easy/simple methods to cap various skills?

[blobboid196]

i've recently taken up RDM for the first time. that job's nearly lvl 7, and so far i prefer it over the THF that i had raised to 14.

anyways, i've found many new skills to mess with (Enfeeble, Devine, Elemental, etc). i've found myself at the point that it seems like my magic is lacking. working on my magic skills and capping them for my level would do me good, right? what are some easy or simple ways i can do that? i've picked up somewhere that going around town, spam-healing random players would beef up the healing skill. i haven't been able to test that out myself, but i'm looking for methods like that, preferable tried-and-true ones.

thanks in advance. if there are other topics covering this already, i'd appreciate a link to them.

[LoneGamer]

Re: easy/simple methods to cap various skills?

The only Divine magic RDM gets is from subbing WHM or PLD. Stupid, I know. To cap Enfeebling and Elemental, along with Dark once you can cast Bio, spam spells of the appropriate school on mobs that con Even Match or higher. Same thing for weapon skills.

[Caspian]

Re: easy/simple methods to cap various skills?

Casting healing spells can raise your healing, no matter the location, so long as it restores atleast some hp. As for the others, they should quickly cap when you start partying in a few levels. Just cast your enfeebs at the beginning of a fight and they'll cap in no time. What actually gives you skillups, and eventually caps a skill is using it on a mob that is an even match or tough+ for your current level in whatever skill (note: not to your current job level). So you may have to check on a skill calculator to see what it is for each level and fight mobs at or above that level. Again, at your level its not a big deal and will quickly cap once you start partying.

Somewhat off-topic. You quit THF at 14? You're really not giving thief a fair chance. The job doesn't even begin to come into its own until level 15 when you get Sneak Attack which really lets you start dealing some damage. I'd atleast play it for a few more levels so you can kinda see where its heading. (I'd even recommend post 30 at some point so you get the chance to use Trick Attack too.)

[Mhurron]

Re: easy/simple methods to cap various skills?

Once you're a higher level you can work on raising healing magic by casting it on Undead mobs. Spamming Dia will cap enfeebling really quickly, and as you get higher levels last long enough that your normal enfeebling duties will cap it in the first 3-4k exp into a level. Elemental can be raised by casting elemental magic (!) and later on if you sub BLM by using the elemental enfeebles. RDM dark skill is quite low and it will take damn near forever to cap it. The easiest way to cap it is level BLM or DRK, which have a much higher Dark Magic skill, to use Drain and Aspir. You can use Bio, but it will overwrite Dia which is pretty much the more important spell.

The only Divine magic RDM gets is from subbing WHM or PLD. Stupid, I know.

I believe Dia used to be classified as Divine in the same way Bio is Dark.

[Icemage]

Re: easy/simple methods to cap various skills?

I believe Dia used to be classified as Divine in the same way Bio is Dark.

I'm not sure that's true, but I seem to recall that in the original Japanese FFXI Beta, Banish was apparently in the RDM spell repertoire. I'm not positive though - if it was, it was changed long before I started playing in the North American Beta.


Icemage

[Susurrus]

Re: easy/simple methods to cap various skills?

Red Mages have NO Divine Magic spells. Dia is enfeebling. Flash was originally obtainable by Red Mages but was taken out a long time ago. (You can see this by visiting outdated spell list sites or do a fresh install of the CD version of the game and run POL Utils before updating.) Thus, we have Divine Magic skill. As a Red Mage, you don't need to worry about Divine Magic skill level. If you REALLY want it skilled, subjob WHM or PLD and spam Banish and Flash in a skill up party later on.

Enhancing won't be too much skilled until you get Refresh and Haste. It should cap pretty quick after that, as Red Mages are pretty much Refresh and sometimes Haste whores.

If you want to skill Dark Magic, the best way I found is to subjob BLM and use Drain/Aspir, even in parties. Of course, you can't do this until later. Bio is your only option until then. However, since many parties don't like you using Bio since it supposedly overwrites Dia, then I wouldn't worry about Dark Magic until you get Drain. On the off chance a party does want you to use Bio, it is a 100% stick rate like Dia, so there's no problem.

Elemental and Enfeebling should be easiest for you to cap. Just use nukes such as Stone, Water, Fire, etc or when you can get from BLM subjob, try Frost, Rasp, Choke, etc for Elemental. Enfeebling, just use Paralyze, Slow, Blind, Dia, Gravity, and maybe even Poison. A good Red Mage uses plenty of enfeebles, and the party will benefit much from you doing so.

Healing magic...don't worry about it too much. It will come with time and you'll probably never cap it until you've been 75 for a long time. If you really want it skilled, spam cure 1 on yourself. You can skill from curing for 0. But, the skill up is rediculously slow. Summoners have subjob level healing magic and play main healers frequently, which shows how unimportant healing magic skill actually is.

[blobboid196]

Re: easy/simple methods to cap various skills?

ooh, lots of good food for thought. :D thanks guys.

Caspian - i didn't exactly quit THFing, it's more i wanted to take a break from a melee-only gig. well, that, and i had just been through a rash of party invites from parties where all the members combined didn't equal to half my level, who was just inviting anybody and everybody for the hell of it. i was getting tired of that.

[Neomage]

Re: easy/simple methods to cap various skills?

Casting healing spells can raise your healing, no matter the location, so long as it restores atleast some hp. As for the others, they should quickly cap when you start partying in a few levels. Just cast your enfeebs at the beginning of a fight and they'll cap in no time. What actually gives you skillups, and eventually caps a skill is using it on a mob that is an even match or tough+ for your current level in whatever skill (note: not to your current job level). So you may have to check on a skill calculator to see what it is for each level and fight mobs at or above that level. Again, at your level its not a big deal and will quickly cap once you start partying.

Somewhat off-topic. You quit THF at 14? You're really not giving thief a fair chance. The job doesn't even begin to come into its own until level 15 when you get Sneak Attack which really lets you start dealing some damage. I'd atleast play it for a few more levels so you can kinda see where its heading. (I'd even recommend post 30 at some point so you get the chance to use Trick Attack too.)

Sorry, but you need to stop spreading false info. It can skill up reguardless if you heal a million HP, 0 HP, or KO an undead with it.

[Caspian]

Re: easy/simple methods to cap various skills?

Yeah, my mistake, it was previously covered by Susurrus.