T8 Towers; how DF does it/should do it

[GeekMatt]

So to my surprise I'm enjoying T8, despite DF epic failures time and time again; people not getting mechanics. I'm a patient lalafell. I'm currently running it on WHM (will do on NIN and PLD as well), and I'm able and willing to manage any of the little jobs but I haven't figured out if there's a STANDARD tower order/stacks being done in DF. My first time through I was told to get 2 stacks from dread tower and repeat, so that's what I've been doing but I notice Mines tower people sometimes taking 1 stack, sometimes 2. When I ask what the tower order is meant to be, I'm ignored.

Ive looked it up and found many different strats for towers, which is fine but then how are we expecting to down it in a group that has no predetermined order? Admittedly despite some research I don't fully grasp how towers work. I know at 5th charge it activates it's ability (dread, mines, AoE) and that standing in it causes it to gain stacks quicker. What I don't grasp is towers having the same stacks and how and when 2 towers having the same stacks causes the boss to get a buff and/or wipe the raid (5 stacks).

Ultimately I have 2 goals in mind. First is to be able to organize a hesitant DF party and keep everyone on track if I'm needed to. Second is that ill be farming this as a PLD with my super friends; a SCH and DRG. I'd like the three of us to be handling these mechanics to be less PF/DF-RNG dependant. We're all very capable but very casual players.

Thank you.

[Mercutial]

Haha... I'm in the same Turn 8 DF boat as you. I've even run with you once before - where I was on mine tower. I'm pretty sure it's safe now to get two stacks, so I take full responsibility for that tower.

[GeekMatt]

Yes I remember! I know I can do 2 stacks just fine, but it's all about the sequence; which tower gets pushed for how many stacks and when, to ensure boss doesn't buff or instant-wipe us.

I set up a series of macros that basically says something like "2 MINES + 1 AOE stack, next tower set" following an order I got online. But since I'm still not totally grasping towers, I wouldn't comsider using it unless it happened to be a very patient, very desperate group XD

[Kuwagami]

Basically, towers are powered as follow :

Dread tower (x2)

Mine tower (x2)

Dread tower (x2) Mine tower (x2)

Now SHOULD happen your first 3 towers set ^^

either mines + 2 AoE or Dread + Mines + AoE

all that with allagan field in between (which is a pain with mines btw)

For mines + 2 AoEs, my group does 2 stacks at mines + 1 on AoE (done by solo tank, MT if dual tanks), everything blows up while the person with allagan field hides in a corner, then the last AoE tower is activated by solo tank or OT BEFORE next allagan field.

For Dread + mines + AoE, we do 2 stacks on dread, 1 on mines, burn everything while allagan field's target hides in the corner, then activate the AoE tower before next allagan field.


My group kills it at this point, so I don't really know if there is an other set after that. I know if your dps is good enough you won't have the 2nd mine + AoE set before allagan field. Can be good for healers ^^

[whiskeybravo]

And that's the problem with asking for t8 advice.. It still doesn't make any sense lol

[Ellatrix]

Just copy this into a macro. Arrange your party list so healers are in spots #2 and 3 right below you. If you are a healer, adjust to be <1> and <2> instead.

Tower 1 [AoE+Dread] > <2> AoE x1
Tower 2 [AoE+Mines] > <3> Mines x2
Tower 3 [AoE+Dread] > <2> AoE x1
Tower 4 [AoE+Mines] > <3> Mines x2
Tower 5 [Mines+Dread] > Skipped
Tower 6 [AoE+AoE+Mines] > Tank AoE x2 then x1 after Field detonates (use cooldown), <2> AoE x1
Tower 7 [AoE+Mines+Dread] > <2> AoE x2, <3> Mines x1

[GeekMatt]

Appreciate the macro idea, I'm pretty comfortable with macro commands and will be sure to make them as clear as possible for the party. Also there's a long list of tower orders found at http://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/commen..._i_understand/ as well as a guide, so finding a strategy isn't an issue, picking one that's most newbie-friendly is lol but I'm guessing from these posts that I was correct in assuming that DF isn't using a standard tower order, in which case we're winging it (some of us blindly lol). So if I'm going to organize a tower order with DF in mind, I'm under the impression that it's best to pick/devise one that avoids mines during the AF phase as much as possible, as I've read repeatedly that that's an issue for people.

I still need to work to understand the whole boss buff/party wipe aspect of the towers though...

[Mercutial]

As long as the towers are being activated, Avatar will not receive a buff. Doing nothing causes a buff. And doing nothing until all towers hit five bars is a wipe. You would literally have to ignore the towers completely for this to be an issue.

[GeekMatt]

As long as the towers are being activated, Avatar will not receive a buff. Doing nothing causes a buff. And doing nothing until the towers hit five bars is a wipe. You would literally have to ignore the towers completely for this to be an issue.

Ahhh, that answers my question! Thanks!

So then it's all about when you want to force a mechanic to pop?

[Mercutial]

That's my understanding. My only concern is when to trigger the AOE towers during the third phase to avoid eating damage during AF.
You should look me up in game so we can put together a party of like-minded individuals.