Impulse Drive?

So, I'm looking at this skill... and I don't see it's point. Compare it to the True / Vorpal combo you already have by the time you learn the skill. Two hits, and you've done 350 damage instead of 360, and spent 130 TP instead of 140 TP. Very slightly more damage, for slightly more TP. Not exactly exciting, but probably worth it if you're tank is semi-competant.

But when you get Full Thrust, it goes out the window. In three hits, you've done 650 damage for 190 TP instead of 540 for 210 TP. Significantly less damage for a bit more TP. As such, Impulse Drive seems very situational. Sure, if you can't score in three hits in a row without needing to use some other Weaponskill that would interupt the chain, it's better, but you only need to have two dedicated attacks in a row to perform the True / Vorpal combo which is roughly equivalent, and may set you up for MUCH more damage.

Am I simply missing something here?

1000 character limit? Sheesh, stingy. Meant to put this with original post.

Also, what exactly constitutes a 'Flank'. Obviously, it doesn't mean attacking an enemy from his flank, as this doesn't work in solo fights. I'm guessing it means you have to have an ally on the opposite side of the enemy as you? Do you then need to attack the enemy from behind, or is it enough merely to be flanking the enemy with an ally, even if he's facing you. And, as far as I can tell, it HAS to be an ally, random strangers in a FATE group don't count. Am I correct in all of this?

Impulse Drive chains into other skills later.

Also, you could look up what the word flank actually means and answer the question yourself.


Edit: And you can bypass the 1000 character limit by editing your post.

1. Spamming ID is, in fact, higher DPS than True + Vorpal, so at that point in time, ID spam is worth it.

2. True + Vorpal + Full is, as you say, superior to ID. When you FT, you stop using ID ... until ...

3. At level what, 44 and 50 or so you get Disembowel and Chaos Thrust which chain off of Impulse Drive. These attacks are rather good attacks. The ID-DE-CT chain is excellent.

4. Flank (I assume you are referring to Heavy Thrust) means you are attacking the target from the side.

4a. This is usually applicable to encounters with multiple players where you get easy access to the enemy's side.

4b. You can consistently get flank attacks while soloing if you move quickly.

I know what the word flank means. It can mean any of a number of things. The enemies back, an attack on both SIDES, an attack on an enemy from behind who is pre-occupied with a frontal assault. These are all regular uses of the term, and all make sense in game terms, since all involve attacking an enemy in a position they are less apt to defend from. However, I don't think it's referring to all of them. Furthermore, having tested, I don't think it can be done without at least one party member, since I've tried each version with people in FATE groups.

As far as Impulse Drive goes, I see it now. I'm just surprised they don't show up until so late.

Its because the game introduces you to more and more complicated rotations as you get higher level. You really don't start getting into the truly complex rotations until 46+ (specifically 50) for DRG

Ah thanks, easy mode. Guess I screwed up each time I tried a 'solo side attack', which is part of the reason I asked, I wasn't certain if I was doing it right. Also, Impulse spamming is better, just not by a whole lot, and probably ends up worse on the (extremely rare, admittedly) occassions where TP limits are an actual concern. Overall though, it's a very minor improvement on what you already have, and it seemed to me like it should be a little bit more impactful, or get it's combo abilities sooner.

Ah well, at least I know I wasn't missing anything in the 'immediate' sense. Just that the wiki I've been using isn't as informative as it should be.

Is there a good FFXIV wiki out yet?

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Originally Posted by Sines

I know what the word flank means.

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Apparently not. Flank = sides. Always. Period.

Well, I got my answers, but to avoid making extra topics, I got a quickie. What exactly is the XP bonus for having higher level classes? I like to move around on all my classes (all combat classes are at least 15, at this point), and I want to know what I'm getting for focusing on one class. Having reached level 30, and gotten the chocobo as an ally, I believe I've gained all the 'discrete' things that can benefit lower level classes. If it's a 1% bonus to XP per level the highest level class is ahead of me, I'm not too worried, but bigger bonuses might make me focus on beating the game as one class, then trying everything else.

EDIT: Daily post limit? Aww, c'mon, Square, I've paid for your game!

Anyway, this was to go below Alexanders post.

Fair enough, while some quick searches had flank referring to sides, I never saw anything in them that referred to 'left or right side' specifically, and since side could refer to the 'back side' just as well, I really wasn't too certain.

Also, 10 or 4 doesn't make sense, as they're not at mirror positions on the clock :D I'm guessing you meant 10-8 or 2-4, since those represent the quarters of the clock on the side, and based on the empty quarter circle that represents an enemies back, I'm guessing that front, left, right and behind are divided into quadrants.

EDIT DUE TO POST LIMITS

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Originally Posted by ChaozK

Its a 50% exp bonus, so definitely pretty huge.

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I think that's what I'm getting now though. So it doesn't matter how much higher leveled, just that you have one higher level class, whether that highest level class is 10 or 50? No worries to rush a single class to 50 then.

Flank = Sides, always.

You have to put yourself at the 10 or 4 of your enemy if the pointing of him is 12. That way you have to move a little to get HT up, then go for ID-Dis-CT and then for the TTT.

Impulse Drive is good, Disembowel and Chaos Trust are musts. (Besides Chaos Trust is the best looking skill of our arsenal and is how most of our skills should look, Burmecian Dragoon Freya would be proud of it)

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Originally Posted by Sines

Ah thanks, easy mode. Guess I screwed up each time I tried a 'solo side attack', which is part of the reason I asked, I wasn't certain if I was doing it right.

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You can easily tell with Heavy Thrust because you will see the floating text "+Heavy Thrust" (the damage buff) when you are successful. In addition, the buff will appear/refresh on your buff panel.

The main issue when flanking while soloing is that the mob positions and directions on-screen are delayed from the server by a significant chunk of lag. What is on-screen is around ~1.0 seconds behind the server.

In order to consistently hit a target from the side, solo, you need to jacknife to the side almost behind the target (say, 140 degrees if your starting position is 0). In the 0.1 seconds it takes for you to move, the target will usually rotate like 40 degrees, but the turn won't show on your screen until after you attack.

There was a good diagram in one of the Monk threads on this forum, but I don't remember which.

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or get it's combo abilities sooner.

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Yes you acquire DE and CT obnoxiously late. It's a ridiculous span of levels where it's nothing but TTT spam.

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Originally Posted by Sines

Well, I got my answers, but to avoid making extra topics, I got a quickie. What exactly is the XP bonus for having higher level classes? I like to move around on all my classes (all combat classes are at least 15, at this point), and I want to know what I'm getting for focusing on one class. Having reached level 30, and gotten the chocobo as an ally, I believe I've gained all the 'discrete' things that can benefit lower level classes. If it's a 1% bonus to XP per level the highest level class is ahead of me, I'm not too worried, but bigger bonuses might make me focus on beating the game as one class, then trying everything else.

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Its a 50% exp bonus, so definitely pretty huge.

The only time where going for Vorpal Thrust combo before lvl 26 is worth it is when you wanna set up the biggest crit you can with life surge. So once every 90 seconds you should do one rotation of that to maximize damage. Otherwise, yes, ID spam ftw. I just got Full Thrust recently though and that blows everything out of the water indeed.



On the matter of flanking when solo, just use Leg Sweep to stun the enemy in place then walk to their side and do Heavy Thrust while they remain stunned (you have 2 seconds) and you should have the buff.

Yah, the Leg Sweep + Heavy Thrust combo I figured out, and it's pretty handy for soloing. Getting in the Heavy Thrust to start the fight off isn't too hard either.

I'd disagree about using the Vorpal Thrust combo before level 26. Each hit of ID does 5 more damage compared to the average damage of the combo. However, if for whatever reason you fail to do it, you've lost 75 damage. That means if you miss it as often as 1 in 15 times, you're coming out behind. Even assuming a perfect tank, there's still AoE dodging that can throw you off. And that's assuming a perfect tank.

Just not worth the risk, in my opinion. It's biggest selling point is not so much the extra damage, but the ability to 'interrupt' your combos to place in a non-combo move. Once you use True Thrust, you're kinda locked in on what your next attack is, and can't drop a Straight Shot or Heavy Thrust. Sadly, ID will sit on the sideline until I get it's follow up moves, even without Full Thrust.

Oh, and I tried to mention this in an edit because of the posting limit, but I guess it wasn't seen. What is the exact condition for gaining the 50% "Higher level class" bonus? Is it merely enough that you have a single combat class at a higher level than your current one, and you get the full 50%?

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Originally Posted by Sines

Oh, and I tried to mention this in an edit because of the posting limit, but I guess it wasn't seen. What is the exact condition for gaining the 50% "Higher level class" bonus? Is it merely enough that you have a single combat class at a higher level than your current one, and you get the full 50%?

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I believe your highest class needs to be 2 levels above, so If you have a 50, you get 50% bonus on any others until you hit 48. I could be mistaken and it's any time you're lower though, not 100% sure.

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Originally Posted by Sines

I'd disagree about using the Vorpal Thrust combo before level 26. [...] if you miss it as often as 1 in 15 times, you're coming out behind. Even assuming a perfect tank, there's still AoE dodging that can throw you off. And that's assuming a perfect tank.

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I look at it from a strategic perspective: it's a good opportunity to practice l2attackfrombehind (and l2 compensate for the poor FF14 positional latency) while you're at a level where nothing matters.

Not really super concerned about min-maxing dps at level 20 or w/e.