Randomer Question Thread

[aurik]

This thread is for off-the-cuff questions that don't merit a full topic to answer. "What should I wear for my level 65 pup? What's the best way to learn the Qutrub Blu spell?"

Original thread:
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=16257

[Pamelita]

=O I'll start!

Nashira or Yigit feet for BLM?

And to not double post: I got Goliard pants last night, and they look nice for SMN, so I compared them to Evoker's Spats (I know -_-, I don't go to dyna for AF2). So I decided to use Goliard pants on SMN full time instead of AF1 pants...is this a wise choice?

[yrpaine]

^ yigit for most things.

only would use nash for elemental enfeebles (shock/burn/choke) or if you desperately need skill for something, but that's rare.


and stick with af1 legs on smn if you don't have af2 hands or legs.

[Spekkio]

Originally Posted by Pamelita

=O I'll start!

Nashira or Yigit feet for BLM?

And to not double post: I got Goliard pants last night, and they look nice for SMN, so I compared them to Evoker's Spats (I know -_-, I don't go to dyna for AF2). So I decided to use Goliard pants on SMN full time instead of AF1 pants...is this a wise choice?

nashira if you resist, yigit if you don't. there's no cut and dry answer w/o knowing more of your gear. if you had full ele merits, af2 hat, etc, you're less likely to need the ele mag crutch on the boots than if you were a "well it's 75" blm. most of the time i'd expect more mileage out of yigit though.

Edit: nashira wouldn't be bad for drain/aspir/stun/enfeebles since the haste and macc can't hurt. might just be splitting hairs though since neither trait is very strong on nashira.

[aurik]

My footchoice for BLM varies widely on situation.

Max damage: Yigit
Max reliability: Nashira (I don't have full elemental merits yet...this may not be needed for fully merited blms)
Dark magic: Nashira
When max damage isn't as important: Sorcerer's Sabots
When not casting: Herald's Gaiters

[Cydewinder]

Hauby NQ/HQ or Hachiman body for WS? I know it's Hauby, but my friend keeps going on about the STR of Hachiman. Can someone put it in a better way I can explain to him? Without the sarcasm please.

EDIT: With WAR sub.

[aurik]

Originally Posted by Cydewinder

Hauby NQ/HQ or Hachiman body for WS? I know it's Hauby, but my friend keeps going on about the STR of Hachiman. Can someone put it in a better way I can explain to him? Without the sarcasm please.

EDIT: With WAR sub.

Hauby HQ for sure. 2 str is way less important than 12 attack and ~5 accuracy.

[Epical]

Originally Posted by aurik

2 str is way less important than 12 attack

I thought someone said attack doesn't affect SAM WS?

[aurik]

Originally Posted by Epical

I thought someone said attack doesn't affect SAM WS?

Like hell it doesn't.

[Cydewinder]

Ah, I thought so, I keep trying to tell him that, but he's got this whole "all you need is STR" thing going. I think he's about to buy a Smilodon mantle+1 over a Amemet Mantle+1 just based off of that. I guess he won't listen to me because I'm not a SAM.

Edit: :ashira:

[Callisto]

Originally Posted by Cydewinder

Ah, I thought so, I keep trying to tell him that, but he's got this whole "all you need is STR" thing going. I think he's about to buy a Smilodon mantle+1 over a Amemet Mantle+1 just based off of that. I guess he won't listen to me because I'm not a SAM.

Edit: :ashira:

You definitely need Attack as well as STR, with the only real exception being a BLU, who would be better off with the Smilodon+1. STR caps in effectiveness(as does attack, but that takes alot more of it to do, usually done through BRD/COR buffs) so loading up on too much of either will only get you so far.

Side note: Tell your friend we said "DOOOOMAAAAARRRRUUUUUUUUU!!!"-

[Ferien]

Is Byrnie(+1) still better? I seem to remember some testing showing it on top, but I can't remember if that was contingent on sub or if it's changed since the patches.

[Spekkio]

Originally Posted by Cydewinder

Ah, I thought so, I keep trying to tell him that, but he's got this whole "all you need is STR" thing going. I think he's about to buy a Smilodon mantle+1 over a Amemet Mantle+1 just based off of that. I guess he won't listen to me because I'm not a SAM.

Edit: :ashira:

NOTE: this is a gross oversimplification of the math. please don't flame me for dumbing it down, though feel free if i got the fundamentals wrong. ^^

hachiman can achieve slightly higher numbers in theory, but the average result will be lower due to all the loss in attk/acc. it's akin to rolling a die with 4 sides numbered 2,3,3,4 for the hauby or a die with the numbers 1,1,1,5 for the domaru. the expected value of the hauby die is much higher at 3 than the domaru die at 2. as such, for the most damage on your average dice roll (read WS) the hauby will be the superior choice. does that help explain it better?

btw, i realized after i typed this that i basically ripped off the "battle" system for the chocobo pocket station game from ff8. still, good way to explain it imo.

[Cydewinder]

Originally Posted by Callisto

You definitely need Attack as well as STR, with the only real exception being a BLU, who would be better off with the Smilodon+1. STR caps in effectiveness(as does attack, but that takes alot more of it to do, usually done through BRD/COR buffs) so loading up on too much of either will only get you so far.

Side note: Tell your friend we said "DOOOOMAAAAARRRRUUUUUUUUU!!!"-

lol, I guess all I can do is explain to him in this way, thanks for the help.

[Epical]

Originally Posted by aurik

Like hell it doesn't.

Well shit, I guess that helps explain the huge fucking range a 1 hit, non-crit, same debuff WS can do lol. I need to go over my WS macro then. =(

[Tricen]

Originally Posted by Ferien

Is Byrnie(+1) still better? I seem to remember some testing showing it on top, but I can't remember if that was contingent on sub or if it's changed since the patches.

Byrnie+1 is really only good for amano sam... It's to reach the attack cap easier, since you have 20 less acc to worry about. Hauby would be a lot better for non amano sams.

[Ferien]

Originally Posted by Tricen

Byrnie+1 is really only good for amano sam... It's to reach the attack cap easier, since you have 20 less acc to worry about. Hauby would be a lot better for non amano sams.

Hm...I thought it was tested by a hagun user.

[Shuemue]

Originally Posted by aurik

My footchoice for BLM varies widely on situation.

Max damage: Yigit
Max reliability: Nashira (I don't have full elemental merits yet...this may not be needed for fully merited blms)
Dark magic: Nashira
When max damage isn't as important: Sorcerer's Sabots
When not casting: Herald's Gaiters

I don't have af2 or Nashira, but if I did that's basically how I'd make use of them, with the addition of the miniscule fastcast on rostrum pumps for when forced to be a stun whore.

[Jaybar]

Originally Posted by Epical

Well shit, I guess that helps explain the huge fucking range a 1 hit, non-crit, same debuff WS can do lol. I need to go over my WS macro then. =(

I remember back during the huge 2handed buff, I was able to cap my WS damage on Colibri with Wheeling Thrust (similar characteristics to some SAM ws's - 1 hit and STR based). No matter how much attack I put on, I never went over it, but when I put on more STR, the number began to increase (although capped there now). But since the "nerf", it's hard for me to reach that point without SV.

That might be able to help you understand how STR could be better than ATK, but I wish I could tell you from a samurai's perspective.

[Rocl]

What should I merit for Blue Mage? Category 1 mainly, but some opinions on Category 2 would be nice.

[Tricen]

Originally Posted by Ferien

Hm...I thought it was tested by a hagun user.

Go for it, you'll have to make up for the acc loss in other spots though, which kinda negates the point of it. Or just use sushi.

[Naramaska]

About to hit BLM75, and i'm wondering what I should merit after Elemental Magic skill (10 merits saved already for L4). Enfeebling? Potency? AM2? I intend to merit them all to cap, but that's a looooooooooot of points, and i'm wondering where I should allocate first for maximum usage.

[Tajin]

I would use Stun (actually I do), because is short of the same thing as Flash, a longer effect, is always sexier.

As for merits:
I would put, 4 Enfeeb, 4 Ele, rest AM2. Personally I'm going to cap Ele / Enfeeb before putting some in AM2/potency, but that is because Elvaan MP sucks.

[ronin sparthos]

Originally Posted by Rocl

What should I merit for Blue Mage? Category 1 mainly, but some opinions on Category 2 would be nice.

I went 5/5 Physical Potency 5/5 Magical Accuracy personally, Monster Corrolation is too situational, CA recast isnt that big a deal to me, BA recast is moot as well.

[Not Seditedi]

Originally Posted by Tajin

I would use Stun (actually I do), because is short of the same thing as Flash, a longer effect, is always sexier.

As for merits:
I would put, 4 Enfeeb, 4 Ele, rest AM2. Personally I'm going to cap Ele / Enfeeb before putting some in AM2/potency, but that is because Elvaan MP sucks.

uh?
Did you forget you can do level 8 ele and enfeeb now ? lol
Do not merit AM2 until your thunder and ice potencies are capped >_>.

To answer Naramaska:
I'd cap Elemental Magic first.
If you plan to solo alot then go ahead and do Enfeebling to at least level 4 next, if not you can come back and do it all later to level 8.
Next do Thunder Potency and Ice Potency (MAB+10 added to your 2 strongest spells will help alot more than getting AM2 at this point (AM2 are basically MP wasters, pretty inefficient spells, you are better off with Tier IV. They are only good for a zerg type situation like DL, but seeing how you have RNG, that'd be the optimal choice for you on a zerg type fight, so AM2 won't really be worthwhile to you.
AM2 is really a matter of choice on which ones you actually plan to merit. Situational depending on what you do on BLM. I personally did Burst II to lvl 3, Freeze II to lvl 2 and Tornado II (Originally for Kirin and Ouryu, but now worthless for Kirin since melee burn only now ) to level 1.
Flood II is also pretty decent if you use BLM on something like Tiamat often.

[Ryushii]

What are the most MP efficient RDM hate gaining spells? Campaign tanking ftw!

[Tajin]

Originally Posted by Not Seditedi

uh?
Did you forget you can do level 8 ele and enfeeb now ? lol

He said, he had 10 merits to spend as a start. But yeah, guess I did forget .


Edit for ^: Dispel / CureIV (when you have hate), bind, bar-gas (in PT ovbiously).

[Not Seditedi]

For building C.E. Dispel and Sleep are probably the best spells.
For maintaining V.E. Blind, Bind, and single target barspells work great.

[Ryushii]

I'm sorry, I have a vague understanding of the emnity system.

Is C.E. initial hate that deteriorates slowly. and V.E. the fast detreiorating stuff? I totally have no idea how to spell deteriorate.

[Not Seditedi]

Yea V.E. is the very quickly deteriorating component of total enmity.
Short cast time/low recast spells win here due to the speed it decreases you need quick spells to keep it high.
C.E. only is lost when you take damage etc.