DRK's train left the station: Dark Passenger is in or out?

[Yuni_Queen]

We all know the correct opening which includes DP, since the lovely topic out there.

However! What is DRK supposed to do with DP after the opening, during the boss fight?
I was trying my strength on Burden of the Son Dummy trial and this is what i found out by myself:

Using DP without Blood Weapon extends the availability gap between DA+SE usage by one delirium rotation + significally lowers mana pool; if you like to ride on constant 20% max mana value it is a bit harder to use both DP and DA+CnS if CnS is going to be available soon at the same time.

DP is 150 potency. DA + SE - DL is 120 potency.
Numbers are saying it is a good deal, but i tried to make this trial in two ways:
1. Using DP asap when only mana allowed me. Trial has ended at 3%
2. Ignoring DP completely except opening. Trail has ended at 4%.

It might have been RNG, but i hope it weren't.

Weaving DP into rotation during boss fights after opening:
Board the train or leave on station?

[Shinzee]

The dummy fights are just 3 mins long, by doing 2 parses you dont really get any good result as the difference in critrate and the difference which skills critted make an insane difference in this short 3 minute window. Having a 40% critrate on low blow is not gonna net you the same dps as having a 40% critrate on your da'ed souleaters etc. Not using a 150 potency ogcd for 884mp is always gonna be a loss

[Jpec07]

I use DP with DA on cooldown in AoE situations, because when you have more than two mobs, DA+DP is the highest potency you can put out. It's off the GCD, and while it does take a lot of mana, it's generally worthwhile.

It's a little weird how it puts a potent blind on mobs, which acts against the efficacy of Blood Price, but I digress.

EDIT: I know who can help figure this out. How'd this go again?

*makes a circle of Great Swords* Eternal Dark Knight, by your name I summon you forth: SYZYGIAN!

Yes I'm a huge dork don't judge me.

EDIT 2: Reread the first post and realized that I completely missed the point, which is about when to use Dark Passenger on a single target (read: on a boss, or what you typically find in Savage raiding). I think it would ultimately boil down to how well you know an encounter and can plan around it. It's an oGCD attack, so it won't interrupt your rotational DPS at all, so I imagine it would boil down to knowing at what point(s) in a fight you'll be able to spare the MP for a little bit of extra kick, and learning the rhythm of the job in the encounter.

[Kitfox]

Use DP on cooldown. Priority is: DA+CnS > DP > DA+SE. If you're not getting hit with BP or using BW, then you're not gonna use DA+SE much (at all).

Edit: DP > DA+CnS > DA+SE better priority as pointed below.

[JackFross]

^ The priority order is actually DP > DA+CnS > DA+SE, due to the massive swing in Mana that DA+CnS forces you into (cost of DA + you lose out on 1 charge of regen).

DP is your most efficient use of mana to deal damage. The difference between additional DA+SE and using DP is massive - you're seeing such "similar" results due to RNG, I can almost guarantee that.

[Yuni_Queen]

Thnx guys for responses! The fact, that 3 min is too short for a good test stroke me like it was something unexpected lol :P, so yeah, i will get myself some black-market drug to get real parsing to do some normal dummy testing.

I'll also set my priorites as you advise. Let's make my main great again.

Topic is not closed, the more opinions, numbers and comments - the merrier! \o/

[Kitfox]

^ The priority order is actually DP > DA+CnS > DA+SE, due to the massive swing in Mana that DA+CnS forces you into (cost of DA + you lose out on 1 charge of regen).

DP is your most efficient use of mana to deal damage. The difference between additional DA+SE and using DP is massive - you're seeing such "similar" results due to RNG, I can almost guarantee that.

Ah, now that you point that out it makes sense. Forgot you can always fire off CnS without DA if you have to choose between DP or DACnS.

[Violette]

"However! What is DRK supposed to do with DP after the opening, during the boss fight?"

Use it?

[Yuni_Queen]

Yup. I quess. >.>
Don't try to be cool.
Be cool and say more.

[Jpec07]

Be cool and say more.

More.

Does that make me a cool kid? Please tell me it makes me a cool kid.

In all seriousness, I'd think it's something you'd weave into your rotation when you know there isn't heavy damage coming for a few GCDs, where you know you'll have enough MP in time. Even if you don't DA it, it represents some extra potency, which is always nice - just make sure you'll have enough MP left over to DA the next cooldown you need to DA. I don't think I'd personally use it after the opener while I was still learning the fight, but I'd try to figure out where to weave it in for phases we'd gotten down, and once a fight is on farm.