Need advice Ethereal Earring or Magnetic Earring ?

[layoneil]

I think he's talking about TP'ing in, who frigging melees in STR rings.

TPing in Rajas is not the same as TPing in STR rings.

Acc +5 rings are not better for TPing than Rajas. +7/8 maybe.

[Kaylia]

Not sure about other job/race, but 5acc give me ~0.5acc total. 5str result in more dmg than I would do with that acc.

[Sylvrdragon]

The thing is... I don't know if I Solo enough to justify picking Hollow just for that. The Ethereal Earring won't help my RDM all that much eccept for soloing as well, BUT when I get my PLD to 72+, that earring will pay for itself with interest.

I've already decided against Magnetic simply because I already have Loquatious and can get an Astral or an Antivenom if I'm really worried about more MP in that slot.The +5 Conserve MP is estimated to be 1.75% MP savings over time, not enough for that one stat to sway me. The spell interruption down would only help in a solo situation, but I can assure you that I won't be wearing this, or likely even carrying this while soloing. The +1 hMP is also easily replaced with an Antivenom (I have a Relaxing, so I would have no need to use both. Actually, I already have a Boroka, but the Antivenom will still be better as it will raise my hMP and my max MP at the same time so I don't have to switch gear for that last tick)

The MB bonus earring is just a no... I can get +2 MND elsewhere, the MDB is worthless to me, and Moldy/Elemental will be a better choice for MBing on the only mobs that I ever fight that still use Skill Chains (Gods/HNMs).

Hollow is the best choice for soloing, hands down, but nothing else. Ethereal is still passable for soloing (Until I get a Brutal maybe...) and will help tremendously when I finally get PLD to a level of use. ; ; But I don't know how much I'll be tanking on PLD come 72+ as we already have some fairly pimped out PLDs and I probably won't merit on PLD since I already have RDM, which gets infinately more invites.. GAH!!!! Back to where I started... I have the feeling that I'm gonna end up flipping a damn coin.

[Krandor]

It's kinda off topic, and people are entitled to their own opinions i suppose, but 2.5 accuracy is not really worth the loss of
5 evasion
5 subtle blow
5 store tp
5 dex
5 str
Saying woodsman is better means you think you rather have that 2.5 acc and sacrifice all those other stats for it.
Also while space is a scarce resource in FFXI, the items that you are replacing with tamas are all items you can mule when you don't use them.

Bolded those two since they would be 100% worthless in any decent xp party. The Store TP is really only going to benefit 2 or 3 jobs at most (NIN MNK and maybe THF?). Past that you're looking at STR and DEX vs. Acc.

I'd use Accuracy Rings over STR rings any day of the week for TPing personally.

[aurik]

Think about the people that picked Tamas instead of Rajas... They can never change back. And the only reason to ever wear tamas is for an extra -1 emnity over serene ring. For everything else you can always macro swap another ring and get the same effect or better (since you never really need int and mnd on the same spell and only need max mp on your first spell after resting). Rajas instead is so unique because you use all 4 stats on every punch and ws so you could never replace it with just macro swaps.

I picked Tamas because inventory space is the scarcest resource in FFXI, especially with 5 jobs now leveled, and because all 3 of my mage jobs can wear Tamas. Would I change to Raja's if I could? No, because my woodsmans are better.

This is the correct answer, and I fixed that last part for you. Sadly, the most use I get out of my Rajas is when I go rajas+jelly for farming/soloing.

It's kinda off topic, and people are entitled to their own opinions i suppose, but 2.5 accuracy is not really worth the loss of
5 evasion
5 subtle blow
5 store tp
5 dex
5 str
Saying woodsman is better means you think you rather have that 2.5 acc and sacrifice all those other stats for it.
Also while space is a scarce resource in FFXI, the items that you are replacing with tamas are all items you can mule when you don't use them.

evasion = crap compared to acc in merit situation
subtle blow = crap compared to acc in merit situation
store TP = crap compared to acc in merit situation
5 dex = crap compared to acc in merit situation
5 str is the only decent thing on that ring for meriting. ya it's slightly better than a flame ring because it comes with a few side bonuses, but there is no way you should be using flame rings to TP, and eva+sb+stp+dex means jack shit when you're only wearing it for 5% of the time.

And Maxx, don't put words in my mouth.
The reason I prefer PCC has nothing to do with superiority (or lack thereof) over Faith. PCC has about the same effect as Faith for merit purposes. I happen to like it because I can fucking buy it off the AH, rather than waste 200-300 man-hours between me and my friends for a single limited-use EX drop.

[Carbon]

Someone once told me that RDM/WAR makes a better meat (not blink) tank against gods with the right set up (I haven't personally done it, but I have RDM/NIN tanked them, which is a whole lot of fun! 8) ). When I go out and level my parrying as RDM/WAR I can usually get up to 600ish defense with the right food and somewhat proper gear, without any bard songs. Call me a noob and banish me to alla for even bringing it up, but in such a situation, although probably minimal, would Ethereal be better for RDM? I would think that the MP you're saving from Conserve MP would be equal to, if not better, than the MP you'd be getting back from being mauled.

(I'll still probably get Magnetic, simply because I've got WHM and BLM past 50 workin' up to 75)

Thoughts?

[Sylvrdragon]

Yeah, RDM/WAR can tank gods, or probably just about anything a PLD can as long was have a TA, but why would you? RDM/WAR is an emergency tank I think, or just something to play around with and entertain your LS with. I could see a RDM/WAR tank if say, Fafnir popped at 3am and you don't have a PLD or NIN, or even a WAR on to tank him, but I don't think RDM/WAR are BETTER than PLD.

[Raineer]

Yeah, RDM/WAR can tank gods, or probably just about anything a PLD can as long was have a TA, but why would you? RDM/WAR is an emergency tank I think, or just something to play around with and entertain your LS with. I could see a RDM/WAR tank if say, Fafnir popped at 3am and you don't have a PLD or NIN, or even a WAR on to tank him, but I don't think RDM/WAR are BETTER than PLD.

well, when he says "better meat tank" that might mean taking less dmg, which I think RDM can (keeping things like def ring out of the equation). Obviously that doesn't take into account holding hate which is the biggest problem.

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

Think about the people that picked Tamas instead of Rajas... They can never change back. And the only reason to ever wear tamas is for an extra -1 emnity over serene ring. For everything else you can always macro swap another ring and get the same effect or better (since you never really need int and mnd on the same spell and only need max mp on your first spell after resting). Rajas instead is so unique because you use all 4 stats on every punch and ws so you could never replace it with just macro swaps.

I picked Tamas because inventory space is the scarcest resource in FFXI, especially with 5 jobs now leveled, and because all 3 of my mage jobs can wear Tamas. Would I change to Raja's if I could? No, because my woodsmans are better.

This is the correct answer, and I fixed that last part for you. Sadly, the most use I get out of my Rajas is when I go rajas+jelly for farming/soloing.

It's kinda off topic, and people are entitled to their own opinions i suppose, but 2.5 accuracy is not really worth the loss of
5 evasion
5 subtle blow
5 store tp
5 dex
5 str
Saying woodsman is better means you think you rather have that 2.5 acc and sacrifice all those other stats for it.
Also while space is a scarce resource in FFXI, the items that you are replacing with tamas are all items you can mule when you don't use them.

evasion = crap compared to acc in merit situation no shit, I dont even see evasion on my rajas ring anyways
subtle blow = crap compared to acc in merit situationyeah, I know, no shit
store TP = crap compared to acc in merit situation +5% tp gain sucks? I know +5 acc sure as hell doesnt have that kind of effect for me
5 dex = crap compared to acc in merit situationits half as effective and has a minimal crit bonus as well, in conjunction with store tp+5 its better
5 str is the only decent thing on that ring for meriting. ya it's slightly better than a flame ring because it comes with a few side bonuses, but there is no way you should be using flame rings to TP, and eva+sb+stp+dex means jack shit when you're only wearing it for 5% of the time.

And Maxx, don't put words in my mouth. you make it too easy
The reason I prefer PCC has nothing to do with superiority (or lack thereof) over Faith. PCC has about the same effect it doesnt add damage to attacks as Faith for merit purposes. I happen to like it because I can fucking buy it off the AH, rather than waste 200-300 man-hours between me and my friends for a single limited-use EX drop.baghs and pop items dont exist

added comments.

[Krandor]

Maxx, have you done the math before to actually see how many Jobs actually make a real use of the 5 Store TP?

[Septimus]

Hollow earring = LOL

how's that accuracy/r.acc+3 treating you? do you have an optical earring to go with that? I hope you're planning on meriting enhancing to squeeze every last possible point out of your enspell, 'cause 26 damage with matching weather is peanuts.

I picked the correct choice, which is Magnetic. the MB earring is useless, since I don't MB. Ethereal Earring would be nice if I ever got hit, which I don't. All 3 of my mage jobs can use Magnetic.

Actually, from every report I have heard about the Magnetic Earring, its Conserve MP trait = LOL. Made the choice fairly easy for me.

[aurik]

Not sure about other job/race, but 5acc give me ~0.5acc total. 5str result in more dmg than I would do with that acc.

Maybe for you, but I find 5 acc is only that weak if you're close to capping accuracy, ie 93%+. Back when I was parsing KRT and sky, I found that hedgehog pies vs bison steaks add 2-3% acc rate in my setup; that's the effect of 5 acc in the upper 80s, and it's even more apparent in the new areas where the acc bar is much higher. For example, in a recent parse I was 6% acc above another meat monk, and the main difference between us was I wore about 10~ more acc (PCC instead of faith torque, sniper ring hq instead of rajas)

Anyway, over 100 strikes, thats pDif_avg*125~ extra melee damage, slightly faster TP gain, slightly more reliable WS results. Rajas over 100 strikes gives pDif_avg*100~ extra melee dmg from str, slightly faster TP gain (I'd argue that hitting 1 more time out of 20 is more important than getting 5% more TP on those hits though), slightly higher dmg WS results.

So Rajas on the power scale perhaps fits between 5acc and 7acc rings. Certainly not a reason to give up Tamas ring for your 3 jobs that can use it full-time, especially since you're most likely HNMing with those mage jobs.

[netz]

Store TP is only relevant when you can equip enough to reduce your total number of swings to 100 TP, since the general consensus is that more than that is wasted TP.

[layoneil]

evasion = crap compared to acc in merit situation no shit, I dont even see evasion on my rajas ring anyways

that's in reference to the -evasion on Woodsman.

[Jeryhn]

Hollow earring = LOL

how's that accuracy/r.acc+3 treating you? do you have an optical earring to go with that? I hope you're planning on meriting enhancing to squeeze every last possible point out of your enspell, 'cause 26 damage with matching weather is peanuts.

I picked the correct choice, which is Magnetic. the MB earring is useless, since I don't MB. Ethereal Earring would be nice if I ever got hit, which I don't. All 3 of my mage jobs can use Magnetic.

Actually, from every report I have heard about the Magnetic Earring, its Conserve MP trait = LOL. Made the choice fairly easy for me.

Conserve MP seems to activate a lot for me. Casting Hastes and Refreshes for 15-35mp wins.

[genome]

Think about the people that picked Tamas instead of Rajas... They can never change back. And the only reason to ever wear tamas is for an extra -1 emnity over serene ring. For everything else you can always macro swap another ring and get the same effect or better (since you never really need int and mnd on the same spell and only need max mp on your first spell after resting). Rajas instead is so unique because you use all 4 stats on every punch and ws so you could never replace it with just macro swaps.

I picked Tamas because inventory space is the scarcest resource in FFXI, especially with 5 jobs now leveled, and because all 3 of my mage jobs can wear Tamas. Would I change to Raja's if I could? No, because my woodsmans are better.

This is the correct answer, and I fixed that last part for you. Sadly, the most use I get out of my Rajas is when I go rajas+jelly for farming/soloing.

It's kinda off topic, and people are entitled to their own opinions i suppose, but 2.5 accuracy is not really worth the loss of
5 evasion
5 subtle blow
5 store tp
5 dex
5 str
Saying woodsman is better means you think you rather have that 2.5 acc and sacrifice all those other stats for it.
Also while space is a scarce resource in FFXI, the items that you are replacing with tamas are all items you can mule when you don't use them.

evasion = crap compared to acc in merit situation
subtle blow = crap compared to acc in merit situation
store TP = crap compared to acc in merit situation
5 dex = crap compared to acc in merit situation
5 str is the only decent thing on that ring for meriting. ya it's slightly better than a flame ring because it comes with a few side bonuses, but there is no way you should be using flame rings to TP, and eva+sb+stp+dex means jack shit when you're only wearing it for 5% of the time.

And Maxx, don't put words in my mouth.
The reason I prefer PCC has nothing to do with superiority (or lack thereof) over Faith. PCC has about the same effect as Faith for merit purposes. I happen to like it because I can fucking buy it off the AH, rather than waste 200-300 man-hours between me and my friends for a single limited-use EX drop.

I guess it depends on what you merit on and whether meriting is all you do in-game. For a good 90% of the things i do, all those stats are great, and 2-3 acc is not even noticeable.
My merits and xp have been completely capped for a while now, until they add more categories and new caps, and even when i go xp now I prefer to solo/duo VT imps for xp (10-12k an hour but more fun/relaxed).
For that, limbus, assaults, soloing NMs, etc, I tank, and all those stats are very important and extremely noticeable (the store tp alone often lets me do asuran a turn earlier, subtle blow often saves me from a mob's tp move at the end, and evasion always helps while tanking)
Endgame those stats are even more important.

[aurik]

evasion = crap compared to acc in merit situation >>no shit, I dont even see evasion on my rajas ring anyways >> he's comparing it to woodsman. I like snipers better because loldefense anyway.
store TP = crap compared to acc in merit situation >>+5% tp gain sucks? I know +5 acc sure as hell doesnt have that kind of effect for me >> I rarely end up at 98-99% TP, and even then, because of amnesia, mob health, etc, I often don't WS exactly at 100% every time. Store TP is overrated for merit.
5 dex = crap compared to acc in merit situation >> its half as effective and has a minimal crit bonus as well, in conjunction with store tp+5 its better >> no, store TP still sucks, and the minimal crit bonus is very minimal indeed.
5 str is the only decent thing on that ring for meriting. ya it's slightly better than a flame ring because it comes with a few side bonuses, but there is no way you should be using flame rings to TP, and eva+sb+stp+dex means jack shit when you're only wearing it for 5% of the time.

And Maxx, don't put words in my mouth. >> you make it too easy >> why yes your mother is a whore
The reason I prefer PCC has nothing to do with superiority (or lack thereof) over Faith. PCC has about the same effect it doesnt add damage to attacks but is +3 more accuracy so it's a pretty even trade-off as Faith for merit purposes. I happen to like it because I can fucking buy it off the AH, rather than waste 200-300 man-hours between me and my friends for a single limited-use EX drop.baghs, who the fuck cares, are 100% drop, and pop items are easy to solo but I still have to drag 12-18 people around garden for hours on end because the drop rate fucking blows

added comments.

[aurik]

Think about the people that picked Tamas instead of Rajas... They can never change back. And the only reason to ever wear tamas is for an extra -1 emnity over serene ring. For everything else you can always macro swap another ring and get the same effect or better (since you never really need int and mnd on the same spell and only need max mp on your first spell after resting). Rajas instead is so unique because you use all 4 stats on every punch and ws so you could never replace it with just macro swaps.

I picked Tamas because inventory space is the scarcest resource in FFXI, especially with 5 jobs now leveled, and because all 3 of my mage jobs can wear Tamas. Would I change to Raja's if I could? No, because my woodsmans are better.

This is the correct answer, and I fixed that last part for you. Sadly, the most use I get out of my Rajas is when I go rajas+jelly for farming/soloing.

It's kinda off topic, and people are entitled to their own opinions i suppose, but 2.5 accuracy is not really worth the loss of
5 evasion
5 subtle blow
5 store tp
5 dex
5 str
Saying woodsman is better means you think you rather have that 2.5 acc and sacrifice all those other stats for it.
Also while space is a scarce resource in FFXI, the items that you are replacing with tamas are all items you can mule when you don't use them.

evasion = crap compared to acc in merit situation
subtle blow = crap compared to acc in merit situation
store TP = crap compared to acc in merit situation
5 dex = crap compared to acc in merit situation
5 str is the only decent thing on that ring for meriting. ya it's slightly better than a flame ring because it comes with a few side bonuses, but there is no way you should be using flame rings to TP, and eva+sb+stp+dex means jack shit when you're only wearing it for 5% of the time.

And Maxx, don't put words in my mouth.
The reason I prefer PCC has nothing to do with superiority (or lack thereof) over Faith. PCC has about the same effect as Faith for merit purposes. I happen to like it because I can fucking buy it off the AH, rather than waste 200-300 man-hours between me and my friends for a single limited-use EX drop.

I guess it depends on what you merit on and whether meriting is all you do in-game. For a good 90% of the things i do, all those stats are great, and 2-3 acc is not even noticeable.
My merits and xp have been completely capped for a while now, until they add more categories and new caps, and even when i go xp now I prefer to solo/duo VT imps for xp (10-12k an hour but more fun/relaxed).
For that, limbus, assaults, soloing NMs, etc, I tank, and all those stats are very important and extremely noticeable (the store tp alone often lets me do asuran a turn earlier, subtle blow often saves me from a mob's tp move at the end, and evasion always helps while tanking)
Endgame those stats are even more important.

OK, but this guy is mage x3 with a Tamas, and you're telling him Rajas is better? Fuck off. About the only thing he'll be doing on his melee is merit and fuck around, no reason to waste a CoP ring choice on.

[Raineer]

Hollow earring = LOL

how's that accuracy/r.acc+3 treating you? do you have an optical earring to go with that? I hope you're planning on meriting enhancing to squeeze every last possible point out of your enspell, 'cause 26 damage with matching weather is peanuts.

I picked the correct choice, which is Magnetic. the MB earring is useless, since I don't MB. Ethereal Earring would be nice if I ever got hit, which I don't. All 3 of my mage jobs can use Magnetic.

Actually, from every report I have heard about the Magnetic Earring, its Conserve MP trait = LOL. Made the choice fairly easy for me.

Conserve MP seems to activate a lot for me. Casting Hastes and Refreshes for 15-35mp wins.

Doesn't it reduce 50% MP per cast max? Again, lol at the "no one saved MP until magnetic earring came around" arguement. Amazing how widespread Rajas Ring usage is, no melee has ever said OMG LOOK AT MY TP GAIN NOW, yet every mage with conserve MP + 5 says exactly that.

[Jeryhn]

I've not observed a 50% max cap on Conserve MP. I've casted Cure 1 from anywhere from 3mp to 7mp. I've also seen my Warp reduced to 31mp, and Cure IV down to 33mp with Magnetic alone.

And I didn't save much Conserve MP too much leveling RDM. WHM is by far a superior subjob for RDM in good parties.