BLM in PVP

[Venjamin]

Is it useless? Because I swear, there seems to be no point. I get interrupted pretty much every cast. The damage output I throw isn't actually -worth- the cast time. A MCH / BRD can throw out more damage in what, 2 GCDs with oGCDs? And they have better mobility, meaning they can LOS me if I do happen to not die.

The damage I put out is immediately erased by any healer with a quarter of a brain.

It just seems pointless. I want to level in PVP, but not by tanking the floor because I can't actually do anything.

So please. Give me advice. Tell me what I'm doing wrong ( aside from never getting to be in Maelstrom despite Maelstrom being my stupid choice... ).

I want to actually be useful, but I know I can't 1v1 anyone, let alone do a group fight if anyone glances my way.

[Pence]

MCH has 1 damage oGCD which is kinda long recast....

Healers erasing is every job because healers are OP atm.

No one can tell you what you're doing wrong because you chose to cry to us all instead of provide information anyone can actually work with.

[Wintersandman]

With enochian Fire IV's are the bane of healers. As a BLM you have bigger hits which are more dangerous than the BRD/MCH. BRD and MCH's are bursty but once they blow their load they are like pin pricks. BLM's can sustain higher damage output and once your learn BG placement/positioning you will be able to get high/fever with ease. Don't worry about ice burn down the PC's as you will be more effective on them than the ice.

[Venjamin]

MCH has 1 damage oGCD which is kinda long recast....

Healers erasing is every job because healers are OP atm.

No one can tell you what you're doing wrong because you chose to cry to us all instead of provide information anyone can actually work with.

"I can't do anything. Damage gets erased by any healer. Consistently getting interrupted. When trying to fight back against anyone with mobility, it's LOS'd"

My apologies. BRD > MCH then.

[Geryth]

snip

Are you asking specifically for Feast? Or Frontlines? Or both?

I can't speak for BLM in Feast but in Frontlines BLM is very solid in my experience so far having leveled it from 30-48 solely in frontlines. The benefit to BLM is the burst and high chunks of HP you take out with each Fire IV/Flare/Foul. I leveled Machinist in frontlines from 30-60 and while they have good DPS, it's steady, consistent, and predictable DPS. Even if you run a burst combo using ammo and wildfire while overheated, it's still steady damage over a 10-15 second period. But BLM is able to drop big numbers quickly, and surprise kill some targets before healers have a chance to react.

I typically top the kill/damage charts as BLM in frontlines, and it's easier to pull off 300k+ damage with BLM than it is for Machinist. Though I put more focus on damaging ice as a Machinist since ices have a lot of magic resist for some reason. So as a BLM I'll try to snipe kills while an ice is up whereas on MCH I try to get as many ice points as possible.

It's been a learning curve but here's what I've found helps throwing big damage out as a BLM:
1) Bind an easy "target closest enemy" button. Many times you'll land a Fire IV and they run away or your target runs away mid-cast. Quickly changing targets to someone in range is key to constantly be tossing out big damage. If someone marks a target for burst then try to help with single target burst, otherwise the less you have to move, the more damage and kills you'll make, so find a safe spot in the back, target closest enemy, and Fire IV away.
2) Bind an easy button to Swiftcast. This lets you toss a Fire IV / Flare / Foul while on the chase OR follow up with Flare right after a Fire IV for some real huge and quick burst to catch a healer off guard.
3) Fire / Blizzard are instant casts when Astral Fire/Umbral Ice is up. Always try to be tossing free instant spells while you're moving or chasing.

Other tips: Don't forget you have Sleep. Sleeping healers is a great way to allow your teammates to secure kills. Sleep + Swiftcast is a great way to run away from Melee if you are caught out of position.

I haven't learned how to really utilize Thunder yet. Other than implementing it in my ice damage combo, I've struggled to use it well against other players. That may be an avenue I haven't explored to bring BLM to it's full potential.

I think my game-winning carry potential might be slightly better on MCH but now I'm trying to get the Hand of Mercy title and for that, BLM is performing very well for me.

[Gravton]

I don't know about feast but I imagine you can use the same principle. Right now healers are so OP that a burst is rarely enough to 100-0 anyone. I just started getting into brd and I'm starting to figure out what % hp the enemy needs to be to burst them to 0. That being said blms put a bad taste in my mouth. I can get my entire burst off in the time it takes a blm to cast a spell. There have been many a 8v8 where I'll get my burst off just to see the blm's name pop up on the kill. Blms have the power to finish off any attack I initiate.....and I'm supposed to be the sniper =P

[Geryth]

Blms have the power to finish off any attack I initiate.....and I'm supposed to be the sniper =P

When Fire IV is dropping 2500-3000 damage they are likely to snag a lot of killing blows. It's exactly the reason I'm running BLM to try to get the Hand of Mercy title - so many times my MCH was tearing someone up only to have a BLM snipe the killing blow. And I now do exactly that - I'll swiftcast and wait for their HP to drop low enough that I can snipe the killing blow with a 3500 damage flare. It's long road to 5000 killing blows, gotta take full advantage of BLM's ability to get them

[Maxwell]

... The damage I put out is immediately erased by any healer with a quarter of a brain. ...

Thats the wrong way of seeing it. Picture your actions as a contribution to the group effort. Your damage was not "erased". If a healer healed all of the damage, then MP and oGCDs were expended and the attention of the healer was monopolized during that time. You applied overall pressure that contributes towards the end goal. This applies to all jobs. You can drain a healers mp or redirect attention easily with a bunch of Fire IVs.

As a WHM main in pvp, i can assure you BLMs can drain my MP quite a lot. C1 wont be enough. I will have to use C2s. Thats costly.

[NorthernLadMSP]

I wanted to respond to your Maelstrom comment. It sounds to me like you're saying you're in Maelstrom but you are constantly being put in to Flames or Adders. To fix this, go into your Duty Finder menu and there's an icon in the top left that you can click. Uncheck Frontlines Freelancer. Disabling this option will ensure you're placed in Mael every single match.

[Synestra]

Thats the wrong way of seeing it. Picture your actions as a contribution to the group effort. Your damage was not "erased". If a healer healed all of the damage, then MP and oGCDs were expended and the attention of the healer was monopolized during that time. You applied overall pressure that contributes towards the end goal. This applies to all jobs. You can drain a healers mp or redirect attention easily with a bunch of Fire IVs.

Now that AoE healing is rather weak its good to spread damage lil bit to make healers life harder, i usually stick with healer while rest burn now DD's if i play BRD, that way enemy healer needs to choose who to heal while still trying to survive. Both BRD and MCH are really good at doing solo pressure due their mobility and rather decent burst, BLM and SMN can then delete other DD's or snipe that softened healer(i don't mind KS as i don't need kills anymore).