Cacoon vs Protect

[DR2D2]

I am wondering if Cacoon will combine with "Protect", or will 1 cancle the other out? Also, is "Wild Oats" worth getting?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

Cocoon stacks with Protect, but Cocoon only has a minute and a half duration.

Wild Oats = VIT down on mob, its very much worth getting.

I'm not very high on BLU, but I do stop every few levels to get my next round of spells, its really part of the fun for me.

[Malacite]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

If you're serious about BLU, you shouldn't miss any spells.

That said, Wild Oats is very powerful early on. That VIT down helps increase your damage, and combined with Sprout Smack gets you Beast Killer. Once you're around 16 you should be able to chain T rabbits in the dunes spamming those two spells.

[DR2D2]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

If you're serious about BLU, you shouldn't miss any spells.

I plan on getting all the spells but am trying to figure out which ones to equip

[Sabaron]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

I'm BLU36 currently using for sub on RDM. You should equip your spells based on what you will be doing. There is no "set" of spells. Among the ones I see as being the most useful for my level:

Cocoon: 50% DEF Bonus This one never leaves my list.

Wild Carrot: Uncapped Cure III, also never leaves my list. It is an excellent "life-saver" spell in instances when you're not main curing or set as a back-up and when you are a back-up or main, it is necessary.

Sandspin: Accuracy Down An excellent debuff that stacks with other Acc- spells such as Blind and Flash. Less damage = good. The AoE can cause linkage problems in some areas--this is the only circumstance under which I wouldn't equip this spell.

Wild Oats: VIT Down This debuff is only possessed by Dark Knights and Black Mages. Of course, it stacks with those debuffs. It generates more damage from all attackers, therefore, always use, always good. It is also notable that it is ranged, so you can use it from a more "conservative" position.

That's pretty much it for staples for a BLU of lower level that I use.

[Kholdstare]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

I'm BLU36 currently using for sub on RDM. You should equip your spells based on what you will be doing. There is no "set" of spells. Among the ones I see as being the most useful for my level:

Cocoon: 50% DEF Bonus This one never leaves my list.

Wild Carrot: Uncapped Cure III, also never leaves my list. It is an excellent "life-saver" spell in instances when you're not main curing or set as a back-up and when you are a back-up or main, it is necessary.

Sandspin: Accuracy Down An excellent debuff that stacks with other Acc- spells such as Blind and Flash. Less damage = good. The AoE can cause linkage problems in some areas--this is the only circumstance under which I wouldn't equip this spell.

Wild Oats: VIT Down This debuff is only possessed by Dark Knights and Black Mages. Of course, it stacks with those debuffs. It generates more damage from all attackers, therefore, always use, always good. It is also notable that it is ranged, so you can use it from a more "conservative" position.

That's pretty much it for staples for a BLU of lower level that I use.

BLU58 and I still use many of these. Wild Oats is usually on because camps at this level don't exactly permit Stinking Gas. Sandspin is good as well, camp permitting and spells permitting (i.e. I have too much space for Auto-Refresh, so I can't really put it on). Wild Carrot is indispensable until you get Magic Fruit (and if you're main healing, you'd still want both). Cocoon is something every BLU should have regardless of level. Metallic Body helps a lot, too. Whether you're soloing, tanking, or pulled hate, both of those are lifesavers. Metallic Body becomes decreasingly useful, but at your level, it's still got some use to it.

[Malacite]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

o. O I didn't know it was ranged! That means it scales at half the damage rate as well based on mob level right?

[Kholdstare]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

o. O I didn't know it was ranged! That means it scales at half the damage rate as well based on mob level right?

I think it's only ranged in that it's a distance move. As I understand it, it's akin to attacks like Mistral Axe and Retribution, where they have melee properties, but can hit from further away than a melee attack.

[Sabaron]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

Exactly, it works like a spell, ranged JA like Provoke, or a ranged melee WS. I didn't intend for that statement to mean a Ranged Attack like a bow.

I've never liked Metallic Body, but that's only because I'm so used to real Stoneskin. It can absorb maybe 2-3 hits tops before it's gone and it's incredibly inefficient to cast in battle. I have tried to like it, but can't bring myself to. You can use Utsusemi on Ninja Sub early on to substitute, but if you change to /THF when you get Sneak Attack, you might want to carry it--it takes only one point but it also takes a slot (which can be precious at lower levels depending on your setup). The absorption rate is: Skill/3 + Level/3 (50 damage at 37 and 117 at 75th). As Khold says, it gets worse with age--the increase in absorption doesn't keep up with the mob damage ramps--at low level, it's like Utsusemi or weak Utsusemi with a bad casting time and recast time, and it high level it gets phased out by Zephyr Mantle (65).

One last nail in Metallic Body's Coffin: It's HP/MP ratio is always worse than your Curative spell. At 50hp/19mp, it gets a 2.63, and Pollen gets 30/8 or 3.75. Wild Carrot (@120 return) gets 120/37 for 3.24. This fact coupled with the fact that it takes an eternity to cast makes it incredibly unpalatable imo and not worth the slot.

If you were combining it with Mysterious Light or Hecatomb Wave to create Max MP Boost, you only get 10mp, so it's not even worth it as a Trait spell.

My advice, forget you have Metallic Body.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

One last nail in Metallic Body's Coffin: It's HP/MP ratio is always worse than your Curative spell. At 50hp/19mp, it gets a 2.63, and Pollen gets 30/8 or 3.75. Wild Carrot (@120 return) gets 120/37 for 3.24.

I look at Metallic Body from that very perspective. Why cast Metallic Body during battle when I can just take a hit and cast Pollen afterwards instead? The only edge it has over Pollen is that you can use it before battle, when you already have full HP, so it saves you spending mid-battle casting time. Marginally useful if you're soloing, I guess.

[Malacite]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

Actually it has one other minor use >. >

It can absorb damage from a DoT spell, allowing you to rest for HP/MP so long as it holds up.

[Sabaron]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

Resting under Metallic Body under DoT @ 37/75 (recalling 50 damage at 37, 117 at 75):

DoT = 1: 150 seconds/351 seconds or 13/34 rest ticks.
DoT = 2: 75/175s or 6/16 rest ticks.
DoT = 3: 50/117s or 3/10 rest ticks.
DoT = 4: 37/87 or 2/7 rest ticks.

Yes, it's a use, but is it worth the point and the slot?

[Hyrist]

Re: Cacoon vs Protect

When soloing as a BLU, or even Duoing, Metalic Body has it's uses.

Rather than consider it in comparison to actual "Stoneskin" I use it in tandem with shadows. In the end it equates to a 4th or even 5th shadow that allows me to get my Utsu back up between it and stun.

Now, granted, once down it is not worth the time of putting back up again untill a fight is over. (unlike real stoneskin) However that first delay really does buy alot of time if utalized properly.

Wild Oats and Cocoon are must have spells. Cocoon you will use from the time you get it till 75 and beyond. Wild Oats is like Dia I and will still have it's uses if Stinking Gas is unavailable. (if it's too expensive or AoE danger.)