Dragoons: A Rotation Reborn

[Etherel90]

Hey guys. Long time lurker of this thread, first time poster. Quick shout-out to everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this thread what it is. You guys have been a huge help to the Dragoon community and I really appreciate your work. On to the issue:
I've been solely focusing on Titan EX lately in order to get my earrings. 4 clears so far out of probably 200 or more runs. It's going slowly but I'm experienced enough to not die from stupid things anymore. I focus entirely on my DRG when I play. I like to think with the amount of time I've put into him, I'm pretty good. I've followed this thread since launch. I was floored when, in a recent Titan EX, I asked my FC mate to "pen and paper calculate my DPS against the other members of the party" and I found out that I hit 200 DPS against the other 2 monks in the group that hit 250. I was 50 DPS lower than both monks! Don't know why or how, because over my 200+ Titan runs, I thought I had come pretty close to maximizing my potential damage. So I wish to give a rough outline of what I have been doing and see if you guys can give me pointers and constructive criticism.

I’m i90 (although what I like to call “artificially” i88) because I use a lower accuracy set when doing primals that contain the Onion Tassets and Onion Boots to maximize my DPS. You can check my lodestone for my exact gear set.
I also use the Ph - HT - ID - Dis - CT - TT - VT - FT rotation because it’s only a couple DPS lower than the long rotation and I find it easier to pick up and leave off in fights where I have to move around a lot.

Generally when Titan EX starts, I begin by using Spineshatter to close the gap and immediately go into my rotation popping Blood for Blood and Internal Release in between Ph and HT. Once I hit the TT-VT-FT portion I space out my cool downs like this:
TT - Power Surge - VT - Life Surge - FT - Jump. I tend to use that rotation in “chunks” saving those cool downs for when I can use them all in that rotation.

I know a couple things I could do would be to:

• use cool downs as soon as they’re up, but in Titan it sometimes feels wasted to pop one and then either have him phase change, throw up Gaols, put down bombs, or something else in which the cool down is wasted by standing around or dodging mechanics.
• I also know that I am wasting at least one or two Dragonforce Dives because I get too busy in the last half of the fight and forget that it’s off cool down. Lately I have been trying to use it more often.
• Lastly, the other thing I could be doing incorrectly is applying phlebotomize too often and basically wasting ticks, as that is often the first thing I throw up whenever I have had to move away from Titan. I don't know how much of a difference in DPS that would make if I were to be more careful about not wasting ticks and using that time to hit with another attack.

Even with knowing these few things I could change, I do not see how those alone would explain the 50 DPS difference I experienced.

What am I doing wrong?

[EasymodeX]

I also use the Ph - HT - ID - Dis - CT - TT - VT - FT rotation because it’s only a couple DPS lower than the long rotation and I find it easier to pick up and leave off in fights where I have to move around a lot.

That's fine. But use HT-PH, not PH-HT, unless the buff timing is odd and HT has like 4-5s left and you want to restart with PH so there's less HT overlap.

I know a couple things I could do would be to:
use cool downs as soon as they’re up, but in Titan it sometimes feels wasted to pop one and then either have him phase change, throw up Gaols, put down bombs, or something else in which the cool down is wasted by standing around or dodging mechanics.

1. Make sure you are using Leg Sweep on cooldown. Leg Sweep is a pretty significant amount of DPS over the course of the fight because the cooldown is so short.

2. You should generally be aware of when he's going to phase change and cause you to waste buffs. That just comes from practice, and you should hold the buff until the event occurs. Generally speaking you can use BFB on cooldown. Be sure to use a Bloodbath and Second Wind on the second BFB since it will generally be ready during a Tumult after the first phase.

I also know that I am wasting at least one or two Dragonforce Dives because I get too busy in the last half of the fight and forget that it’s off cool down. Lately I have been trying to use it more often.

This is minor and won't have a drastic effect on your total DPS.

Lastly, the other thing I could be doing incorrectly is applying phlebotomize too often and basically wasting ticks, as that is often the first thing I throw up whenever I have had to move away from Titan. I don't know how much of a difference in DPS that would make if I were to be more careful about not wasting ticks and using that time to hit with another attack.

Your Phlebotomize thing may or may not be impacting your numbers. It's probably not resulting in much difference.

I underlined the moving away thing. When I run Titan EX there are basically 3 points in the fight I will drop contact with Titan. (1) 3/4ths bombs before heart if Titan is completely surrounded. I get 3 more GCDs on Titan then Elusive Jump out of the bombs. If you want to be a jackass (the other DRG I run with) you can stand in a single bomb while attacking Titan if you're geared enough and just be like that. Note: you better be quick on dodging the landslide and positioning to get hit by only 1 bomb though. This method is not recommended and we laugh our asses off everytime he dies because of it. (2) Superbombs and 5-way after superbombs. I usually do the 6 o'clock superbomb, so after it is dead we sit idle for a bit. Then when Titan lands for the 5-way landslide, I usually have to step away from a moment. (3) line bombs if it's opposite Titan. This is only a ~2 second pause though. Losing like 2 GCDs or so.

Aside from those 2 moments, I'm basically attacking something the entire rest of the fight continuously, unless I'm gaoled.

If you stop attacking from a generic landslide, you are positioned incorrectly.


Couple other random comments:

1. You can prep a DE on Titan when Egis spawn. If your timing is off, you can just start an Impulse Drive on the Egi. They tend to stand still for like 2s on spawn without turning, so it's an easy ID. General approach to Egis should include: (1) IDC chain on the first, (2) PH on both egis, then whatever. If you have low skillspeed you can use Doomspike to hit them both (but don't use it too many times or you will screw your TP, especially if you have high-ish skillspeed).

2. It's optimal to start without SSD. Initiate with a walk-in HT. Just stay at a "3 oclock" or "9 oclock" position around Titan and walk in as the tank lobs/tomahawks. You can get the HT off before Titan fully rotates because of the delay (you can HT him almost in the front or back and it will count as flank because he is turning and his side is already facing you on the server-side). Minor optimization, but your SSD will get +66% damage from the BFB HT and DE.

3. If you save the SSD when it comes back up right before 3/4ths bombs, then you can use 3 GCDs on Titan, EJ out of the 3/4ths bombs, then SSD back in when the bombs+landslide detonate. I usually hold the SSD until I see the 3/4ths bomb position.

4. Make sure you don't have any GCD abilities in macros.


All that said, 200 is kind of low. You may not be attacking fast enough. The game queues your next ability if you use it with 0.5 seconds of your GCD cooling down / being available.