Letter to all bards about Mages Ballad

[Viridiana]

I just think it's more efficient to sing while tank is running in towards the boss, then do the usual rotation instead of opening up with unbuffed flame arrow - FA works much better after you get at least IR and BfB up.

Last I checked, FA saw no effect from crit chance or Raging Strikes.

[Pellegri]

Last I checked, FA saw no effect from crit chance or Raging Strikes.

That's good then, because if it did gain crit from a 20% dmg buff then something would be wrong :P. Beyond that FA is better to use after you get a dmg buff going that will actually increase it's dot, foes is much better to use the moment the tank starts running into a boss fight so you don't sacrifice time you could also be on the boss casting a song where chances are will still be running when the boss dies(unless a group still kills tonberries for whatever reason in a speedrun, in which case it's no longer a speedrun).

[ziddyt]

That's good then, because if it did gain crit from a 20% dmg buff then something would be wrong :P. Beyond that FA is better to use after you get a dmg buff going that will actually increase it's dot, foes is much better to use the moment the tank starts running into a boss fight so you don't sacrifice time you could also be on the boss casting a song where chances are will still be running when the boss dies(unless a group still kills tonberries for whatever reason in a speedrun, in which case it's no longer a speedrun).

Notice the "or." He's saying Flaming arrow is neither buffed by crit chance (it doesn't crit, or auto-crits, whatever theory you want to throw out there), or Raging Strikes/Damage buffs.
Which is true.

[Kitkat]

Notice the "or." He's saying Flaming arrow is neither buffed by crit chance (it doesn't crit, or auto-crits, whatever theory you want to throw out there), or Raging Strikes/Damage buffs.
Which is true.

There is only one buff that actually increases the damage on Flaming Arrow and that is because it buffs the Dex attribute which the potency is based on....meaning only Hawk's Eye will increase damage. Quick test shows this easily enough, but for fact basics:
Without buffs at 476 dex->79-85 dmg.
With Raging Strikes/Blood for Blood/internal release->78~84.
With only Hawk's Eye at 547 Dex->88-94dmg.

So the only buff that should ever be applied to increase Flaming arrow is Hawk's Eye since it directly affects the attribute that dmg is based on.

On Topic: As a brd it is customary to use songs appropriate to the situation; or to clarify, it isn't outside of the norm to use Foe when the action is taking place and ballad inbetween.

In the comparison of running only ballad instead of swapping between the two (or just using foe):
You can't negate the use of Off-gcd's just because they don't factor into your math, and any brd worth their potential will be using off-gcd for additional damage output.. There is the capability to factor in variables based on approximated activation equations that would give you a surmised probability within a +/- range of error (which even the basic damage equation will have because the variations are already there since no one ever does one static damage per attack, it is always +/- 5~10 dmg).

Additionally, even if you aren't using any DoT to reset Blood letter it would be that much easier to factor it into your math since it is a static reset cycle rather than and approximated one. Same goes for Misery's end.