Turn 4 - Summoner Mana Question

[xxalucard]

I also am not using contagion on the bugs, I prefer to use it for double dotting purposes (adds are dying before it's benefit would even kick in in most cases).

Ah, you're right about that. I also don't use it on the bugs-- it's a habit for me to mentally associate Miasma 2 with contagion, since in most situations that's the double tap part of my rotation where I use both simultaneously. Editing that part of the post

It's more DPS to continually(and wait to) use Fester. If you don't need the MP, don't use ED. The only fight I use ED on is Turn 5. Turn 4 runs me tight, but I don't need to use ED.

How is it more DPS to do nothing while waiting for the GCD?

If I just used fester, then that means I can't fester again for 10 seconds. Ruin 1 ~ Ruin 2 ~ Energy Drain is more DPS than just Ruin 1 ~ Ruin 2. It's an extra attack man, and it's DURING the GCD downtime before you can use ruin 1 (or any spell) again.

Sure, it may not be that much DPS, but it IS more dps on whatever single target your attacking during a burst phase...especially if you can Aetherflow before that next fester is off CD again. Really don't know how you can say 3 attacks is less DPS than 2...

If you don't end a fight low on mp as a SMN you're not doing as good dps as you could be. Considering that doing your best dps rotation will slowly drain you over time, if you end a fight at full mp you didn't manage your resources properly and wasted dps opportunities. Try to find a balance between spending and preserving mp to make sure you get the most out of your abilities.

While this is correct in theory, it's wrong in reality depending on the boss fight and it's mechanics.

Fights where the boss physically "jumps" out of the arena (twintania divebomb phase, titan phase jump, ifrit charges, garuda teleport) or you happen to get "imprisoned" (conflag / fireball, dreadknight stun, granite gaul), will lead to portions of the fight where you are gaining more MP because you physically cannot cast any spells on the boss for a certain amount of time. If you happen to aetherflow right before one of these sections, and then aetherflow again soon after, that's a huge MP gain where the amount of MP you have doesn't necessarily reflect the amount of DPS you're doing.

Note that turn 4 has none of these jumps / imprisons, there is constantly an enemy to attack, and there is no mechanic where you have to stop casting in order to dodge (except the occasional pox)-- this is why it's the most MP intensive turn of them all.