New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

[Takelli]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

The new level cap is going to be lvl 99, and your support job can only be one half of your main job. Also, at lvl 40, certain job abilities are learned which will allow you to cause certain spells to become stronger if you sub whm like heals. Or subbing Sch can cause your spells to harm mutliple foes for double the cost, or do mass heals easily. But that you will have to actually learn about by playing the game.

[Finvara]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

So, if I have a job above 49, can it still be selected as a support job? Or would I be able to select only jobs that were still below 49? does it automatically lower a job that's above that down to as if it were 49?

[Takelli]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

If you where to level the job to level 60, its abilities and spells will only be as if it where half of you main jobs level.

So you have whm lvl 60 and blm lvl 40 for an example. And you have all of the spells up to 60 for whm. but when you sub whm, it will be reduced to level 20, and only the spells and abilities up to level 20 will be available. If you change your whm to your main job, it will be back up to level 60 with all spells and abilites that you have.

[Finvara]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

Alright, so that means, then, that I can level my support job enough that I won't have to stop every two levels when I'm levelling my black mage, right?

[Nuriko]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

You can't get a subjob until 18 anyway ... once you have it, people expect it to be of a sufficient level so you can use it fully. Also, if you find you prefer some other job over BLM, don't be afraid to change your goals as you go. I thought I'd enjoy RDM due to the description it had, but BLU was a better fit there ... and my first 75 was WHM.

[Finvara]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

I'll admit that I originally got into BLM with the idea of using it as a subjob for BLU as soon as BLU was availab.e.

[Feba]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

Don't get too devoted to any job before you start playing around with all of them, but if you want the easiest and most effective road, get WHM to 18 (actually, might be slightly harder if you have trouble finding groups), then BLM to 36, and then go from there. A higher level in one job will be more helpful to you in leveling the others-- easier time making friends, easier farming, more quests already done. This used to be more elegant before the level cap raise-- Level main job to 18, subjob to 36, and then main job up to 75. I wouldn't worry too much about efficiency, chances are there will be huge changes coming along with the cap raise anyway.

If you have trouble fighting enemies as a mage, you might want to switch over to MNK. The first few minutes on MNK are incredibly fun; it's a very powerful job at low levels. You'll plow through enemies. Then go back, use it to make some money, and do other jobs. And of course, you'll learn how enemies and fighting works from using it, while being far less likely to die than a paper-y mage.

[cidbahamut]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

Go adventuring with your friend and blow some stuff up.

Honestly that's the best advice I can give you. Don't start stressing out about the details at this stage in your career. Just go have fun. There's a whole world to explore and there's no need to rush it or do it all by the books the first time through.

[Mhurron]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

Bring your supposrt job to 49 if you plan on bringing your job up to lvl 99 when they raise the level cap.

The problem with doing this for your first subjob for your first job is that you will burn out. It will feel like it takes forever to get to 50 the first time. I would still say first job to 18, second (after you get access to a subjob) to 18, then first job to 30 if you want to try advanced jobs or to 37 if you don't. At that point you have a level 37 job that can do several quests without help, can safely get to the 3 cities and Jeuno, and with a little help can get up to rank 5 for the airship pass. In short, you have a job that can stop and do more of the fun things.

It would be slower then just going strait to 49 or 50 with a subjob but it should feel more like the scenic route and be more on the fun side, staving off burnout. Plowing to 50 for a subjob is handy when you have one or more jobs already at 75, but a new player needs to stop and smell the roses as it were, or they're not going to see the fun aspects of the game.

[Finvara]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

I really appreciate the advice! I'll admit that avoiding burnout is pretty important. I seem to fall under the effects of burnout regularly in various MMOs. I'm definitely going to give the method of taking BLM to 18, then probably WHM to 18, and then on up to BLM 30, I do believe. Unless I like Red mage better than White Mage, which I can't promise I won't. >.>

[Takelli]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

Rdm is supposed to be a melee mage, so they are a bit crunchy when wearing their melee armor. But a Rdm doesn't melee much in parties any more. In the early levels you can if there is a whm, you can toss in a cure while dealing some damage to the monsters.

Also, this game is NOTHING like any other MMORPG that you have played. It is very unforgiving when it comes to certain things.

I sugges you do enjoy the game as well.

[Finvara]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

What sort of things is it unforgiving about?

[Takelli]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

Death penalty, you can delevel when you die.

If you get lost in a zone, you can't just wapr out unless you are a blm, or whm, you must get fame for certain areas (which can take hours, even days) to get certain items. Drop rates are horribly low on good items, you don't get gear from monsters, getting money can be a pain in the ass at lower levels, and others that others an list if they wish. I don't want to scare you away from the game, it is a fun game with a right people.

[Finvara]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

I'm not afraid of the death penalty, and I've never relied on gear drops. I have a talent for funding myself successfully in any game that has an economy of any sort, and I AM a BLM, so warp will be forthcoming soon enough. You're not scaring me away THAT easily.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: New to XI, New to BLM, Lost as Heck

lol. I like this newbie's attitude.

The single most important "soft" advice is:

Don't get too devoted to any job before you start playing around with all of them

Keep an open mind about what you think you like--until you start sinking limit points into merits in the general categories (like Magic Skills), there's no penalty for selecting a new favorite job.

Even after hitting Lv.75 on five jobs, I still surprised myself a few weeks ago when I found that I was more eager to level White Mage instead of Corsair.

* * *

It's a pretty good idea to just level all six standard jobs (WHM, BLM, RDM, THF, WAR, MNK) to Lv.10+. This bit of soloing will give you plenty of chance to get familiar with the FFXI basics, plus give a bit of taste of differences between jobs.

Plus, from the drops you can sell on AH soloing on them (plus Fields of Valor money), you should be able to fund the scrolls and gear for any job of your choice to Lv.20 and beyond.

* * *

Config (menu) > Gameplay > Inventory Sort > set to "Auto"

You'll thank yourself for doing that.