Need Ninja Advice

[Amaku]

I'm currently a level 42 Ninja with some decent equipment, only a few days ago I lost interest because somebody said "Your gear sucks xDxD", what's worse is that I had to party with the guy for two hours. Anyway, I'll post most of my equipment please let me know if theirs anything I should change.

2x Sniper Rings (I think that's the name, it's the +5 Acc one)
2x Dodge Earring
Ochiudo's Kote (I think that's the name, it's the +20 attack -5 evasion one.)
Fuma Kyahan
Anju + Zushio
Jujitsu Gi
Survival Belt
Spike Necklace

I've been trying to get an Empress or Emperor Hairpin but I've been having a bit of trouble, anyway... What would be the best equipment for me to use at this level? And here's a big question - I've had trouble with this for quite some time. I have both Utsusemi: Ni and Utsusemi: Ichi. It's made tanking so much easier but I have no idea what order I should cast them in. So far I've tried:

Utsusemi Ni, wait until I'm down to 1 shadow, cast Utsusemi Ichi. The only trouble I've had with this is the fact that sometimes the monster doesn't hit me and misses and then Utsusemi: Ichi doesn't work because Utsusemi: Ni > Utsusemi: Ichi. To fix this I try to cancel out Utsusemi: Ni at about 50 cast time or so but sometimes the monster hits it's just delayed and I end up canceling something important out like Empress Band, Protect, etc. I seriously canceled out my Empress Band once.

And what other ninjutsu should I use? I've gotten by on just the elemental wheel and utsusemi but I noticed other ninjas using the ninjutsu that causes them to weaken... I'd like to do this as well but I'm using a computer/keyboard and I don't have enough room for all the macros. Well, I have enough room but my hand doesn't feel right pushing ctrl and then stretching it all the way over to 8 or 9 especially when my right hand is usually on the num pad ready to move.


And can anybody recommend budget Ninja gear(Gear that's cheaper than what I have now and less likely to get me kicked out of a party for having "Crap Gear")

That's about it, very sorry for all of the questions any information would be helpful.

[Icemage]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

Pardon my French but who the F*!# would criticize someone wearing Snipers, O Kote, Fumas, and a Jujitsu Gi for their gear at level 42?

Personally, I'm on the floor thanking Heaven if people don't show up to my lower level XP parties wearing fishing gear. Your gear is fine.


Icemage

[Spinnthrift]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

Must use Ninjutsu (imo):

Jubaku: Ichi - it's a paralyse effect, about as strong as Rdm paralyse.

Hojo: Ni - Ninja slow - stacks with elegy and Hojo Ni is stronger than an averagely geared Rdm's (I think).

Kuyarami - decent blind effect that has often a higher accuracy, enough that with skill, you can land it sometimes on bat type mobs.

Those are your other Ninja tools that you weren't using.. there's poison too, but that one I didn't use too much.

My only thoughts are: If you're wearing Woodsmans and O.Kotes, you're screwing your naturally great evasion up, by wearing gear with -eva. If you can, switch the O.Kotes to Horomusha Kotes (the +15 attack ones), you'll find that helps. Not that it's enough to say your gear is crap, far from it.. you're wearing the best available gear. just that your gear can counterproductive to tanking without the full set.

On Midgard at least, they're roughly the same price (H. Kotes is usually cheaper), and the price difference I'd set towards a Survival Belt (more +eva and some +hp).

Icemage is correct though - I'd be happy seeing you in a party as is.

As for your Ninja skills of casting Utsusemi. I have just one word for you. Practice.

If you're worried about macro space, take your ele wheel off macros and cast those manually, you'll see the difference in your enfeebles when they're nicely stacked and the first things you whip out on an enemy mob.

[Amaku]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

I'm having gil troubles, is it possible for me to party without Jubaku, Hojo and Kurayama to 60? Also, I've been tanking pretty good so far but sometimes I get hit, and when I get hit it REALLY hurts. Once a Ninja gets Utsusemi: Ni are they not supposed to get hit period or do even the good ninjas get hit sometimes?

[Spinnthrift]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

Ninja's get hit sometimes.. it's a fact of life.

You *can* get by without the Ninjutsu Enfeebles, but I wouldn't want to. The best party I had at your level.. was me and a bard (plus the rest), against.. crawlers without haste or erase. Hojo + Elegy, and I was Utsu: Ni casting only to tank. A good enfeeble proc will make your life immeasurably easier.

You can mitigate a hell of a lot of damage as Ninja for certain, to where - some fights you will take zero damage, but others, you're going to get hit.

If you really want to be a decent Nin, take the time to stop now and work on getting the tools, build up a cash buffer as well.. Nin can help you earn a ton of cash in BCNM's and ENM's etc.. but you really really really will notice the difference with the Ni line of enfeebles.

You can shihei onry it, but you'll like the job a lot lot more when playing around with the goodies it has to offer. Promise. ^^

[Celeal]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

To OP:

The player who said your gear sux is a Jack@ss.

Although -eva & full DD build is not my preferred style (before level 60), but I had seen other NIN tank with similar style works well:
1. Have Haste at all time.
2. I repeat, HASTE at ALL time.
3. Consistently slow down the mobs with Hojo: Ni, or debuff from party members (RDM, BRD, etc).

From my experience, after level 50, the proc-rate for Jubaku: Ichi is very poor, compare to RDM's paralyze (at least in practice, when the NIN is gear towards tanking, not casting).

I have never seen a -eva & DD build NIN tank use Kuyarami: Ni: Which make sense, that style does not rely on evasion.

IMHO, melee-DD base NIN tank at level 40ish is bit early. The base dmg of katana and WS at that level range is not mature yet. At that level, NIN's debuff is potent, and evasion still hold its value. Level 40 ~ 55 is the prime time for Element Wheel.

When at level 60ish Blade: Jin kicks in, and level 65+ DW IV, plus the weapons and gear available at that level range, it is the time for DD-melee build.

[Malacite]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

Since you already have Fuma, you'll want to try and get a swift belt once you're level 50.

Also, idk about using OKote full-time. Yah, it's going to improve your damage a lot but from what I've seen most NIN really love to stack as much evasion as possible, and the -5 from Okote isn't helping any (from my own personal experience I can tell you that every little point helps)

The kote are a hugely expensive item anyway, and are better suited for SAM and especially MNK. While not "l337", Battle Gloves are a decent alternative (not sure if NIN can use Scentless armlets) and are *way* cheaper.


And as people said above, having your ninjutsu should be your primary concern, gear secondary.

[Raydeus]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

Bleh I thought this was about "Ask a ninja" videos.


And about the OP, are you sure the guy wasn't being sarcastic? As in he saying "Whoah your gear sucks XD" meaning "hey you have some nice gear". Or did he actually tell you about pieces of gear you should be using?

[Mhurron]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

Bleh I thought this was about "Ask a ninja" videos.
And about the OP, are you sure the guy wasn't being sarcastic? As in he saying "Whoah your gear sucks XD" meaning "hey you have some nice gear". Or did he actually tell you about pieces of gear you should be using?

Exactly. Is the OP sure he's just not overly sensitive and can't take anything that even seems like a slight?

[Amaku]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

Exactly. Is the OP sure he's just not overly sensitive and can't take anything that even seems like a slight?

loltroll.

And no, I can tell the difference between Sarcasm and Criticism, he was mocking me the entire time with stuff like "Your gear sucks" "Go play monk, noob." and then he reminded of the fact that my gear sucked because every 5 or so fights he'd /tell me "Your gear sucks xD." After the party ended he said "Well, thanks for the crap party why would you invite me to a party with a ninja who thinks he's a monk?"

Which pissed me off because I was tanking fine, barely taking any damage and keeping hate while dealing a nice bit of damage.

[Raydeus]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

You are still being overly sensitive about it. If you know you are doing a good job then just /blist the guy and move on.

If you are going to bend and try to change your gear everytime some moron critizices you then you are going to spend a lot of time making threads like this one in the future.

[Amaku]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

This thread wasn't just about equipment, I needed general ninja advice just to see if I'm doing anything wrong.

[NicasinXS]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

The gear you lack is the hairpin you mentioned, for the eva and thats about it. Your gear looks pretty nice actaully.

As for advice, If you are not already doing this, macro all your ninja spells, atleast the ones youll be using alot of. Use up your entire macro bars. Put you shadows right next to each other. I would use one bar just for the elemental whell and put them in the correct order from left to right. On the other macro set you should have from left to right, Ichi - Ni - then the enfeebles in order form most used to least. Save some room to macro your weapon skills.

[Spinnthrift]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

That and Survival Belt, but those two are it though. ^^

[Eji Kazuma]

Re: Need Ninja Advice

Personally I was never fond of the O-Kotes at that level for Ninja, Honestly I don’t feel that a +20 to attack really makes much of a difference over + STR, at least for Ninja. Personally I would recommend using parts of the Royal Squires and the Royal Knights Armor sets for the additional Defense over the Jujuitsu set.

I know when leveling around that level myself I enjoyed the additional Acc and look of the Jujuitsu gi, but when I did my CoP static it was completely with Royal Squires gear and Hume RSE armor. Abviously, depending on the race you chose play to your race’s strengths, if you’re elvaan, definitely gear for ACC and EVA over STR and ATT, same goes for Galka. But Taru, Hume, or Mithra you wanna gear for ATT and STR.

Also, do yourself a favor and get all your scrolls, most of them are questable and fairly easy to get.