Burgeoning WHM/NIN gear questions

[Akairyu]

Getting properly geared on WHM/NIN has been a longstanding interest of mine but a combination of a former linkshell that actively discouraged WHM melee for anything at all, and my need to get some decent gear for my newly leveled BLM has been keeping me from doing so until now. I've already looked over this thread:

http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/ffxi-...ndom-crap.html

to get some idea of where to go. I'm also pretty terribad at making gil so what I think i need most is some opinions on what would be a good order of upgrades to make to my melee gear set.

TP Set:
Ammo: Smart Grenade
Head: Walahra Turban (OHat if having accuracy issues)
Neck: Beak Necklace (nothing useful here yet)
Ears: Suppanomimi/Insomnia (nothing useful to replace insomnia with)
Body: Reverend Mail
Hands: Blessed Mitts
Rings: Tamas/Jaeger (nothing better for the Tamas slot yet)
Back: Blue Cape (nothing better, broken record etc.)
Waist: Life Belt
Legs: Blessed Trousers
Feet: Blessed Pumps

Hexa Strike Set:
Ammo: Smart Grenade
Head: OHat
Neck: Ajari Necklace (6 MND)
Ears: Geist x2 (1 MND each)
Body: Reverend Mail
Hands: Healer's Mitts
Rings: Tamas/Jaeger
Back: Rainbow Cape (3 MND)
Waist: Life Belt
Legs Blessed Trousers
Feet: Cleric's Duckbills (5 MND)

As far as R/E upgrades go I'm working on ABC's to replace the Insomnia Earring with Brutal for TP as well as one of the Geist Earring for Hexa, as well as waiting for Temenos WHM item for Healer's Mitts +1. Also waiting for Nyzul floor 80 bosses to drop some Goliard and for the Swift Belt NMs to stop being stingy and drop some belts. Not a whole lot I can do there but wait...

So for AHable upgrades I'm looking at getting a Chiv chain for TP (and Hexa until I finish farming organs for a gorget), Bellicose Mantle for TP/WS backpiece, Woodsman or Snipers to replace the rings and my RSE2 feet (I'm a taru) for Hexa. Tabin Jupon and Potent Belt for Hexa as well

I realize all of this is subpar by many people's standards since it's all NQ gear but that's what is within my ability to get for now and I'd rather get a working set together then upgrade it from there. Which upgrades would be most cost effective and have the best return? And is there anything I missed that would be good to think about as well? Any advice would be great.

[FailureMidgard]

Getting properly geared on WHM/NIN has been a longstanding interest of mine but a combination of a former linkshell that actively discouraged WHM melee for anything at all, and my need to get some decent gear for my newly leveled BLM has been keeping me from doing so until now. I've already looked over this thread:

http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/ffxi-...ndom-crap.html

to get some idea of where to go. I'm also pretty terribad at making gil so what I think i need most is some opinions on what would be a good order of upgrades to make to my melee gear set.

TP Set:
Ammo: Smart Grenade
Head: Walahra Turban (OHat if having accuracy issues)
Neck: Beak Necklace (nothing useful here yet)
Ears: Suppanomimi/Insomnia (nothing useful to replace insomnia with)
Body: Reverend Mail
Hands: Blessed Mitts
Rings: Tamas/Jaeger (nothing better for the Tamas slot yet)
Back: Blue Cape (nothing better, broken record etc.)
Waist: Life Belt
Legs: Blessed Trousers
Feet: Blessed Pumps

Hexa Strike Set:
Ammo: Smart Grenade
Head: OHat
Neck: Ajari Necklace (6 MND)
Ears: Geist x2 (1 MND each)
Body: Reverend Mail
Hands: Healer's Mitts
Rings: Tamas/Jaeger
Back: Rainbow Cape (3 MND)
Waist: Life Belt
Legs Blessed Trousers
Feet: Cleric's Duckbills (5 MND)

As far as R/E upgrades go I'm working on ABC's to replace the Insomnia Earring with Brutal for TP as well as one of the Geist Earring for Hexa, as well as waiting for Temenos WHM item for Healer's Mitts +1. Also waiting for Nyzul floor 80 bosses to drop some Goliard and for the Swift Belt NMs to stop being stingy and drop some belts. Not a whole lot I can do there but wait...

So for AHable upgrades I'm looking at getting a Chiv chain for TP (and Hexa until I finish farming organs for a gorget), Bellicose Mantle for TP/WS backpiece, Woodsman or Snipers to replace the rings and my RSE2 feet (I'm a taru) for Hexa. Tabin Jupon and Potent Belt for Hexa as well

I realize all of this is subpar by many people's standards since it's all NQ gear but that's what is within my ability to get for now and I'd rather get a working set together then upgrade it from there. Which upgrades would be most cost effective and have the best return? And is there anything I missed that would be good to think about as well? Any advice would be great.

Diabolos's Earring is a cheap decent Hexa earring (to replace Suppa) if you can't afford a 2 str earring.
Royal Army Mantle is a better Hexa piece than Bellicose.
Tiphia Sting is better than Smart Grenade.
Sea Gorget for Hexa is gonna be way better than your MND neck also.

That's just a few things you didn't mention, off the top of my head...there's more though, obviously.

[Akairyu]

Diabolos' Earring huh? I hadn't considered that. I was thinking of either an Acc or Att earring until Brutal comes along, possibly Spike unless I can get enough for a Merman's.

I think I mentioned working on gorget for Hexa... might've forgot that though. Already got Light/Dark/Ice/Thunder Obis for WHM and BLM so Light or Fire Gorget for Hexa is next on my list.

Also while I'm on the subject: Morgenstern/Perdu seems to be generally accepted as the best option short of Mjollnir/Kraken, but I've got a ways to go for Assault ranks to get Perdu and saving all my tags for Nyzul isn't exactly helping that move along quickly. I'm currently gimping it with Darksteel Maul/Templar Mace when I'm not doing Werebuster/Maul or Mace to work on Mystic Boon. What are some decent options for clubs that don't involve me camping those horrible pirate NMs? In 20+ camping sessions I've only ever seen one of them once ~_~;

[Neyaa]

TP Set:
Ammo: Smart Grenade
Head: Walahra Turban (OHat if having accuracy issues)
Neck: Beak Necklace (nothing useful here yet)
Ears: Suppanomimi/Insomnia (nothing useful to replace insomnia with)
Body: Reverend Mail
Hands: Blessed Mitts
Rings: Tamas/Jaeger (nothing better for the Tamas slot yet)
Back: Blue Cape (nothing better, broken record etc.)
Waist: Life Belt
Legs: Blessed Trousers
Feet: Blessed Pumps

Don't forget spectacles for neck slot, with the 7 acc from those you can get by using the Walahra Turban.

[yvan]

Purgatory Mace and Deae Gratia make a great combo

[Izzy]

Being able to melee on your WHM is really really dependent on gear. That being said, I'm going to nitpick your shit:

TP Set:
Ammo: Smart Grenade <---------Tiphia Sting, you need accuracy
Head: Walahra Turban (OHat if having accuracy issues)
Neck: Beak Necklace (nothing useful here yet) <------ Get a prudence torque, it's free. If you can't get that, get a chiv chain.
Ears: Suppanomimi/Insomnia (nothing useful to replace insomnia with) <------ Do limbus, get brutal.
Body: Reverend Mail
Hands: Blessed Mitts
Rings: Tamas/Jaeger (nothing better for the Tamas slot yet) <------ At least get yourself a snipers. The jager ring makes me also, but at least it's the right stat
Back: Blue Cape (nothing better, broken record etc.) <-----Bellicose mantles aren't that expensive
Waist: Life Belt <-------Swift belts are free
Legs: Blessed Trousers
Feet: Blessed Pumps

Hexa Strike Set:
Ammo: Smart Grenade <---------Tiphia Sting, you need accuracy
Head: OHat
Neck: Ajari Necklace (6 MND) <------Wear a chiv chain. Mods are shit on a 6hit WS
Ears: Geist x2 (1 MND each) <-------Brutal/Mermans
Body: Reverend Mail
Hands: Healer's Mitts <-----Try to upgrade these, it's like free stats
Rings: Tamas/Jaeger <-----Same as above
Back: Rainbow Cape (3 MND) <-------Bellicose Mantle should outperform the Rainbow Cape
Waist: Life Belt
Legs Blessed Trousers
Feet: Cleric's Duckbills (5 MND) <-----Wear taru RSE

As far as R/E upgrades go I'm working on ABC's to replace the Insomnia Earring with Brutal for TP as well as one of the Geist Earring for Hexa, as well as waiting for Temenos WHM item for Healer's Mitts +1. Also waiting for Nyzul floor 80 bosses to drop some Goliard and for the Swift Belt NMs to stop being stingy and drop some belts. Not a whole lot I can do there but wait...

So for AHable upgrades I'm looking at getting a Chiv chain for TP (and Hexa until I finish farming organs for a gorget), Bellicose Mantle for TP/WS backpiece, Woodsman or Snipers to replace the rings and my RSE2 feet (I'm a taru) for Hexa. Tabin Jupon and Potent Belt for Hexa as well

I realize all of this is subpar by many people's standards since it's all NQ gear but that's what is within my ability to get for now and I'd rather get a working set together then upgrade it from there. Which upgrades would be most cost effective and have the best return? And is there anything I missed that would be good to think about as well? Any advice would be great.

It's not the NQ gear that's going to kill you...it's the gear slots that contribute nothing to what you're trying to do.

[Neosutra]

Actually Izzy:

Use sea gorget for WS. You get more acc accross all hits and a nice boost to your damage.

[FailureMidgard]

Really, I dunno why people keep saying Bellicose mantle. Royal Army is way better, and pretty cheap/easy to get (unless I'm the only one sitting on tons of CQ pts and nothing to use em on).

But yea, mnd is not the strongest stat for Hexa (really good for mystic boon though), but str being a mod + fSTR, is still very strong.

[Neosutra]

Could probably add the most important piece of melee gear:

A melee job. I LOVED smn melee until I lvled a few melee jobs.

/waits for the wrath of izzy.

[Ultimagi]

Deae Gratia, Mistilteinn, Prudence Rod, or Purgatory Mace
Genbu's Shield
Tiphia Sting, or Virtue Stones
Optical Hat
Prudence Torque
Brutal Earring
Diabolos' Earring
Cleric's Briault or Noble's Tunic
Goliard Cuffs
Blood Ring or Sniper's Ring +1
Rajas Ring
Bellicose Mantle
Life Belt
Goliard Trews
Healer's Duckbills +1 or Karasutengu Kogake

If you're fighting stuff with lower evasion, use Haste instead of Accuracy where you'll get the best trade off. Reverend Mail isn't worth losing Auto Refresh over. Lose the Dual Wield crutch and level something more useful, like Dancer, Dragoon, or even Blue Mage.

[Akairyu]

I think I mentioned a good chunk of that below where I was noting the upgrades I was looking into.

Brutal's in the works, had a longish hiatus on Limbus after my old LS broke and my current one is just starting up sea events but I'm up to 16? I think coins atm and except for Healer's Mitts +1 once the damn Temenos item drops that's what I'm saving for. Also haven't had a chance at Prudence Torque yet since I was never present for any of my former LS's kills of JoP.

Also Izzy, what's your opinion on Woodsman vs Snipers? They've got the same amount of Accuracy on them so it comes down to -eva or -def. Obviously Sniper's +1 would be ideal but I'm not working for ideal yet ~_~;

Swift Belt's free but non-dropping NMs are a bitch. Still working on it though...

[Ultimagi]

Obviously Sniper's +1 would be ideal

Toreador's Ring. I revoke my suggestion of Sniper's +1.

[Kriz]

I concur with Izzy's setup. Remember as we noted in the other thread there really isn't much you can look into gearwise. The only two pieces I can think of that have yet to be brought up are Prince Slops (3MND, 4Acc) and Tabin Jupon. Both cases are WS gear and not TP gear. You are taru, so RSE2 feet are great, but if you don't care for the expensive goliard feet are great too.

Here are my setups for melee.
WHM/NIN TP
WHM/NIN Hexa WS
Mystic Boon

Edit: Also Potent belt if you feel you can survive the loss of 2acc

[FailureMidgard]

I agree with Neo...I like whm/nin...but now, I see no reason to ever use it with sam/dnc and nin/dnc available.

As for snipers vs woodsmans...I'd say snipers...you want every bit of evasion you can get for casting with shadows/stoneskin down with Flash up.

[Akairyu]

I agree with Neo...I like whm/nin...but now, I see no reason to ever use it with sam/dnc and nin/dnc available.

As for snipers vs woodsmans...I'd say snipers...you want every bit of evasion you can get for casting with shadows/stoneskin down with Flash up.

Fair points about evasion for Flash rebuffing, Sniper's it is (unless I can somehow manage to get my hands on Toreador).

I'd also like to point out that my highest melee job is DRG at 39 and while I might eventually level it higher, I'd rather gear WHM/NIN because... well... I like it. I'm not looking to top any parses or anything, I just want to be able to do well with what I have.

And because exping is a drag >.>;

[FailureMidgard]

Fair points about evasion for Flash rebuffing, Sniper's it is (unless I can somehow manage to get my hands on Toreador).

I'd also like to point out that my highest melee job is DRG at 39 and while I might eventually level it higher, I'd rather gear WHM/NIN because... well... I like it. I'm not looking to top any parses or anything, I just want to be able to do well with what I have.

And because exping is a drag >.>;

Yea, that's how I was, I was happy just being able to solo farm some sea organs for gorgets, or whatever AF fights for my other jobs...and well, not I just can't bring myself to use it for anything because it's so inferior. :/

And, I'm gonna repeat myself again, because people keep saying and linking Bellicose Mantle...it really is inferior to Royal Army Mantle.

[Kriz]

And, I'm gonna repeat myself again, because people keep saying and linking Bellicose Mantle...it really is inferior to Royal Army Mantle.

I prefer Bellicose for TP, Royal Army for WS. I think that's good. I fully expect an alljobs backpiece with accuracy on it or something that will be better within the next year, though.

[Akairyu]

While I did manage to complete all the nation missions, the only nation I have any CP at all in is Bastok, my home nation... Maybe at some point I'll switch to Sandoria for a while to get CP for the Royal Army Mantle but for the time being, Bellicose seems to be my best option.

If i can do it nice and readable I'll edit my OP with a Current -> Realistic upgrade -> Ideal Upgrade table kinda thing to help keep things organized.

@ Kriz: I like your Mystic Boon setup. I've been playing around with something similar from my current gear selection for Black Halo while working on WS points for Mystic Boon myself (been duoing crabs in Kuftal with my girlfriend on her DRG for some easy WS points and to level our NPCs and Wheeling Thrust -> Black Halo's the best skillchain we have).

[Ultimagi]

Can't you buy other nation's items at the consulate for double points?

[FailureMidgard]

While I did manage to complete all the nation missions, the only nation I have any CP at all in is Bastok, my home nation... Maybe at some point I'll switch to Sandoria for a while to get CP for the Royal Army Mantle but for the time being, Bellicose seems to be my best option.

If i can do it nice and readable I'll edit my OP with a Current -> Realistic upgrade -> Ideal Upgrade table kinda thing to help keep things organized.

@ Kriz: I like your Mystic Boon setup. I've been playing around with something similar from my current gear selection for Black Halo while working on WS points for Mystic Boon myself (been duoing crabs in Kuftal with my girlfriend on her DRG for some easy WS points and to level our NPCs and Wheeling Thrust -> Black Halo's the best skillchain we have).

You can buy it with Bastok points, it just costs 32k instead of 24k, and Bastok has to be ranked higher than Sandoria on the conquest tally for the week.

And, I don't think Bellicose Mantle is worth the slot even for TPing over Royal Army. They are very close to each other for TPing, depending on your other stats, even if Bellicose wins, you're literally spending 1 inventory slot for <1 attack (and whether it even wins is based on the rest of your gear / merits)

Also, if you plan to use Mystic Boon a lot, Martial Wand isn't bad at all.