Blue Mage: Best thread ever

[Corrderio]

Anyway, I do wish SE would allow some of our spells to have less resistance on HNMs. By this I mean the big 3 and some other spells. Since I kno won tough shit Disseverment usually does more harm than good. And if you can't SACACB them.... a BLU is gonna be a huge TP feeder unless they're nuking or healing.

Quick question that I cannot seem to find a definite answer for:

Mirage Keffiyeh over Dusk Mask (NQ) for a cannonball setup? Is the 5 blue magic skill (in addition to the magus jubbah (+1)) pushing up the damage tier more worthwhile than the loss in VIT and def?

Thanks in advance.

Yeah, i'd say it is.

[LD]

Didn't we have the 'should the multi-hit spells be more effective on HNM' discussion nearly a year ago? Though changing BLU physical TP accumulation to WS's system ( full on the first hit, 0 on the rest) is something that should be done anyway, there's nothing wrong with using the big 3 for easy stuff and CB/VC for HNMs. If there's something about them that needs to be fixed, it should be fixed. BLUs shouldn't be running around with the same set for everything. Maybe things like Ram Charge need to be improved so it's not just CB & VC, but we don't need to make F-Rip, Diss, and Hysteric the go-to spells for everything just to improve BLU.

[Corrderio]

I'm not just talking about the big 3. I also mean other physcial spells.

[LD]

Most BLU spells need adjustments, at least 90% of the magic spells do, but the multi-hit for easy mobs & single hit for HNM system works for the other jobs, so we shouldn't be trying to break the rules just to make ourselves better.

[Dohorehn]

Incorrect.
Technically, you only turn into a soulflayer when you lose control of your powers, and therefore your mental and/or physical stability.

This is under the assumption that having access to all the spells at the same time wouldn't tip you over that stability threshold!

Regardless, it would never happen. Fun to think about though.

[Yugl]

Too bad our single hit spells aren't that great on HNMs to begin with (Without SATA of course).

Edit: BLU's real problem is our inability to zerg without being completely burnt. Fix that and it might fix the merit PT problem.

[Necronus]

Soulflayer, Flan, Beast, point being it only happens when your ambition outstrips your will.

Perhaps my mind is making stuff up but isn't it?:

Lose control to the beastial instincts: Become a Soulflayer
(The beast wins, the humanity dies)

Absorb more power than you can contain: Become a Flan
(Essentially a magical meltdown, literally)

[LD]

It was never really stated one will definitely force one form over another. In fact, it's never been proven that soulflayer & flan are the only potential forms of 'fallen blue mages' (also, flans as a species probably existed before the creation of BLUs, since they had to get the polyflan from somewhere to make the windows in Alzadaal.) The only thing that's been proven is that what causes a Blue Mage to transform is losing control of mental stability (monster personalities/instincts becoming dominant) and/or physical stability (monster-like growths appearing). So the way such descent is usually described is as a lack of control in proportion to given or accumulated power, which is why vague-sounding words like 'ambition' and 'will' are used in place of something that might actually bring more clarity.

This is under the assumption that having access to all the spells at the same time wouldn't tip you over that stability threshold!

Regardless, it would never happen. Fun to think about though.

Granted, but there's no reason to think it would either. Just as it takes extra strength and/or concentration to perform most 2Hs, unlocking all spells during AL could be defined as the same.

While I might, hypothetically, agree with such a change being unlikely, saying it will never happen is close-minded and ignoring how equally improbable the other 19 2Hs are.

[Belgaer]

Perhaps my mind is making stuff up but isn't it?:

Lose control to the beastial instincts: Become a Soulflayer
(The beast wins, the humanity dies)

Absorb more power than you can contain: Become a Flan
(Essentially a magical meltdown, literally)

Isn't it funny how, either way, you forget all the 'powers' that make you what you have become (blue magic), and instead, you pull an array of black magic right out of your ass?

[ronin sparthos]

Isn't it funny how, either way, you forget all the 'powers' that make you what you have become (blue magic), and instead, you pull an array of black magic right out of your ass?

Black Magic is usually associated with destruction, is primitive in nature and almost anything can cast it. (monsters) Its no surprise a creature which is nothing but an empty shell would crave for such relatively easy to gain power.

[Tomino]

any BLU has successfully soloed the wotg windurst assault of "A Manifest problem"?
i read it'd be doable with some refresh drink and spamming Blood Saber, but could use any other hints you have.

[Sabishii]

any BLU has successfully soloed the wotg windurst assault of "A Manifest problem"?
i read it'd be doable with some refresh drink and spamming Blood Saber, but could use any other hints you have.

I tired to solo it, but had little luck, it seemed to be just too many mobs for me. The Bastok quest though, "Light in the Darkness" is EASILY soloed by BLU. Set usual DD spells, MP Drainkiss, and Yawn (or whatever sleep spell you like). Buff up, go to first set of mobs, sleep them, and pick them off one by one, using MP Drainkiss to keep your MP up (use a yagudo drink if you REALLY need it). Just repeat that until you kill all the mobs.

[Sho]

any BLU has successfully soloed the wotg windurst assault of "A Manifest problem"?
i read it'd be doable with some refresh drink and spamming Blood Saber, but could use any other hints you have.

You can't "spam" Blood Saber, but it's definitely effective in that fight when HP is low. You'll want to sub RDM, get a Tav Taco, and have just about every AoE attack you can get loaded into your spell set with Cocoon & Magic Fruit and Auto Refresh Trait from Plasma Charge & Actinic Burst. As for gear, it's best to have Genbu's Shield, Jelly Ring, and Cheviot/Umbra Cape (fight at night for the hidden DEF%- latent on the cape). Also set Auto Target On.

Buff up with Protect, Shell, Stoneskin, Zephyr Mantle (or Blink), Plasma Charge, and eat your Taco. Then when you just about approach the fighting arena, buff with Cocoon, Aquaveil and Phalanx, then head in and begin fighting.

Use as many AoE attacks as you can in a very rapid succession while meleeing; use stored TP to spam Circle Blade (why you should have Auto Target on, so you don't waste time re-engaging mobs). Fully drain as much MP as possible since there will be a Yagudo that occasionally recharges all of your MP (or TP) back. And finally Blood Saber when you are very low on HP-- You'll drain yourself back up to 90~100% easy from 5~20%. The Aquaveil you casted should help most when you need that Blood Saber for the quick recovery (Speaking of that you could also try to take advantage of Aquaveil to maintain keeping Phalanx and Cocoon up with little spell interrupts).

Annnnd that should make for a decent fight. Definitely can be done with a healer and this set up if the Yagudo prove to be overwhelming during solo still.

[Kaslo]

You can't "spam" Blood Saber, but it's definitely effective in that fight when HP is low. You'll want to sub RDM, get a Tav Taco, and have just about every AoE attack you can get loaded into your spell set with Cocoon & Magic Fruit and Auto Refresh Trait from Plasma Charge & Actinic Burst. As for gear, it's best to have Genbu's Shield, Jelly Ring, and Cheviot/Umbra Cape (fight at night for the hidden DEF%- latent on the cape). Also set Auto Target On.

Buff up with Protect, Shell, Stoneskin, Zephyr Mantle (or Blink), Plasma Charge, and eat your Taco. Then when you just about approach the fighting arena, buff with Cocoon, Aquaveil and Phalanx, then head in and begin fighting.

Use as many AoE attacks as you can in a very rapid succession while meleeing; use stored TP to spam Circle Blade (why you should have Auto Target on, so you don't waste time re-engaging mobs). Fully drain as much MP as possible since there will be a Yagudo that occasionally recharges all of your MP (or TP) back. And finally Blood Saber when you are very low on HP-- You'll drain yourself back up to 90~100% easy from 5~20%. The Aquaveil you casted should help most when you need that Blood Saber for the quick recovery (Speaking of that you could also try to take advantage of Aquaveil to maintain keeping Phalanx and Cocoon up with little spell interrupts).

Annnnd that should make for a decent fight. Definitely can be done with a healer and this set up if the Yagudo prove to be overwhelming during solo still.

this works, I solo'd it back when it was first released.

[LD]

Pfft, I solo'd it as MNK/DNC, BLU would have made it MUCH easier for me.

Side note: Sometimes, when you kill one of the yags, your HP, MP, or TP will be completely filled, so that'll float you if you get the right one.

[Suiram]

I tried this once as BLU/WAR and died kinda near the end because I left too many mobs up when I engaged the NM. I came back BLU/DNC and this time made sure to kill everything nearby before touching the NM. I think in making that adjustment I could have won as BLU/WAR as well, although BLU/DNC made it noticeably easier overall. Do everything Sho said and you should be fine.

[LD]

Mobs will spawn until the NM dies.

[Suiram]

Mobs will spawn until the NM dies.

Do they keep coming at you? I was fighting near the mouth of the open area. I remember I had a BLM standing back nuking me and a couple others on me the first time that caused me to die, and the second time it felt like everything was much more under control. It's been a long time now since I did it so I'm sorry if I gave bad info. Maybe it was just a matter of knowing what to expect and feeling less overwhelmed.

[LD]

I'm gunna say probably, but I'm not sure; I remember the mobs would occasionally run at me for no real reason while I was fighting, but maybe I was closer than I thought. I know for sure that they wont stop spawning, though. They spawn from a specific spot, so if they don't auto-argo, they'll gradually spread out from there.

[Ruin]

A few advanced BLU questions:

1) Endgame sword choice. Gonna assume that Perdu will always be 1 of the 2 to equip, but how about the 2nd? Ifrit's Blade / Fragarach / Devil Slayer / Adaman Kilij ?

2) What skillchain combo's, either WS > WS or WS > BLU magic, are doable with Expiacion ?