Why Black Mage Needs (a teensy bit of) Help

[Lelila38]

2.x rotation aside, which is only a small dps loss in movement heavy situations, I've experienced myself that the F4-F4-F1-F4-F4 rotation from HW days does more dps than the new SB rotation with Umbral Hearts (for whatever reason). Also if you look at Fflogs, the top Blms all use B4 and UH exclusively for their openers.

[EllieShadeflare]

Okay, but what's your set up? I'm on a crit 1578, speed 1897, and direct hit at 1042.

3.x got me to 14% and 4.x got me to 6% (with fumbles) on Susano EX Stone Sky Sea.

[NoxLumina]

http://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodest...acter/6546132/

Boop!

[Lelila38]

I should add in an actual fight. On paper 4.0 should be better, more F4=more dps, however if you cannot fit in 6 F4 for each B4, which in an actual fight you can't, it's a dps loss.
I haven't tested these rotations on dummies, as I'm in PS4 and we still got no way of seeing our numbers, but several other people have posted their results in the thread linked a few posts before.
On Susano Ex, I had a friend parse me and I did higher numbers using B4 only for opener.

[EllieShadeflare]

http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodest...aign=na_mychar

Boop!

Yup, only about 1400 spell speed. I can see the problem there.

[TheFanciestBard]

I feel like their damage for mobility isn't that bad, considering with smart usage of AM and Between the Lines alongside rescue your actual effective downtime will be fairly low. Course BLM does still, imo, fill the niche of "Greedy dps" which means it should bring that level of damage as well since its utility is fairly lacking. I'm also going to test 4.0 vs 3.0 vs 3.0 opener into 2.0 real quick and will get back with the numbers. I'm 312, Susano wep, lak accs, so I've cleared the content already as blm. Only 1039 spellspeed tho, big bummer but w/e, it's my off class so I'm not focused on melding it yet. Testing was done on Susano SSS. I don't claim to be an amazing blm btw lol.

4.0 - Didn't clear, had 3% remaining.
3.0 - Cleared with 9 seconds remaining.
3.0 opener into 2.0 rotation - Didn't clear, had ~4-5% remaining.

The potency is not far enough to actually make the difference between fire 1 and fire 4 significant. Like... Yeah, 5-10% is kinda significant but you effectively gain the difference in procs, as I've seen with running the 2.0 rotation on dummies. So what we can gather is that 2.0 rotation allows blm to play a pseduo rdm playstyle with procs helping to enable movement while also nuking relatively hard. 3.0 allows us to have fairly high dps in exchange for not moving. 4.0 rotation has no redeeming qualities at present. This is naturally due to the potency nerfs of both Fire and Blizzard 4.

Keep in mind I did not clip procs once on 4.0, it was as perfect as it can get outside of sharpcast utilization but in the essence of being fair I didn't use sharpcast for 3.0 and used it for 2.0 when I could since it's child's play to work sharpcast into 2.0.

[EllieShadeflare]

I should add in an actual fight. On paper 4.0 should be better, more F4=more dps, however if you cannot fit in 6 F4 for each B4, which in an actual fight you can't, it's a dps loss.
I haven't tested these rotations on dummies, as I'm in PS4 and we still got no way of seeing our numbers, but several other people have posted their results in the thread linked a few posts before.
On Susano Ex, I had a friend parse me and I did higher numbers using B4 only for opener.

Fight SSS, and take a note of either how much time is left or how much percentage is left. That's how I figured mine out.

[Lelila38]

Fight SSS, and take a note of either how much time is left or how much percentage is left. That's how I figured mine out.

I don't like SSS, it's a dummy fight and has absolutely no relevance for the actual fight imo.

[Karja]

#thathappened

Since TC and Firestarter procs are flat out better than a F4, I can see a world in where a lucky 2.0 rotations outperforms a unlucky 4.0 rotation. You also have to account for Crit or Direct hit crit on Fouls.

Fire 129.6 pps
Fire 4 156 pps
Firestarter 172.8 pps
TC initial hit is 156 pps even without a single tick it's the same pps as Fire 4 but you keep the dot rolling.

[NoxLumina]

Yup, only about 1400 spell speed. I can see the problem there.

No problem there outside of Square screwing up.

I remember near the end of Heavensward when a friend and I tried turning me into a spell Gatling. Damage started falling off at some point.
No crits ever and low damage from lack of any Determination. Fun stuff.

Edit: Oooh you're violently stacking Spell speed disregarding item level.