Needed Spells

[Tangeleno]

Hello I'm trying to level up blue mage but I'm having horrible luck when trying to learn spells, I'm currently level 38 with max blue magic skill and am 0/150+ as of this post on learning Blood Saber.

Which brings me to the point of this post, I have all of my spells up to level 30, including wild carrot. But I'm not willing to sit at each spell spot for 4+ hours (my average so far) trying to learn all of the spells while most of the ones I have so far almost never make it into my set. Which spells should I focus on learning while I level up?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Needed Spells

Set spells do more than take up set points and add base stats, they can add job traits as well, which may ultimately prove more useful than the spells that create them.

Also, if you're taking four hours to learn any non-support spell, I think you're doing something wrong. I think you're just exaggerating. Melee spells have always seemed to be learned incredibly fast, its the support spells that always eat up a lot of time.

At any rate, you're not going to get a host of friendly answers when you admit that you plan to skip spells. As with any job, nothing comes easy in FFXI. If spell learning is that much of a problem for you, just wait til you don't have access to sea spells, which require zone access to obtain.

[Tangeleno]

Re: Needed Spells

That is my average for getting a spell, however no spell has taken me less than 10 tries to learn, I just gave up about 2 hours ago trying to learn Blood Saber for a total of 7 hours trying to learn the spell.

I am aware of the fact that some spells give job traits when paired together but not all of them do.

As to the skipping of spells I do plan on going back eventually I would just like to see a bit more of the game before I spend countless hours getting these spells. I also have no problem putting time and effort into obtaining spells and other things in the game, so getting access to areas in the game so I can learn spells will not deter me in the least, what will however is spending 7 hours trying to learn one spell.

After reading what Blood Saber does I don't see much of a use for it with it's -5hp +5mp at it's 2 set point cost, especially since it's an AE spell that I will almost never use in fear of aggroing another npc.

As for the doing something wrong, here's how I've been attempting to learn the spell.
1. Beat on skeleton with fists until it uses the move or dies from h2h damage
2. If it uses the move I wait until I see the "Blood saber deals xxx damage" Or "Blood Saber misses" messages.
3. Use Bludgeon to kill the skeleton in one hit.
4. Rise and repeat.


However thank you for your reply even if it was just to tell me I'm doing something wrong.

[Ellipses]

Re: Needed Spells

I'm probably paranoid, but I always wait a little longer than that before I go for the kill. Usually letting them get in a normal attack round afterward if I can afford to. I have no idea if this helps or not, really, it's just how I've done it so far.

But if you're level 38, and you have your spells up to level 30, I'd start with the ones in between there before worrying about one you can't use for ten more levels anyway. You might have more luck with it when you're past the absolute minimum level to learn it.

[Clever Ninja]

Re: Needed Spells

Alot of spells are needed, they are very situational. I always thought Feather Barrier was utter garbage, but doing BLU/PLD in Campaign it's a nice spell to pop for extra evasion. Pretty much, if you're just worried about leveling, get the important DD spells, stat down spells, self buff spells, and spells needed to get important job traits like Auto Refresh and Accuracy Bonus.

[Vyuru]

Re: Needed Spells

More or less what 'kitten said. There are spells you want for abilities, spells you'll want for stats, and spells you'll want to use. Then there are spells you'll want to have available for special events, like CoP fights or whatever. For instance you may never use Filamented Hold in a exp party, but I've heard it's darn useful for the airship fight. So that factor does make things a little harder to say "which" spells exactly you should learn.

So basically, I would say:

Get all spells for these abilities:

Magic Attack Bonus
Auto Refresh
Accuracy Bonus
Conserve MP

Get all spells:

Jet Stream
Blank Gaze
MP Drainkiss
Mandibular Bite
Sickle Slash
Refueling
Magic Fruit
Death Scissors
Frenetic Rip
Diamondhide
Warm-Up
Firespit
Hysteric Barrage
Cannonball
Heat Breath
Disseverment
Saline Coat
Magic Hammer
Vertical Cleave


And probably more, I was just skimming the list and not putting too much thought into it. IMO it really is best to get them all as you go.

[LilithAngel]

Re: Needed Spells

As far as Blood Saber goes, I have a nice little story that involves just that exact spell...

A while back, Sevv and I (when we were on the same server) were doing the national quests for Wings of the Goddess, when we got to the Windurst-line fight at Ghoyu's Reverie (A Manifest Problem). Well, we decided to duo this fight along with everything else we did at this time (you might not be surprised at how sturdy the duo of PLD/RDM and BLU/PLD are, but it's boss), so that meant that I was to set up pretty much as an AoE-focused nuke mage, while he tried to distract the horde of Yagudo so I can pop off spells. We went in, we buffed up, and we set off after the first checkpoint. We found a few Yagudo, and Sevv goes diving into the lot of them, popping off spells here and there to get everyone's attention, then I came in behind him and started laying down the law. This went on for a good clip, until we finally got to the last, big room where the majority of the Yagudo in this fight actually are.

Now, you have to understand, there's like 40-50 Yagudo in this fight. I'm not kidding or exaggerating just to give you a sense of the amount of Yagudo. There's literally 40-50 of them in there (I lost count). They all have low HP, and melee about as badly as a mage with half-ass Staff skill, but that sheer number of them will eventually wear you down (this fight will pretty much give you the perspective of an HNM going against a Linkshell). So Sevv goes in, aggros a few of them, and that's when every Yagudo in the zone links and starts rushing in on our position. Y'see, this room is set up that there is no way you'll ever have a safe pull, and once you tag one, it triggers an auto-link to every Yagudo in the zone, so you will have a mass battle on your hands no matter what.

Oh, and they're all immune to Sleep.

So anyways, Sevv goes in, tries to get as many of them as he can, and starts tanking against this Yagudo army. I rush up next to him, and start spamming all my AoEs (Flying Hip Press owns for this fight). Needless to say, I'm getting hate from all this damage, and then I start taking a beating (which is why /PLD was so damn helpful here; /NIN wouldn't have done anything for me against that many targets). Like a previous post said, some spells you wouldn't normally use in an EXP party were pretty much the difference between a loss and a win here. Feather Barrier, Sandspin, Actnic Burst, and my favorite, Reactor Cool + Cocoon + Diamondhide, all helped me to stay alive, but that sheer number of swings eventually did get me down on HP. I could have popped Magic Fruit, but I had a better, more efficient spell that would heal me for far more HP.

Blood Saber.

By the time I got around to actually needing to heal, I was about at 20%, heading for 15% real fast. I cast Blood Saber, and let me tell you, it was like I popped Benediction. With that many targets to hit, Blood Saber pretty much filled me up, and for only 25 MP and 2 set points versus Magic Fruit's 72 MP and 3 set points (and probably have only healed me like 300-400 HP at the time). Better yet, I piled on even more damage against the group, even if it was only minimal compared to my other spells set. Blood Saber pretty much kept me alive that fight. I was lucky that my HP lasted just long enough for the (roughly; I had a good amount of Haste up at the time) minute and a half recast on it (I'd suggest using a backup heal spell, like Wild Carrot, in this particular situation).

But yeah, in the end, once we killed the NM for the win, we saw how useful a lot of the not-as-used blue spells are, and were shown first hand Blue Mage's versatility. So while it might grind your gears to sit there for hours on end, don't give up. You never know when that spell you decided to skip "for now" might be the spell that saves your life in a fight later.

[Malacite]

Re: Needed Spells

Get all your spells or you'll regret it later when you can't get a specific job trait or some nice stat boosts. It's all part of being a BLU. You can always go back for spells you missed once you have your AF gloves but I don't really recommend doing that.

[Tangeleno]

Re: Needed Spells

More or less what 'kitten said. There are spells you want for abilities, spells you'll want for stats, and spells you'll want to use. Then there are spells you'll want to have available for special events, like CoP fights or whatever. For instance you may never use Filamented Hold in a exp party, but I've heard it's darn useful for the airship fight. So that factor does make things a little harder to say "which" spells exactly you should learn.

So basically, I would say:

Get all spells for these abilities:

Magic Attack Bonus
Auto Refresh
Accuracy Bonus
Conserve MP

Get all spells:

Jet Stream
Blank Gaze
MP Drainkiss
Mandibular Bite
Sickle Slash
Refueling
Magic Fruit
Death Scissors
Frenetic Rip
Diamondhide
Warm-Up
Firespit
Hysteric Barrage
Cannonball
Heat Breath
Disseverment
Saline Coat
Magic Hammer
Vertical Cleave


And probably more, I was just skimming the list and not putting too much thought into it. IMO it really is best to get them all as you go.

Thank you for this list I'll try to get these first then go for the others while I'm lfp.

Awsome Blood Saber story LilithAngel, I'll keep that in mind when I try for the spell again.

Ellipses; I'll try waiting a bit after they use the move from now on, thanks for that tip, and will try a level 38 or lower spell next.

[Vyuru]

Re: Needed Spells

You might want to try some other way to learning spells as well. Your average of 4 hours/spell just sounds hideously wrong to me. My own experience, only Pollen and Wild Carrot so far have given me that kind of trouble, all other spells have been learned in no more than 10 times seeing the spell used, most often within the first 1-3 times, so something sounds odd there.

What I like to do is decide what spell/s I want to farm, sub Dnc and find where the mobs con EP-DC or whatever level is easily handled, and do some solo exp whilst I try to learn the spell. Seems to be working for me so far at any rate. You can go and learn a spell from a TW mob, but I favor EP-DC because I get to feed them more TP and get more chances to learn whatever spell it is I'm aiming for. Most times I bring them down to 50% hp as quick as I can by spamming Bludgeon, and then just whittle away at them with a sword. Don't use CA or WS, just save your TP for healing. Also be aware of how much damage you're dealing to the mob, sometimes even though Bludgeon is damaging, it's better to use that rather then feed the mob TP with your sword.

Anyways, just a few thoughts to chew on. Best of luck learning those spells!

[Celeal]

Re: Needed Spells

Sometimes it may take a while to obtain a spell, it happens

For learning spells, I favor EP or DC mobs, so that at least I can gain exp. or skill up even if it takes hours.

Good luck =)

[Nuriko]

Re: Needed Spells

I feel sorry for anybody looking to get Ram Charge ... you get a choice between very weak mobs (for the level the spell becomes possible to learn) and mobs you would want a full PT for...

[Clever Ninja]

Re: Needed Spells

I went to Gusgen when the bombs were EM, soloed on them till they 'literally' went to EP, and still didn't have Self-Destruct. Left, came back several times. I must have put in 10+ hours easy. Finally got it at level 57. Blue Magic skill was cap or near cap(off by maybe 5 if I leveled beforehand) all the time, so although it sucks it can happen.

[Susurrus]

Re: Needed Spells

For places where you can I'd imagine /BST is good if you have BST leveled. Its what I did to get the latest added 40 and below couple of spells. (Magic Fruit was one...forgot the other) and what I plan to do when I start BLU back up after I'm done with PLD.

[Draconi]

Re: Needed Spells

The problem is that youre trying to learn a spell that's 10 levels higher than you are. You just can't learn Blood Saber at level 38 (nor do you need to). Wait until you're closer to level 48 to learn it. If you're close to or above the level of the spell, you should learn it within 1-5 tries. Also, once you get your AF gloves, learning spells will be alot easier.