Black Mage Sanctuary - A Guide to DPS

[Israacf]

Hello. I didn't want to make a new thread for a simple question, so, I just restarted levelling Blm (At 46 now) and I found out I'm really enjoying it, more than I remember. I'm looking for a new main job since, to be honest, healing since 2.0 has burned me on that role. I just wanted to ask which would be better, Blm or Bard, and how is Blm on endgame, is it fun? Too hard?

Thanks all

[Maero]

Black Mage has been much different then 2.0 Blm but honestly think it was good changes as it adds more to the class. Now you have to pay attention to what you are doing but by no means is it too hard.
Bard, well do not let all the complainers steer you away, well over half of them do not know what they are talking about, lol.
Bard now has slight cast times for some abilities now but honestly it is something you just have to get used to. Bard 2.0 had it way too easy compared to other classes.

Also i have been using HQ Sohm Al tarts, i find it best for me overall and way cheaper

[Garotte14]

Hello. I didn't want to make a new thread for a simple question, so, I just restarted levelling Blm (At 46 now) and I found out I'm really enjoying it, more than I remember. I'm looking for a new main job since, to be honest, healing since 2.0 has burned me on that role. I just wanted to ask which would be better, Blm or Bard, and how is Blm on endgame, is it fun? Too hard?

Thanks all

You should play what you enjoy the most. Difficulty, in my opinion, is all a matter of perspective. One person might find BLM super simple and find Dragoon extremely difficult, while another may feel the opposite. All jobs are viable, even in endgame. Yes, there is an "ultimate" party composition, but unless you are in world first progression, it doesn't matter. The jobs compliment each other well, and are fairly balanced.

As far as BLM, it is much more complex now than it was in 2.0. Astral Fire timers are actually something you need to pay attention to now, and juggling that with your enochian timer makes you pay more attention than you had to before. BLM in endgame is great. Very powerful if executed properly. You just have to try the jobs and play what you are the most passionate about.

[Xisin]

Just going to put my two cents into the mix with det vs crit. I am going to upgrade my goetia gloves today: reason being is critting a blizzard 1 or a thunder application makes me really, really mad. That said I havent posted bard parses in about two weeks (the newest ones have all been mch :/) I feel det is better due to rng, atleast det is always effective. and If i do recall you can say that 50 det = 1%. I'll be testing that today after i get my twine since the gloves slot is excellent for that test. Every blm has also gotten the dreaded 0% crit opener even with litany... and well det doesnt do that either. Also feel det works better for handling a4 and a1 adds. ever accidentally crit at 20%? sucks bad doesn't it?

I haven't decided what I think is bis exactly yet though, but I've never gone with general acceptance unless it's super proven.

[Maero]

Well 2.x, spell speed and determination was of greater value, there was tests and such and i had a full ss and det Relic but have been hearing from countless players that crit is now higher value then determination. I do agree however until there are actual tests and real stat weights out and not to mention eso gear will probably be replaced not too far from now, so yeah
Stats have been shifted in HW across all jobs it would seem

[Bahd_Monkey]

I have a question about the first two openers. Why do you cast Enochian before F1? Wouldn't it be better to cast:
(opener buffs & stuff)-> F1-> Enochian-> F4-> etc...
so that you have an extra 2 seconds of Enochian as a "cushion" for some movement? Is it so that F1 gets the Enochian and RS buffs, and if so is it that big of a boost?

Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm trying to get the rotation down, while still being able to move a bit without losing Enochian.

[T0rin]

I have a question about the first two openers. Why do you cast Enochian before F1? Wouldn't it be better to cast:
(opener buffs & stuff)-> F1-> Enochian-> F4-> etc...
so that you have an extra 2 seconds of Enochian as a "cushion" for some movement? Is it so that F1 gets the Enochian and RS buffs, and if so is it that big of a boost?

Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm trying to get the rotation down, while still being able to move a bit without losing Enochian.

I've been using Leroy's opener (from Elysium) for movement reasons.

Sharpcast, Quelling, F1, (start moving now), Enochian, F3P, Ley Lines, Raging, F4, Potion, F1, F4, F4, F4

This is where it diverges.. if you got a Firestarter proc on the second F1, you finish it like this: F3P, Swiftcast, Convert, F4, F4, B3, T1, B4, F3

But if you didn't get a Firestarter proc on the second F1, you finish it like this: Swiftcast, Flare, Convert, F4, B3, T1, B4, F3

This gives you plenty of time in the beginning to get into position, doesn't rely on piety or mana tick timings, and is from what I've been able to tell, comparable in DPS to the other options. It's a no frills opener that gives movement opportunities and makes good use of the Potion time.

[Israacf]

So yeah been playing blm for a few days and I'm absolutely in love with it, really want to change from main healer to it. Feels very rewarding! Any tips for a newcomer to Black Magic? Thanks! (Also, Thunder 1 or 2?)

[HaroldSaxon]

So yeah been playing blm for a few days and I'm absolutely in love with it, really want to change from main healer to it. Feels very rewarding! Any tips for a newcomer to Black Magic? Thanks! (Also, Thunder 1 or 2?)

Thunder 1. Once you get Thunder 3, you may aswell delete it off your bars. Maybe put it back on if you do low level level synced content.

[Lavitz_]

Kind of off-topic but I've been really frustrated with A4S these past few weeks and I'm hoping someone can offer some advice.

We've made it to final phase a few times and seen Royal Pentacle but most of our time is spent wiping on the 3rd leg due to adds spawning before the leg dies. Sometimes we have really good pulls where it melts with plenty of time to spare before the second set of adds spawn, but most of the time we're getting it to 1% or killing it as they spawn. I'm doing everything I can possibly do, I have all my cooldowns and potion at the beginning of 3rd leg with BV Foe and my Doll is usually the first one fed, then I'm back on the leg ASAP.

Does this sound like lack of motivation and people not taking it seriously because it's progression? It seem like every time we get frustrated and someone speaks up about wiping to it, the next pull we magically have the DPS to kill it with time to spare. I want that every pull, but it's not happening.

If anyone was in a similar situation and has some tips or advice to increase raid DPS on that leg, I'd appreciate it. Currently our PLD has mostly crafted acessories, and WAR is full 210 slaying.