RDM Group 1 merits

[Septimus]

I am currently leveling RDM, and intend mainly on going with Ice and Wind for merits, and fully meriting Phalanx II and Para II. Any thoughts?

If those are definately going to be your group II merits I would reccomend going 5/5 Convert and 5/5 Ice Accuracy.

People have gone over the benefits of Convert merits ad nauseam. I don't personally know a single RDM who would trade their convert merits for anything, myself included. Ice Accuracy will also help with Bind which is awesome for soloing.

I wouldn't do convert merits, but I never XP on the job anymore and only go as RDM to events that require a lot of bang for their buck.

[Sylphet]

I am currently leveling RDM, and intend mainly on going with Ice and Wind for merits, and fully meriting Phalanx II and Para II. Any thoughts?

If those are definately going to be your group II merits I would reccomend going 5/5 Convert and 5/5 Ice Accuracy.

People have gone over the benefits of Convert merits ad nauseam. I don't personally know a single RDM who would trade their convert merits for anything, myself included. Ice Accuracy will also help with Bind which is awesome for soloing.

I wouldn't do convert merits, but I never XP on the job anymore and only go as RDM to events that require a lot of bang for their buck.

once again reinforcing that ultimately it's all about how you (and your linkshell) want to play the game.

I do a lot on my RDM solo/in small groups as well as HNMs... ok I lie I'm always WHM for HNMs but I digress.

btw para totally owns the Bhaflau Remnants boss: Long-Bowed Chariot and that's just my stinky Paralyze I with no ice merits.

Get to 75 first and see how often you'll be using the job and what you'll be using if for before you go committing yourself to merits ^^

[aurik]

RDM casts Gravity on the Chvelnik.
The Chvelnik begins casting Meteor.
BLM1 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM2 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM3 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM4 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM5 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM6 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM7 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM8 starts casting Stone IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM9 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM10 is too far away.

Why are you doing KS99 with Rambus?

[Jeryhn]

RDM casts Gravity on the Chvelnik.
The Chvelnik begins casting Meteor.
BLM1 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM2 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM3 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM4 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM5 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM6 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM7 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM8 starts casting Stone IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM9 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM10 is too far away.

Why are you doing KS99 with Rambus?

hahahaha

[Scythiroth]

RDM casts Gravity on the Chvelnik.
The Chvelnik begins casting Meteor.
BLM1 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM2 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM3 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM4 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM5 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM6 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM7 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM8 starts casting Garuda.
BLM9 starts casting Blizzard IV on the Chvelnik.
BLM10 is too far away.

Why are you doing KS99 with Rambus?

>_>

[Nikopiko]

RDM Merits: Fully merit Convert
1 into Paralyze II
1 into Slow II
1 into Dia III
1 into Bio III
Haven't really figured out what else to do, I'm happy with those merits.
May put 1 more into both Dia III and Bio III to have them last a full minute.

Completely agree to filling up in the Wind accuracy though, that's a strong magic for enfeebles like gravity and especially silence.

[Everlasting]

Yeah like others have said 3243242323423 times it's all about the role you play.

The RDM I duo with has 2 wind, 2 ice, 2 water (YES YOU HEARD ME) and last 4 are going into Convert. 1 Phalanx II for oh shit situations and I'll be pumping that after Convert, the damage reduction isn't hot but the extra duration is.

[Damen]

You are very dense. Do you never use a shield when you are PLD/WAR because there's no telling when you will block an attack so it is worthless? Someone casting Paralyze II does not prevent the application of Slow II and/or Elegy. Over the course of a fight Paralyze II will most likely stop as many actions as the delay increase from Slow II, on mobs like Fafnir/Nidhogg chances are that Paralyze II will stop more actions than the delay increase from Slow II. In addition, Paralyze II has the chance to stop spells, Slow II cannot do that.

You either play with amazingly gimp Red Mages who cast in all magical accuracy gear so their spells never proc, or you just don't pay attention to what your support jobs do for you. Who cares if any particular attack is stopped by paralyze, it is the effect over time that makes the spell wonderfully efficient. There is no reason to compare the spells because you get a greater effect you you combine them.

Again, I don't think anyone is arguing the usefulness of para II. It's just that slow II and Phalanx II are much more consistant from an HNM perspective. Phalanx II is never going to not work. Also keep in mind you still have Paralyze I should you really want para on it. But Slow II is by far more beneficial and should be prioritized before para.

Considering I never heard of a tank complain that paralyze wasn't up(again, not saying it's not helpful, its just not as necessary), to me, Slow IIx3 (earth accx5 group I) + Phalanx IIx3 + Paralyze I is going to have more benefit than Slow IIx3 + Para IIx3 for HNMs but to each their own.

[Septimus]

Yeah like others have said 3243242323423 times it's all about the role you play.

The RDM I duo with has 2 wind, 2 ice, 2 water (YES YOU HEARD ME) and last 4 are going into Convert. 1 Phalanx II for oh shit situations and I'll be pumping that after Convert, the damage reduction isn't hot but the extra duration is.

When you absolutely, positively have to land poison II?

[Septimus]

You are very dense. Do you never use a shield when you are PLD/WAR because there's no telling when you will block an attack so it is worthless? Someone casting Paralyze II does not prevent the application of Slow II and/or Elegy. Over the course of a fight Paralyze II will most likely stop as many actions as the delay increase from Slow II, on mobs like Fafnir/Nidhogg chances are that Paralyze II will stop more actions than the delay increase from Slow II. In addition, Paralyze II has the chance to stop spells, Slow II cannot do that.

You either play with amazingly gimp Red Mages who cast in all magical accuracy gear so their spells never proc, or you just don't pay attention to what your support jobs do for you. Who cares if any particular attack is stopped by paralyze, it is the effect over time that makes the spell wonderfully efficient. There is no reason to compare the spells because you get a greater effect you you combine them.

Again, I don't think anyone is arguing the usefulness of para II. It's just that slow II and Phalanx II are much more consistant from an HNM perspective. Phalanx II is never going to not work. Also keep in mind you still have Paralyze I should you really want para on it. But Slow II is by far more beneficial and should be prioritized before para.

Considering I never heard of a tank complain that paralyze wasn't up(again, not saying it's not helpful, its just not as necessary), to me, Slow IIx3 (earth accx5 group I) + Phalanx IIx3 + Paralyze I is going to have more benefit than Slow IIx3 + Para IIx3 for HNMs but to each their own.

People are arguing the usefulness of Paralyze II. It is like no one understands that there are benefits outside of immediacy. Yes, if you look at any particular mob melee attack Slow II and/or Phalanx II is going to have an immediate effect, but looking at the battle over time Paralyze II has a huge effect as well. Getting hit once or twice while under the effect of Phanalx II is a waste of MP, to reach the maximum efficiency of Phalanx II you would need 3 merits, +44 enhancing skill in gear and/or merits, and the tank would have to get hit over 8 times over the three minute duration; otherwise it is more MP efficient to caste Cure III. (Cure III will restore 198 HP or more with a light staff equipped for a cost of 46 MP for a healing ratio of 4.3 HP per MP. Phalanx II costs 42 MP, with a 4.3 healing ratio, that would work out to 180.6 HP healed for that amount of MP spent. The maximum damage reduction you can get from Phalanx II is 22 [(256 base enhancing skill + 49 enhancing skill from gear + 16 from merits)/25 +1 + (3 * merit level) = 321/25 + 1 + 9 = 12.84 + 1 + 9 = 22.84 of course rounded down] So, the 42 MP from Phalanx II would cure 180 HP, 180 / 22 = 8.18 hits. Compare this to Phalanx which would require 3.34 hits to surpass cure efficiency.)

How many times to I have to say that they are not mutually exclusive? Merit 2 Slow II, 2 Paralyze II, 2 Phalanx II, 4 ice, 3 Wind, 3 earth and you have all of your bases covered.

[Everlasting]

Yeah like others have said 3243242323423 times it's all about the role you play.

The RDM I duo with has 2 wind, 2 ice, 2 water (YES YOU HEARD ME) and last 4 are going into Convert. 1 Phalanx II for oh shit situations and I'll be pumping that after Convert, the damage reduction isn't hot but the extra duration is.

When you absolutely, positively have to land poison II?

Exactly! We've been doing a lot of Besieged over the last few months and it's actually pretty handy, for normal mobs (farm/exp), yeah it isn't needed.

Most of the stuff I do is duo or trio so kill time is a factor. I know people lolpoison2 but it works great for the stuff we do. As I have less time to play and less time to catch Besieged I'll probably end up moving them to Convert or Ice because the need to land Poison 2 on IT++++ won't be around for us any longer.

[Sylphet]

How many times to I have to say that they are not mutually exclusive? Merit 2 Slow II, 2 Paralyze II, 2 Phalanx II, 4 ice, 3 Wind, 3 earth and you have all of your bases covered.

I'm guessing 10 times but then there will still be people who don't get it.

As long as your merits aren't totally retarded there are plenty of acceptable combinations.

RDM is one of the most versitile jobs in the game. Be happy about it people!

[Khamsin]

Yeah like others have said 3243242323423 times it's all about the role you play.

The RDM I duo with has 2 wind, 2 ice, 2 water (YES YOU HEARD ME) and last 4 are going into Convert. 1 Phalanx II for oh shit situations and I'll be pumping that after Convert, the damage reduction isn't hot but the extra duration is.

When you absolutely, positively have to land poison II?

When you are zombying! When you RR up, you only have one chance to stick your DoTs!

Of course, you could just use Bio...

[Sylphet]

Yeah like others have said 3243242323423 times it's all about the role you play.

The RDM I duo with has 2 wind, 2 ice, 2 water (YES YOU HEARD ME) and last 4 are going into Convert. 1 Phalanx II for oh shit situations and I'll be pumping that after Convert, the damage reduction isn't hot but the extra duration is.

When you absolutely, positively have to land poison II?

Exactly! We've been doing a lot of Besieged over the last few months and it's actually pretty handy, for normal mobs (farm/exp), yeah it isn't needed.

Most of the stuff I do is duo or trio so kill time is a factor. I know people lolpoison2 but it works great for the stuff we do. As I have less time to play and less time to catch Besieged I'll probably end up moving them to Convert or Ice because the need to land Poison 2 on IT++++ won't be around for us any longer.

This is not meant to be an insult in any way but this is the first time I've ever heard of anyone justifying merits for performance in ... Besieged...
where I frequently have over 2k hp and mp on RDM due to temp items and could give a crap about recasting a spell that doesn't land the first time, especially one with a 5 sec or less recast.

[Everlasting]

This is not meant to be an insult in any way but this is the first time I've ever heard of anyone justifying merits for performance in ... Besieged...
where I frequently have over 2k hp and mp on RDM due to temp items and could give a crap about recasting a spell that doesn't land the first time, especially one with a 5 sec or less recast.

I understand why people thing it's a bad idea.

Due to our activities it's a good choice for us due to it's dual uses (farming and Besieged) but we don't need it during farming (can land it already without the merits) and it's more of a luxury during Besieged.

It was useful for us at one time but now it's becoming pretty unnecessary.

[Nikopiko]

How many times to I have to say that they are not mutually exclusive? Merit 2 Slow II, 2 Paralyze II, 2 Phalanx II, 4 ice, 3 Wind, 3 earth and you have all of your bases covered.

I'm guessing 10 times but then there will still be people who don't get it.

As long as your merits aren't totally retarded there are plenty of acceptable combinations.

RDM is one of the most versitile jobs in the game. Be happy about it people!

totally agreed

[Khamsin]

As far as I'm concerned, there's three types of valid merit configurations for RDM: solo, meripo and HNM (or a reasonable mix). That allows for a wide variety of acceptable and useful merit setups depending on people's tastes and how they use their RDM. But things like water accuracy for beseiged don't count in my book. lol

[Scythiroth]

As far as I'm concerned, there's three types of valid merit configurations for RDM: solo, meripo and HNM (or a reasonable mix). That allows for a wide variety of acceptable and useful merit setups depending on people's tastes and how they use their RDM. But things like water accuracy for beseiged don't count in my book. lol

Very true. I have mine mostly meritted towards HNM and slightly merit parties I guess.

Going through a whole fafhogg with 0 resists is what I like seeing. When I see resists in exp, it is very rare, but still makes me sad when they do happen.

[aurik]

Phalanx2 is amaaaaaazing for Salvage, way better than any other spell a rdm has. Nothing like taking hits for 25-30 down to 5-10--a simple regen1 or strange milk from a crate can keep them healed while you rest.

So, if you do salvage a lot, consider pumping up that phalanx.

[Khamsin]

Phalanx2 is amaaaaaazing for Salvage, way better than any other spell a rdm has. Nothing like taking hits for 25-30 down to 5-10--a simple regen1 or strange milk from a crate can keep them healed while you rest.

So, if you do salvage a lot, consider pumping up that phalanx.

My phalanx has stayed at level 1 since I meritted it. My plan was Para x3, Slow x2, Phalanx x1. I opted for the extra point in Para over Slow because Slow works all the time, Para has to proc to be useful. So I figured if the extra point in Para gets me an extra proc, that's better than the extra % of Slow that 1 merit gets me.

Speaking of which, has any tests been done showing the effect of Slow x2 vs Slow x3?