new to redmage

[epicdean]

hi i am new to redmage and the game for that matter so i was just woundering a few questions is it ok for a rdm to where robes and tunics also what are some of the main roles i would play in a party back up healer , tank or primary debuffer

[Icemage]

Re: new to redmage

Welcome to FFXI!

It's OK for red mages to wear any armor you like in a party. RDM isn't a tanking job so your defensive stats aren't very important.

RDM is an interesting job that changes its focus as you increase in levels. For the first 25 levels, perhaps as high as level 30 if you push things, you can deal reasonable melee damage while having spellcasting abilities to heal or hurt enemies.

Between level 25 and 40, RDM melee attacks become increasingly inaccurate and weaker relative to the enemies you'll be facing, and the job changes into a full-time spellcaster, focusing primarily on debuffs and support magic.

At level 40, RDM gains the Convert ability which allows the user to exchange their HP and MP scores once every 10 minutes. This gives you a much expanded supply of MP to use, which is important since the very next spell you can learn at level 41 is Refresh, which, more than any other spell, defines the role of the red mage after level 41. Refresh restores 3MP every 3 seconds to a target player, for a total of 150MP restored over 2.5 minutes at a cost (to the red mage) of 40MP, and is a very valuable spell in level up parties for keeping mages at the top of their performance.

Overall, the best way to approach RDM is as a support mage who can fill in the role of either offensive magic or defensive magic as needed. RDM's can heal, but usually not as well as a white mage. RDM's can nuke, but not quite as well as a black mage. But for parties that are deficient in either category, a RDM can step in and fill the void at least partially, while still providing their trademark debuffs and support magic.


Icemage

[Aeni]

Re: new to redmage

There's novel ways to melee with RDM when you get higher in levels, but like Icemage said, you become less reliant on melee in the higher levels. I mean, if the party had to decide on having the RDM to melee because they couldn't find a real melee ... you know what? I'd just invite the goddamn BST peeps!!!

[nazlfrag]

Re: new to redmage

You generally got the roles right - you are the primary debuffer, and usually backup healer though sometimes main healer. For starting gear, robes and tunics are fine. Aim for gear with +MND or +INT, and if you are elvaan or galka, +MP. Wands generally have the best bonuses here, and should be used in parties, though you will want a sword if you melee. Some good early items are the friars rope, avaliable from a quest at the San d'Orian cathedral, and saintly rings avaliable at the auction house.

[epicdean]

Re: new to redmage

thank you all for the useful tip and i think my stay in ffxi well be a good one

[aegina]

Re: new to redmage

once you get refresh, make sure to cast it on the paladin! he needs it more than anyone else in the party

[arkaine23]

Re: new to redmage

Welcome to FFXI!!

There's going to be a whole lot for you to pick up on as you begin your career as an adventurer in Vana'diel. I'll try to hit on some basics.

1) solo vs party: For the first 10 levels you'll most likely be soloing outside of your native city. Be sure to speak with the gate guard before heading out and have Signet cast on you (more on this later). When you have a monster targeted, type /c to check its strength relative to yours, before attacking it or getting to close. Avoid anything that's Tough, Very Tough, or Incredibly Tough for now. You might be duoing with you partner. This will make for quicker and safer fights, but less xp earned per battle. Still it'll be nice to get used to working as a team.

Signet has to be refreshed all the time. As you advance in rank in your home nation, its duration increases. You gain conquest points for defeating enemies while under the effect of Signet. Enemeies will also drop crystals which can be sorted into stacks and sold or used for crafting. Also, your nations cumulative conquest points determines what areas it controls and to some extent what is available thorugh its merchants and shops. Conquest points can also be used to purchase special equipment from Gate Guards, with restrictions based on your rank within the nation. It's a good idea to get to rank 3 sometime as you level through to level 25.

2) Mobility: This'll come later, but at level 20 there is a quest in the city of Jeuno that will give you a Chocobo liscense. Chocobo's run twice as fast as you do and make getting around quicker. Also, there are these bone-like towers called crags in certain zone. There are crystals on 4 sides of crags and one of these crystals is an active Telepoint. When you select this crystal and try to talk to it, you will receive a key-item. This key item will make it possible to teleport or be teleported back there. Teleportation makes for some quick travel. Boats- There are a few boats in different zones to cross seas. Mosters can spawn on the deck, so if you're low level, its safest to stay below decks. Airships- By completing your nations rank missions up through rank 5, you can get access to airships to travel between cities. There's also the Kahzham airship which you can purchase a permanent pass for or complete a quest for. (The quest is a good idea if you're just stsrting out in the game and fincially-challeneged.)

3) lvl 10: Once you reach level 10, you should travel to Valkrum Dunes. This can be a tricky journey as monsters along the way may aggro you and kill you. You'll learn what to avoid and how to sneak about pretty well. Also, if you have the money, buy your equipment sets in advance a few levels. Traveling back to town from valkrum to restock can take awhile, and you'll probably be partying there until you reach level 18-20. Because the raise spell is not learned by White Mages until level 25 it may be a good idea to set your homepoint in Valkrum Dunes, so that if you die you can respawn there instead of in your hometown.

/invite - This puts your "I want to Party" flag up for others to see. Keep if up if you are interested in getting experience points in a group.
/join - This is how you accept an invitation to a party.
/pcmd leave - This is how you leave a party.
These commands can also be found in the game menu under the Party section. you'll be learning a lot of these shortcut commands, as well as generating macros that utlize them to make the interface easier and more efficient. Don't be afraid to ask for help and advice from more experienced players.

lvl 18: Be on the lookout while in the dunes for the following items dropped by crabs, flies, and ghouls:
Crab Apron
Damselfly Worm
Magicked Skull

These items are for the subjob quest. you may only hold one of each becauase they are rare/exclusive. the quest is given in the town of Selbina, near Valkrum Dunes. It allows you to select a second job to enhance the abiliies and stats of your main job. For low level Warriors, a good subjob is generally Monk. For Red Mages, White mage or Warrior are decent dependind on if you're focusing on meleeing or spell-casting. (The best subjob choices will change as you level). Getting the skull can be hard. A higher level player can help out though to make it a snap.

Skills- You may notice you have skills for both magic and combat. You earn skillups by using the appropriate abilities/spells. Offensive things like enfeebling magic, elemental magic, weapon skill, etc are earned by taking on enemies that are at least rated Easy Prey to you. So fighting lots of very weak things will not offer you much in the way of skillup.

As a redmage you'll want to use daggers and swords, shields, and all 4 of your spell categories as much as you can to get your skills to their maximum effectiveness. Up until about level 30, red mages should be doing some of everything- fighting, nuking, healing, and efeebling. As you get into the 30's you'll find your combat skills are weaker compared to real melee's and that you need to rest constantly to get back your MP. Many choose to become a backline mage at this time, and also to switch over to the black mage subjob.

As a Warrior, you'll want to fight with axe/sheild or great axe, and maybe train up a boomerang or bow as well. A trick for Red mages- (entering your moghouse in any city refills your MP, you can level up your enhancing magic and healing magic in a city just by casting Bar-element and Cure spells on yourself, then enter you moghouse to refill MP and repeat until you cap the skills.)

level 18-20: Head to jeuno and get your chocobo license. You'll be partying very nearby to Jeuno for quite awhile from here on, so set your homepoint there. Quifim Island is next on your list of xp destinations.

level 25: You want a Khazam airship pass so you can party in the jungle.
level 30: At level 30 many new quests for advanced jobs open up for you. Without a lot of money, paladin becomes a good choice for a tank as a main job with warrior as its subjob. And if money is not such a big deal, than ninja/warrior is an excellent tank as well, just the tools necessary for it to work are costly.


With 18 jobs a dozen crafting skills, nation missions, and 3 expansions worth of missions, plus hundreds of quests, you'll hopefully never get bored. give it some time for you to learn to macro and pickup a feel for group combat and how each jobs can contribute to a party and you'll have a lot of fun and become an excellent player in no time. And by all means, read in forums about your jobs and how to play them effectively, and what to equip them with. That surely can't hurt a bit!