Bard and TP management

[Aikaal]

I'm wondering how Bards manage their TP. I can barely make 5 minutes on a dummy without getting TP starve. I have my whole rotation down. I reapply my dots when there's 2 seconds left and I reapply straight shot when it drops. I take dots in priority over straight shot.

I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong or it's normal.

[RiceisNice]

Invigorate as soon as you drop below 600 TP. Unless you're AoEing you shouldn't chew through TP that fast before the cooldown finishes. Also refresh when it falls off (0-1 second remaining), otherwise you're wasting that last tick.

[RinchanNau]

It's not uncommon to get low on TP on BRD if the fight has no breaks or there are lots of adds to dot. Simply keep up your dots and the ss buff and cut out a few heavy shots while using every BL/ME proc. No need for paeon. After a round or two using that method you should be fine until your invigorate.

[Aikaal]

I do use Invigorate at 600 TP and every CD x.x I forgot to mention.

[RinchanNau]

I do use Invigorate at 600 TP and every CD x.x I forgot to mention.

I would recommendation getting below 600. I generally use my first invigorate when I hit 540 (or less) TP. I will be at 540 after a GCD, hit invigorate and get to 940, and generally before my next GCD the next +60 TP tick will happen and bring me to 1000. After that, in an extended fight, it would be whenever it comes off CD provided I am 540 TP or below.

Sometimes it may not be exactly 540 depending on straighter shot procs and stuff like adds adding to dot usage. but anywhere in the 500-540 range should be good. If you invigorate at 550+ you are likely going to lose a little TP depending on when the next tick happens. For instance, if you have 560 you will invigorate to 960 and the +60 TP tick will still only bring you to 1000. A loss of 20 TP.

[Aikaal]

I would recommendation getting below 600. I generally use my first invigorate when I hit 540 (or less) TP. I will be at 540 after a GCD, hit invigorate and get to 940, and generally before my next GCD the next +60 TP tick will happen and bring me to 1000. After that, in an extended fight, it would be whenever it comes off CD provided I am 540 TP or below.

Sometimes it may not be exactly 540 depending on straighter shot procs and stuff like adds adding to dot usage. but anywhere in the 500-540 range should be good. If you invigorate at 550+ you are likely going to lose a little TP depending on when the next tick happens. For instance, if you have 560 you will invigorate to 960 and the +60 TP tick will still only bring you to 1000. A loss of 20 TP.

That make sense. I'll make some tests around ^^

[Shurrikhan]

I would recommendation getting below 600. I generally use my first invigorate when I hit 540 (or less) TP. I will be at 540 after a GCD, hit invigorate and get to 940, and generally before my next GCD the next +60 TP tick will happen and bring me to 1000. After that, in an extended fight, it would be whenever it comes off CD provided I am 540 TP or below.

Sometimes it may not be exactly 540 depending on straighter shot procs and stuff like adds adding to dot usage. but anywhere in the 500-540 range should be good. If you invigorate at 550+ you are likely going to lose a little TP depending on when the next tick happens. For instance, if you have 560 you will invigorate to 960 and the +60 TP tick will still only bring you to 1000. A loss of 20 TP.

This.

@Aikaal
The only difference between timing Invigorate 'properly' and improperly is not wasting that TP tick. If you're going to cap and waste the tick, it actually makes no difference whether you pop Invigorate at 540, 600, 800, whatever; no matter what, you'll be back at full with 2 minutes until you can use it again, receiving the same net TP loss during that post-1st-Invig period, aside from, as before, that one TP tick being wasted or not wasted. In some fights, though very rare, it's even useful to make that early Invigorate so that you'll have the CD up for an AoE phase.

My invigorate usually hits just after some set of DoT reapplications. Depending on how many Straighter Shots I've gotten that will be between 570-600, but I've always been able to get a second GCD in before the tick would be wasted, such that 600 would technically be my ideal TP for restore. I kind of like the idea that it's going off after my 2 most expensive abilities as well, but I've no math backing that up as a good thing.

P.S. Does anyone have a method for keeping track of whether DoT ticks will go off instantly on reapplication or at the end of duration (such that we know whether to clip a particular DoT series)? I try to use my CDs to keep track of the 3-second multiple and a general sense of my skill speed to know where I should be shifting along the global tick, but it gets confusing if I ever double up oGCDs (usually from overwhelming Bloodletter procs) or if I make even a single mistake.

416/431 Skill speed depending on load-out.

[Aikaal]

Mmmm, I'll keep in mind to refresh after 0-1 seconds. I always wait at 2 seconds. I'll make more tests. I don't like the idea of losing 150 Potency per 2.5secs... I'll take a look at it. I really want to improve my Bard. I think my rotation has minor flaws.

[Black91CRX]

Invigorate skill is a must for bard.

[Maero]

Yep Invigorate is a must for sure, only longer fights are a real issue and you can always use Army's Patheon if healers do not need Mage's Ballad,
but proper timing of invigorate and you should be fine