Waltz Efficiency

Waltz Efficiency comes in two forms: HP/TP efficiency and HP/Time efficiency. These measures are useful for comparing different Waltzes in different situations. Waltz potency gear does not affect the comparison, because it applies equally to all Waltzes. Whether Dancer is Sub Job or main job does potentially affect the comparison, as it changes M and the relative influence of user/target CHR and VIT on Waltz potency.

HP/TP Efficiency

HP/TP efficiency is a very important measure when solo. Any TP used on Waltzes can't be spent on Weapon Skills. That said, the below formula and table may overemphasize the efficiency of high tier waltzes. You are not getting full efficiency out of a Waltz if you are not healed for the full HP it could heal you for. With a good Waltz build, outside Abyssea, high tier Waltzes can heal for well over 1000 HP.

HP/TP = HP Restored ÷ TP Spent = ( (User's CHR + Target's VIT)×M + B ) ÷ ( TP Base - TP Reduction )

For the sake of simplifying the above formula and the data on the Waltz page, the below table calculates the efficiency of Waltzes by varying the three above dimensions. It uses 175 (outside Abyssea) and 300 (inside Abyssea) combined CHR and VIT, main or Sub Job Dancer, and TP Cost -5 Desultor Tassets or not. Divine Waltzes have been included, but their efficiency needs to be multiplied by the number of possible targets, noted as "T" below.

Waltz	175 : Main	300 : Main	175 : Main -5	300 : Main -5	175 : Sub	300 : Sub	175 : Sub -5	300 : Sub -5
Curing Waltz	5.17	6.75	6.92	9.00	4.09	4.88	5.46	6.50
Divine Waltz	2.59×T	3.38×T	2.96×T	3.86×T	2.05×T	2.44×T	2.34×T	2.79×T
Curing Waltz II	6.21	8.00	7.25	9.33	4.96	5.86	5.79	6.83
Curing Waltz III	8.92	11.00	10.03	12.38	7.46	8.50	8.39	9.56
Curing Waltz IV	8.93	10.71	9.62	11.54
Divine Waltz II	5.02×T	6.19×T	5.35×T	6.60×T
Curing Waltz V	10.23	12.19	10.92	13.00

The above table shows that the highest tier Waltz is always the most HP/TP Efficient, though Curing Waltz III compares pretty favorably to Curing Waltz V for Dancer main job and regularly exceeds Curing Waltz IV. The table also reveals that Divine Waltz II is very competitive (and sometimes the best option) as long as there are 2+ targets for it. Unfortunately for Dancer Sub Job, Divine Waltz doesn't compare as favorably and requires up to four targets to compete with Curing Waltz III in terms of HP/TP efficiency.

The above analysis should be taken with two conditions:

• All Waltzes restore their maximum potential HP when used
• There is no Job Ability Delay-related TP gain penalty associated with using a lower tier Waltz multiple times.

The second condition is blatantly untrue, which makes higher Tier Waltzes more efficient than they appear, but the first condition is also often untrue for higher Tier Waltzes.

HP/Time Efficiency

Though HP/TP is often the most important comparison when solo, HP/Time efficiency quickly becomes important when in a party. These measures represent the maximum possible HP healed per second with a Waltz.

HP/Time = HP Restored ÷ Recast = ( (User's CHR + Target's VIT)×M + B ) ÷ ( Recast Base - Recast Reduction )

For the sake of simplifying the above formula and the data on the Waltz page, the below table calculates the efficiency of Waltzes by varying the three above dimensions. It uses 175 (outside Abyssea) and 300 (inside Abyssea) combined CHR and VIT, main or Sub Job Dancer, and Waltz Recast -2 Anwig Salade or not. Divine Waltzes have been included, but their efficiency needs to be multiplied by the number of possible targets, noted as "T" below.

Waltz	175 : Main	300 : Main	175 : Main -2	300 : Main -2	175 : Sub	300 : Sub	175 : Sub -2	300 : Sub -2
Curing Waltz	17.29	22.50	25.94	33.75	13.65	16.25	20.47	24.38
Divine Waltz	7.98×T	10.38×T	9.43×T	12.27×T	6.30×T	7.50×T	7.44×T	8.86×T
Curing Waltz II	27.19	35.00	36.25	46.67	21.72	25.63	28.96	34.17
Curing Waltz III	40.13	49.50	50.16	61.88	33.56	38.25	41.95	47.81
Curing Waltz IV	36.76	44.12	41.67	50.00
Divine Waltz II	20.06×T	24.75×T	22.29×T	27.50×T
Curing Waltz V	35.60	42.39	38.99	46.43

The above table indicates that Curing Waltz III is the most efficient single target Waltz in every tested situation for main or sub Dancer. Divine Waltz II requires 2~3 targets in order to approach it in terms of efficiency, and Divine Waltz does not compare even when hitting a full party. This is the primary reason that Dancers dislike higher tier Waltzes and stick with Curing Waltz III.

Fan Dance Merits

Fan Dance 2/5 ~ 5/5 decrease Waltz recast, which affects HP/Time directly and HP/TP indirectly (through fewer lost rounds).

HP/Time = HP Restored ÷ Recast = ( (User's CHR + Target's VIT)×M + B ) ÷ ( (Recast Base - Recast Reduction) × 0.8 )

It is not possible to calculate the effects on HP/TP without knowing the current Haste level and TP/round, but we can calculate the affect on HP/Time as seen below for 5/5:

Waltz	175 : Main	300 : Main	175 : Main -2	300 : Main -2
Curing Waltz	25.75	33.75	34.33	45.00
Divine Waltz	10.30×T	13.50×T	12.88×T	16.88×T
Curing Waltz II	36.17	46.67	54.27	70.00
Curing Waltz III	50.13	61.88	66.83	82.50
Curing Waltz IV	48.08	57.69	52.08	62.50
Divine Waltz II	22.94×T	26.88×T	26.21×T	30.71×T
Curing Waltz V	45.44	54.17	51.13	60.94

As you can see, Curing Waltz III is still the most HP/Time efficient healing source in all cases. However, the TP costs of using Curing Waltz III so often (and the 1/3 of your TP time you'd lose to animation delay) would be so high that it's not sustainable.

Related Links

• Tables and Analysis inspired by Calessa of Allakhazam