Viper skill page is a complete mess.

[Jag227]

"Hit the glowy button" is not an acceptable explanation to me. That's just not how my brain works. I need to know HOW skills relate together. On that note I will attempt to explain the Job:
I can only speak on the lvl80 rotation. For now, I will ignore the AoE rotation (which is quite simple) and focus on the basic single target rotation. The ST rotation is why this class feels so incomprehensible.

The Viper's gameplay is meant to relate to the Viper's signature 2 sword style. Viper essentially has a 1-2-3 combo split between 2 buttons. This is meant to serve as the Viper's Job identity. These 2 buttons are meant to alternate in sequence to constitute the single target rotation. You are meant to alternate between these two buttons in a 3 step process.

The 2 combo buttons begin as the skills named Steel Fangs and Dread Fangs. Both these skills (and their future morphs)have 3 steps in their combo progression: Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, Repeat. In Step 1, I will refer to these original 2 skills not by name but simply as (button)1 and (button)2. For sake of explanation don't worry about the names or effects of skills. For sake of simplicity, pretend that Dread Fangs (in Step 1) doesn't exist. We will always start Step 1 by casting Steel Fangs (Button 1). This leads us into Step 2. I call these skills in Step 2, x (button 1, previously Steel Fangs) and y (button 2, previously Dread Fangs). Your input in Step 2 will lead to a pair of unique finisher skills in Step 3. x will lead to Button 1 becoming, what I call, skill 1a and Button 2 becoming skill 2a. y will lead to Button 1 becoming skill 1b and Button 2 becoming skill 2b. 4 distinct finishers - 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b. The rotation is meant to alternate between those 4 finishers.

Step 1 1
|
Step 2 x | y
| |
Step 3 1a 2a | 1b 2b

To simplify - there are 4 combo finishers: 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b
The combo sequence to arrive at these finishers is as follows:
1a = 1 - x - 1 (Flanksting Strike)
1b = 1 - y - 1 (Hindsting Strike)
2a = 1 - x - 2 (Flanksbane Fang)
2b = 1 - y - 2 (Hindsbane Fang)

A pattern emerges. Step 1: repeated Button 1 input. Step 2: alternating 1/2 button inputs every round. Step 3: alternating button inputs every other round.

(CONTINUED IN REPLY TO THIS POST)