Black Mage Sanctuary - A Guide to DPS

[Israacf]

That opener is still decent, but with the change to Astral Fire and our increased spell speed, it is not optimal. I have still yet to see a better opener than the Sharpcast opener as far as Potency goes. It makes better use of oGCDs.

Sharpcast > Quelling > Ley Lines > F1 > Enochian+Raging Strikes > F3P > Potion > F4x3 > Fire > Swiftcast > F4+Convert > F4x2 > F3P* > Blizz 3 > Thunder > Blizz 4.

If you don't use a potion just move Raging Strikes in place of the potion.

Thanks a lot! Time to practice

[Lilyth]

If you don't use a potion just move Raging Strikes in place of the potion.

Actually, it's better to move Ley Lines in the spot of a potion if you're no using one and leave the rest where it is. RS will still cover all 6 fire IVs, the first firestarter proc, and even the potential firestarter proc at the end assuming you have high SS.

[MagiusNecros]

That opener is still decent, but with the change to Astral Fire and our increased spell speed, it is not optimal. I have still yet to see a better opener than the Sharpcast opener as far as Potency goes. It makes better use of oGCDs.

Sharpcast > Quelling > Ley Lines > F1 > Enochian+Raging Strikes > F3P > Potion > F4x3 > Fire > Swiftcast > F4+Convert > F4x2 > F3P* > Blizz 3 > Thunder > Blizz 4.

If you don't use a potion just move Raging Strikes in place of the potion.

That's reliant on a F3 proc near the end which has a chance of not happening. I'd much rather set up B3 >T1 > F3 > pop the skills > F1 >F4x4 > Convert > F3P > F4x3 > B3 > T1/T3P > B4. That way it's all guaranteed.

By starting at max MP you'll get off F4x7 and have just enough for B3.

Course Piety is gonna make all the difference. I sit at 350 because I can.

[Judge_Xero]

One I've playing with on SSS is.

Sharp,B3,T1,F3,F4,F4,T3,SC Flare, Convert, F4, F4, B3, B4 etc.

Haven't mathed it out or arranged the CDs but it has decent results.

[Garotte14]

Actually, it's better to move Ley Lines in the spot of a potion if you're no using one and leave the rest where it is. RS will still cover all 6 fire IVs, the first firestarter proc, and even the potential firestarter proc at the end assuming you have high SS.

This is incorrect. Casting Ley Lines pre-pull will be a better PPS increase. If you aren't using a potion, you are then weaving RS under a FS proc. Trust in that I've done the math a dozen times. The only time you would not want to cast LL right before your first spell, would be if you cannot be prepositioned.

That's reliant on a F3 proc near the end which has a chance of not happening. I'd much rather set up B3 >T1 > F3 > pop the skills > F1 >F4x4 > Convert > F3P > F4x3 > B3 > T1/T3P > B4. That way it's all guaranteed.

By starting at max MP you'll get off F4x7 and have just enough for B3.

Course Piety is gonna make all the difference. I sit at 350 because I can.

Also incorrect. This is not reliant on an F3P at the end. Its only a bonus if you get it. Also starting out with Blizzard III will be a PPS decrease no matter how you spin it. Especially if you have a DRG who is using Battle litany on their 2nd GCD. You will waste a ton of BL by starting out with B3. I see many people talking about a 7 F4 opener. More damage does not mean more damage per second. You have to take into consideration your party buffs like Trick Attack, Battle Litany, Fey Wind, Balance, etc. Of course I will never tell anyone how to do their opener, but if you are asking what is the best opener, that comes down to PPS and Sharpcast > F1 will win. Especially if you are using a potion because you can weave that under Firestarter and that is an extremely long animation lock that you can almost completely avoid.

One I've playing with on SSS is.

Sharp,B3,T1,F3,F4,F4,T3,SC Flare, Convert, F4, F4, B3, B4 etc.

Haven't mathed it out or arranged the CDs but it has decent results.

I will take the time to update my spreadsheet with PPS for all openers. It's been awhile since I've updated with the increased SS. I don't foresee much of a change comparison wise, but there are a few more openers out there that people are curious about. I will make sure to update everyone once I've finished.

[MagiusNecros]

junk

From what I've seen either or is fine. The difference in PPS isn't by a whole lot. Besides I'm accounting for lack of party buffs. I personally feel if you are to use convert it's either for another Flare or 3 more F4's.

Plus since I rely on my crit build and base my numbers off of luck it's very possible to get high returns. But again it becomes a game of luck and numbers at that point.

[Lilyth]

This is incorrect. Casting Ley Lines pre-pull will be a better PPS increase. If you aren't using a potion, you are then weaving RS under a FS proc. Trust in that I've done the math a dozen times. The only time you would not want to cast LL right before your first spell, would be if you cannot be prepositioned.

I'd really like you to further clarify why.
If you place the oGCDs like you suggested, you're exchanging the first AF1 Firestarter proc under RS for an AF3 Blizzard III. That doesn't sound promising.

[Garotte14]

I'd really like you to further clarify why.
If you place the oGCDs like you suggested, you're exchanging the first AF1 Firestarter proc under RS for an AF3 Blizzard III. That doesn't sound promising.

I'm not exactly 100% certain what you're asking. I could be completely misunderstanding what you were saying. The point I'm trying to make is you want to make the most of weaving skills underneath your Firestarter. So if the two options are: (Ley Lines > F1 > Enochian > F3P > Raging Strikes > F4x3) or (F1 > Enochian + Raging Strikes > F3P > Ley Lines > F4x3) the former is 5.2 PPS higher. In the second scenario, both Enochian and RS are not being weaved at all. So that adds an extra second. Then the F3P isn't under Ley Lines which is a differnece of .33 seconds. In both scenarios the Blizzard III at the end will hit under RS, so that is not a factor.

Edit: Ok, so I kinda see what you are saying after rereading it. You are somewhat correct. You still want to cast Ley Lines prepull regardless if you are using a potion or not. But the better option would be to swap Enochian and RS, since this solves the problem you are referring to. So the better opener without using a potion would be:

Precast Sharpcast + Quelling Strikes + Ley Lines > Fire > Raging Strikes > Firestarter > Enochian > Fire IVx3 > Fire > Swiftcast > Fire IV > Convert > Fire IVx2 > Blizzard III > Thunder > Blizzard IV.

[Garotte14]

From what I've seen either or is fine. The difference in PPS isn't by a whole lot. Besides I'm accounting for lack of party buffs. I personally feel if you are to use convert it's either for another Flare or 3 more F4's.

Plus since I rely on my crit build and base my numbers off of luck it's very possible to get high returns. But again it becomes a game of luck and numbers at that point.

Hey, if that's what you prefer, there's nothing wrong with that. But I'm only here to give advice. Yes either or is fine, but the difference in PPS is huge. You are looking at around 15.21 PPS decrease over the Sharpcast opener. This is not even taking into account party buffs, and its also not taking into account that in order to even do this, you have to spec a lot of extra Piety to even pull that off which takes away from other secondaries. You are losing tons, and I mean tons, of DPS doing a 7x Fire IV opener.

[BorisDaBlade]

Maybe someone can help me with the math on my opener. I usually cast F3 right at pull then RS, eno, ley, F4 sharp F1, F4, F4, F4, F3proc, convert, F4,F4, B3, B4, T1 and into the standard rotation. Am I wasting any pps by not using sharp f1 first?