Seeing Red - A Complete Red Mage Guide

[Sacerdos]

Sorry if this was already discussed, but do we have an idea of a optimal opener yet?

I did a little bit of analysis of the worst and best case scenarios (no procs vs all procs). TLDR: Acceleration and Swiftcast Aero/Thunder will guarantee you hit 40/40 mana in 8 gcds instead of 9, whether or not you pre-cast Jolt or Thunder/Aero. Pre-casting Acceleration + Thunder/Aero gives you a chance of hitting 40/40 with only 7 gcds if you get all the Verready procs. Note that you only should use Swiftcast in the opening when you don't get procs on the DC Thunder/Aero, to avoid eating procs (eatting a proc wastes the SC).

Acceleration assumed in all cases, and I left out the other oGCDs for simplicity, just looking at how quickly you can get to 40/40 for Manafication into Melee combo.

Please look over this and see if I made any errors. These aren't set in stone, they're just examples of worst/best case procs.

Jolt Opener, No Swiftcast, No Procs:
Pre-cast Jolt 3/3 (Black mana/White mana)
--
DC Thunder 14/3
HC Fire 23/3
DC Aero 23/14
HC Impact 27/18
DC Aero 27/29
HC Jolt 30/32
DC Thunder 41/32
HC Impact 45/36
DC Aero 45/47

9 GCDs, 92 mana,

Jolt Opener, With Swiftcast, No Procs:
Pre-cast Jolt 3/3
--
DC Thunder 14/3
SC Aero 14/14
HC Fire 23/14
DC Aero 23/25
HC Impact 27/29
DC Aero 27/40
HC Jolt 30/43
DC Thunder 41/43

8 GCDs, 84 mana

Thunder Opener, No Swiftcast, No Procs:
Pre-cast Thunder 11/0
--
DC Aero 11/11
HC Fire 20/11
DC Aero 20/22
HC Jolt 23/25
DC Thunder 34/25
HC Impact 38/29
DC Aero 38/40
HC Jolt 41/43
DC Thunder 51/43 (overcapping to 50/43)

8 GCDs, 84 Mana (Skipping DC)
9 GCDs, 93 Mana

Thunder Opener, With Swiftcast, No Procs:
Pre-cast Thunder 11/0
--
DC Aero 11/11
SC Aero 11/22
HC Fire 20/22
DC Thunder 31/22
HC Jolt 34/25
DC Aero 34/36
HC Impact 38/40
DC Thunder 49/40

8 GCDs, 89 Mana

Jolt Opener, No Swiftcast, All Procs:
Pre-cast Jolt 3/3
--
DC Thunder 14/3
HC Fire 23/3
DC Aero 23/14
HC Stone 23/23
DC Thunder 34/23
HC Fire 43/23
DC Aero 43/34
HC Stone 43/43
DC Thunder 54/43 (capping to 50/43)

8 GCDS, 86 Mana (skipping DC)
9 GCDs, 93 mana

Jolt Opener, With Swiftcast, All Procs:
Pre-cast Jolt 3/3
--
DC Thunder 14/3
SC Aero 14/14
HC Fire 23/14
DC Thunder 34/14
HC Stone 34/23
DC Aero 34/34
HC Fire 43/34
DC Aero 43/45 (possibly wastes stone proc)

8 GCDs, 88 Mana

Thunder Opener, No Swiftcast, All Procs:
Pre-cast Thunder 11/0
--
DC Aero 11/11
HC Fire 20/11
DC Thunder 31/11
HC Stone 31/20
DC Aero 31/31
HC Fire 40/31
DC Aero 40/42 (possibly wastes stone proc)

7 GCDs, 82 Mana