Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

[Malacite]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

np ^^

Also, in my experience Crimson Howl only lasted for 20 seconds, not 30 but I could be wrong. Either way it's a waste of MP unless you're about to skillchain I find.

[Gobo]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

Still there are 2 different types of Warcry. One that produces a decent amount of enmity and one that doesn't.

[Armando]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

That's a variable of the move itself, it's not that there's two kinds of Warcry. S-E can make a move's enmity whatever they want. They could make twelve different JAs that each give you Warcry with the exact same Attack buff, yet have different enmity ratings. Ifrit's doesn't necessarily have to be like the WAR JA or like beastmen version, because there aren't really specific versions, just a bunch of variables.

[Karinya]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

It's interesting that THFs reported monster Warcry is stronger than player (I assume through Aura Steal, why else would it be THFs reporting it). It certainly supports the idea that monster Warcry is worth dispelling.

Anyway: some BP's I would say are "not useful" are:
Megalith Throw (almost always misses or hits for very low damage)
Rolling Thunder (additional effect does very low damage no matter how high your level and summoning magic skill are)
Frost Armor (ditto)
Lightning Armor (ditto)
Glittering Ruby (too random; may affect stats you don't care about; even if you're lucky the effect is rather small)
Ultimate Terror (ditto)
Whispering Wind (very MP inefficient; Curagas are almost always better if you're /WHM, until well after you have Spring Water)

several of which are clearly bugged, although they've been unfixed for years. For Glittering Ruby and Ultimate Terror it's just impossible to predict whether they will affect a stat you care about, and even when they do, the effect isn't that big.

Increasing buff duration for merited summoners with +skill gear is nice, I guess, but summoners still leveling up needed the boost just as much if not more, and they didn't get it. Too much of the last few years' improvement of the job was aimed exclusively at the endgame SMN and not enough for the leveling SMN, I think.

[Gobo]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

That's a variable of the move itself, it's not that there's two kinds of Warcry. S-E can make a move's enmity whatever they want. They could make twelve different JAs that each give you Warcry with the exact same Attack buff, yet have different enmity ratings. Ifrit's doesn't necessarily have to be like the WAR JA or like beastmen version, because there aren't really specific versions, just a bunch of variables.

Ok, I see you point. I'm more curious now as to why they decided to give Ifrit a more powerful warcry. Its more "usable" than before, but when it was released, and the BPs we're split, it was really impractical.

[Feenicks]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

I really don't know why people rip on Megalith Throw, it nearly always lands for me for full damage ... it's quite nice as well, about 270 damage at Lv40.

[Karinya]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

Really? When was it fixed? When I was leveling SMN I tried it when I got it, and got miss, miss, miss, 9 damage; whispered a SMN friend who told me that it had been bugged for years.

[WishMaster3K]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

SMN Bloodpacts have their places..

Frost Armor is "ok" at best. In the pt I was in last night, we weren't starving for MP (PLD SAM SAM COR SMN SMM), and Frost Armor was a decent paralyzing factor. Rolling thunder didn't add enough damage to really matter though, but I saw some interesting things from the SMNs yesterday

[Eiyoko]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

I always like using Frost Armor for defense tanks. As for Crimson Howl, I never liked it - it was a waste of MP in my eyes and I hardly ever used it, personally @.@ I always prefer Spring Water over Whispering Wind, but the latter comes at a lower level, so people must automatically think that that makes it a lower MP cost.

Some people also must think Garuda looks better using an aoe healing move...yes, there are people like that...oh well.

As for Rolling Thunder, I like to put it on a monk who uses his 2-hour just for laughs.

Megalith throw hates me. Then again, Titan himself hates me. His only blood pact that ever cooperates with me is Earthen Ward ; ; Everything else never wants to hit.

I'd like to point out that Carbuncle's Healing Ruby is VERY MP-efficient, especially at high levels.

[Feenicks]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

Really? When was it fixed? When I was leveling SMN I tried it when I got it, and got miss, miss, miss, 9 damage; whispered a SMN friend who told me that it had been bugged for years.

Don't know when it was fixed but it works very nicely for me, it's more or less my main damage bloodpact (currently Lv48) outside of Tail Slap. Maybe I'm just lucky.

[Armando]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

By the way, Lmnop told me that he heard Rolling Thunder's Enthunder damage is based off of the receiver's Enhancing Magic (i.e. a PLD with capped enhancing magic would actually do damage with it.) Can anyone shed some light on that?

[Malacite]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

That doesn't make a lick of sense.

[Armando]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

It would explain why it's usually so weak though.

[Rain_Blade]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

I agree with Malacite. Rolling Thunder pretty much is only effective against monsters weak to thunder which is the only time I use it. I wonder if Suiton + Rolling Thunder will be effective for monsters that aren't weak to thunder.

[Armando]

Re: Bloodpacts, which are usefull and which aren't?

Suiton wouldn't make it hit harder, just get resisted less.