String Theory: A Puppetmaster's Guide *NEW*

That's an interesting parse. It doesn't surprise me that you won but I am surprised by the margin. When my wife still played, she focused on tanking Omen with her PUP, and I'd have my auto focus on DD'ing. Even pre-Magniplug/Truesights/pre-su5/etc. I would be competitive with or beat Nirvana SMNs for bosses. If you aren't using ACburn on summoner with AM3 up then SMN probably does the least damage of the pet jobs. Puppetmaster is benefiting from power creep over the years; we've had more buffs than any other job since Adoulin came out, lol.

I just mentioned them because I think they kinda negated the advantage of having engaged first. Nothing else could kill a maton, as long as you're careful about retrieving for Dancing Fullers.

By the way, the attachments used were the following + an Akamochi:

- Attuner
- Magniplug 1+2
- Flame Holder
- OF 1+2
- ARK IV (in hindsight I should have replaced this with TS4 or Stabilizer 5 as I wasn't using Light Maneuvers anyway unless to force Armor Shatterer for def down with Light/Wind/Fire)
- Truesights
- Turbo Charger 1+2
- Coiler 2
- Target Marker

Also, I'm not sure if this is common knowledge yet, but Stabilizers increase both Accuracy and Ranged Accuracy, whereas Scopes only affect Ranged Accuracy. Stabilizer V and Scope IV provide +56 base with OFs before Maneuvers according to /checkparam <pet>.

Additionally, I need to correct myself. I just tested Overdrive nuking on the mandies outside of of Western Adoulin. Ice Maker does not get tripled as I mentioned before, but 3x Ice outperformed 2xIce/Light considerably. I edited my previous BLMaton post to reflect that.

I just mentioned that as that would explain pulling ahead. (the longer engaged first, the more "cushion" someone would have.)
I'm not sure if that would actually negate any damage lead made too, since unless YOU die (need new buffs, food, etc), you can near immediately poop out another Automaton without much detriment should all your timers be up.

I think the fact that you were so ridiculously ahead shows how little those deaths meant in terms of DPS.

What was the H2Hs you were using?

You're right that I didn't lose much as I personally didn't die, but it still takes 20s+ to redo Maneuvers after reactivating.

H2Hs: Xiucoatl Path C for TP/WS, Kenkonken swaps for Maneuver burden.

TP gear was Anwig (DT/Haste), Shulmanu, Kyrene's, Enmerkar, Pitre Tobe +3, Taeon Hands/Legs/Feet with Acc/DA/DT, Thurandaut+1/Varar+1, Ambu cape, Klouskap +1. WS swaps: Back to Reive cape with TP bonus, Head/Hands/Legs to empy+1, Kyrene's to Burana, Varar +1 to Overbearing, Feet to Naga. Though I was super tired as it was extremely late for me, so I kinda went the lazy route and just locked in my Overdrive set for a large part of the fight (without using Overdrive, of course).

My GS doesn't have any kind of automatic swapping for Pet WS above certain TP thresholds, so I had to do all swaps manually. I think I definitely could've done better on the parse as well, for what it's worth.

I can't help but wonder if that's an oversight on SE's part, but I'm not gonna call any more unnecessary attention to it ;)


Great info, thanks for sharing that. Any insight onto whether Flame Holder works the same way (I'd assume so, but verification would be nice)?



I always find Kyrene's to be a pretty bold choice for PUP for minimal advantage. Compared to Domesticator's (same pet DA+3%), you're basically only gaining 15 acc/racc/macc at the steep cost of DT+10% and missing out on Domesticator's Enm+5. I can't imagine a ton of situations where I need the acc so much to feel like that's a worthwhile trade-off.

I suppose I can see the logic for situations where you feel there is absolutely no danger of death, AND you don't care about the significantly lower enmity retention (not just in the Enm+5 for actions, but also in the higher enmity loss due to taking significantly more damage)... but man, that's a super-niche piece. I've always viewed it as maybe more BST SMN gear than something I'd actually get much mileage out of on PUP.

Dia 2, 3k TP, Beast Roll/Companion's in both cases.

2xFire/1xThunder (I forgot about the DEX bonus for Arcu, should have dropped the TM):


3xFire:


No sheep were harmed in the making of these screenshots. Honestly.


I was wearing Anwig to counter the +10% DT and I did not want the Pet: Enmity+5 as my maton was a VE/SS, had zero defensive attachments and was already at risk of pulling hate (after all, she ate that 10k Bravado). Aside from that, I only had Beast/Companion's, so I didn't want to risk being undercapped on Accuracy.

Of course you're right that Kyrene's is absolutely not something you should wear over Domes. Earring if your maton is supposed to hold hate in any capacity or if it's soloing something. It's strictly a pure max DPS/glass cannon piece.

Does more than 1 maneuver of a single element make any difference when ODing? I thought 1 maneuver acts like 3 when under OD. (aka under OD 1 fire = 3x fire)
I'm probably super wrong.

Your correct in how it triples maneuvers, however there are times when you would have two fire maneuvers up during an OD to force a specific weaponskill.

In the Combined TP sets, are the suggested Augments on the Visucius's Mantle supposed to be:

Acc/Atk
Pet: Acc/R.Acc/Atk/R.Atk
Pet: 10% Haste

It reads like it's Master Haste but that makes no sense.

its pet, youll notice theres acc/atk then pet: rest. so its pet haste.

Ah, there is no & between the last two, it's a plus.

How does this combo work?

Acc/Atk & Pet: Acc/R.Acc/Atk/R.Atk + Regen+10 and -10% MDT

Is this not four different augments?

Dust (Acc/Atk), Thread (Pet: Acc/Atk/Racc/Ratk), Dye (Pet: Acc/Racc, presumably), Sap (Pet: Regen+10), Resin (Pet: -10% MDT)

Beginner question:

When I initially activate my auto I overload immediately off my second maneuver. I’ve tested it 4 times so far. My first maneuver (water, as I’m skilling up) will be 5% then my second 21% which makes me overload. Every time so far...21%. When I get out of the overload...boom 55% and another overload.

I went to BG Activate page and read string theory (but sure I overlooked the overload part) and don’t see how I’m overloading so fast. My light maneuver never goes above 0% so I’m curious what I’m doing wrong with the water maneuvers. If I use cooldown they eventually go to 0% and stay there

Do I need to wait 30 seconds between my first and second water so they are always 30 seconds apart?

If so, with this logic is it impossible not to overload (except with mythic) when using 3 of the same maneuver if they are sustained for long periods because 20 seconds isn’t enough to keep at 0%?

When you call an auto it starts with burdon. Increasing risk of overload.

The longer its out, the easier it will be to hold any amount of manuevers you want.

ex; when manuevers get up to 5 minute duration you can run 3 water all day long without overload.

As far as the in chat tracker and their %s I still don't think it's very accurate. The addon for automatons gives very different numbers.

Thanks. Good to know for if I ever need to double up on a maneuver for some reason in the future.

Also, I chose two water because of a Reddit thread I found about percolator and auto skillups. Chose one light for ARK. Some of the posters suggested 3 water.

After you call the auto you can cool down (don't do it immediately... it crashes the game for me.. not sure why)

Then you're pretty much good to go. Do like 1/1/1 for a cycle then you can double worry free.

And, as Aerix was saying above, Ice Maker is an example of an exception from the normal rule of OD = triple maneuver strength. Even under Overdrive, you still need to put up multiple Ice maneuvers for purposes of boosting magic damage through Ice Maker.

Once you've got full "Activate Effect" JP + all the Overload gear (Ambu cape, reforged AF hands, Buffoon's Collar, reforged Empyrean body) you can easily triple Maneuvers even right after Activate/Deus Ex Automata as long as you don't try to keep going forever. I highly recommend equipping Heatsink while skilling up though as that attachment makes it much, much harder to Overload.

For all PUPs without KKK: Midnights are an excellent substitute to macro into your Maneuver precast and will help tremendously. Just from a quick test with zero other burden gear: after using a Fire Maneuver I had a 30% Overload chance, but equipping Midnights brought that back down to 1% with the next Maneuver immediately on recast (41% chance otherwise from retesting, i.e. Midnights reduced it by 40%).

Interestingly, KKK brought a 55% Overload chance right back down to 0% with the following Maneuver. If it really just reduced burden produced by Maneuvers to 33%, then wouldn't it still have stayed in the critical range, just with a smaller increase than otherwise? Perhaps SE secretly adjusted how "Suppresses Overload" works or the old KKK burden tests mistook a massively increased burden threshold for reduced burden generation. If that is the case, then KKK actually does quite a lot for Flame Holder/Ice Maker assuming it triples the base threshold.

Yeah right above you can see it does. Basically ones that say consume or used to say such only get the bonus for the actual number you have. Which could be huge flameholder if double fire wasn't somewhat at odds with multihit ws. Also base stat boosts from maneuvers aren't tripled though not huge difference

I’ve been using this gear and clearing V1D with about 20 seconds left on OD.

ItemSet 368159



Using a Dia3 mule and a naked fresh COR for rolls.

Any immediate gear upgrades I should make beyond getting some COR gear for my mule?

Assuming Taeon body and Su4/Su5 aren't an option, you could use Ohtas instead of Midnights and swap Klouskap+1/Rimeice to Incarnation/Domes. Earring for 7% more DA and more Accuracy (at the cost of DT-4%, but with double Mana Jammers you should be fine anyway). But if you don't already have an Ohtas then it might not be worth the gil at this point.

The Cait Sith ring instead of Varar Ring +1 might also be useful as the STP isn't too important with Companion's Roll.

Btw, if you can't get ahold of a Barataria ring you could buy a Merirosvo Ring with 10k Sparks for the time being.

Is that 20 seconds left with Relic body or no? If so, I think I only need relic body and my ambu cape finished to attempt this minth’s ambu on PUP.

I have been using a very similar set to Taint's, but I've only managed to beat it on N. I take too much damage on D and Lobo dies.

Differences are:
Ohtas
taeon chapeau
empath necklace
taeon tabard
Ukko sash
Tali'ah Sera. +1

I do only have 100 JP, so I've had to use MJ 4 + 2 instead of 4 + 3.

you losing a lot of dt and haste not using anwig there. Empath is pretty subpar to idle in as well. Shephard works if you don't have shulmanu

Without relic (totally forgot to make it)

I only used mana jammer 4. It
Takes one repair to survive D. Fire/wind/light are what i keep up.

Aerix do you mind posting your Su4/5 set up?

I'm not sure what the state of that questline is, so I've been trying without it. I should be able to pick it up.

You can look in your mission log. Add-ons AMK

Really quick (with clipping) the QSC/Beau Mission is pretty irritating without it.

I showed my gear and attachment setup in my solo VD video before, but it has a slight error.

ItemSet 365471
- Xiucoatl C (not B as shown in the video)
- Anwig Salade: Haste+5%/Damage Taken-10%
- Taeon: Accuracy+25/Double Attack+5%/Damage Taken-4%
- Ambu Cape: Accuracy+30/Attack+20/Haste+10%/Damage Taken-5%
- No C. Palug Ring as I don't have it yet

Overcaps somewhat on Haste due to Thurandaut Ring+1, but the only possible swap would be Anwig/Domes. to Taeon/Rimeice, gaining Acc+25/DA+2% but losing DT-5%. Not a great trade due to Ambu mechanics and since I also use this as my general Bruiser tanking set. Losing DT-5% would uncap my maton's PDT when using only AP4 with Light/Wind/Fire (unrelated to Ambu).