The RDM Thread

[Rainesong]

I've never seen so much discussion in capping Stoneskin >_>

it takes a few posts to disprove the formula used by the entire ffxi playerbase, yo!

edit: but, yeah a better name for this thread would be "The SS Thread" at this point. my bad

[drwaffles]

Paralyze II is such a waste of MP. If I wasn't 5/5 Bio III for soloing I'd probably go with some combination of Phalanx II (Salvage/low-manning) and Dia III (melee-heavy HNMs).

[Septimus]

Paralyze II is such a waste of MP. If I wasn't 5/5 Bio III for soloing I'd probably go with some combination of Phalanx II (Salvage/low-manning) and Dia III (melee-heavy HNMs).

Paralyze II is too damn expensive and can sometimes wear off way too quickly, but when you get a fantastic paralyze streak on something like Omega or Fafnir, it just gives you such a warm feeling in your heart that it almost makes the pain worth it.

[Ultimagi]

If you're a support Red Mage, Slow II and Phalanx II are good. If you solo, Bio III does the same damage as Bio II but lasts 30 seconds longer if max meritted, making it more MP efficient.

[Airenn]

This is my Cactrot/VV Solo SS Macro:

[B]input /equip main "Terra's Staff";
input /equip sub "Raptor Strap +1";
input /equip ammo "Phanton Tathlum";
input /equip head "Wlk. Chapeau +1";
input /equip neck "Stone Gorget";
input /equip ear1 "Loquac. Earring";
input /equip ring1 "Aqua Ring";
input /equip body "Duelist's Tabard";
input /equip hands "Dvt. Mitts +1";
input /equip back "Prism Cape";
input /equip waist "Swift Belt";
input /equip legs "Wlk. Tights +1";
input /equip feet "Dusk Ledelsens";
input /equip ear2 "Magnetic Earring";
input /equip ring2 "Aqua Ring";
input /ma "Stoneskin" <me>;[B]

I couldn't tell you my total MND without FFXI being up but I am managing in an Earth/Terra's Staff and Dusk to lower SS cast time as well as ALL Fast Cast pieces.

That setup, if I am recalling correctly also has another +1 MND that I don't need over the cap.

Take out the DVT, replace Terras with Pluto, or hell, a feet piece to keep the Reduction from the staff and go with Mufflers and you STILL have cap + the two pieces over the cap.

No Enhancing Merits whatsoever. BUT, I do have 3 MND merits.

[Airenn]

Well my math is a bit rusty but lets see if I am reading this right.

RDM has a B+ in Enhancing Magic which caps at 256@75 now since the Tights give 15 skill which after the equation is equal to 5 MND we can say that Errant, Morrigans, or one of the many other caster slacks are superior.

The problem in figuring all this out is I can't find what the base stats of each race/job is at 75 in no gear or merits. I tried searching clopedia but keep getting the run around.

Anyone know base M Hume MND on 75 RDM with Ninja sub?

Warlocks Tights+1 pwn all. 15 Skill + 5 MND.

== 10 MND

[Massimo]

If you solo, Bio III does the same damage as Bio II but lasts 30 seconds longer if max meritted, making it more MP efficient.

Bio III is 8/tic, RDM can't get Bio II further than 6/tic.

Warlocks Tights+1 pwn all. 15 Skill + 5 MND.

== 10 MND

Morrigan's too.

[Airenn]

Bio III is 8/tic, RDM can't get Bio II further than 6/tic.


Morrigan's too.

Truth, but going into the Skill factor again really makes me think Wlk Tights+1 are better.

Yes, same MND, but skill has it's advantages.

[drwaffles]

This is my Cactrot/VV Solo SS Macro:

[B]input /equip main "Terra's Staff";
input /equip sub "Raptor Strap +1";
input /equip ammo "Phanton Tathlum";
input /equip head "Wlk. Chapeau +1";
input /equip neck "Stone Gorget";
input /equip ear1 "Loquac. Earring";
input /equip ring1 "Aqua Ring";
input /equip body "Duelist's Tabard";
input /equip hands "Dvt. Mitts +1";
input /equip back "Prism Cape";
input /equip waist "Swift Belt";
input /equip legs "Wlk. Tights +1";
input /equip feet "Dusk Ledelsens";
input /equip ear2 "Magnetic Earring";
input /equip ring2 "Aqua Ring";
input /ma "Stoneskin" <me>;[B]

I couldn't tell you my total MND without FFXI being up but I am managing in an Earth/Terra's Staff and Dusk to lower SS cast time as well as ALL Fast Cast pieces.

That setup, if I am recalling correctly also has another +1 MND that I don't need over the cap.

Take out the DVT, replace Terras with Pluto, or hell, a feet piece to keep the Reduction from the staff and go with Mufflers and you STILL have cap + the two pieces over the cap.

No Enhancing Merits whatsoever. BUT, I do have 3 MND merits.

Very similar setup to my own, except I have Stone Mufflers and use Morrigan's Robe to supplement the MND loss from that slot since I'm one of the only people on earth that doesn't have Duelist's Tabard. I also think that 2x Eremite's Wand +1 would be a superior choice for casting Stoneskin than Terra's Staff.

[Airenn]

Very similar setup to my own, except I have Stone Mufflers and use Morrigan's Robe to supplement the MND loss from that slot since I'm one of the only people on earth that doesn't have Duelist's Tabard. I also think that 2x Eremite's Wand +1 would be a superior choice for casting Stoneskin than Terra's Staff.

Thanks for some tips, I really need to reconfigure the setup to anticipate Stone Mufflers.

Have a file for without and then one when I get them -- have a file that has max MND setup with the +30 pieces! Yaaaay macros.

[Airenn]

To answer your last question -- when I came back from my huge hiatus, they upped the Tier2 merit max.

And then I had NO Bio merits. Now I have 4, and about to fuck Para2 merit for the 5th.

Think I have:

4Bio3
2Para2
1Phal2
3Slow2

Something like that.

[Tsuko_Asura]

Personally, if you aren't going to maximize Phalanx II, I don't see the point in having it. Slow II 5/5 is irrefutably amazing in 99% of situations.

[Airenn]

Personally, if you aren't going to maximize Phalanx II, I don't see the point in having it. Slow II 5/5 is irrefutably amazing in 99% of situations.

Well, I had Slow maxed.... before the update. So, that was all I ever needed.

And I like having the basics. Para2 Just in case. Phalanx2 because I am a Salvage and Tank party whore. Even a little bit counts so it was worth it for me.

[drwaffles]

Only time I wish I had Paralyze II merits is when I'm fighting Rapido. There's a noticeable difference between it and Paralyze in terms of the number of procs - I've seen friends' spells proc in streaks of 3-6 on a surprisingly consistent basis when cast in mostly skill+ gear, whereas I sometimes have to check the log to ensure my own Paralyze (with something like +66 MND) hasn't worn without me noticing because it won't kick in for, like, ten or more attack rounds.

[Airenn]

Only time I wish I had Paralyze II merits is when I'm fighting Rapido. There's a noticeable difference between it and Paralyze in terms of the number of procs - I've seen friends' spells proc in streaks of 3-6 on a surprisingly consistent basis when cast in mostly skill+ gear, whereas I sometimes have to check the log to ensure my own Paralyze (with something like +66 MND) hasn't worn without me noticing because it won't kick in for, like, ten or more attack rounds.

On this end, I only use Para1 on CR and have no problems with it. I cast in a MND heavy setup. Get great procs all the time. For the efficiency of Para1 on this mob, I've found it a ton more MP manageable. CR is relatively a low lvl mob. Here:

input /equip main "Aquilo's Staff";
input /equip sub "Raptor Strap +1";
input /equip ammo "Phantom Tathlum";
input /equip body "Wlk. Tabard +1";
input /equip head "Duelist's Chapeau";
input /equip feet "Dls. Boots +1";
input /equip legs "Mahatma Slops";
input /equip ear2 "Magnetic Earring";
input /equip hands "Dvt. Mitts +1";
input /equip ring1 "Aqua Ring";
input /equip neck "Enfeebling Torque";
input /equip back "Prism Cape";
input /equip waist "Penitent's Rope";
input /equip ear1 "Loquac. Earring";
input /equip ring2 "Aqua Ring";
input /ma "Paralyze" <stnpc>;


Question to CR fighters: What food do you use?

Just curious. Cookies all the way, just wondering what others might have tried and why.

[drwaffles]

input /equip main "Aquilo's Staff";
input /equip sub "Raptor Strap +1";
input /equip ammo "White Tathlum";
input /equip head "Duelist's Chapeau";
input /equip neck "Promise Badge";
input /equip ear1 "Enfeebling Earring";
input /equip ear2 "Static Earring";
input /equip body "Mahatma Hpl.";
input /equip hands "Dvt. Mitts +1";
input /equip ring1 "Tamas Ring";
input /equip ring2 "Aqua Ring";
input /equip back "Aslan Cape";
input /equip waist "Witch Sash";
input /equip legs "Morrigan's Slops";
input /equip feet "Morrigan's Pigaches";

... is my Paralyze setup, and I do have problems with the proc rate on Rapido. That said, I'm Taru (with INT merits) and I use Tacos rather than MND+ food.

[Airenn]

input /equip main "Aquilo's Staff";
input /equip sub "Raptor Strap +1";
input /equip ammo "White Tathlum";
input /equip head "Duelist's Chapeau";
input /equip neck "Promise Badge";
input /equip ear1 "Enfeebling Earring";
input /equip ear2 "Static Earring";
input /equip body "Mahatma Hpl.";
input /equip hands "Dvt. Mitts +1";
input /equip ring1 "Tamas Ring";
input /equip ring2 "Aqua Ring";
input /equip back "Aslan Cape";
input /equip waist "Witch Sash";
input /equip legs "Morrigan's Slops";
input /equip feet "Morrigan's Pigaches";

... is my Paralyze setup, and I do have problems with the proc rate on Rapido. That said, I'm Taru (with INT merits) and I use Tacos rather than MND+ food.

Mmmm. Morrigan's. Something I need to work on but have little drive to do Assaults and Salvage to back it. Not to mention it's boring to me. I'm Mithra and as I said, MND merits. ^^;

I have to ask Why Tacos? Sometimes the proc rate on Cookies is lifesaving, I've never even really considered anything else.

[Tsuko_Asura]

I've really never seen a need for any additional skill or staves for Rapido, Slow II and Paralyze only resist once in a blue moon in full potency gear.

Also, completely agree with the above. Wizard Cookies really do have amazing frequency on Rapido and Vivian, in my experience.

[Byrthnoth]

So, the ideal Stoneskin set I'm looking at is:

Main: Terra's Staff
Sub: idc!
Ranged/ammo: idc!
Head: Warlock's Chapeau +1
Neck: Stone Gorget
Ear1: Loquacious Earring
Ear2: idc!
Body: Duelist's Tabard
Hands: Stone Mufflers
Ring1: Aqua Ring (5 MND)
Ring2: Aqua Ring (5 MND)
Back: Umbra Cape
Waist: Penitent's Rope (5 MND)
Legs: Warlock's Tights +1 (5 MND, 15 skill)
Feet: Morrigan's Pigaches (10 MND)

90 MND total (60 base on Taru RDM/NIN) and 256+15 skill for 410 Stoneskin with +22% Fast Cast and 26/32% Physical damage down!

[drwaffles]

I never tried using Cookies, I just stuck with Tacos to try and get the absolute most out of my 410 Stoneskin in addition to my -39-45% physical damage reduction gear (missing some Darksteel +1). I'll definitely try them next time, I just kind of assumed the proc rate was fairly infrequent.