Whm/smn?

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Whm/smn?

I fail to see why SCH is horrible between 10-16. With the Light/Dark Arts, low level SCH is more efficient at tossing cures and nukes than WHM and BLM. Sure, don't have Cure II, but no party that level should only have a single healer anyway.

Leveled my SCH to 26 recently, and it's been quite fun. Being RDM75, BLM56, and WHM44, I can say Scholar compares favorably to them in many ways.

To each his own, I guess.

[Coinspinner]

Re: Whm/smn?

I fail to see why SCH is horrible between 10-16. With the Light/Dark Arts, low level SCH is more efficient at tossing cures and nukes than WHM and BLM. Sure, don't have Cure II, but no party that level should only have a single healer anyway.
Leveled my SCH to 26 recently, and it's been quite fun. Being RDM75, BLM56, and WHM44, I can say Scholar compares favorably to them in many ways.
To each his own, I guess.

It's true you generally need two healers, but before now it was typically assumed one would be a WHM or RDM, the first learning Barwatera and Cure 2 at just the right level for Dunes and learning the handy Curaga and Barfira along the way, the latter having the full set of enfeebles and decent melee. I used to groan seeing a party with no Cure 2 in dunes, having to scrape by with dual Cure 1 for an extra 3 levels sucks. Having a WHM or RDM means you are second healer, leaving you in the position to enfeeble or nuke. You have Para, or Para and Blind if you decided you didn't want Poisona. As for the nuking...

Before Fire at 16, even the tank may out damage a SCH's chain nuking. It hardly matters that you saved an MP or two per cast since you will be getting resisted more often, deal less damage per spell, and will be forced to use either Stone or Water on aquans until Fire. Or sit on your thumbs, waiting on Aero's cooldown.

Anyway, you get by, but it's not pleasant. I always felt, knew, that I could have served the party more ably as any of the other three White/Black users. That was my point; that it's a pain to play. I do not enjoy feeling gimp.

Between Cure 2 and Regen at 17/18, MAB at 20 and Wizard Earring at 30, I feel that SCH eventually becomes generally on par with other mages at specific tasks, but lacking their full utility (IE, I can sub BLM to nuke like a BLM, but I'd lack Poisona and Sleep.)

[Icemage]

Re: Whm/smn?

Coinspinner is right in that SCH is very incomplete in the early levels. My SCH job is up to 23 now, and it's only since I hit 20 that I actually feel like a competent mage. Prior to that, you nuke like a RDM, cure like a RDM, enfeeble like a WHM... just mediocre all around no matter what you sub.


Icemage

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Whm/smn?

Er, I don't now, Icemage.

Post Lv.10, with the appropriate Arts up, you'd have higher Elemental Magic skill than RDM, higher Enfeebling Magic than WHM and BLM. If you say the difference between C rating and B do not make enough of a difference at low levels, then I'd say B rating isn't far off enough from A to make a difference either--making SCH competent all around.

Fewer tools in each specialty, but more efficient with the tools you do have, and a nice collection, to boot. It's not a better job than RDM, WHM, or BLM, but it certainly is not worse, and can replace their spot in party (at least at lower level) easily enough.

Sad to hear some people didn't enjoy it, but I look forward to leveling SCH again after I get one more MP merit. =b

[Icemage]

Re: Whm/smn?

RDM is also a very incomplete job in the early levels, and SCH reminds me heavily of RDM, only worse. Even with the proper Arts up, enfeebles aren't as sticky as a RDM, nukes aren't as accurate as a BLM. Healing is still OK, but all mages heal equally competently at that level range.

There's also the issue of some enfeebles (Slow, Paralyze, Silence) which are actually worse. If you have Light Arts up, they cost a bit less, but you're stuck at D rank Enfeebling magic. If you have Dark Arts up, they cost more, but you get the B rank skill level.


Icemage

[Magoo]

Re: Whm/smn?

Not having Cure II until 16 shouldn't really be a problem - Cure IIs in that level range are so grossly inefficient and likely to pull hate that a healer shouldn't be using it anyway.

[Malacite]

Re: Whm/smn?

Having Regen in the dunes is huge since it's basically a 15(14) MP Cure III over time.

[Coinspinner]

Re: Whm/smn?

Uncapped Cure 2 is not MP efficient, sure, but it's often time efficient. Finish healing and start resting sooner and you can more than make up the MP difference. And you don't wanna be spamming Cure 1 after a big Screwdriver or other nasty special.

Sad to hear some people didn't enjoy it, but I look forward to leveling SCH again after I get one more MP merit. =b

Crap, I forgot Merits can affect lower level jobs. I might just have a go at finishing BLM and getting some merits before I continue SCH.