Blue Mage - Feasible Tank?

[Tanthalas]

I've collected from various threads on different forums about Blue Mage being a viable tank, including the post here on BG about tanking Tiamat as a BLU/WAR using Magic Defense enhancing spells, etc.

Here are some questions I had, that maybe I could gather some of your expertise to answer:

1. How does a BLU/WAR's defense measure up to say, a PLD/WAR?

I tried using BLU/WAR in basic sky farming today to see its feasibility of tanking versus Zipanca and Faust. I was able to get my DEF up to 703 with Defender and Tav. Taco, along with Protect IV. I'm also probably ignoring the enormous +VIT equipment a typical PLD would have. Holding hate was an issue, but I'm sure once AF is released and my spells aren't resisted all the time, it'll help a lot. I was going for the "stun" tanking approach, using Provoke, and basically just blowing my MP on stun after stun move while MP was kept readily full with a BRD and RDM in my PT. I suppose the DEF of 703 could also be boosted up, if I had Crimson/Blood gear and a Genbu's Shield to help DMG reduction. I was taking an average of 118 DMG per normal hit from Zipanca, and held hate only by means of Magic Fruit and Healing Breeze, but those are quite costly MP-wise. Brings me to a second question:

2. What would be the optimal gear set for a Blue Mage tank?

There's a lot I don't have, and won't have for awhile; hence I can't test immediately, but I'm interested to see the effectiveness if any. This includes Nashira, Homam, Crimson gear. What others am I leaving out?

3. What kind of spell set would you use?

Does the constant stun type spell set seem feasible, or would you go with a different type of spell set? Plasma Charge vs. Reactor Cool? I have 4 merits into Blue Magic skill right now, and I wasn't able to land more than half my Head Butts, or any of my Actinic Burst (Flash), Tail Slap (stun), Temporal Shift (stun), or Frypan (stun). I'm sure this will change with AF.

4. Has anyone tested the effectiveness of Magic Defense Bonus enhancements?

[Krandor]

Seen a BLU/WAR with Full Homam (guy also has a Defending Ring and other tank goodies from his PLD) tank Fafnir and basically not lose hate once, so yeah, definetly possible <_<

Base Defense is lower but BLU gets alot more buffing options then PLD. Spammed things like Cannonball and the various healing abilities, basically just approached it like PLD with some DD options.

Don't know about the stun spells, he never tried any on Fafnir.

[Tymon]

head butt stuns kirin if it langs omg

[Mrcloudz]

Battosi talks a bit about tanking in this
thread.

My numbers were 1650 HP, 605 MP, and 910 defense. I'm still missing some items I would like to have as an end game blue mage but I was still impressed. Tiamat hit me for 150-220 on average. I didn't try to pull too much hate though because our main tank is a pld with aegis. I basically cure the entire PT with healing breeze and magic fruit, and spam diamondhide.

Also, Tymon, I see your sig and raise you...

http://ex-online.com/board/files/cfh...g_dead_256.jpg

[Koyangi]

Battosi talks a bit about tanking in this
thread.

My numbers were 1650 HP, 605 MP, and 910 defense. I'm still missing some items I would like to have as an end game blue mage but I was still impressed. Tiamat hit me for 150-220 on average. I didn't try to pull too much hate though because our main tank is a pld with aegis. I basically cure the entire PT with healing breeze and magic fruit, and spam diamondhide.

Also, Tymon, I see your sig and raise you...

http://ex-online.com/board/files/cfh...g_dead_256.jpg

your post and sig are just hilarious

[Demetrios]

I think blu/war and rdm/war will pretty much the best tanks for JoL, but so far i'm only lv60 =P. Once I'm 75 I'll report back to you how -41% (-47% night) physical dmg blu/war with defender and cocoon is on HNM like Tiamat.

They can wear shit like umbra cape which is more effective than shadow mantle assuming all hits are equal. Using earth staff doesn't seem to make spells resist anymore often than if you were using sword.

[Dezzimal]

I think blu/war and rdm/war will pretty much the best tanks for JoL, but so far i'm only lv60 =P. Once I'm 75 I'll report back to you how -41% (-47% night) physical dmg blu/war with defender and cocoon is on HNM like Tiamat.

They can wear shit like umbra cape which is more effective than shadow mantle assuming all hits are equal. Using earth staff doesn't seem to make spells resist anymore often than if you were using sword.

It will make physical magic miss however. I assume you know what you're talking about as you said resist which generally refers to the magical blue spells.

Not sure if there are any physical spells worth using beyond head butt for tanking.

[Genosync]

deleted lol

[Demetrios]

omg deleted too

[Kaylia]

head butt stuns kirin if it langs omg

That's why your 2 blu should sub thief. T2T kirin is a joke now with them in alliance. Go go 20 minutes melee kill

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

head butt stuns kirin if it langs omg

That's why your 2 blu should sub thief. T2T kirin is a joke now with them in alliance. Go go 20 minutes melee kill

Melee still suck at Kirin. Even when you arent kiting.

[Koyangi]

head butt stuns kirin if it langs omg

That's why your 2 blu should sub thief. T2T kirin is a joke now with them in alliance. Go go 20 minutes melee kill

Melee still suck at Kirin. Even when you arent kiting.

thf/drk with merc kris + souleater pwns kirin so bad

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

head butt stuns kirin if it langs omg

That's why your 2 blu should sub thief. T2T kirin is a joke now with them in alliance. Go go 20 minutes melee kill

Melee still suck at Kirin. Even when you arent kiting.

thf/drk with merc kris + souleater pwns kirin so bad

Souleater in general is good on it...but not as good as a MNK chi blasting or a SMN.

[Koyangi]

head butt stuns kirin if it langs omg

That's why your 2 blu should sub thief. T2T kirin is a joke now with them in alliance. Go go 20 minutes melee kill

Melee still suck at Kirin. Even when you arent kiting.

thf/drk with merc kris + souleater pwns kirin so bad

Souleater in general is good on it...but not as good as a MNK chi blasting or a SMN.

MNK chi = spike, same with SMN, gotta wait for him to stop to cast to use a BP, etc, same with souleater, we're basically comparing whose spike dmg is better, I know if the thf gets cures he can do 2k+ b4 souleater is over.
of course blm and rng are still the best for Kirin anyway

[Moochi]

*waits for Xavier to bring up the SAM/THF parse against Kirin*

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

[quote=Koyangi]

head butt stuns kirin if it langs omg

That's why your 2 blu should sub thief. T2T kirin is a joke now with them in alliance. Go go 20 minutes melee kill

Melee still suck at Kirin. Even when you arent kiting.

thf/drk with merc kris + souleater pwns kirin so bad

Souleater in general is good on it...but not as good as a MNK chi blasting or a SMN.

MNK chi = spike, same with SMN, gotta wait for him to stop to cast to use a BP, etc, same with souleater, we're basically comparing whose spike dmg is better, I know if the thf gets cures he can do 2k+ b4 souleater is over.
of course blm and rng are still the best for Kirin anyway[/quote:37a1b]

DRK is better with souleater anyways with a ridill (over double souleater power and more HP, plus blood weapon once in a while and souleater recast merits). 2k (or w/e a DRK would do) every 6 minutes still isnt as good as a chi every 3 minutes or 508 every 45ish seconds without sinking another person's MP.

And BLM sucks on Kirin.

SAM/THF is great if you have a ton of BLMs. Otherwise...its only good.

Holy shit this must be a record derail.

[Sudai]

I lol'd. BLMs are better than SMNs or MNKs on Kirin. Can do 700+ damage per tier IV without an MB. I only get resisted on 1/4 of my nukes and this was the last time I fought Kirin which was before I got some of the ele skill gear I have atm. So don't even bring up the whole resist crap.

[Genosync]

I lol'd. BLMs are better than SMNs or MNKs on Kirin. Can do 700+ damage per tier IV without an MB. I only get resisted on 1/4 of my nukes and this was the last time I fought Kirin which was before I got some of the ele skill gear I have atm. So don't even bring up the whole resist crap.

oh wait

the blms build up hate and the smns get to bp like every 45s with good gear for 500+ unresisted, nonhate dmg

and yes, I'm a blm75, and yes, I'd consider it my main job, and yes, I am relatively good at it (considering your 25% resist rate gets cut to around 5% tops for me since I demand double int etude and understand INT caps vs. resist). in other notes, eleskill without the proper INT for the mob, lol.

LOL@YOU GO LEVEL ANOTHER JOB like maybe smn.

[Tanthalas]

This thread has officially been Amtrak™ed...

[Dezzimal]

I lol'd. BLMs are better than SMNs or MNKs on Kirin. Can do 700+ damage per tier IV without an MB. I only get resisted on 1/4 of my nukes and this was the last time I fought Kirin which was before I got some of the ele skill gear I have atm. So don't even bring up the whole resist crap.

Diabolos Army > BLM Army

And only 25% of your spells get resisted? I smell bullshit.