[Theorycraft] BLM Openers

[Aikaal]

I made a lot of calcs recently because I recently started posting FCoB BLM specific guildes and I am one of those who open with Blizzard 3. I got really interesting that from this: Video link

Spreadsheet: Aikaal's Spreadsheet.

If you don't wish to see the video and just get the short details, here's what I got:

Cons with B3:

• Requires a minimum of 22 Piety or higher from your base race stats. If you have 21 Piety you must spec an extra Piety somewhere.
• Requires Scholar in the party.
• Have about 5% chance or not getting the 79 mana tick to be at 3465 mana (I play a dunefolk Lalafell)

Pros for B3:

• Total of 6 Fire casts in your opener while you have voiced foe, raging strikes, potion, trick attack. This is the most important and main reason why I use this opener.
• Longer burst.
• higher chance of procs.

Cons of T2:

• Doesn't utilize raid party buff and it's best.
• Relies on awful rng luck to get an extra proc.

Pros of T2:

• Any race can use it (I understand some people dislike Moon Miqo'tes or Dunefolk Lalas)
• Really good to use if early Flare is requires or double Flares like in T12.

To resume, the only time you will get all the buffs from your raid at the same time. B3 maximizes it without hoping for a lot of procs. It makes your burst longer.

The only and only difference between both of opener is B3 is behind T2 rotation by 1 GCD. This is why in PPS when T2 just cast his B3, this rotation ahead. Because they both have 5 Fire 1 cast at this time. Due to procs and rng, two black mages are bound to have better / worst rng. In the end, it does not matter.


The only thing and the most important thing to learn from what I did is that a 6th Fire will always be beneficial when your bard sings, your ninja trick attack and you have raging strikes and pot.

In a situation after Teraflare for example. I have nothing up and if my bard doesn't have Foe, there's no reason to delay my Fire rotation and I'd open with T1. Hell, I'd probably open with F3 and T1 isn't even great.

[Odowla]

Just a note, if you're watching the video, remember you are /not/ looking at DPS, but instead in PPS - which is more important in context of this game since ALL damage in the formulas are based off of Potencies.

Higher Potency Per Second = Higher Damage Per Second.
PPS is also essentially "DPS", but you can convert PPS into DPS, but not DPS into PPS.

[OneWingedSora]

Good stuff. However, I found out that in fights where you might/will get targeted by a mechanic that requires movement(T11 Nerve Gas, T13 Mega Flare, etc.) at the start, It's better to start with F3 so that my swiftcast+flare lines up with the time I might/will be moving. What do you think ?

[Aikaal]

Good stuff. However, I found out that in fights where you might/will get targeted by a mechanic that requires movement(T11 Nerve Gas, T13 Mega Flare, etc.) at the start, It's better to start with F3 so that my swiftcast+flare lines up with the time I might/will be moving. What do you think ?

It's true. I open in T12 with T2/F3 because bennu dies too fast. For T11, I simply counter with early Manaward. Stoneskin+Manaward haven't gave me a spell interrupt and in farm content healers told me it's fine to get one stack. Opening with F3 to pair swift flare for movement is something I've never though o: I found other ways to move around :3

[OneWingedSora]

Snip

I get what you are saying. However, since swiftcast won't be up by the second nerve gas, I save my manaward for that It's perfectly fine if your healers are okay with you taking stack(s) though, I just try to minimize the heals on me as much as possible so that the healers can dps more :P

[Aikaal]

Yeah, it's them that told me it changes nothing for them xD

[Skeith-Adeline]

Good stuff. However, I found out that in fights where you might/will get targeted by a mechanic that requires movement(T11 Nerve Gas, T13 Mega Flare, etc.) at the start, It's better to start with F3 so that my swiftcast+flare lines up with the time I might/will be moving. What do you think ?

If you stand far to the left on the edge of the arena, you can absorb the Nerve Gas without Manaward (1.5k-ish) and save Manaward for the second gas if you don't proc. I stand on the left above Kaliya's foot so I can cast-skate towards the tanks location, and either Manawall the Swipe and Resonance to get another cast (skate back into position) or skate back immediately.

Fire 3 opening has gotten me the greatest results so far, but my group doesn't roll with a Ninja. (Bard, DRG, Monk, BLM). I'll give your video some practice and see how my anecdotal results compare.

[Aikaal]

I made a small update on the sheet. I added the rotation with T3 opener since many races can use it instead of T2.

I also added a sheet piety guide so you know what opener is available your race!

[scarebearz]

Sucks that Lalafell Dunefolk are the best BLM race for Int and Pie xD

I badly want the stats, but no way would I play a lala to get them! ;P

[Aikaal]

Sucks that Lalafell Dunefolk are the best BLM race for Int and Pie xD

I badly want the stats, but no way would I play a lala to get them! ;P

When I started this game. I based myself that race didn't matter for a job. Until I tried to maximize my Black Mage. This is a fact lol. My new Piety build I,m testing next week only works for Dunefolk.