PSA: Except at start, always replace CZ with ToT

[Silverbane]

This just dawned on me recently so I thought I'd share, since others may not realize it:

In any rotation with Comfort Zone (CZ) scheduled at a point where you are 14CP or more down from your starting CP, if a Good/Excellent condition occurs at that point, replace the CZ with a Tricks of the Trade (ToT).

If the rotation allows it, execute the CZ as the next step. You might be able to also execute the CZ even later, if you understand the rotation well: CZ creates a CP deficit for 8 of it's 10 steps so you have to be aware of your step-by-step CP requirements. And you have to be careful not to clip the CZ with any later CZ that the rotation may have.

But even if you are locked in and cannot ever make up for the replaced CZ, the 20CP from the ToT is better than the 14 net CP you would have eventually gotten from the CZ, unless the gain from ToT would have been capped at less than 14 by your starting CP value.

P.S. Note that if a meal giving a CP boost wears off during your craft, you don't lose the extra CP, but the "starting CP cap" is reduced by the amount the mean added.

[Roth_Trailfinder]

Good/Excellent are for ToT/PT. If you need to refresh CZ, then do so after the Good/Excellent has been appropriately dealt with.

[RiceisNice]

Wat. I thought this was a given to always deal with good/excellents before refreshing CZ.

[Hennessy]

I also thought this was a given. Also why would it be except at start (I'm assuming you mean the second step when you say start as that's the first place you can get a good/excellent), wouldn't it be beneficial to use ToT over anything else there as well?

[Silverbane]

I also thought this was a given. Also why would it be except at start (I'm assuming you mean the second step when you say start as that's the first place you can get a good/excellent), wouldn't it be beneficial to use ToT over anything else there as well?

Well, I hope I am not misunderstanding your question, but here's an example I think addresses it:

If you start a 2-Star L60 craft with Maker's Mark - CZ - Flawless Synthesis (FS)x10 - CZ - FSx3, you'll only be 6 CP down when the second CZ is scheduled, so that's all ToT would recover. Depending on how many FS have failed and whether you have excess progress in the rotation, you may not be able to substitute a ToT-CZ sequence for the scheduled CZ-FS. If so, replacing the CZ with ToT may lead to a loss of 8 CP.

[Alistaire]

You're probably just going by the rotations posted as if they're so strict you'd set em as a macro. That at least shouldn't be the case.

[Hennessy]

Well, I hope I am not misunderstanding your question, but here's an example I think addresses it:

If you start a 2-Star L60 craft with Maker's Mark - CZ - Flawless Synthesis (FS)x10 - CZ - FSx3, you'll only be 6 CP down when the second CZ is scheduled, so that's all ToT would recover. Depending on how many FS have failed and whether you have excess progress in the rotation, you may not be able to substitute a ToT-CZ sequence for the scheduled CZ-FS. If so, replacing the CZ with ToT may lead to a loss of 8 CP.

Oh you meant for a specific Maker's Mark rotation. Even then I think the ToT should take priority as that's 6 CP recovered and potentially more if you use precise touch or PbP during the FS string

[Silverbane]

Oh you meant for a specific Maker's Mark rotation. Even then I think the ToT should take priority as that's 6 CP recovered and potentially more if you use precise touch or PbP during the FS string

Yes, it all depends on the state of the craft at the time the CZ is scheduled.

[Hennessy]

If anything you could even ToT after Makers Mark and skip the first CZ altogether (I wouldnt) and that would still be better. ToT always takes priority over CZ no matter what, even at the start

[Caimie_Tsukino]