When to start tinkering with gear swapping

[cidbahamut]

While I'm busy leveling a proper subjob for my Red Mage, I've been thinking about how much I hear about gear swapping that occurs at higher levels of play. I've seen some obvious scenarios where I need to swap out a weapon, such as in Qufim when we're fighting crabs and I need to be nuking/supporting and not swatting them with a sword for zero damage, that's a good time to pull out a spellcaster's weapon for +INT and +MND.

That sort of swapping seems simple enough to do on the fly, but I know it gets far more complex down the road. So I'm wondering when is a good time to start messing around with gear-swapping macros?

(The obvious answer being "now", har har har)

At what point in the game does it start being frowned upon to not be constantly gear-swapping? At what point does it become absolutely essential? Is there some general theory behind it or general practices that I should be aware of for when I reach that point in my career?

The task seems a bit daunting and I want to be sure to do it properly when the time comes.

[odjnlinus]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

I wanna say in the 50 range mainly bc most of your party whether they be a DD or a tank will have a good amount of JA and stuff to further increase their *awesomeness* at doing their job. There was a rdm in my Linkshell that had 3 books of macros for his RDM once he hit 60, and he did a pretty good job remembering where they all was. Macro's are a pain for a majority of people but once you get the hang of it, it becomes pretty easy.

I can't really comment on macro use in Endgame scenarios since the only Endgame I ever done was Dynamis so hopefully someone with more experience can elaborate more on your topic. A few rdm I met had macros for INT+, MND+, Healing Magic+, etc etc etc... To be a good mage (I would think) you'd have to have macros down to a science bc at higher lvls it only becomes harder (Especially if your fighting imps).

[Takelli]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

Rdm Macros? Mainly you need macros for healing magic with the light staff, and possibly mind +.

Convert macros.

Resting Macro. Makes it tons easier than swapping staves when resting manually.

REfresh/Haste macros.

Int+ Macros for Dark Enfeebles, and nueking magic.

SS Macro.

Othat than that... I think thats all you need.

[Zoltar]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

At lower levels I mostly gear swap for the following:

Healing (Any gear that gives MP +1/2 while healing)
Equip (After healing put on normal-use gear)

Higher levels you'll macro in/out gear for enfeebles (gravity), dark magic (sleep), and stuff like that. I have a limited number of spells I cast as BLM and to make them work I figure out what gear has to be swapped in to make them most effective. You'll get a hang of it. When you know you have to land things like gravity, you'll swap enfeeble gear, when you know you gotta always put up stoneskin/phalanx, you'll swap in +MND gear, etc. Evaluate what spells you're using most and equip properly.

[Armando]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

The time to start is now. Gonna have to bite the bullet eventually and even at low levels you can already start basic swaps like INT and MND rings. Might as well start easing your way into it.

The point where it's simply unacceptable not to swap is the point where you're missing out on too much performance if you don't. This is different for each job. Jobs with access to ranged attacks but that don't use them as a primary attack will find themselves swapping as early as the 10's for R.Acc rings. Other jobs like MNK can get away with barely swapping a thing until 50+, because before then, there's almost no difference between your TP gear and your WS gear. For THF it's practically mandatory to start swapping at Lv.15 because Sneak Attack sees large improvements in damage when you stock up on DEX, but TP'ing in full DEX gear is unacceptable.

Have fun at higher levels though. You'll quickly find out how painful it is to work with laggy 6 line macros.

[Evion]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

Sounds like you're still pretty early in the game. In this case, you prolly don't have the coin to actually own multiple sets of macro-swap gear (or the gobbie-bag space to hold them). In which case, your minimum for RDM will be the elemental staves you get at 50. Good luck!

[cidbahamut]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

Sounds like you're still pretty early in the game. In this case, you prolly don't have the coin to actually own multiple sets of macro-swap gear (or the gobbie-bag space to hold them). In which case, your minimum for RDM will be the elemental staves you get at 50. Good luck!

You are correct, I have little money and I was wondering how on earth people were holding so much gear with only 30 inventory slots.

Another thing I recall reading about, but never got a definitive answer on was whether in the macro you gear swap and then perform the action, or perform the action and then gear swap. There was something to it about lag and when the game actually checks stats but I don't know. If you guys could shed any light on that I'd very much appreciate it.

[Armando]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

You are correct, I have little money and I was wondering how on earth people were holding so much gear with only 30 inventory slots.

In the old days, Gobbiebags. These days, Mog Satchel.

There was something to it about lag and when the game actually checks stats but I don't know.

Whatever you heard that was lag-related is nothing but a rumor. For all practical purposes, gear swaps are instant; as long as they're performed before the stat is needed, you're fine. For spells, you simply need to have all your equipment on before the spell finishes casting. Whether you do the gear swaps before you start casting or mid-cast is irrelevant as long as it gets done before the spell.

Most JAs are instant so naturally the gear swaps have to come first.

[cidbahamut]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

Whatever you heard that was lag-related is nothing but a rumor. For all practical purposes, gear swaps are instant; as long as they're performed before the stat is needed, you're fine. For spells, you simply need to have all your equipment on before the spell finishes casting. Whether you do the gear swaps before you start casting or mid-cast is irrelevant as long as it gets done before the spell.

Most JAs are instant so naturally the gear swaps have to come first.

Ok, so gear swap and then ability/spell. Intuitive, but I appreciate the clarification.

*wanders off to google mog satchel and gobbie bags*

[Armando]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

FFXIClopedia will make your life easier. Sure, every now and then they post erroneous info, but hell, it's probably just as good as anything you can find Googling.

Inventory - FFXIclopedia, the Final Fantasy XI wiki - Characters, items, jobs, and more
Mog Satchel - FFXIclopedia, the Final Fantasy XI wiki - Characters, items, jobs, and more

[cidbahamut]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

It's usually what I find by googling actually.

[Takelli]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

Heh. Mog Satchel is cheating. XD Just because you 10 extra to increase your sucruity, you get double your inv space XD.

[Guppy]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

That sort of swapping seems simple enough to do on the fly, but I know it gets far more complex down the road. So I'm wondering when is a good time to start messing around with gear-swapping macros?

Level 10 is a good place to start for a mage. Swapping out a pair of Eremite/Hermit rings can give a substantial shift in +INT/+MND for nukes and enfeebles. You may also want to consider a resting set, for Pilgrim Wand, Sol/Luna Cap, Pilgrim Tunica, and automatic cookie use.

[Elwynn]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

Of course BLM starting at 51 will want macros that swap in elemental staves for nukes.

and automatic cookie use.

Here is mine:

/item 'Ginger Cookie' <me>
/wait 2
/equip main 'Dark Staff'
/equip sub 'Bugard Strap +1'
/heal on

There may be some issues if you were using a club weapon beforehand, in which case a /wait 1 before equipping the sub would be a good idea. Or better yet, switch to the staff before the wait. Yeah, I think I'll do that.

[Satori]

Re: When to start tinkering with gear swapping

As I started my first serious job as a bst I found that gear swapping was important from lvl 14 onwards. After that the gear swapping trend started to be applied to other jobs I played. At the moment I've been playing with sch, currently lvl 26.
I would be swapping the int mnd rings but I'm waiting till sublimation to use those and until them I'm using 2 astrals. I'm using a pilgrims wand, mobwha sash +1 for resting with cookies.
I'm using a mnd neck piece also for healing and an int neckpiece too both can be quested for free.
I'm using 2 different foods also for what I'm called upon to do. cream puff for nuking and roast mushrooms for healing duties.
I'd say it's never too early to start swapping gear. I try not to swap gear that causes me to lose hp or mp during the swap.