Starting up Blm, had some questions

[Tokitung]

Ok, I've finally picked up the daunting task of leveling Blm (22 atm) up for my Maat's Cap. It is mostly a pain because I'm Galka (yay MP cup of suck!). Money is of no real issue and I enjoy and can kill most things for R/Ex items. But as I said, I'm Galka, so I need to know what stats are going to be more useful to me when I decide between MP vs Stat items. Here are some of my questions:

1. Int - Prime Stat, but what is ruffly 1 Int worth? Is it only for damage?

2. MAB - Better over Int? Does it only increase damage?

3. Elemental Skill - Determines resist rate only or does it also increase damage?

4. Debuffs - Should I use Ele debuffs for Int or Mnd to lower Nuke resist rate?

5. M. Acc - Is this for Resist rate?

6. M. Crit - Same as MAB?

7. Absorb Spells - Int and Dark Skill only correct?

8. Any other main stat I should be aware of that will greatly effect Nuking (Nuking only, I understand self buffs from Whm and Blu.)


I understand most of the other things with Blm, I just would like to know how to become more efficient (yes, I have a Nuking and a hMP set.) Thanks for any input.

[Armando]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

Calculating Magic Damage - FFXIclopedia, the Final Fantasy XI wiki - Characters, items, jobs, and more
Resistance - FFXIclopedia, the Final Fantasy XI wiki - Characters, items, jobs, and more

Damage in a nutshell is (V + (dINT * M)) * MAB / MDB. V is the spell's base damage, dINT is the difference between your INT and the target's, M is a tier multiplier. It's 1 for Tier I spells, 1.5 for Tier III spells and all -gas Thundaga II and beyond, 2 for AM. MAB functions as a % increase to spell damage.

Magical Crits are really just a cockamamy name the devs came up for a new stat that causes you to get +10 MAB on X% of your spells. You can't get magic "crits" without equipment that adds it.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

1. INT also helps on your resist rate, though skill is better I believe.

2. Use MAB on mobs that you're certain you won't get resists on. I use full elemental sets on some HNMs, for example.

3. As far as I know, skill doesn't increase damage but just lowers your chance for resists. More important on some mobs than on others.

4. If you're going to use elemental debuffs while solo nuking, use Burn to lower INT, but only if you're sure you won't need to sleep the mob, naturally. I never bother with the others, but they can be useful for some fights.

5. Macc affects resists, but no one's really sure how because it's hard to test. I use as a placeholder for skill gear for some things, like where skill gear isn't available.

6. Magic Crit is the same, no one really has been able to test it, but one thing we've noticed is that it doesn't proc very often so your other gear will parse better.

7. INT has no effect on the potency of Drain and Aspir. Use skill gear and Magic Accuracy where you can, haste/fast cast everywhere else since the recast timers for these spells are fairly long.

8. Off the top of my head, nothing else really, you seem to have covered it all.

[Cotners]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

While leveling pre-AF focus on INT then MP. Being a galka is somewhat of an advatage for some because they learn good mp conservation and you are forced to look at mp efficiency a little more closely. MAB doesnt really come into play until later levels.

[Tokitung]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

Thanks for the info. A few more questions:

9. Spell Enmity - I know a lot of different spells cause different levels of enmity. Are their any particular spells that cause more/less enmity that I need to focus on in party for spamming nukes? I think I read somewhere that Blizzard II has high enmity?

10. Sleep/Bind - What are the typical times that these can last for? Is there a way to increase or steady the duration?

I'm a pretty fast solo leveler, so I'm already planning in advance for certain items (Moldy earring for one.)

Again, thank you for the info.

[Armando]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

Damage is damage, 1000 damage is the same enmity regardless of whether it's coming from a nuke or a WS, and 1000 damage always makes twice as much hate as 500 damage, four times as much as 250, etc.

Enfeebles produce a set amount of hate, regardless of whether they stick or not. Bind, Blind and Sleep all produce 640 enmity in total. Stun will produce 1420 in total if I remember right. Poison and White Magic enfeebles make 320. For reference, Boost makes 300, Flash makes 1420, Provoke makes 1800.

Sleep I lasts 60 secs, Bind has a random duration and can also wear off when damage is dealt to the mob.

[Guppy]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

9. Spell Enmity - I know a lot of different spells cause different levels of enmity. Are their any particular spells that cause more/less enmity that I need to focus on in party for spamming nukes? I think I read somewhere that Blizzard II has high enmity?

Much of what we know, concerning the specific mechanisms of Enmity, was determined by Kaeko's testing. The role of Cumulative and Volatile Enmity, the values for various spells -- much of the information you can find regarding this topic was originated by him:

Note: Unfortunately, I do not have enough posts to insert a link, but search for "Kanican's Enmity Table"

And yes, Nuking Enmity will vary with damage, while other types of spells have fixed values. I highly recommend his blog for any upcoming players (but BLMs and SCHs especially), there's a wealth of insight into how to play your job to it's fullest potential.

[Tokitung]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

Ok, next is Subjobs. I got Blm from 21-30 Saturday, I've been using Blm/Sch. I like the -10% Cast/Recast time and -10% MP cost when under Dark Arts and the occasional 50% cost reduction with Penury, especially being Galka. I tried Blm/Rdm and noticed my MP depleated much faster. Since my Sch is lvl 14, this means I either have to level Sch to keep up my subjob or go as /Rdm or /Whm. I know that if I'm invited into a party as a back up healer, they will want me to go /Whm.

I guess my question is, is Sch really that much better for a subjob that Rdm? Fast Cast only gives -10% cast/-5% recast time.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

I never use /SCH on BLM. /RDM for Fast(er than /WHM) Cast and INT. Stoneskin and Blink of course, Gravity and Phalanx.

If you're soloing levels, consider using /NIN.

[Tokitung]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

I never use /SCH on BLM. /RDM for Fast(er than /WHM) Cast and INT. Stoneskin and Blink of course, Gravity and Phalanx.

If you're soloing levels, consider using /NIN.

Well at my level, 30, I don't have access to stoneskin/grav/phalanx on any sub. As for Fast Cast, it is only -10% Cast time/-5% recast time vs Dark Arts which is -10% Cast Time/Recast time/MP Cost. As for the stats, I believe that /Sch give the same if not more Int. For /Nin, mostly I solo on worms so I go for /Whm for Barstone.

[Nuriko]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

Pets can be wonderful XP, and on them, /NIN can really shine. Try it out sometime ... but you seem to be suiting the sub to the task well enough. /SCH might be useful for quite a while, but you certainly don't NEED it, like you'll need /WHM and /RDM.

[Guppy]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

I guess my question is, is Sch really that much better for a subjob that Rdm? Fast Cast only gives -10% cast/-5% recast time.

Depends on your situation. At low levels in parties, /whm is best, since you may be asked to backup heal and remove status effects -- /rdm and /sch can cure, but both get each new tier of cure spells later than /whm.

At mid-level, the Gravity and Fastcast from /rdm will be excellent on any mob that moves around and chases you. I find /sch to be best when you can safely 1-shot your opponent, or you're going against a mob where you can avoid melee (Worms, Qiqirn RNGs).

[Cotners]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

Well at my level, 30, I don't have access to stoneskin/grav/phalanx on any sub. As for Fast Cast, it is only -10% Cast time/-5% recast time vs Dark Arts which is -10% Cast Time/Recast time/MP Cost. As for the stats, I believe that /Sch give the same if not more Int. For /Nin, mostly I solo on worms so I go for /Whm for Barstone.

For lower levels /nin is the defensive sub of choice, and you can dual wield INT wands. Once you access SS/Blink/Phalanx /rdm is pretty much the best overall sub for most situations. If you know that you will not be attacked (not likely), you can /sch for its advantages but blm/sch is very much a glass cannon as you cannot defend yourself.

[Armando]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

At mid-level, the Gravity and Fastcast from /rdm will be excellent on any mob that moves around and chases you.

Gravity is also desirable because it lowers Evasion by 10.

[Tokitung]

Re: Starting up Blm, had some questions

Yea, I've been looking at it and it seems that /Rdm will be good for 42+. /Whm will probably be standard for exp parties that I know has weak healers. /Nin for pet killing. As for /Sch, it's good for now as I know how to handle glass cannons (75 Rng) on things that won't chase me and for parties where we have a competent healer and/or no MP sink issues.