A question for you high level rdms...

[Shinigamy]

ok, I read in a few places that rmd get extremely powerful at high levels. by extremely I mean tanking HNMs and soloing avatar fights (I've read in a few places that that's possible). so I was wondering if that's true. also, if tanking HNMs is really possible, then I want to know how, considering I don't know a single way that rdms can keep hate well. Thanks in advance.

[Xyphere]

RDM can solo a lot of cool shit...that is true..
Tanking...you don't REALLY need a WAR sub but it's nice...one way to keep hate is with Bind/ Sleep.

Ask Ruic/ Apple Pie...they'll know more than I do..

[sekaran]

I can solo avatars with a NIN sub.. as for HNMs, you don't really tank them.. some of the baby HNMs like Roc, Serket, Steelfleece, etc. can be solo'd or duo'd easily though. I've seen 2 RDMs duo Behemoth too, so thats up there as well.

[Shinigamy]

wow thanks, I guess I was right starting rdm (level 13 and loving it so far XD). I have a question though...

Late game when you have Utsesemi: Ni this will make you the most powerful tank in the game and one of the few that can solo avatars and HNMs with ease.

is this viable to say? and if it is true/possible, how the hell can it be done (keeping hate comes to mind)?

[Xyphere]

in that quote it says SOLO...now if you're SOLOING you wont need to keep hate...since you really arent guarding anyone...cept yourself. but yes...Once a RDM has access to Ni it becomes a very goos soloer...if done right.

[Lasareth]

I can fight basically anything that hits me for 0 2-3 times before penetrating my stoneskin. And this is only with Ichi as a NIN sub.

The basic routine is to Utsu, pull, sleep, debuff, then buff right before I'm ready. Paralyze and Blind are important, as would be evasion gear, for those times you run out of shadows before recast is up. When Utsu DOES fall early, that's when stoneskin comes in. It'll absorb the attacks at you until you can recast Utsu, thereby minimalizing healing you need to do.

The casting time as a 60RDM is phenomenal when it comes to Ninjutsu. If the enemy is slowed, there's basically no way you can be interrupted if you time your casting right. This allows for long battles (provided you have an adequate amount of shiei) and good battle control.

Recast with FastCast3 + Chapeau + Haste is about 12 seconds, give or take. It's in this time that you'd be making your important decisions, such as spell casting and rebuffs, and even attacking. The most important thing is to base EVERYTHING you do on the Utsusemi recast. If you get caught casting stoneskin just as recast comes up, you've basically given your enemy those extra seconds to harm you.

Basic knowledge is necessary for this kind of fighting as well. If I know one more hit will penetrate my stoneskin, I need to cancel the existing stoneskin while I recast a new one. This will assure that I can't be interrupted under normal recast circumstances.

The addition of Utsusemi: Ni at 74 will make things a lot easier as well. It basically provides an instant blink for the emergency circumstances such as the ones indicated earlier. With this, you're basically invulnerable as long as your initial recasts can keep up with the rate at which you're being attacked.

The main bonus in damage I see in a /NIN sub as well, is the extra hit damage on WS such as Fast Blade. This gives more punch to your damage output and helps the monster go down a tad faster.

Note that I don't mention offensive spells in any of this. My nukes at this point are extremely MP-intensive and to a degree too unpredictable to gamble MP on. HOWEVER, elemental magic can be used in duo-RDM PTs to swap hate, since a RDM/NIN does indeed hold hate like a 5-year old holds 50 pounds. This tactic of hate swapping basically eliminates the recast danger factor and allows you to tank indefinitely without taking damage (barring the occasional monster AoE, which wipes out all your shadows).

Keep in mind all this is only with a Ninja sub. RDM are perfectly capable of soloing with BLM, WAR, DRK, and even WHM subs, as well. :spin:

[Shinigamy]

wow, thanks for the detailed reply lasareth

[Discordian]

A rdm can do miraclulous things indeed but still has its limitations on what you can fight, most of is is damage over time fighting and wearing down your enemy.