BLM, INT vs. MAB

[Lahan]

I am messing around with head, body, hands, legs, feet.
Cranking my INT vs. Magic attack bonus.
It is 32 INT vs. 14 magic attack bonus.
I am using the same staff for each cast.
I am using the same rings, earrings, belt, cape, neck, grip, and ranged.
when I got to the higher level stuff I did "check" to get two that
checked the same.


I went outside sandy.

grabed a few wild rabbits
weak to thunder so thund 4
int = 1279
mab = 1293 WIN

grabed a few pugil
weak to thunder so thund 4
int = 1279 WIN
mab = 1293

grabed a few tunnel worms
weak to wind but ill use thunder so thund 4
int = 1264
mab = 1276 WIN


I went to dem.
I am going to grab low level mo 2 at a time same mob type.

grabed two strolling sapplings
weak to fire but ill use thund 4
int = 1266
mab = 1282 WIN

grabed two huge wasps.
weak to ice so bliz 4
int = 1222 WIN
mab = 1106

grabe twp mist lizards
weak to ice so bliz 4
int = 1222
mab = 1230 WIN

grabed a few mad sheep
weak to thund so thund 4
int = 1264
mab = 1276 WIN


I went outside Rabao.

I used a Cactuar.
they are weak to ice.
int bliz 4 = 1141 WIN
mab bliz 4 = 1139

I tried a desert spider.
they are weak to ice.
int bliz 4 = 1141 WIN
mab bliz 4 = 1139

I tried a desert dhalmel.
they are weak to thunder.
int thun 4 = 1059
mab thun 4 = 1182 WIN (wth)

I tried a Tulwar Scorpion.
they are weak to ice.
int bliz 4 = 1118 WIN
mab bliz 4 = 1114

I tried an Antican Retiarius.
they are weak to wind.
int aero 4 = 877 WIN
mab aero 4 = 864
an Antican Essedarius linked so I tried.
thunder 4
int = 1168
mab = 1171 WIN

I tried a desert beetle.
they are weak to ice.
int bliz 4 = 1151 WIN
mab bliz 4 = 1150

I tried a Desert Manticore.
weak to water but ill use thunder
int thund 4 = 1125 WIN
mab thund 4 = 1124

went into kuftal got a crab.
weak to ice and light so ill do two.
int bliz 4 = 1111 WIN
mab bliz 4 = 1108
int thun 4 = 1152
mab thun 4 = 1152 (HUH?)
(I tred a third after that)
int thun 4 = 1152
mab thun 4 = 1152 (wierd)

So what do you guys think. I am going to go try a few qiqirn now as I hit enter on this...

[Suiram]

It's not clear what you're trying to ascertain here with your post. How INT and MAB affect magic damage is already well understood, so maybe if you said what it was that you were looking to find, someone could explain it and maybe save you some time?

One thing I'll point out is that you mention mob family weaknesses (spiders weak to ice for instance). While some mobs do take a damage cut from certain elements, the ones you listed were decreased resistances, which only affect the likelihood that you'll get a 1/2, 1/4 or 1/8 resist. That decreased resistance, while somewhat useful when levelling up or when fighting certain NMs, has a negligible effect on a 75BLM's resist rate for most things, and in either case has no bearing on the question of INT vs. MAB for maximum unresisted damage which you seem to be most interested in.

[Lahan]

I wanna know what is better to stack sorry I was unclear.
It just confused me when INT wins sometimes and MAB wins on others.

[Suiram]

There's no hard-and-fast rule, since it depends to a certain extent how much INT you already have, how much MAB you already have, how much INT the thing you're fighting has, and which spell you are using.

Rather than go into an explanation of how they interact, maybe you have a specific question in mind? A lot of the choices for BLM are clear-cut. Staff you always want elemental staff; Grip, Ammo, Belt don't really have any reasonable MAB options, MAB+10 from sorc ring always beats INT+5 from INT ring, etc. Some other questions vary from BLM to BLM, mob to mob (the standard here is AF1+1 hat vs. Yigit), where even if you found that one was best on a wild rabbit, it may not be best on Ebony Pudding, etc. For those your best bet is to try one or the other in neutral conditions, and see which wins, or when the difference is so small go with the one that has other beneficial statuses on it, like skill/macc, conserve MP, or whatever.

[SephYuyX]

Youll rarely hit resists on anything non HNM + some tougher pop/normal NMs and such.

My little rule is if it's Impossbile to Gauge I use my resist set which is INT and Skill, then MAB ( see Kanican - Scholar Guide (Part IV) ), and if it's not IG, then I go full MAB, then INT.

INT helps with both resists and damage, MAB is damage only.

[Lahan]

I have all the level 68 cobra stuff the mab + and conserve mp and a igira weskil now.

but I am trying now demon helm +1 errant body hands and pants, and 3 int boots
if int ends up winning ill go for rosturm or how ever you spell them

also here is this I was trying on higher level stuff.

Qiqirn Archaeologist

I just used thunder 4 for all of these.

1st mob
int
1102
990
mab
1099
1099

2nd mob
int
1096
1096
mab
981
1091

3rd mob
int
1102
1102
mab
1099
1099

4th mob
int
1096
1096
mab
1091
1091

5th mob
int
550
990
990
mab
1099
1099

6th mob
int
1096
1096
mab
1091
1091

7th mob
int
1102
1102
mab
1099
1099

int was winning rally well until that 4th one then just barley and I dont know what was up with the 5th

[Lahan]

INT helps with both resists and damage, MAB is damage only.

THAT there. I may just live with a little less overall dmg to lower my resists...

thanks

[Panthera]

If it's resists you're worrying about, ele skill is what you want, not MAB or INT gear. This especially applies when you're fighting mobs way over your level; HNMs, etc.

[Julian]

Ele gear is overrated, stack on the INT!

[Lahan]

I am 1/2 done with capping eley skill merits I am going to take those to 8.
I have not been using food in the tests but I use cream puffs.

[Valkrish]

Ele gear is overrated, stack on the INT!

Aye sir, this is affirmative.

[nivlakian]

One thing to note about some of the numbers you've provided is that it appears you are not accounting for day of the week causing one case to do a large amount more or less than the other.

[Hosom]

One thing to note about some of the numbers you've provided is that it appears you are not accounting for day of the week causing one case to do a large amount more or less than the other.

This. You have to keep in mind both weather and the day have a very big impact on how hard your nukes will hit for (especially if you're using Obis).

[Lahan]

That day thing i did not think about there was no weather.
what exactly does the day do to the nukes?
will it gimp out what the day is strong to?

[Seanr]

Yes

[Pendulum]

Calculating Magic Damage - FFXIclopedia, the Final Fantasy XI wiki - Characters, items, jobs, and more is a very handy starting point.

[Virtuous Saint]

Ele gear is overrated, stack on the INT!

Ya, no... read about the testing that was done. Elemental Magic will always be equal or better than INT. There is a point at which you stacking INT over Elemental would make your acc decrease considerably.

[cdgreg]

bookmarked this today, not sure how accurate it is yet since I haven't tested

FF XI - Magic Damage Calculator

This sadness of this thread makes me miss genuine research that used to be updated on kaeko's LJ

[Pendulum]

It's quite good because the guy who made it got some help from people in the know here

http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/64726...alculator.html

[SephYuyX]

1 INT = .75 MACC/Skill (.75 is an average it is 1 or .5 depending on INT difference)
2 INT = 1 MAB
1 MACC = 1 Skill
1 Skill = 1 MACC (.9)
3-4% Magic Critical Hit is the same as 1 INT worth of DMG.
Other calcs: Calculating Magic Damage - FFXIclopedia, the Final Fantasy XI wiki - Characters, items, jobs, and more