The Monk Temple Reborn

[Niamh_Rillemaugh]

It's a dot that will be ticking while you build GL3. It takes, what, ~20ish seconds to build GL, which is 2/3 or so of the ToD duration. It's a MNKs strongest attack at 320 potency, it just takes a while to tick which is why you apply it early. I use it before PB, sometimes you need a filler between Shoulder Tackle and PB.

Okay, I'll turn my question around a little so that I get an answer to the whole question. Then why not reapply ToD after your damage buffs are up? Seems like a shame to miss out on that extra bit of damage on the Monk's strongest attack.

[whiskeybravo]

Okay, I'll turn my question around a little so that I get an answer to the whole question. Then why not reapply ToD after your damage buffs are up? Seems like a shame to miss out on that extra bit of damage on the Monk's strongest attack.

You will re-apply it shortly thereafter if keeping dots up anyways. I don't know specifically for ToD, but SMN dots for example are typically clipped at ~3 sec left due to there not being another damage tick in that last 3 sec. You would probably be OK to reapply at close to the same time.

And in regard to the other buffs.. If I don't use PB, I will typically wait to use B4B until I have GL3, then squeeze in a fresh round of dots as the first ones expire. Not sure if right or wrong but that's what I tend to do.. Hell even using PB I wait til GL3 to use B4B, but like I said, I've only been lv50 MNK for like 2 weeks, so I'm still learning a bit and trying to get more comfortable with the job.

[Niamh_Rillemaugh]

You will re-apply it shortly thereafter if keeping dots up anyways. I don't know specifically for ToD, but SMN dots for example are typically clipped at ~3 sec left due to there not being another damage tick in that last 3 sec. You would probably be OK to reapply at close to the same time.

By waiting until ToD is about to run out, every buff except Twin Snakes and Greased Lightning would be down. You would be missing out on the damage buff from Blood for Blood and the better crit chance from Internal Release. What I want to know is why I should use

ToD -> BfB -> DK -> IR -> Twin -> Howl -> Demo -> Steel -> DK -> Twin -> Snap -> Boot -> True -> Snap -> etc.

When

ToD -> BfB -> DK -> IR -> Twin -> Howl -> Demo -> ToD -> Steel -> DK -> Twin -> Snap -> Boot -> True -> Snap -> etc.

Would instead boost the damage of ToD much more than just applying it the one time at the beginning of the opening with the only drawback being the loss of BfB on the first Boot. (I also don't know where the optimal place to put ToD would be; I put it after Demo so the GL stacks show up as soon as possible)

[whiskeybravo]

By waiting until ToD is about to run out, every buff except Twin Snakes and Greased Lightning would be down. You would be missing out on the damage buff from Blood for Blood and the better crit chance from Internal Release. What I want to know is why I should use

ToD -> BfB -> DK -> IR -> Twin -> Howl -> Demo -> Steel -> DK -> Twin -> Snap -> Boot -> True -> Snap -> etc.

When

ToD -> BfB -> DK -> IR -> Twin -> Howl -> Demo -> ToD -> Steel -> DK -> Twin -> Snap -> Boot -> True -> Snap -> etc.

Would instead boost the damage of ToD much more than just applying it the one time at the beginning of the opening with the only drawback being the loss of BfB on the first Boot. (I also don't know where the optimal place to put ToD would be; I put it after Demo so the GL stacks show up as soon as possible)

Can a expert monk step in here? Lol

To me, it seems like a waste to apply a dot and then reapply it only 3 ticks in. Wastes TP and wastes a GCD that could be better spent on a higher potency attack. If you just want ToD to have the buffs then don't use it as an opener. It can not be a dps increase to re-apply it so early, even with B4B and ToD. It's a good question I think, but the general consensus is to maximize potency per GCD.

[Niamh_Rillemaugh]

To me, it seems like a waste to apply a dot and then reapply it only 3 ticks in. Wastes TP and wastes a GCD that could be better spent on a higher potency attack. If you just want ToD to have the buffs then don't use it as an opener. It can not be a dps increase to re-apply it so early, even with B4B and ToD. It's a good question I think, but the general consensus is to maximize potency per GCD.

I agree, I think it's a waste to reapply it as well, which is why I was originally asking just about using it in a different spot in the opener. But I don't know where it would be optimal to move it if I were to put it in a different spot in the opener. The latest I could reapply it and still get the buffs would be

ToD -> BfB -> DK -> IR -> Twin -> Howl -> Demo -> Steel -> DK -> Twin -> Snap -> ToD -> Boot -> True -> Snap -> etc.

But even then I would be clipping after only 6 GCDs and, if it was not being reapplied, I would be waiting far too long to use it and wasting potency that I could have had with the one ToD at the beginning.

On the other hand, I could easily just move ToD up before Demo, getting all the buffs at once

BfB -> DK -> IR -> Twin -> ToD -> Howl -> Demo -> Steel -> DK -> Twin -> Snap -> Boot -> True -> Snap -> etc.

Without being in any danger of the Twin Snakes buff wearing off. But then, I delay Greased Lightning, which isn't optimal.

::shrug::
I'm just curious, in the end. Sorry if I was unclear with the initial question.

[NoctisUmbra]

Can a expert monk step in here? Lol

ToD is used in the beginning because if you're not using PB to get to GL3 in 3 GCDs, then you're going to get to it in 9 GCDs, at which point delaying it by a single GCD is not that big a deal. Furthermore, ToD is a very long duration DoT, yet one of MNK's most powerful skills. It's the 2nd strongest skill (270 potency total), second only to Demolish(310 potency total).

Therefore, getting it placed on the target straight away is desirable. If one puts it off for buffs, then it's hard to figure out where to stop. May as well wait for a stack of GL3. Another stack of GL3? Just ends up delaying it even more, which means less use of ToD in the fight.

As for clipping ToD, it's a waste of a GCD to clip it so early. There would be no point to having used it in the first place if you planned on clipping it 10 only 10 seconds later.