RDM Guide

[ThreeFootMuse]

I've been working on a guide concerning Red Mage on and off for a few months now. It's mostly an effort in self-education, and an outlet for my personal opinions of the job. While far from complete and still subject to much revision, it is already very long. You've been warned!

I also feel that it may offer insight into one way to play the job, which has proven to work well for me from 1-75 and into endgame content. I'm often faced with players who seem ignorant of the fundamental aspects of the game, and am endeavoring to direct them to a source of information if they show any interest.

Let me know what you think!

auremirb.blogspot. com
(I've been forced to put a space before the com of the link, as this board refuses to allow me to post it normally.)

-Auremir

[BlaytentlyViolent]

Re: RDM Guide

A top notch guide for all Red Mages. A RDM not reading this guide is the rough equivalent of a Christian not reading the bible. Yes, that important.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: RDM Guide

Fast Cast speeds up the cast-time and recast timer on all spells by a percentage. Fast cast I gives 10%, II gives 5%, and III gives 5%. These percentages are specific to cast-time reduction, whereas recast timer reduction is half of the listed percent bonus.

I thought the recast time reduction effect is double of the cast time reduction effect of Fast Cast, instead of half?

Magic Attack Up increases the damage done by elemental magic attack spells and elemental weaponskills by a percentage. Magic Attack Up I gives a total damage increase of 20%, Magic Attack Up II gives a total damage increase of 24%.

That's actually Magic Attack Bonus ("Magic Atk. Bonus" in-game), not Magic Attack Up. It works for all direct damage "magic", I think, not just elemental magic. For example, it works with Ninjutsu.

Clear Mind increases the amount of MP recovered while resting by +3 per level of the trait. Natural recovery begins at +12 MP/0:10 and increases by one point every continued 0:10 seconds rest. Thus, the base MP recovery on the first 0:10 second tick with Clear Mind III would be 21 MP.

Clear Mind is slightly more complicated than that.

MP recovery at tick:
Clear Mind I: +15, +16, +17, ...
Clear Mind II: +18, +19, +20, ...
Clear Mind III: +21, +23, +25, ...

As you can see, the increase between tick jumped by 2 instead of 1 MP starting at Clear Mind III.

STR is your characters "Strength" rating, which is run against an opponents VIT score to determind base damage for melee and ranged attacks. It also has a direct impact on a players Attack and Ranged Attack values, in that every 2 points of STR = 1 Attk/Rattk.

Attack and Ranged Attack are visible statistics that are run against an opponents defence rating to determind minimum and maximum damage.

Two STR equal one attack is only true for one-handed weapons (and probably still true for ranged weapons), but not true for two-handed weapons. Not that RDM uses two-hande weapons to hit stuff, but still.

Ranged Attack isn't a visible stat, as far as I know.

INT represents your characters "Intelligence." Because most relevant magical statistics are hidden, it can be difficult to say with any certainty how a given statistic affects another. It can be generally said and accepted that INT is beneficial to all Black Magic. Further, it is generally accepted that a players INT value is run against an oponents INT value to help determine base magical damage for spells.

Should be careful and specify that is only true for INT based magical spells; the Banish series (from /WHM) are based on MND compared against MND.


* * *

Not going through the rest; this guides need to get the basics right, first. More proofreading, more fact verifications. A spelling check would help, too.

Cannot recommend this to new Red Mage players, at least not before it's revised.

[ThreeFootMuse]

Re: RDM Guide

I thought the recast time reduction effect is double of the cast time reduction effect of Fast Cast, instead of half?

I'm afraid you may have read that section incorrectly. The link you provide and what I have listed say the exact same thing, only in reverse.

That's actually Magic Attack Bonus ("Magic Atk. Bonus" in-game), not Magic Attack Up. It works for all direct damage "magic", I think, not just elemental magic. For example, it works with Ninjutsu.

The words "Bonus" and "Up" have always been used interchangeably in my experience. Ffxiclopedia lists it as such, on their RDM listing. And I believe how I described it is correct. The damage dealt from Ninjutsu is "elemental" damage.

Clear Mind is slightly more complicated than that.

MP recovery at tick:
Clear Mind I: +15, +16, +17, ...
Clear Mind II: +18, +19, +20, ...
Clear Mind III: +21, +23, +25, ...

As you can see, the increase between tick jumped by 2 instead of 1 MP starting at Clear Mind III.

You're absolutely right here. When I first tested MP recovery years ago and recorded it in a notebook, I hadn't yet gotten to level 75. I simply never changed it in my book, and it hadn't dawned on me at the time of writing. Thanks!

Two STR equal one attack is only true for one-handed weapons (and probably still true for ranged weapons), but not true for two-handed weapons. Not that RDM uses two-hande weapons to hit stuff, but still.

Ranged Attack isn't a visible stat, as far as I know.

The ranged attack bit was indeed an error. Thanks again. The two handed changes were originally included, and then I removed them, as the exact formula for two handed weapons isn't currently known. (Though it's guessed to be about .75 - .8 or so.) When I'm more certain of the specifics, I'll add it in.

Should be careful and specify that is only true for INT based magical spells; the Banish series (from /WHM) are based on MND compared against MND.

I suppose that in my mind, when I stated that "further...", the following statement relied on the previous, which said that INT was beneficial to Black Magic. I'll find a way to clarify.

Not going through the rest; this guides need to get the basics right, first. More proofreading, more fact verifications. A spelling check would help, too.

Cannot recommend this to new Red Mage players, at least not before it's revised.

Hopefully after revisions, you'll give it a second bother.

Thanks for taking the time to read what you did.

-Auremir

[Patchinko]

Re: RDM Guide

Magic Attack Bonus works on all damaging magic, not just "Elemental" magic.

Ninjutsu falls under the magic type "Ninjutsu", not "Elemental". Similarly, it affects "Dark Magic", "Divine Magic", "Blue Magic", etc.

Good luck!

[ThreeFootMuse]

Re: RDM Guide

Magic Attack Bonus works on all damaging magic, not just "Elemental" magic.

Ninjutsu falls under the magic type "Ninjutsu", not "Elemental". Similarly, it affects "Dark Magic", "Divine Magic", "Blue Magic", etc.

Good luck!

I think the confusion is rooted in word choice. Ninjutsu, Dark, Divine, Blue are categories of magic skills. I believe the damage they do are all affiliated with a specific element, regardless of their governing skill, and I was focusing on that aspect. I do concede though, and never meant to refute that the bonus is applied to any magically dealt damage.

Thanks,

-Auremir

[Patchinko]

Re: RDM Guide

I understand what you mean. Maybe you should change it to just say "magic" there instead of "elemental magic" to avoid confusion, because I was under the impression you meant the Elemental school of magic.

[hongman]

Re: RDM Guide

Hey there,

I skimmed through the guide, and whilst I applaud the effort, I wholeheartly disagree with some points.

But, I understand this is opinion only, and not stated to be 100% factual.

More over, I would like to know which fights you think have only been soloed by Tarutaru Red Mages.

[ThreeFootMuse]

Re: RDM Guide

More over, I would like to know which fights you think have only been soloed by Tarutaru Red Mages.

I appreciate you taking the time to read through some of what I've written. =)

I'm fairly certain that Seiryu has only been solo'd by Taru, though I'd be happy to be proven wrong on this. I've also never seen nor heard of non-taru soloing Ash Dragon or Hakutaku. Or, actually, Charybdis for that matter, though I think that one is probably just coincidence.

-Auremir

[hongman]

Re: RDM Guide

I appreciate you taking the time to read through some of what I've written. =)

I'm fairly certain that Seiryu has only been solo'd by Taru, though I'd be happy to be proven wrong on this. I've also never seen nor heard of non-taru soloing Ash Dragon or Hakutaku. Or, actually, Charybdis for that matter, though I think that one is probably just coincidence.

-Auremir

Well, time to rethink!

I am 99% sure a hume RDM has soloed Seiryu on my server - Bahamut. I cannot be 100% sure but I can probably find out tonight, he's a well known body. Ash Dragon has been soloed by an Elvaan RDM, as has Voloptous Vivian - linky in a sec when I can find it!

I have personally watched a hume and elvaan rdm solo Charybdis on my server.



Truth of the matter is, when you are soloing something lvl83+, no matter race or minor stat differences, these fights rely on a heavy amount of luck. The formula's used to calulate probable resists rocket on these lvl mobs, just from level difference penalties - its not a simple will resist/will not resist factor as you state in your blog.

Just one example is say, Fenrir. Spawns at lvl 80-82 according to Wiki, which is actually pretty low considering. Darksday on his 2hr, I have been 1 shotted by it, only not even be taken in yellow health the next day. Its never straight cut.

EDIT:

Cant find the other vids right now but here's Ash Dragon, same person did VV

http://files.filefront.com/Ash+Drago.../fileinfo.html

[ThreeFootMuse]

Re: RDM Guide

Hongman,

I'll admit, I've read some of your blog even before you posted here, and have been impressed. Thanks for the vid and the input!

I'd be surprised and pleased to hear of a hume defeating Seiryu. As for the ability for such races to solo specific NM's, there are many factors to consider. I'm very familiar with the luck factor, as I'm limited to only a modest cap in my enfeebling skill and have been subject to its disposition many times. =P I favor Taru's simply because where specific methods of soloing are concerned, they tend to have the statistics and HP:MP ratio more apt to be "lucky," more of the time.

However, I can remember a time when people scoffed at the very notion of many of the accepted solo's being possible by any means. I'm always excited to hear of what others have accomplished, and will be happy to change what I've written regarding the subject. When thinking on it, in any event, it seems very circumstantial anyway. Though, I do maintain that Taru's have a statistical edge here.

-Auremir

Edit: After rereading that entire section, I've found a few things that make me go "What was I thinking!?" I'll be changing it after work. =)

[hongman]

Re: RDM Guide

Edit: After rereading that entire section, I've found a few things that make me go "What was I thinking!?" I'll be changing it after work. =)

I do it alllllllll the time.

Anyways, havent been able to catch that hume I was on about. But his name is Belkin, if you type belkinator in Google you will find his LJ.