DRG/NIN? O.o

[fencingkitty]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Replies interspersed. If I abuse the formatting, apologies. My replies are the italics.

While I can see people's rationale behind swearing off Drg/Nin, I can appreciate why it's being more common to ask for it as a support job.
1: Virtually hate free self curing in a pinch, while retaining the offensive capabilities of Wyvern's Breath.
But for a hybrid wyvern isn't that casting ninjitsu at 33% (provided I swap to my armet) and as far as I know, no ninjitsu is fast casting. Not clear on how that would save me if I'm really that low on something hitting me that hard.
2: A solid defensive barrier.. yes, I am well aware that Seigan is good, however, Utsusemi is guaranteed avoidance while giving the DD's who get hit full emnity loss as though they weren't mitigating any damage at all.
Valid point, no arguments there.
3: Because of the emnity shrugging effect of Utsusemi, DD's can hit much harder, and subsequently kill monsters much quicker without draining the support sides resources.
I don't know about hitting harder. In addition to critting more, my weapon skills typically were double what the drg/nin's were when I was in a party w/one as drg/war. And if you're being smart about it and not spamming penta everytime it's up (IE: going when super jump is up, mob is almost dead-50%, after solid hate build from tank) you shouldn't need to rely on shadows IMO.
Yes, /War and /Sam are definately more offensive, but - they lose the above. Most of the time I play Drg, it's /War or /Sam - but, on mobs that hate will be sketchy - I can appreciate why people say /Nin. Especially if using tanks who are slower to gain hate but can keep it solidly, such as Pld/Nin or Nin/Rdm.
/Sam doesn't get Seigan till 70 if my memory serves me correctly, so you have one Third Eye, or 3 Shadows prior to that.
It's less about having no hate mechanics, but trying to keep damage output solid, while not draining all the support resources beyond their capability to maintain decent exp chains.

I guess part of my questioning is why does it seem like tanks have a harder time keeping up with just standard tp'ing, nevermind weaponskilling. Is the difference in damage output vs. the tools at pld and nin's hands just too great?
(apologies for weird gap/timing in posts. posting from work )

[Celeal]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Replies interspersed. If I abuse the formatting, apologies. My replies are the italics.

I guess part of my questioning is why does it seem like tanks have a harder time keeping up with just standard tp'ing, nevermind weaponskilling. Is the difference in damage output vs. the tools at pld and nin's hands just too great?
(apologies for weird gap/timing in posts. posting from work )

My guess is if the tank is using the "traditional" tanking approach --- the tactics before ToAU and 2-hander update --- those tank maybe have a hard time holding hate even during the TP-building period. For example: pure evasion NIN or full turtle PLD.

[fencingkitty]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

or full turtle PLD.

Which would be why the PLD/NIN was the most successful tank I've had in the last few parties?

[Spinnthrift]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Replies interspersed. If I abuse the formatting, apologies. My replies are the italics.

I guess part of my questioning is why does it seem like tanks have a harder time keeping up with just standard tp'ing, nevermind weaponskilling. Is the difference in damage output vs. the tools at pld and nin's hands just too great?
(apologies for weird gap/timing in posts. posting from work )

Don't worry about the formatting... I read what you wrote kinda. ^^

If I can give you an example of something I'm levelling tanking right now... I'm levelling Ninja up for giggles.

Now, I've a moderate set of gear that I can access. A fair amount of +emnity gear, and what I would consider decent for tanking with (and I gearswap every few seconds to optimise my emnity depending on what I'm doing). I've levelled as Nin/Rdm and Nin/War with people in my LS levelling up other jobs. My current problem is, I party with a Ranger and a Dark a lot. Both of whom go /Nin just to survive - as they know, that even with the tools I have, my absolute best, can't hold hate against them.

At lvl 53, they were breaking 2k combined WS's against Colibri. There is absolutely nothing I could do to hold hate off either of them then. Combine that in with a Drg who's putting out consistent 600 Penta's and I'm glad they're all /Nin. We survived, mostly as we're all on Vent together and able to yell out stuff to help control hate, but to generate the exp we were, had we had more conventional sj's through those levels - we'd have had more than the one death we did, which was mine.

Celeal: I've tried to adapt to the new system as Nin, and with some success it works, but it also means sometimes as a tank - we won't have the perfect hate control of the pre-ToAU era.

Fencing: Reason why I said about hate free healing.. I try and use the time you're taking a hit to get hate back on the mob, when hate is recovered, it's often a little tenuous at that moment in time. Assured as a Nin right now, there are times when while I can hold hate virtually perfectly until the moment the DD's open all WS's to explode it, there are times when sometimes it all goes fscked. I'm not advocating the use of Drg/Nin entirely, but I wouldn't throw it out the window either. Like everything in this game, it's situational.

Perhaps having Vent on constantly with my parties allows us more freedom to take what people deem as bad subs. My guess about your Pld/Nin - he probably had emnity merits already. I know my current Ranger partner does and he makes me work like a dog holding hate off him. At the levels you were speaking of though, the difference between what a Nin and a Pld can do hate wise and the sheer punishment a well geared DD have at their disposal are miles apart. Later on, the gap does diminish though.

[Celeal]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Which would be why the PLD/NIN was the most successful tank I've had in the last few parties?

I am not in your parties, so I cannot form any accurate conclusion But one thing I am sure, is that job-subjob combo is just one aspect. The party that knows how to play with the rule of the game, wins. On the other hand, if the party does not perform, it is not going to work.

As for PLD/NIN in your parties, a changes in PT setup, camp location, mob or level range, may break the party. In general PLD/WAR can adapt to most exp. parties settings. The requirement of PLD/NIN and PLD/WAR is different: I can imagine the front-line in your PLD/NIN party all DD/NIN and each battle last for a short time. However, the risk is higher, if something goes wrong.

[Eji Kazuma]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Hrmm... as a 75 Ninja, I can understand them asking you to sub Nin. My Girl Friend is a 75 DRG and she has a 75 DRG buddy that she likes to merit with, naturally I have to build merit PT's with both of them and our brother who is a 75 DRK... So poor lil'ol Ninja me gets his ass kicked in hate control. In a meripo I can see a reasoning behind DRG/NIN, because recent updates have made DRG a much more solid dmg dealer, atleast in my opinion.

DRG has a few things working against them compared to other DD’s the main one that I tend to notice is that a lot of their armor has +enmity on it. Which can make things difficult on a Ninja who for the most part only has about +3-9 enmity available from gear.

The best resolution I’ve found with this is a simple /THF. If you /THF you can set hate on the tank, just get another pt member to pull hate for a moment and SATA. With the added enmity from gear you put that much back onto the tank. And that’s that problem solved.

Granted, /WAR is usually a preference among Dragoon’s either that or /SAM. But I can tell you in reality and in an endgame setting you will be more useful /THF then anything else. Especially if your LS, PT uses Ninja tanks.

[LilithAngel]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

DRG has a few things working against them compared to other DD’s the main one that I tend to notice is that a lot of their armor has +enmity on it. Which can make things difficult on a Ninja who for the most part only has about +3-9 enmity available from gear.

Unless the Dragoon is wearing full Barone and a Warwolf Belt, there's not a whole lot (if any at all) gear a Dragoon can wear that has +enmity on it. A properly balanced and geared Dragoon, however, wouldn't be wearing full Barone in the first place.


As for /NIN vs other SJs: The main problem with they Hybrid Wyvern is the 33% HP trigger. 33% is only 1-2 hits from being dead for a DD-oriented Dragoon, and most jutsu, even Ni level, isn't gonna be fast enough to recast when going against the most common merit-level mobs. If an AoE happens to come at that moment, then you're gonna be looking pretty silly as you're accepting the R1 that's gonna be coming from your RDM main healer. If you're dealing with Silencing mobs (and at merit levels, that'd be Imps, who AoE spam that shit), then that's even more resources from the back line spent. Sure, you could make the argument that you bring your own Echo Drops, but seriously, do you think the average player has that much gil to be wasting on 5 stacks of that stuff per party? Imps eat through a stack quicker than a hot knife through butter, and you will run out before the party does, so you'll be on the mage's MP once again as you're taking hits. Mages tend to be stingy/stupid with Silence these days, btw.

To be brutally honest, I've yet to see any situation or argument (other than maybe, maybe Dynamis Lord) where /NIN was any more efficient/superior than /anynonpetjob. At merits, too much can happen that'll disable /NIN's only claim to fame, jsut as it can to any /JOB, so I don't see a reason not to just go full fledged /DD and play smart about it. The game will eventually get you, and /NIN won't change it much; it just swaps strategies to get you.


BTW, yes, I have tried /NIN. No, I didn't like it, for the fact that I lost way too much output for shadows. Did it keep me alive? No, for all the exact reasons I listed above. I just ended up swapping to /SAM. Miraculously, the party got a lot better after I did. Go figure.

[Spinnthrift]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Unless the Dragoon is wearing full Barone and a Warwolf Belt, there's not a whole lot (if any at all) gear a Dragoon can wear that has +enmity on it. A properly balanced and geared Dragoon, however, wouldn't be wearing full Barone in the first place.

Homam Gear. Haste and Emnity. Askar - Haste and Emnity. Barone - Emnity. And Barone should be a swap piece, if you're a properly balanced and geared Dragoon.

As for /NIN vs other SJs: The main problem with they Hybrid Wyvern is the 33% HP trigger. 33% is only 1-2 hits from being dead for a DD-oriented Dragoon, and most jutsu, even Ni level, isn't gonna be fast enough to recast when going against the most common merit-level mobs. If an AoE happens to come at that moment, then you're gonna be looking pretty silly as you're accepting the R1 that's gonna be coming from your RDM main healer.

As a Ninja, I'm well aware of what you've just said, but re-read up. Sometimes that beating is enough time for us to grab hate back, and instead of a huge emnity Cure IV, a hate free Wyvern Breath is enough to stabilize while running that knife edge. It's the difference between a DS Cure IV after Convert and a Regen and /heal over time after Convert. One is riskier for certain, but has less emnity overall involved.

If you're dealing with Silencing mobs (and at merit levels, that'd be Imps, who AoE spam that shit), then that's even more resources from the back line spent. Sure, you could make the argument that you bring your own Echo Drops, but seriously, do you think the average player has that much gil to be wasting on 5 stacks of that stuff per party? Imps eat through a stack quicker than a hot knife through butter, and you will run out before the party does, so you'll be on the mage's MP once again as you're taking hits. Mages tend to be stingy/stupid with Silence these days, btw.

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Also - YES, just explaining something like go farm if you can't afford to level. When I'm burning my hard earned cash to exp well, you should be too. But in more detail.

To be brutally honest, I've yet to see any situation or argument (other than maybe, maybe Dynamis Lord) where /NIN was any more efficient/superior than /anynonpetjob. At merits, too much can happen that'll disable /NIN's only claim to fame, jsut as it can to any /JOB, so I don't see a reason not to just go full fledged /DD and play smart about it. The game will eventually get you, and /NIN won't change it much; it just swaps strategies to get you.

To be brutally honest - your remarks in the haste thread, made me think you don't experience things like double bard parties, and more. For the reasons I've already explained, it helps survival and resource consumption in situation. Even if you think I should be laughed at. It still helps survival. A few good examples. Nyzul and Salvage - /Nin has merits, Limbus we use /Nin Drgs too. We don't use /Nin in Sky though. Exp also - has times when it suits the situation. Not that we don't espouse the virtues of other SJ choices, we just don't tell people that say, it's a valid SJ bad things. Like everything, it's situational. I am in NO WAY saying it's the be all and end all, but like /Whm, /Rdm, /Sam, /War, /Blu, /Thf etc etc.. it has it's uses.

BTW, yes, I have tried /NIN. No, I didn't like it, for the fact that I lost way too much output for shadows. Did it keep me alive? No, for all the exact reasons I listed above. I just ended up swapping to /SAM. Miraculously, the party got a lot better after I did. Go figure.

It worked for you switching to /Sam, great! I have no issues with that, but you're not listening to the rest. Read back your old post that said - with the damage you do, if you had really solid haste gear and that a decent setup, you'd be tanking the whole fight? I'll remind you:

However, in any merit party I end up in, that much Haste, combined with the amount of damage I already do, means that I will tank each fight. This much I've already proven time and again. Hopefully the fights end quickly, because hovering around the 50-60% Haste brackets in a job that has only so many defensive options is indeed dangerous.

In what is fairly standard for some... we're saying - this is how you can mitigate your tanking abilities, because we can hit crazy chains anyways, slowing your damage output down a jot, while making your survival and the drain on the healers less is great. We're not saying it's the best SJ in the world, just it's not as crap as people are making out.

[Celeal]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Since Spinnthrift from above post brings up DRG/WHM, DRG/BLU, etc...

Instead of DRG/NIN, does it make more sense to DRG/WHM (with sanction auto-refresh) and keep Blink + Stoneskin up, or DRG/RDM and Blink + Stoneskin + Phalanx, or DRG/BLU and Cocoon + Metallic Body, and let the Wyvern do the curing?

[Spinnthrift]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Since Spinnthrift from above post brings up DRG/WHM, DRG/BLU, etc...

Instead of DRG/NIN, does it make more sense to DRG/WHM (with sanction auto-refresh) and keep Blink + Stoneskin up, or DRG/RDM and Blink + Stoneskin + Phalanx, or DRG/BLU and Cocoon + Metallic Body, and let the Wyvern do the curing?

Sometimes yes, but you lose the offensive breath completely, instead of the partial (self cure only). As a backup healer - /mage on Drg is great. I'm not knocking it, but what I am saying repeatedly is don't totally ignore a sub, because you don't like Utsusemi.

It's like you said previously Celeal, about how you found Pld/Nin to be a weak DD/backup healer and not a strong main tank in meripo - whereas Fencing has found it really solid as a tank, it's situational to your gear and setup.

It's not cut and dry is what I've been saying all along. Sometimes Drg/Nin will be optimal - regardless of how many people say shoot me and or I should die in a fire etc. Sometimes Drg/War will be, sometimes Drg/Sam will be. Sometimes - (heaven forbid) Drg/Drk will be. Etc, etc, etc... to quote a BG meme: "Shit is situational".

[LilithAngel]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Well I guess I'm just shit out of luck since I don't have double Bard parties just waiting for me to log on in 4 in the morning whenever I feel like meriting. Amirite?

As far as the little "and more" comment goes, you'd be better served asking what my experiences are before you assume you know enough to make such comments in the first place. Everything I've said is from the POV of someone that does shit on their own, with the strategy that there isn't that glorious double bard setup every time one parties, that all your resources are stemming from you're own efforts, not some well-funded elite EGLS. You know, the common player, not the uber-decked out, "I have all +1 relic/nyzul/sky/limus swaps" players. As some of the posters on this board have seen first hand, I by no means skimp on my efforts, but seriously, sometimes it's just enough that I even bother to hold up my end in a party.

But that's neither here nor there. This is a discussion about /NIN's viability as a SJ vs other possibilities. So far, I've yet to still see any valid arguments (yours included, Spin) that a situation exists where /NIN is good that another SJ couldn't be better.

The problem with carrying around that many Echo Drops is just that; you're carrying around that much medicine for a job that doesn't natively need it. So you're saying that I need to spend as much as you just because you do? Because you chose your job, and not I? Yeah, ok, GTFO.

Oh wait, I will concede the one piece of Homam and the ever-so-common, everyone-loves-to-give-to-Dragoons Askar have enmity, and that they're good, but how many Dragoons vs how many of the other jobs they're tagged for do you see running around on Kujata? Let me help you out with that: you can count them on two hands. NA, JP, and EU. Wait, mebbie a toe or two, it's been a while since I cared to look.

Mebbie they're more common on Midgar, however, like those double Bard parties.

[Spinnthrift]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

Well I guess I'm just shit out of luck since I don't have double Bard parties just waiting for me to log on in 4 in the morning whenever I feel like meriting. Amirite?

Make your own parties? Merit with friends? Set up groups to merit with? I dunno.. I don't tend to worry much about meriting that much, I'm usually busy.

As far as the little "and more" comment goes, you'd be better served asking what my experiences are before you assume you know enough to make such comments in the first place. Everything I've said is from the POV of someone that does shit on their own, with the strategy that there isn't that glorious double bard setup every time one parties, that all your resources are stemming from you're own efforts, not some well-funded elite EGLS. You know, the common player, not the uber-decked out, "I have all +1 relic/nyzul/sky/limus swaps" players. As some of the posters on this board have seen first hand, I by no means skimp on my efforts, but seriously, sometimes it's just enough that I even bother to hold up my end in a party.

Strangely - you were the one decrying Barone gear. I just said it should be there as a swap piece. And having looked at FFXIAH - it's cheaper on your server than it is over here. 20k for a piece of swap gear that you'll use on your favourite job seems like a great deal for me, considering for WS's, the much more expensive +5 Str rings are advocated by many. And yes, as for my - and more comment, I often think from both perspectives, having jobs with both ranges of gear. Some well geared enough to make me formidable, others - about average, and I can still safely say that when you say:

Let's see, if I ever came across a BRD that was capable of thinking along those lines, and a mage that paid attention to Haste...

Your experiences must be rediculously limited if your exp support can't give you haste as a DD... either that or you're such an mp hog that they physically can't support you and keep chains going. Since most pickup mages I've come across can handle a decent haste cycle and a lot of bards really like March. Not assuming you've had the joys of SV March x2, SV Min x2, SV Mad x2 at the same time. At that point btw - you really do want /Sam or /War or /Drk on Drg for Dynamis Lord.

But that's neither here nor there. This is a discussion about /NIN's viability as a SJ vs other possibilities. So far, I've yet to still see any valid arguments (yours included, Spin) that a situation exists where /NIN is good that another SJ couldn't be better.

I have, repeatedly. But I'll do it again for you since you can't get your head out of your arse. Utsusemi = guaranteed mitigation. Seigan/Blink/Etc - not guaranteed. If you're able to pull hate with Drg, then Utsusemi is a worthwhile defensive option. End of story. Not the best overall option, not the worst either. It's situational.

The problem with carrying around that many Echo Drops is just that; you're carrying around that much medicine for a job that doesn't natively need it. So you're saying that I need to spend as much as you just because you do? Because you chose your job, and not I? Yeah, ok, GTFO.

I've not said you need to spend as much as me on levelling, what I have said, is that if you can't afford the basics such as Echo Drops if you're fighting Imps (and what serious meripo fights Imps???), then it's time to stop leeching and go make some cash (especially since you're not tanking - it's a defensive shield that can buy the tank time to re-establish hate, and you can often wait out the silence). If you aren't eating meat on Colibri - you're leeching unless you're the tank (if you have a tank that is).

Oh wait, I will concede the one piece of Homam and the ever-so-common, everyone-loves-to-give-to-Dragoons Askar have enmity, and that they're good, but how many Dragoons vs how many of the other jobs they're tagged for do you see running around on Kujata? Let me help you out with that: you can count them on two hands. NA, JP, and EU. Wait, mebbie a toe or two, it's been a while since I cared to look.

Mebbie they're more common on Midgar, however, like those double Bard parties.

I don't know about Kajuta, but 2/3's of our LS Drg's have at least one piece of Homam, along with our Drk's, and a couple of our Thf's. Askar - it's from Nyzul, which a bunch of friends could do, you don't even need great gear for it, just good friends who work well together. It's not that difficult, just needs co-ordination and a modicum of intelligence. Hell.. I don't think we even use a tank in our static (Drk, Thf, Whm, Brd, Blm and Brd).

While I've been typing this as well, I've thought of some more benefits as well. Assuming for a moment, that you're fighting say Lolibri. Drg's fave merit mob. /Nin on all melee allows the Rdm or Whm to Dia III/Dia II your merit mobs defense down enough to reduce the attack needed for 2.0 cRatio by as much as 116 (See here for reference) without risk of it hitting the DD's using /Nin but still giving the Rdm the chance to have it reflected back on themselves to prevent Sleep/Lullaby's affecting them.. So - not only will you have greater mitigation of damage, but your whole party's output can be increased without risk of getting the melee Dia'd and subsequently increasing the damage they take from the mobs. Hell, you could toss in Gravity there too for increased kill speed. That there is a situation where /Nin affects damage output positively (across the party, not just your own numbers, and yes - party numbers is more important than self numbers).

Please read what I'm saying.. if I invited a Drg to exp as /Sam or /War, that'd be shiny, I am well aware of each jobs capabilities. Likewise - I wouldn't overlook Drg/Nin as there are other options for optimising that I can take. Simple really.

I can find points and reference as to when and why things work till the cows come home. And I'll say it again. I AM NOT SAYING /NIN IS THE BEST SJ TO USE. I AM JUSTIFYING WHY IT'S A VIABLE SJ CHOICE. And I have given valid reasons, and could find more if I really had to.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

I've not said you need to spend as much as me on levelling, what I have said, is that if you can't afford the basics such as Echo Drops if you're fighting Imps (and what serious meripo fights Imps???), then it's time to stop leeching and go make some cash (especially since you're not tanking - it's a defensive shield that can buy the tank time to re-establish hate, and you can often wait out the silence). If you aren't eating meat on Colibri - you're leeching unless you're the tank (if you have a tank that is).

From the perspective of a RDM/WHM who was stuck as the sole mage in Imp parties more times than he cared for, I actually appreciate it when DRG come to camp as /SAM instead of /NIN--seriously don't need another person to Silena--just stay on Seigan/Third Eye full time.

While I've been typing this as well, I've thought of some more benefits as well. Assuming for a moment, that you're fighting say Lolibri. Drg's fave merit mob. /Nin on all melee allows the Rdm or Whm to Dia III/Dia II

I am only able to Dia II critters consistently when things are flowing smoothly--the right kill speed, melees not taking a large and unpredictable damges, etc. Otherwise, I'd much rather keep an MP buffer for cures.

* * *

Total tangent, but can a PLD + THF + DRG + DD + BRD + RDM party hit chain#100 in Greater Colibri camp? For once, I'd like to have some help with curing (and wake me up when I'm slept), and not constantly worry about having enough MP for Cure IV twice in a roll because there's always that yahoo-DD who think it's fun to WS at the start of the fight and drain half of my MP bar (esp. when I have less than half a bar).

Is that set up good enough for DRG/SAM to stay on Hasso full time, without losing his attack food? (Or DRG/WAR fully using Berserk?)

[Kittyneko]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

It seems like people can no longer tank properly. I guess people have been playing without tanks for too long.

Don't forget the actual cause, the mobs in the Aht Uhrgan areas. Especially colibri's. Because of their low defense they're quite hard to tank, but they're so easily killed in first place, thus making it more proffitable for partys to just have the melee cut a little bit in dealing damage, but yet also taking less damage, allowing the party to pull and kill (nearly) endlessly, not needing downtimes for mages to rest.

[Spinnthrift]

Re: DRG/NIN? O.o

From the perspective of a RDM/WHM who was stuck as the sole mage in Imp parties more times than he cared for, I actually appreciate it when DRG come to camp as /SAM instead of /NIN--seriously don't need another person to Silena--just stay on Seigan/Third Eye full time.

Guys - I think no one is reading what I'm saying other than it's not a totally wasted SJ. Maybe I'm just far too used to seeing an AoE silence going off, and a flurry of echo drops being popped and thinking that's fairly normal from everyone that can cast a spell.

I am only able to Dia II critters consistently when things are flowing smoothly--the right kill speed, melees not taking a large and unpredictable damages, etc. Otherwise, I'd much rather keep an MP buffer for cures.

What you've written there agrees entirely with what I've stated (albeit that may not have been your intention). I am not implying anything other than people who slate a specific sj for the sake of their own yahoo epenis are morons. Maybe I think too much when putting parties together or when invited to parties. Maybe I go too far in having various sets of gear to wear depending on what the rest of the setup is. All I've said in this thread are: Reasons why not to discount a specific choice. I've not said it's the OMGWTFBBQ SJ of all time. Someone point out where I have please.

* * *

Total tangent, but can a PLD + THF + DRG + DD + BRD + RDM party hit chain#100 in Greater Colibri camp?

There is no reason why that setup (job combinations) cannot hit high chains at any camp other than perhaps KRT (even that can be done with Bourdonasse and Titan's Cudgel setup - I suspect, although I'd personally probably put a geared Whm/Nin into the third DD spot). Only thing that really limits your potential is your gear/skill/merits if your setup is viable.

For once, I'd like to have some help with curing (and wake me up when I'm slept), and not constantly worry about having enough MP for Cure IV twice in a roll because there's always that yahoo-DD who think it's fun to WS at the start of the fight and drain half of my MP bar (esp. when I have less than half a bar).

Is that set up good enough for DRG/SAM to stay on Hasso full time, without losing his attack food? (Or DRG/WAR fully using Berserk?)

If you're a good DD as anything other than Thf (even Thf loses food), expect to lose your food sooner or later. Leaving Hasso up permanently - that's kinda the flaw in most Drg's plans. They all say how great Seigan is, but because of so many years of being lolDrg (and I know this from experience, Drg was my first job that I loved and played to destruction before the updates), now that they're a higher tier DD in people's opinions, it's like they've a grudge to prove and so don't use it as often or as well as they should.