Shots Fired: A Machinist Guide

[Cascadi]

Game Version: 3.01
Last Updated: 07/07/2015

Introduction

Seeing how there’s no megathread for discussing Machinists, here is one that’ll serve as a complication of research into this class.

Contents

1. Machinist: An Overview
2. Gauss Barrel, Ammo, and Turrets
3. Actions
4. The Opener
5. The Rotation
6. Turrets
7. Stat Weights and BiS
8. User Tips + Tricks
9. DPS Simulation - Machinist
10. Additional Thoughts on DPS

1 – Machinist: An Overview

Machinists are a new class introduced in the Heavensward expansion that work as a support DPS job. It shares some similarities with the Bard, however, instead of being based on DoTs, Machinists are based off of chaining shots depending on the procs they receive, and using ammunition to force these procs. Like the Bard, a lot of their damage comes from their procs, so high awareness is essential to doing high amounts of damage. The type of damage Machinists and their turrets do is Piercing, so Disembowel from the Dragoon boosts the damage of the Machinist.

2 – Gauss Barrel, Ammo, and Turrets

The Machinist has 3 major concepts that it utilizes: the Gauss Barrel, usage of Ammunition, and the supportive toggled abilities of the autoturrets.

Like the Bard’s Wanderer’s Minuet, Machinists get access to Gauss Barrel, an ability that puts a cast time on weaponskills and stops all auto-attacks. However, unlike the Bard, once a proc is triggered for Split Shot or Slug Shot, the following Slug or Clean Shot has no cast time. Some skills are also only usable while the Gauss Barrel is equipped, however, Gauss Barrel is pretty much useless outside of AoE pulls.

Ammunition, unlike the Gauss Barrel, is introduced at the start of the class with the 2 skills Quick Reload and Reload. A round of ammunition adds 20 potency, but the increase in potency isn’t the benefit of ammunition. Ammunition and Reassemble does not apply on Lead Shot DoT, only its initial hit. If ammunition is stocked, the 50/50 chance of chaining a Split Shot into a Slug Shot and a Slug Shot into a Clean Shot becomes reality, increasing the burst damage you can put out.

Turrets serve as a mix of the Bard's songs and the Summoner pets. They take reduced damage from AoE, and have a static amount of HP. They will be withdrawn from the battlefield if their HP hits 0. The amount of damage a turret does is around 15% of the Machinist's DPS.

3 – Actions

Weaponskills (Global Cooldown Actions)

• Hot Shot - Delivers an attack with a potency of 120. Additional Effect: Increases physical damage dealt by 5%. Duration: 30s

• Lead Shot - Delivers an attack with a potency of 40. Places a DoT with a potency of 45 for 30s.

• Split Shot - Delivers an attack with a potency of 140. Additional Effect: 50% chance of increasing next Slug Shot potency by 80. Gauss Barrel Effect: Next Slug Shot will have no cast time. Duration: 10s. Ammunition Effect: 100% chance of increasing next Slug Shot potency.

• Slug Shot - Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Split Shot Bonus Potency: 180. Additional Effect: 50% chance of increasing next Clean Shot potency by 100. Gauss Barrel Effect: Next Clean Shot will have no cast time. Duration: 10s. Ammunition Effect: 100% chance of increasing next Clean Shot potency.

• Clean Shot - Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Slug Shot Bonus Potency: 200

• Spread Shot - Deliver an attack with a potency of 100 to all enemies in a cone before you.

• Grenado Shot - Delivers an attack with a potency of 120 to target and enemies near it.

Abilities (off-Global Cooldown Actions)

Skills

• Gauss Round - Delivers an attack with potency of 180. Can only be executed with a Gauss Barrel attached. Recast Time: 20s

• Ricochet - Delivers an attack with a potency of 100 to target and 200 distributed among all nearby targets (300 potency single target). Can only be executed with a Gauss Barrel attached. Recast Time: 60s

• Wildfire - Covers target's body in a slow-burning pitch. For the next 15 seconds, 25% of most damage you inflict upon the target is compiled, then dealt at the end of the effect’s duration. Recast Time: 90s

• Suppressive Fire - Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Stun Duration 2s. Shares a recast timer with Head Graze. Recast Time: 25s

• Head Graze - Delivers an attack with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: Silence Duration: 2s. Share a recast timer with Suppressive Fire. Recast Time: 25s

• Blank - Deals damage with a potency of 100. Additional Effect: 15-yalm knockback. Recast Time: 30s

• Heartbreak - Delivers an attack with a potency of 180. Can only be executed when target's HP is below 20%. Recast Time: 30s

Buffs and Utility

• Gauss Barrel - Equips your current firearm with a gauss barrel, increasing damage dealt by 20%. While barrel is equipped, all auto-attack will stop and all weaponskills will require casting time. Effect ends upon reuse. Cast Time: 3s, Recast Time: 5s

• Reassemble - Next weaponskill will result in a critical hit. If the next action is an area of effect attack, only the first enemy hit will be ensured critical damage. Duration: 20s, Recast Time: 60s

• Rapid Fire - Reduces weaponskill recast timer to 1.5s. Gauss Barrel Effect: Weaponskills will have no cast time. Effect ends upon using 3 weaponskills. Duration: 15s, Recast Time: 90s

• Rook Autoturret - Deploys a single-target battle turret which will deliver auto-attacks with a potency of 80 to its master's target. Using a weaponskill will cause turret to change targets. Hypercharge Potency: 160. Hypercharge Effect: Increases target’s physical damage taken by 5%. Duration: 10s. Shares a recast timer with Bishop Autoturret. Recast Time: 10s

• Bishop Autoturret - Deploys an area of effect battle turret which will deliver auto-attacks with a potency of 60 to all nearby enemies. Hypercharge Potency: 120. Hypercharge Effect: Increases target’s magic damage taken by 5% Duration: 10s. Shares a recast timer with Rook Autoturret. Recast Time: 10s

• Promotion - Disables a turret's attack mode. Rooks will instead create a 20-yalm radius TP regeneration field. Bishops will create an MP regeneration field. Caster MP is slowly drained while autoturret is promoted. Hypercharge Effect: Regeneration potency is doubled. Attack mode is reactivated upon reuse. Recast Time: 5s

• Hypercharge - Overcharges your autoturret, increasing its effectiveness. Duration: 15s. Can only be executed when a turret is deployed. Recast Time: 120s

• Turret Retrieval - Retrieves an autoturret from the battlefield. Recast Time: 5s

• Reload - Loads firearm with five rounds of special ammunition. One round of ammunition is used each time a weaponskill is executed. Increase that weaponskill's potency by 20. Ammunition use may also increase the rate at which a weaponskill's additional effect is triggered. No more than five rounds can be loaded one at a time. Duration: 30s. Recast Time: 60s

• Quick Reload - Replenishes your ammunition by 1 and restores 50 TP. Recast Time: 30s

• Dismantle - Lowers target's physical damage dealt by 5% Duration: 10s. Shares a recast timer with Rend Mind. Recast Time: 90s

• Rend Mind - Lowers target's magic damage dealt by 5%. Duration: 10s. Share a recast timer with Dismantle. Recast Time: 90s

• Leg Graze - Inflicts target with Heavy +40%. Duration 12s. Shares a recast timer with Foot Graze. Recast Time: 20s.

• Foot Graze - Binds target. Duration 12s. Cancels auto-attack upon execution. Shares a recast timer with Leg Graze. Recast Time: 20s.

Recommended Cross-Class Abilities

• Raging Strikes (BRD) - Increases damage dealt by 20% for 20s. Recast Time: 180s

• Hawk’s Eye (BRD) - Increases Dexterity by 15% and guarantees that all attacks land. Recast Time: 90s

• Feint (DRG) - Delivers an attack with a potency of 120. Additional Effect: Slow +20% for 10s.

• Invigorate (DRG) - Instantly restores 400 TP. Recast Time: 120s

• Blood for Blood (DRG) - Increases damage dealt by 10% and damage suffered by 25% for 20s. Recast Time: 80s

• Alternative to Feint if not using Gauss Barrel: Quelling Strikes (BRD) - Reduces enmity generated by each attack for 15s. Recast Time: 120s

• Another alternative to Feint: Keen Flurry (DRG) - Increases parry rate by 40%. Duration: 20s. Recast Time: 90s

4 – The Opener

Reload Opener

8 sec Pre-Pull

-Gauss Barrel (on)

4 sec Pre-Pull

-Rook Autoturret (if more Physical DPS than Magical DPS, if otherwise, Bishop Autoturret)

2 sec Pre-Pull

-Quelling Strikes (optional)

1 sec Pre-Pull

-Hypercharge

Pull

-Blood for Blood
-Gauss Round
Hot Shot
-Raging Strikes
-Hawk's Eye
Lead Shot
-Rapid Fire
-Reload
Split Shot
-Wildfire
Slug Shot
-Potion
Split Shot
-Reassemble
Clean Shot
-Quick Reload
-Ricochet
Slug Shot
-Blank
-Head Graze
Clean Shot
-Gauss Round
Split Shot
...

5 Ammo Opener

58 sec Pre-Pull

-Reload

28 sec Pre-Pull

-Quick Reload

8 sec Pre-Pull

-Gauss Barrel (on)

4 sec Pre-Pull

-Rook Autoturret (if more Physical DPS than Magical DPS, if otherwise, Bishop Autoturret)

2 sec Pre-Pull

-Quelling Strikes (optional)

1 sec Pre-Pull

-Hypercharge

Pull

-Blood for Blood
-Gauss Round
Hot Shot
-Quick Reload
-Raging Strikes
-Hawk's Eye
Lead Shot
-Rapid Fire
Split Shot
-Wildfire
Slug Shot
-Potion
Split Shot
-Reassemble
Clean Shot
-Reload
-Ricochet
Slug Shot
-Blank
-Head Graze
Clean Shot
-Gauss Round
Split Shot
...

Code (to test in simulator):

Reload Opener
gauss_barrel_start = True
prev_custom_opener = ["hypercharge","blood_for_blood","gauss_round","hot_shot","raging_strikes","hawks_eye","lead_shot","rapid_fire","reload","split_shot","wildfire","slug_shot","potion","split_shot","reassemble","clean_shot","quick_reload","gauss_round","slug_shot","ricochet","head_graze","clean_shot","blank"]
starting_ammo = 0

5 Ammo Opener
gauss_barrel_start = True
prev_custom_opener = ["hypercharge","blood_for_blood","gauss_round","hot_shot","quick_reload","hawks_eye","raging_strikes","lead_shot","rapid_fire","split_shot","wildfire","slug_shot","potion","split_shot","reassemble","clean_shot","reload","gauss_round","slug_shot","ricochet","head_graze","clean_shot","blank"]
starting_ammo = 5

Proceed into rotation, using Invigorate when at 560~580 TP and when Quick Reload is on cooldown.

5 – The Rotation

Single-Target
Machinists work off a Priority System rather than a set rotation due to the unpredictability of the Shot skills. It goes like this:

1. Hot Shot – (120 Potency) Keep up your 5% increased physical damage.
2. Lead Shot – (490 Total Potency) The highest total potency weaponskill in the Machinist’s arsenal.
3. Split Shot – (140 Potency) Did it proc Slug Shot? Proceed to use Slug Shot. Did Slug Shot proc Clean Shot? Proceed to use Clean Shot. Did nothing proc? Repeat Split Shot while keeping up 1 + 2.

When to use Ammunition? Use Ammunition from Reload when Hot Shot and Lead Shot have a comfortable duration remaining, and use Ammunition from Quick Reload whenever it is available spending it on Split/Slug Shot. Using Lead/Hot Shot while a Slug Shot/Clean Shot proc is up will not remove the proc so time Ammunition appropriately. The first Reload can be timed with Reassemble to guarantee a Critical Hit with Clean Shot. In summary, always try to save your Ammunition for Split/Slug Shot. Ammunition priority should look like this:

Do I have a Clean Shot proc + Ammunition?

Use Split Shot.

Do I have a Slug Shot proc + Ammunition?

Use Slug Shot.

Do I have no procs + Ammunition?

Use Split Shot.

Do I have a Clean Shot proc + No Ammunition?

Use Clean Shot.

When to use Reassemble? Reassemble should always be saved for Clean Shot with Ammo, as a Critical Hit increases the potency by (1.45 + scaling on critical hit rate), allowing Clean Shot to deal more potency.

Gauss Barrel? With the buffs to Gauss Barrel in 3.01, it is always a DPS benefit to have Gauss Barrel active as long as you do not miss any weaponskill casts. It is better to toggle it off for extended periods of time of dodging, however, if short term, it is better to use Feint.

Feint? When forced into a situation that requires movement yet you have Gauss Barrel active, like how a Black Mage uses Scathe while moving, as a Machinist you should be using Feint if no procs are available to use. However, if put in a situation where constant movement is needed, it is better to toggle Gauss Barrel off and not use Feint.

Keeping Procs? Holding onto a proc is only advisable if burst is required within the next 6 seconds or if you screwed up your procs; there is no difference in total potency otherwise.

Holding Proc
Split Shot (Slug Shot Proc, 4 Ammo) - Slug Shot (Clean Shot Proc, 3 Ammo) - Split Shot (Slug Shot Proc, 2 Ammo) - Clean Shot (1 Ammo) - Slug Shot (Clean Shot Proc, No Ammo) - Clean Shot
140 + 180 + 140 + 200 + 180 + 200 = 1040

Not Holding Proc
Split Shot (Slug Shot Proc, 4 Ammo) - Slug Shot (Clean Shot Proc, 3 Ammo) - Clean Shot (2 Ammo) - Split Shot (Slug Shot Proc, 1 Ammo) - Slug Shot (Clean Shot Proc, No Ammo) - Clean Shot
140 + 180 + 200 + 140 + 180 + 200 = 1040

These abilities should always be on cooldown:

1. Gauss Round
2. Heartbreak
3. Blank (unless the target can get knocked back)
4. Ricochet (if period of battle is longer than 180s; else save Ricochet for Wildfire burst)
5. Head Graze/Suppressive Fire (unless Silence/Stun required for fight)

Cooldown Alignment
Like Bard, Blood for Blood benefits from being delayed after the opener.
Blood for Blood should always be lined up with Hawk’s Eye + Wildfire + Rapid Fire.
Your buff use order should be:
Hypercharge > Blood for Blood > Hawk's Eye > Raging Strikes > Rapid Fire > Wildfire

AoE
First, keep up Hot Shot + Gauss Barrel + Bishop Autoturret. Then decide depending on the number of targets as well as the encounter length.
If the targets will live for less than 30 seconds, use Grenado Shot.
If the targets will live more than 30 seconds, use Spread Shot.
Once your Invigorate is used, and you have a Warrior/Dragoon/Bard in your party, switch to Rook Autoturret and use Promotion.

Case 1: Hot Shot into Grenado Shot
Let's set the GCD for Machinist to be around 2.4 seconds.
The TP use for Hot Shot isn't included as we start at 1000 TP; Grenado Shot costs 160 TP so,
TP: 80-240-560-720-880-1040-1200
60 TP per 3 seconds regen, 6 GCDs (6 * 2.4/3 = 4.8 rounded down to 4 * 60 = 240) 240 TP regen means 1 more Grenado Shot can be fit in.
TP: 1200-1360
Invigorate happens as well as Reload so +450 TP along with 60 TP regen and 40 TP remaining means we can fit in 3 more Grenado Shot.
TP: 1360-1520-1680-1840
Converted into Potency this is: 120 + 151* 10 (10 Grenado Shot) = 1630 Total Potency without factoring in the mobs. With the mobs factored, it becomes:
3 Mobs = 120 + 1510 * 3 = 4650 in 10 GCDs = 10 * 2.4 = 24s, 4650/24s = 194 potency per second
4 Mobs = 120 + 1510 * 4 = 6160 = 257 potency per second
5 Mobs = 120 + 1510 * 5 = 7670 = 320 potency per second
6 Mobs = 120 + 1510 * 6 = 9180 = 383 potency per second
7 Mobs = 120 + 1510 * 7 = 10690 = 445 potency per second

To compare with Case 2, the time was extended to 31.2s, which gives 2 ticks of TP regen, 120 TP which is only enough for a Hot Shot.
3 Mobs = 120 * 2 + 1510 * 3 = 4770 in 13 GCDs = 13 * 2.4 = 31.2s, 4770/31.2s = 152 potency per second
4 Mobs = 120 * 2 + 1510 * 4 = 6280= 201 potency per second
5 Mobs = 120 * 2 + 1510 * 5 = 7790 = 250 potency per second
6 Mobs = 120 * 2 + 1510 * 6 = 9300 = 298 potency per second
7 Mobs = 120 * 2 + 1510 * 7 = 10810 = 346 potency per second

Case 2: Hot Shot into Spread Shot
The TP use for Hot Shot isn't included as we start at 1000 TP; Spread Shot costs 130 TP so,
TP: 80-210-340-470-600-730-860-990
60 TP per 3 seconds regen, 7 GCDs (7 * 2.4/3 = 5.6 rounded down to 5 * 60 = 300) 300 TP regen and 90 TP remaining means 3 more Spread Shot can be fit in.
TP: 990-1120-1250-1380
Invigorate happens as well as Reload so +450 TP along with 60 TP regen and 0 TP remaining means we can fit in 3 more Spread Shot.
TP: 1380-1510-1640-1770
Converted into Potency this is: 120 + 126 * 13 (13 Spread Shot) = 1485 Total Potency without factoring in the mobs. With the mobs factored, it becomes:
3 Mobs = 120 + 1638 * 3 = 5034 in 13 GCDs = 13 * 2.4 = 31.2s, 5034/31.2s = 161 potency per second
4 Mobs = 120 + 1638 * 4 = 6672 = 213 potency per second
5 Mobs = 120 + 1638 * 5 = 8310 = 266 potency per second
6 Mobs = 120 + 1638 * 6 = 9948 = 319 potency per second
7 Mobs = 120 + 1638 * 6 = 11586 = 371 potency per second

Dungeons
In dungeons with pulls of 3 targets, the skill rotation is to buff yourself with Hot Shot then hit each one with Lead Shot, going into Spread Shot/Grenado Shot depending on how long the targets will be alive. When it comes down to 2 targets, AoEing while keeping up Lead Shot will still do more damage than the single target rotation, however, it is quite taxing on your TP, so hitting each one with Lead Shot and then going into your single target rotation is recommended. For bosses, perform your single target rotation.

6 – Turrets

Turrets are one of the aspects that differentiate the Machinist from other DPS jobs as a support. On the use of Promotion gained at level 42, they will change their effect depending on the turret sent out.

To relate Bard Songs to Turret Promotions:
Rook Autoturret <=> Army's Paeon
Bishop Autoturret <=> Mage's Ballad

However, unlike the Bard songs, turrets do not lower your damage while sent out. If placed in Promotion though to activate the TP/MP recovery, they will not commit any autoattacks, which lowers your total DPS by about 15%, as the turret deals approximately 15% of your DPS.

The Machinist's equivalent to Battle Voice is Hypercharge, with several additions.
-Hypercharge while the turret is in Attack Mode will cause 5% physical/magical vulnerability (Rook/Bishop) on enemies for 10 seconds and increase the potency of the turret autoattacks.
-Hypercharge while the turret is Promoted and its Attack Mode disabled will cause 2x the regeneration rate of TP/MP.

7 – Stat Weights + BiS

Stats
Weapon Damage - The main modifier of weapon damage, always go for the highest weapon damage regardless of sub stats.
Dexterity - Affects the amount of damage you inflict, as well as your parry.
Accuracy - Affects the accuracy of your attacks. You should always look to get enough accuracy for the fight you are doing, and optimize for other stats.
Critical Hit Rate - Affects the rate of your attacks dealing critical damage. Critical Hit modifier is not confirmed yet, requires more testing.
Determination - Affects the amount of damage of your attacks.
Skill Speed - Changed in Heavensward, it now affects the Potency of your DoTs for weaponskills. As in pre-Heavensward, it still affects the recast timer of your weaponskills.

Tentative Stat Weights (3.01)
w/o GB
WD - 9.172
Dexterity - 1.000
Determination - 0.126
Critical Hit Rate - 0.139
Skill Speed - 0.015

w/ GB
WD - 10.71
Dexterity - 1.000
Determination - 0.125
Critical Hit Rate - 0.140
Skill Speed - 0.020

BiS
3.0
http://ffxiv.ariyala.com/QWAV
3.01
http://ffxiv.ariyala.com/QXOB

8 – User Tips + Tricks

-As a knockback ability, Blank will interrupt enemy channels and casts if they are misplaced. It can also be used to move away mobs and bind them when used together with Foot Graze in case of danger. However, on mobs that do not fulfill these conditions Blank should only be used as a killing oGCD or if the mobs are near a wall, as knocking back a target may cause extreme irritation to other players.

-Turrets do not generate aggro when placed, so they may be placed ahead of time.

-Keeping the ammo stacks alive pre-pull

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.

-Ricochet Damage?

400 potency on a single target, split evenly on others i.e 100 potency to 4 targets.

-Are turrets affected by your buffs?

They get your food buff.

-If you take Feint as a cross class skill (it's like Scathe for BLM)

Feint from DRG is instant cast while under the effect of gauss barrel.

-Keeping Hypercharge on CD?

I've never used BV on habit with the exception of T13, paeon after the first shadow goes down. Beyond that, I've always saved it in case of emergencies, it's just not good enough to use on foe req considering the 4 minute cooldown.

Hypercharge on the other hand, is still considered one of our dps cooldowns. If we try to save it for a clutch moment like battlevoice, it's a fairly decent dps loss over a period of time. If we pop it every two minutes, we won't have it on hand for when we do need it.

-Lead Shot usage

I think it's very important to point out/reiterate that lead shot should not be used with GB off. The 30% does affect the dots and that is a very nice size chunk of dps over 30 seconds.

9 – DPS Simulation - Machinist

Code: http://pastebin.com/wycY98R0

Damage Formulas taken from Dervy @ http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...A-DPS-Paradigm

You can run this through any Python implementation, an in-browser one is available for free here: http://www.skulpt.org/

10 – Additional Thoughts on DPS

So how much variance is there in our DPS?

10000 simulations were ran with the same opener changing the random.seed(x) over 60~240s, and the resulting DPS variance with 3.0 BiS was around 8~20%.
The variance in DPS is higher with Gauss Barrel active, and lower without Gauss Barrel active.

Is our DPS bad compared to other classes?

It depends on the player so don't judge! Compared to a Bard, Machinist is very demanding job to play, so the performance of this class has quite a huge amount of variance.