Quote Originally Posted by Kabooa View Post
The argument is that 1800 MP for 40 Blood is a DPS gain, while 2400MP for 50 is dps neutral.
This is true because the standard for the exchange rate of MP to potency is set by Dark Arts (and basically always will be as long as Dark Arts functions the way it does on Syphon Strike, Souleater, and Bloodspiller).

We don't say that using Dark Arts on Souleater for 140 potency is a DPS loss because you can get 280 potency out of it by using it on Carve and Spit - the base exchange rate is set by DA on your weaponskills because that's where you can always dump your MP - using it on anything else is constrained by cooldowns.


People still use DA on Power Slash and Dark Mind when it seems advantageous to do so. People still hold Plunge for gap-closing even though it's a DPS loss to keep it off cooldown. People still prioritize using Sheltron to block threatening cleaves and tankbusters over blowing it on an auto-attack just to trigger Shield Swipe ASAP. People still use weaponskills that generate BG while they sit at 100 BG if they don't feel like they can spend any and be back at 100 in time for an IR/Berserk. Scholars still use Aetherflow on Lustrate, Indomitability, Excog and Sacred Soil, even though every one is a loss of 150 potency from not using Energy Drain.

All of these things are "DPS losses" that can be turned into overall DPS gains, for either the player themself, or the party as a whole.

This stupid fixation on "Wahh, nobody will ever use it, it's a minor short-term DPS loss and therefore is always a punishment" is short-sighted and ignores the way that the game is has always been actually played.