RDM HQ Staves? And Other Gear.

[Araelus]

Nashira Turban is also a Nice choice if you do Limbus and dont have D chapeau and its FREE

If you have to choose, Seraweels before Turban!

[Airenn]

Would it be worth the effort to work for HQ Staffs, Earth,Wind,Ice, Does Dark make a big difference?
Also i have Spider Torque as a Taru should i upgrade to Enfeeb. Torque?
Also is Elite beret or Wise Cap good for enfeebles that don't stick with rdm?
I know im also working on getting my Pent. Rope for BCNM 60.
Just looking for advice on making my self a better RDM from those with experience.
If there is anything else that could be said or gear that could be bought feel free to let me know.
As for Rare/EX items go, i won Goliard Clogs in Ny. Isle Floor 20 but I fast cast raised SAM and he didnt want to raise, so we got warped out and my clogs got lost =[[[

Not reading replies, since you asked I am just going to say my opinion.

1) Dark makes a big difference, but not the first priority.

Ice
Earth/Wind

Light/Dark

Thunder

Water (If you're going for solo, definitely get.)

Fire

2) Always upgrade when you can. Look at MND neck pieces, too, as someone else said.

3) Eh, it's ok. D Hat wins all and D Hat +1 beats that. Elite Beret is fine.

4) Pent roe is one of the best waists besides Witch Sash. Good luck!

5) Definitely go back for moar clogs. And Hands. And gl there, too.

[Airenn]

I went with Auster's first considering RDM was my first job at 75 and Wind 3 was my most damaging spell against Maat. >.>; Followed Auster's with Aquilo's and slowly started getting the rest.

Enfeebling torque is good when you're enfeebling mobs and all. But not something you'd wear to a bird camp exp party. xP

Psh. It's something I'd wear to a bird camp exp party.

MP gear = negative.

But I'm beast and do fine without anyway! HAH BIRDS.

[Quizno]

Would it be worth the effort to work for HQ Staffs, Earth,Wind,Ice, Does Dark make a big difference?

I honestly don't know what would be the most important for RDM's leveling up these days, but for end game I will give my input.

Pluto's will be the most important. You will need to be sleeping in Dynamis, etc. and this will be a central function for your RDM. You will do it far more than casting paralyze, slow, gravity, silence, or anything else for that matter.

It is as important as having Phalanx II and casting Haste/Refresh.

The second most important spell is Slow/II.

Paralyze/II is nice for some HNM, but if you are doing HNM then you should probably already have enough gil to buy ALL HQ staff, so the point becomes "moo" (like a cows opinion, it doesn't matter!).

Silence/Gravity. For most things these spells are low priority. KB and Kaiser it is nice. Kirin... I haven't kited Kirin in like 2 years. Killing Wyverns when you need scales for Bahamut (but you are capped at 50 anyway).

Anyway, yeah. If I was starting over from scratch I would buy in the following order:

Aquilo's (only because it is so cheap)
Pluto's
Terra's
Auster's
Jupiter's (Chain Stun. Might consider this above Auster's)
Apollo's (Just to have it HQ)
Vulcan's (If I had a RNG =p)
Neptune's (If I had too much gil and didn't know what to do with it.)

Also i have Spider Torque as a Taru should i upgrade to Enfeeb. Torque?

Just get an Enfeebling Torque. Just do it. Don't question the cost : benefit. Just suck it up and buy it so you at least look like you know what you are doing. It should be worth it to buy on pride alone.

Also is Elite beret or Wise Cap good for enfeebles that don't stick with rdm?

I would get it for Sleep/II/ga + Bind + Gravity + Silence until you have a Crimson Mask or a Duelist's Chapeau. In fact I actually did do this (NQ > +1) in 2005 before I got Duelist's Chapeau.

If there is anything else that could be said or gear that could be bought feel free to let me know.

T1-
NQ Staff
Raptor Leather Strap
Warlock Chapeau
Warlock Tabard
Errant Cuffs
Errant Slops
Errant Pigaches
Spider Torque
Steppe Rope (Taru... I'm a Taru so I wrote it from that perspective)
Rainbow Cape
Geist Earring
Geist Earring
Sapphire Ring
Sapphire Ring
Cost - 490k (Hades)

T2-
Aquilo/Terra/Auster/Pluto
Raptor Leather Strap +1
Phantom Tathlum
Warlock Chapeau
Warlock Tabard
Devotee's Mitts +1
Mahatma Slops
Mahatma Pigaches
Enfeebling Torque
Penitent's Rope
Prism Cape
Geist Earring
Geist Earring
Sapphire Ring
Sapphire Ring
Cost - 4M

Get the HQ staves first and then move on to the rest of the gear.

T3 -
Jupiter/Apollo
Raptor Leather Strap +1
White Tathlum
Warlock Chapeau
Warlock Tabard > Dalmatica
Yigit Gages
Mahatma Slops
Mahatma Pigaches
Enfeebling Torque
Witch Sash
Aslan Cape
Cmn. Earring
Novia Earring (personal preference)
Cmn. Ring
Omega Ring
Cost - Time and Gil.

Get Jupiter's, then upgrade your other slots and upgrade Apollo's last.

T4 -
HQ Staves
Raptor Leather Strap +1
White Tathlum
Duelist's Chapeau
Morrigan's Coat
Yigit Gages
Morrigan's Slops
Morrigan's Pigaches
Enfeebling Torque > Morgana's Choker
Witch Sash
Aslan Cape
Cmn. Earring
Novia Earring
Cmn. Ring
Omega Ring


This is just sort of a general rule of thumb. Races will want to make some tweaks. Personal play styles will play a role. Various macros, etc. By the time you are done with Teir 1 you should already be able to figure out what things are important, and by the end of Teir 2 you will have already set your sights on the things that are most important to you.

[Araelus]

White Tathlum

With all that about casting Sleep more than any other debuff, I find the MND sets kind of going off in a different direction. Don't forget an INT build, Phantom Tathlum is of course INT+2 in the ammo slot rather than hp/mp/enmity-.

Silence/Gravity. For most things these spells are low priority.

If something doesn't cast, or if it is immune, sure. If something casts and you can land Silence, it's critical that you do so. Removing spells from a casting mob is huge.

In terms of movespeed-down from Gravity, sometimes this is another make or break effect. Typically if you need to land Gravity you really need to land it. So I think our experiences of RDM are wildly different in this degree.

Just get an Enfeebling Torque. Just do it. Don't question the cost : benefit. Just suck it up and buy it so you at least look like you know what you are doing. It should be worth it to buy on pride alone.

Yes. This is correct. It's not rational but I hate Spider Torque.
Spiders. Why did it have to be spiders.

[Neb]

If you have to choose, Seraweels before Turban!

Well that is a no brainer but Turban is usually free or much easier to get the legs.

[Quizno]

If something doesn't cast, or if it is immune, sure. If something casts and you can land Silence, it's critical that you do so. Removing spells from a casting mob is huge.

In terms of movespeed-down from Gravity, sometimes this is another make or break effect. Typically if you need to land Gravity you really need to land it. So I think our experiences of RDM are wildly different in this degree.

I just can't think of anything I really silence anymore. I mean, sure there are the occasional mobs that will require it, but by the time you are worrying about Salvage, etc. you already have the gil. Maybe silencing a Mamool BLM during XP? Things die so fast I don't even have a chance to make it worth the mp =/

I'm sure some people will use it, and I know I used to use it all the time, but I guess the events that I'm involved in have evolved to the point where I either don't need to cast it anymore, or take my staff for granted when I cast, lol.

Definitely more important if you solo though.

[Araelus]

Definitely more important if you solo though.

I guess this was what I meant, the OP didn't specify what he does or doesn't do. I just remember before I could afford a HQ wind staff that every time Silence was resisted (in any situation) I wondered if HQ would have made the difference. I take it for granted now, as you said, after getting better gear it it's easy to not even think about how much of a boost it is.

[Greenjade]

Psh. It's something I'd wear to a bird camp exp party.

MP gear = negative.

But I'm beast and do fine without anyway! HAH BIRDS.

I generally use Grandiose Chain since I don't have Morgana's Choker yet.

[Airenn]

I just can't think of anything I really silence anymore. I mean, sure there are the occasional mobs that will require it, but by the time you are worrying about Salvage, etc. you already have the gil. Maybe silencing a Mamool BLM during XP? Things die so fast I don't even have a chance to make it worth the mp =/

I'm sure some people will use it, and I know I used to use it all the time, but I guess the events that I'm involved in have evolved to the point where I either don't need to cast it anymore, or take my staff for granted when I cast, lol.

Definitely more important if you solo though.

I didn't say I USED it (Enfeeb Torq) in Merit Birds. I just say I bring it. I got an Enfeeb, Ele, Enhancing, Resting piece (Grandiose).

That's it for merits. lol I probably just happen to idle in Enfeeb so I have it on during cures and shit.

Really no need for an MP setup there or a healing torque if you are all good players.

Edit: I don't have a merit style macro set either cause it's retarded and I'm not taking the time! So it's either I'm casting in Grandiose from resting or Enfeebling. ;p

[Greenjade]

Is it bad that I don't remember the last time I've merited? My macro scripts are set up for LS events instead of meriting. xP.


Which is probably why my capped buffer on RDM is gone. ._.

[Quizno]

What macros would you even have for merits other than switching between Pluto and Apollo?

Convert?

Guess you could switch into Seveneyes, Wlk. Chapeau, and Duelist's Tabard, etc. but not needed at all =p

[Araelus]

What macros would you even have for merits other than switching between Pluto and Apollo?

Convert?

Guess you could switch into Seveneyes, Wlk. Chapeau, and Duelist's Tabard, etc. but not needed at all =p

Uhh, yeah maybe I'm embarrassing myself here, but I put on all that passive Conserve MP, Haste, Fast Cast etc and then back into Refresh and so on even for meripo. I like to keep in the habit of using the gear I would in a HNM scenario where every MP counts even when I'm working on a Ref/Haste cycle at lower birds because otherwise merits are totally mindless and I'd fall asleep before chain 100. Besides, in any kind of high stress situation you revert to what you practiced, so that way if something goes wrong when it counts I hit the right keys on autopilot.

Edit: I don't have a merit style macro set either cause it's retarded and I'm not taking the time! So it's either I'm casting in Grandiose from resting or Enfeebling. ;p

This pays off if your macroes are something like mine. I hadn't merited as RDM in months, then was on it at birds two days ago and it was a breeze since the few macroes I needed (Cure, Haste, Ref, etc.) were exactly where I expected them to be. The one melee who was from outside my LS was extremely skeptical that I hadn't merited as RDM in as long as it had been, haha.

Then again, I've tried to mirror macro placement across jobs that have the same spells or general abilities, so no matter what I play it reinforces the same action to get a similar result.... uh, everyone does that right?

[Raineer]

Uhh, yeah maybe I'm embarrassing myself here, but I put on all that passive Conserve MP, Haste, Fast Cast etc and then back into Refresh and so on even for meripo. I like to keep in the habit of using the gear I would in a HNM scenario where every MP counts even when I'm working on a Ref/Haste cycle at lower birds because otherwise merits are totally mindless and I'd fall asleep before chain 100. Besides, in any kind of high stress situation you revert to what you practiced, so that way if something goes wrong when it counts I hit the right keys on autopilot.

Not sure why that would be embarrassing, it's more like "playing efficiently". If you're going to be the only one with MP at a merit camp you better make sure you aren't lazy with it in case something weird happens. Just because something is determined unnecessary by someone doesn't mean you shouldn't use it.

[Araelus]

Not sure why that would be embarrassing, it's more like "playing efficiently". If you're going to be the only one with MP at a merit camp you better make sure you aren't lazy with it in case something weird happens. Just because something is determined unnecessary by someone doesn't mean you shouldn't use it.

Ok, well, I'm glad to hear I'm not overdoing things. I deal with inane efficiency analysis so often at work that sometimes I'm ashamed to admit how much effort I put into this game. >_>; And I still mess things up occasionally. (-1 Store TP = 99.9%TP whoops!)

[Raineer]

Ok, well, I'm glad to hear I'm not overdoing things. I deal with inane efficiency analysis so often at work that sometimes I'm ashamed to admit how much effort I put into this game. >_>; And I still mess things up occasionally. (-1 Store TP = 99.9%TP whoops!)

I agree with what you said earlier too, my "macro muscle memory" is already set to use my best gear all the time. I will always cast haste/refresh/regen/cures in my Fast Cast / Conserve MP gear (unless I'm just off a convert and it's free mp).

[Araelus]

I agree with what you said earlier too, my "macro muscle memory" is already set to use my best gear all the time. I will always cast haste/refresh/regen/cures in my Fast Cast / Conserve MP gear (unless I'm just off a convert and it's free mp).

(I'd better not hang out with you more often on these tactics threads or my ego will get all out of control and start beating my superego with a nailbat instead of a stick, huh.)

It especially helps on SMN now that there's /macro set # since instead of one macro that does

/ja "Garuda physical WS for appropriate level" <t>
/ja "Titan phys WS" <t>
/ja "Diabolos ditto" <t>
etc for six lines

I can go to another /macro set when I summon, hit that same space on the macro palette and still get that avatar's BP but now with /echo and a more finely tuned gearswap and whatnot.

This is messing me up on lowbie-SCH, though, since Dark Arts and Light Arts have to segregate what spells are where and what's cast when, plus all the extra macroes for JA. I could have blank macro spaces (tried it and it's no good) but now I have the spell still cast except it sends me a tell (*chime) reminding me I'm in the wrong Grimore.

To keep this on topic with all my deranged semi-derail, SCH is great for the OCD Red Mage to play, you have to micromanage everything all the time and the more you level the more complicated it gets.
(Still at a low level on SCH and so still mis-Arting but I'll get better... I'd better get better.)

[Arthars]

1. Would it be worth the effort to work for HQ Staffs, Earth,Wind,Ice, Does Dark make a big difference?
2. Also i have Spider Torque as a Taru should i upgrade to Enfeeb. Torque?
3. Also is Elite beret or Wise Cap good for enfeebles that don't stick with rdm?
4. I know im also working on getting my Pent. Rope for BCNM 60.
Just looking for advice on making my self a better RDM from those with experience.
If there is anything else that could be said or gear that could be bought feel free to let me know.
5. As for Rare/EX items go, i won Goliard Clogs in Ny. Isle Floor 20 but I fast cast raised SAM and he didnt want to raise, so we got warped out and my clogs got lost =[[[

1. Yes
2. Yes if you have that extra gil after HQ staves
3. I dunno since i didnt have them which will clog up my inv space but i guess leave this slot for MND gear is fine too(goliard head)
4. good for you
5. that mother fucker

[Quizno]

I just have my macros set in such a way (for RDM) that I use the same ones for everything.

Melee jobs are set according to SJ obviously =p

It has been a long ass time since shit hit the fan though. Either you get Lamped instantly, or you crush skulls. Never seem to have a gray area anymore ^^;.

[Araelus]

I just have my macros set in such a way (for RDM) that I use the same ones for everything.

Melee jobs are set according to SJ obviously =p

It has been a long ass time since shit hit the fan though. Either you get Lamped instantly, or you crush skulls. Never seem to have a gray area anymore ^^;.

Yeah, it seems the panic-but-survive is more likely when someone makes a mistake rather than because content is difficult enough to be a challenge without, neat term, "lamping" you. (Shades of Nyzul?) And they have to really mess up for it to go properly pear-shaped anyhow. At that point it's more frustrating than fun and a well-tuned group shouldn't make those kinds of mistakes (still happens, always a chance).

When the midden hits the windmill, regardless of how why where when etc. people who don't set up macros like we do will be sorry!