Shots Fired: A Machinist Guide

[Cascadi]

Hey guys, got an update/heads up for you all, and a question. Update first:

Don't use Quick Reload + Reload prepull. Your ammo can only stack up to 5. So you're wasting QR by using it prepull.

And the question is, how wide are the parse differences between using Gauss Barrel the whole fight and only using it for the opener? Reason is that if it isn't too insignificant, then I'd like to train myself to just use GB the entire time as I imagine SE will be buffing the class to compensate and I want to train my reflexes to be used to GB 100%. So if the potency difference isn't too bad, I won't feel too bad being subpar dps leveling to 60 until SE fixes it. Mind testing some numbers for me? Also remember on test parses to check crit rates, and for MCH how often you got non-ammo procs, as that will make a difference between parses.

Hey, the Reload at 50 seconds and Quick Reload at 20 seconds isn't to gain another stack of ammo, but to keep it up when the opener happens as the timer for ammo stacks is reset to 30s every time ammo is added. By doing this, the Reload CD is only 10s on pull, compared to 60s when you use it after Lead Shot. As for how much of a difference Gauss Barrel makes, in my experience pre-60, the difference was around 30 less DPS IF you never have to move, which is unrealistic.

[Chibilidawg]

Precasting so far out is unrealistic. It's hard enough to get the raid group to wait for Ninjitsu CD to come back around after pre-casting Huton.

{updated}Ah okay, I misunderstood... the rest of this post still stands.{updated}

Opener should be:

15s-ish out QR > Split > 2xbuff > Hot Shot > 2xbuff > Lead Shot > Slug Shot > ¿Clean Shot? > buff + Reload > Rotation (Reassemble Clean Shot).

Reload Rotation is:

Split>Slug>Clean>Split>Slug>QR>Split>Clean>Slug>¿Clean?

Buff also implies Blank+Head Graze/Supressive Fire casting where appropriate.

¿? = if procured.

I'll return to explain how Guass fits into this.

Yuri's right on all points too... have you figured that out yet or need further explanation?

Just need to make sure you got it so you can update the OP accordingly.

[Cascadi]

Precasting both is unrealistic. It's hard enough to get the raid group to wait for Ninjitsu CD to come back around after pre-casting Huton.

It's also a waste of your 6th ammo.

Precasting only QR just short of its CD is much cleaner & provides greater DPS.

Opening with Split Shot for a free early proc then following into Hot Shot > Lead Shot also makes for much smoother early buffing (very important for Reload prep).

Opener should be:

15s-ish out QR > Split > 2xbuff > Hot Shot > 2xbuff > Lead Shot > Slug Shot > ¿Clean Shot? > buff + Reload > Rotation (Reassemble Clean Shot).

Reload Rotation is:

Split>Slug>Clean>Split>Slug>QR>Split>Clean>Slug>¿Clean?

Buff also implies Blank+Head Graze/Supressive Fire casting where appropriate.

¿? = if procured.

Yuri's right on all points too...

Again, it is not a waste of your ammo at all... like how you mentioned your starter with QR, my opener is the same thing except instead of 1 ammo, you have access to 5 at the beginning.
This results in this in your format:
20s-ish out QR > Split > 2x Buff > Hot Shot > 2x Buff > Lead Shot > Slug > Split > Buff > Clean > Reload > Slug > Split > Clean > Slug > Split > Clean > QR > Slug > Clean
4x Split
4x Slug
4x Clean

vs

15s-ish out QR > Split > 2x Buff > Hot Shot > 2x Buff > Lead Shot > Slug > ¿Clean? > Buff + Reload > Split > Slug > Clean > Split > Slug > QR > Split > Clean > Slug > ¿Clean?
4x Split
4x Slug
2x Clean + 2x ¿Clean?
¿? = if procured.

[Ephier]

Just learned that if you hit rapid fire without gauss barrel equipped, it will equip it with no cast time.

[Chibilidawg]

Just learned that if you hit rapid fire without gauss barrel equipped, it will equip it with no cast time.

Yup! Essential technique.

[Kairei]

Oh I get it now, that's brilliant! A reload ready to go + 5 ammo stacks and by the time you use up those 10 your QR will have finished its CD timer! I see! Leaving my comment unedited so that if anyone thinks the same thing I did, they'll see your explanation and realize why you do that. XD

I wanted to add one thing to the tips section then. If the pull time has to be changed/reset for some reason (we all know that one guy that realizes he has to bio in the middle of the pull countdown) then spam Quick reload to make sure you keep those 5 ammo stacks alive.

[Kairei]

Also, a question to ponder over. For aoe is it better to aoe until we're close to running out of TP, then change Bishop>Rook and put up tp song to keep aoeing? Or is it better to just keep the aoe turret up and switch to single target at that point?

[Cascadi]

Also, a question to ponder over. For aoe is it better to aoe until we're close to running out of TP, then change Bishop>Rook and put up tp song to keep aoeing? Or is it better to just keep the aoe turret up and switch to single target at that point?

I believe it's better to keep the AoE turret up and switch to single target at that point.

Promotion Rook: 30 TP per 3 seconds, over 30s is 300 TP, which is enough for 2 Grenado Shots. That is 240 Potency x # of targets.
Bishop: 60 Potency per 3 seconds, over 30s is 600 Potency x # of targets.

To add onto that, 30 TP per 3 seconds with the natural 60 TP tick results in 90 TP per 3 seconds, meaning 360 TP over 12 seconds which is 240 Potency x # of targets.
Bishop Turret would have 240 Potency x # of targets over 12 seconds, so it doesn't really matter I guess.

[Mizore_Canaan]

I believe it's better to keep the AoE turret up and switch to single target at that point.

Promotion Rook: 30 TP per 3 seconds, over 30s is 300 TP, which is enough for 2 Grenado Shots. That is 240 Potency x # of targets.
Bishop: 60 Potency per 3 seconds, over 30s is 600 Potency x # of targets.

To add onto that, 30 TP per 3 seconds with the natural 60 TP tick results in 90 TP per 3 seconds, meaning 360 TP over 12 seconds which is 240 Potency x # of targets.
Bishop Turret would have 240 Potency x # of targets over 12 seconds, so it doesn't really matter I guess.

of course since most aoe'ing is done in party content you must also consider your party members, so TP regen might net more dps if say your other dps was a DRG or a NIN, were as a BLM won't need the tp :3

[Kairei]

of course since most aoe'ing is done in party content you must also consider your party members, so TP regen might net more dps if say your other dps was a DRG or a NIN, were as a BLM won't need the tp :3

See, I thought about this but realized something important. With the natural 60 tp per 3 seconds tic, that means over 12 seconds you gain 240 tp, so worst case scenario enough for at least 3 single attacks amounting to 420.And that is on top of your aoe turret's 240 potency. So that means a gain of 420 potency over switching turrets (Since just running with the melee turret going is 240 potency per 12 seconds). The only reason I could see sacrificing that 420 potency would if you were in a raid/boss and emptied your tp with aoeing a group of adds and you had other tp user DPS in the group as well. In that situation you would all need the tp since the fight would be continuing for awhile still.