Newbie Whm questions

[Maeru]

I apologize if this was answered in another thread but i have a few specific questions regarding whm gameplay that I desire some answers to:
1. what should I sub? (My plan right now is to do whm>18 blm>37 sch>37 and whm>75) I figured that blm would last me until sch was ready and that I would make sch my main sub. please correct me if this is a bad choice. (was planning on leveling smn for a sub eventually as well. just dont know what order I should level subs in)
2. How should I cap divine magic skill? I'm relatively new to the game and as such I dont really know how to go about capping skills that I rarely use in a party. I understand that at higher levels divine is used for Repose and that I should try to keep it leveled, but I'm not really sure how to go about leveling it.
3. How should I use Regen effectively? I'm hearing amazing things about regen, but who exactly do I cast it on? O.o
4. Who do I haste? This is a while down the road but I'd like to be prepared ahead of time I was wondering who I should haste and in what priority they should get it.

I think that is it as far as my questions go. Many thanks in advance to any constructive answers. Also, if any of you know of a solid whm guide I could look over it would be greatly appreciated. I read the whm hints and tips thread and got some use out of it but I'm always interested in learning more

Maeru
Tarutaru White Mage

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

4. Who do I haste? This is a while down the road but I'd like to be prepared ahead of time

You Haste everybody the Red Mage is not Hasting; this roughly means three people. Either way, the first person to get Haste should *always always always* be the tank, whether you should haste yourself afterward has been the subject of some debate.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

2) I've been 75 for quite some time and my divine isn't capped (close but no cigar) and I'm not worried about it. Don't worry about it. Keep using it but if it isn't capped its no huge deal. Once you get flash, make use of it to help the tank. Be prepared though, you'll get some idiot tanks or others that will yell at you for using it even though you do it to help. (i.e. Ninja tanks shadows are down)

3) Regen? Oh hell thats like the heavens opening up and the light shining upon you. Regen is awesome. Your tank should be holding hate but some mobs do aoe's and someone might have a bit of dmg......REGEN! Tank is a good one and doesn't take a lot of dmg so you can rest for a bit but before you do give the tank.....REGEN! It's an awesome spell, use it.

4) Haste the tank always. That is your job as a whm. You take care of the tank, period. Never haste more than 3 people in exp. In the lower levels probably no more than 2. Haste is 40 mp every couple minutes and if you cast it on yourself thats 160 mp every couple of minutes....a lot of mp. As far as melee goes, haste 2 handed weapon users first. Samurai, dark knights, warriors with great swords or great axes, etc. are the ones that need it the most.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

1. what should I sub? (My plan right now is to do whm>18 blm>37 sch>37 and whm>75) I figured that blm would last me until sch was ready and that I would make sch my main sub. please correct me if this is a bad choice. (was planning on leveling smn for a sub eventually as well. just dont know what order I should level subs in)

BLM is perfectly acceptable as a subjob until you have SCH ready, and in some situations, you will still need BLM sub even at 75. SMN is good for some things, but SCH is far superior. You may enjoy having that extra auto-refresh at times though, so I wouldn't completely count it out.

2. How should I cap divine magic skill? I'm relatively new to the game and as such I dont really know how to go about capping skills that I rarely use in a party. I understand that at higher levels divine is used for Repose and that I should try to keep it leveled, but I'm not really sure how to go about leveling it.

When you get to the point that you can use Repose, you'll be able to participate in Besieged. Take yourself to Besieged and spam your Divine magic spells on the mobs. If you happen to level RDM at any point, you can also Chainspell Banish for quick skill ups (I did this to cap it on RDM since that job was leveled first, and then used Besieged to finish Divine on WHM). I wouldn't worry too much about skilling it in parties. You may be in a party where you have oodles of MP thanks to power levelers and extra healers, so if you feel like you want to toss a banish from time to time, go for it, but don't use it unless you've really got nothing better to do. You'll also get some mileage out of Flash when you get it, so bust that out when you can.

3. How should I use Regen effectively? I'm hearing amazing things about regen, but who exactly do I cast it on? O.o

Regen is most useful as you're leveling, and less so as you get into endgame, at least from my experiences. People's opinions on who to regen vary, but I tend to get pullers and DDs who won't be tanking for extended periods of time so I can concentrate on the tank. I also like to toss a regen to the tank if I know my haste cycle is coming up, so I don't have to worry too much about him while I'm keeping my cycle up. You'll find your own groove for regen on your own.

4. Who do I haste? This is a while down the road but I'd like to be prepared ahead of time I was wondering who I should haste and in what priority they should get it.

I personally do not haste myself, but some WHMs prefer to, that's up to you. If you do choose to haste yourself, get yourself first. After that, assuming you are the only haster (and this happens more than I'd like it to), get the tank first, followed by the rest of the DDs. Ideally, you should haste everyone in the party who is hitting the mob, though probably DNC and BLU can be dropped from that since they do have their own (less powerful) versions of haste. This is also something that you will have to get into your own groove on. I had very little trouble getting into a Refresh cycle on RDM, but getting into Haste cycles on WHM was more challenging for some reason, lol. You'll find your own rhythm as you level.

Off the top of my head I don't know of any "all inclusive" good WHM guides out there, but feel free to continue to pick our brains here. I'm a WHM main so I'm always willing to help people learn the job better.

Welcome to the forums. ^^

[Susurrus]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

For divine magic, simple. Use flash when you get it. Even if you're a bit below cap when you get it (45?), it skills up fast w/ flash, and tanks tend to love it (DESTROYS enemy accuracy).

Also, if you have the MP and people are actually using a skillchain with light (Fusion or Light most likely), Banish is actually fairly decent.

[Firewind]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

1. what should I sub? (My plan right now is to do whm>18 blm>37 sch>37 and whm>75) I figured that blm would last me until sch was ready and that I would make sch my main sub. please correct me if this is a bad choice. (was planning on leveling smn for a sub eventually as well. just dont know what order I should level subs in)

It's situational. WHM can use the following: BLM, SMN, SCH, BRD, BLU, RDM, NIN. COR but they all depend on which sitation you are using them.

Before Lv20 WHM doesn't really get many useful things from subjobs other than a bit more MP. BLU is useful after Lv16 for Cocoon to add to your survivability. BLM is generally accepted as the universal workhorse for WHM. BRD can add a few useful buffs to a Dunes party.

After 20 Consider subbing SCH for Light Arts. It knocks off 10% to the casting time, recast timers and MP cost of all White Magic spells. After 20 this is definitely the most useful sub though /BLM and /RDM are still highly useful as there are no really useful spells to a WHM that are available from a sub until about Lv50 when WHM gets Tractor from /BLM

Once you hit Lv50 SMN is a highly useful subjob. Auto-Refresh is nice but you also get Max MP Boost, a huge chunk from subbing SMN itself and the Magician's Earring adds on an extra 30MP if SMN is subbed. You also get access to Aerial Armour and Shining Ruby, two very useful and highly underrated buffs. AArmour casts blink on the whole party while Shining Ruby gives all party members +10% Defense and magic defense and it stacks with Protect and Shell. it's debatable as to how useful thses are but I've never had a party complain about me using them.

At 70+ you can get the Sublimation ability from subbing SCH. This is a highly useful ability that takes 2HP a tick from you and converts it unto a side pool of MP that you can use to recover your own at any time. This is great if there's no RDM in the party since Sublimation and Refresh do not stack.

To sum it up you will use 3 main subs when exping:

BLM: Gives you Conserve MP, Drain, Aspir, Tractor, Warp and Escape. You will be using this sub the most when simply moving around the world due to how useful Warp and Escape are. Tractor is also very useful in endgame evants as it drags a dead party member to your position. This lets you get them to a safe place so you can raise them.

SMN: Gives you a huge chunk of MP along with Max HP Bonus and +30 Mp if you equip the Magcian's Earring. Also gives you Auto Refresh but it's not as useful if you can't stack it with other forms of refresh. Oh and it gives you a number of useful party buffs such as Shining Ruby and Aerial Armour.

SCH: Access to Light Arts and Dark Arts, Strategems such as Penury (next White magic spell costs 50% less) and Celerity (next White magic spell's casting timer is halved) are both very useful abilities to have but please note that because SCH is subbed it will take 2 mintues for each charge to recharge and you only have 2 on them

The other subs I listed are not as vital as what I said and are highly situational but will be of some use at some point. Please note that you will NEVER get yelled at by a party for not having say NIN levelled as a WHM sub. You will get yelled at if you don't have BLM, SCH or SMN levelled though.

2. How should I cap divine magic skill? I'm relatively new to the game and as such I dont really know how to go about capping skills that I rarely use in a party. I understand that at higher levels divine is used for Repose and that I should try to keep it leveled, but I'm not really sure how to go about leveling it.

You cap magic skills by simply casting spells. You shouldn't worry too much about capping skills. The only Divine magic spells useful to the standard exp party are Flash and Repose so I would not let yourself get worried. Enhancing is simple to level as is Enfeebling. healing Magic to be honest doesn't need capping due to the fact that Cure 1-4 have a soft cap and Cure V usually retores more than enough MP anyway. That and Regen is usually a much more efficient way of healing.

Holy and Banish can do some nice damage as part of Light or Fusion skillchains but they are otherwise sub par damage wise without high a high Divine Magic skill or a BLM sub for Magic Attack Bonus

3. How should I use Regen effectively? I'm hearing amazing things about regen, but who exactly do I cast it on? O.o

Regen pulls hardly any hate so it's highly usefu lwhen healng pullers and DDs. It's also very useful to cast on a NIN tank. Basically cast it on anyone who needs healing but is low priority such as pullers or DDs

4. Who do I haste? This is a while down the road but I'd like to be prepared ahead of time I was wondering who I should haste and in what priority they should get it.

If you only ever want to haste one person haste the tank. Just do it no matter what people say about you not hasting them. Everyone knows that the tank having lower delay and lower spell recast time benefits the party a lot more than a DD being able to attack a little more often.

No party will object to you hasting yourself either because the healer having lower spell recast times benefits them. The general rule is to pick 3 people and only keep them hasted. The following benefit most from haste: Paladins, Ninja, Monks, Dark Knights, Dragoons, G,Axe using Warriors, Black Mages and any two handed weapon users not subbing SAM.

Samurai has access to an abilty called Hasso that gives them a haste effect. People who are /NIN, not tanking and have Dual Wield II also have reduced delay so these are all low priority no matter what they say.

Be careful when hasting a Monk or Black Mage. These guys put out insane amounts of damage and hasting them only makes that damage come faster. Please make sure that your tank can handle the extra hate they will produce.

Dark Knights, Dragoons and Warriors will have a really high delay so by all means haste them since it makes thier jobs easier.

If I remember correctly haste doesn't effect ranged attacks so you shouldn't really need to haste someone relying on ranged attacks. I can't remember if haste effects Songs and COR rolls or not so I'm not sure how important hasting a BRD or COR is. BRDS are kinda the spoiled kids of FFXI so I'm weary of inviting one that I don't know or haven't partied with before to my parties.

[Illuen]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

I apologize if this was answered in another thread but i have a few specific questions regarding whm gameplay that I desire some answers to:
1. what should I sub? (My plan right now is to do whm>18 blm>37 sch>37 and whm>75) I figured that blm would last me until sch was ready and that I would make sch my main sub. please correct me if this is a bad choice. (was planning on leveling smn for a sub eventually as well. just dont know what order I should level subs in)

You're quite on the money in terms of subs. To be honest, I've been lazy and haven't gotten around to finishing off SCH yet, and I do more than okay with just BLM. I'd just like to add NIN and RDM for your consideration. RDM has some spells subbed that can be very useful to have, if you don't have another RDM coming to a NM or certian missions. Ninja is again, a very situational subjob, but one that is very useful for skilling up your club, for times where you'll want to melee (campaign and beseiged) and for Quests/missions/BCNM where utsusemi is vital. Dancer is a possible sub, but it isn't useful enough to warrent a WHM to go out of their way to level it unless they like the job. I've also heard of using BLU, but I have absolutely no experience with it, so I don't know why or how it when to use it.

2. How should I cap divine magic skill? I'm relatively new to the game and as such I dont really know how to go about capping skills that I rarely use in a party. I understand that at higher levels divine is used for Repose and that I should try to keep it leveled, but I'm not really sure how to go about leveling it.

Again, as others have mentioned, Besieged is your friend. Repose and Flash will help you keep the skill high enough so that you can land those respective spells, but you really will want to spend time in besieged skilling them up. What I tend to do is go in there, drink your wizards drink, and spam the banish tiers and holy. By the time your MP is gone, a Megalixir is usually up, and you chug that and keep going. On a good besieged, I can get as many as four or five skill levels, if luck is with me.

3. How should I use Regen effectively? I'm hearing amazing things about regen, but who exactly do I cast it on? O.o

Others have given you good advice on Regen, and I'd listen to them, but I'd also like to add that, with a good Paladin tank, keeping regen up is often all you need to do to keep him safe. I'd also mention that, as you get higher in levels, be selective about what level of regen you are using. I've known a lot of 75 WHMs who will just throw Regen III on anyone who gets hit when a lot of times a Regen II or even I will suit the person just fine. Also, be prepared to hate people who cast Cure spells over Regen ^^

4. Who do I haste? This is a while down the road but I'd like to be prepared ahead of time I was wondering who I should haste and in what priority they should get it.

Once again, others have given great advice, I just wanna add a bit. If you get into a situation where you are the only Haste (which gets more common as you increase in levels, I found) it gets very hard to be selective about who you're hasting. Personally, I never haste myself, but if you do, I'd suggest that to be the first haste you cut out. Corsairs and Rangers, if you're hasting them, can also be cut out with out too much issue. Blue Mage is another one, because of Refueling, although I've sometimes met Blue Mages who prefer to be in charge of their own haste, which suits me just fine.

I'd say you're already doing very well on the path to being a White Mage, simply by knowing that these are questions that bear some thought. I wish you the best of luck continuing down the path.

[Ellipses]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

1. BLM then SCH is just fine. By the time you have those leveled, and get WHM up further as well, you'll know enough about the game to consider other subs and understand why you might want them.
2. Don't worry too much about it. You can raise it on Easy Prey in your spare time to keep it a few levels behind. You can do Beseiged and/or go after Campaign Fortifications without tags (dangerous, and no other reward for it, but a lot more frequent than Beseiged). Flash and Repose when you get them. If you can convince your parties to do a Fusion skillchain, you can even Banish for not-entirely-worthless damage (as long as you keep up with your other duties and have extra MP for it).
3. Kind of depends on the rest of the party. Ideally, I'd have it on the tank and the puller, and use it on anybody else who gets hit for roughly the amount of HP that that level of Regen will cure. That should leave me casting Cures on just the tank, and occasionally someone else. Realistically, I'd Regen the tank, and not bother with anyone else, because it's just going to be cured over by someone else anyway.
4. The tank. Then whoever else you have time and MP for without neglecting more important stuff.

[Maeru]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

Thanks guys. this has been incredibly useful for me

[Aksannyi]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

Corsairs and Rangers, if you're hasting them, can also be cut out with out too much issue

Actually, don't bother hasting them at all. Haste has no effect on ranged attack delay, so the only time hasting them would do any good is if they're actually meleeing the mob.

[Callisto]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

Yeah, RNGs will almost never need Haste, but you have to watch the CORs. If they're swinging for TP Haste them, if they are shooting for it don't. Aksannyi summed things up pretty well...though I would on your spare time try to keep that Divine capped, it's not as important early on, but it becomes a big deal when you get Repose, which is actually a very valuable spell when you can land it reliably, as it is the only form of long duration(90 seconds) sleep that you can land on things like Hecteyes, Skeletons, and other Dark-resistant mobs.

Also just a note for when you get there, be careful with Cure IV. The amount of hate gained per HP restored is a bit higher on that spell than your other options, unless you really need to try to stick with Regens and Cure IIIs/Vs.

[Losrase]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

I dont know if a 1 month old thread is a necro but if it is, I am sorry. I do not think the following question is worth creating a new thread for. This thread seem like a good thread to ask a newbie question about WHM.

I been seeing a lot of people say that casting flash is a great way to level divine magic. My question is how often would you cast the spell? Once a fight? Twice a fight? Whenever able to cast the spell?

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

My question is how often would you cast the spell?

I had wondered that myself, but the answer is apparently:

Not

Once a fight

Not

Twice a fight

But

Whenever able to cast the spell

Is the correct answer. Apparently, tanks really, really like it when you Flash the mob, and would prefer the only time you are not Flashing the mob to be right after they have just Flashed the mob.

[Firewind]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

When I usually cast it

1) When a blink tank's shadows are down
2) When the PLD is about to die and me curebombing will do nothing to help the situation (Read: Paladin = Red, Me = out of MP, Mob = Lots of HP)
3) When I can see a highly damaging multi hit physical TP move coming up
4) When a blink tank's shadows are down
5) When I want to show why I dislike BRD tanks when there is a RDM or BLU in the party
6) When a blink tank's shadows are down
7) When the RDM is kiting an NM and their attempts at rebuffing keep getting interrupted
8) When a blink tank's shadows are down
9) If I have NIN subbed for whatever reason and I feel like showing off by WHM tanking
10) When a blink tank's shadows are down
11) ???
12) Profit
13) When a blink tank's shadows are down

Whenever able to cast the spell

Doing this when anything other than you or a PLD is taking will result in you finding out how the current terrain tastes very frequently. I wouldn't suggest you spam the spell and instead go a bit easy.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Newbie Whm questions

Apparently, tanks really, really like it when you Flash the mob,

Maybe on your server. I have been bitched out so many times for flashing mobs its not funny. I remember one time I had a nin tank and I flashed the mob when I saw him take dmg. He yelled at me. He's the tank and I'm trying to steal hate. If I want to tank he'll stop provoking. So, at one point, he was getting his butt pounded and I didn't flash and he died. Then he bitched me out for not flashing.

I've found that nin's don't mind if you flash when they are getting hit.....most of them at least. But they don't want you doing it willy nilly. Paladins are a tad more understanding but they HATE it if you beat them to flashing.......like you can read minds and know when they are going to use theirs or not. I've still gotten told off by plenty of plds that I shouldn't be flashing. The tanks got me to the point that I rarely bother. I don't even have it macro'd anymore. I use Banish 1 to work up my divine.