase, but still an increase that they've noticed. The parses I've posted do not stray from that trend in any significant way.

Not to besmirch Krietor's opener, but it's spike damage would be better suited for fights that ask for it. The DoT opener would be more for endurance-style fights, which is what the FCoB turns are. It's the latter why I prefer opening with DoTs over Straight Shot and the proof shows.

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Originally Posted by SlyRoyale

Okay, I had a friend parse both rotations and this is what came out of it.

DoT opener: http://puu.sh/dvtcK.JPG
Krietor's opener: http://puu.sh/dvtHk.JPG

From what can be shown here, the DoT opener is 10DPS stronger while Krietor's opener is spikier. The former would be better in longer fights, while the latter may be better for SCoB-style fights.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, this is with my raid setup I've posted earlier.

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As people have already pointed out:

1 parse each doesn't show anything at all. You need a large number of parse, averaged, and compared

Even with this single parse I can safely conclude that your DoT opening have lost. The DoT opening have a 42% crit vs 36% crit on the other, which is a 6% advantage, and you have 11 more swings in 13s. Assuming you have some 2.40ish GCD that means in this 13s you could probably fired 5 more GCD skills, which leads to an estimate that you have about 8 more BL proc than the other opener. The DPS-over-time graph shows that you kind of "cheated" with your DoT opener because you have used Hawk's Eye towards the end of the parse. I have done enough parse to know that around 3:10 ish mark, plus minus a bit depending on how you open, you should have Hawk's Eye back up. Your DoT opener parse is 3:29s and the spike at the end proves that you have used Hawk's Eye. The other parse does not show this spike.

FYI, Hawk Eye's when timed properly to refresh DoT buffs could very well jack up your DPS by 20ish mark at current gear level temporary. Again, this is quite clear in your graph. The other opener dies at 190s ish mark. Your DoT opener also shows a decline in 190s ish mark, but due to your use of Hawk's Eye and extended parse, DPS at that point in time spiked from slightly under 400 to a peak of just under 750 over 20s.

A rough estimate, assuming the peak was at 740, and at the 190s mark it is approximately 380, the difference is 360. To simplify it, I will take that area as a triangle (it is actually more of a bell shape). 1/2 x 20 x 360 = 3,600 => You have approximately dealt about 3,600 more damage to the dummy over that 20s. Your total pull time is 210s, so 3,600/210 = 17.14 DPS. Do note that this is an underestimated value because I simply took that area as a triangle instead of a bell, which actually have a larger area. Which means the total DPS gain over that 20s could very well be at 20ish mark. This tallies with my experience as mentioned above.

Given that you had more BL proc swings, 6% higher crit rate advantage and the fact that you used Hawk's Eye at the end of the parse, your DPS should be much more higher. I would give an estimate that you should be at least 25DPS points higher. However, your parse shows you only had 10 points advantage.

10 - 25 = -15 => The actual fact is that your DoT opener based on this case is actually 15 points weaker, not 10 points stronger.

You missed another point of the opener. Krietor's opener is based on spike damage, whereas the DoT opener guarantees full strength of the second set of DoTs. This means the DoT opener is better for sustaining high damage over longer periods of time, whereas Krietor's spikes and drops off. In the long run, that would result in lower DPS. Also, your estimate still misses a vital point: while it may be -15DPS weaker than it should be as you claim, it is still stronger than Krietor's in the long run.

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Originally Posted by SlyRoyale

You missed another point of the opener. Krietor's opener is based on spike damage, whereas the DoT opener guarantees full strength of the second set of DoTs. This means the DoT opener is better for sustaining high damage over longer periods of time, whereas Krietor's spikes and drops off. In the long run, that would result in lower DPS. Also, your estimate still misses a vital point: while it may be -15DPS weaker than it should be as you claim, it is still stronger than Krietor's in the long run.

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I'm not using Krietor's opener BTW, I have my own set of opener after my own series of tests and speaking/exploring with some of my FC BRDs who really excels in the job (they achieved server firsts). I briefly read Krietor's guide but I don't really agree with it. My opener ensure full strength of my DoTs with X-pot right from the start, without any clipping. Krietor's guide deploys the same concept of opening with buffed DoTs but he suggests to clip at around 6s which is a waste of DPS.

With regards to your statement, it's not correct because BRD's long term DPS stabilizes after 1 min in general, after the first cycle of your CDs, unless you are lucky with crit hits and BL procs you might sustain 500 plus minus DPS for 2 mins max. Refer to the DPS-over-time graph and you can see that after the 30th sec mark the graph area and pattern are pretty much the same. There's isn't any variation after that, because BRDs doesn't have combos.

As a comparison, when patch 2.4 just came out not long ago, I did a series of test with my crafted gear and Nexus. IL was 106, with 40+% crit rate, 3mins parse without using the refreshed Hawk's Eye at the end, I was able to get 44X on dummy reliably (half of the time). Lower end parse was about 435 ish if BL proc sucks.

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

I briefly read Krietor's guide but I don't really agree with it. My opener ensure full strength of my DoTs with X-pot right from the start, without any clipping. Krietor's guide deploys the same concept of opening with buffed DoTs but he suggests to clip at around 6s which is a waste of DPS.

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Well, at least we can agree that the clipping is a DPS loss. However, something about all of this is seriously nagging at me. It doesn't add up. It appears that while I'm focusing on sustained damage, the rest of you are more focused on spike damage. If you ask me, I don't believe that's a good basis to go by.

Would it be alright if you post your opener? If not here, I'm available on Steam throughout most of the day. My Steam ID is the same as my SE ID here.

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Originally Posted by SlyRoyale

Well, at least we can agree that the clipping is a DPS loss. However, something about all of this is seriously nagging at me. It doesn't add up. It appears that while I'm focusing on sustained damage, the rest of you are more focused on spike damage. If you ask me, I don't believe that's a good basis to go by.

Would it be alright if you post your opener? If not here, I'm available on Steam throughout most of the day. My Steam ID is the same as my SE ID here.

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Unfortunately I'm not on Steam (nor use it) so I can't be there.

Anyways I don't think there's really a thing called spike/sustained for BRD. Eventually it comes down to the application of buffs and ensuring that your DoTs are always buffed when possible, and a priority system. We don't have a large standard deviation in our damage range and what causes the most deviation is BL procs.

However, what makes a significant difference here is that in an actual battle, like coil, you have to incorporate X-Pot usage into your buff rotation and opener. In your DoT opener, it is a waste of X-Pot time because aren't fully abusing it. If you are trying to do those things and "spreading things out" for so called "sustained damage" then you aren't maximizing your pot. That is why you will see top end game bards deploy an opener that allows them to dump the most amount of damage possible from the start, fully utilizing the X-Pot buff. The most ideal situation is having Raging Strikes, IR , Hawk's Eye and BfB up for the entire duration of the X-Pot, fully abusing it and hoping that you get BL procs and Straighter Shot procs. For me, if I get lucky with procs during openers, I may very well be floating around 480-510 ish range with the crappy IL120 bow and around IL113ish gears for 1.5 mins to 2 mins into the fight before normalizing.

As a side talk, can't wait to get the Yoichi Bow and see more pewpewpew. No intention to upgrade the Magitek Bow, just going to use twine for armor.

Monday i saw my first 4 numbers damage :D

http://puu.sh/dxp8R/953e2c94e3.png

Poor Bennu, he suffered all my bufs up ;...;

]----[

About upgrade the ironwork bow i think the same.

Priority is other dps than me and i prefer upgrade boots or helm

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Originally Posted by rappa

Monday i saw my first 4 numbers damage :D

http://puu.sh/dxp8R/953e2c94e3.png

Poor Bennu, he suffered all my bufs up ;...;

]----[

About upgrade the ironwork bow i think the same.

Priority is other dps than me and i prefer upgrade boots or helm

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I think I met you before in one of the Snowcloak/EXDR runs (I was farming for relic drops lol)

And yeap I took my twine to upgrade my boots, screw the weapon.

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

Unfortunately I'm not on Steam (nor use it) so I can't be there.

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Damn. Would it be possible to make an alt on Tonberry and ask you there, or would that be too much of a hassle? I'd like to get to the bottom of this and see every single piece of evidence I can gather on which opener is stronger (yours or the DoT, since Krietor's isn't that good). A parse or two from your end is welcome, but I'm the kind of person who wants to experience things for their own.

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

The most ideal situation is having Raging Strikes, IR , Hawk's Eye and BfB up for the entire duration of the X-Pot, fully abusing it and hoping that you get BL procs and Straighter Shot procs. For me, if I get lucky with procs during openers, I may very well be floating around 480-510 ish range with the crappy IL120 bow and around IL113ish gears for 1.5 mins to 2 mins into the fight before normalizing.

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Hrm, it is my understanding that BRDs can squeeze in two buffs between GCDs pending on their skill speed. If I wanted to make full use of it in my DoT opener, I would have to use Raging Strikes where Blunt Arrow would be used, then pop Blood for Blood and a potion after the next GCD (WB + BL > VB + HE + RS > SS + BfB + pot...). That might result in not using a GCD when you're supposed to due to animation locking from the potion. They're usually hard to weave in, but I imagine that's just a timing issue.

Either way, the sooner I can put this behind me the better. If there's ways to improve my numbers and performance, I will not hesitate to seek them out and challenge them to see where they stand.

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Originally Posted by SlyRoyale

Okay, I had a friend parse both rotations and this is what came out of it.

DoT opener: http://puu.sh/dvtcK.JPG
Krietor's opener: http://puu.sh/dvtHk.JPG

From what can be shown here, the DoT opener is 10DPS stronger while Krietor's opener is spikier. The former would be better in longer fights, while the latter may be better for SCoB-style fights.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, this is with my raid setup I've posted earlier.

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In 13 seconds, you did an extra 11 auto attacks. Since BRD doesn't have a weapon with a 1.18 delay (which would be required to hit 11 extra times in 13 seconds), you must have used Barrage. Your current Lodestone profile shows an Artemis Bow Nexus with 3.28 delay. The math says that in those 13 seconds, you got 3 shots boosted by Barrage (9 attacks) and 2 shots not boosted (2 attacks), totaling 11 extra auto-attacks. And since Hawk's Eye and Barrage are usually used in conjunction, it would surprise me not at all to find out that you also used that right at the end.

So, no, your opening most likely doesn't do better DPS. Sorry.

Yes, I used Barrage at the end. It should've shown up in the Straight Shot opener, but it was either cut off too early or the DoT parse should've been cut at the same point. *sigh* This is why SE should have a built-in parser. That way, console players can measure their DPS themselves. As much as I want to present many parses, I would have to ask a PC friend to humour me for a good length of time and I don't like to impose.

Still, Krietor's opener encourages clipping, which is a waste of TP and potency. It would still be a weaker opening, and that is the matter at hand.

EDIT: You also didn't read through the thread. In the very post you quoted, I used my raid setup, which I posted in the first page with an Ariyala link. Here is the link again.

hello. i am really digging this thread. and have always thought BRD to be the most boring damage to play. plus the simplest. then without any combos i never considered an actual rotation. though am always trying to best utilize my buffs and such. but this thread is a real eye-opener. thank you everyone!

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Originally Posted by SlyRoyale

Still, Krietor's opener encourages clipping, which is a waste of TP and potency. It would still be a weaker opening, and that is the matter at hand.

EDIT: You also didn't read through the thread. In the very post you quoted, I used my raid setup, which I posted in the first page with an Ariyala link. Here is the link again.

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I do avoid his opening in general, as I don't like the clipping; that much we can agree on. Whether that truly makes it weaker, though, is a different matter. Especially if, as he mentions in his guide, TA buff is up when you clip, I can see how it might tip the scales in favor of clipping (but I'm too lazy to math it out).

As for the raid setup. . .not really sure why you posted that, as it doesn't change anything I said. >_>

Going by the Lodestone can be unreliable at times due to either slow update times or characters being on jobs other than their main role. That's my main gripe against it.

As for reposting the setup, I'm anal about the little details. Or rather, I'm getting frustrated that I'm providing evidence and parses to back up my case while people are telling me I'm wrong and are just dissecting what I'm bringing to the table instead of also showing evidence in favour of their case. It's honestly pissing me off and I want to see exactly where and why one rotation is better than the other. So far, I have ideas based on what was previously stated but that is not enough for me. I want to see the picture as a whole before scrutinizing over every little detail.

I used the krietor's guide, but with my gear, i must change my rotation to fit it against bosses or mechanics, also my gear too, because skill speed is a dead weight :/.

These are pretty noobish questions, but I'd like to know for sure..

Battle Voice.. Do you have to use this before you start singing for the effect, or can you use BV while a song is being played to gain the effect as well?

I tend to BV first then sing, but this wastes a couple of seconds, just wondering if that's what you are supposed to do not..

Second noobish question..

Straight Shot procs.. If you get a lot of these it's a real drain on TP.. Should they be popped everytime until TP is an issue or right before you're about to lose the proc.. I kinda do it both ways depending on the fight.. Just trying to find general consensus on this.

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Originally Posted by whiskeybravo

These are pretty noobish questions, but I'd like to know for sure..

Battle Voice.. Do you have to use this before you start singing for the effect, or can you use BV while a song is being played to gain the effect as well?

I tend to BV first then sing, but this wastes a couple of seconds, just wondering if that's what you are supposed to do not..

Second noobish question..

Straight Shot procs.. If you get a lot of these it's a real drain on TP.. Should they be popped everytime until TP is an issue or right before you're about to lose the proc.. I kinda do it both ways depending on the fight.. Just trying to find general consensus on this.

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Use BV after you sing, for the same reason you stated ^^ (to save those seconds)

As for procs, I just pop them every time it comes up - it's extra DPS that is <3 (esp when the proc spams itself o_o). You can always sing Army's Paeon to get your own TP back (I do). I think the general consensus is the same, but I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth (it's just so much that I've gathered)

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Originally Posted by Ooshima

Unfortunately I'm not on Steam (nor use it) so I can't be there. Anyways I don't think there's really a thing called spike/sustained for BRD. Eventually it comes down to the application of buffs and ensuring that your DoTs are always buffed when possible, and a priority system. We don't have a large standard deviation in our damage range and what causes the most deviation is BL procs.

However, what makes a significant difference here is that in an actual battle, like coil, you have to incorporate X-Pot usage into your buff rotation and opener. In your DoT opener, it is a waste of X-Pot time because aren't fully abusing it. If you are trying to do those things and "spreading things out" for so called "sustained damage" then you aren't maximizing your pot. That is why you will see top end game bards deploy an opener that allows them to dump the most amount of damage possible from the start, fully utilizing the X-Pot buff.ve seen it, and I've been interested for awhile. The most ideal situation is having Raging Strikes, IR , Hawk's Eye and BfB up for the entire duration of the X-Pot, fully abusing it and hoping that you get BL procs and Straighter Shot procs. For me, if I get lucky with procs during openers, I may very well be floating around 480-510 ish range with the crappy IL120 bow and around IL113ish gears for 1.5 mins to 2 mins into the fight before normalizing.

As a side talk, can't wait to get the Yoichi Bow and see more pewpewpew. No intention to upgrade the Magitek Bow, just going to use twine for armor.

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Have you ever posted your opener? I don't think I've seen it, and I'm curious what it is.

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Originally Posted by AkashiXI

Have you ever posted your opener? I don't think I've seen it, and I'm curious what it is.

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This.

If one is going to claim that one opener is weaker than the other, the least they can do is provide their opener so other BRDs can see the differences for themselves.