Is Black Mage the perfect job?

[Callisto]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

Heh, had a reply written up before I saw that.
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Automerge add goodness: In fairness they just joined, it's new to them.

[Silent Howler]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

It was only a two month necro; not even. I don't see what's so bad about that.

[Karinya]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

Anyway, when the same issues come up again and again, it's better than starting new threads on the same subject.

BLM is undoubtedly the best in the game at what they do. I agree with Itazura above that it's primarily the TP burn dynamic that makes them undesirable in exp parties. When they get an effective minimum of 5 mp/tick (one refresher, sanction, one item refresh) plus resting with a ton of Clear Mind and still can't put out enough damage to keep up with melees, it's clear that the monsters being fought have too much Magic Def Bonus/resists, too little physical defense/evasion or both. (Possibly as a result of their relatively low level. Level affects physical damage much more than magical damage, which is precisely why BLM are so valuable at HNM; but the reverse is they don't gain much power against wimpier exp targets.) Sudden, defense ignoring damage isn't that valuable against the common exp targets of the ToAU era the way it was against CoP's rams and Kindred or RoZ's Ladons and Darksteel Golems/Aura Statues (and still is, if anyone bothers to fight them.)

In any case, we'll know in a couple weeks if WotG is going to do anything to change the overall problems in party dynamics at the higher levels, or if /SCH will help BLM fit in better in the high-level parties that currently exist, or if they'll pretty much stay the same.

P.S. Why aren't there any foods with magic attack and accuracy bonuses? Melees have their choice of attack or accuracy foods, but mages are still stuck with max MP or hMP that only helps if you sit, and piddly-at-high-levels amounts of INT and MND. New foods could significantly help magic damage dealers (BLM and now, SCH and possibly DNC) and start doing so pretty much immediately, without dividing the community between people who have [insert new uber gear here] and people who don't.

SE has to be very careful with BLM though, because they are already extremely strong in some contexts (while being not so useful in others). Unless they're going to alter the effects of level on nuking, I don't see how they can make BLM's power match melee DDs' power against a range of different targets and situations.

[Malacite]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

P.S. Why aren't there any foods with magic attack and accuracy bonuses?

QFT. This should be asked @ Fan Fest IMO.

[Neomage]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

i usually hate mage jobs i find them boring jus standing there n casting but BLM is the only one that i find fun, gunna take it all the way ^.^

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If a thread is over a week old, please don't post in it >.<

Even that is pushing it.

[Taskmage]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

P.S. Why aren't there any foods with magic attack and accuracy bonuses? Melees have their choice of attack or accuracy foods, but mages are still stuck with max MP or hMP that only helps if you sit, and piddly-at-high-levels amounts of INT and MND.

Speaking of magic accuracy only, it may be that some food actually does enhance magic accuracy and we just don't know. Unlike physical attack stats it's very difficult to objectively measure magic acc, or even notice it in less than dramatic amounts.

[Silent Howler]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

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If a thread is over a week old, please don't post in it >.<

Even that is pushing it.

If you take a look at his profile you'll see that that was the very first post he made on these forums. Enough with the criticism.

[Taskmage]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

Anyway, when the same issues come up again and again, it's better than starting new threads on the same subject.

I agree with this.

[Karinya]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

Speaking of magic accuracy only, it may be that some food actually does enhance magic accuracy and we just don't know. Unlike physical attack stats it's very difficult to objectively measure magic acc, or even notice it in less than dramatic amounts.

Well, I suppose that's true. And there are some hypotheses to the effect that INT and MND affect magic accuracy of the affected spells, but in very small amounts; nothing like the dramatic accuracy difference of sushi.

I think if there were any foods that did for resist rates what sushi does for miss rates we'd probably have noticed by now. But it's possible that it's just on some food nobody ever uses (because the *known* stats suck) and SE is laughing up their sleeves at all of us.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

How about Conserve MP food? I wouldn't mind that, either.

[Pteryx]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

Food that emphasizes specific elemental properties would be interesting, too. Shiva Gelato: INT+3, AGI-2, Ice Attack Bonus +6, Wind Attack Bonus -3, Ice Accuracy Bonus +10, Wind Accuracy Bonus -5, Ice Resistance +25, Wind Resistance +25, Fire Resistance -25? -- Pteryx

[Olorin401]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

These are some interesting ideas.. considering how once you reach a certain level of a baseline stat it loses some effectiveness.

I like the elemental accuracy bonus ideas.. it's be terrific for RDMs! I just have a feeling that kind of food would end up costing a fortune. Not a complaint though since I've got cooking levelled! :D

[Niin]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

sorry only jus saw the post date

[Mhurron]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

...
If a thread is over a week old, please don't post in it >.<
Even that is pushing it.

If you take a look at his profile you'll see that that was the very first post he made on these forums. Enough with the criticism.

They added nothing to the discussion beyond "BLM ROX!"

[Callisto]

Re: Is Black Mage the perfect job?

If you take a look at his profile you'll see that that was the very first post he made on these forums. Enough with the criticism.

Heh glad noone went after me when I joined. How many 6 month old RDM threads did I necro to talk about macros, gear, and *glee* Vorpal Blade? At least 5-6 of them IIRC. I'd like to think I spurred some decent discusson as well.

Add: LoL I completely forgot to post what I meant to: I've been begging for MAcc food for awhile now, like some sort of sushi that did MND/INT+5 MAcc +15%(hell I'd be pretty happy with sushi that did DEX/INT+5 and melee acc+15%)

MAcc is so unproportionately nerfed compared to physical accuracy it's not even funny. WAR with 276 skill ripping a 2k WS on Kirin, no problem! RDM with 320~ friggin skill landing Paralyze, don't even think about it.