RDM and the WoTG My opinion changed

[WishMaster3K]

Re: RDM and the WoTG My opinion changed

Hey guys, check it out. Contrary to popular belief, MrMag is not a complete tool

Notes/Description

* Stored MP is gained when the ability is reactivated. (You can also reactivate the ability to gain the stored MP before it's fully charged)
* Your character’s HP will slowly decrease (-2HP / Tick) while storing MP and you will be unable to enter healing mode or log out while this ability is in effect. (Stoneskin will absorb damage, allowing resting or logging out.)
* The MP limit is 25% of your max HP (before applying "Converts HP -> MP gear").
* This effect persists when changing zones.
* This effect wears when entering a Mog House or Rent-a-Room, unless the ability has completed charging.
* This effect doesn't cause invisible to wear.
* Enhanced by Scholar's Mortarboard from 25% of your max HP to 33%.
* Refresh effects from food or the Red Mage spell will not take effect while the Sublimation effect is active, either charging or fully charged.

[Icemage]

Re: RDM and the WoTG My opinion changed

Hey guys, check it out. Contrary to popular belief, MrMag is not a complete tool

We know this.

A Red Mage can keep Refresh on a target player on full-time at 3MP/tick with no HP slip damage and without taking away the inability to rest.

Additionally, Sublimation (now thatI have Scholar at 35 and can test it personally) returns only 2MP/tick at best, and moreover every time you activate it to "use up your charge" there is a 30 second recharge when you can't do anything with the ability (other than do the resting that you couldn't do while it was charging). Even for SCH mains using the AF mortarboard, it's still inferior to Refresh for the most part.

Sublimation is a cool ability, but it's nowhere near a replacement for Refresh - just a situational alternative.


Icemage

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: RDM and the WoTG My opinion changed

IMO, Sublimation isn't even a good situational alternative. Depending on the fight, much rather give up a few inventory slots for emergency use items:

Hi-Ether: Cheap, but requires a bit of anticipation since it locks out spell casting for some time.
Mulsum: Expensive, but much better in a pinch than Hi-Ether.
Yagudo Drink: If it comes down to casting the last 40 MP on WHM or oneself, this lets one pick WHM--gulp this afterwards, then rest.

None of those prevents resting, and every one of them faster. While /SCH is underrated for RDM, Sublimation is not a selling point.

* * *

RDM/SCH seems best suited to very organized alliances with multiple RDMs. If Dispel and Black Magic enfeebling can be shifted away from one RDM, he can be dedicated to Refresh, Cure, and White Magic enfeebles. In that case, Light Arts becomes very attractive.

This is the party I ended up in last night while fighting Jailer of Temperance:
PLD/NIN
PLD/NIN
WHM/BLM
BRD/WHM (2-boxed by one of the PLD--obviously could not do too much)
SMN/WHM
RDM/WHM (me)

That's a up-to-five-person Refresh cycle, with fair amount of back up cures. Light Arts would have helped a lot, though that means I'd have to abandon Gravity and Poison II duties--but we did have another RDM, and I think we normally can bring two, along with a coterie of BLMs.

While the MP saving is nice, knocking off another 10% from cast time isn't to be scoffed at either--not even by "Fast Cast" RDM. Every time a PLD (whose Refresh dropped) swing by while I'm busy, is a chance I may or may not have to put Refresh back on, depending on how fast I can get the previous spell and Refresh off.

A fraction of a second here and there could be the difference between landing that Refresh and getting the dreaded out of range error message. Not having to save recast for the next swing around means I can Refresh the SMN more often, too. Between better coverage for PLD and SMN, that's a recipe for a faster and safer fight.

[WishMaster3K]

Re: RDM and the WoTG My opinion changed

I've heard that RDM/SCHs love the additional Fast Cast.

And with the SCH AF, Sublimation is near-equal to Refresh, with the exception that, of course, there is a lengthy cool-down.

The only benefit I see is that it can be utilized while silenced.

[Icemage]

Re: RDM and the WoTG My opinion changed

And with the SCH AF, Sublimation is near-equal to Refresh, with the exception that, of course, there is a lengthy cool-down.

And the HP drain... and the fact that you can't rest while it's active at all... and if you take lots of damage it turns itself off... other than that... maybe.

Sublimation is cool, but it's nowhere near as useful as Refresh even for main job Scholars.

The only benefit I see is that it can be utilized while silenced.

That's what echo drops are for.

The main benefits to RDM/SCH are Regen II, Aspir, Drain, the MP efficiency from Arts/Penury/Parsimony, and a minor boost to Elemental/Dark Magic skill. Sublimation is a neat trick but only marginally useful, and the fast cast is pretty lollerskates for a job with natural fast cast.


Icemage

[WishMaster3K]

Re: RDM and the WoTG My opinion changed

You should write a book, Icemage.

I'd totally buy it, then pirate it as a PDF and sell it for $5.