[Opener/Tips/Advices] How to play PLD

[AlexiIvaniskavich]

Openers

Highest Damage: Shield Lob -> Fast Blade -> Riot Blade(Fight or Flight) -> Goring Blade(Circle of Scorn) -> Royal Authority Combo -> Royal Authority Combo -> Goring Blade Combo -> FoF ends.

You should weave Spirits Within on this opener, as it is oGCD and scales off your health, I generally find the earlier you pop it, the better.

Shield Lob > Fast Blade > Riot Blade > [fight or flight] > [Spirits Within] > Goring Blade > [Circle of Scorn] > RA combo > RA combo > Goring Blade

If you are in a fight where you need to keep the strenght down debuff up on constantly, you can RoH combo > Goring > RA > RoH....

Always shield swipe on proc. Never fight or flight just before jumps. Spirits Within as often as possible, but try to avoid using it before being healed up after a tank buster.

Defensive cooldowns are on a fight to fight basis. On trash mob pulls, you will save your healer a headache or two when you use your cooldowns. Combining skills like awareness + bullwark are solid moves. I like to combine foresight + convalasence. Shelltron on CD is usually safest - there are exceptions to this. Sentinel and Rampart can be used independently, or together depending on the damage incoming. (HCP I am looking at you).

Clemency - If the tank buster has a cast bar, begin your cast after you see the bar appear. With some practice you will time the heal to land AFTER you get the damage from the TB, and avoid interruption.

Cover - most common use is to absorb someone elses aoe damage (if physical) or when the boss targets another player assuming they aren't more than 15 lalas away. This one is also fun to make DPS panic at the sight of a tether :P

Tempered Will - If the fight has a knockback, use this. always

Bloodbath - on cooldown Exception: just before jumps

- Use Cooldowns on Trash. In fact, you should use them very often in all situations unless there is something in an encounter that you are specifically saving them for(ie. A Tank Buster). Even then, keep an eye on times. If you find openings to use your cooldowns while still having them ready when they're truly necessary, use them!

^ - this can never be emphasized enough

- Don't get too down if a fight is solely throwing Magic Damage at you. Fights with this configuration are a minority in the game.

Yes, Alexander raid is a lot of magic damage. Each tank has the kit to mitigate any damage, you just need to learn how to work them.

[Sapphidia]

You should weave Spirits Within on this opener, as it is oGCD and scales off your health, I generally find the earlier you pop it, the better.

I actually hit Spirits Within straight after my Shield Lob (or after the first Fast Blade depending on how quickly I reach the boss on the pull relative to the GCD from the Shield Lob). Although it's happening before the Fight or Flight, it has a 30 second CD and thus WILL be up again in time to get the -second- Spirits Within buffed by the Fight or Flight before it runs out.

Using Spirits so early on the pull also gives a little bit more security in the event of a blackmage or dragoon opening critfest, and being used at the start means you should still be full health for max Spirits damage as you'll have the Stoneskin/Adlo from the prepull still on you.

[Donjo]

You should weave Spirits Within on this opener, as it is oGCD and scales off your health, I generally find the earlier you pop it, the better.

Don't worry. I didn't forget about it. It just isn't mentioned specifically by name. See below:

After the first Goring Blade, just use the off GCDs on cooldown

However, Sapphidia brings up a good point that highlights my occasional ability to fail at math. Using the ability almost immediately does allow it to still be up during the first Flight or Flight, which is what truly matters in the end. I'll update my post momentarily to add that "almost immediately" use.