Interested in MCH - Questions

[Zansei]

Hey, I've grown a little tired of healing as of late, so I decided to level up a DPS class, specifically atm I'm looking at Machinist, because of the aesthetics.

The thing that makes me hesitant though is how confusing MCH seems like it would be, for example, I looked at the MCH Guide on the forums and saw that the rotation was:

-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

Why would you use another Split Shot after a Slug Shot and then go straight into Clean Shot? Doesn't that seem counter-intuitive to the 1-2-3 mechanic SE seemed to be going for with those abilities?


Also, AoE for MCH seems confusing as well. We have 3 AoE Abilities (Grenado, Spread, Ricochet) and I can't figure out why. Grenado and Spread Shot seem so similar I don't understand why MCH's were even given both and I have no idea how to use them. Yes, the guide had a small AoE rotation (Which was just spam either Grenado or Spread) but I want to know why I shouldn't use Ricochet and why it's worth using one over the other.


If there's any other information anybody could share with me about MCH I would be pretty grateful. Like I said, the class looks cool aesthetically, but mechanically it looks like a mess and I'm trying to figure out if I should continue on with MCH or if I should just pick another, more straightforward DPS Job.


Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

[spelley]

snip.

Updated Google Doc Opener:

Google Doc Version - Actually Updated

Secondly, the reason you do 1-2-1-3-2-3 is because while under the effect of Rapid Fire, you skip the "cast time" (from Gauss Barrel) of Split Shot. While under Gauss Barrel, Slug/Clean Shot have no cast times but Split Shot does. This way, with 3 shots you are getting maximum value out of Rapid Fire.

Spread Shot is for when they are in a wide fan in front of you, and is more TP efficient at the cost of lower damage (AOE sustain). Grenado Shot is when they are further away/clumped and you want to do more damage right now (AOE burst). Richochet loses value the more targets there are. Richochet should generally be used on *one* target when possible, as you get the full 300 potency on the single target as opposed to spreading it out.

Hope that helps!

[Zansei]

Snip

Thank you so much! This actually does help a lot and I think I'll finally be able to start playing the class that's had my eye since Heavensward launched ^^

[Aeliott]

On the topic of difficulty, I think MCH has a high learning curve, since it has a few habits other jobs don't really possess, with their combo procs not being broken by using moves out of sequence. That's why if your 3rd hit is procced but you still have ammo left it's probably better to use 1 again so that you have the most guaranteed procs and least RNG. It becomes second nature eventually. That said, they only have 5 single target GCDs, the last of which you get at only 35. That doesn't mean it isn't complex, but I find it's a very easy class to tunnel vision with until you play it enough. Lots of very short cooldowns, procs to watch out for, turret switching / promoting sometimes - things lining up before Wildfire comes off cooldown. It can be overwhelming sometimes but once you get the hang of the fast-paced opener the rest of is what you'll have been doing in dungeons up to then more of less, proc fishing and weaving stuff as it comes. It's very rewarding if you stick with it

[Amiaze]

Hey, I've grown a little tired of healing as of late, so I decided to level up a DPS class, specifically atm I'm looking at Machinist, because of the aesthetics.

The thing that makes me hesitant though is how confusing MCH seems like it would be, for example, I looked at the MCH Guide on the forums and saw that the rotation was:...

I wouldn't let that deter you. I also mained a healing class before switching to MCH. I'm nowhere near the first person you'd want to ask for advice on DPSing because I know so little about it, but at least half of that rotation is something I learned to do on my own, without really consulting any documents or anything. You can do it. Have fun!