Help plz

[DeathFromAbove]

Okay, a quick question for those of you who are power lvl'ers. I am currently 42 dragoon ( just reactivated) this is my 2nd char, i had a 35 RDM on Odin whom i deleted to begin playing on Asura with my friends. My question is this, i know DRG is a no-where class, basically, meaning invites are slower than the time it takes me to install and update the game every day. I was thinking about LvLing RDM/WHM ( whm is already 19 or 20 ) or RDM/BLM, i would like to know about how long it would take me to get to 75 as on of these combos, i play approx. 7-8 hours a day, which is a lot, but not so much that i dont do other things. I have no real problem with gear as i have already made a few mil on my drg (although about 1.2 is in gear ATM)

[Aeni]

Re: Help plz

Both BLMs and RDMs get a lot of invites, but BLMs will consistently get invites from Level 10 all the way to merit point parties. RDMs do not get invited a lot at lower levels and, coincidentally, I remember talking about this in a conversation with a JP player last night (who was a level 22 Tarutaru RDM) He was expressing his pain in getting invites and said that majority of the time, he had to accept invites from Rank 1/2 NA/EU players in order to get some exp, regardless of how frustrating the parties will turn out (Due to the high levels of newbness)

However, once you get into the 40s, invites are usually (for the most part) consistent, depending on how many other RDMs are seeking at your level.

BLMs, however, will get invites regardless. You can have a 2x BLM or 3x BLM party with the mages sharing heal duties, if no WHM is to be found. You cannot do this with more than one WHM and usually at most only 2 RDMs (A BLM will still be present in this setup)

However, BLM job is quite common, so you will easily standout if you have outdated equipment or just plain suck. Because so many BLMs are out there, people don't have to invite you if they remember something negatively about you and just get another one. Now, with that said, you'll still find yourself in a party, but probably won't be in a good party. That's another thing about BLMs. You can get lots of invites, but you'll also see your share of bad parties because of this (Same goes for most mages)

BTW, as far as cost goes, the nice thing about spells are you get to keep it with you throughout the life of your character, unlike equipment or weapons. However, note that even if you're not a main job WHM, if you don't have Erase on the sub, you will hear about this, especially if you're going to main as a RDM. For BLM, subbing WHM is common and RDM sub is not really required. For WHM, subbing BLM is common and SMN as well, but not required. For RDM, a BLM and WHM sub are BOTH required, seeing as the combination is highly dependant upon where you're leveling at. Also, some HNMLS will require you to have a DRK subjob as well, which will further compound the issue for you.

IMO, go with BLM main.

[DeathFromAbove]

Re: Help plz

Idk, i played a BLM on my RDM ( he was a taru ) and even waiting a few seconds between each spell cast i would ALWAYS get hate, and die horribly, and you all know how that is. I usually play Melee in all the games i have played, because its more of a hand on, but i also like support, so i figured RDM would be a natural choice. I know a lvl 75NIN/75RNG/68ish RDM and he says RDM was his fav, and he was never without an invite. ( recently retired )

[Aeni]

Re: Help plz

and he was never without an invite. ( recently retired )

Ask him again, this time specify level range from 10 to 30/40. He will tell you otherwise. The reason being, whenever I read the party chat of some 10-20 party and read what the leader is trying to do when putting a party together, if the general input of party members ever mention RDM, if there are BLMs and WHMs seeking, normally the RDM won't get picked up. The party formations will usually consist of at least 2 vokers (Sub or Main WAR) as well as a couple of BLMs. Usually, RDM is a last choice in many cases.

[DeathFromAbove]

Re: Help plz

Thanks for all the help, he said invites did slow down a little, but i guess because he is well know tank or something, but anyways he got a lot of invites from friends, he also mentioned having to lvl both WHM and BLM to 37, and although that is EXTREMELY painful ( as in valkrum taking sand naps), i think that the rewards of being able to solo farm and whatnot is very, very nice. Anyone that can give me an idea of how much RDM costs to lvl in terms of spells and whatnot. Although i used to do a lot of farming, last time i tried getting good drops from anything the areas were constantly being camped by gilfarmers!!!!

[Jei]

Re: Help plz

If you make good friends or lead your own PT it won't be as much of a hassle I suppose. I personally, no matter what job I play, if I see a good selection of jobs in the search list, i'll make a PT without hesitation.

You see brd rdm blm nin sam in the list? grab them all, QUICK. Or they'll all get in a PT and you may or may not be in it.

For a job that gets less invitation, this may come in more important. I got party for my summoner everyday, leading most of the time. If you play some more popular jobs you will have the luxury of not having to lead, but theat job might not be what you like to be.

There are other times where there are just no one at all in the search list too. No matter what job you play you can expect slow PT invites in this case.

[DeathFromAbove]

Re: Help plz

Heh, makes me wish i had learned japanese or something, because it seems like all the better players are JP ( dont know if that is a bad term but i have seem people use it on here.)

Edit: forgot to mention that i wanted to learn Japanese so that i could actually get them to join instead of saying "JP P T only ^_^;; "

[Jei]

Re: Help plz

I've got some great NA PTs, I've got some crappy JP PTs. IMO, if you form a balance PT with the right jobs, you're at least 80% guaranteed a good group. The other 20% of course is the chance you might get a crappy player which can happen more often than you think.

So don't worry. Just make sure you make a balance group to begin with. Bad players, you'll remember them and just avoid them next time you make your group.

I've got a rank 10 JP THF who couldn't SATA. Just so you know now all JPs are experts ;D

I like to form parties in a JP way however... where everyone meets up in town, travel together and end together. It's easier to deal with compare to finding replacements. I don't mind english group, but I prefer to just be members, not leader.

[Gwynn]

Re: Help plz

I'm level 60 RDM, so I suppose I can offer some insight here. I'm on Asura as well, so...

I'd suggest RDM over BLM. I'll admit that RDM can have a bit of a rocky start, but for the most part even in Valkurm -> Qufim -> Kazham I got parties pretty well. The only time when I couldn't find a party at that level was around level 30 in Kazham. I waited for 7 hours lfp, but then finally about midnight I got in a fantastic party and got all the way to 33 overnight. Also, once you get Dispel invites get better. However, you had better learn to enjoy being a refresh whore/tank/etc. once you hit 41, because past that thats going to occupy a good deal of your time. I know my step-brother played his RDM all the way up to 42 then quit because he couldn't deal with people asking him for Refresh constantly. 50-60 particularly was an easy go. I'd constantly get invites even if I didn't have my flag up. On the other hand, my step-brother had issue getting parties during this level as his BLM. So, thats just my opinion.

Note: Definately have at least BLM and WHM leveled for sub. Its wonderful. Also if you're a taru you might consider going /BRD past 50. I've heard it can be quite enjoyable.

[Hyrist]

Re: Help plz

Lvl 60 Rdm here. and I want to give a differnt offer for you.

Hold onto your Dragoon Job just a little longer. The update patch for Dragoon is comming, and the job's demand will soar up due to mass popularity, and the added functionality of having your wylvren more often.

My sugestion is, stock up on gil now, and level your butt off directly after the update. This will take full advantage of the 'new' people well be dazzeled by in your dragoon. You also may find new love for your job class.

Afterwards, if you decide still to change your job class, I must recomend Red Mage, for the followign reasons.

1) Versistility. This is by far the most general job class in the game in the relm of soloing. Up to VT you can pratice any stragity you want. (Psst, try rdm/nin against some tough mobs.) It also has the cappiblity of assuming many party roles, form assitant nuking and back up healing, to the contervercial main tanking during levels 32-44.

2) Invites. Slap on a /blm job, keep it leveled, debuff, dispell keep you mages and pld refreshed post 41 and you have the easy street to endgame. Post 41 you wont have to struggle for invites as much, except in slow times when there are few parties already made, and too few seeking to form your own. And although its not reccomended, you CAN cheepen out on your gear, as opposed to apsolutly having the best +1 equipment avilable to you at that moment.

3) Hand-me-downs. Red mage has a wide assortment of spells and skill levels that are shared by many other job classes. Dagger and Sword skills assit any one wanting to level a thf or a pld (even a warrior, though axe is preferred) Club for White mage. And the Wide assortment of magic that makes leveling pld drk blm & whm, a whole lot easier, with more maxed out skills, and fewer scrolls to buy, it really helps to take this job higher first, rahter than going straight out BLM or WHM to start out.


Anyways, its your decission. But dont give up on somthing you've dedicated yourself too so easially, especially when SE is about to hand you a BIG help.

[Kittyneko]

Re: Help plz

Okay first of all Drg is not a no-where class. >.> And if you wouldnt be a bad dragoon youd know you have to create your own parties.

[Gwynn]

Re: Help plz

Okay first of all Drg is not a no-where class. >.> And if you wouldnt be a bad dragoon youd know you have to create your own parties.

Sadly this is rather true... However hopefully things will get better for DRG after update. For my part, I always try to invite DRG when I can get a chance to. I think all of the anti-DRG sentiments that float around are BS. Although from talking with my LS members and from talking to random people I party with, the sentiments aren't quite as bad on Asura apparently.

[DeathFromAbove]

Re: Help plz

Okay first of all Drg is not a no-where class. >.> And if you wouldnt be a bad dragoon youd know you have to create your own parties.

When i played i DID form parties, with what classes and lvl range that i wanted, but no class should be so gimp as to be forced into a position like this. I always have excellent gear including 1 sniper, although with the recent changes to sushi ( i think this was what it was) i wil probably sell this and buy a couple STR rings IF i were to continue to level my DRG. I hate it when people bash the DRG class and its playerbase as a whole, even if you have played one, because they are unable ( at the moment ) to do end game activities. DRG bashing takes me back to my WoW days and all the bullsh*t that was said about paladins ( the class i played to 60.)

[fuz]

Re: Help plz

Rdm is a very... annoying job to level post refresh. It requires your full attention to do some very mundane things over and over again. Anyone who levels rdm to high levels is just a little more insane. The AF is also somewhat difficult to obtain.

As for my invite rate, I got from 1-41 very fast. I annouced my ability as backup healer with my MP pool (double astrals, among others) so I had no problems getting PTs. I even taught some tanks the importance of enfeebles, and how much MP they save.

And then it happened, I got the refresh spell for a pricey 2000gil and my life changed for the worse. At first it was kind of cool, refresh being so powerful at low levels for mages, even if the 40mp/cast made sure I couldn't do much else. Being invited to a PT with a pld, drk, whm, blm, and myself is a 4.5 person refresh cycle. Keeping it up is a lot of non-stop work and here's where you start to snap at the slightest mention of refresh or dispel. If they dare follow it up with the letters p-l-z, you instantly want devine intervention to smite them into a smoldering pile of blackened ash. Ah, the joys of being a refresh bot...

[Gwynn]

Re: Help plz

Well I guess I'm one of those "insane" ones you mentioned, because I love Refreshing . To me, the chore of RDM isn't having to Refresh 5 people (in a Pld, Drk, Whm, Blm, Rdm party I'll always refresh Drk if he uses his MP), its trying to fit in as much Enfeebling, Curing, and MBing as possible in between Refreshes. And to me, this isn't so much a chore as just fun. I suppose it does take a certain type of person to play RDM, but please don't be the RDM who only Refreshes the BLM every 4-5 minutes... my stepbrother and my friends always complain about their RDMs because they hardly ever get Refresh. Personally, I take it as a insult to my pride if someone goes 30 sec withouth Refresh. Thats just my 2 gil tho.