Ancient Magic II question...

[Delekii]

If everyone has AM2, you can one shot puddings with 3 good blms and a brd, without needing the right day or weather.

[Ryany]

One reason why I don't plan to go to the 2nd upgrade in any ancient magic spell is because you never know when square might add a useful endgame mob that could be weak to one of the spells that are not very used at the moment.

....well maybe that wasn't a very good point with the "square adding a useful endgame mob" part. I just don't want to eventually have to go through 30k more of "[Mamool Ja Staging Point] OK" parties.

[Ichthyos]

That's not a bad argument, unless you already have merits in potency.

[BRP]

I'm thinking of unlocking all of them, 2 in Burst, and 3 in Freeze. For now, I just need to wait for SE to raise the Category 2 cap to 9.

2 + 2 = 4 (Burst II and Freeze II)
4 + 1 = 5 (Tornado II)
5 + 1 = 6 (Flood II)

unless you mean the first part, in which I'm speaking when the cap becomes 10(not 9).

[edgarfigaro]

EDIT
Artcia, AMII aren't xp spells, the IV's are much better in XP situations. So getting quake for puddings is rather silly.

I have friends that use them over tier IV when the conditions are right to use obis etc, certainly ups exp rate the times I've been there. Though we're pimped out and my one friend has a novio and I have a genie and we have the obis and use sorc rings so we put up ga3 type numbers for less mana.

that right there would be an argument for using IV, not AMII. Only weak blms would need to use AMII to kill puddings. I know my ls xp groups usually kill puddings with 3 IV's and a II or drain, but we're not as pimped as you apparently.

[Tahngarthor]

I'm thinking of unlocking all of them, 2 in Burst, and 3 in Freeze. For now, 2 in Burst, 2 in Freeze, 1 in Tornado, 1 in Flood because of the current cap.

I highly doubt they will double the cap like for the basic job merits; maybe increase it by like 2 points later. I have doubts because doubling the cap would allow jobs with 4 new merits to get max level in all of them, and I dont think they want people to do that (it's not possible in any other category, at least).

[Excalin Garisk]

I'm thinking of unlocking all of them, 2 in Burst, and 3 in Freeze. For now, 2 in Burst, 2 in Freeze, 1 in Tornado, 1 in Flood because of the current cap.

I highly doubt they will double the cap like for the basic job merits; maybe increase it by like 2 points later. I have doubts because doubling the cap would allow jobs with 4 new merits to get max level in all of them, and I dont think they want people to do that (it's not possible in any other category, at least).

the cap would go from 3/6 to 5/10 if there was an increase im sure, and 6x2 = 12 not 18 that would take to max them all if it were to double.

[Suiram]

There aren't really very many situations where--assuming you have done or plan to do 5/5 thunder and ice potency--you would benefit more from having a full set of AM2 over 3/3 Burst II and Freeze II. How often are you fighting something that is noticably resistant to a 75 blm to both ice and thunder versus some other element. I've got JoL in ice-form and bomb-type monsters, and that's all I can think of, although I just woke up from a nap. You might also say it'd be worth it if you wanted to Manafont and cycle through them all before it wears off, but how often are you really doing that compared to MBing thunder or ice?

Look at it this way: Maxing thunder and ice potency is typically the best use of category 1 merits, because blizzard and thunder are the two most potentially damaging spells, and having those two also gives you sufficient versitility when you're considering mob resistances (very few things resist both) and MBing SCs (light or darkness). Now since the formulas for all the AM2 are the same, your Freezes and Bursts come out of the box doing 6-7% more than the other 4 spells depending on how much MAB gear you use. I'd rather make them more powerful in MB, and more accurate in all situations, for the same reason we max ice and thunder to begin with--because they had the greatest initial potential.

That said, I'm glad some people want to get 6/6 AMII, because it would be cool to be able to see the animations for them without having to get them myself.

[Artica]

that right there would be an argument for using IV, not AMII. Only weak blms would need to use AMII to kill puddings. I know my ls xp groups usually kill puddings with 3 IV's and a II or drain, but we're not as pimped as you apparently.

It's a matter of preference really. Duoing we'd normally drop 2 tier4's then stun/grav then aspir and use 2 tier3's to kill. But when we have the correct day we can slap on the obis and sorcerer's tonban, etc and drop a couple AM2s instead of the 4's and can usually kill with a couple drains. It still roughly comes out the same. As I said when the conditions are right not all the time.

I don't have AM2 myself yet, just making observations from watching some friends on puddings.

[nekoshoonen]

Unless I see some proof that its 3 MAB instead of just 3 DMG like the description says I don't understand the point in meriting them past 1 in each. 40k Exp to make my spell go from 1800 to 1803 on MB only doesn't seem worth it.

From the description i believe that 3 damage is Base damage... base damage of a spell is then modified by INT, MAB and Elemental Obis/AF2 legs. 3 Base DMG would add up to much more than 3 >.>

[Mifaco]

I'm thinking of unlocking all of them, 2 in Burst, and 3 in Freeze. For now, 2 in Burst, 2 in Freeze, 1 in Tornado, 1 in Flood because of the current cap.

I highly doubt they will double the cap like for the basic job merits; maybe increase it by like 2 points later. I have doubts because doubling the cap would allow jobs with 4 new merits to get max level in all of them, and I dont think they want people to do that (it's not possible in any other category, at least).

So, why do you still post here when you've been exposed as an idiot?

[FFXIFlux]

That said, I'm glad some people want to get 6/6 AMII, because it would be cool to be able to see the animations for them without having to get them myself.

With obis you'd be 6/8 of getting the day bonus. It's not a horrible idea to do all 6, but I doubt many BLM have or would want to carry around 6 obis on top of a bunch of staves. Besides, ice has a nice staff and thunder got the best animation hands down.

[Kiro]

Didn't read any of the posts! Go me.

Flood II ftw.


(Post count+1)

[Wizerd]

I'm thinking of unlocking all of them, 2 in Burst, and 3 in Freeze. For now, I just need to wait for SE to raise the Category 2 cap to 9.

2 + 2 = 4 (Burst II and Freeze II)
4 + 1 = 5 (Tornado II)
5 + 1 = 6 (Flood II)

unless you mean the first part, in which I'm speaking when the cap becomes 10(not 9).

So you'd plan on leaving Burst at 2 when you could raise it to 3? (1+1+1+1+2+3 = 9, not 10)

[BRP]

Oh, okay, that I did miscount

I would put 2 in Tornado, 2 in Burst, 3 in Freeze, and 1 Flood/Quake/Flare.

If you look at the timers with 5 merits, it makes too much sense that it will be a cap of 5/10.

[nivlakian]

Unlock them all imo. I'd even consider using Quake II just to lower something's Thunder resist.

Quake lowers wind Resist

About how much does it lower the resist? Same as AM 1?

Tried it out in Ballista, Burst 2 gave a -30 resist just like Burst 1.

[Dezzimal]

That said, I'm glad some people want to get 6/6 AMII, because it would be cool to be able to see the animations for them without having to get them myself.

With obis you'd be 6/8 of getting the day bonus. It's not a horrible idea to do all 6, but I doubt many BLM have or would want to carry around 6 obis on top of a bunch of staves. Besides, ice has a nice staff and thunder got the best animation hands down.

But you wouldn't be getting your bonus from potency merits. Thats my big thing is I have ice/thunder potency 5/5. I feel like it would be a waste if I didn't max freeze/burst II.

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

That said, I'm glad some people want to get 6/6 AMII, because it would be cool to be able to see the animations for them without having to get them myself.

With obis you'd be 6/8 of getting the day bonus. It's not a horrible idea to do all 6, but I doubt many BLM have or would want to carry around 6 obis on top of a bunch of staves. Besides, ice has a nice staff and thunder got the best animation hands down.

But you wouldn't be getting your bonus from potency merits. Thats my big thing is I have ice/thunder potency 5/5. I feel like it would be a waste if I didn't max freeze/burst II.

I'd say coordinate with other LS BLMs and switch merits accordingly so you can have maximum potential in every element (except maybe stone. Fuck stone.) Not everything is weak to thunder and blizzard.

[Lordwafik]

it is innefficient for a BLM to take off his merits just to boost one spell.

Bliz/Thunder are our strongest teired nukes, outside of AM2, we still use those for soloing. I sure as hell wont give those up just to merit Tornado2 or Flood2.

SE did a mistake in making magic tiered, imo they should go back and unteir them, or at least make sure they all do the same dmg , in proper teirs.

Should be more like this :

Mob is weak to earth , you use wind and get a damage bonus. As of now, BLM dont get any bonus, just resist less. Unlike peircing bonus vs flies, blunt bonus to h2h, etc.

Also, they should be in realistic teirs, as in all III spells will do the same dmg on a neutral mob, on a weak to element mob +10% dmg, on a strong to element mob -10% dmg, this would actually encourage skillchains.

Stone is a nice spell, awesome animations, but wasted potential because it's the lowest "tier" in each "teir", teirs within teirs = poop.

[Judai]

EDIT
Artcia, AMII aren't xp spells, the IV's are much better in XP situations. So getting quake for puddings is rather silly.

I have friends that use them over tier IV when the conditions are right to use obis etc, certainly ups exp rate the times I've been there. Though we're pimped out and my one friend has a novio and I have a genie and we have the obis and use sorc rings so we put up ga3 type numbers for less mana.

Uh, with that gear you should stick to Tier IV and just kill faster. Using AM2 is a large waste on puddings

I solo puddings and since getting AM2s my exp rate has gone up. I use 2 AMs and a T3 to kill. Uses same amount of MP basically and I kill in 3 nukes instead of 4-5. Basically, kill faster, rest quicker and get more exp.

idk about the other post too, my AM2 out damage my ga3 period. Don't matter about day, obis or anything.