Studying The Blade- The SAM DPS Guide

[Enjuden]

After some testing, my opener does beat yours, but not by much. Note that there might still be inaccuracies but it should give some idea as to what to expect. According to this site, http://ffxiv.2digitalgames.de/ , I was able to get 4306.76 DPS after when the dummy died, while having 4173.34 DPS with your opener that you posted. I've tested a few other ones, but I've lost time instead of gained any on Stone, Sky, Sea, so I don't think it would help anyone here, or gain 20 dps from your opener, again with that calculator doing the work, which is not enough of a change to bring up discussion.

Overall, it is around a 3% increase with the highest I could have both of them, if DoT is always up and refreshed with 1 second remaining, and Hissatsu : Guren is used as soon as it is up every time. The rule of thumb for me is that if I can chain 3 Hissatsu Shinten or more within 2 GCDs, it is worth more potency than Kaiten'd Midare Setsugekka

[Nominous]

Mine hovers around 4200-4500 but it always changes based on crits. As an FC member showed me, Midare crits and direct crits can spike you a ridiculous amount. Most of the reason people don't opt for the Gekko opener, from my experience and knowledge, is because someone using Shifu earlier will fit their opener within party buffs a lot easier. It's up to you as to what works based on your party comp, and what you are comfortable with. As I said on the front page, there's definitely options for you, and any one may potentially benefit you more than the last. Same as Hagakure usage!

[Phireblast]

Not sure why, but sometimes I have situations where I would end up clipping Higanbana at 10s+ or so. Sen management is a bit weird to me still.

[Clover210]

I can't seem to figure out the most optimal AoE opener. Really appreciated if someone would like to post theirs

[Allyrion]

I can't seem to figure out the most optimal AoE opener. Really appreciated if someone would like to post theirs

Most of the info compiled from discussion of the rotation is on the first post. Just follow the guide.

[Nominous]

https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme...ntial_scaling/

Interesting conversation going on about Stat Weights.

Seems a little less... certain than before, in my opinion. At least, that's what I'm getting from some of the replies.

[Victom]

I have a little trouble with the priorities in the rotation. is it now more important to NOT stack Sen and ignore the Buff u would gain if you were stacking it or gain the buff and stack it ? For example in a dungeon you go into the next bossfight with one or two or even three active Sen but you dont have any of the buffs (talking ofc about the +10% dmg etc.). Now if i have 1 Moon Sen should i just ignore the 10% damage buff for now and go on with the rotation or is it more important to reamply the missing buff but stacking a Sen for it ?

[Nominous]

I have a little trouble with the priorities in the rotation. is it now more important to NOT stack Sen and ignore the Buff u would gain if you were stacking it or gain the buff and stack it?

It gets weird if you have Sen in a dungeon before the boss is pulled. Once you get Hagakure, you can just use that to wipe your Sen clean before the pull. If you don't... It gets stickier.

Once your rotation starts, you want to avoid overlapping any Sen already gained. If you're doing your rotation perfectly, you never will. If you find yourself in an unfortunate situation where you don't have Hagakure, and you have no buffs (but you DO have the corresponding Sen), you have one of two options. Overlap Sen is option one. Or you do Hakaze>buff (insert Shifu or Jinpu)>Iaijutsu>ender. That way, you aren't overlapping Sen, because you're consuming it to cast an Iaijutsu first.

[Ryaz]

It gets weird if you have Sen in a dungeon before the boss is pulled. Once you get Hagakure, you can just use that to wipe your Sen clean before the pull. If you don't... It gets stickier.

Once your rotation starts, you want to avoid overlapping any Sen already gained. If you're doing your rotation perfectly, you never will. If you find yourself in an unfortunate situation where you don't have Hagakure, and you have no buffs (but you DO have the corresponding Sen), you have one of two options. Overlap Sen is option one. Or you do Hakaze>buff (insert Shifu or Jinpu)>Iaijutsu>ender. That way, you aren't overlapping Sen, because you're consuming it to cast an Iaijutsu first.

Yeah, I didn't even think at first about using Hagakure between pulls to wipe Sen until a fellow FC member mentioned it. It's useful, especially on boss fights.

[shao32]

nice guide indeed, for my part im totally agreed with you opinion of hagakure, when i was leveling around 67 the rotation was perfect and easy to predict for any combat change, then when i get hagakure something in my brain do "click" and then find samurai was a damm mess, with time i adapt myself to hagakure but i still find it clunky in someway, i try to use 3 sen hagakure rotation but i find the numbers dance a lot, i will try next days and use hagaruke when i have it independing of the sens and lets see, but i wish the skill was 50 free kenki that dont expend the sen will make it more friendly to use.