Learning Blues Level ~50

[Starcrossed]

I'm level 49 now, and starting to notice post 45 and up it gets much more difficult to learn spells. Up until this point I've been able to solo learn everything. Once you hit Stinking Gas you realize things are starting to change...

So far I've organized small groups of blue mages to go to Riverne and Phominua to start picking up level capped spells, but it's very difficult to find people, and for some, like refueling from clusters, you need a full party.

I have some questions:
-For refueling, I know that sometimes clusters pop in Misareaux Coast and Lufaise Meadows. Has anyone had any luck? I've spent a combined total of 9 hours here so far and I've never had the clusters pop. I know they pop in the mornings from 2am to 7am if the weather is clear and turns foggy. I've never seen this happen yet. I've been hunting them in Misareaux Coast. Is Lufaise better? The clusters in Riverne A01 are IT+ and require a proper party to fight... should I just give up and try yet again to get a party to Riverne?

-For frightful roar, is it possible to learn it in the Aqueducts at 40 cap? I tried for over 3 hours and no one learned it. Tonight I will try at Sacrarium instead.

-For self-destruct, where is the best place to learn this? I thought Gusgen Mines could be a good idea, it's one of the only places I can think of with bombs all the time, and they aren't too high level... I still don't know if I could survive a self destruct though. Beastmaster subjob probably?

Feel free to discuss other hard-to-learn abilities in the mid-levels.

[Icemage]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

Refueling
Comes from triple-bomb clusters. While it is "possible" to find and engage a bomb cluster in either Lufaise Meadows or Misareaux Coast, I've found that foggy conditions in both zones are vanishingly rare (like once every 4-5 hours real time), and you can engage at most two bombs in that time frame solo.

Your absolute BEST bet to get this is to find a Samurai who is approaching level 50 who wants the great katana Soboro Sukehiro:

http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/6963

This quest requires you to pop and fight many, many, many triple-clusters for the necessary pop item, as well as the NM itself.

Frightful Roar
I don't recommend fighting the taurs in Tavnazia for this - too easy to get random aggro, slow respawn rate, and not easy to get access to more than 2 at a time. Instead, head to Ulegeurand Range with some high level friends and have them help you beat down the easy prey ones closest to the entrance (I think they start appearing in the third "big area" once you zone in).

Self-Destruct
Psst. Here's a secret: There are Balloons in some parts of Inner Horutoto Ruins. They're level ~5 bombs, and are easily defeated. Failing that, bring a Summoner friend and go to Garlaige Citadel to kill Explosures.


Icemage

[Spazz]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

I complete agree with Icemage.... alot of spells are a pain to get past 45 but there the subtle tricks that Icemage did list off..... I just hit 62 and trust me when I say, I miss how easy it was to learn spells >< !

[Lonerwolf]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

So after lvl 50 it's imposible to learn blue magic solo even if you have your fellow NPC fully leveled?

[LadyPeorth]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

So after lvl 50 it's imposible to learn blue magic solo even if you have your fellow NPC fully leveled?

No...depends on the spell. Golems are annoying little monkies who don't like to use Ice Break and the lowest ones are EP at 50. Likewise, Bombs can be found as low as level 6-9 and they just love to explode.

[Spazz]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

Some spells can be learned solo....it just depends on how you go about it. Like.... I know some BLUs who dont worry about the tedious spells until they are higher level to learn them solo - which is one way to go about it. I just team up with a good buddy of mine and duo everything. Most of the spells can be learned via duo with another BLU. Its not impossible... its just harder.

[Mouser]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

It also seems that the allowed level gap below the skill level shrinks at 50 (maybe 55 depending how you look at it). Before 50, you can be up to 10 levels below the skill and still learn it. However as a 50 BLU, I've found that I can't learn Feather Barrier, a level 56 skill. Spent about 2 hours trying with a 49 BLU who had tried 3 hours the day before, and had no luck. However the 57 BLU who was with us learned it on the 3rd bird. So I suspect for the 56+ skills, you have to be within 5 levels to learn them. Once I hit 51 I'll try again to confirm this (or if any high level BLU can post their experience?).

[Spazz]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

This Theory has come to alot of BLUs attention and while we are testing this, its still argueable because of the simple randomness that you learn spells. I spent days trying to learn some spells... where as my buddy got there and learned in withing a few fights. I do believe that the learning gap does get smaller to about 5 lvls once you hit 50.

[Mouser]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

I had my theory disproved in part yesterday. A friend who is a level 58 BLU learned Feather Tickle (level 64 skill) while in a party. It may be that the 10 level gap remains the same, but for skills at different tiers there's a minimum level required to learn. Or it may just be the lower you are the harder it is and its just coincidence.

[Elivyndyr]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

Blue Mage is.. Hard. Past 50ish it really does get impossible to sub BST, or solo a lot of the monsters.- Most Snolls for Cold Wave will mess you up in Pso'xja, and they'd really mess you up in Uleguerand range. Spells like Dimensional Death, Ice Break and Death Scissors are all easy to learn, same with Light of Penance and Magic Fruit but moves like 1000 needles etc, you'll have a hard time with solo. You'd have to have some help at 60+ for sure, and leveling past 63 without Frenetic Rip is a crime.

[Mouser]

Re: Learning Blues Level ~50

While I can't learn 1000 needles yet, that's where having a fully levelled NPC buddy is handy. Bring them out and go pester sabotenders in East Altepa. When they use 1000 needles, the damage'll be divided between you, amking it a lot less hazardous. The sabotenders will be TW by then and easily killed after they 1000 needles. Then just heal youself and your NPC up and hit the next one.

BTW, the Pso'xja tower closest to Xarcabard (tower for Prom-Vahzl) has nice low level Snolls (Snowballs) and Diremites for Cold Wave and Filamented hold, and is uncapped. Had no problem getting those skills there as a 50 BLU.