Ability Score Analysis

[Carbon]

Just curious of everyone's opinions of what exactly ability scores (i.e. STR, DEX, etc.) precisely do for a character. We all know the basics of such things as DEX improving accuracy and critical hits, STR for damage, etc., but what are some of the deep down effects of having high scores?

Take for example, there was a time I decided to completely pimp out my INT. I had 70+102 INT (that's with food, with a bard, but not with soul voice used) and I swear to god I didn't noticed a shittin' thing with any of my spells. What would the same effect do if it were in other scores? What would you see and how would it differ? Is there a point where having that high of a number does nothing? Any time I hear someone bring up something about INT/MND there is always an arguement of what each of them actually does.

What are your personal 'highs' for your scores and what did you notice? This is a fairly broad topic, but feel free to bring in anything related to this for discussion/opinion.

Discuss.

[Marcatil]

I don't have stupid high numbers, but for what it's worth I noticed a slight difference from 71 to 72 on RDM when I could finally wear Errant. Not that there are a great amount of IT mobs endgame for exp, but on the few I came in contact with back then, at 72 they were easier than at 71 @.@

Not sure if Banigaru posts here, but he's a taru brd (not on my server) who has this obscene +CHR record XD

[Elcura]

Doesn't matter how much of a stat you have, if you don't have the skills to back it up, fact.

[nivlakian]

there was a time I decided to completely pimp out my INT. I had 70+102 INT (that's with food, with a bard, but not with soul voice used) and I swear to god I didn't noticed a shittin' thing with any of my spells.

Not sure what spells you were using but you should notice something with elemental magic spells with that much INT.

Now, it is possible to cap damage on very low level spells easily (like stone 1 keeps doing ~58ish dmg once you have ~37INT over your target, I can't remember exact numbers atm) and adding more no longer increases the number. Weather/Day bonuses, staves etc will allow you to continue to increase damage over the capped amount decided by the difference of INT though.

As for higher tier spells, I've never tried with BRD to see if it's possible to attain enough INT over your target that those cap damage.

[Hirronimus]

Personally as RDM I've noticed significant difference in reduction to spells resistance when I went RDM/WHM, the base MND was 75 with about 25+ from gear, my Enfeebling is around 325 and spells such as Silence, Slow and Paralyze which are MND based from what I understand had 0 to minimal resists.

If you did those spells with INT gear, I can understand yours being resisted.

Related to this topic somewhat:

The higher the enfeeble skill, the more accurate you will be with landing the spell against monsters. However, the duration the spells last is random.

So yeah... Skill > Stat , but the fact that they made it random is total bullshit. Imo it should be Accuracy should affect resistance and Skill affect duration. I don't understand why would some RDMs use Chausible over Worlock's Tabard...

[Rex]

On my L68 ninja I have pretty much 2 completely separate sets of equipment, str and evasion... Can't get online right now, but it's minimal str (actually gone up +6 with my new rse mitts but haven't xped with those yet ) with evasion gear, and I believe +36 with strength gear (and sole sushi which accounts for 5 of that).

I don't have parses for it or anything, but the difference between the 2 (on stuff that's not gay like crabs) is something like 25-40 average damage per swing to 30-60 average (both higher with berserk), but then I don't evade nearly so much. Simply put, it's extremely noticeable for me.

[Carbon]

Well when I had all of that INT I specifically noticed that on my Thunder IIIs, etc., were still getting resisted out the ass on things like Aura Statues. I didn't really notice much of a damage increase when I had all that INT.

[Genosync]

So yeah... Skill > Stat , but the fact that they made it random is total bullshit. Imo it should be Accuracy should affect resistance and Skill affect duration. I don't understand why would some RDMs use Chausible over Worlock's Tabard...

Yes, let's change the whole entire FFXI world around and make Accuracy affect resistance and be the onry thing that does.

Sure thing. Excuse while I proceed to scream.

[Hirronimus]

You probably wouldn't because of Elemental Magic skill level.

[Rex]

when the rdm in my whm set pt dinged 72 to get errant gear/rings and the like, his nukes were significantly better :X

[Hirronimus]

I really wish the hidden stats such as Magic Accu, Ranged Accu, Accu and Ranged Attack would be shown in appropriate stat windows. ; ;

[Rex]

guess someone will have to make a new windower plugin! 8)

[Nikko]

i usualy think potency is directly related to w/e stat and acc (also called duration) is related to skill... but that would be too simple.

i hear brds complain about having +obscene ammount of chr but it doesnt improve acc, and that would make sense is +chr = +potency, and the acc only comes w/ skill. Also would explain why elegy is so strong (because most brds max chr in hopes of acc).

for rdms, i think its the same also, skill for acc (resists/duration) and stat for potency. one example of stat effecting potency is when compared to hojo: ni. With low mnd, hojo will overwrite slow.. but with stacked +mnd, slow will overwrite (and is more potent) than hojo. i have one of grendels video's that actually shows how +mnd makes slow actually slow the mob more than without +mnd (rather dramatically). Seems that balance everyone needs to find is, do you want an enfeeble that sticks but is weak, or do you want an enfeeble thats hard to stick but very strong.

for whms, mnd has a huge effect on cure5 and stoneskin. the other cures all cap, and no ammount of +mnd will make them any more impressive, but with cure5 +mnd makes a huge difference. Max cure5 ive done is near 1000 (without divine seal). i think you can break 1000 on lightsday w/ some effort but i personally havent tried. without +mnd or potency gear, cure5 is around 600 i think.. forgot since its been a while.

mnd's effect on stoneskin is seen here..

F1: ([Enhancing Magic Skill] / 3) + MND when X < 100 
F2: {([Enhancing Magic Skill] / 3) + MND} * 2 - 60 when X = 100 - 150 
F3: {([Enhancing Magic Skill] / 3) + MND} * 3 - 190 when X > 150 

"X" is calculated by 

X = ([Enhancing Magic Skill] / 3) + MND + 20

which means for whm and rdm, each point of mnd increases potency of stoneskin by 3 points.

As far as nuking, i would think the same applies (although it still seems too simple, and im sure its not this easy). +int = +magic attack bonus = potency, while +skill translates to resist rates.

Ive heard a lot though, that BLMs get less resist rates when etuded (which is only +int, so in theory only +potency) so im sure all these formula's have more variables than we know about. maybe something to do w/ skill effecting +stat caps.. but i havent ever seen anything concrete about that, with real numbers.

[Okan]

I'm not trying to call you a liar, but near 1000 without Divine Seal? What circumstances did you have? Was it Light's Day, Noble's Tunic (HQ?), Light Staff, how much MND? With mostly errant and some other things, I've hit near 800 (775ish?), but that was using NT and LS which sounds about par of what it should do with that.

[Nikko]

Yah lights staff, aristo, lightsday and some +mnd easily breaks 900. Just toss on all the mnd you can find and get some soul voice brd songs, see if you can crack 1000, i might try it later to see whats actually max, cause i have a friend w/ communion earings and other +mnd stuff. Only tricky part about this is on lightsday, you can either use a korin obi to ensure the +10%, or you can use a +5mnd rope.. which means you will have to cure several times to see the effect, but it will be higher max.

[Septimus]

for rdms, i think its the same also, skill for acc (resists/duration) and stat for potency. one example of stat effecting potency is when compared to hojo: ni. With low mnd, hojo will overwrite slow.. but with stacked +mnd, slow will overwrite (and is more potent) than hojo. i have one of grendels video's that actually shows how +mnd makes slow actually slow the mob more than without +mnd (rather dramatically). Seems that balance everyone needs to find is, do you want an enfeeble that sticks but is weak, or do you want an enfeeble thats hard to stick but very strong.

No matter how much MND the caster has, I have never seen Slow overwrite Hoji: Ichi or vice versa. Hojo: Ni always overwrites Slow and Hojo: Ichi, but neither can overwrite Hojo: Ni.

[Nikko]

well since im only a whm and blm 75, im only relaying what the ninja in my LS says. He says that only one rdm in our LS overwrites his slow.. so ill ask for a demonstration so i can take a log screenshot, although neither of them play very much anymore... =/

also, after browsing through a couple hundred ss's i found a cure5 without lightsday, without brd songs, and only average +mnd gear. Just happened to be a cure5 in the log.
http://tinypic.com/bfqt10.jpg

so adding in +10% for lightsday (+83), its 911. with soul voice brd songs, and maxed mnd gear, i still think you can break 1000. Havent tested it yet though.

[Okan]

well since im only a whm and blm 75, im only relaying what the ninja in my LS says. He says that only one rdm in our LS overwrites his slow.. so ill ask for a demonstration so i can take a log screenshot, although neither of them play very much anymore... =/

also, after browsing through a couple hundred ss's i found a cure5 without lightsday, without brd songs, and only average +mnd gear. Just happened to be a cure5 in the log.
http://tinypic.com/bfqt10.jpg

so adding in +10% for lightsday (+83), its 911. with soul voice brd songs, and maxed mnd gear, i still think you can break 1000. Havent tested it yet though.

I'm thinking I'll need more MND equips now. Secondly, how much of an effect does MND play on Stoneskin? I've been looking for a way to increase the amount I can absorb for wyrms and such. Does anyone have an parsed info to determine MND = damage?

[kearnsy]

lightsday + weather + yellowhp + lvl50 ring +ariticrats coat = 52% cure potency, top that with your mind setup that's a lot of cure.

[nivlakian]

Secondly, how much of an effect does MND play on Stoneskin? I've been looking for a way to increase the amount I can absorb for wyrms and such. Does anyone have an parsed info to determine MND = damage?

Nikko's post has the equation for Stoneskin. I've heard rumors that stoneskin caps at 350 damage and that there may be another equation for when MND exceeds 100. I haven't tested it myself.

The simplest way in my opinion of testing your stoneskin is to fight a cactuar with someone else until it does 1000 needles since that attack will do 500 damage to both of you. The other person should be tanking so that your stoneskin remain intact until it uses the move.

I know that as Taru BLM/WHM with 200 enhancing skill and 61+45 MND when casting stoneskin that it absorbs 326 damage based on 1000 needles.