I see a lot of BLMs start with Thunder III or Thunder II and then move to Fire to build AF charges or using Fire III, but I don't consider this optimal because it reduces the number of Fires you can cram in before you need to enter your recovery phase.
With my rotation, by the time Fire III actually casts, my MP has ticked back up to full or nearly so, and I'm casting Fire III at half cost (due to Umbral Ice III) and double speed. Depending on the situation, if I enter my recovery phase with enough MP, I'll refresh Thunder III, but if I happen to go too low, I'll use Thunder I, then Blizzard, then Fire III when MP reaches full.
As for using Flare in your single-target rotation, do so only when Convert is available. You can even double Flare with HQ Mega-Ethers. Like so:
Blizzard III > Thunder III > Fire III > Fire (repeating/using procs) > at MP >300 Swiftcast Flare > HQ Mega-Ether > Flare > Convert > Fire > Blizzard III > enter normal rotation.
This way you actually get to use Flare in such a way that your DPS doesn't crater because you had to use Transpose and your recovery phase lasts two or three times as long as it would if you got UI3 immediately from Blizzard III. I typically save this for when I need burst, like when trying to push the boss into the next phase or when you need to quickly burn an add down.
With my rotation, by the time Fire III actually casts, my MP has ticked back up to full or nearly so, and I'm casting Fire III at half cost (due to Umbral Ice III) and double speed. Depending on the situation, if I enter my recovery phase with enough MP, I'll refresh Thunder III, but if I happen to go too low, I'll use Thunder I, then Blizzard, then Fire III when MP reaches full.
As for using Flare in your single-target rotation, do so only when Convert is available. You can even double Flare with HQ Mega-Ethers. Like so:
Blizzard III > Thunder III > Fire III > Fire (repeating/using procs) > at MP >300 Swiftcast Flare > HQ Mega-Ether > Flare > Convert > Fire > Blizzard III > enter normal rotation.
This way you actually get to use Flare in such a way that your DPS doesn't crater because you had to use Transpose and your recovery phase lasts two or three times as long as it would if you got UI3 immediately from Blizzard III. I typically save this for when I need burst, like when trying to push the boss into the next phase or when you need to quickly burn an add down.
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