Ifrit Archer positioning tips.

Been doing a ton of ifrit runs as Archer this weekend. Haven't seen anyone post anything like this so here goes.

In the first pic you see a dark dot to my right. Thats your reference point. If you stand around where I am you will not get hit by plumes. Only thing you need to worry about here is eruptions and dashes.

In the second pic,you should see 2 humps with dark cracks near the edge. Those spots are safe from dashes. They are much closer to you than the tank or mage safe spots.

We are currently trying having the THM's stand in this spot to help keep eruptions off the healers. We have not won yet, but we are surviving hellfire.

See below for the strategy we were using.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...5-04-56-86.png

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...5-08-06-13.png

Why can't you just stand in the safe spot with the mages?

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Originally Posted by Meow_Zedong

Why can't you just stand in the safe spot with the mages?

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Less chance of eruptions hitting them.

Edit: if all DD were ranged, eruptions on mages would be very low.

Just get mages that are smart enough to dodge. They should be anyway.

The mages would just stand with the DDs if it wasn't an issue. They need to be ready to heal as much as possible, not dodging eruptions.

How's it going everyone!

First off, If you don't like the strategy, please continue using your own. No need to troll ours. This is a strategy that we developed while attempting the 1.20 Ifrit. This strategy has gotten us through countless hellfires, with only eruption dodging after recovery being our issue after hellfire.

Ideal party is 2 CNJ, 1 GLA, and 5 THM or ARC. Standing at this position Nightpanda has posted allows the DDs to avoid Ifrits smaller AOE burst, allowing the CNJs to concentrate on healing the tank and themselves. Not being hit by each AOE burst allows the DDs to concentrate on damage and pacing to not suffer animation lock when eruptions pop up. A very important trick I learned while playing CNJ was that canceling a cast while running does not suffer from animation lock. This saved me countless times when I would have been hit. It seemed to help our other CNJs that cycled in as well.

GLA is staying in same spot, as close to the fire border as possible. We are taking out 3 nails (best case) but we have had no survivability issues with 2 nails and being fully healed and buffed (Sentinel minimum, Rampart and Sanguine Rite help). After killing the nails, gather together at either the back, the middle spot, or the dead center. After buffing, anyone with Sacred Prism and Cure start casting it right away. CNJs both heal up tank, then one CNJ helps clean up the DD's damage.

A benefit yet downside of this is that nearly every eruption will hit the DD group. If a DD escapes successfully, they prepare a heal for anyone who might still be in the eruption.

Priority for DDs in order: Position>Full HP>Raise>Damage. Benefits to call out who is going to raise.
Priority of raise/heal is GLA, CNJ, DDs (of course)

I'm happy to answer any questions, I was party leader and strategist for most if not all of the runs. This is a confirmed plausible strategy, we just need more ARCs, and a party that doesn't swap out members every 4 or 5 tries.

I'd like to see if anyone else has tried this approach.

lol not trolling at all, I was asking a legitimate question. I see no problem with this strategy, just wondering why it was necessary.

And mages get eruptions from time to time no matter what. If you think they don't need to learn how to dodge them, I feel sorry for you.

No, they definitively need to know how to dodge. But positioning any DD by the healers just adds unnecessary risk to the rest of the group.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nightpanda2810

We are currently trying having the THM's stand in this spot to help keep eruptions off the healers. We have not won yet, but we are surviving hellfire.

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why are you giving us strategy where you have yet to succeed?

Come back when you find one that works please

They are happy to share their experience. Winning or losing isn't what's important. We can discuss about this strategy, say what we think is good or what they do wrong. This thread is far more interesting than all the complaints ones because it's constructive. Not just a rage cry one minute after the patch release saying everything is wrong without testing further.

My Linkshell tried with Archer too this week-end.

So Quick Nock without buffs was better than Chaos Thrust with buffs. First problem, it's 3 minutes recast against 1.33 minute for Chaos Thrust so it's mandatory to use it with Keen Flurry.
We were sticking with the other DD's, move a bit back to start combo then return near the DD's to lauch Quick Nock.
Second problem, Light Shot animation lock needs more timing.

I'm sure it's worth using Archer but we need to try again because it takes time to get used to another class playstyle on Ifrit runs. But once I master it I'm 100% sure it's really a good DD for this. Only tried once then switched back to Lancers. Took a few runs to relearn everything and time combos then it went all wins again.

EDIT: By the way, Raging Strike + Blood for Blood + Barrage is an extra Quick Nock while waiting for recast.

Yep, Archer is now pretty good for the fight. I was also using the Bloodletter combo instead of Quick Nock, as it's easier to manage since I can just stand behind the melee all the time.

The main problem with the fight now is that, for whatever reason I can't exactly describe, Ifrit became such a pain after Hellfire.

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Originally Posted by AdvancedWind

The main problem with the fight now is that, for whatever reason I can't exactly describe, Ifrit became such a pain after Hellfire.

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Yea need to stop using combos after Hellfire and wait for your highest damage weapon skills to load, save TP's for those and burn him when you can with that single move.

We got him from 15% HP to 0 in less than 3 minutes doing this. Combos are just too risky at this point (espacially the rear > side Lancer one)

What helps is having your tank breaking a horn during the fight. He has plenty of time to do it so it may not be a problem. This way Ifrit won't have that much regen and it will be easier to down him.

EDIT: We had mages nuking during this time too.

EDIT 2:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AdvancedWind

I can just stand behind the melee all the time

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How did it go? We did that at start but when Eruption popped under the Archers and the other DD's, it was too hard for the low range DD's to avoid it. They always got caught in our Eruption since we were a little further back. And they couldn't run to the sides toward mages.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thanos

why are you giving us strategy where you have yet to succeed?

Come back when you find one that works please

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Because he's giving tips for archer's since before patch they were never invited to parties. DUH

Instead of being a complete dick, why don't you just not comment at all?


thanks OP. I will definately tell my archer friend about this. She partied with us but never had a perfect spot to DD from.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Seyra

Yea need to stop using combos after Hellfire and wait for your highest damage weapon skills to load, save TP's for those and burn him when you can with that single move.

We got him from 15% HP to 0 in less than 3 minutes doing this. Combos are just too risky at this point (espacially the rear > side Lancer one)

What helps is having your tank breaking a horn during the fight. He has plenty of time to do it so it may not be a problem. This way Ifrit won't have that much regen and it will be easier to down him.

EDIT: We had mages nuking during this time too.

EDIT 2:

How did it go? We did that at start but when Eruption popped under the Archers and the other DD's, it was too hard for the low range DD's to avoid it. They always got caught in our Eruption since we were a little further back. And they couldn't run to the sides toward mages.

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There's a pretty huge plume gap behind the melees, if you stand as far as possible from Ifrit using that gap, I believe eruptions against the archers won't hit them and you can do the combos just fine. Or, at least, the melees in my group never complained about being hit by eruptions aimed at us. I will try to take a pic next time I do Ifrit as archer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AdvancedWind

I will try to take a pic next time I do Ifrit as archer.

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Ok thank you =)

Our problem was when Eruption popped under the Archers and the melees at the same time. Melees were trapped between the mages and our Eruption and couldn't run anywhere. If they run to the side they bring Eruption to the mages, if they run to the back they get trapped in the Eruption that we Archer have under us.

I greatly appreciate the advice and am glad people are starting to respect Archer again! Thank you!

I believe that the spot where the archers stand can be moved back a bit if needed, that might aid in the close DDs not getting hit by eruptions.

Also confirmed that the spot is also good for THM. Had a GLA/CNJ/CNJ/THMx5 group go in with CNJs to the sides, and a THM group testing out the same ARC spot, and it worked out perfectly. If all of the THMs were there, our CNJs would have lived, and our GLA was slightly noobish so he got us killed. Tomorrow I will confirm this strategy if it kills me!

Also, it seems the JP players have also discovered the spot, so it must be at least partly viable. I'll have to watch for that spot AdvancedWind spoke about :)

Yea i have taken the melee bitch seat before as thm. it works but its hell on the mp pool.

I personally stand near the right mage spot (the rock), further down on a specific marked grass patch. It is at the limit of the archer's range, out of reach of Vulcan blast thing, does not overlap with the mages with eruption, it is safe for plumes too. Only have to move 4 steps near the circle when Ifrit jumps (one 1 direction may hit me, sometimes not at all, it depends on where I stand on the grass patch). So, it's very safe even if you are stuck in animation lock.

The only tricky part is if Ifrit does multiple eruption on both me and the right spot mages. Then the mages have to move to the center then further down, while I move to the circle of fire then further down to prevent MPK.

There is plenty of good spots for archer, just have to keep your eyes open and search what is best for you! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Seyra

They are happy to share their experience. Winning or losing isn't what's important. We can discuss about this strategy, say what we think is good or what they do wrong. This thread is far more interesting than all the complaints ones because it's constructive. Not just a rage cry one minute after the patch release saying everything is wrong without testing further.

My Linkshell tried with Archer too this week-end.

So Quick Nock without buffs was better than Chaos Thrust with buffs. First problem, it's 3 minutes recast against 1.33 minute for Chaos Thrust so it's mandatory to use it with Keen Flurry.
We were sticking with the other DD's, move a bit back to start combo then return near the DD's to lauch Quick Nock.
Second problem, Light Shot animation lock needs more timing.

I'm sure it's worth using Archer but we need to try again because it takes time to get used to another class playstyle on Ifrit runs. But once I master it I'm 100% sure it's really a good DD for this. Only tried once then switched back to Lancers. Took a few runs to relearn everything and time combos then it went all wins again.

EDIT: By the way, Raging Strike + Blood for Blood + Barrage is an extra Quick Nock while waiting for recast.

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I don't know if you know this yet, but B4B only effects the first hit of multi hits like Quick Nock, Chaos/Simian Thrust, RoH, Godsbane, Barrage. I'd save it for Wide Volley or Bloodletter in these cases.

Yes I know it but at the time I posted the comment you quoted I kept using it. I had read it from the Patch Notes but I was still in a post-update testing phase. Thank you though =)

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Originally Posted by Scytale

I greatly appreciate the advice and am glad people are starting to respect Archer again! Thank you!

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I find this kinda funny as Moogle fight is "archer only" and other jobs are crying that they won't get in parties over archers lol

Pugilists might have their moment of glory coming =)

A former member of my Linkshell tried it and is affirmative, the fight is much more easier with full burning Pugilists.

Well i've been killing this guy for quite some time and i can assure you that having mages in 2 spots is the best way, altought your strategy could be a good one, well the strategy that we've been using is to have healers and casters on both sides, so if a crack spawns in one place the other healer can cast without trouble.

After hellfire theres gonna be a lot of cracks i think six or something close, well if you have people spread too much the cracks will spawn everywhere, in the strategy we use the cracks may appear at the back of ifrit with melees making a corridor to the back so u can skip it without involving mages, the other way that those cracks appear is in both sides of the area (where healers and mages are) so melees can stay put doing dmg and healers and casters can eveade those cracks quicker and have lesser cracks on their sides making the run shorter so they can go back and cure the tank.

The most important thing is after hellfire keep your tank fully healed all the times so when these cracks appear he has enough hp to stay alive while your healers get back to their spot.

Well about plumes with this strategy only melees have to evade those if they're not close to the tank, mages get a safe spot all the time so your caster and healers should only focus on cracks.

But feel free to do it the way you feel like it.