Because everyone Loves Parsers

[Culfinrandir]

Except its not, it is taking damage from an unmoving target that has no attacks. If someone came to me with their SSS numbers I would be like "cool, so what?"

The only benefit to SSS is knowing that your gear is good enough to beat the fight.

But it does mean that your rotations are good & that you are playing optimally. After all, that is the excuse people who parse use to justify the use of parsers - to ensure players are using optimal rotations.

[Lambdafish]

But it does mean that your rotations are good & that you are playing optimally. After all, that is the excuse people who parse use to justify the use of parsers - to ensure players are using optimal rotations.

I guess, but I know far too many people who are like "I do 3000 dps on the SSS dummy" when the parser in content puts them at >1000 because they die all the time, flub their rotations under pressure, and don't know how to adjust their rotations situationally.

Like I said, the data is only valid on a boss that doesn't move or do any mechanics at all.

[Zojha]

Like I said, the data is only valid on a boss that doesn't move or do any mechanics at all.

More generally: Any parse is technically only valid for that particular boss.

Since every boss has a different set of mechanics, that means you'll have different uptime, might be more prone to lose Enochian, have to cancel casts more often, might miss positionals more often, there might be AoE in one boss to inflate your numbers but none on another etc etc.

And even then, not all comparisons are valid - Parse runs typically have two Astrologians feeding one person balance cards to inflate their numbers. That's not easily comparable to someone whose group might not have an Astrologian at all. You won't get his numbers, period.
Likewise, your MCH numbers in a comp without a DRG are not directly comparable to a comp with a DRG. The latter will systematically do more damage depending on debuff uptime.

So even if you got a parse number of a live fight, that's not telling the full story. You need to meticulously analyze the parse of the entire fight and tediously calculate out the synergy effects to get a valid number that can be used for comparison. Technically.