low level redmage tips/advice please?

[Icemage]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

Moved to Red Mage Discussion

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For XP parties, at level 40+, gears that equalize your HP vs. MP total take precedence over nearly everything else. More MP from Convert means more effect you have on the party - an extra 40MP means an extra Haste you can cast every 10 minutes.

This is not to say that MND gear isn't important (it is), but there's only so much that MND will do for you, and it's one of the easiest stats to stack... Saintly Rings(+1), Justice/Promise Badge/Holy Phial, Devotee's Mitts(+1), plus wands make it very easy to get lots of +MND for stronger Silences, Paralyzes and Slows.

After that, the effect of INT is negligible (fistful of damage per nuke, miniscule effect on Blind and Gravity).


Icemage

[Karinya]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

I wouldn't assume "main healing only", but a RDM should always have /WHM available when needed. ^_^b
Nah. No matter what, you should be tossing out Dia if no one else does it. (And, make other people stop using Bio!) Paralyze and Slow, too, both help to save you from casting as many Cures. Regen is very good, especially if you are main healing.
Sounds a bit harsh, but if you're only casting Cure II, you are not being an effective main healer as RDM.

Blind, too. It doesn't display in the log when it works, but blind is so cheap that even if it only stops 1-2 hits per fight... you save a lot more MP than you spend by enfeebling, unless the fights are extremely short (which at your level they probably aren't). Poison is often worthwhile (although again, it doesn't display in the log, it's very MP efficient except in ultra-short fights). Shortening a fight with Poison - even if it's only by 1-2 attack rounds - also reduces the damage the party takes, so again, you're often saving more MP than you're spending.

Once you reach 32, you'll also need to stay on top of Dispel (this is also where you start to get a more defined role of your own - every crawler-hunting party needs a dispeller in order to not suck), and if you're subbing WHM, look for times when you can use Curaga to your advantage. It's much more MP efficient than normal cures, if several people are hurt.

Oh, and if you're main healing with /WHM then of course you have to stay on top of poisona, blindna, etc. too, if fighting monsters that cause those problems. Erase too, but only at a higher level when you actually get it. And whatever barspells are useful for the monsters you're fighting.

Then after 41 and 48 you have buffs to keep up... There will be a lot more to RDM/WHM main healing than just casting cure over and over (and that's only one of the roles available to RDM).

Don't worry that much about the specifics of gear at this point - it doesn't really have that big an impact. The first gear that *really* matters isn't until level 51. hMP gear and food is nice, though - wish it had existed when I was leveling.

[Mhurron]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

Well, yes. I'm sure you realize that I already know this. But, as I pointed out in my first post in this thread, and you just reiterated, you can swap in gear as needed.
I'm hardly advocating skimping on the MND gear. I just think it's preferable to advise being prepared for all situations (or at least as many as possible).

Not saying that you do, but a help thread is kind of useless if most things are just left unsaid because it was assumed everyone knows.

[Murphie]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

But it wasn't left unsaid at all. I mean, maybe we didn't all write a novel for an answer, but everyone has provided some answers.

[Raydeus]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

But it wasn't left unsaid at all. I mean, maybe we didn't all write a novel for an answer, but everyone has provided some answers.

Doooo it.

Write a novel about it that is.



Also, the appropiate answer to Murphie's post was something on the lines of:

I'm not sure why "Focus on MND" would be stressed over "Focus on a healthy balance of stats so that you can do all of the things that a RDM does well."

The great thing about FFXI (and RDM especially) is that if you gear yourself properly, you can focus on both.

"Because equip macros are too complicated to explain so it's easier to tell em to just focus on MND. I mean having 3 sets of gear is too complicated for a new lvl 26 RDM, and they willl NEVER EVER use equip macros before lvl 51 lolz. Just be glad they even know what MND is. o.O"


Aaaand stuff like that.

[Murphie]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

Fair enough. But I have a little bit more faith in the OP than that.

[Raydeus]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

I was being 100% sarcastic though, I also think even if the guy is gonna use mostly MND based spells and +hMP gear at that lvl they should know everything about gear swaping and INT, MND, and MP (plus melee and other situational) sets of gear as early as possible.

So, Murphie write that novel, I'd help ya but... you know I have stuff to do and all that... yeah...


/em goes back to Crunchy <.<

[Effedup]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

Again, thanks for the advice everyone. I guess I've just been torn as to how to actually "play" the job, since it's not as clear cut as say, NIN or WHM. It stems a lot from not wanting to look like a complete ass in party; even though we are a 3/6 static (and my ls is pretty forgiving when it comes to mistakes), I still want to try and excel. The first job I focused on when I started playing was MNK, and that was a lot easier for me for obvious reasons; it's kinda hard to screw up punching something and throwing out the occasional Shoulder Tackle and Combo to sc. It wasn't until recently that I started doing mage stuff in a full party (someone had to do it if we ever hoped of getting anywhere and our ls leader is already 75 whm so he was out, and the other guy in our static is still new to the game so we let him be a straight DD and occasionally backup tank while he gets a better handle on playing)

As far as stats go, I think my mnd is ok (I'm elvaan) and I always cure for the full amount (I've been switching between rdm and whm in our static depending on what we all feel like playing at that moment). I don't have access to FFXI at the moment, but as far as gear goes I've got the following (that I can remember off the top of my head):

Weapon: Longsword +1
Shield: Decurion's Shield
Head: Silver Hairpin
Neck: Justice Badge
Earrings: Energy Earring X2
Body: Beetle Harness +1
Hands: Magna Gloves
Rings: Astral Ring (borrowed from ls-mate) and Saintly Ring
Back: Cotton Cape +1
Waist: Mohbwa Sash
Legs: Beetle Subligar +1
Feet: Mages Sandles

I just dinged 27 with it last night and switched to whm for the rest of our party, so I haven't looked to see what may be available to me yet, but if anyone see's anything that might be improved upon gear-wise I'd be grateful (be reasonable, I'm pretty poor ^^). It's fortunate that at that moment I am focusing on RDM and WHM with our static, so a lot of gear can be used for both.

Let's see, outside of that I eat Melon Pies +1 usually, but with astral ring I was thinking of eating cookies instead because, while I have a good amount of MP (imho) when the shit hits the fan and I'm depleted by the end of the fight, I find that it takes me FOREVER to gain back full mp, and I'm going through yag drinks like mad to speed things up (dropping 10k a night on 'em is killing me financially).

As for how I play, pre-pull I hit myself up with an En- spell (usually Enthunder) then when the mob is in range I usually hit it with Slow, Dia, Blind, and Paralyze right off the bat, start meleeing, then either Bio or Poison (they do stack with Dia, right? No ones said anything to me in party but if I'm wasting mp PLEASE tell me). At that point I usually just ride out the fight, casting the occasional fire to mb and I throw a Banish in there towards the end to get my Light Skill up. Of course, I throw Regen at the tank(s) and puller as applicable, and throw cure's/poisona around as needed.

When I have to main heal, I'm more conservative with MP (obviously), and focus on just Regen, Cure 1-3, Poisona, and bar-spells from time to time, and I don't melee. I'll switch to my Elm Staff +1, but otherwise my gear is pretty much the same. I could probably do more as main heal, but I've been in a few fights now where I'm spent mp-wise and the mob just refuses to die, so I try to be as conservative as possible. Could be just because I've only played it to 27, and I'm assuming MP will be less of an issue as I get a little higher level. It's better for me now that it used to be in the dunes and quiffum, where I was nearly always going for broke when main healing.

Ok, so given that info, what would be some good improvements for my strategy in playing RDM? Sorry if it seems like I'm beating a dead horse with this, but people tend to be tight-lipped with criticism in our parties (not a bad thing), but I don't want to be "that guy" that's getting bitched about in ls chat.

[Icemage]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

First word of advice for RDM: Get used to being a full-time caster.

At 27, you're closing in on the hard limit at which RDM stop being anything resembling effective in melee. By level 33, you're close to worthless in the melee department (and the only reason the theoretical effectiveness extends that long is because of Centurion Sword at level 30). In any case, the damage you deal in melee becomes marginal at best.

That means sitting your rear and down and /heal when there's not a lot of action going on instead of mixing it up in melee so that you have more MP to extend a chain; even if there's a WHM available for support, having extra insurance is never a bad thing.

It also means that you should be casting Slow/Paralyze/Dia at the start of every fight (and Silence as the opening salvo, if your target is a spellcaster type).


Icemage

[Effedup]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

First word of advice for RDM: Get used to being a full-time caster.

At 27, you're closing in on the hard limit at which RDM stop being anything resembling effective in melee. By level 33, you're close to worthless in the melee department (and the only reason the theoretical effectiveness extends that long is because of Centurion Sword at level 30). In any case, the damage you deal in melee becomes marginal at best.

That means sitting your rear and down and /heal when there's not a lot of action going on instead of mixing it up in melee so that you have more MP to extend a chain; even if there's a WHM available for support, having extra insurance is never a bad thing.

It also means that you should be casting Slow/Paralyze/Dia at the start of every fight (and Silence as the opening salvo, if your target is a spellcaster type).

Ok, thank you; so here's a dumb question: what should I be casting after I run through my enfeebles? Should I go at it from a dd perspective and throw elemental spells out there, or should I just kinda hang back and do more regen and such?

[Murphie]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

I usually hit it with Slow, Dia, Blind, and Paralyze right off the bat, start meleeing, then either Bio or Poison (they do stack with Dia, right?

Bio does not stack with Dia. It overwrites it. Dia is far more beneficial to your party, so cast it, not Bio.

The higher grades overwrite each other, so Bio III > Dia III > Bio II > Dia II > Bio > Dia (where > means that the one on the left is stronger, and will overwrite the one on the left of the >).

When I have to main heal, I'm more conservative with MP (obviously), and focus on just Regen, Cure 1-3, Poisona, and bar-spells from time to time, and I don't melee. I'll switch to my Elm Staff +1, but otherwise my gear is pretty much the same.

I'd suggest ditching the Staff, and going for a Wand of the appropriate level. Wands provide you with the best stat boosts to both MND and INT, and will be your spellcasting weapon of choice until 51 when you switch to Elemental Staves.
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Ok, thank you; so here's a dumb question: what should I be casting after I run through my enfeebles? Should I go at it from a dd perspective and throw elemental spells out there, or should I just kinda hang back and do more regen and such?

Dia, Slow, Paralyze and Blind are all important. You should try and cast those every fight. By the time you're done with those spells, you'll probably have to toss out a few cures. Gravity can be useful, and I always tried to cast it regularly, but sometimes there isn't time. If you're subbing WHM and/or acting as main healer, this should be enough to keep you busy. If you're subbing BLM or not acting as main healer, you could try tossing out a few nukes, or Elemental Enfeebles (there are several threads in the BLM forums about the Elemental Enfeebles and how they work together), but that's hardly essential.

Personally, I feel that until you master your core spellcasting, you shouldn't branch out too much.

[Aksannyi]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

Ok, thank you; so here's a dumb question: what should I be casting after I run through my enfeebles? Should I go at it from a dd perspective and throw elemental spells out there, or should I just kinda hang back and do more regen and such?

You can do both, if you feel your MP is up to it. A lot is going to depend on your party setup, especially what mages you have. You might just want to hang back and wait for the MB (if there is one) and throw a nuke out that way.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

If this is to believed, for all intents and purposes, you can't have too much MND when facing exp level monsters: http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?image=slowoj8.jpg

MND will always give your Slow a little more oomph. Cast MND based spells with wand, not sword. =b

[Murphie]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

So, are people just repeating the advice of others in the thread for fun, or...?

[Mhurron]

Re: low level redmage tips/advice please?

Ya, I find it's a blast to repeat others.

the

I couldn't agree more.