RDM Merit Point Allocation

[Yuri-G]

3 Phalanx II, 2 Slow II, 1 Dia III works well for me

This seems like the most logical choice unless you have a reason to choose otherwise (e.g. linkshell already has enough RDMs with Phalanx II, you DoT solo a ton and would really love Bio III, etc.) It's what I've planned on for a while. Phalanx's duration/potency increases make it really sweet for three full merits, Dia III's going to be used mostly in merit parties so 30 seconds should be fine, and Slow II is too good not to unlock at the very least.

[Tomiko]

Eva 4 (Taking to 8)

wut

Well, I am only a NIN, RDM, BRD. I do shit like pull on BRD where it would help. Tank on NIN where it would help. And constantly Duo/Solo stuff on RDM where it definitely can't hurt, especially not when I have no other need to put merits into the combat category.

I use a sword less than 10% of the time on RDM. If I am on NIN it is probably /DRK tanking where KTN skill isn't going to do much. So EVA is the only logical choice that can possibly help. That and Dagger which I might do as well, since I am thinking of THF next to 75. ;p

The "wut" wasn't directed at the decision to merit Evasion (I have 4 myself for Nin), but rather that you're planning on going to 8 when the cap for Evasion merits is 4.

slowIIx1( the curve for slow II even with only 1 minimum , is enough to give good result , and it last just as long as slow II x3 , and always lands easily)

Pretty sure the point of having more merits into Slow 2 is for the higher potency cap (in addition to the added accuracy).

[HealingVision02]

8 MP
5 INT
4 Spell Interrupt Rate
8 Enfeebling, 8 Elemental
5 Convert, 5 Ice acc
3 Slow II, 2 Paralyze II, 1 Phalanx II

Pretty predictable RDM merits, but they serve me well. I really don't see why other RDM in my LS refuse to merit Convert, it's soooo much more useful than random not-ice elemental accuracy merits.

[Amastacia]

Put most of my useful merits into NIN, but RDM doesn't really need that much anyway.

8 Enfeebling
5 Convert
3 Phalanx II
2 Slow II
1 Para II

I'll tend to agree that 1 point in Para II isn't stellar, but I'm more concerned with finishing GKT merits for my up-and-coming SAM right now than re-assigning RDM merits.

That being said, Para II is inconsistent as hell, but awesome when it works, I don't really regret meriting it, I just wish it was more reliable.

[Crizto]

I've noticed no difference in level 1/2/3 Paralyze II just because as you say, it's random as hell. Slow II at Lv3 :nikkei:

[raevenx]

It really depends on what you do most as a RDM and how much end game gear you have. I'm primarily an end game RDM - used almost exclusively in the tank party or stunning on Cerberus. Slowing a mob effectively is my most powerful tool.

RDM Specific:
5 Earth Accuracy - I used to have Wind maxed from when I used to do kiting Kirin's (and a lot less Enfeebling Skill) but those days are long gone.
3 Ice Accuracy
2 Wind Accuracy
NOTE: A lot of RDM's do Convert but with my gear, a BRD, and Refresh Sanction, etc - I've done 2 hr Tiamat's and never converted once. However for a RDM that primarily merits as main healer - Convert is a lot more useful.

Tier II RDM
Slow II - Maxed
Para II - 2
Phalanx II - 1
Again, I'm a tank party RDM. My tanks freak if their precious Slow is down for a second (and yes they can tell). Phalanx is more help over time than I think people give it credit for, but I also tend to do longer fights (Tiamat, Cerberus).
Para II is really only fun on Fafnir and sometimes if you catch Cerberus on a less cranky day.

Other Merits:
Alot of these merits depend on what other jobs you have (or are going to) level. I'm also a 75 WAR, 75 BLM, and am trying to get COR to 75.

MP / HP - 4/4 (If you don't level any tank or melee jobs you can do all 8 into MP.)

Enfeebling Skill - Max out
Elemental Skill - Max out (But I never use on RDM - its for my BLM) If I didn't have BLM leveled I probably would do Enhancing or Dark or a combo of the two.

Combat Skills - Max Sword - Mostly done for WAR but its been a nice benefit now that I've started Campaigning on RDM. All my other are only for other jobs (Marksmanship, Great Axe)

Stats: (never finished these out)
MND - someday I'll do 5
INT - maybe 2
STR - maybe 3

Anyway, that's how I have mine set up, but if I did other things as a RDM like soloing or meriting I would probably set them up differently.

Raev

[raevenx]

I am amazed at all the RDMs that don't have at least 3 in vert timer.

I almost *never* Convert. Here is what I mostly do as RDM: Salvage (9-10 mp/tick standing), Tiamat (8 mp/tick standing), Cerberus (8-9 mp/tick standing), Sea - if I'm not BLM (8 mp/tick standing), and Campaign (5-6 mp/tick standing). When I am regaining mp that fast, I can't spend it fast enough. Unless something has gone wrong and I have to do a lot of back up healing I don't drop below 550 mp - even with generally doing all the debuffing, refreshing anyone in tank party with mp, casting Phalanx II on tanks.

The few times someone is able to talk me into meriting as RDM... I Convert more often. Healing blows through a lot of mp. So I'm a little amazed at a RDM that isn't regularly a main healer that would need Convert timer recast.

Raev

[Churchill]

I disagree that Phall II is all that usefull. In Salvage I much prefer my RDM's to have 3/3SlowII and 3/3ParaII.

[Myrna]

I use RDM almost exclusively for limbus these days, with the occasional soloing.

Vert lv5
Ice acc lv5

Slow II (have to get eventually)
Para II
Blind II
Phalanx II lv3

I stopped caring about rdm a while ago though, so don't take my setup too seriously.

[Fiofio]

Level 2 Phalanx II in Salvage is really nice for the early levels, the tanks hardly take any damage. It's especially nice for the Bhaflau reactionary ramparts, the damage you take is very noticeable the moment it wears off. That being said, I rarely cast Phalanx II after we give magic to the tanks.

[Churchill]

And for those levels where I'm not even bothering casting if I do get magic, I just use jring, arhats, and bb. Slow3/3 is really noticeable on mega bosses, whereas phalanx isnt. cstance etc.

[Fiofio]

I have Slow II as well, level 3 in fact. Level 1 Paralyze II, but even regular Paralyze seems to work quite well on the final chariots.

[Seditedi]

Phalanx II is pretty worthless on Salvage bosses, but it does speed up the lower floors alot imo.
Phalanx II on a melee basically negates any damage on the 1st and 2nd floors.
Slap a Phalanx II and a Regen I on a melee and thats pretty much all the healing that you will need.
As for Paralyze II, I was really unhappy with its randomness. I had level 2 and then dropped to level 1 to raise Phalanx II up to level 2 (so it doesn't wear off every 1:30 or w/e it is, pretty short). It seemed with Paralyze II MND gear almost had no effect on its proc rate. I'd cast Para II with my full potency setup and it seemed very similar to casting a full accuracy setup in terms of proc rate; whereas with Paralyze I I'd load up on MND gear and it'd seem to proc like crazy; even moreso than Paralyze II.

[AzazaelFenrir]

I am amazed at all the RDMs that don't have at least 3 in vert timer.

I almost *never* Convert. Here is what I mostly do as RDM: Salvage (9-10 mp/tick standing), Tiamat (8 mp/tick standing), Cerberus (8-9 mp/tick standing), Sea - if I'm not BLM (8 mp/tick standing), and Campaign (5-6 mp/tick standing). When I am regaining mp that fast, I can't spend it fast enough. Unless something has gone wrong and I have to do a lot of back up healing I don't drop below 550 mp - even with generally doing all the debuffing, refreshing anyone in tank party with mp, casting Phalanx II on tanks.

The few times someone is able to talk me into meriting as RDM... I Convert more often. Healing blows through a lot of mp. So I'm a little amazed at a RDM that isn't regularly a main healer that would need Convert timer recast.

Raev

Lets trade whms for 90 days please

[raevenx]

I am amazed at all the RDMs that don't have at least 3 in vert timer.

I almost *never* Convert. Here is what I mostly do as RDM: Salvage (9-10 mp/tick standing), Tiamat (8 mp/tick standing), Cerberus (8-9 mp/tick standing), Sea - if I'm not BLM (8 mp/tick standing), and Campaign (5-6 mp/tick standing). When I am regaining mp that fast, I can't spend it fast enough. Unless something has gone wrong and I have to do a lot of back up healing I don't drop below 550 mp - even with generally doing all the debuffing, refreshing anyone in tank party with mp, casting Phalanx II on tanks.

The few times someone is able to talk me into meriting as RDM... I Convert more often. Healing blows through a lot of mp. So I'm a little amazed at a RDM that isn't regularly a main healer that would need Convert timer recast.

Raev

Lets trade whms for 90 days please

It's really not my WHM's (though they are awesome), its our tanks and our kill strategies. Our tanks just don't take much damage. There isn't much healing to do period. I think last Timmy I refreshed our WHM twice? There was just no point. He constantly had 1100 mp. 2x Haste and Barfira - 2x ballad was more than enough to keep him full when that's mostly what you are casting.

Don't get me wrong its not that I (or the WHM) never heal anyone (silly SMN's running in range before Touchdown) or that everything goes perfect all the time. For the most part though our fights are very boring and uneventful and it really has more to do with strategies and teamwork than anything else.

Raev

[OctavoGilgamesh]

I am amazed at all the RDMs that don't have at least 3 in vert timer.

I almost *never* Convert. Here is what I mostly do as RDM: Salvage (9-10 mp/tick standing), Tiamat (8 mp/tick standing), Cerberus (8-9 mp/tick standing), Sea - if I'm not BLM (8 mp/tick standing), and Campaign (5-6 mp/tick standing). When I am regaining mp that fast, I can't spend it fast enough. Unless something has gone wrong and I have to do a lot of back up healing I don't drop below 550 mp - even with generally doing all the debuffing, refreshing anyone in tank party with mp, casting Phalanx II on tanks.

The few times someone is able to talk me into meriting as RDM... I Convert more often. Healing blows through a lot of mp. So I'm a little amazed at a RDM that isn't regularly a main healer that would need Convert timer recast.

Raev

Lets trade whms for 90 days please

It's really not my WHM's (though they are awesome), its our tanks and our kill strategies. Our tanks just don't take much damage. There isn't much healing to do period. I think last Timmy I refreshed our WHM twice? There was just no point. He constantly had 1100 mp. 2x Haste and Barfira - 2x ballad was more than enough to keep him full when that's mostly what you are casting.

Don't get me wrong its not that I (or the WHM) never heal anyone (silly SMN's running in range before Touchdown) or that everything goes perfect all the time. For the most part though our fights are very boring and uneventful and it really has more to do with strategies and teamwork than anything else.

Raev

Not everything is fighting Timmy in 2 brd situations, and thats what a lot of this discussion is about.

Oct loluseasigdude

[raevenx]

I am amazed at all the RDMs that don't have at least 3 in vert timer.

I almost *never* Convert. Here is what I mostly do as RDM: Salvage (9-10 mp/tick standing), Tiamat (8 mp/tick standing), Cerberus (8-9 mp/tick standing), Sea - if I'm not BLM (8 mp/tick standing), and Campaign (5-6 mp/tick standing). When I am regaining mp that fast, I can't spend it fast enough. Unless something has gone wrong and I have to do a lot of back up healing I don't drop below 550 mp - even with generally doing all the debuffing, refreshing anyone in tank party with mp, casting Phalanx II on tanks.

The few times someone is able to talk me into meriting as RDM... I Convert more often. Healing blows through a lot of mp. So I'm a little amazed at a RDM that isn't regularly a main healer that would need Convert timer recast.

Raev

Lets trade whms for 90 days please

It's really not my WHM's (though they are awesome), its our tanks and our kill strategies. Our tanks just don't take much damage. There isn't much healing to do period. I think last Timmy I refreshed our WHM twice? There was just no point. He constantly had 1100 mp. 2x Haste and Barfira - 2x ballad was more than enough to keep him full when that's mostly what you are casting.

Don't get me wrong its not that I (or the WHM) never heal anyone (silly SMN's running in range before Touchdown) or that everything goes perfect all the time. For the most part though our fights are very boring and uneventful and it really has more to do with strategies and teamwork than anything else.

Raev

Not everything is fighting Timmy in 2 brd situations, and thats what a lot of this discussion is about.

Oct loluseasigdude

1) I don't remember mentioning anything about two BRDs (last I checked you don't need 2 BRDs to get 2 Ballads

and

2) I was just responding to his comment about his surprise that some RDM's don't need Convert recast. I don't and was explaining why. However I also acknowledge that for some RDM's it is useful.

In my actual response to the original poster my first sentence about what you should merit was something to the effect of "it depends on what you do as a RDM".

Raev

[Excalin Garisk]

Wind Acc 5 - Gravity Aero III Choke
Ice Acc 5 - Bind Bliz III Paralyze
Paralyze II 3
Phallanx II 3 - When in tank pt
MP 8 - Blu Drg/mage Rdm
Enfeebling 8

Honestly I just don't convert that much, but I will say the chances of me never converting are lower in ToAU then they were in my old sky merits. I pace myself extremely well to the point I rarely convert the second it is up. I abuse Regen and debate trying out Sch as a sub just for Regen II in merits(Id do it in a heart beat if we could AOE atleast 1 spell/4min). I refuse to panic Heal and your rarely see me over heal someone. It drives me nuts to see someone Cure II me when I am not being Regened at all (when I am on another job of course)

[Koyangi]

Dia3, Phalanx2 Lv3, SlowII Lv2 and lovin it, made a SilverSea run yesterday a lot easier and smoother, and I loved how much less dmg the SAM and MNK were taking, to ease the MP of WHM and allow RDM to fully debuff mobs, grab next pulls etc, (no thf or brd that run), managed to get 35 Deimos legs^^

[Demosthenes11]

Dia III and phalanx II are really nice for tank pt...(maxed course)

I don't know why some of you consider slow II integral for tank pt, because that is not the tank pt rdm job. Damage mitigation and healing - obviously dia III isn't helpful toward that but I find there is just enough mp to keep up dia III as well. Phalanx II on tiamat is REALLY nice for air fire damage, fuck you ninja resist builds!