What's your Style?

[Matera]

This post is for telling everybody how you play your Blm.

Please let us know if you're open to criticism. Personally, I am, please critique me and make me better.

I have a lot of macros. What I carry while leveling/battling:

Full Staff Set
Full AF Set
Errant Body and Pants
Black Cloak
Phantom Tath
Penitent's Rope
Elemental Torque
Prism Cape
Moldy
Cunning Earring
Wisdom Rings (2)

I sub staffs in as usual, I use armor situationally like so:

Houppelande (Resting after 19 secs)
Black Cloak all other times expect for cures.
AF Body for sleeping. I rarely need to enfeeble, but if I did have to, I'd use it.

AF Pants for Stun, Drain, and Aspir.
Slops for everything else.


My actions in battles depend on my tank. If I have an excellent hate holder, I'll throw a few IV's out, substandard tanks will usually get 2-3 IV's. I normally begin nuking 2/3rds into the mob's life.

If I have a Nin I'll throw Frost and Rasp out, With a Pld I'll use Frost and Drown.

I'll throw a few Dia's out to cap my Enfeebling, and that's it, really.

I want to see what everybody else does, maybe everyone can pick up tips from each other. :D

[Jenifa]

Re: What's your Style?

If I have a Nin I'll throw Frost and Rasp out, With a Pld I'll use Frost and Drown.

blm playing style is far too complex to squeeze into a single post. Just blm enfeebling could write a small book on!!

My choice of BLM enfeebles is decided upon the monster & the whole party rather than just the tank.

If its a long fight I use 3 enfeebles for the DoT.

The length the enfeebles last, and if SC+MB on a mob I may start with certain enfeebles and before SC begins cast burn and choke for a larger spike damage from melee and mages.

You dont use choke! Are you aware that this lowers the mobs VIT and if you have melee pounding on it 4 PT members get the advantage as opposed to just the tank if you cast rasp? (bit like the dia vs bio situation)

If melee have accuracy issues then throw a frost in.

Hard-hitting mobs with PLD tank chuck a drown on it.

Yup if the mobs hitting the ninja all over the shop then throw a RASP on it.

Shock is my least used and I usually only throw it in for DoT when needed. Maybe I should use this more...

Favourite enfeeble is Burn (of course being a blm!!) and will use it whenever appropriate to increase my own nukes or MB's. More than one BLM then burns usefulness multiplies, same as with choke.

Probably wont enfeeble on short fights (well maybe a burn if im about to AM2 it lol)

So many different situations where BLM enfeebles help out, its not best to tie to a set "I do it this way or that way" but to read the situation and work alongside it.

[Matera]

Re: What's your Style?

Using Choke, Burn, and Shock, I've found that everybody (Including the melees) doesn't notice anything (I've asked).

Frost, Drown, and Rasp aren't extremely noticeable, but I've found that I usually need them to start the battle because occasionally I'll have full MP if I keep resting.

[Jenifa]

Re: What's your Style?

Using Choke, Burn, and Shock, I've found that everybody (Including the melees) doesn't notice anything (I've asked).

they wont notice... the difference is slight... It's a cumulative effect from bard songs, dia, blm enfeebles that increases damage slightly each by themself (bard makes a bigger difference minnuet) but there is also DoT with BLM enfeebles and choke burn and shock add up quite nicely.

Cast burn on a mob and your nukes WILL do more damage. test it out. and remember you are getting DoT x 3 with all 3.

with short fights the 25mp for each one maybe better spent differently as the mob may die way before the DoT wears, so dont use all 3 in this instance.

Idk if anyone has parsed dmg differences with choke, but at LV75 I clearly notice the difference with burn when I nuke.

Did a BCNM yesterday and near the end ran into slight problems but I had landed choke and burn (LV40 cap) and bio2 on the mob and you could see the HP going down with noone hitting it. I knew that if other members died I could just kite it and it would die. It died before anyone else hit the dust and all members were petrified.

[ikkleste]

Re: What's your Style?

As a RDM i like shock if it can be fitted in to your cycle. I wouldn't ask you to drop anything else for it, but if you are burning and choking then throw in a shock. If i'm lower level in the party i find that shock helps. I notice less if i'm an upper level in the party, but i'm sure it's helping here as well. I normally check with the BLM what they are casting and if need be i'll even shock myself (BLM sub).

[Mog]

Re: What's your Style?

Ice Staff, Thunder Staff, Dark Staff, Light Staff
Wizards Petatoes
Wizards Coat, Justaucorps
Wizards Tonban
Black Silk Neckerchief
Wizards Gloves
Wizards Feet
Red Cape +1
Friars Rope
Moldavite Earring
Phantom Earring
Genius Ring X2
Morion Tathlum

I start off with burn and shock off the get go. I'll let that set in then I'll cast whatever the mob is weak to, probably a tier 2 spell. Then I'll stack dia and Bio II on the mob. Cast tier 2 spell again. After the second go around, I'll drain >> aspir the mob. Afterwards, tier 2 spell once again. Rinse and repeat with drain >> aspir >> tier 2 spell.

When SC time comes up, I'll either use my favorite spell (freeze) and direct the timing, or I'll cast my second favorite (Blizzaga II) and still do decent damage.

As far as enfeebles go, I'll throw in a slow and paralyze somewhere in the mix.

You dont use choke! Are you aware that this lowers the mobs VIT and if you have melee pounding on it 4 PT members get the advantage as opposed to just the tank if you cast rasp? (bit like the dia vs bio situation)

If melee have accuracy issues then throw a frost in.

Hard-hitting mobs with PLD tank chuck a drown on it.

Yup if the mobs hitting the ninja all over the shop then throw a RASP on it.

Which one of these can I use along with shock and burn?

/looks at elemental wheel.

[Icemage]

Re: What's your Style?

Choke's effect isn't terribly noticeable, and there aren't a lot of enemies that are weak to wind, making it not stick for very long. The only time you'll see noticeable amounts of extra damage per hit from landing Choke is when you have one or more Monks or Puppetmasters in the party. Otherwise it's just a few points of damage on average extra. Nice, but not really necessary.

Frost's effect seems more pronounced, and fortunately there are quite a large selection of enemies that are weak to ice magic (virtually all birds and aquans). More accuracy beats more damage per hit from Choke most of the time, in my experience.

Burn is a really selfish spell. If you're the only nuker in the party, kindly do your party a favor and don't cast this unless you're seeing your nuke spells getting resisted, you have tons of MP to burn. It has very little impact on your damage per spell aside from altering resist rates when your INT isn't high enough to hit diminishing returns.

Shock is occasionally useful. If you don't have an RDM to cast Enfeebling Magic, or you've got a WHM casting it or if you have an underlevelled RDM, Shock can help those Slow and Paralyze spells stick a bit more often and have more potency.

Rasp... I haven't ever really noticed any difference with this spell even for Ninjas, with the singular exception of Torama, against whom this spell is virtually guaranteed to land. Doesn't seem worth the time or MP spent against other enemies.

Drown doesn't do a whole lot to non-Monk type enemies. It devastates Monk-types however, who seem to use similar damage mechanics as player Monks (damage heavily linked to Strength). Drown was my weapon of choice in the Kazham levels against Mandragora. Otherwise, it does very little in terms of damage mitigation against non-Monk enemies.

----

Other spells I particularly enjoy:

Stun. It's a great way to stop all kinds of ugly things from hitting your party, from Sleepga II to Bomb Toss. And hey, it levels Dark Magic too! Bonus!

Drain. What do I want all that Dark Magic for? Why, to cast Drain, of course! Drain is by FAR the most efficient damage spell in the Black Mage arsenal. Even when you're at full HP, Drain will still do it's damage (even though it'll say 0 HP drained), which makes it definitely worth considering as the first spell you fire off in any fight, due to the long recast timer.


Icemage

[supersimian]

Re: What's your Style?

A little bit on my Black Mage playing style

Gear I carry
Weapons: Jupiter’s, Pluto’s, Aquilo’s, Fire, Water, Wind, Earth and light staff. Also I carry a caduceus cuz I never leave the moghouse without my alchemy clothing.

Hats: Wizard’s Petasos for nuking and Igqira tiara for my enfeeble macro
Neck: Elemental torque
Earrings: Moldavite earring, Phantom earring and I have a Warlock’s earring for mp healing macro
Rings: 2 Snow rings and an empress band
Ammo: Phantom tathlum
Feet: Sorcerer’s sabots
Legs: Sorcerer’s Tonban and Igqira lappas for enfeeble macro
Hands: Genie Manillas and I use Master Caster’s Bracelets for the enfeeble macro
Body: Igqira Weskit, a Wizards coat for enfeeble macro and Sorcerer’s cloak for mp healing macro or for looks in cities (I enjoy getting checked out, maybe I’m narcissistic idk)
Back: Prism Cape
Waste: Penitents rope, Jungle rope and Hierarchy belt for mp regen macro

In parties I generally start of with whatever enfeebles best suit the mob, then I start the nuking when the hate is firmly planted on the tank/tanks or once the MB is landed I usually stick on another nuke. I never really take any damage because stoneskin and blink are ALWAYS up. That gives me time to either stun it (gives tanks time to get hate back), or if in a solo situation cast gravity or sleep on it, or a combination of those two depending on the situation and mob.

As for DoTs, in parties I generally only use one or 2 because the mob is going to die soon anyway. So I cast them for their side affect, like burn to help me, or Frost for the agile mobs. The rule of my thumb is to cast DoTs of the same side (light vs. Dark) = (burn-choke-shock vs. frost-drown-rasp). Bio or Dia is also very nice to cast. Lots of people don’t like the blm DoT’s as if they are near useless but in Excavation runs the DoT’s put down damage like a monk. (Bio>burn>shock>choke) owns that stage. 2 blms and a dragoon or monk will own that place easy, I’ve done it before. When I was lvl 50 ish lvling in the Tree I remember that the DD was hardly able to hit those crawlers at all unless I casted frost to lower agi, those DoTs have their uses.

In Hnmls I do pretty much what Im told and I do a good job at it. It would take too long to type the dealio about what my part in Dynamis and Hnmls stuff is, pretty much the same as any other blm up there accept for the leader blm whom in dynamis points at which stone to cast when they come in large numbers.

As for the Mab/elemental ratio this is the most important endgame thing to pay attention to. I have yet to muster the gil I need for the Uggly pendant or the negative hp gear to offset hp to activate the Sorcerer’s ring for that MaB 10-18 push, but my damage is very consistent as I stay up on my elemental skill. I duo’d with Tarus that hit much harder then I do but where resisted about a third of the time while I am resisted maybe 1 of 12 casts if that. I don’t mind that my Lightning 4 spell only hits for 1060 as long as it hits for that almost every time take or minus a little for weather. This of course does not mean that I am not in the process of alchemizing up gil for the items necessary to have those items work at the click of a macro. I am currently working on that.

Blm is all about attaining more and more power. Hell check out the thread about Blm MB with that dude that puts down the super DD and you can see that blm possibilities are very incredible indeed. As for getting into merit parties, well, it’s a rare occasion for me even the manaburn ones, I just kill elephants for merits. I’ve gotten 10 of the 12 I have spent so far from Marid killing, wether solo, duo, or trio blm. Once you get the hang of dealing with them the xp is not bad for being able to put the controller down whenever and the xp from them is crazy huge (507 from grand marid @ 75 with empress in affect). Blm are so much better at doing what they do then red mage then whm are at what they do then red it doesn’t seem fair. Oh’ well, I love the job and I still am leveling up my whm like a mad dog cuz for some reason I really like to cast, maybe cuz im a little lazy, or cuz I usually am playing the game and doing something in RL at the same time and maging jobs are the only jobs that’s possible with.

[dsynfull]

Re: What's your Style?

Since i'm only lvl 6 atm i'm using some low lvl gear. atm i do Water,Blind,Poison, Stone.

depending apon the mob ill start off with either poison/blind then ill do Stone/Water. I'm using a club right now that as +1 to Int and MND was able to find one at a decent price. Using a Bone Hairpin also and normal lvl 6 gear.
Asura 3 seems the prices for armor in AH kinda high. i'm a Taru also so kinda just learning the layout.

[Yuanlung]

Re: What's your Style?

Gear wise, I am a min/maxing freak. I carry around 50+ peices of gears and use multiple macros to swap them around to maximize my effectiveness on each cast.

Region under our control? Republic Circlet
The matching day? Sorcerer's Tobans
High resist mob? +elemental skill set
Sleeping add? +enfeebling set
Standing around? MP refresh body
Drain/Aspir? +Dark skill set
Sitting? hMP set

so on and so forth....

Thus, you will hardly ever see me stay solid for long. I'd be blinking non-stop in battle. The down side to that is WHM usually give up curing me if I ever need it...



As for actual playing style, I am a homocidal manic crazy nuker in exp party. I'd take a few hits to make the next EXP chain if that's what it takes. Usually I sit out most of chain 0~2, to recover MP, only standing up to burst. On chain 3/4, I'd start buff up with blink, stoneskin, and aquaviel. On chain 5/6, I charge to the front of the party (so I don't move the mob and mess up WS and party position) and start nuking, bursting, and burning the mob down.

It's pretty effective, and once the party got used to it, they might even support me with a cover, flash, cure, or support nuking (yay to nuking RDMs).


Lately, it's pretty much just mana burning. It's rather dull since you are pretty much just doing 'who can make a crispier wamoura' contest... The very good exp rate makes up for it though.




In quest/mission/dynamis/NM fights, I try to maintain my madness level as I do in exp parties. People seem to be happy weather I manage to burn the NM down quickly or end up with my face in the mud. So it's all good.


Nuke hard, run quick, and never look back cause that's when they catch and mutilate you.. XD

[nugzkraka]

Re: What's your Style?

HQ staffs
Kirin Pole
Genie Tiara
Zenith Crown
Elite Beret
Wizard's Petoses+1(sp)
Demon Helm+1
Yigit Turban
Genie Weskit
Sorcerer's Coat
Yigit Golmek
Wizards Coat+1
Zenith Mitts
Wizard's Gloves
Sorcerer's Gloves
Yigit Gages
Mahatma Slops
Zenith Slacks
Druid Slops
Sorcerer's Tonban
Wizard's Tonban+1
Rostrum Pumps
Yigit Crackows
Arborist Nail
Merciful Cape
Prism Cape
Invigerating Cape
Hie... Belt
Hyorin Obi
Rainin Obi
Penitents Rope
Star Necklace
Ugg. Pendant
Elemental Torque
Enfeebling Torque
Prudence Torque
Gradiose Chain (sp)
Novio Earring
Static Earring
Moldavite Earring
Elemental Earring
Relaxing Earring
Antivenom Earring
Spirit Lantern
Phantom Thatlum(sp)
Tamas Ring
Sorcerer's Ring

My style is to have max stats for any situation, being Enfeebling,
Elemental, Max DD for MB, Max DD per elemental day etc.

My style of blm is crazy, I love to solo KS30's , limbus, and do crazy MB's

BLM > All

Fun = BLM > all = weak

[Joran Dax]

Re: What's your Style?

Staffs (still working on getting all HQ ; ; )
Iggy Weskit (Houpplande for healing)
Moldavite Earring
Abyssal Earring
Iggy Manillas
U Pendant (Elemental Torque for highly resistant mobs)
Genius Rings x2
Rainbow Cape
Penitent's Rope
Errant legs (Driuds for resistant mobs)
Phantom Tathlum
Demon Helm (Elite Beret :resistant mobs)

I usually don't use the elemental debuffs except on an NM, BC/KS/ISP/NM, Gods, et.al.

In XP parties, since I'm elvaan, I tend to be conservative in general on nukes. I may only throw up two to three nukes per fight and one of them is gaurenteed to be a Magic Burst assuming there is a Skillchain during the fight. I often take the opening part of the fight to heal so that the party can keep up the chain and I'm not holding up their XP with my limited Mana Pool, and I will Aspir mobs whenever possible. I've always believed in quality over quantity.

[DJJGKWYA]

Re: What's your Style?

right now i am level 56 BLM so..
Weapon: All NQ Staves
Range: Morion Tathlum
Head: Seer's Crown+1
Neck: Black Silk Neckerchief
Ears: Cunning Earrings
Rings: Zircon Rings
Body: Seer's Tunic
Hands: Seer's Mitts +1
Back: Black Cape +1
Waist: Merc Capt Belt
Legs: Seer's Slacks
Feet: Seer's Pumps

macros are..
CTRL1: Assist, my assist macro, assists the tank.
CTRL2-CTRL3: "Nuke1", "Nuke2", my nukes. changes occassionally but not often
CTRL4: "MB", my mb macro, changes frequently, basically the same as the above.
CTRL5: "ga", my ga-spell macro, same as nuke macro except ga spell i plan on using if any goes here.
CTRL6: "Slp", Sleep macro, self-explanatory really...
CTRL7: "Cure", highest level cure, I use <stpc> in this macro.
CTRL8: "Blink", blink, used to blink myself.
CTRL9: "Skin", Stoneskin, used to stoneskin myself.

ALT1-ALT3: I put the elemental enfeebles i plan on using here, I usually use Drown, Frost, Rasp.
ALT4: Stun, self-explanatory.
ALT5: Aspir, self explanatory.
ALT6: Drain, self-explanatory.
ALT7: Heal, my resting macro.
ALT8: Dmg, my "get up and fight" macro. I havent yet put anything in here since if i need to change what spell im using in my nuke1/nuke2/MB macro i just change the staff in there, no staff swappping in this macro.
ALT9: Seal, elemental seal, very useful.

I used to have an AM macro but i didnt find myself using it at all, and well, sorry but rather not have a wasted macro slot (even though im not using all of them)
.
I usually use drown/frost/rasp, then drain, then aspir (if mp is lower, then aspir first). If mp is getting low seal+aspir. then i use my nuke till the mob is dead mb when needed, if mp is low i will drop the drown/rasp but keep frost.

[Andvari]

Re: What's your Style?

lv65 right now.

Weapon NQ Element Staves
Range Morion Tathlum
Head Wizard's Petasoe(sp)
Neck Elemental Torque
Ear 1 Moldative Earring
Ear 2 Phantom Earring
Body Black Cotehardie, Wizard's Coat
Hands Wizards Gloves
Rings Genius Ring x2
Back Red Cape +1
Waist Penitent's Rope, Reverned Sash(for healing)
Legs Wizard's Tonban
Feet Hume RSE feet

Start of fight I use Choke, Burn and Shock.. if I have alot of MP i'll Blind and Poison too. All these using Wizard's Coat, I know the BLM enfeebs are classed "element" spells but they 90% of the time stick so i use the coats -3 emnity JUST in case because I don't need more int if you get me.

By which point if it's a party like I have had lately the mob should be down to about 60-70%.. First nuke BlizzardIII (highest one I got) equipping Black Cotehardie and of course corresponding stave. After Blizz my next nuke (after a wait of course) is FireIII this hits for more thanks to the Blizz weakening it. By this time the mob is usually either dead or close to it so I rest at this point to get a head start. I'm soon to get a Vermy to help with resting but in 3 levels I get Black Cloak ^^

(party judged on a no SC/MB party since i had quite a few of these lately)