Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

[greydaze]

As I near 51, I've been asking level 75 BLM friends which staves to get HQ and which NQ. I have enough gil for one HQ staff at that level. Two people say that ice is imperitive, but one person says not to get any HQ staves and save my gil for other things. So, is the +5% damage on one spell worth 2.5m gil?

[Murphie]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

From what I gather, having all of the NQ is a good initial goal, and having full HQ is just icing on the cake. If you can afford all of the other staves and some HQ, then I'd suggest starting with the most useful (Ice?) and slowly working on upgrading the rest as you go.

Really though, no one should ever expect you to have a full HQ set. Especially if this is your first push to 75.

[Taskmage]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

I believe the NQ staves give +10% damage whereas the HQ give +15%. So it's not something you should stress about having, but definitely a worthwhile goal to work towards. As soon as I get enough gil to afford by torques and possibly penitent's rope, I'm going to start working on an HQ set for my rdm.

[kuu]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

Depends on what you'll be doing.

HQ is nice to strive for, but the cost these days are pretty extreme...while NQ..is..well crafters take a big lost on NQ for HQ.

If you're going to be trying to nuke things you have next to no chance of getting a full damage on..it will feel...less then. And there will be lots of things for a to get resisted.

Jupter is probably the most often #1 HQ to get for blm(also probably the most costly), but the whole set is a bit more controversial. Ice isn't bad at lvl 51, but depends on how fast you level. You may want to spend your gil on the lesser HQ staves elsewhere.

[DakAttack]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

Ice, Lightning, and Fire for Distortion and Light skillchains. If you're the Blm or Rdm, between Lightning and Fire is up to you so whichever you feel is already the strongest stick with it.

[Raydeus]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

What I would do is work in this order:

Spells > all NQ staves > +stat gear (+INT +m. att and +m. acc +mp) > all the cool blm armor > and last the full HQ staves set.

HQ staves wont make much difference till you already have the best gear you can afford, that's when that +5% will be really worth it.

[kuu]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

What I would do is work in this order:

Spells > all NQ staves > +stat gear (+INT +m. att and +m. acc +mp) > all the cool blm armor > and last the full HQ staves set.

HQ staves wont make much difference till you already have the best gear you can afford, that's when that +5% will be really worth it.

Though it's a pretty hefty difference if you're doing missions like say CoP.

Depends on how people play. Some people grind first, others do it as it becomes available.

Though having a NQ set is way more useful then having 1HQ in most occasions.

[Jei]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

Even at 75, you can get away with just a few HQs. Some more useful staff you might want to get HQ later are
- thunder and ice. These 2 are your main nukes at 75.
- ice for bind
- dark for sleep.
You won't use other elements as much. Maybe Wind if you fight Kirin a lot.

by thw way I heard HQ staffs helps with resist too, 5% less resist than NQ.

[Mog]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

HQ staves are nothing more than a luxury. You don't need them right off the bat and you can get by just fine with NQ staves. If you have enough money for the HQ staves, by all means, go for it. If you're tight on money though and you're weighing your options, take the NQ staves for now and pick up HQ down the road.

As for what staves to get, dark, ice, and thunder are imperative for the BLM. (only ones I own btw lol)

[kuu]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

Even at 75, you can get away with just a few HQs. Some more useful staff you might want to get HQ later are
- thunder and ice. These 2 are your main nukes at 75.
- ice for bind
- dark for sleep.
You won't use other elements as much. Maybe Wind if you fight Kirin a lot.

by thw way I heard HQ staffs helps with resist too, 5% less resist than NQ.

I heard it doesn't help with acc. There is no 2 thunder on a Jupiter etc.

Order of importance on hq for blm 75 generally speaking is
thunder -> thunder4/ga3 last spell mb of light
fire -> undead/dark wanted also light based.
Ice -> elemental +10, and distortion, but non light based, so not as important.
Wind -> Kirin more or less

Price wise, if I remember my crafters gossip. Thunder bead is pretty dang expensive, water the cheapest. Ice is also pretty cheap. Fire is expensive as heck up there with thunder. Flame ring, is a hot item, so fire beads gets taken.

I don't see much use for a pluto staff unless you're into draining. Blms don't do sleep often(except dyanmis), that's a rdm job, and if they did, they would be ESing it(must stick at any cost).

People who buy pluto's are smn for a nearly free doggie. Fenrir is a cheap upkeep 2nd to carbuncle.

[Jenifa]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

HQ staves are nothing more than a luxury.

In answer to the OP's question, I would answer with a question.

How important to you is it to make an extra 5% damage on nukes?

I have 4 HQ's FIRE ICE THUNDER AND AIR. I solo a fair bit, and its important that each of my nukes makes as much damage as possible for MP efficiency.

[Mufasta]

Re: Elemental Staves: How Important Is HQ?

What I would do is work in this order:

Spells > all NQ staves > +stat gear (+INT +m. att and +m. acc +mp) > all the cool blm armor > and last the full HQ staves set.

HQ staves wont make much difference till you already have the best gear you can afford, that's when that +5% will be really worth it.

Exactly, you can have all the best gear for your level, but your Stone III is still only going to do 400ish (spitballing on the numbers), before the Stave bonus at that level, so an HQ would only add an extra 20 damage or so. Once you get to 75, have acess to Igqira Weskit, Zenith Mitts, and Merits, Uggly Pendant, you'll see the difference.