Hi all,
After finally capping all my crafting classes, I have rededicated myself to my Bard, which is now at 50. I have 4 more levels to go on my Lancer before I get Blood for Blood and I should be set for cross-class skills (Second Wind, Internal, Invigorate, BFB).
I’m trying to optimize my standard non-AOE macros for max DPS, but I need you guys to poke holes into my current setup. Right now, I have a dedicated macro for Heavy Shot, Straight Shot, Venomous Bite and Wind Bite. Each of these macros is setup like this:
- Misery’s End
- Heavy Shot/Straight Shot/Venomous Bite/Wind Bite
- All Buffs
- Bloodletter
- Blunt Arrow
The list of buffs called are:
- Raging Strikes
- Internal release
- Blood for Blood (soon)
- Barrage
- Hawk's Eye
- Quelling Strikes
As is it now, my buffs get interwoven during GCD for Heavy Shot/Straight Shot/Venomous Bite/Wind Bite. The advantage is that buffs are up as soon as available, but they are indiscriminately activated, which may not be optimal for specific situations. I also put Bloodletter down the list since I want it to be buffed as much as possible when it procs.
Should I change the priority order in some of these skills?
Should buffs be separated between GCD skill macros?
Should buffs be kept completely separate? (That would require a lot more key binds)
Anything else?
Poke away. :)
Edited, Feb 19th 2014 10:21am by Trellmichel
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Scholar
20 posts
** Disclaimer: By no means an expert **
I have a very similar setup. I picked up a few tricks from a Bard 2.1 guide on youtube.
I have the same macros set up, but I prioritize the 2.5 sec-ish ability (Heavy, Venom, Wind, Straight) before Misery's End because it is off that cooldown - What the vid explained is a Heavy Shot is still better than Misery for pumping out the DPS because of the GCD.
My macros look like;
/micon "Heavy Shot"
/ac "Heavy Shot" t
/wait 1 (for the internal GCD)
/ac "Misery's End" t
/ac "Bloodletter" t
/ac Buff me ... (for all my buffs)
I also do not include Blunt in my macro because I want it on demand. Really your choice. I also put Bloodletter before the buffs - gets it out sooner, and will likely be recharged before all the buffs are triggered and after triggered. You can also put Repelling in there if you feel safe with your positioning.
In general there is 2 philosophies I have found with using buffs in general rotation. If you are a super optimal player, and know exactly when you can pop your buffs for the most output (specific phases, timing it with other people's actions, etc) - you do not put them in general rotation like this. However, if you (like me) are not optimal with them, you will get more bang for your buck triggering them when available for overall output. I think the order of your buffs is not optimal, but I don't have those notes with me here at work.
I have a very similar setup. I picked up a few tricks from a Bard 2.1 guide on youtube.
I have the same macros set up, but I prioritize the 2.5 sec-ish ability (Heavy, Venom, Wind, Straight) before Misery's End because it is off that cooldown - What the vid explained is a Heavy Shot is still better than Misery for pumping out the DPS because of the GCD.
My macros look like;
/micon "Heavy Shot"
/ac "Heavy Shot" t
/wait 1 (for the internal GCD)
/ac "Misery's End" t
/ac "Bloodletter" t
/ac Buff me ... (for all my buffs)
I also do not include Blunt in my macro because I want it on demand. Really your choice. I also put Bloodletter before the buffs - gets it out sooner, and will likely be recharged before all the buffs are triggered and after triggered. You can also put Repelling in there if you feel safe with your positioning.
In general there is 2 philosophies I have found with using buffs in general rotation. If you are a super optimal player, and know exactly when you can pop your buffs for the most output (specific phases, timing it with other people's actions, etc) - you do not put them in general rotation like this. However, if you (like me) are not optimal with them, you will get more bang for your buck triggering them when available for overall output. I think the order of your buffs is not optimal, but I don't have those notes with me here at work.
This is what I do, for what it's worth. I have 5 main buttons.
Straight Shot, Windbite and Venomous Bite have their own buttons and do not have Macros. This is explained below.
The last two are macros.
Basic Attack:
/macroicon "Heavy Shot"
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>
/ac "Heavy Shot" <t>
This use Bloodletter on Cooldown and Misery's End if it activates.
DPS Race Max Damage:
/macroicon "Raging Strikes"
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>
/ac "Heavy Shot" <t>
/ac "Raging Strikes" <me>
/ac "Hawk's Eye" <me>
/ac "Blood for Blood" <me>
/ac "Internal Release" <me>
/ac "Barrage" <t>
/ac "Quelling Strikes" <me>
The order takes some explaining. Let's start with this, you need ALL of these buffs to be active at the same time to achieve maximum DPS. As you currently have it set, you are using abilities on cooldown, which is nerfing your overall DPS because one bonus is not always stacking on the next. For example, you always want the 15 DEX and the 20% DMG at the same time, etc. You want Internal Release right before Barrage. Actually, you want everything right before Barrage. Also, while ALL of the buffs are up, cast Flaming Arrow. Flaming Arrow (actually all DoT's in FFXIV) are a snapshot of your stats when cast for the entire duration. Same with Windbite and Venomous Bite. You have to spam this button fast for the CD's to activate while on GCD from Heavy Shot. You have to spam it even faster for Barrage to correctly activate.
So typically I start battles with Windbite, Venomous Bite > then mobs is settled and Flaming Arrow followed by Straight shot. Then Basic Attack Macro. For almost all the endgame activities there is a phase that is the DPS race. Sometimes multiple Phases. I generally save the Second DPS Macro for that point, unless I know I have 180 seconds before it will start.
You will notice the DPS macro has Raging Strikes as the visible icon. 90 seconds in, at the halfway point of the Raging Strike cooldown, this macro will reapply Blood for Blood, and Internal Release, Hawk's Eye and Barrage. This is the important part. After the cooldwon on Raging Strikes pasts the halfway mark, DO NOT hit this macro again until ALL the cooldown are up again. Go back to using the Basic Attack macro for the final 90 seconds.
Granted, lose about 20 seconds where you could have reapplied Blood for Blood (it actually reapplies 80 seconds in, not 90). Otherwise you are using all your cooldowns, stacked together, once every 180 seconds, and half of them stacked together at 90 seconds.
You are welcome to test this. I'm fairly confident that this is the absolute maximum damage you can do. Make sure to apply your DoTs while your awesome Attack+ cooldown stacks are active. Burning Circle > Windbite > Venomous Bite
Finally, Blunt Arrow needs it's own macro. (This cannot be part of your main attack macros come Endgame.)
/macricon "Blunt Arrow"
/ac "Blunt Arrow" <t>
/p {Blunt Arrow} {Just used it.} <se.2>
It is essential to have this macro setup for Silence rotations (you take turns Silencing with another Bard). You will need this as soon as you step foot in Bahamut's Coil, and even before that while fighting Drhome Chimera. It tell's the other Bard when you have taken your turn, so they can get ready for the next important Silence.
Best of luck, hope this helps.
Edited, Feb 19th 2014 1:23pm by Gnu
Edited, Feb 19th 2014 1:26pm by Gnu
Straight Shot, Windbite and Venomous Bite have their own buttons and do not have Macros. This is explained below.
The last two are macros.
Basic Attack:
/macroicon "Heavy Shot"
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>
/ac "Heavy Shot" <t>
This use Bloodletter on Cooldown and Misery's End if it activates.
DPS Race Max Damage:
/macroicon "Raging Strikes"
/ac "Misery's End" <t>
/ac "Bloodletter" <t>
/ac "Heavy Shot" <t>
/ac "Raging Strikes" <me>
/ac "Hawk's Eye" <me>
/ac "Blood for Blood" <me>
/ac "Internal Release" <me>
/ac "Barrage" <t>
/ac "Quelling Strikes" <me>
The order takes some explaining. Let's start with this, you need ALL of these buffs to be active at the same time to achieve maximum DPS. As you currently have it set, you are using abilities on cooldown, which is nerfing your overall DPS because one bonus is not always stacking on the next. For example, you always want the 15 DEX and the 20% DMG at the same time, etc. You want Internal Release right before Barrage. Actually, you want everything right before Barrage. Also, while ALL of the buffs are up, cast Flaming Arrow. Flaming Arrow (actually all DoT's in FFXIV) are a snapshot of your stats when cast for the entire duration. Same with Windbite and Venomous Bite. You have to spam this button fast for the CD's to activate while on GCD from Heavy Shot. You have to spam it even faster for Barrage to correctly activate.
So typically I start battles with Windbite, Venomous Bite > then mobs is settled and Flaming Arrow followed by Straight shot. Then Basic Attack Macro. For almost all the endgame activities there is a phase that is the DPS race. Sometimes multiple Phases. I generally save the Second DPS Macro for that point, unless I know I have 180 seconds before it will start.
You will notice the DPS macro has Raging Strikes as the visible icon. 90 seconds in, at the halfway point of the Raging Strike cooldown, this macro will reapply Blood for Blood, and Internal Release, Hawk's Eye and Barrage. This is the important part. After the cooldwon on Raging Strikes pasts the halfway mark, DO NOT hit this macro again until ALL the cooldown are up again. Go back to using the Basic Attack macro for the final 90 seconds.
Granted, lose about 20 seconds where you could have reapplied Blood for Blood (it actually reapplies 80 seconds in, not 90). Otherwise you are using all your cooldowns, stacked together, once every 180 seconds, and half of them stacked together at 90 seconds.
You are welcome to test this. I'm fairly confident that this is the absolute maximum damage you can do. Make sure to apply your DoTs while your awesome Attack+ cooldown stacks are active. Burning Circle > Windbite > Venomous Bite
Finally, Blunt Arrow needs it's own macro. (This cannot be part of your main attack macros come Endgame.)
/macricon "Blunt Arrow"
/ac "Blunt Arrow" <t>
/p {Blunt Arrow} {Just used it.} <se.2>
It is essential to have this macro setup for Silence rotations (you take turns Silencing with another Bard). You will need this as soon as you step foot in Bahamut's Coil, and even before that while fighting Drhome Chimera. It tell's the other Bard when you have taken your turn, so they can get ready for the next important Silence.
Best of luck, hope this helps.
Edited, Feb 19th 2014 1:23pm by Gnu
Edited, Feb 19th 2014 1:26pm by Gnu
Scholar
41 posts
Thanks for the input guys! I will move Bloodletter up. After a second thought, I think it makes sense to favor getting more of them off than waiting for maximum buffing. As mentioned, you get the buffs on the following BL proc/use anyway.
For Blunt Arrow, I like the extra instant damage it adds to the rotation. However, I will make a separate macro without it and swap it in against bosses, when I need silence/interrupt on demand. I used to have Repelling in the rotation, until an unexpected trigger shot me off a ledge, lol!
The buff order in my OP is definitely not optimal. I put them up in no premeditated order – more like a list than an actual order. However, after opening up with Straight Shot, I would like to use the Heavy shot macro (ideally one HS+2 buffs in GCD) to pop all the right buffs to apply to my dots (Flaming Arrow, Windbite, Venomous Bite).
For general play, I think I’ll keep my current setup and reorder the buffs based on Gnu’s feedback. However, I’ll have to use a different set of macros in endgame to account for DPS races and the 90 second buff cool down “re-synchâ€. Buffs will be moved to a separate Heavy Shot macro for that.
Thanks again!
Edited, "90" means nothing unless you add "seconds" to it, heh
Edited, Feb 19th 2014 3:37pm by Trellmichel
For Blunt Arrow, I like the extra instant damage it adds to the rotation. However, I will make a separate macro without it and swap it in against bosses, when I need silence/interrupt on demand. I used to have Repelling in the rotation, until an unexpected trigger shot me off a ledge, lol!
The buff order in my OP is definitely not optimal. I put them up in no premeditated order – more like a list than an actual order. However, after opening up with Straight Shot, I would like to use the Heavy shot macro (ideally one HS+2 buffs in GCD) to pop all the right buffs to apply to my dots (Flaming Arrow, Windbite, Venomous Bite).
For general play, I think I’ll keep my current setup and reorder the buffs based on Gnu’s feedback. However, I’ll have to use a different set of macros in endgame to account for DPS races and the 90 second buff cool down “re-synchâ€. Buffs will be moved to a separate Heavy Shot macro for that.
Thanks again!
Edited, "90" means nothing unless you add "seconds" to it, heh
Edited, Feb 19th 2014 3:37pm by Trellmichel
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