How to Dragoon per Second: A DPS Paradigm

[JackFross]

It took me a while to get it down, and I didn't notice a significant dps increase (though I was closer to 1430-1440 average instead of 1400-1410 going to first phase transition), however the phase 2 rotation is like WAYYY smoother, wow. (Can't get caps there since I hit HT on invuln so I have it for the subsequent HT when he returns which gives me like 0s downtime to take the cap)

The only issue I ran into was that at Sluice I was on rear for Chaos Thrust instead of flank where I had been before tonight, so I had to poke at my WAR to tell her to move after one time I got double sluiced. Much more consistently at 1300-1350 going into add phase, too, due primarily to the rotation being hecka smooth (though I can't be sure how much of that can be attributed to my comfort level with the fight getting better). I'm dropping a CT on one hand just as health bars change into 4th>phleb>BL+B4B>basically full opener but with a FT combo to finish before flopping to other hand for CT and to chase with Leg+Jump+Geir during the last combo before phase. It works pretty well. The smooth rotation in p2 makes me like it a lot. The fact I hit 1500 on first transition a few times doesn't hurt, either.

I'm still thoroughly confused what Hak does to manage 1450-1475 by end of hands, though.

[Hakmatic]

Fire off 3 gks before hand. Disembowel right as the change happens. Ct then phle, refresh ht at 6 seconds left, continue normally using botd before fullthurst, fire 1 gk during next b4b, elusive back on double hands ct on primary hand, set up ct on second hand, fire 1 gk, equal happens, dps which ever, fire off 1 more gk pop 3rd botd, fire another when it's up, pop 3rd b4b, fire 1 more gk, dps some more, fire off another gk phase ends. I don't use phle after equal.

[ReliaWylder]

Hey Jack,

It's a better PPS increase to drop HT for the end of Phase 1 and do a TTT instead if I'm doing the math right. Additionally, the double CT opener is only about 750 damage stronger at A4S levels of gear, which means you should be seeing maybe 10 more dps on average by the time he goes invuln for the first time.

For Sluice, you can hit the Disembowel on the flank to bait it away, then right after disembowel move to the rear and you should be able to get there in time.

Actually, I had only suggested doing this for the very first opener of the fight because the idea was that even though you're clipping CT by a massive amount all the buffs you have (Battle Litany, Internal Release, Blood for Blood, STR POT) would make extending the duration of a super-buffed CT a PPS increase over TTT anyway despite the huge clipping. It may not be a potency increase to use it after that; I have to double check the math on that as I have never tested that scenario.

[JackFross]

Hey Jack

That's what I was doing, I end with 4th > TTT > [ HT on invuln ] to re-up it as he transitions, then HT when the phase starts back up again to re-up it for a full combo following. And the issue is that right after that Disembowel (that used to be a Vorpal Thrust), I hit Jump. I can't re-position and then Jump between Dis>CT without clipping my GCD.


In add phase, I've been basically leading it off with a CT combo on the first Piston, Leg Sweep it when it gets there and BotD to start my blood cycles. I hold my GSK all through that phase, just re-upping blood until I need a GSK to finish a burn on a tiny add; it has range, 200 potency, costs 0 TP, and lets you snipe one from a good distance if it's about to hit the water all without interrupting the flow of your combos.

Aside from that, I tend to FT combo the gears, CT combo the pistons, weaving Jump/PS Jump on cooldown and using DFD to close gaps in dire circumstances, especially when multiple adds are grouped up for it. I generally try to bite off more than I can chew, since last night our dps through wipes in add phase was generally 1100/1000/900/900 me/mnk/smn/mch. That said, my group hasn't cleared add phase yet, so any strats I have aren't necessarily ideal.

[Hakmatic]

I never use CT or Phle in add phase.