Why do you save your LB?

[Sunarie]

Tank LB is useful in ex primals (and of course ultima). Since it's the only instant LB you have. Meaning you can time it to within a few seconds.

Garuda EX for instance if the spiny is dead, a lvl2 or even lvl1 Tank LB can prevent a wipe. Same for Titan, if you time it just right, you can do certain things.

Healer is probably the weakest LB of all, but attack LB is pretty worthless if you have dead people. The damage reduction of a dead members make is pretty worthless.

If you have more then 2 people dead, attack LB is nearly the same as not using at all, unless you have a specific purposes (meteor adds, or precast)

I suppose. I've never viewed the tank dps as instant because it certainly locks me in place and all when I have used it until the animation ends, but the animation is shorter than the healer one (I don't have a dps limit, so I can't speak to those two).

Our group has always just found it more useful to use DPS limit breaks, even for the primals. The only exception is Ultima, or when there are LB bars left after a wipe in Twintania, I'll pop the tank LB and run in. I can't say we've used an attack LB with many people dead.. as that's usually when a healer LB is used (assuming we've gotten to the third bar). That's our group's strategy though, and clearly this thread has illustrated how different strategies can be.

Ultimately though, to the OP's question, I think the answer is mostly "in case all hell breaks loose".. as to why people wait to use the dps limit until towards the end of the fight.

[PArcher]

Ultimately, it depends on the fight.

Dungeons, I'll use it usually when I feel like it; it doesn't matter. It just filled both bars? Sure, I'll pop it (assuming no mechanics that could kill me)

Trials...it varies.

Ifrit HM - First LB (at Nails) is for a caster, unless there's no caster (which then LB to get rid of one Nail). After Nails I'll LB when we're near the end and the healers don't need it.
Garuda HM - Wait til after I know that the healers won't need it (DF only...a pre-made with people I know LB goes off when its best to do so, which depends on DPS and timing)
Titan HM - Can be used in the Heart Phase if DPS is lower. Then near the end of post-heart...again, after its known healers won't need it and you know you won't die during casting

Ultima HM - Tank LB. Just forget the LB exists

Garuda EX - Has to be during a feather phase near the end. Should be used to kill (or leave a sliver of HP to DoT-kill) to avoid another Sisters phase. Tank LB can be used if Spiny is killed early...but I've only seen it succeed on a feather-phase Spiny, not a Sisters Spiny
Titan EX - Caster LB on adds is best IMO. But if you don't do it, LB3 after the Gaols after the second adds (likely will land during stomps)
Ifrit HM - Third Nail Phase. You likely won't have it back after, but if you do then just use at 1

Coil 1-5 - Completely depends on group and your strategies. There are so many ways to use LB and its completely on the group.

Notice a pattern? Holding the LB as a safety for healers. Dead people do no DPS/Healing/Tanking, and a Healer LB3 can save a group should things go wrong.


EDIT: Forgot CT. Lol, just use it whenever. Who cares.

[Surian]

There's barely any need to even use the LB unless it's a Primal battle, just some emergency situations.

I feel it's good to save it till a point where you do need it. Rather than having blown it before on something trivial, and then not having it when you do need to use it.

For instance, i had an interesting Stone Vigil run not too long ago.

We were fighting the very first boss, naturally no one got hurt and got out of the way, and near the end of the fight with everyone at full HP the White Mage used the Limit Break, and then complained to us endlessly about why we werent using it earlier. Not only did he blow it and we couldnt use it to finish it off anymore, there was no point for it in that fight in the first place, the 5 seconds we would have saved to kill the boss, while no one was even remotely in danger of dying or running out of MP would have been a waste. Less of a waste than the WHM using it because it was up and no one else used it, but hey.

Long story short, we get tired of argueing with the White Mage, and then when he decides we can go cure ourselves and he wouldnt be doing it anymore, we kicked him. We end up getting through the trash mobs just fine with the three of us. But at the second boss, where we -COULD- have used that LB it wasnt charged up yet and we die with him at 5%.

So really, why do we save the LB? To use it at a point in time where it can save our party. Not to blow it for an extra few seconds saved going through a dungeon faster.

[Synapse]

Actually, in a well balanced party, that does everything well... can use Lb whenever they like... people that has issues, save LB for w SHTF.

Also don't forget, some moves or phases in boss require use of Lb immediately in order to progress.

[Toranja]

He's not talking about trials, but dungeon bosses and he is right.

To my memory, I do not recall one that asks timing or anything other than DPS LB.

[Sunarie]

He's not talking about trials, but dungeon bosses and he is right.

To my memory, I do not recall one that asks timing or anything other than DPS LB.

Pretty sure since he talked about LB 3 specifically.. and mentioned thinking healer LB 3 was useless in anything after Ifrit HM, he was referring to trials and not dungeon bosses. That being said.. the majority of fights can be done just fine without a LB. LB just makes things easier. There are a few exceptions to that rule.

[Toranja]

Pretty sure since he talked about LB 3 specifically.. and mentioned thinking healer LB 3 was useless in anything after Ifrit HM, he was referring to trials and not dungeon bosses. That being said.. the majority of fights can be done just fine without a LB. LB just makes things easier. There are a few exceptions to that rule.

You are right. My bad. I did read the whole page, I must have wandered off while reading...

[Yumi_umi]

Healer LB= situational ( Pf/Df)
Tank LB= very situational
( probably only ultima hm ? )
Dps LB= most of the time

I also witness a lot of LB hesitation in 4 man parties too.
It always ends up to me having to bark out " use lb "_____" please"
Cuz usually 8/10 times, the fight will end without the lb being used.
Then i go like wtf lol, u should have used it because it could have shorten the fight = less healing i'd have to squeeze out.

[Bluevann]

Some boss fights have "stages" in which the enemy is more dangerous, and for that reason must be brought down faster (the one at Dzmael comes to my mind, but also Haukke Manor). I've had a healer accusing me to LB too soon while in Brayflox's Longstop (we were at the 2nd boss), and I pointed out that none of the battles in that dungeon had relevant moments in which a DPS's limit break would be more appropriate than others, and that I'd use LB at the beginning so that the rest of the fight would build up some LB pool for the next boss. So, yes, it changes from dungeon to dungeon. Unlike what some people think, DPSing is not a mindless role, and even this kind of decisions must be taken with some reasoning and strategy.

[kukurumei]

Some boss fights have "stages" in which the enemy is more dangerous, and for that reason must be brought down faster (the one at Dzmael comes to my mind, but also Haukke Manor). I've had a healer accusing me to LB too soon while in Brayflox's Longstop (we were at the 2nd boss), and I pointed out that none of the battles in that dungeon had relevant moments in which a DPS's limit break would be more appropriate than others, and that I'd use LB at the beginning so that the rest of the fight would build up some LB pool for the next boss. So, yes, it changes from dungeon to dungeon. Unlike what some people think, DPSing is not a mindless role, and even this kind of decisions must be taken with some reasoning and strategy.

Dungeon wise. It is unwise to push bosses in and out of certain phases too fast. That's a "derp" moment when you push a phase without preparing for it, due to bursting issues.