Noctoshield -- worth it?

[Atma]

Leveling my SMN atm, and the Noctoshield ability has confused me since I obtained it. It sounds like a really great ability -- reducing a set amount of damage from each hit, potentially negating a significant amount of damage which cuts down on curing and prevents "oh shit" moments. But I have no idea how much damage it reduces for my level (56), and if the damage it prevents makes it worth using over Earthen Ward, or Aireal Armor for Paladins. Anyone know?

Not really asking for hard numbers btw, advice from tanks or other summoners would also be appreciated.

[Meian]

Earthen Ward 4life

Also

Play Brawl more damn it

[_chuchu]

From ffxiclopedia:

Additional Notes: it absorbs up to 13 damage @75.

And yes Earthen Ward ftw

[frodnonnag]

for a pld/war tank its maybe one of the better buffs to use, but generally not a high priority. its good for events like salvage where you are in charge of a full party with no solid tank and everyone generally takes minor damage, but earthen ward is usually better.

[Aurara]

except that you don't bring smn to salvage and that's what phalanx 2 is for >_>;

[frodnonnag]

except that you don't bring smn to salvage and that's what phalanx 2 is for >_>;

i bring smn(me) to salvage and thats one of the many things i do.


edit- owait, i usually whore out earthen ward there anyway.

[LinktheDeme]

fenrir acc bonus is really good if the moons are 50% or higher otherwise the stat bonus one is better i think. refueling is good but not mp efficient at that level. And fuck stoneskinga for 180 hp when aerial armor absorbs 3 attacks that'll do 60+ anyway. Unless you have a ninja i guess.

[Atma]

Ecliptic Growl and Howl are on the party the whole time, usually, because they're awesome. Seems the general consensus is that Earthward Ward is overall better, so I guess I'll just go with that.

[lilfoo]

If your in a TP burn setup i would keep Hastega (it has been 15% haste since they split the BP timers.) and Howl up at all times. throw a earthen ward in there every now and then to help negate dmg when people pull hate too long. Noctoshield is useless for killing things thus not worth the mp in a exp pt.

[6souls]

If your in a TP burn setup i would keep Hastega (it has been 15% haste since they split the BP timers.)

I think it is still 10% because it doesn't overwrite blu's Refueling.

[Tachi]

That means nothing. Lunar Cry/Rolling Thunder overwrites Feint/Enthunder or AA can be overwrite by a simple Blink, EW by Diamondhide (which is less powerfull) etc... Btw it's really 15% since an update.

[Tsukasaz]

I didn't bother reading the posts but it's not worth the MP in EXP parties. Just earthen ward and focus on buffing the melee with Ecliptic Howl or Growl, forgot which was better. Also: Double Slap is amazing on Lesser Colibris.

[frodnonnag]

I think it is still 10% because it doesn't overwrite blu's Refueling.

/facepalm the only reason it doesn't overwrite refueling is because it(refueling) is a 5 minute buff. hastega is 15%, just like normal haste. hastega used to be 10% a long time ago, before the split pact update.

[fantasticdan]

/facepalm the only reason it doesn't overwrite refueling is because it(refueling) is a 5 minute buff. hastega is 15%, just like normal haste. hastega used to be 10% a long time ago, before the split pact update.

Capped hastega is 15% haste for 3 minutes, exactly the same as normal white magic haste. Yet refueling overwrites hastega, and haste overwrites refueling. The haste buff priority just doesn't make sense in this point.

[Miraun]

No Wai, SE doing things ass backwards?

Anyway... Back to Noctoshield:

Usually not worth it in many situations. Some HNM situations like Odin it's worthwhile to put up a Noctoshield in addition to an Earthen Ward for damage reduction for things like over9000 needles. But for general things like XP/merit parties, you're better off saving your MP, and using an additional Cure 3 for the difference in HP that it'd make.

SMNs are in drastic need of a buff though ><

[DaGod]

Smn doesn't need a buff anymore. Cause i've retired mine anyway before dieing from boredom waiting for one xD

[Miraun]

Smn doesn't need a buff anymore. Cause i've retired mine anyway before dieing from boredom waiting for one xD

Like the new avatars we were supposed to get when ToAU was released, amirite?

[Hoshiku]

Capped hastega is 15% haste for 3 minutes, exactly the same as normal white magic haste. Yet refueling overwrites hastega, and haste overwrites refueling. The haste buff priority just doesn't make sense in this point.

I thought single target buffs overwrote aoe buffs? For instance barfira from a WHM will not overwrite a RDM's barfire regardless of how much higher the barfira is.

[Fogo]

I used noctoshield when i had a pld tank, and then threw a couple earthen wards after that, it just makes earthen ward last that much longer. Most of the time I was main healing as a smn anyways so any less damage my tank was taking was good for me. The others are right that it isn't that much damage reduction, but it is SOME, so all in all, i'd say it's totally up to you whether you want to use it or not.

[arshesney]

I thought single target buffs overwrote aoe buffs? For instance barfira from a WHM will not overwrite a RDM's barfire regardless of how much higher the barfira is.

Nice catch!, I never realized this till you made me think about it.
This rule applies for every spell I can remember of, with (not sure, I'm gonna check this when I get home) the exception of Protect and Shell.