RDM Group 1 merits

[Sylphet]

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

http://releenaseraph.livejournal.com/99901.html#cutid1

http://releenaseraph.livejournal.com/97427.html#cutid1

[Xerlic]

What are people's thoughts on Paralyze II vs. Paralyze I? The RDMs I've asked on Titan all seem to think that with a pumped out MND build, Paralyze I actually procs more often than Paralyze II. It was described to me that a naked Paralyze II > Paralyze I, but a full MND build Paralyze I > Paralyze II. Has anyone noticed something along these lines?

As for my own merits (I'm only 73 atm), I plan to do 4 Convert, 3 Wind, 3 Ice for Group 1. I stumbled upon Releena's LJ posts a few months back and she pretty much sold me on putting 3 into Slow II.

I was thinking of putting 2 into Dia III since my linkshell likes to Dia grand dragons on the ground and Bio grand dragons in the air. 2 merits into Dia III makes it good for the 1minute/2minute up/down timers. 1 cast for Jorm and 2 casts for Ouryu/Tiamat. 3 merits into Dia III would make it off synth with the up/down timers. The last merit I would probably throw into something random like Paralyze II or Phalanx II. I was thinking Bio III, but all the stuff I've read about RDM Bio III leads me to believe that it is pretty much on par or even worse than BLM Bio II due to RDM's horrible Dark skill.

[Carbon]

Paralyze II definitely processes more than Paralyze. However, even with Duelist's Chapeau, Warlock's Tabard, Enfeebling Torque, and +16 Enfeebling Merits, I still can't land either Slow II or Paralyze II for shit on sky gods. I find that Paralyze and Slow stick 50% more often. lolSky gods are pretty retardedly resistant, though, and any other HNM I don't really have any problems landing spells on unless they're of that element (aka Jorm, Paralyze 2 doesn't like to land). So... yeah, hope that answers your question.

[Lylie]

Paralyze II definitely processes more than Paralyze. However, even with Duelist's Chapeau, Warlock's Tabard, Enfeebling Torque, and +16 Enfeebling Merits, I still can't land either Slow II or Paralyze II for shit on sky gods. I find that Paralyze and Slow stick 50% more often. lolSky gods are pretty retardedly resistant, though, and any other HNM I don't really have any problems landing spells on unless they're of that element (aka Jorm, Paralyze 2 doesn't like to land). So... yeah, hope that answers your question.

Wait... What... You having troubles landing Tier 2 on Sky Gods...? Maybe try Errant body when casting... But dunno, I only have 4 Enfeebling merits (4 in Elemental), no AF2, and never got any issue landing Tier 2 (even when they were only merited once) on Sky gods...

[banhero]

332 enfeeb for gods and a brd/whm still has as good a chance at landing as i do...(cept things like bind on seiryu, gravity on kirin, etc., which seem less broken)

[Ravenlokk]

332 enfeeb for gods and a brd/whm still has as good a chance at landing as i do...(cept things like bind on seiryu, gravity on kirin, etc., which seem less broken)

Its because Seiryu = Wind Based (Weak to Ice/Bind)
Kirin = Earth Based (Weak to Wind/Gravity)

Also, idk why you'd be having such major problems landing your debuffs, some things will naturally resist certain spells (innate resistance/elemental base of mob) although in a lot of cases its just resistance not immunity.. (Gravity Seiryu lol)

[Septimus]

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.

Sad part is that I would take 0-3 damage from those same hits for half of the MP cost with Phalanx, and I would have stoneskin to absorb the rest.

They really need to do something about Phalanx II's calculation. Give it the same formula as Phalanx, make it AoE for 99 MP (like it was originally intended), and have each upgrade add duration. Then Phalanx II would be pure sex.

[Kyreth]

They really need to do something about Phalanx II's calculation. Give it the same formula as Phalanx, make it AoE for 99 MP (like it was originally intended), and have each upgrade add duration. Then Phalanx II would be pure sex.

Give me a merit to make RDM-unique spells party buffs/-ga (Phalanx II, Refresh, Dispel, Gravity) from single buffs (with appropriate MP multipliers) and I'd be a happy camper. A seal like Divine/Elemental or the DRK merited one, 5 minute recast 6-meritable down to 2.

Figures. We've gone from beginner RDM meriting to the heights.

[Rocl]

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

http://releenaseraph.livejournal.com/99901.html#cutid1

http://releenaseraph.livejournal.com/97427.html#cutid1

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...x-/slowoj8.jpg

I like pictures better >:

[Khamsin]

So, it appears that Slow x3 is about 2% more potent than Slow x2.

Now.. has any similar tests been done regarding Para II proc rates?

[RKenshin]

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.

Sad part is that I would take 0-3 damage from those same hits for half of the MP cost with Phalanx, and I would have stoneskin to absorb the rest.

They really need to do something about Phalanx II's calculation. Give it the same formula as Phalanx, make it AoE for 99 MP (like it was originally intended), and have each upgrade add duration. Then Phalanx II would be pure sex.

If or when they ever expand group 2 merits, Phalanx II should be close to as good as Phalanx I think.

I'm pretty sure they'll expand them eventually though, just more of a matter of time. Everything just makes more sense with 5 upgrades.

[bebeci]

So, it appears that Slow x3 is about 2% more potent than Slow x2.

Doesn't the merit description say it's potency increase by 1 (or 2) per upgrade?

[Septimus]

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.

Sad part is that I would take 0-3 damage from those same hits for half of the MP cost with Phalanx, and I would have stoneskin to absorb the rest.

They really need to do something about Phalanx II's calculation. Give it the same formula as Phalanx, make it AoE for 99 MP (like it was originally intended), and have each upgrade add duration. Then Phalanx II would be pure sex.

If or when they ever expand group 2 merits, Phalanx II should be close to as good as Phalanx I think.

I'm pretty sure they'll expand them eventually though, just more of a matter of time. Everything just makes more sense with 5 upgrades.

With 5 merits and 256+49 skill it would absorb 28 damage like Phalanx. (Although +49 skill from gear is very hard to achieve so 27 is the more likely number, Phalanx would have the same number.) But since I am picking nits, its duration would only be 4 minutes for double the cost of Phalanx. (Which is a 3 minute duration.) And it sucks that you have to give up so many other spells to cap it. Also, who is to say that three won't be the individual merit cap and they won't give us 6 more merits to play with in the category? (Which would be awesome.)

I would still prefer an AoE Phalanx. And allowing us to have 16 merits in magic so I can level up enhancing magic also.

[Khamsin]

So, it appears that Slow x3 is about 2% more potent than Slow x2.

Doesn't the merit description say it's potency increase by 1 (or 2) per upgrade?

"Each additional merit increases slow effect by 1 and magic accuracy by 2."

So.. it depends on what it means by "increases slow effect by 1", but judging from the chart, it appears that 1 unit of slow effect is about 0.5-1.5% slow. It's hard to tell exactly. However, Slow x2 seems to cap at about 2.5-3% higher than Slow x1. There's nothing showing how much higher Slow x3 caps at, compared to Slow x2.

[Carbon]

I have +43 Enhancing Magic from gear. If I ever get my hands on one of those sea capes, it'd be +48. :3

[Celebrindor]

yeah- funny thing is, enfeebling in a way is the hardest +skill gear for a RDM to get (in regards to cost and rarity):

enhancing set: warlock's tights +15
duelist's gloves +15
enh. torque +7 (dirt cheap)
enh. earring +3 (equally dirt cheap)
glamor jupon +3
sea cape +5

there's your +48, and really, only the sea cape is challenging. regular old AF, the most prevalent relic armor drop from the easiest zone, a subligar hunt, and 2 cheapo pieces from the AH.

elemental set: ice/aquilo's staff +10
warlock's chap. +10
duelist's tights +10
elem. torque +7
wizard's earring +5 (while /blm, lol big challenge for a RDM)
sea cape +5
genie gages +8
glamor jupon +3

+59.....not too shabby. And again, good ole AF, another city AF drop (albeit harder than our gloves to get for most), a more expensive torque, an underutilized (and underpriced) subjob earring, subligar hunt, ToAU NM drop that now is reasonable, and a sea cape. Interesting fact- RDM skill caps at 230 here, BLM at 276....get this gear and you're nuking with 289....

and enfeebling set: warlock's tabard +15
duelist's chap. +15
enf. torque +7
enf. earring +3
nashira serawheel +5
sea cape +5
M.C. bracelets +7 (if active)
thanatos baselard +4 (lol)

+61 according to my math.....but not so easy. Starts out not bad- regular AF. Then the rarest (at least according to most) relic drop, the most expensive torque/earring combo (on most servers), a limbus proto fight, sea cape, rank 8 and 20k conquest points.....and a loldagger instead of your staff. Put down the baselard...put it down and sell it to another screenshot desiring RDM.

Long story short- RDM gets a TON of gear to max out our casting stats, and enhancing isn't alone. And in fact, enhancing is the easiest to do so. I'm sitting on +40 in gear now (AF/relic/torque/jupon) and loving it for so many things....from barspells to enspells to killer phalanx. If they ever make phalanx II have the same computing formula as phalanx I, I'll merit the hell outta it, no questions asked. Pair me up with a SMN and give the PLD a full blown phalanx and earthen ward, and have some fun.

[Byrd]

elemental set: ice/aquilo's staff +10
warlock's chap. +10
duelist's tights +10
elem. torque +7
wizard's earring +5 (while /blm, lol big challenge for a RDM)
sea cape +5
genie gages +8
glamor jupon +3

+59.....not too shabby. And again, good ole AF, another city AF drop (albeit harder than our gloves to get for most), a more expensive torque, an underutilized (and underpriced) subjob earring, subligar hunt, ToAU NM drop that now is reasonable, and a sea cape. Interesting fact- RDM skill caps at 230 here, BLM at 276....get this gear and you're nuking with 289....

For completeness sake, you're missing Elemental Earring (+3), Duelist's Tights +1 (+12 over +10) and Nashira Crackows (+5) which, if your math is right, would put you at 299.

[Khamsin]

elemental set: ice/aquilo's staff +10
warlock's chap. +10
duelist's tights +10
elem. torque +7
wizard's earring +5 (while /blm, lol big challenge for a RDM)
sea cape +5
genie gages +8
glamor jupon +3

+59.....not too shabby. And again, good ole AF, another city AF drop (albeit harder than our gloves to get for most), a more expensive torque, an underutilized (and underpriced) subjob earring, subligar hunt, ToAU NM drop that now is reasonable, and a sea cape. Interesting fact- RDM skill caps at 230 here, BLM at 276....get this gear and you're nuking with 289....

For completeness sake, you're missing Elemental Earring (+3), Duelist's Tights +1 (+12 over +10) and Nashira Crackows (+5) which, if your math is right, would put you at 299.

While that's great for certain things, like soloing Brothers ENM, etc. your highest nuke is still Thunder III (or Blizzard III, since that's still going to be your most reliable spell, with Ice Accuracy and Aquilo's Staff). Funny thing is, DRK's elemental skill cap is higher than RDMs (I think), but what exactly are they going to do with tier II nukes?

[Darkslitter]

I personally went with 3 ice (para/blizz nukes) 4 wind(Grav/silence) 3 earth(Slow)

[Metah]

elemental set: ice/aquilo's staff +10
warlock's chap. +10
duelist's tights +10
elem. torque +7
wizard's earring +5 (while /blm, lol big challenge for a RDM)
sea cape +5
genie gages +8
glamor jupon +3

+59.....not too shabby. And again, good ole AF, another city AF drop (albeit harder than our gloves to get for most), a more expensive torque, an underutilized (and underpriced) subjob earring, subligar hunt, ToAU NM drop that now is reasonable, and a sea cape. Interesting fact- RDM skill caps at 230 here, BLM at 276....get this gear and you're nuking with 289....

For completeness sake, you're missing Elemental Earring (+3), Duelist's Tights +1 (+12 over +10) and Nashira Crackows (+5) which, if your math is right, would put you at 299.

Don't forget Ice Ring which would give you +15 on Iceday, pushing you up to 314.