Back In Those Days

[WishMaster3K]

Remember when being a RDM wasn't just a job description?

Remember when you got compliments, it wasnt merely "Eh, It's wat I do"?

Remember when you did your first Magic Burst and how good it felt?

Remember when your curing caught up to the White Mage only to have them get another Cure Spell?

Remember when it became acceptable to use Cure II like you used Cure only after you had Cure III?

I didn't. . .

I was so caught up in Stat Maximizing, Gear Swapping and Macro Efficiency that I forgot that being a Red Mage is more than just a "thing you do."

Being a Red Mage means you are part of a following that takes pride in being able to do whatever, whenever, and lending their multiple skills to many different types of situations.

Being a Red Mage is more than Refresh and Dispel, it's making the job of the melees, the tanks, and the other mages easier.

It's mob control at it's finest.

And as I run through Korroloka Tunnel as a 68RDM/34BLM, on my way to skill up in Cape Terrigan, I remembered back at lvl 18 when I got silence I would solo the worms down here and how blissfully fun it was to Silence/Aero the worms and get 200 exp all by myself.

I've made life too complicated, when being a Red Mage means being the best and having fun while doing it, not obsessing about numbers.

Renarudo The Red is back! Hoo YAH!

*ends rant*

[neighbortaru]

Re: Back In Those Days

welcome back dude.

[LadyPeorth]

Re: Back In Those Days

I remember being RDM/MNK till I hit level 40 when I became RDM/DRK. Of course this was eons ago in the dark ages before people got picky about their RDMs.

If you're questioning RDM/MNK...it's cause MNK was the only other job I had leveled at a time.

Edit: And yes...welcome back to the land of En spells, Phalanx, and 'Zomg Refreshz0r me!'

[fuz]

Re: Back In Those Days

And and... one of the hardest maat fights in the game!

(damn bastard)

[Jei]

Re: Back In Those Days

I... remember... waiting for party for 1 whole week ;-;

when I played my first job, whm, I support myself by NPCing crystals... all the way to level 30ish

I casted Diaga because I thought it was superior to dia

[WishMaster3K]

Re: Back In Those Days

I was happy when I got Fire. I was a "big boy" and could help the pt take out crabs.

[Icemage]

Re: Back In Those Days

Red mages are unique and special, but as Jei refers to (he's one of the few posters here who can remember the days before Refresh), it wasn't always that way. That pre-dates me as a North American beta tester, even.

I really like the job, though. When you get past all the stat juggling and gear swapping and realize that what you really do is make it so that everyone else can do their job right, that's when you've realized the true power of the red mage in a party. And the first time you take down an Even Match enemy without breaking a sweat solo, that's when you realize the power of the red mage when he's alone.


Icemage

[WishMaster3K]

Re: Back In Those Days

I don't know what to say about RDM that hasn't been said, other than that I love this job, and I love what I can do, and I love the unlimited potential. Never underestimate the power of a RDM with gear, skill, and boredom, lol.

[Plenum]

Re: Back In Those Days

Yeah.. I also remember not getting a job for weeks in the dunes because I was a "RDM" and "RDM SUCKS" becuz I couldn't cure like a whm and nuke like a blm and heavens no I couldn't meele like a warrior. It was only the Japanese parties that invited me in the early days I guess they knew what I would become in higher levels. Too bad I couldn't understand anything they said other than ^_^...

Wow RDM have come a long way

[Alucath]

Re: Back In Those Days

I remember back in Yhoator jungle.. I had been in love with RDM ever since chose it (I was researching prior to getting the game, and fell in love with the AF). This chick kicked me out of her party and said that she didn't wanna continue with the group.. A bit later I saw her forming one again and asked if I could join. She told me I couldn't join because "Red Mage is a mediocre job". Ouch.

How wrong she could be though, really.

[kman]

Re: Back In Those Days

Simularly to Alucath I had researched RDM before choosing even sitting down to play the game. Back than I was inspired by the ideas of enspells, and it's limitless potential. The best feeling I have ever had as a rdm have those when we put specialists to shame. When a little bit of extra farming and effort we obtain .8 magic attack + and start out nuking the blm, when we get a nin tank and no longer need a whm and it actually speeds up the pt. Those days, those feeling of joy inspire me as a unique job that many of my friends who have choosen otherwise are now finding simular joy ^^

[Johnny]

Re: Back In Those Days

I know this thread is getting a little old but....ah...nastolgia...

I shouldn't tell this story since it show soff my stupidity at the time, but here goes...

I remember how excited I was when I first got Convert...I was ready to use it right away. Only problem is, my pt got an add, which I slept...well of course it decided to wake up right after I used Convert for the very first time, and killed me almost instantly before anyone could draw it's hate off of me. I deleveled and lost Convert. Probably a fitting punishment for my stupidity. (I didn't have stoneskin up!) I felt like the worlds biggest retard.

I also remember how it felt later to tank an exoray when they were still IT++ and pummeling our main tank to death faster than the whm could cure him, while the BLM escaped us, and I healed the tank since the whm was out of mp.

The joys of red mage are incredible...the days where you realize not only how valuable your job is to parties for refresh and enfeebling, but for the fact that in an oh shit situation, we have so many different ways to save the party. And the days when your party disband leaving you with 1k xp tnl, and you find out you can solo that in no time, because unlike many other jobs who solo ep or dc, you can solo vt mobs.

This job is amazing, and is/always will be my favorite job in the game.

[WishMaster3K]

Re: Back In Those Days

because unlike many other jobs who solo ep or dc, you can solo vt mobs. because unlike many other jobs who solo ep or dc, you can solo vt mobs.

Sadly, many jobs can't even solo too weaks for too long w/o taking a break to heal. Ask any job(except a SMN of an equal lvl) to fight EPs in Castle Zvahl Baileys and you'll be treated to comedy.

Warriors with +800 STR think they're tough shit until they realize that an EP DRK enfeebled the shit out of them. PLDs who have penis envy of NINs think they can tank anything. . . when in reality they cant. . . BRDs who quickly realize that when the situation calls for it,, and half the pt is dead, they can't do shit to save everyone, while the RDM CS + Escapes everyone to safety. . .

Just minor examples of how our NATURAL abilities can be adapted to almost anything. No one invites a BRD because they want a backup cure, they invite them for pt buffs. RDMs have PT buffs in another manner- our ability to debuff the mob.

Unlike BRDs, who can get by simply on Ballad and Minuet, if a RDM can't enfeeble properly, the pt will quickly turn from great to crap.

Believe it or not, Dia2 in a bone pt is the difference between Chain 50 and restarting the run.

[Last_Viper]

Re: Back In Those Days

i fall in love with RDM, i saw.. whm, cure only.. hm.. blm. . nuke w00t... rdm nuke and fight?? WTF here i come =)

and i was SOOO happy reaching level 15 and getting down even match solo again as tarutaru :D
it was like uber to get 100 EXP solo in the canyon on dhamels
i got a bit frustrated, clear mind 1 we get late at 31, but those days are gone refresh/convert are one of the great reward not to give up =)

i gone to valkurm dunes as rdm, qufin island, kazham and most of the other places

and done my first MB 400+ yesterday with water III /dance

[Aaramis]

Re: Back In Those Days

I might be terribly dating myself here, as I stopped my RDM just shy of 40.... but :

Pre-N.A. release, I was scanning the boards to examine each class's strengths and weaknesses. The general consensus on the RDM was "jack of all trades, master of none", and the first month or two of N.A. release saw alot of people reflecting that thought process with their PT invites (or lack thereof).

Times change

I also remember being frustrated sitting at level 28/14 (RDM/WHM) in Jeuno, and wanting to hit 30 to unlock some advanced jobs (as much as I loved RDM, I wanted to test out SAM and DRG).
WHM's were hard to find that day, though, and so I set myself to the task of starting my own PT. We managed to assemble minus one spot reserved for a WHM, should one show.
After 10 minutes of sitting there arguing among us on the possible wild goose hunt of finding a WHM, I suggested we pull one mob to pass the time.
"With only a RDM as healer? Preposterous!" were the answers.

So the WAR pulls a VT wolf. We survived. Easily.
We then try a VT goblin. Again, no problem.
Then an IT gob aggroes our WAR, who prepares to run for it but changes his mind at the last minute.
Yep, we killed that one too without any casualties (although a second bomb toss had me biting my nails...).

I won't lie, life without a WHM was rough. I worked my little Taru arse off, between debuffs, combat heals, downtime regens, and drinking juices and resting inbetween pulls.... but a few hours later, I hit 30. And the PT was still without a WHM.
That felt good