Black Mage Sanctuary - A Guide to DPS

[daman4567]

The dps requirements for the SSS dummies are unrealistically high compared to the actual fight, especially for BLM's, who are extremely reliant on thundercloud to proc in order to make the initial cast of thunder worthwhile. I probably use thunder a bit more than is recommended, but when I had trouble beating the SSS dummies consistently I tried several runs of either casting no thunder, or casting thunder only during the opener where a filler is absolutely required in order to get your full mana ticks. My dps was higher than a run if I had no procs, but was never enough to push a clear on the dummy. If I even got one proc in the 3 minute window then it would at the very least break even with the minimal thunder runs.

The checks are exceedingly low for the actual requirements of the fight, due to the fact that the fights are primarily a mechanics check, not a dps check, so if you can't meet the baseline provided by SSS without using mods from outside the realm of your Job, you're simply not ready for the fight.

You seem to be aware that the dps requirements are vastly different, yet still hold to the thought that if you don't meet the dps check handily you will fail in the fight to enrage, regardless of mechanics. Assuming a party comp of DRK, WAR, SCH, AST, BLM, BRD, NIN, DRG, the total dps required for a5s SSS dummies is around 9500. This is nearly 1.5 times what's actually required, and if you factor out party buffs the "personal" dps required is much much lower. There's another thing SSS doesn't account for, is party buffs like AST cards and NIN trick attack, though the way it's not accounted for isn't in the "not needed" category, it's in the "oops we forgot to factor that out" category. It's also possible, though unlikely, that in translation the statement of "potions and food are not accounted for in SSS" came from "the additional damage from potions and food was not subtracted from the hp of dummies in the SSS." I'm also willing to bet that the dummies also don't account for the gear you get from savage, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't wear it.

Edit: I actually just learned that my latency has skyrocketed since I had to move my computer farther away from my router; the ~.5s that normally exists between casts on fflogs parses turned to .7-.8s for me after the move. This might be a contributing factor to why I was having trouble consistently clearing the SSS dummies before. I also forgot to mention that while food and pots aren't considered in the requirements for SSS, gear gotten from previous floors is considered. So if you're like my group and got 0 caster drops, then you have 2 or 3 pieces by now (i think?) which puts you a bit behind the expected gear for a6 SSS and way behind on the a7 and a8 ones.

[LetBloodline]

B3 opener is more or less a relic of the past. It might be useful in some fights, but I haven't come across any. Give this a read: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...MC8EiyGLI/edit

I undertood that B3 middle rotation. I try to explain so you can give me a opinion. We are NOT talking about opening. We are talking about the following eno30sec rotation
Guide say this
F3 > F4 > F4 > F1 > F4 > F4 > B3
What he does is this
F3 > F4 > F4 > F4 > B3 > F3 > F4 > F4 (not sure if you can fit in one more F4 for SS) > B3
basically he use B3 > F3 instead of F1 to have the same effect of "convert" when it's on CD

I didn't do the math but the idea doesn't seem bad if you can turret

[HaroldSaxon]

B3 opener is more or less a relic of the past. It might be useful in some fights, but I haven't come across any. Give this a read: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...MC8EiyGLI/edit

Actually, B3 is used in the Thundercloud bait opener. RNG, but potentially the best opener if you get procs. Its also good on fights like AS3 where there is an early boss invulnerability phase where you can time your umbral ice phase with the invulnerability.

[Waliel]

What he does is this
F3 > F4 > F4 > F4 > B3 > F3 > F4 > F4 (not sure if you can fit in one more F4 for SS) > B3
basically he use B3 > F3 instead of F1 to have the same effect of "convert" when it's on CD

I didn't do the math but the idea doesn't seem bad if you can turret

Quick math from F3 to B3 with base SS puts the normal at 142.15 PPS and the second one at 135.36 PPS or 138.86 PPS with one extra F4. This also assumes you get instant mana tick to be able to even do it. 5xF4 like that is also 25 seconds long (base SS) without counting the time needed for B4.

Its also good on fights like AS3 where there is an early boss invulnerability phase where you can time your umbral ice phase with the invulnerability.

Can't remember if I ever tried B3, but pretty sure protean would screw you over there.

[LetBloodline]

Quick math from F3 to B3 with base SS puts the normal at 142.15 PPS and the second one at 135.36 PPS or 138.86 PPS with one extra F4. This also assumes you get instant mana tick to be able to even do it. 5xF4 like that is also 25 seconds long (base SS) without counting the time needed for B4.

it's clearly a rotation with much more SS. If you saw the video it does 6 FIV with 8 sec left of enochian without lay or other buffs (eno activated after F3). For sure he don't have 600 spell speed but i find hard to beleave that 6 FIV in 22 sec will give a PPS that low

[Waliel]

it's clearly a rotation with much more SS. If you saw the video it does 6 FIV with 8 sec left of enochian without lay or other buffs (eno activated after F3). For sure he don't have 600 spell speed but i find hard to beleave that 6 FIV in 22 sec will give a PPS that low

My 923 SS puts F3 to B3 at 178.04 PPS for normal (15.03s) and 144.94 PPS for 6xF4 (25.5s). The thing is that the F3 + B3 you're adding deals combined about 66% of one F4 worth of damage, and you also need to get almost instant mana tick for it to even remotely work. I also totally remembered the damage of B3 and F3 wrong (way too high) before I went to check my cast speeds.

[LetBloodline]

My 923 SS puts F3 to B3 at 178.04 PPS for normal (15.03s) and 144.94 PPS for 6xF4 (25.5s). The thing is that the F3 + B3 you're adding deals combined about 66% of one F4 worth of damage, and you also need to get almost instant mana tick for it to even remotely work. I also totally remembered the damage of B3 and F3 wrong (way too high) before I went to check my cast speeds.

Are you adding up the ice phase? You should add up until you are ready to start next rotation otherwise swiftcast flare then B3 whould be the best rotation ever. The longher you can stay active in Astral fire the better. Refresh enochian after 15 secs doesn't seem to be this good

[HaroldSaxon]

Can't remember if I ever tried B3, but pretty sure protean would screw you over there.

I never had an issue doing it. I guess it depends how your group deals with those protean's.

[Garotte14]

DPS is the factor in all of this. Let me stress: Damage Per Second. Opening with Blizz III is flat out lower DPS. The timer, meaning the "seconds" in DPS, is started the exact moment the boss is engaged. You're getting a 240 Potent Blizz III, 270 Potent Thunder, and 168 Potent Fire III (with potential procs). Thats 678 potency in the first 8 seconds. In the same 8 seconds, you could have dealt 1238.4 potency. Anyway you swing it, there really isn't a comparison. You also have to factor in, Fey Wind is cast immediately, as well as Balance. Battle Litany on drgs 2nd GCD, and Trick Attack shortly after. You're wasting valuable time on small potencies and your potion isn't even up yet.

The point is to kill the boss as quickly as possible. Thats your job. You might be able to add an extra Fire IV or whatnot, but your actual DPS will be lower because its taking you way more time to "ramp up." Plus your missing out on party buffs as well.

[Hontaro]

snip

Calculating damage purely based on time is plain useless. That's not how rotations work. Sure, you might say that you could have dealt double the potency in the first 8 seconds, but in the next 8 seconds, the Blizzard opener will deal much more damage because you're in a fresh Fire cycle. You also forgot that we're pre-casting the first spell, so the potency loss isn't that severe either.

About Blizzard opener in A3S: I haven't encountered any problems at all. If you B3 > T1 > Sharp > F3 > F1 > Fire cycle, you can easily time your Firestarter for the Protean Wave.