Black Mage Sanctuary - A Guide to DPS

[BlackcatChen]

Not exactly the right thread for this, but quite a few people here are knowledgable;
Is it normal that a Bard struggles with feeding the add to the Straf Doll because of low dps if he's the only one hitting it?

Also, when the adds spawn and you have Ley Lines ready, do you immediately use it (and if yes, where do you place it?) or do you feed the add without Ley Lines and pop it afterwards?

I do the normal Sharp F1 opener on 3rd leg, with leylines up precast as the leg spawns, then I pick up my doll with the swiftcast flare while moving there. Very minimal uptime loss. Then usually something like convert > f4 > b3 > b4 > (t1 on leg) > f3 > f4 > scathe > feed.

If a DPS (like a BRD) needs help, usually the SCH helps out a bit. But most of the time, people should plan their rotation around add pickups so they need little help with feeding on time.

[OneWingedSora]

I would rather save Swiftcast for feeding and just use the F3 opener for that part.

I do:

Ley lines + Sharp right as Mortal Revolution ends > F3 > RS+Eno > F1 > F4x3 > F3P on the leg > Convert > F4x3 on add then blizzard 3 > Swiftcast Blizzard IV while feeding it(and also dodging Seeds of the Sky). Shouldn't need to resort to Scathe really.

[Mercutial]

Finally beat Thordan extreme last night. Quick question.. is heavy impact magical or phys damage? Just thinking for when I want to take the middle tower during second convictions.

[Waliel]

Magic.

/10

[Kona_Nightwind]

Got a few CD questions, lets assume 100% dps uptime.

1. Do you use Leylines on CD or wait for a certain part of the rotation?
2. Do you use RS on CD or line it up with other CDs?
3. If SC and Enocian are off CD in UI phase do you always use them? Even if you can squeeze another 4 F4's with a B4? If yes, what about 3 F4's.

[Sleigh]

Got a few CD questions, lets assume 100% dps uptime.

1. Do you use Leylines on CD or wait for a certain part of the rotation?
2. Do you use RS on CD or line it up with other CDs?
3. If SC and Enocian are off CD in UI phase do you always use them? Even if you can squeeze another 4 F4's with a B4? If yes, what about 3 F4's.

1. Second Leylines is almost always on CD (assuming no mechanics/uptime problem). Third Leylines, you need to put with your Raging Strikes which may or may not be usable at the roughly 3~ minute mark due to Enochian/rotation limitations. Generally though every other Leylines you want to use on CD, but phase changes usually mix it up.

2. Line it up unless there's just no chance to line it up without losing your RS or losing a future RS.

3. I'm not quite sure what you're suggesting but typically yes you want to start a new rotation with either a Sharpcast TC or F3P. The only times I wouldn't are if you are trying to get a ~3m30s-ish Raging Strikes and you turn your initial rotation #3 into rotation #1 to help your timers line up. It's something I often do in phases that are between 3m and 4m30s.

[Kona_Nightwind]

3. I'm not quite sure what you're suggesting but typically yes you want to start a new rotation with either a Sharpcast TC or F3P. The only times I wouldn't are if you are trying to get a ~3m30s-ish Raging Strikes and you turn your initial rotation #3 into rotation #1 to help your timers line up. It's something I often do in phases that are sub-5m.

Sorry still pretty new to BLM. What I think Im asking(after reading what you put) is if during UI phase before 3rd/maybe 4th rotation if SC and Enocian are off cool down. Is it worth it, dps wise, to cast B4? Or anytime both CD's are up in UI just use them. Im starting to think the later. Did a little day drinking today, thinks a little fuzzy.

[Kona_Nightwind]

One more question. Either from me messing up, having to move from mechanics, etc. How do you handle enocian reset and mana? There is situations where I only get two/three F4's off, have plenty of mana, but the encian timer is low(2nd rotation). Do I reset enocian, depending on time I have B3 then B4 or Transpose then B4, or just cast as many F4 as possible then go into old roatation?

[Sleigh]

Sorry still pretty new to BLM. What I think Im asking(after reading what you put) is if during UI phase before 3rd/maybe 4th rotation if SC and Enocian are off cool down. Is it worth it, dps wise, to cast B4? Or anytime both CD's are up in UI just use them. Im starting to think the later. Did a little day drinking today, thinks a little fuzzy.

The two problems with that are, typically you won't go into that 3rd UI phase with Enochian time still available if you got any procs the rotation before at all, and if you do a B4 there with a fresh Enochian, you are screwing not only your first rotation (which you can get away with, with Leylines), but more importantly, your second rotation will be a 20s rotation which is just the worst if you are actively pursuing a refresh, and then the next rotation's a 15s rotation ... I mean, if due to an early B3, you can get that B4, go for it, but it's not something you should or really could ever aim for in ideal situations.

Something I occasionally do if I'm feeling frisky is Enochian after B3 on rotation #3. A slight boost to your UI phase attacks, and a quicker refresh of Enochian. REALLY only recommended on phases with Leylines, specifically, what should be your 4th rotation in a fight.

One more question. Either from me messing up, having to move from mechanics, etc. How do you handle enocian reset and mana? There is situations where I only get two/three F4's off, have plenty of mana, but the encian timer is low(2nd rotation). Do I reset enocian, depending on time I have B3 then B4 or Transpose then B4, or just cast as many F4 as possible then go into old roatation?

Enochian upkeep if you are not near an Enochian refresh is priority #1. It doesn't matter if you have 10,000 MP with an Ewer and Ballad playing somehow, you should discard your current rotation to keep up Enochian. This is mainly only a big deal if this is your rotation #1. Rotation #2, you can look at timers. Rotation #3 is never worth salvaging of course.

The only time you "should" do old rotations is if you messed up really. That or timers just really don't allow for an Enochian refresh, and you have to do some time without it, like in Thordan's single knight phase, etc.

[Kona_Nightwind]

Thanks Sleigh.