Twisting [Life Surge] and [Speed Surge]

[Peregrine]

Yeah it's definitely a good tanking ability. They HATE surges.

[origamikitsune]

I went out hunting some with SS2 and Life surge. Currently spec'd for DD. I was fighting R35-40 Djiggas @ rank 45. I found that without using both, I still required one cure and one sacrifice and two life surges to keep over 50%. Cycling SS2 and LS, I was getting 70-100 HP per hit. No cure or sacrifice or Life Surge, and I never dropped below 50% HP. This of course is all without the use of weapon skills. Certainly seems viable, the HoT gained by that cycle far exceeds that of Sacrifice. Next up, taking on some mongrels with a twisting vice spam cycle.

EDIT:
So, fighting the mongrels, R46, I'm R45. Not really a problem without fancy tricks. I tried SS2 with LS second, at which point the lack of stamina began to break down the weapon skill cycle. This is mitigated by the HoT you gain to some extent (because you are not casting spells as frequently), but the lack of stamina is not completely relieved by the lack of casting.

With LS first, and SS2 on top, I had plenty of stamina at the expense of increased HoT. There was no issue maintaining both LS and SS2 while having a full cycle of weapon skills. That is, Twisting Vice every time it was ready, and added Skewer II and Heavy Trammel every time I broke 2.5k TP. The increased healing was not a significant load to my cycle. The fight was much easier.

Conclusions?
It seems to me that in a fight where weapon skills are not wanted (djiggas, bombs, etc.) the cycle of SS2 with LS on top is the way to go. Stamina is not at a premium, so it makes sense. In fights with weapon skills adding life surge (for the EVA debuff) with SS2 on top is the way to go if you're the only LNC. The impact to the ability cycle is minimal, and a debuff is a debuff. The only exception to this seems to me would be when you are tanking, and someone else is spamming Twisting Vice (but you are the only one with SS2 + LS).

Unfortunately...
This is all a moot point come June when it all changes.

[Synapse]

Haha, i remember having this conversation months ago, i've actually seen the effects and tried it on grind parties. Switching Surges like that is not worth the stamina cost(cost more than the stamina generated by Speed Surge II - and thats only if the mob is alive with activated speed surge on for over 2 mins~ assuming u hit consistantly, if the mob is alive for over 30 sec, its not worth partying or switch mobs).

Its easy to think or talk about switching skills but in actual application its not worth it unless u do NMs, and even on NM(if only 1 LNC is present) its better to stick with Life Surge to help the entire party(havnt fought NMs as party since their nerf), if multiple LNC, then make 1 into debuffer and rest go haste.

Solo play, yes u should switch skills, if u really need it but thn again life surge(my solo perference) helps alot during solo play because of HP absorb and pseudo bloodbath with each weaponskills but solo play really depends on the player's set up.

[Col]

So, uh... Now that Stamina is gone.... This strategy is a lot better now, isn't it? o_o You could just start off with Life Surge, lower the enemy's evasion, then cast Speed Surge right after an auto-attack with absolutely no drawback.

You lower the targets evasion for the party, then you gain a faster attack speed and give Absorb HP to the party.

[origamikitsune]

Indeed. In fact, I do keep both of them on my bar except in battles that benefit from more specialized setups and I simply don't have the points for it.

[Frein]

Seeing how you sometimes miss and and how the effect sometimes fails to proc, it seems somewhat unlikely that you can consistently keep both effects on. I suppose it could be something to experiment with, though.

[carraway]

Time spent activating an ability is still time not spent using a different ability with more offensive value. With the accuracy changes, Life Surge is not very valuable, and if Speed Surge affects autoattack delay similarly to how it affected stamina regen (flat 8% stamina regen increase for both I and II, tested extensively), it's even more of a necessity in order to best weave WSs and abilities through autoattacks.