Dragoons: A Rotation Reborn

[Sliferx]

So Easymode lets say we're going with HP - IDC - TTT -> HP - TTT - TTT where do you suggest the off-GCD skills to be. Blood for blood, Internal release and PowerSurge-Jump (Leg sweep not good to include in the standard rotation imo)

Is it like (HT - BFB - Ph - PS - ID - Jump - Dis - CT - TT - VT - LS - FT - HT - Ph - IR - TTT TTT)

[Zenmaku]

So Easymode lets say we're going with HP - IDC - TTT -> HP - TTT - TTT where do you suggest the off-GCD skills to be. Blood for blood, Internal release and PowerSurge-Jump (Leg sweep not good to include in the standard rotation imo)

Is it like (HT - BFB - Ph - PS - ID - Jump - Dis - CT - TT - VT - LS - FT - HT - Ph - IR - TTT TTT)

You have to be careful where to place the Jumps because of the long animation time. You want to place it after attacks that let you have more GCD time to be in the air. I'd recommend placing the Jumps after Dis, CT, or FT for minimum time used on the GCD.

Also, Leg sweep is never bad in the standard rotation if you are fighting an enemy where you don't have to time your stuns perfectly (I.E. trash mobs). Extra damage is extra damage, and being off the GCD and a short animation means you can place it after pretty much any attack and not lose GCD time.

[Zenmaku]

Another thing I'd like to point out to some of these rotations. If you really want to maximize DPS against groups of enemies rather than bosses try this ->

HP - RoT - ID - C (on secondary target) - Ph (on secondary target) - TTT (on main target) . I find this to be way higher DPS than simply spamming AOE skills or just focusing a single target. Most of the time you wont get your full use of Chaos Thrust on trash groups anyway unless you put it on a secondary, and Life Break / Internal Release seem to be far more effective with hard hitting single target skills like Full Thrust so you don't want to just spam RoT. However, if you are using HT anyway, RoT's 150x # of mobs potency is quite nice

[EasymodeX]

So Easymode lets say we're going with HP - IDC - TTT -> HP - TTT - TTT where do you suggest the off-GCD skills to be.

As soon as possible when you're confident you'll be in contact with the boss for most of their duration.

Blood for blood, Internal release and PowerSurge-Jump (Leg sweep not good to include in the standard rotation imo)

Is it like (HT - BFB - Ph - PS - ID - Jump - Dis - CT - TT - VT - LS - FT - HT - Ph - IR - TTT TTT)

Sure, although you want to stack BFB and IR (and all cooldowns in general) where possible. The only mentionable observation is that in the initial rotation, your HT, PH, and ID are going to be weaker, so you want to use BFB after the ID (e.g. before you get to your big hits -- Disembowel and CT). Internal Release is a significantly weaker buff than BFB, so you can use it 1 spot before.

Overall that optimization is extremely minor.


In terms of the other discussion on Jump timing, I've noticed that Phlebotomize seems to have a relatively quick animation. Full Thrust seems pretty quick, but I am usually mentally considering the next phase of the rotation (which usually requires repositioning), so Jump doesn't work as well (it fixes my position).

Attack animations (re: OGCDs and Jumps) are probably worth their own entire discussion by themselves.

[Sliferx]

You have to be careful where to place the Jumps because of the long animation time. You want to place it after attacks that let you have more GCD time to be in the air. I'd recommend placing the Jumps after Dis, CT, or FT for minimum time used on the GCD.

I actually place my jump right after FT, usually i do VT - PS - FT - Jump. As for leg sweep i do it whenever its a mob/boss that im allowed to stun if not (like ifrit) then i wont do it.

snip

Thanks ill try doing BFB after ID then, right now i still dont know whether i should go with Fr+Ph or only Ph. Because i got used to the Fr+Ph rotation so i usually do both after a heavy thrust. I'll try the [HP - IDC - TTT -> HP - TTT - TTT] though on titan HM and see how it fairs.

For off-GCD i can do it like this (HT - Ph - ID - BFB - Dis - CT - IR - TT - VT - PS - FT - Jump - HT - Ph - TT - VT - LS - FT TTT)

[Zenmaku]

In terms of the other discussion on Jump timing, I've noticed that Phlebotomize seems to have a relatively quick animation.

Actually this is a good point, when I get off work tonight I'm going to have to try throwing Jumps after Phlebotomize because it does have an incredibly quick animation and see how it does