Ranger: Attack vs. Ranged Attack

[Ceiyne]

I've been levelling Ranger lately. I looked around the usual places but I haven't been able to find anything that details what the relationship is between my Attack, my Ranged Attack, and my damage output.

I read over the damage calculation formulas but the ranged formula seemed to only talk about Ranged Attack and not regular Attack. But, I know if my Attack goes up, I can see a difference in my damage.

Thanks for any help that you can provide.

[Jeryhn]

I read over the damage calculation formulas but the ranged formula seemed to only talk about Ranged Attack and not regular Attack. But, I know if my Attack goes up, I can see a difference in my damage.

Probably because, if you're using Attack food or Berserk, both raise Ranged Attack as well.

If you simply stack equipment that adds only Attack, it won't increase your Ranged Attack.

[Demitrius]

It depends how you're raising your attack. Your attack goes up several ways:

- buffs like Minuet - Some of these buffs also raise your ranged attack

- natural increases from raising your weapon skill - raises your ranged attack just like any other weapon

- equipment that specifically raises your attack - this does NOT raise your ranged attack, unless it specifically says "ranged attack"

- Foods that raise your attack - these almost always raise your ranged attack by the same amount.

So, yeah, how did your attack go up that you noticed a ranged attack boost?

[Ceiyne]

All through my FFXI "career" I had always understood Ranged Attack and Attack to be separate things, and that seems to be what you're saying. I only started to question this a few days ago when a friend told me that he equipped a piece of gear with only +Attack and he saw his ranged damage go up. My friend has been playing for a long time and I value his opinion.

I didn't test what he said directly, but I kept it in mind. Later I was in a party where I got bard songs and Warcry that increased my Attack, and at the time I thought those things only affected plain Attack. From what you've said, it sounds like I was also getting Ranged Attack up at the same time.

So, maybe my friend had the placebo effect? ^^ Or maybe something else had changed and he didn't realize it (mob level, for instance).

If I recall correctly, Bard songs, Berserk, and so forth are described as increasing attack. Is there a list somewhere that details what abilities have a "hidden" effect of increasing Ranged Attack? Or is it safe to assume that most things (besides gear) that only talk about Attack also affect Ranged Attack?

Thanks for your help!

[VZX]

I only remember Last Resort doesn't enhance ranged attack.
Forgot whether boost enhance ranged attack or not. But most attack+ buff [with exception (melee)attack-only food] also increase your ranged attack.

so this statement

- Foods that raise your attack - these almost always raise your ranged attack by the same amount.

is true for some mid-level +attack/+ratk food. But not all atk food. (e.g. Mithkabob raise your attack, but not your ranged attack)

[Ceiyne]

OK, just thought of a follow-up question. XD

Is it also implied that many things that affect Accuracy also affect Ranged Accuracy? Of course, I know that sushi gives both acc and racc. And gear saying only "Accuracy" is only going to be acc. But do bard songs, for instance, increase both? I'm guessing no, because then why would there be Archer's Prelude? But maybe i'm wrong....

[dedalius]

Madrigal doesn't give RAcc bonus.

[Demitrius]

Boost does affect ranged attacks, but nothing would suck more than 3 minutes of boosting to miss a Sidewinder.

Oh, for the record, here's a list of all the foods that increase ranged attack.

http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/list-by ... d%20Attack