Easy Black Mage improvements!!!

[Cynfael]

once you guys reach a certain item level you aoes will start to return to normal, don't know how I was doing it earlier but I was actually poping off 8k flairs.

Item level is currently at 184.

You see a minimal difference when Flaring small groups. The disparity between 2.x Flare and 3.x Flare is felt when you have a large group of mobs because of how consecutive targets suffer less and less damage (maxing out at 50% reduction). It never really "returns to normal."

[Kabooa]

i187 no fire 4 1000 dps on a dummy sustained easily while the best dps for blm i've seen on a dummy is this really convoluted rotation for 1200 dps in where you basically have to stand still. Gl with that in real fights.

"Convoluted."

You replace Fire with Fire4, use 1 fire to ensure your stacks remain, then go into ice stance as normal, where you use Blizzard 4 + Thunder 1 if you can fit it.

It's about as complicated as basic arithmetic.

[Kenji1134]

The benefit of the 2.X rotation is that your longest cast is 2.5s making it easier to slide-cast, and the added flexibility caused by having your primary damaging spell refresh its own buff, and not having to worry about another buff dropping (Enochian).

The benefit of the 3.0 rotation is ~15-20% more dps.
I guess the entire argument is that this 15-20% in practice does not make up for the timing rigidity, buff monitoring, and movement penalties that comes with the 3.0 rotation.

And there seems to be a majority consensus on this.
The 3.0 rotation is definitely doable, but the punishment for messing it up seems worse than that for other classes, to the point that we can be completely locked out of our 3.0 rotation if we "mess up" at the wrong time.
Most of the request changes are to make the timers more forgiving, or make it so that we can still use the 3.0 rotation, albeit at a lower potency even if we lose AF/UI/Enochian.

[Joronas]

I'm just sick of fighting my class when I want to be fighting the boss. I'm actually at the point of a moratorium on some content, because I don't see the point in punishing myself by trying to take a black mage into it. It's just too painful for me to consider it fun.

If Fire IV reset the timer on Umbral Fire .. that would help. Significantly, I think. We'd still be on a playstyle that I'm not as fussed on -- I love the proc based ARR BLM -- but the class probably wouldn't feel like it's out to get me anymore. Depends on what else was done at the same time.

And yes, I know some people just love it and don't see a problem with taking BLM into any and all content. Doesn't matter. There is always somebody who finds something fun. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be improved so it's fun for more people.

[Tarta]

There were 2 Alex Savage groups looking for full time caster DPS to fill.
I applied to both at i193 - they said they weren't looking for a BLM.
We aren't even considered a caster DPS anymore....

[Draxis_Fallspear]

I'll admit that I haven't read the full thread, so apologies if this has been suggested. I feel like they should use the proc system which we are already familiar with and give bliz3 a chance to proc an instant bliz4 under enochian. It would be consistent with the toolkit, and allow to use Sharpcast to force a proc in situations where you're going to be tight on refreshing the budf because of movement. If Sharpcast was down and it didn't proc, then Swifcast would remain an option.

Alternatively, they could give us a trait that lowers the recast of Swiftcast.

[OneWingedSora]

There were 2 Alex Savage groups looking for full time caster DPS to fill.
I applied to both at i193 - they said they weren't looking for a BLM.
We aren't even considered a caster DPS anymore....

Then both of those groups were terrible.

[drmambo1999]

I finally hit 60 and am messing with enochian and fire 4 on the dummy. I think I have a decent handle on it now, but the fact that fire 4 doesn't reset astral fire does make things more difficult. I think everything would be perfect if not for that.

I think I have found a work around though that is more friendly to movement, but I will have to start running dungeons before I can say for certain.

The one major thing that I think I am going to struggle with at first, is the opening during fights like bismark and ravana ex. Those Aoes are gonna make it difficult at first until i know the fight better. XD

Ultimately I agree with those who want fire 4 to reset astral fire. I think that would make things MUCH more fluid for blms, but I can adapt to it as is now just the same.

[Sunako]

If fire 4 would reset astral fire, fire 1 would probably not be in the rotation anymore. Does it make it bit boring? Do you wanna be low risk low reward rather than high risk high reward?

[OmegaStrongtan]

I would have preferred if BLM stayed the proc based DPS but the way it is now is also okayish. Need just some QoL changes...