Blue Mage: Best thread ever

[Kaslo]

There is no way we will get +15 blue skill on the head, let alone 15 skill and auto refresh. That would a extra 4 base damage on top of what is available on physical spells. Blue Magic Skill has much more notable impact than enfeebling skill.

I don't think that matters to SE at all, our AF is almost an exact parallel of RDM AF, no read Relic won't follow the same formula, even so wearing the relic hat full time would be retarded in that it would reduce our Sword DoT more than 1 per tic refresh would make up imo, it would simply be a macro for spells piece.

That being said, I expect we will get a piece with refresh, most likely head, but the refresh will be worthless because the piece will have no melee benefit remotely as good as what we could wear.

[SilverBreeze]

I have a question about Cannonballing (I've checked most of the thread and don't remember seeing anything that exactly answers my question) since I've never really went all out for it, and mostly I've used Vertical Cleave /THF cause its a solid 800+ damage on most things, but....

What is a good Cannonball setup? Like, Starting out, and what would a Maxed Cannonball set look like? It's confusing cause you see some people with Archeron shield, and some people with all Defense Gear and some with attack gear and some using Vulcan Staff, etc. Help me out :O

[Delekii]

Generally speaking, if you can TP, use sword and shield, otherwise staff+grip. You should aim for up around ~300 defense before any buffs, ~+65str, ~+25-30vit, though of course the stats will vary depending on the situation (sword or staff, whether you need to load support spells or not, etc). The setup I use is:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/dunca...cannonball.jpg

In terms of pure damage, I would swap to Cerb Mantle, Morrigan Legs, another Triumph Earring, and Auditory Torque/+str Sea Torque, but I was getting too much hate on HNMs which is why I use novia and commanders cape, and I dont have morrigan legs or one of the torques.

Edit: Also, Morrigan Body would probably be better than AF for cannonball too, depending on how blue magic skill affects attack for CB, if at all. 8str on a 50% str wsc is massive, it would give 2fstr and 3 or 4wsc.. In comparison, af body gives 2 base damage (if you are merited), ~1wsc and ~1 fstr. At minimum morrigan would give you 1 more base damage, at best it would give you 4 more base damage.

[SilverBreeze]

Thanks a lot, that really helps me see what I need to be aiming for.

One question, why Axe Grip over Mithril Grip +1?

[Delekii]

They are both very similar for Cannonball, and axe grip is better for other SA spells, and I don't want to carry/buy both.

Axe grip is a 75% chance of +1fstr and 1 wsc with a small chance of it pushing to 2wsc, Mithril is a 50% chance at +1fstr and 1wsc with a bigger chance of 2wsc.

[Kaslo]

I know it's lolKI but this thread pretty much covers it all, including comments from Dele towards the last few pages: http://killingifrit.com/forums.php?m=posts&q=146724

gonna recommend you read through it all, as it gets better further along as we discover how to build a better cannonball.

[DragonCloud64]

so you get higher damage on cannonball by using a vulcan staff & grip as opposed to a wing sword and acheron? i thought all that lost attk and def would make a diff

[Tonko]

Attack has zero influence on BLU spells. We can reach around 300 base defense without a shield, so that after Pro + Cocoon (not to mention Minne if we can get a BRD) the 28 defense from Acheron is just not needed. Diminishing returns from more defense when you end up getting that high. The two grips being discussed actually have a much greater impact on the damage than 28 defense ever could as well.

[Delekii]

Attack has zero influence on BLU spells. We can reach around 300 base defense without a shield, so that after Pro + Cocoon (not to mention Minne if we can get a BRD) the 28 defense from Acheron is just not needed. Diminishing returns from more defense when you end up getting that high. The two grips being discussed actually have a much greater impact on the damage than 28 defense ever could as well.

That isn't entirely clear cut.. by the time you add cocoon and food, the 28 defense is more like 50, and thats nothing to sneeze about. I'm not experienced a lot with melee, but I think if you asked a melee whether they would prefer 3 str or 50 attack in a ws, sometimes they might take the attack, right? Of course, we have no idea if it is a straight defense > attack comparison, or if blue magic factors into even cannonball, or really how it works at all.

That said, personally I feel I get better results with staff/grip in cases where I am not meleeing. I haven't done nearly as much cannonballing as I would like to though, nor have I ever done it without a bard. Perhaps if you don't have access to Minne's, you might benefit more from the defense?

[Jeebz]

what kind of cannonball #s are you pulling off with that gear setup Delekii?

[Delekii]

what kind of cannonball #s are you pulling off with that gear setup Delekii?

It's hard to say since cannonball damage varies so massively depending on circumstances. Head over to the KI thread Kaslo linked to for a bunch of gear > damage screenshots to get an idea of what can be done. In fact, I don't think Ive actually fought anything using BLU/THF since getting wivre+1, novia and switching to commanders cape, so I couldn't give you any steadfast numbers anyway. Before that still using dusk mask, cerb mantle, etc, I was getting ~1000 on Khimera, up to almost 2k with CAAL, Ouryu was 400(just sa) > 1k (casa) maxing at ~1400 with AL, so on.

As I said though, big numbers dont mean shit to me, I'm not an epeen kinda guy. Cannonballing in cerb mantle is a bad idea, 4 defense for 3 emnity is not a good trade, and if you can get a novia earring I would wear it over a second triumph.

[Jeebz]

thanks for the reply,

i feel stupid i meant to say "what kind of #s are you pulling off on for example cerberus" but its ok, you've given me enough interesting info

[Delekii]

thanks for the reply,

i feel stupid i meant to say "what kind of #s are you pulling off on for example cerberus" but its ok, you've given me enough interesting info

The highest of the high numbers I have seen on cerb is high 2k (did anyone ever break 3k? not sure). Im pretty sure that involved the use of 2hr minnes, 2hr etudes, and azure lore though.

[Kaslo]

what kind of cannonball #s are you pulling off with that gear setup Delekii?

It's hard to say since cannonball damage varies so massively depending on circumstances. Head over to the KI thread Kaslo linked to for a bunch of gear > damage screenshots to get an idea of what can be done. In fact, I don't think Ive actually fought anything using BLU/THF since getting wivre+1, novia and switching to commanders cape, so I couldn't give you any steadfast numbers anyway. Before that still using dusk mask, cerb mantle, etc, I was getting ~1000 on Khimera, up to almost 2k with CAAL, Ouryu was 400(just sa) > 1k (casa) maxing at ~1400 with AL, so on.

As I said though, big numbers dont mean shit to me, I'm not an epeen kinda guy. Cannonballing in cerb mantle is a bad idea, 4 defense for 3 emnity is not a good trade, and if you can get a novia earring I would wear it over a second triumph.

Hence the reason I have kinda been wanting to get the Storm belt (4STR 4VIT) to replace my warwolf... and don't believe the SA Hydro Shot BS, that shit won't save you...

[SilverBreeze]

I just picked up the Storm Belt like 2 weeks ago ^^.

Is the 1 STR and 1 VIT and 2 DEF loss worth the -3 Enmity? :O

[Delekii]

I just picked up the Storm Belt like 2 weeks ago ^^.

Is the 1 STR and 1 VIT and 2 DEF loss worth the -3 Enmity? :O

How good is the rest of your gear?

Really, it depends on if you are getting hate too fast or not, lol. The ideal point is where you can do the maximum amount of damage possible without getting hate, so if you aren't getting hate, its not worth losing the stats.

[Sylvrdragon]

If it's not a kited mob, then you could probably just arrange for a tank to swing around behind it so you can TA them. In which case, +Enmity would be a GOOD thing. For a kited mob, it doesn't seem all that important anyway as hate is usually all over the place regardless.

[Delekii]

If it's not a kited mob, then you could probably just arrange for a tank to swing around behind it so you can TA them. In which case, +Enmity would be a GOOD thing. For a kited mob, it doesn't seem all that important anyway as hate is usually all over the place regardless.

On a lot of mobs that you will be sacbing, having the mob swing around is a bad thing. Cerberus has his mini flail, khimera can end up drawing in all over the place if you move him a millimeter, wyrms are ok if you are doing it in the air.. but not often can you freely move a tank behind the mob (nor do you want a lone tank to get 2k of damage planted on them at once unless the mob can be solo tanked).

[Lordender]

i've only ever pulled hate twice when cannonballing.

1. 2500dmg to cerb with 2hr.
2. few of my shell mates teamed up with a friendly shell to help them kill khim so people wouldn't call a GM on them for holding(wasent our tanks so i wasent surprised).

Never pulled hate any other time, i think ppl need better tanks tbh, most of the times i don't have a brd for minne and still put up good numbers >.> this is with CASA cannonball then SA'ing it with a minute left on CA.

[Kaslo]

yeah LE but I'm debating adding +enimity merits for my PLD so that may become an issue, and I'm guessing by your jobs you have -enimity merits? Still ya better tanks do help, but not all of us have tanks smart as Vygun ;p