AOE or Single target dps as black mage, when should i do each?

[Dimitrias]

Lately while leveling black mage I've had a few groups where I would be casting my aoe sleep at beginning of pulls with 3 or more mobs. Someone would tell me to sleep less and dps more.

Another group someone said to sleep less and AOE dps. That group 2 of the members got to arguing about the fire 2 AOE damage, and I got totally confused on how I should do my job. I tried to just AOE fire 2 everything, but that didn't seem as effective as single target Fire 3 + Fire. That one guy was also arguing that sleep just delayed the run also. Also the tank didn't mark mobs at all, so maybe that's a indication to AOE dps?

I'm very close to reaching level 50 black mage, and still not really sure when to AOE dps or Single target DPS. Can anyone give me any tips on how to know when to single or AOE dps?

[Diskordea]

That's happened to me. I ended up just doing this and I've had no comments: Sleep the mobs right away, if someone wakes them then AoE. If you see the tank start dying and the healer not keeping up then sleep again. If they wake them up again... screw it, just AoE and if they die they die. Just watch what others are doing. What I would think you'd go by is how fast the mobs die from AoE. If it's faster to take them down one by one and sleep the rest that would obviously be the better choice. However, I have been in runs where the tank will insist on you letting out an endless stream of AoE attacks.

[P_Wing]

I always tried to AoE first then if the tank seems squishy / does not flash then I will start sleeping them
P.S. use quelling strike if there are many mobs. You don't wanna get their aggros.

[Edellis]

If your tank is competent, AoE with 3+ enemies until there are 2 left. You can make a judgement call by simply playing the enemy HP bar by eye, but at 4+ you're making way more progress in AoE than you ever could Solo.

Sleep is almost always a terrible option, not because it's bad, but because it's totally unnecessary. It should be used to save someone from imminent death. But it does absolutely nothing in the way of clearing enemies in dungeons. Technically your time was better spent just casting a DoT or something.

Don't neglect your DoTs on enemies either while recharging for AoEs. By habit I always cast Fire II on the enemy with the most health (to avoid interruptions), but I also cast my DoTs on the enemies with the most health. Likewise for Blizzard/Fire III.

Basically, attempt to keep all the other enemies HP dropping at all times. It feels slower at first, but it very noticably adds up the larger the mob is. If your Tank/Healer is able to tank more than 4-5 enemies at once, the difference (and advantage) of AoE will be blantantly obvious.



But generally, it's really all about situations. If you're playing with a team who melts through 1v1 mobs extremely fast (Good tank, BLM, Scholar who uses DoTs, Dragoon/Monk), then you can probably do just fine by 1v1ing mobs even at 3. But 4+ i really don't think anything beats AoE.

[Umero]

check the tank before you do aoe. if the tank is wearing pimped armor for his/her current level. Go mad and AoE.

[Crate]

Edellis summed it up pretty well imo.

Beyond leveling, coil for example will just depend on your strategies, where you have to nuke down one particular enemy or go all out AoE.