Seeking some advice.

[Dyft]

Re: Seeking some advice.

I'm sorry, I think I gave the wrong impression. I actually don't really have much, if any, interested in PvP (Balista I think its called for FFXI?)

When I said feel like a "badass" I really mean I want to feel like I'm needed for what my party's doing. I guess I should have said that I wanted to feel like the hero you know.

I figure everyone that plays wants to feel like their character on the screen is the hero. I want to feel important, etc.

[Callisto]

Re: Seeking some advice.

There's a couple different variations of Ballista, it's actually kinda fun if you do it with friends, but pickup games can be rough since you'll be trying to figure things out and out of nowhere some random RDM or BLU comes and destroys your world, lol.

[Solymir]

Re: Seeking some advice.

You can be the hero on just about any job in this game. The only job I have not had the "zomg that person made that party so much better" reaction to would be Dancer. Only because I have only partied with maybe a half dozen of them. As long as you play the job you choose to the best of your ability, use your spells, songs, and abilities with the right timing, and communicate well etc... I know there are a few other things but I lost my train of thought. In short if you want to be remembered as great/badass then play your job great/badass.

I suggest continuing with Blue Mage for now. You sound like you really like the job, and you've come this far already. If you need a break from it you can always level some support jobs to 37.

[Dyft]

Re: Seeking some advice.

Sol, for the last 2 days I've been playing my Pld I've missed my Blu. The downside of that is that im bearly at CoP 2-4 and thus for have a very difficult time getting spells being 58 now as most spells come from CoP areas i cant get to. This leave me with the option of fighting level 70s for the spell (which I have gotten 3-4 spells this way).

I absolutely refuse to not have any Blu spell regardless of how unimportant it may seem. I know that the right answer is to get caught up on my CoP etc. As I stated in my first post, I dont have much play time at the moment (busy season at work) and thus is why I thought about trying a new job for a while (one that would have less upkeep requirements)

When I play my Blu i truly feel like the hero though, (i.e. My 75 Sam friend and I soloing the brontotaurs in ulgrend range (however you spell it) trying to get Frightful Roar or when i let loose a SC that drops the enemy 15-25% hp)

I have gotten Pld to 13 now and have been further swayed in this direction due to good ole valkrum dunes.

Having said that however I would feel quite bad getting hyped up to play Pld only to switch back to Blu after 5 levels (levels 8-13 at that) lol.

Having said all that, is Blu a viable first 75 job, and how hard is it to get caught up on CoP missions?

[Durahansolo]

Re: Seeking some advice.

Having said all that, is Blu a viable first 75 job, and how hard is it to get caught up on CoP missions?

I feel the same way you do about BLU spells but man its hard to get people to help you do anything, even peeps in your linkshell sometimes. I think BLU is probably one of the jobs you can get to 75 cheapest saying you can wear the AF pretty much up to 75 and even the BLU Relic gear is pretty sexy. As long as you have the hammer dropping spells (No not Magic Hammer, pun possibly intended) nobody is gonna question you. It's just awesome to see a BLU fight a imp and pretty much massacre it by himself with little help.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Seeking some advice.

Having said all that, is Blu a viable first 75 job, and how hard is it to get caught up on CoP missions?

Well I will have to say that if you are aiming at an endgame shell that does the big stuff, blu might not be the way to go. While I personally think blu is a great addition, many people do not. The "quota" for blu's in an endgame shell are usually filled by the current membership that has multiple jobs leveled. Now pld is another story, that is a job that gets into endgame shells.

When it comes to CoP missions, you are going to want to have a few jobs leveled to 40, at least. It can be hard to get invited to these missions with certain jobs because people want party setups that they know are going to work. They want to go in and on their first try win. I didn't do CoP missions when blu was around so I can't comment on that, but I do know that the bigger variety of jobs the better your chances at getting in parties for the missions.

I'd also like to say that you are really in the low levels and shouldn't count other jobs out. You really don't get the flavor of a job until you've partied for several levels and had access to some of their job abilities/spells. You might find that you like pld a lot but not until 30+. My personal rule is to level a job to 37 before I decide. At least then it can be used as a sub and my time won't be wasted. If I quit at level 15 or 20, what good does the job do me then?

[Callisto]

Re: Seeking some advice.

BLU is currently facing the old DRG stygma in my opinion, it's versatile and capable of doing some really cool things, especially epeen damage...unfortunately, stupid people/bad players/gimps absolutely flock to BLU en masse, and in endgame events a button mashing BLU is a bit of a liability.

It does big damage, however that also means it makes big hate, which the player needs to understand how to properly negotiate, and several of BLU's main damage spells also feed a lot of TP to the monster, so spamming spells on something with nasty attacks is many times not a good thing.

Aside from that learning BLU spells is like putting your balls in a blender while being hit in the head with a crowbar, but that's just just my opinion. >.>

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Seeking some advice.

BLU is currently facing the old DRG stygma in my opinion, it's versatile and capable of doing some really cool things, especially epeen damage...unfortunately, stupid people/bad players/gimps absolutely flock to BLU en masse, and in endgame events a button mashing BLU is a bit of a liability.

It does big damage, however that also means it makes big hate, which the player needs to understand how to properly negotiate, and several of BLU's main damage spells also feed a lot of TP to the monster, so spamming spells on something with nasty attacks is many times not a good thing.

Totally agree.............especially with this:

Aside from that learning BLU spells is like putting your balls in a blender while being hit in the head with a crowbar, but that's just just my opinion. >.>

[Dyft]

Re: Seeking some advice.

Aside from that learning BLU spells is like putting your balls in a blender while being hit in the head with a crowbar, but that's just just my opinion. >.>

I agree 100% and I honestly believe that if Blu spells were buy-able like every other job (which wouldn't fit the story and I'm somewhat glad they are not) That I would have probally been a 75 Blu by now.

I agree that there are a lot of Blu's that give the job a bad connotation. I strive very hard to use the jobs flexability to be the glue that holds the party together. I Havent gone 1 fight without Wild Carrot, Head Butt, Cocoon, and a couple other spells, where I have partied with other Blu's who are 40+ and havent learned Wild Carrot (Playing my Drg or Sam or what have you). I can remember thinking to myself "W T F....".

As far as end game shells, I am somewhat fortunate in that aspect. I play with a real life friend who has multiple 75s and is the leader of an end game shell. This gives me 2 major benifits. I have a good group of people explaining things to me, as well as for some reason the shell as a whole likes Blus. For the reccord I have never once allowed them to PL any of my Jobs. I honestly believe that to be good at a job you need to play it through the good times and the bad. The bad thing about the shell is that most of them are 75 and have their own agendas to follow (which I in NO way hold against them) so its a miricle to get them to help with CoPs and what not. I usually end up bribing them if i really need something done... (i.e. I payed one of them to take me to halvung (i think) Staging Point for Refueling after having no luck with fog in the meadows).

Do CoP shells exist? I know there are Dynamis shells and what not.

Also I do have all the pieces of the AF except the helm (I'm 58), and think they are absolutely amazing. I have THF, NIN, DNC, and RDM all high enough to sub for it as well. I mainly use NIN since I perfer to SC as apposed to CASA Physicals, however once I hit 60 I was thinking about going back to /THF for TA however its actually been a while since i looked into what TA did subbed. Does it still transfer hate? because i guess thats what i would like most about it... drop that hefty hate off the CASATA onto the tank/2nd tank.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Seeking some advice.

Do CoP shells exist? I know there are Dynamis shells and what not.

I know on my server there are linkshells that mainly do things like Missions. I think its best to be in a shell like that or have a linkshell that is busy doing them. Pick up parties have been the ABSOLUTE WORST for me. I did my first character with an ls behind me and now my next character I've been trying pick up parties. I'm still in the Promys and have tried to complete them SEVENTEEN TIMES. I've basically given up.

[Callisto]

Re: Seeking some advice.

It's pretty hit-or-miss, I've had bad experiences with pick-up groups, but my g/f joined a random shout group that turned into a static, and went from 5-1 to CoP complete in 6 nights(you probably don't have a frame of reference for CoP missions, but that's absurdly fast).

[Tipsy]

Re: Seeking some advice.

Not to be rude, or anything, but you want badass status and you seem to be giving up.

This game really is a commitment on it's own.

I'm going to stay on topic, and give you the answer you want.

BUT! Just remember: the player makes the job. Not the other way around.

So, I'll leave you with this:

Level Ninja.

I think it's perfect for you, honestly I do.

- At nighttime, in the game (after level 52), you run 25% faster than everyone else.

Benefits?
1. If a party member aggroes, you can provoke it, and run with it. It won't hit you (Shadows), and it won't catch up to you. You can just run it around until everyone is safe and ready.
2. Get to places faster.
3. If your part is having trouble with a monster, tell everyone to disengage, build some hate, and run it around and let them heal to have another go.


- Dealing Damange WHILE keeping the monster under control

Benefits?
1. Your source of hate is damage. Paladin is from spells. You do damage over time, which really can build an insane amount of hate, AND you'll be helping kill the monster.
2. You will contribute to the overall EXP (MANY MANY parties has my Ninja out-parsed every damage dealer on the team, while holding hate, and taking no damage)
3. You'll be more desired, as healers may be not as common as they were, which means RDMs can main heal, or WHMs, and everything will be smooth because, you're not taking hits, and your helping kill the monster very fast

- Shadow images, very high evasion

Benefits?

1. Allows for you to go fight after fight without taking a single hit, and if you're good, not loose an ounce of hate.
Unless you have some butthole Dark Knight use Souleater, Last Resort, then Guillotine at the start of a fight... but atleast you can laugh as he dies within a half-second
2. Again, helps "kite" a monster, when the going gets tough. (i.e., party member aggro, need to clear a room, party needs to rest, etc)
3. You can solo monsters that other jobs wouldn't last a second against. You can kill Incredible Tough (status) monsters on your own.
*You can solo NMs, some HNMs, and some Gods (Genbu.)
Again, you have to be good at what you do, or you can forget being a badass.

You have to be good, in order to be bad.

- Elemental debuffs, DoT (from spells, and katans), enfeebs

Benefits?

1. You can spam the Ele wheel to do MASSIVE damage. Like honestly 150 every damn near second, without stopping. Unless you run out of tools. As well, this weakens the monster's resistance to allow BLMs to do their thing, more effectivly. How useful is that?

If you don't know, Ninjas elemental wheel are their MPless (Don't cost MP to use, just 1 tool which some are around 20k for 1,000), (lvl44ish) you have all the :Ni spells which cast in 1.5 seconds, and can lay down up to 150 damage easily. You can spam the shit out of them, by the time you use them all, they're recast is ready to use again.

2. Help out the mages by setting down Blind, Paralyze, and Slow, so they don't have to. Toss out a poison (dosn't hurt to have this)

3. Again, contribute to the EXP rate, and just be overall extremely helpful.


- And what you've been waiting for: Be the last man standing.

***Before I go on, just remember, a good Ninja, or even Paladin is never the last man standing, just remember that.

1. Everything I just listed, and every ability Ninja has (Damage, speed, evasion, shadows, elemental wheel, everything) can ultimatly allow you to be the one who survives. There was a time where my hole party died, and I was the last man left and I finished the monster on my own (not a result of bad tanking, but a result of trigger happy Rangers)

And to top it off, if shit gets out of hands, and you're gonna die, or you simply need to gtfo out of whereever you are, then use your 2-hour: Mijin Gakure. It kills you and does a percent of your Health (around 50%) in damage to the monster. You don't loose and experience points.



Edit: I remember what you said about "glass cannon," and well, Ninja is completly opposite.
At 75, I've witness 1.8k Weaponskills from a Ninja to a VT-IT (Mostly what you fight), so put THAT in your pipe.

And no, they wern't sea monsters, where they have 0 defense / elemental defense.
They were hard hitting Mamool Ja's / Puks (Very common to EXP off)

And on top of it, you're a Ninja.
How bad ass is that?
Ninja's armor is amazing looking, and they're Artifact (3/5) is actually very useful, at the same time, looks sweet.

So yeah, you want people to be afraid to fight you 'cause they know they'll loose, you want to be able to hold your ground against the toughest monsters in Vana'diel, you want to look badass? You want to be very helpful to your party, as well as be desired?

Ninja is the job for you.

And you better level it after I wrote this whole shit for you

[Dyft]

Re: Seeking some advice.

Lol Tipsy, you make me want to play my NIN again. It's currently level 33. I never made it to the ele:nis and I never was the biggest fan of blink tanking, but i dident have utsusemi: ichi either. Anyhow I'm gonna crash for the night and I think i may give my NIN another try.

[Tipsy]

Re: Seeking some advice.

You better

And yes, Ninja is absolutly horrible without the Ni spells.
Let alone no Utsusemi? Lol noo

Yeah, trust me it's easy and fun once you get them.
It changes the job completly.
Those spells make the job lol, pretty much.


And really, the most important thing to do is WORK on your timing. It pays off soooooooooooooooooooo much if you can master timing of Ichi. Just remember that you can take a hit within the first 30%~ time frame of spell casting (More if you get that one katana, it has like -15% spell interruption, forget the name).

[Durahansolo]

Re: Seeking some advice.

- At nighttime, in the game (after level 52), you run 25% faster than everyone else.

Benefits?
1. If a party member aggroes, you can provoke it, and run with it. It won't hit you (Shadows), and it won't catch up to you. You can just run it around until everyone is safe and ready.
2. Get to places faster.
3. If your part is having trouble with a monster, tell everyone to disengage, build some hate, and run it around and let them heal to have another go.

If you get aggro in the daytime what do you do then?

3. Relies on the fact that you need to have enough hate to get the mobs attention and also it has to be nightime for you to outrun the mob. Suppose you have a crazy DD in the party that just doesn't take a hint and steals all your hate while you attempt to grab/ provoke the mob(No offense to anybody.) who may have a little leak in the DEF department. Then everybody goes ZOMG KEEL and goes into overdrive to kill the mob so that person doesn't die and the party wipes because you can't get the hate back.

Benefits?

1. You can spam the Ele wheel to do MASSIVE damage. Like honestly 150 every damn near second, without stopping. Unless you run out of tools. As well, this weakens the monster's resistance to allow BLMs to do their thing, more effectivly. How useful is that?

Depends on what your gil pool is. Toolbags are expensive and cramp your space unless you have most of the gobbiebags done and are only playing maybe 1 job, or you have mules to shift your gear to.

2. Help out the mages by setting down Blind, Paralyze, and Slow, so they don't have to. Toss out a poison (dosn't hurt to have this)

If you're gonna be enfeebling, its probably best if you let the mage know before you do it. Many times I tried to blind a mob and before I could do it the mob was already blinded via mage. At lower levels some of the enfeebling NIN spells get resisted, I don't know about higher levels because usually in combat I'm only checking to see if the NIN has Utsu up and concentrating on what I'm doing. My nin is only 38 and that's high as it's going.

And to top it off, if shit gets out of hands, and you're gonna die, or you simply need to gtfo out of whereever you are, then use your 2-hour: Mijin Gakure. It kills you and does a percent of your Health (around 50%) in damage to the monster. You don't loose and experience points.

Make sure you don't macro Mijin Gakure and hit it by mistake, seen it too many times.

Lol Tipsy, you make me want to play my NIN again. It's currently level 33. I never made it to the ele:nis and I never was the biggest fan of blink tanking, but i dident have utsusemi: ichi either. Anyhow I'm gonna crash for the night and I think i may give my NIN another try.

How in the hell did you get to 33 without Utsusemi: Ichi?