Are rotations hard in FFXIV?

[Wrecktangle]

Slower combat means more time to process other actions during combat, which I find makes for a more complicated combat - There are mechanics where all you can look at is which direction the boss is looking to tell how it's happening. If there was a 1 second gcd, there would be no time to tell.

To be fair, if you're looking at your hotbars in either game you are 100% playing sub-optimally. Having a slower or faster GCD is a preference for sure, but it has no impact on how you should handle mechanics whatsoever.

[Katchii]

To be fair, if you're looking at your hotbars in either game you are 100% playing sub-optimally. Having a slower or faster GCD is a preference for sure, but it has no impact on how you should handle mechanics whatsoever.

Pretty much this, but I will say as someone who used to play like this, FFXIV does allow for more chances to look up at the screen and notice mechanics not only because of the GCD being longer, but also because a very large portion of the classes run off a pretty strict combo or priority system where you will hit buttons in a pretty specific order most of the time so there's less need to look at the hotbar once you understand the class well. Some classes, like Bard, have a lot of procs so looking at the hotbar, or whatever indicator you use, to then activate the procced abilities is a necessity to play optimally.

[Deleted]

To be fair, if you're looking at your hotbars in either game you are 100% playing sub-optimally. Having a slower or faster GCD is a preference for sure, but it has no impact on how you should handle mechanics whatsoever.

What?

That's BS.
The whole statment even.

Playing FFXIV without looking at your hotbar frequently will lead to more mistakes than anything else. Especially in a messy raid enviorment (even if you disable all party skill animations) - cooldowns, procs and ressource management aside.

And how does a longer / shorter GCD not affect how some people handle mechanics? It's the difference between weaving in another skill that you'd otherwise not cast in your normal rotation or not doing it because the GCD is so freaking long that you'd have to wait 2s before you can resume your normal rotation even though you are already back in melee range. It also means that I'm not as fearful of losing GCDs, because I can quite literally handle adds that spawn in all 4 corners of a room without losing a GCD as a melee and without using a movement skill.

[Faroth]

What?

If you have the HUD turned on, you're a scrub. (I think that was actually a challenge on the Primal EX wheel at Fan Fest.. *shudder*)

Uber l33t gamers play blindfolded and know every button by muscle memory, never missing a single ability and never losing 1 dps.

I, however, am a suboptimal player. Probably trash tier, if we're honest. =3

[Wrecktangle]

Pretty much this, but I will say as someone who used to play like this, FFXIV does allow for more chances to look up at the screen and notice mechanics not only because of the GCD being longer, but also because a very large portion of the classes run off a pretty strict combo or priority system where you will hit buttons in a pretty specific order most of the time so there's less need to look at the hotbar once you understand the class well. Some classes, like Bard, have a lot of procs so looking at the hotbar, or whatever indicator you use, to then activate the procced abilities is a necessity to play optimally.

Most good BRDs I know, have that stuff front and center and not in hotbars down at the bottom. You put the proc icon somewhere near your character so you can see it without taking eyes off the part of the screen that matters.

What?

That's BS.
The whole statment even.

Playing FFXIV without looking at your hotbar frequently will lead to more mistakes than anything else. Especially in a messy raid enviorment (even if you disable all party skill animations) - cooldowns, procs and ressource management aside.

And how does a longer / shorter GCD not affect how some people handle mechanics? It's the difference between weaving in another skill that you'd otherwise not cast in your normal rotation or not doing it because the GCD is so freaking long that you'd have to wait 2s before you can resume your normal rotation even though you are already back in melee range. It also means that I'm not as fearful of losing GCDs, because I can quite literally handle adds that spawn in all 4 corners of a room without losing a GCD as a melee and without using a movement skill.

What mistakes would it lead too? I mean, what do I really need to look down at? I have my cooldowns setup directly below my characters feet, increased in size so I can see their timer, and their availability. I never have to look down at where I am at in my combo or to look at clemency's mana cost, or to check to see how much TP shield lob costs.

I'd argue that LOOKING at your hotbar more than you should will frequently lead to more mistakes, especially in a messy raid environment where precise fast movements are necessary. Honestly, not sure how you can even suggest otherwise with a straight face -_-.

To your second point, let's just grab Susano EX as an example: If the GCD was 1.5s in FF14 instead of 2.5s. Would it change how you run the lightning across? No. Would it change how you get knocked back for part the sea move or whatever? No. Would it change how you block the tankbuster? No. Would it change how you kite him across the chasm? No. Would it change how you DPS the sword down or soak the balls? No.

The point I'm making is that a shorter GCD doesn't impact your decision process for any of the encounter mechanics. Sure it makes you press more buttons, react, etc., but the actual encounter doesn't change as a result, merely your frequency of button pushes changes.

Uber l33t gamers play blindfolded and know every button by muscle memory, never missing a single ability and never losing 1 dps.

Your comment does very little to actually further the discussion or state a pov and is honestly just a little bit inflammatory. I expected better sir.

[The Casualty]

Playing FFXIV without looking at your hotbar frequently will lead to more mistakes than anything else. Especially in a messy raid enviorment (even if you disable all party skill animations) - cooldowns, procs and ressource management aside.

To function optimally in a savage raid (and I'd argue any difficult raid across any MMO), you should be able to play your class with minimal visual interaction with your hotbars - no more than say checking your mirrors when driving.

Higher end raids are difficult enough without having to divide your attention span into playing your class.

[Melsiren]

To function optimally in a savage raid (and I'd argue any difficult raid across any MMO), you should be able to play your class with minimal visual interaction with your hotbars - no more than say checking your mirrors when driving.

Higher end raids are difficult enough without having to divide your attention span into playing your class.

Pretty much this, quick glances are all I ever really need to check the longer CDs


There actually becomes a point, at least for me, where I know when my CD's are about to come up with out checking the remaining time.

[StrawberryZebra]

And how does a longer / shorter GCD not affect how some people handle mechanics?

Because you'll handle those mechanics the same way no matter how long the CGD is. Fire? You move out of it. Clicky things? You move there and click them. The giant eyeball appears over the boss and you look away.

What it really affects is how long it'll take you to getting back to DPSing after handling the mechanics if you've had to interrupt a spell cast to move. But that difference is so minor given the .5 second server tick rate that it's not even worth complaining about.

It also means that I'm not as fearful of losing GCDs, because I can quite literally handle adds that spawn in all 4 corners of a room without losing a GCD as a melee and without using a movement skill.

A null point. Losing a GCD because of a disconnect isn't a DPS loss, your DPS is already zero.

Uber l33t gamers play blindfolded and know every button by muscle memory, never missing a single ability and never losing 1 dps.

Those scrubs. I play blindfolded, have both my hands tied behind my back and use bananas as a controller! Those uber l33t's need to really step their game up.

[Katchii]

Most good BRDs I know, have that stuff front and center and not in hotbars down at the bottom. You put the proc icon somewhere near your character so you can see it without taking eyes off the part of the screen that matters.



What mistakes would it lead too? I mean, what do I really need to look down at? I have my cooldowns setup directly below my characters feet, increased in size so I can see their timer, and their availability. I never have to look down at where I am at in my combo or to look at clemency's mana cost, or to check to see how much TP shield lob costs.

I'd argue that LOOKING at your hotbar more than you should will frequently lead to more mistakes, especially in a messy raid environment where precise fast movements are necessary. Honestly, not sure how you can even suggest otherwise with a straight face -_-.

To your second point, let's just grab Susano EX as an example: If the GCD was 1.5s in FF14 instead of 2.5s. Would it change how you run the lightning across? No. Would it change how you get knocked back for part the sea move or whatever? No. Would it change how you block the tankbuster? No. Would it change how you kite him across the chasm? No. Would it change how you DPS the sword down or soak the balls? No.

The point I'm making is that a shorter GCD doesn't impact your decision process for any of the encounter mechanics. Sure it makes you press more buttons, react, etc., but the actual encounter doesn't change as a result, merely your frequency of button pushes changes.



Your comment does very little to actually further the discussion or state a pov and is honestly just a little bit inflammatory. I expected better sir.

I was just saying that Bards have to look at their hotbar and/ or proc indicator to play optimally. Where they have it on their screen is their business, but you're correct, the more skilled and high performing players have the relevant procs and indicators closer to the middle of the screen to make sure then can keep an eye on the action.
@KrayZee no one is refuting that you have to keep en eye on the hotbar, but you can move the hotbar to be more central to the action so you can watch it and the mechanics at the same time.

[Melsiren]

A null point. Losing a GCD because of a disconnect isn't a DPS loss, your DPS is already zero.

That's not entirely true, DPS is damage done over the whole course of an encounter, if you DC and your output zero damage it reduces the total damage you've done over the encounter. Simple example, the encounter is 10 seconds long, you deal 10 damage every second. You disconnect for 5 of those ten seconds your DPS is now 5, when it would have been 10 if you had not disconnected.

HOWEVER.

Krayzee was not talking about disconnection, He is talking about how you can use the longer GCD to move and avoid mechanics, or travel to targets with out losing the GCD. Losing a GCD can have a huge impact on your damage.

A prime example of using the GCD to it's fullest is in turn 13 with the earthshakers. Now keep in mind, this was risky and people trying to do this when often got themselves killed. However the trick was, as a Melee if you stood at the edge of the hit box as you got the earthshaker mechanic. (in simple terms it made you drop fire and do a blast of damage where you are when it goes off, this happens 3 times.) You could do a melee ability to activate the GCD, step back to get away from the group and drop the first eathshaker blast, as your GCD from the first attack ends you can make it right back to the edge of the hit box and do a 2nd GCD attack, step back and drop the 2nd earthshaker on the edge of the first, run in do a third GCD and run back to the edge of the 2nd earth shaker to drop the final one.


GCD management is very important in most traditional MMOs, however I personally feel the punishment to messing up one GCD in FF14 is a bigger deal then it was in WoW.

[StrawberryZebra]

That's not entirely true, DPS is damage done over the whole course of an encounter, if you DC and your output zero damage it reduces the total damage you've done over the encounter. Simple example, the encounter is 10 seconds long, you deal 10 damage every second. You disconnect for 5 of those ten seconds your DPS is now 5, when it would have been 10 if you had not disconnected.

The GCD's you "lose" when unable to use them don't matter because you're already doing zero damage at that point of the fight. You can't actually use the GCD's to get any damage out, so being unable to use them has no negative effects on your overall DPS over the course of the fight.

Losing a GCD while you're in melee range will lower your DPS, however losing GCD's when you're unable to attack anyway isn't going to lower your DPS anymore than it would be already.

[Melsiren]

The GCD's you "lose" when unable to use them don't matter because you're already doing zero damage at that point of the fight. You can't actually use the GCD's to get any damage out, so being unable to use them has no negative effects on your overall DPS over the course of the fight.

Losing a GCD while you're in melee range will lower your DPS, however losing GCD's when you're unable to attack anyway isn't going to lower your DPS anymore than it would be already.

This is different than what you said before.

A null point. Losing a GCD because of a disconnect isn't a DPS loss, your DPS is already zero.

I still do not think you actually understand what KrayZee is saying. YES, there are unavoidable damage loses when you re position, no one is saying this is not true. What is being said, due to the longer GCD you have much more of a grace period to re position without losing damage. Using grace periods such as this is the difference between a great player, and an okay player.

[StrawberryZebra]

This is different than what you said before.

Except that, as you quoted, it is exactly what I said before. I didn't mean "disconnect" as in "offline", I ment it in the "You are no longer able to melee the boss" way. It's commonly been used that way in just about every MMO I've ever played. YMMV.

If you are no longer meleeing, what your GCD's are used on is irrelevent - You're getting no damage out of them anyway.

What is being said, due to the longer GCD you have much more of a grace period to re position without losing damage. Using grace periods such as this is the difference between a great player, and an okay player.

While this holds true for very, very small movements it is not true for the distance you'll move between the four corners of your average raid boss room as was claimed.

To unpack that further, FF14 has a 2.5 second GCD, with a 0.5 second server tick rate. Compared to WoW, that leaves you a massive 0.5 seconds extra grace period before you'd start losing DPS from not hitting your buttons. In a side-by-side comparison it's not as beneficial as it may appear at first glance. It's largely irrelevent outside of very specific circumstances, and will not significantly affect how you would deal with fight mechanics as was claimed.

[Deleted]

Most good BRDs I know, have that stuff front and center and not in hotbars down at the bottom. You put the proc icon somewhere near your character so you can see it without taking eyes off the part of the screen that matters.



What mistakes would it lead too? I mean, what do I really need to look down at? I have my cooldowns setup directly below my characters feet, increased in size so I can see their timer, and their availability. I never have to look down at where I am at in my combo or to look at clemency's mana cost, or to check to see how much TP shield lob costs.

I'd argue that LOOKING at your hotbar more than you should will frequently lead to more mistakes, especially in a messy raid environment where precise fast movements are necessary. Honestly, not sure how you can even suggest otherwise with a straight face -_-.

Well, I'm not. But you'll keep checking your hotbar, no matter what.
The game eats inputs rather frequently due to the odd oGCD behavior (especially if you use 2 in succession)
At no point was it suggested that you constantly have to look at your hotbar, but there are also buffs and debuffs to maintain and there are no weakauras and twice as many as in WoW too.
On top of that, checking whether you actually did succeed in using a skill happens often enough

To your second point, let's just grab Susano EX as an example: If the GCD was 1.5s in FF14 instead of 2.5s. Would it change how you run the lightning across? No. Would it change how you get knocked back for part the sea move or whatever? No. Would it change how you block the tankbuster? No. Would it change how you kite him across the chasm? No. Would it change how you DPS the sword down or soak the balls? No.

Yes. It would. As a SAM I'm not using backstep + range combo there, because the GCD is so long, it's a waste of ressources. I can get out and in without losing a GCD because the GCD is 2,5s. There is no reason to ever use the backstep + range + dash back in maneuver either because when you backstep, you want to use your range combo, if you use your range combo, you can just walk back to the boss because you have to wait 2,2/2,5s anyway.

probably wouldn't be able to do that with a lower GCD. And since GCDs are long, my dps ability choice during damage windows like the sword are affected by it too.
In the end, a lower GCD means I'll have to focus harder on optimizing DPS in order to not lose GCDs and DPS uptime. That means I'll end up doing mechanics differently.
I'll end up taking more risks with plumes, I'll end up not switching as often and fast for adds etc. etc.

Except that, as you quoted, it is exactly what I said before. I didn't mean "disconnect" as in "offline", I ment it in the "You are no longer able to melee the boss" way. It's commonly been used that way in just about every MMO I've ever played. YMMV.

If you are no longer meleeing, what your GCD's are used on is irrelevent - You're getting no damage out of them anyway.

Except for the fact that nearly every melee has range abilities.

While this holds true for very, very small movements it is not true for the distance you'll move between the four corners of your average raid boss room as was claimed.

To unpack that further, FF14 has a 2.5 second GCD, with a 0.5 second server tick rate. Compared to WoW, that leaves you a massive 0.5 seconds extra grace period before you'd start losing DPS from not hitting your buttons. In a side-by-side comparison it's not as beneficial as it may appear at first glance. It's largely irrelevent outside of very specific circumstances, and will not significantly affect how you would deal with fight mechanics as was claimed.

Uhm... Lakshmi?

[Wrecktangle]

GCD management is very important in most traditional MMOs, however I personally feel the punishment to messing up one GCD in FF14 is a bigger deal then it was in WoW.

In a vacuum I agree with that statement. There's a lot of nuance in individual classes/jobs that dictate performance that could sway either way, but as a sweeping general statement the fact that you have less GCD's in a given fight in FF14 means that each one is worth a higher % of your output that is fact.

An example of said nuance would be HW FF14 missing a DRG BotD extending hit was catastrophic to your output. One missed GCD could significantly affect you. In WoW, overcapping HolyPower was a minor DPS loss. Letting a CS charge sit unused another minor DPS loss, but not hitting a TV when under Crusade is crippling to your output. Alternatively, hitting Fast Blade, and then hitting it again on accident is a minor DPS loss.

What is being said, due to the longer GCD you have much more of a grace period to re position without losing damage. Using grace periods such as this is the difference between a great player, and an okay player.

This concept is known as uptime. It is very often the most critical component to elite level DPS. You can achieve very high results simply being competent at your role with average uptime. You can also achieve very good results merely being moderate at your role, but with exceptional uptime. Combining both is what leads to top parses (excluding cheese).

Well, I'm not. But you'll keep checking your hotbar, no matter what.
The game eats inputs rather frequently due to the odd oGCD behavior (especially if you use 2 in succession)
At no point was it suggested that you constantly have to look at your hotbar, but there are also buffs and debuffs to maintain and there are no weakauras and twice as many as in WoW too.
On top of that, checking whether you actually did succeed in using a skill happens often enough

You said and I quote:

Playing FFXIV without looking at your hotbar frequently will lead to more mistakes than anything else. Especially in a messy raid enviorment (even if you disable all party skill animations) - cooldowns, procs and ressource management aside.

I and several others have stated that common practice of a half decent player is in fact the opposite of this. You then stated I'll keep checking my hotbar, no matter what. Which again is false. I very rarely if ever check my hotbars. You then go on talking about how the game eats inputs, which is an issue I don't really have. I use an AHK macro that allows me to simply hold down a hotkey and it will repeatedly spam it. I use it because #1, it pushes it faster than I ever could, and #2 prevents RSI. This combined with the fact that I am aware of which frames of each of my mains abilities can be ani-cancelled allows me to not have any dropped inputs. I never check to see if I succeed in a skill. Do you? Is that something people normally do?

In the end, a lower GCD means I'll have to focus harder on optimizing DPS in order to not lose GCDs and DPS uptime. That means I'll end up doing mechanics differently.

I'll end up taking more risks with plumes, I'll end up not switching as often and fast for adds etc. etc.

Lol, the bolded section is all I needed to see. Nothing further your honor.

[Deleted]

You seem to have some trouble understanding what is being said and what you said yourself

First of all: frequently =/= constantly

You said, and *I* quote

To be fair, if you're looking at your hotbars in either game you are 100% playing sub-optimally.

Then you said you look at it too. so what is it?
Who doesn't look at the hotbar - this is bullshit, everyone does, even you. You keep glancing at it no matter what. On top of that, even if you add your CDs below your character, that's still the hotbar, you know? Are you telling me that your FOV is so small that you can't see both the hotbar and the game at the same time?

And you obviously also didn't understand the section you highlighted and went all "lulz, look at him not doing mechanics", stop jumping to conclusions.

If movement punishes you because of shorter GCDs, you try to minimize movement, if it doesn't - you can play around it -
For example Lakshmi adds: As soon as they get the shield, they recieve less damage. If I'd lose 2-3 GCDs just switching here, I'm better off not switching.
If I can carry a plume outside save and far without losing DPS, I'll do that, if I can't, I'll just carry it to the edge to where it doesn't do much harm (but theoretically could if other DPS screw up and walk there for no real reason), and at the last second too, which is more risky.
Can I pick up a shield orb @ Lakshmi whenever they are up without sacrificing damage? Sure I can, so I do it. Would I do it if I couldn't?
No I wouldn't, which means I wouldn't press it preemptively and on cooldown, but rather only during the times where I absolutely have to.

[Katchii]

Well, I'm not. But you'll keep checking your hotbar, no matter what.
The game eats inputs rather frequently due to the odd oGCD behavior (especially if you use 2 in succession)
At no point was it suggested that you constantly have to look at your hotbar, but there are also buffs and debuffs to maintain and there are no weakauras and twice as many as in WoW too.
On top of that, checking whether you actually did succeed in using a skill happens often enough



Yes. It would. As a SAM I'm not using backstep + range combo there, because the GCD is so long, it's a waste of ressources. I can get out and in without losing a GCD because the GCD is 2,5s. There is no reason to ever use the backstep + range + dash back in maneuver either because when you backstep, you want to use your range combo, if you use your range combo, you can just walk back to the boss because you have to wait 2,2/2,5s anyway.

probably wouldn't be able to do that with a lower GCD. And since GCDs are long, my dps ability choice during damage windows like the sword are affected by it too.
In the end, a lower GCD means I'll have to focus harder on optimizing DPS in order to not lose GCDs and DPS uptime. That means I'll end up doing mechanics differently.
I'll end up taking more risks with plumes, I'll end up not switching as often and fast for adds etc. etc.


Except for the fact that nearly every melee has range abilities.


Uhm... Lakshmi?

You can cheese the shit out of an encounter in some cases to get high DPS numbers or higher uptime than intended, that doesn't mean you were the "best" DPS....especially if you eat a lot of completely avoidable damage because of it. I'm not saying you are, but your statement heavily implies that your numbers are more important the successfully completing the encounter. Mechanics > numbers, to a point I'll admit, but at the level of performance we're talking about it's absolutely true especially in FFXIV where I don't think (please correct me if I'm wrong, my personal exposure is extremely limited and I'm basing this on anecdotal evidence from FC mates) anything is tuned so precisely for a DPS check that an extra second or two on the boss makes or breaks the encounter. If it's that close, you've been failing other mechanics or your DPS is simply low...not a few points low, some of your DPS players just sucks at their job or have terrible gear and just shouldn't be there.

[Deleted]

The O4S dummy requires 4,670 DPS to beat or something.
I can't reach that without chugging a potion or using buff food. The closest I got was 4657.

And what are we talking about here, I'm saying that since GCDs take so long, I don't have to take the risks.
So this is a non issue anyway.

[Wrecktangle]

You seem to have some trouble understanding what is being said and what you said yourself

First of all: frequently =/= constantly

Then you said you look at it too. so what is it?
Who doesn't look at the hotbar - this is bullshit, everyone does, even you. You keep glancing at it no matter what. On top of that, even if you add your CDs below your character, that's still the hotbar, you know? Are you telling me that your FOV is so small that you can't see both the hotbar and the game at the same time?

Correct I do glance at it. Not frequently as you stated, but very rarely yes. That is a fact, undeniable to all arguably. I never stated it wasn't. Correct, I cannot look down at the very bottom of my screen where super tiny buttons are that I don't need to actually see to perform at a high level. Anytime spent looking down there is a risk that I may react slowly or sub-optimally.

Remember that you were the one who specifically stated that NOT looking at hotbars frequently would directly lead to mistakes, etc.

I and others have successfully refuted that statement

If movement punishes you because of shorter GCDs, you try to minimize movement, if it doesn't - you can play around it -
For example Lakshmi adds: As soon as they get the shield, they recieve less damage. If I'd lose 2-3 GCDs just switching here, I'm better off not switching.
If I can carry a plume outside save and far without losing DPS, I'll do that, if I can't, I'll just carry it to the edge to where it doesn't do much harm (but theoretically could if other DPS screw up and walk there for no real reason), and at the last second too, which is more risky.
Can I pick up a shield orb @ Lakshmi whenever they are up without sacrificing damage? Sure I can, so I do it. Would I do it if I couldn't?
No I wouldn't, which means I wouldn't press it preemptively and on cooldown, but rather only during the times where I absolutely have to.

Your Lakshmi example isn't that black and white. What if one of the adds needed to be DPS'd down and yours was at 5%. Would you continue attacking it and fail the mechanic? Would you sit idle? or, would you go over to the add that isn't low and DPS it down. All 3 situations will lead to reduced DPS (overkilling add failing mechanic, sitting idle doing 0 DPS, or losing a few GCD's traversing distance). The point is that whether the GCD is 2.5s or 1.5s doesn't change this scenario. You still make the EXACT same decision which is to do the most DPS you safely can in a given scenario. Just because 2.5s GCD allows you to run across room without losing a GCD doesn't mean you did the mechanic differently as a result. You still made the exact same decision process.

If you can drop a plume while maintaining mDPS that doesn't impact anyone else negatively then that is optimal play. Moving it to the edge if you absolutely don't need to is sub-optimal.

[Deleted]

http://wikidiff.com/constant/frequent
http://wikidiff.com/constantly/frequently
the words describe 2 different levels of occurances. So wth are you trying to tell me here?

Correct I do glance at it. Not frequently as you stated, but very rarely yes. That is a fact, undeniable to all arguably. I never stated it wasn't. Correct, I cannot look down at the very bottom of my screen where super tiny buttons are that I don't need to actually see to perform at a high level. Anytime spent looking down there is a risk that I may react slowly or sub-optimally.

So adjusting the UI only works if you it fits your part of the story, but you forget how to do it if it doesn't?

Remember that you were the one who specifically stated that NOT looking at hotbars frequently would directly lead to mistakes, etc.

Yes, because everything else would be a lie, do you see pros disabling the HUD or UI? No you don't - for a reason.

I and others have successfully refuted that statement

Eh..... no?

Your Lakshmi example isn't that black and white. What if one of the adds needed to be DPS'd down and yours was at 5%. Would you continue attacking it and fail the mechanic? Would you sit idle? or, would you go over to the add that isn't low and DPS it down. All 3 situations will lead to reduced DPS (overkilling add failing mechanic, sitting idle doing 0 DPS, or losing a few GCD's traversing distance). The point is that whether the GCD is 2.5s or 1.5s doesn't change this scenario. You still make the EXACT same decision which is to do the most DPS you safely can in a given scenario. Just because 2.5s GCD allows you to run across room without losing a GCD doesn't mean you did the mechanic differently as a result. You still made the exact same decision process.

When did I ever specifically say that every part and every mechanic ever done in every single scenario is done differently because of the GCD?
Just because you pick a specific situation where it doesn't end up being different (tbh, I'm not even bothering to find a difference in your example because there is absolutely no point) doesn't mean that all the other situations where it does, become void.#

On top of that, the bolded part has nothing to do with what is being said. So yeah, I try to do the most damage, whether it's with a 0,5s GCD or a 50s GCD - that's my role - that doesn't mean I'd handle boss mechanics the same way in both scenarios.
Just because I decide to "avoid damage!" or "increase my damage!" in both cases, doesn't mean it's the same thing.
That's just blatantly ridiculous.

If you can drop a plume while maintaining mDPS that doesn't impact anyone else negatively then that is optimal play. Moving it to the edge if you absolutely don't need to is sub-optimal.

Exactly my point? The thing is - if you change the GCD to 5 seconds, it's much easier to not have an impact anyone else's gameplay.
This means you, especially as a group will use different strategies to deal with different mechanics. Whether it's making room for melees, or ignoring it because their is simply no point.

Etc. etc.

This whole argument should've been over after you explained that you didn't mean what you say literally but I really dislike the way you "shape" the truth to your advantage for absolutely no reason. Acting dumb as shit on purpose by pretending to not know the difference between frequent and constant for example.