Potency difference in BLM vs. DRG

[Marianno]

Hi, I wanted to know if anyone could explain the potency difference between BLM and DRG. A few other DRGs and BLMs were wondering how this stuff is calculated and the dmg difference. For example, with AF3 a simple F1 does 3400+ but when my DRG mate executes the final part of his first combo (Full Thrust) with the Heavy Thrust (I think this the one that grants the buff???), he does less damage than me. We have equal gear ilvl and I am no expert at DRG/BLM but I do know how to optimize BLM. I would just like to understand the damage calculation and how it works. I always thought that DRG potencies are higher than BLM correct? So how can this be (damage difference)? Any explanations, I'd greatly appreciate.

[Marianno]

Note: this is when I cast F1 in AF3.

[Judge_Xero]

There are a couple differences.

1. The Magic Damage Stat is higher than Weapon Damage Stat for equal gear levels.

2. Traits: Maim and Mend straight up increases damage/healing.

So while potency may be the same, the modifiers are different.

[Greywolfamakir]

In ffxiv, there is a formula that transforms potencies in damage, and the variables are: Weapon Damage, Determination and Main Stat.

Fire I has 180 potency, but BLM has Magick and Mend II: Increases base action damage and HP restoration by 30% and allows for the stacking of a third Astral Fire or Umbral Ice., with this trait Fire I has 180*1.3= 234 potency, and if you have 3 stacks of Astral Fire, you increase your fire damage by 87.5%, and now Fire I has 234*1.875= 439 potency.

Full Thrust (DRG highest potency skill) has 360 potency and DRG has only 1 passive damage buff, Heavy Thrust: Increases damage dealt by 15%, then 360*1.15= 414 potency

Fire I -------->439 potency
Full Thrust -->414 potency

This potencies are transform in damage with the same formula using Weapon Damage, Determination and Main Stat (STR for DRG and INT for BLM). I can bring the formula here if someone want it.

The big difference between mages and meles is auto attacks. Mages don't have auto attacks (well, they have auto attacks, but since they are pretty low you can just ignore them) and Meles have auto attacks, making an attack with ~80 potency every ~2.8 seconds.

[Phileas]

Yeah like the above poster says, black mages dont have auto attacks as they are ranged.

Black mages have a stronger attack because they have cast times and also no auto attack. They are a glass cannon. High damage but squishy and low mobility.

[Frizze]

Also consider your casting times. Several of the important BLM spells have casting times longer then the global cooldown, whereas most(all?) DRG skills "cast" instantly as far as i know. Over the course of a fight the dragoon will score more hits off skills(i havent crunched the numbers, but roughly in my head i come up with about 1 or 2 extra per 30 seconds of fight time), and thats on top of the extra hits they get from auto attacks. So even if the individual hits are smaller, 2-4 extra skills per minute plus approx 20 auto attacks can easily put the overall damage numbers into a whole new perspective. This is why when people compare classes they typically use a time based metric(average damage per second being the most common) rather then one based on the hardest individual hits.