Blue Mage: Best thread ever

[Xaosykotik]

Only silly people will use BLU/MNK to breath and trading MP for HP in every slot is also a no brainer setup even you're taru. You don't need shit like 1.1K+ every single time you breath, but you will need to breath often, dishing a lot of damage as much as possible while maintaining low spike hate. BLU/NIN or BLU/RDM seems to do the best job out of the other subs, /NIN gives you a shit load of protection. /RDM can breath faster and more often while SS/Blink can also save your ass. Using breaths against worthy opponent without +15 BLU skill in your body slot will find your breath resisted fucking often, resulted in only a half or a quarter damage while wasting a shit load of mp/recast.

My new breath setup will use Mirage Keffiyeh instead of Homam Zucchetto/Saurian Helm. Homam is good for resists while Saurian is a nice damage booster against some weaker NM. Mirage Keffiyeh is a combination of both, which is the best and most solid choice for any breath setup.

This is the best setup, removing any race dependent equipment.

Weapon Vulcan's Staff
Grip: Axe Grip or Staff Strap
Ammo: Happy Egg or White Tathlum
Head : Mirage Keffiyeh
Neck Lieutenant's Gorget
L.Ear Cassie Earring
R. Ear Bloodbead Earring or Novia Earring
Body Magus Jubbah +1
Hands Alky's Brc.
R.ring Bloodbead Ring or Balrahn's Ring or Trooper's Ring
L.ring BQ ring
Back Gigant Mantle
Waist Gold Moogle Belt or Spectral Belt
Legs Homam
Feet Homam

First off you're a moron to think I don't have +20+ magic acc setup + af body when I feel I actually need the skill boost and magic acc for breaths, but unlike most blu mage out there I actually have CAP BLUE MAGIC MERITS AND MAGIC ACC MERITS. Yeah /mnk might seem silly to some people, however if breath is the only spell set you're using then it really is the best sub out there for it. If you don't know how to use zephyr mantle and metallic body or diamondhide, then yeah I guess you need /nin or /rdm to feel comfortalbe and safe.

Weapon Vulcan's
sub Axe Grip (30 HP) Fire grip
ranged Fenrir's Stone
Head Saurian/ (Homam/Morrigan for M.acc) - (No AF2 yet)
Neck Ritter Gorget (25 hp) Lieut. Gorget (+2 acc)(yes i actually have it)
Lear Cassie
Rear Wrestler's (that's 30 HP with /mnk go figure and more hp than bloodbead)
Body Crimson (40 HP AND MP) / and duh Blu AF1 body for 15 skill
Hands Creek M Miits (lots of HP but alky's are cool if you're not taru)
L.ring Omega ring (+3 magic acc)/Bloodbead
R.ring Balhran's (+4 acc)/ Bloodbead
Back Gigant/ Mirage Mantle (+3 acc)
Waist Steppe Sash (must suck to not be taru when it comes to this slot)
Legs Homam/Denali (+3 acc)
Feet Homam/Denali ( +3 acc+(even tho creek M Feet would give me more total HP but hey I guess I'm smart cuzz I didn't wanna sacrafice my total MP for it)


oh and btw this is gear I ALREADY HAVE.....not the setup I plan to get. So next time you try to critisize someone's setup try reading a few posts before the one to find out what the point of it was in the first place, then get the gear you think is better before you try.

[Drunkenmonk]

do ele staves even give macc for breaths? i know they don't add dmg is why i ask.

[kenshyn]

do ele staves even give macc for breaths? i know they don't add dmg is why i ask.

I've found I get resisted much less when I use them myself.

[Yugl]

So for Cannonball helm piece it's:

Mirage v Dusk v Wivre+1 v STR Helm (Gnad?)

I think the STR helm would do better, but that may depend on the rest of your gear. I noticed a good DMG increase when I went from Wivre (Only NQ Version though) to Dusk.

[Darkdreamer]

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/1...llbuildie6.jpg

Is there an updated version of this somewhere? I've been digging through this topic and I can't seem to find it. Thanks

[Alistaire]

Is there an updated version of this somewhere? I've been digging through this topic and I can't seem to find it. Thanks

That is a bit outdated, no Smilodon Mantle +1 even. From what I can see the additions needed to that:

Legs: Enkidu's Subligar (best)
Body: Magus+1 (best)
Back: Smilodon Mantle +1 (best except for Shadow Mantle on darksday)
Head: Mirage/Gnadbhod's Helm (both very close to Wivre+1)
Earring: not sure why Cassie Earring isn't in there.
Feet: Rutter Sabatons > Marine Boots which should've been obvious as well.

Also for spells idk if I'd bother with Conserve MP if I was going for best setup possible unless there was absolutely no refresh to be had. So if you're so inclined then toss Zephyr Mantle and add spells appropriate to your level of assimilation. I don't think any spells beyond this list stand out, but I'm at work and might be missing something. Anything that gives more than +1 stat mod for every 2 set points is above average.

[Mirya]

Huckster posted a v1.4 July 7th that includes some of those changes. It obviously doesn't include the new gear, but it also doesn't include Cassie.

http://gnu.univ.gda.pl/~huckster/ff11/cannonball.jpg

[Akucaen]

Yes, there is an updated version of that picture, and if it isn't updated/posted before I get back to my desktop, I'll post it.

[Darkdreamer]

Great, thanks everyone

[Repairs]

VZX:
floor( ((71 + floor(0.83*floor(111*0.5) + 22)*3)*3.15 ) = 1304
and that match your data

So I'm guessing that my 1304 just proves that it was above 69?? Doesn't exactly match, which could be true since I only did 200 tests. Or my math could be wrong? I get the following:

skill (J26)=======312
str (J27)========111

D-----------------71 (FLOOR((J26*0.11),1)*2+3)
?fstr?-------------22 (Fstr cap)
WSC--------------46 (FLOOR((0.83*(J27*0.5)),1)
Sum *3-----------417 (Vert Multi)

sum *3.15--------1313 (SA/crit pdif)


And it was theorized that the blu skill would effect the pdif multiplier portion when not capped?

[Repairs]

Instead of re-editting - quick thought that fstr cap is 21 instead of 22? 21 matches perfectly with the rest of the numbers

[VZX]

You forgot to floor after you apply STR_50% as the WSC
111*0.5 = 55.5 -> floor it to 55
55*.83 = 45.65 -> floor it to 45

So it's 45, not 46

[Yugl]

So has there been any Mirage v Gnad v Wivre+1 v Dusk tests? If I had them I would check them myself. Though I believe Dusk out performs Wivre+1 if it balances STR and VIT. After getting Enkidu Legs (Before I used AF) I tested them out and had worse Cannonball than when I used AF. My guess is that there was an imbalance of STR to VIT when I did that test resulting in less DMG.

[rath]

So has there been any Mirage v Gnad v Wivre+1 v Dusk tests? If I had them I would check them myself. Though I believe Dusk out performs Wivre+1 if it balances STR and VIT. After getting Enkidu Legs (Before I used AF) I tested them out and had worse Cannonball than when I used AF. My guess is that there was an imbalance of STR to VIT when I did that test resulting in less DMG.

I have enkidu and af, my str is much much higher then my vit. Enkidu still performs better then AF pants did.

[Repairs]

Probably a silly question but what the heck:

Is there any way of figuring out the pdif ranges for blu spells and what effects them (0-2.15 - +1 if SA)? It sounds like the same type of function as pc attack vs mob defense, except pc blu skill or defense vs mob defense. But any way of getting a little more specific? Like is 15 blu skill = 30 attack in this function? Any possible tests that could help shed some light?

Or like 307 blu skill = 614 attack in the funtion (when blu skill is used)?

I'm guessing for cannonball, blue skill isn't even used? Straight up pc def vs mob def?

Edit: thanks VZX for fixing my math

[Yugl]

I have enkidu and af, my str is much much higher then my vit. Enkidu still performs better then AF pants did.

Well Enkidu turned out better than AF after I changed from Wivre to Dusk mask which is why I think a STR/VIT ratio is necessary (~70/30?).

[VZX]

Is there any way of figuring out the pdif ranges for blu spells and what effects them (0-2.15 - +1 if SA)? It sounds like the same type of function as pc attack vs mob defense, except pc blu skill or defense vs mob defense. But any way of getting a little more specific? Like is 15 blu skill = 30 attack in this function? Any possible tests that could help shed some light?

I've ever mentioned about this when I tried to test Physical Potency (page 54?) each spell has their own "attack". Though I strongly believe that blue magic skill contribute to physical attack power, I don't believe it's 1-to-1 increase or there's a certain constant for all spells such that 1 skill add c "spell attack".

What I've found is the higher the spell is the higher its attack multiplier become.
i.e. wild oats attack value is smaller than head butt, head butt attack value is smaller than uppercut or sickle slash, etc.

EDIT: page 97, not 54

[Repairs]

I've ever mentioned about this when I tried to test Physical Potency (page 54?) each spell has their own "attack". Though I strongly believe that blue magic skill contribute to physical attack power, I don't believe it's 1-to-1 increase or there's a certain constant for all spells such that 1 skill add c "spell attack".

What I've found is the higher the spell is the higher its attack multiplier become.
i.e. wild oats attack value is smaller than head butt, head butt attack value is smaller than uppercut or sickle slash, etc.

EDIT: page 97, not 54

O, guess I was away when those were posted. Cool stuff!

So basically, the attack portion = blu magic skill x 1-2(pending spell)?
Pending spell used, af body = 15-30 "attack" or
pending spell used, af2 head = 5-10 "attack"? or am I misunderstanding...

Also, looking at the formula this "pdif" function is the real multiplier to be concerned about when trying for big and consistent numbers? I.e. using both skill AF pieces for disevernment would be advised, then accuracy, then str? Cause using both AF would increase dcap and "attack"?


Do we know if the blu skill "attack" function apply to things like cannonball? or is cannonball solely defense when it comes to this function?

[Maxxthepenguin]

Do we know if the blu skill "attack" function apply to things like cannonball? or is cannonball solely defense when it comes to this function?

For cannonball, defense is not attack equivalent. It is a damage modifier (not sure about exact %.) I tested this by cannonballing Wild Rabbits; Cocoon added damage. If it was equivalent to attack, it would not have added damage.

[Raytheon]

This question may have been asked, if it has I apologize and feel free to point me in the right direction...



AFAIK, BLU spells accuracy is dependant upon weapon in hand and/or TP. Does having a sword in hand as opposed to staff affect the accuracy of spells, in particular cannonball? I did some testing with Earth staff and it did less dmg than with sword alone (no sheild equipped). I'm wondering if it was because of the A+ skill in swords vs no native staff skill and increased accuracy from the sword that caused the DMG to be higher vs staff?