Dragoons: A Rotation Reborn

[Ozpa]

Hi guys.

Just wanted to drop a quick question before I pack up to leave work. Since I was figuring out the DRG class I was using this rotation up until now:

HT FP IDC(+jump) TTVTFT(+jump)
HT FP TTVTFT(+jump) IDC(+jump)
HT FP TTVTFT(+jump) TTVTFT(+jump)

That's the basic reliable Dragoon rotation. I do spam IR/BFB/LS whenever they are off cooldown and do jumps/dives after CT and FT. I got really comfortable with this rotation and I'm looking for adjustments to do more dps now. I've found this roation EasymodeX posted in another thread:

HT IDC P TTT H TTT
P IDC HT TTT P TTT

I believe I can do jumps after the same skills (CT and FT) and spam BFB/IR/LS whenever available too, right? It just takes some time for me to learn a new rotation (muscle memory) and I don't want to invest weeks into what I will change again later. Without nitpicking it too much, this should be the most versatile and damaging rotation to date then?

[EasymodeX]

I believe I can do jumps after the same skills (CT and FT) and spam BFB/IR/LS whenever available too, right? It just takes some time for me to learn a new rotation (muscle memory) and I don't want to invest weeks into what I will change again later. Without nitpicking it too much, this should be the most versatile and damaging rotation to date then?

Hummm, versatile? Don't know if I'd call any DRG rotation "versatile" DX.

In terms of damage, no one has done any form of super reliable in-game parsing to identify what is necessarily "actually" the best. I have a spreadsheet model where you can plug in any rotation and it will give a PPS estimate, though, and the rotation I posted is the highest.

The second highest is actually based on the sequence posted by the troll otherwise known as Longnu, but after I made 2 corrections/revisions to what he posted. There's also a part where the PH clips that needs review, but that's not a hard fix for when you use BFB.

The third is sort of a tie between a somewhat simple rotation: HP IDC TTT // HP TTT TTT and the original one Ayvar posted.

As a general note, all these rotations are pretty damn close. The actual in-game DPS should be within 3% in all cases if the player is playing optimally. That is why I advocate the simple one above for most players unless they're really obsessive with optimizing 100%.


In terms of using oGCDs in the opening of the fight, my general pattern is:

HT [BFB] ID [IR] DE [Leg Sweep] CT [Power Surge]
PH [Jump] TT [SSD] VT [LS] FT [DFD]

Proper execution of this sequence with any decent crits will have a good chance of pulling threat off a tank.

The timing for all of the above is intentional:

1. BFB and IR up ASAP so all your oGCDs (aka bonus damage) are buffed (buffed bonus damage > unbuffed bonus damage).
2. No damage oGCDs used until after DE. Again, buffed bonus damage > unbuffed.
3. Leg Sweep used as soon as possible to get it off cooldown faster. This may be counter-intuitive if you are focused on JUMPJUMPJUMP. The concept is that Jumps require some care, so it's extremely likely you will not use Jump exactly when it's off cooldown anyways. Leg Sweep, on the other hand, can almost always be used immediately off cooldown. So get it off cooldown sooner.
4. Life Surge before FT.
5. Jump spam in general to space out the rotation so you don't need to add Fracture to avoid a CT clip the next cycle. Note: this means never jump before DE or before CT. Always jump after CT where possible.
6. The DFD will launch with the last 0.5-1.0 seconds of the HT buff. If you use all 3 jumps prior to FT, then FT will miss the HT buff.

[Ozpa]

In terms of damage, no one has done any form of super reliable in-game parsing to identify what is necessarily "actually" the best. I have a spreadsheet model where you can plug in any rotation and it will give a PPS estimate, though, and the rotation I posted is the highest.

Just to be clear, is this the one you're talking about?

HT IDC P TTT H TTT
P IDC HT TTT P TTT

I'll just start practicing that then to get it down, will eventually do it flawlessly.

[Exa_Jyn]

HT [BFB] ID [IR] DE [Leg Sweep] CT [Power Surge]
PH [Jump] TT [SSD] VT [LS] FT [DFD]

Hello my fellow Dragoons

Thx Ayvar for making the awesome thread & thanks Easy for providing the Fractureless rotation With 2.44s GCD I just can't get HT+FT if I use oGCD's, so the above rotation is serving me nicely.

As to the optimal use of oGCD's for opening that combo, I think Power Surge should be used sooner,
as it does not profit from BFB/IR and is thus reducing the uptime of those buffs:

HT [Power Surge] ID [BFB] DE [IR] CT [Leg Sweep]
PH [Jump] TT [SSD] VT [LS] FT [DFD]

Or did I miss something and it's important for DE to crit thanks to IR?

[pompey_dan]

Hello my fellow Dragoons

Thx Ayvar for making the awesome thread & thanks Easy for providing the Fractureless rotation With 2.44s GCD I just can't get HT+FT if I use oGCD's, so the above rotation is serving me nicely.

As to the optimal use of oGCD's for opening that combo, I think Power Surge should be used sooner,
as it does not profit from BFB/IR and is thus reducing the uptime of those buffs:

HT [Power Surge] ID [BFB] DE [IR] CT [Leg Sweep]
PH [Jump] TT [SSD] VT [LS] FT [DFD]

Or did I miss something and it's important for DE to crit thanks to IR?

I agree with your logic but, with your 2.44 GCD and four weapon skills in between life surge and jump it would probably fall off just before you use jump ?

Maybe using BFB > Powersurge > IR would be slightly better.

BFB has 20 sec duration and 80 sec recast, IR 15 sec duration 60 recast so staggering them by 2 GCD (~5 seconds) would mean they will still both stay up for the duration but it will make them line up again better when they come off cooldown, even if only for 5 seconds or 2 GCD lol

Something like this:
HT [BFB] ID [Power Surge] DE [IR] CT [Leg Sweep]
PH [Jump] TT [SSD] VT [LS] FT [DFD]

[Ayvar]

I've found this roation EasymodeX posted in another thread:

HT IDC P TTT H TTT
P IDC HT TTT P TTT

I believe I can do jumps after the same skills (CT and FT) and spam BFB/IR/LS whenever available too, right? It just takes some time for me to learn a new rotation (muscle memory) and I don't want to invest weeks into what I will change again later. Without nitpicking it too much, this should be the most versatile and damaging rotation to date then?

It kinda weirds me out when people are surprised to see that rotation. It's in the guide. It's this one:

HT-ID-Dis-CT-Ph-TT-VT-FT-HT-TT-VT-FT-Ph-ID-Dis-CT-HT-TT-VT-FT-Ph-TT-VT-FT

Don't forget to use Fracture after buffed CTs or you'll clip 'em though.

[AzumaKun]

It kinda weirds me out when people are surprised to see that rotation. It's in the guide. It's this one:

HT-ID-Dis-CT-Ph-TT-VT-FT-HT-TT-VT-FT-Ph-ID-Dis-CT-HT-TT-VT-FT-Ph-TT-VT-FT

Don't forget to use Fracture after buffed CTs or you'll clip 'em though.

One Fracture is enough to fill that horrid gap between your TTT and IDC combos without IDC clipping? Good to know, I usually throw in a jump around that time to fill that black hole.

[Ozpa]

P.S. the only annoying thing is doing Impulse Drive early on trash mobs in a dungeon since they like to rotate a lot if the tank is a little slow and takes me 2-4 Drives to start the damn IDC combo lmao. That's why I like to start with HT FP.

P.S. thanks for all the help and number crunching to Ayvar and Easymode since the start of this thread, I'm too damn lazy to do such things and just go with whatever feels better when I create my rotations.

[Kaloran]

Tagged
/10char

[CrowBlader]

Should I go for +1 1st or myth armors? :P