Dragoons: A Rotation Reborn

[ManLet]

I have no idea why people keep saying jump is off gcd. It's not even close to off gcd. Realistically it takes like 2.5 seconds till ou can move or do anything again.

[Cingen]

I have no idea why people keep saying jump is off gcd. It's not even close to off gcd. Realistically it takes like 2.5 seconds till ou can move or do anything again.

It's closer to half off GCD.. There is a slight overlap but it's still a tiny DPS increase over not using it.

[Ayvar]

Jumps are a pretty sore subject for all Dragoons. I remember hitting 30 and getting Jump, then waiting for a mob to cast an AE ability, leaping gloriously into the air...and still getting smoked by it. However, they do an excellent job of adding flavor and utility to a class that would feel pretty deficient without them.

All of the jumps have utility outside of their basic design, but it takes practice to learn when and where to take advantage of this. Jump functions not just as added dps in between GCD's, but you can use it to quickly attack while standing outside of AE or melee range since it'll return you to your original position (though be sure to get your timing right), also it's a great "reverse" gap closer since you can use it to quickly attack a distant mob (e.g. a satin plume), then immediately return you back to the boss you were just dpsing, saving you the hassle of running all over the place. Spineshatter Dive and Dragonfire Dive are our main gap closers, but they are also great for tracking pesky moving enemies (since if you jump at a moving target you will follow it until it stops moving or the animation ends), preventing knockbacks, or crossing annoying patches of persistant ground AE. Elusive Jump can also be used as a gap closer if you get a good feel for its distance covered, crossing ground AE, kiting, and it's excellent for dropping aggro (i.e. grab a mob off a healer and face it away, wait for the OT to get second aggro, then elusive jump to pass it off).

All of the jumps are dissatisfying when looking only at their primary function. Jump trades a slight dps increase for stunning yourself for 1.5s, SSD is a garbage stun due to the delay, DFD does barely any AE damage, and Elusive Jump doesn't protect you from ground AE until you actually land. However, each one of them has several functions outside of their primary use which with practice can make them invaluable tools in any fight. Very few classes get such a wide range of utility from their job abilities.

Also you get to fly through the air. Come on people!

[ManLet]

The only time to ever use jump imo is with internal release/bfb

[Kanzer]

I have no idea why people keep saying jump is off gcd. It's not even close to off gcd. Realistically it takes like 2.5 seconds till ou can move or do anything again.

That's a pretty big exaggeration. I can jump immediately after a fullthrust and land just as the GCD is coming off and go immediately into another combo.

Dig into the numbers, don't simply assume something is or isn't worth it. In this case I can assure you you are wrong.