BLM Gear: Suggestions for a 72 Black Mage

[Kohan]

Kept debating whether to put this in the gear thread or in Standard, but since this appears to be the current hot spot for gear criticisms, here it is. Tried to search for a comprehensive topic, but "blm gear," "black mage equipment," and so on -- they didn't really yield helpful results, alas.

Already, I do know that my BLM needs help. It's only reached level 72 thanks to Level Sync -- believe it or not, I've Magic Bursted my way from 68 on up -- and now it's time to start putting some proper equipment on it.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9...anblm72yn0.jpg

Aside from the picture above, current gear explained in text is:

Sub: Bugard Strap +1
Ammo: Phantom Tathlum
Head: Wizard's Petasos
Neck: Elemental Torque
Ear1: Phantom Earring
Ear2: Moldavite Earring
Body: Black Cotehardie
Hands: Wizard's Gloves
Ring1 & Ring 2: Genius Rings
Back: Rainbow Cape
Waist: Al Zahbi Sash
Legs: Druid Slops
Feet: Wood M Ledelsens

I've already been stocking Assault points to get Yigit feet, and I've been considering a Forest Rope for the waist. I want to replace the back piece with a Prism Cape and I'm going to buy Errant today (just body and slops?). Though I don't have all the HQ staves, I know they're a huge priority and why. An HQ Demon Helm is waiting for me, too, and I should be getting Igqira body for the next level also.

Are any of those plans mistaken?

Oh, and in terms of subjobs, I currently only have WHM, but I am actively leveling RDM.

I have no problem doing Assault, I'm currently in an HNMLS that does sea, sky, Limbus, et cetera, so I can shoot for the better equipment. However, I need AH buyable solutions now to make sure I'm contributing to my shell, and am not piss-poor performance-wise while earning better pieces. So please, if you can, make recommendations that can work now or within a reasonable period of time (like the Yigit feet, for a non-AH but promptly obtainable example).

Thanks in advance.

[Dammerung]

Standard (good AH) BLM:

Weapons: HQ staves
Sub: Bugard+1
Ammo: Tathlum

Head: AF hat
Neck: Ele Torque
Ear: Moldy/INT
Body; Weskit/Errant
Hands: Zenith/AF
Rings: INT
Back: Prism
Belt: Penitent
Legs: Mahatma
Feet: Rostrum/Yigit/Goliard

Make a decent enfeeble set, mostly for sleeps. Drain/Aspir are great so get some dark skill+ if possible (af, torque, etc.). hMP is good as you have inventory room, and a stoneskin set is good as well (just stack MND).

[Kohan]

Sounds like I'm doing pretty good, then.

I've actually been torn on the matter of the Penitent versus the Forest Rope. INT is essential, and I'm lacking in it as an Elvaan. However, for sacrificing the one point of INT, I'll receive +60MP. The argument has been made plenty of times before that MP can be more valuable in certain cases -- Hapernack is one who advocates that theory, if I remember correctly -- and +60MP is a rather nice amount.

Penitent's Rope - BGWiki
Forest Rope - BGWiki

Anyone else's feelings on this?

EDIT: I am aware of the -Enmity on the Penitent's too, forgot to note that. But I'm not really worried about that, especially as an AH BLM in an HNMLS.

[Suiram]

Which HQ staves do you already have, and which are NQ?

[Kohan]

The pictured one, Aquilo's, is the only one that's really mine. I usually borrow my significant other's collection (the full set). As you can see, I don't have enough money to even buy another one right now, but I'm working on that.

[thatwasnifty]

If you have enough AN, you could consider getting Cobra Crackows to use in the meantime while you build up enough Assault Points for Yigit. Also consider getting Vicious Mufflers if you don't have Zenith Mitts, since they give the same MAB. The NM that drops them is easy to low-man and has a high drop rate in my experience.

[Suiram]

I was mostly asking because, priority-wise, you should look at the order you want to upgrade stuff. Like Prism Cape is nice, but there are a number of HQ staves you would want to upgrade to before that, if not all of them. Demon Helm +1 can also wait, if you even want to get one at all (in a way, it's emblematic of a certain type of BLM playstyle, but that's probably not a debate worth getting into here).

Basically, you eventually want your gear to look like Dammerung's list, but some things you will want before others. After you get weskit and errant, you probably want to start working on more HQ staves. Jupiter and Plutos, and then whatever else in the order in which you are most likely to use them in events in your LS. Take a break between upgrading to HQ staves when you get Zenith Mitts abj. to uncurse them. Once you have Aquilo/Jupiter/Plutos + any HQ staves you might even use occasionally then maybe do some of the 1-2 INT upgrades and then resume getting the HQ staves that you think you'll never use (and you'll use them eventually, probably, anyway). That's if you are the kind of person who can put it off, I was fixated on all HQ staves when I levelled BLM however long ago, but that's a personality thing.

This is just stuff you can work on gil-wise. Meanwhile with your friends/LS you can work on the free stuff that just takes time and patience. Yigit/goliard feet, AF+1 head/body/hands, AF2 head/hands/legs, other misc sky/sea stuff. You can also eventually work on a sorc ring latent macro once you get the 3 sky zenith abjurations and some other stuff, but that's more long-term.

Edit: thatwasnifty's advice is also good, and I forgot to mention that was basic damage setup. You will want some enfeebling pieces and a decent hMP set, but both of those are relatively inexpensive.

[The Blackrose]

If you have enough AN, you could consider getting Cobra Crackows to use in the meantime while you build up enough Assault Points for Yigit. Also consider getting Vicious Mufflers if you don't have Zenith Mitts, since they give the same MAB. The NM that drops them is easy to low-man and has a high drop rate in my experience.

The Cobra Crackows have always left a sort of bitter taste in my mouth. I had to wear them on SCH when I didn't have Goliard Clogs yet. Didn't work out too well for me.

The Yigit Gages and Crackows I can definitely agree with getting. Both are fine pieces. I've also taken a liking to using my Goliard Clogs on Black Mage. I'm willing to trade off the MAB for some additional MACC. They're a nice piece to look into, especially if you plan on going into RDM or BRD sometime down the line.

[thatwasnifty]

The Cobra Crackows have always left a sort of bitter taste in my mouth. I had to wear them on SCH when I didn't have Goliard Clogs yet. Didn't work out too well for me.

How so? I'd figure that if your INT and skill are high enough (which they should be with other gear and food vs. exp mobs), then MAB +3 would be a nice bump in damage. They also give HP, MP, and a little Converse MP. Not the best feet, certainly, but a useful alternative to bring up your numbers a little bit.

[The Blackrose]

How so? I'd figure that if your INT and skill are high enough (which they should be with other gear and food vs. exp mobs), then MAB +3 would be a nice bump in damage. They also give HP, MP, and a little Converse MP. Not the best feet, certainly, but a useful alternative to bring up your numbers a little bit.

I leveled BLM long before those feet were added in, which is why I said they did not work too well for SCH. Otherwise, I could agree with you to an extent.

The major issue I can see with this vs. farming Assault or Nyzul is whether or not the person in question has actively been participating in Campaign up until Wings rank. Under flawless conditions, if you're starting from the bare minimum (Bronze Ribbon), it will take you approximately 55 days to be able to get to Wings rank. Hopefully, at that point, the boots would pay for themselves (50,000 AN). In less than half that time, once again under flawless conditions, you could have a pair of Yigit Crackows. Hell, if you're even luckier, you could be leeching off of someone's Nyzul runic disc and get a pair of Goliard Clogs relatively earlier.

So if I was in Kohan's position and assuming I were to start off on even footing, having not progressed in either Campaign or Assaults, I'd probably take the time to farm the Yigit Crackows. This becomes especially true if she's sitting on 3-4 tags right off the bat.

Of course, shit is situational and your mileage may vary. If you have the capability to go for the CUCs in a short timeframe, go for it as a hold over piece.

[Staren]

Just jumping in and I'm by no means a veteran blm but at 72 nearing endgame you should have 3-5 different sets of gear

1. Nuking
2. Enfeebling
3. Resting
4. (Optional before endgame) Standing
5. (Only if you have Sorcerer's Ring) HP- Gear

Nuking wise (from one elvaan to another at 72 I had)
AF Hat
Elemental Torque
Moldy
Phantom Earring
Errant body
af hands
sorcerer's ring
Wisdom Ring
Prism Cape
Forest Rope
Errant Legs
Cobra Unit Crackows
Phantom Tathlum
Elemental Stave + Bugard Grip

Enfeebling
AF Hat
Spider torque
phantom earring
cunning earring (no point in spending extra gil for mp when its only a gearswap)
AF Body
Sly Gauntlets
wisdom ring
wisdom ring
prism cape
forest rope
errant legs
Wood feet
ele staff + bugard grip
phantom tathlum

Resting
Lunar cap ty Adventurer Recruitment
beak necklace + 1
antivenom earring
errant body
qiqirn sash +1
pluto staff

Standing
Black Cloak
Earth Staff
Change Errant pants to something that doesnt have vit minus

HP Minus gear
Astral Shield
Tiphia Sting
Empress Hairpin
Star Necklace
astral earring
Black cotehardie
wood gloves
serket ring
ether ring
blue cape
penitents rope
Errant feet

Hopefully that helps from one elvaan to another gear aint cheap I spent 4mil on sring and hp- gear and i dont even remember how much on hq staves/nq staves and some of the other stuff is insanely expensive for what you get from it. But as I said I hope this helps.

[thatwasnifty]

So if I was in Kohan's position and assuming I were to start off on even footing, having not progressed in either Campaign or Assaults, I'd probably take the time to farm the Yigit Crackows. This becomes especially true if she's sitting on 3-4 tags right off the bat.

Ah, gotcha. I wasn't even thinking about the time requirements, heh. And Yigit Crackows are especially easy for BLM to get, just spam the PSC Assault. That's how I got mine!

[Kohan]

I was mostly asking because, priority-wise, you should look at the order you want to upgrade stuff. Like Prism Cape is nice, but there are a number of HQ staves you would want to upgrade to before that, if not all of them. Demon Helm +1 can also wait, if you even want to get one at all (in a way, it's emblematic of a certain type of BLM playstyle, but that's probably not a debate worth getting into here).

I agree, I definitely want to have my own collection of HQ staves as soon as possible. I'll put off smaller upgrades like the Prism Cape until later, but I will get the Errant now. Perhaps I should get all of it to help me with a MND macro for Stoneskin? I might do that. Someone offered to craft them for me, so who knows, maybe I'll get an HQ out of it.

As for the Demon Helm +1, that's already waiting for me -- it was a present from someone (so I'm not going to sell it). It'll be another option until I get Sorcerer's Petasos, which isn't as far away as it once seemed. After years of drought, our Dynamis shell suddenly started gettin' 'em every other run. Pretty amazing really. Almost all our long-time BLMs and those just behind them have one. Since I 5/5'd my main job's relic a while back, I'm in line after them automatically. Hurrah!

Basically, you eventually want your gear to look like Dammerung's list, but some things you will want before others. After you get weskit and errant, you probably want to start working on more HQ staves. Jupiter and Plutos, and then whatever else [...]

This is just stuff you can work on gil-wise. Meanwhile with your friends/LS you can work on the free stuff that just takes time and patience. Yigit/goliard feet, AF+1 head/body/hands, AF2 head/hands/legs [...]

Edit: thatwasnifty's advice is also good, and I forgot to mention that was basic damage setup. You will want some enfeebling pieces and a decent hMP set, but both of those are relatively inexpensive.

I do have to get more +hMP gear, so I'll be doing that too. Silly as it sounds, I didn't even think of that. Thank you for noting it.

If you have enough AN, you could consider getting Cobra Crackows to use in the meantime while you build up enough Assault Points for Yigit. Also consider getting Vicious Mufflers if you don't have Zenith Mitts, since they give the same MAB. The NM that drops them is easy to low-man and has a high drop rate in my experience.

I'm pretty close to Yigit -- since there was nothing I wanted from Assault for my MNK, I've been saving up for that for months now -- so I'll stick to that. Thank you for the second option, though. As for the Vicious Mufflers, I honestly completely forgot about those, despite the fact that I read about them some time ago (probably when they were introduced). I'll probably get them, since that's something I can acquire now.

The Yigit Gages and Crackows I can definitely agree with getting. Both are fine pieces. I've also taken a liking to using my Goliard Clogs on Black Mage. I'm willing to trade off the MAB for some additional MACC. They're a nice piece to look into, especially if you plan on going into RDM or BRD sometime down the line.

The +MAB on the Yigit Gages is superior to the +15 Elemental Skill on the Wizard's Gloves? Not doubting it, just wondering if this is situational (as many things are) or universal. If they're better, I'll go for them too.

Oh, the Goliard Clogs look tasty. I don't do Nyzul, though. I should!

Also, no opinions on the Penitent's versus Forest? It's probably negligible, so okay, I think I'll go with Forest.

[Kohan]

Helpful Stuff

Thanks for all of this! I didn't catch it on my first responding run-through -- think you sent it as I was typing -- but this will be a helpful guide, for sure. Much appreciated.

[The Blackrose]

The +MAB on the Yigit Gages is superior to the +15 Elemental Skill on the Wizard's Gloves? Not doubting it, just wondering if this is situational (as many things are) or universal. If they're better, I'll go for them too.

Shit is situational.

If you're not dealing with HNMs (ie flan camp), or you feel you have enough capability to push past your target's resistance rate, that's where MAB gear starts coming in. Your Wizard Gloves are a beautiful peace for HNMs, though.

Also, no opinions on the Penitent's versus Forest? It's probably negligible, so okay, I think I'll go with Forest.

I only stuck with Penitent's due to -Enmity, which is sexy as all hell for SCH. Otherwise I think the Forest is a viable alternative.

[Kohan]

Shit is situational.

If you're not dealing with HNMs (ie flan camp), or you feel you have enough capability to push past your target's resistance rate, that's where MAB gear starts coming in. Your Wizard Gloves are a beautiful peace for HNMs, though.

That's good enough for me, I'll start saving for them also. Have plenty of points spread around for Salvage, I can afford to go for more than one piece of equipment.

I only stuck with Penitent's due to -Enmity, which is sexy as all hell for SCH. Otherwise I think the Forest is a viable alternative.

Yeah, the -Enmity is good. That and the extra point of INT left me debating. Since I'll be up against well-geared BLMs who are veterans to HNM, I think I'll be all right without it for now. It'll surely get more important later on when I'm actually competition. I'm going to make sure I have other stuff to protect myself, like the MND setup for Stoneskin, and other things, too.

Thanks again everyone, this is all very helpful information and I appreciate it (and hope it'll be helpful to anyone else who needed a similar discussion).

[Linktri]

I prefer Goliard Cuffs (hands) over Zenith Mitts. You'll lose one point of MAB, but you gain four MACC. I like being able to balance landing spells as well as hitting hard. Cobra Unit gear is nice for lower levels until you hit 75. Sorcerer's Ring and HP to MP gear to activate it. (Serket's Ring, Black Cotehardie, Blue Cape, etc, Zenith gear, etc...)
Rostrum Pumps are a nice piece for getting high tier nukes out a little faster on /RDM. Jet Seraweels are nice for the legs as well.
Magnetic Earring, Uggalepih Pendant, Prudence Torque, Loquacious Earring (though I really only use it for WHM), Elemental Grips and Elemental Obis are all good to have for gear changes.

The Relaxing Earring is good to hMP with Yigit Seraweels, Numerist Pumps, Errant Hpl., Pluto's Staff, and there's a few options for waist and neck iirc.

[thatwasnifty]

Speaking of hMP, if you don't do Limbus or are delayed upgrading AF hat, do the Lamia 13 Assault in Ilrusi (PFC, I think) for Yigit Turban. All you need is three people who can dispel, and BLM/RDM does the job just fine. Before I got my turban, I went for shits and giggles with a WHM/RDM and RDM/BRD, and we always won well before the time limit. I even got a scroll of Light Spirit once from a ??? box.