White Mage Upgrades (Melee and Back Line)

[Zero Serenity]

Now, I don't want to say I'm the most pimp WHM out there, but that doesn't mean I suck either in the gear department. That doesn't mean I don't think I can improve. So let me drop what I have so I can see if anyone wants to help with suggestions of sorts.

First off, I have a Loquacious Earring and Rostrum Pumps and that is my Fast Cast set that is basicly the precursor to every spell (and finisher to some). Are Cure Clogs worth it? I mean, by my calculations that takes off .3 of a second(ish).

Is an enfeebling set worth the inventory -x? I rarely use enfeebling magic for anything, so I thought I would ask.

Healer's Pantaloons or Blessed Trousers for repose. Is the skill worth it? I don't seem to have issues landing and the Trousers let my recast come back quicker. The result would do inventory -1. On the same token, is there more Divine skill I should look at?

Barspells: I have a Blessed Briault and Cleric's Pantaloons. Should I pile enhancing gear otherwise too? (I think Cleric's Duckbills, Merciful cape and Enhancing torque are the only viable options). Also, with the change comming up it would seem regen is becoming less and less viable for anything, so I'm thinking about demeriting that and cranking barspells.

Since I'm running out of direct questions, here's some gear shots:
(Ignore the subjob, that's what I was one I took the shots, it's not my usual)
Idle, when I'm standing around doing nothing. (Earth Staff not showing, but I usualy have/use one)
http://zeroserenity.com/images/Final...Idle%20WHM.jpg
Confusing gear: Swift Belt
I could probably use a different belt. The body is obviously used for regen otherwise.

Cures: Precast "Fast Cast" then this:
http://zeroserenity.com/images/Final...ring%20WHM.jpg
Confusing gear: Swift Belt
Probably might have something to talk about here.

Status Cures: Precast "Fast Cast" then this:
http://zeroserenity.com/images/Final...aste%20WHM.jpg
Confusing gear: Swift Belt
Since they are unaffected by MND or really anything I just put on Haste so I can have the spell back faster.

Now onto the part where my club doesn't stay on my hip. The subjob is right this time. I don't sub ninja by choice since I'm commonly not hit, not hit long enough to care or straight blood tanking with Paladin sub.
Regular TP gear: (Belicose Mantle and Smart Grenade not showing)
http://zeroserenity.com/images/Final...TP%20Melee.jpg
Confusing Gear: Ethereal Earring
This is really all about speed as opposed to otherwise. Is it advisable to go from the rings I have to straight accuracy (Sniper/Woodsman/Toredeos) for pretty much everything? Also, after reading something a friend of mine sent me about the relationship between accuracy and haste, if I'm fighting say a greater colibri or whatever, should I just pile ACC instead? Like go to my Ohat and R-Mail full time? (I start with 272 club skill by the way) I have plans for a T-Sting.
I am also working on a straight blood tanking set, but that's just theory on paper and wouldn't know the best way to go about it. I carry my shield of course and pretty much rely on that so I'm thinking of piling shield skill.

Generic Weapon Skill gear (Hexa/Black/Mystic):
http://zeroserenity.com/images/Final...sy%20XI/WS.jpg
Not much to say here.

Guess that's it. Now then, show me what you've got.

[Araelus]

Hey, Zero. I've got RDM bias here, but enfeebling gear is worth it, especially once our inventories get huge this next update.

Idle set I'd swap the cape for a Cheviot/Umbra, grab a Jelly Ring for no magic AoE incoming situations, along with Goliard Trews - basically whatever Damage-Down you have, and if you can manage, Herald's Gaiters.

If that is a Numinous Shield, swap it for a MND+7 Muse Tariqah (ZNM-tier-II) when casting Cures, and then Genbu's for your idle gear.


Melee WHM? ASK....
http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/mai...age-family.gif
Wait, no, I meant
Izzy!
http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/custo...tar29956_1.gif

TP Gear:
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/2530/10769940.jpg

Hexa Strike Gear:
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7366/hexa.jpg

Randgrith/Black Halo/Mystic Boon Gear:
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6214/randgrith.jpg

The TP gear has a Mermans Earring instead of a Brutal because I'm using a Kraken Club. If you don't have one, you should be using a Brutal.

If you don't have merits, you might wanna put some more accuracy gear on for your Hexa Strike. I personally don't notice that many misses when I do it, but you might prefer more accuracy yourself.

Martial/Perdu Wand, maybe? I know Izzy's weapons are out of reach.

[Zero Serenity]

Hey, Zero. I've got RDM bias here, but enfeebling gear is worth it, especially once our inventories get huge this next update.

I'd like to see the effect. If you can use /equip macros and equip stuff from the satchel (probably not) I'd really go after filling myself up.

Idle set I'd swap the cape for a Cheviot/Umbra, grab a Jelly Ring for no magic AoE incoming situations, along with Goliard Trews - basically whatever Damage-Down you have, and if you can manage, Herald's Gaiters.

Cheviot and Goliard I'll look at. Herald's is a long off goal for me.

If that is a Numinous Shield, swap it for a MND+7 Muse Tariqah (ZNM-tier-II) when casting Cures, and then Genbu's for your idle gear.

Muse Tariqah I want, but don't really have a ZNM group for it. Suppose I could get a few folks together for it though. As for Idle, I just use earth staff because that's available and gives more than Genbu's.

Melee WHM? ASK....
http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/mai...age-family.gif
Wait, no, I meant
Izzy!
http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/custo...tar29956_1.gif


Martial/Perdu Wand, maybe? I know Izzy's weapons are out of reach.

I stick to Perdu. Going after Molinjir eventualy, but I don't want to hit that and end up with a relic and shitty supporting gear.

One more thing. I'm wondering if I should idle in Ethereal for either set since it gives that MP Bonus.

[Izzy]

There's like 2 or 3 other melee WHM threads in this section. They really do have a metric fuckton of information regarding WHM melee gear.

For a quick outline though, if you're meeling higher level stuff you really need to stack on the accuracy. Do some Greater Colibri for about an hour in a merit party (assuming you can get friends to invite you to jerk around). Eat some sushi, if your accuracy is less than 80-85% start replacing some haste gear with accuracy gear. You might wanna start with replacing the Rajas Ring with a Snipers.

Same for Hexa Strike. I recently replaced my Triumph Ring with a Snipers +1 for Hexa Accuracy and you will really notice higher TP returns and additional damage on your WS. For Mystic Boon, stack those mods! lol

Also, if you're looking for parse results, you might wanna sub NIN. Although, I don't know what other weapons are best for WHM DoT aside from a Perdu Wand. My experience with /WAR and Mjollnir has been dismal lol.

[Zero Serenity]

So it's probably a good idea to change heads to say my Yigit Turban or go ahead and upgrade the cap?

[Araelus]

I'd like to see the effect. If you can use /equip macros and equip stuff from the satchel (probably not) I'd really go after filling myself up.

In terms of Enfeebling gear, a lot of your basic mage gear is going to help potency (esp. talking about Slow/Para) since you can stack MND to increase land rate and potency simultaneously.

But you're going to want Enfeebling Torque (+7 skill) over a MND necklace for Silence/Bind/Blind/etc, and so on. And if you can get twice as much +skill than +MND, consider it due to WHM's low native enfeebling.

Nashira Turban +5 magic acc
Torque +7 skill
Healer's Briault(HQ) +10/12 skill easy
Cleric's Mitts +15 skill
Errant/Mahatma +7/8 stat
or Nashira Seraweels +5 skill and +3 magic acc
Avocat Pigaches +3 skill
Penitent's Rope +5 stat
rings are fine
MND or skill earrings negligible for you I suppose

You get this idea, it's not a lot of additional gear if you can spare the space. Again, I'm a RDM not a WHM, but I've seen WHM land enfeebles so often (argh) that I always prefer for them to be equipped for it properly.

One more thing. I'm wondering if I should idle in Ethereal for either set since it gives that MP Bonus.

Makes sense to idle in Ethereal, yeah - I forgot you grabbed that instead of Magnetic.

[Zero Serenity]

Nashira Turban: I'll try for it
Torque: Have, never bothered to put in though.
Cleric's Mitts: Someday
Errant: -1 Inventory for +1 MND. Guess that is low on the priority scale then.
Nashira: Try for this too
Avocat: Oh I can two-box this guy. I guess I just have to get to it to get this thing.
P-Rope: Have, never put into any macros though.

Oh and there's more than melee stuff here Izzy. But I'm not worried about going /NIN or really anything else untill a Kraken practicaly falls into my lap.

[Sai]

Is an enfeebling set worth the inventory -x? I rarely use enfeebling magic for anything, so I thought I would ask.

It depends how much you plan to use whm. As a career whm I carry an enfeebling set in case I need to sleep something or the random time I need to debuff, but overall it's not worth carrying unless you plan to use whm for most of your ffxi activities.

Healer's Pantaloons or Blessed Trousers for repose. Is the skill worth it?

Completely not worth carrying a repose setup. Armed with an A- in divine and an apollo's staff, you should honestly be surprised if repose ever resists on any regular mob.

Barspells: I have a Blessed Briault and Cleric's Pantaloons. Should I pile enhancing gear otherwise too? (I think Cleric's Duckbills, Merciful cape and Enhancing torque are the only viable options).

I only macro in briault and pantaloons for barspells. I used to carry duckbills, merciful cape, and enhancing torque but then I started running out of inventory space and cut back. If you have /sch, then that already boosts your barspells a bit. Someone better with formulas can correct me, but I believe carrying those 3 pieces of gear will only boost your barspells by around 4-5 points, which wasn't worth the space.

If that is a Numinous Shield, swap it for a MND+7 Muse Tariqah (ZNM-tier-II) when casting Cures

I see this shield mentioned alot, but I don't see alot of ppl mentioning Legion Scutum as another shield choice. It's the only -enmity shield in the game that whm can wear, and as a personal choice I preferred that over the mnd. The added bonus, is that this shield lets you get more hMP than dark staff when you combine it with the nation clubs. This is another ZNM item (Tier3) but I've loved it ever since obtaining.

[Colenzo]

nice april fool's day thread you almost got me

[Zero Serenity]

*Buzz* Nope, this one is ligitimate.

[Ragnus]

I'd probably go with TPing in Reverand and WSing in Tabin or Tabin+1 for body pieces

[amentis]

For status cures, you might wanna try this build, minor upgrades, it won't cost you any money really.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...whmhaste-1.png
The staff is a capricorn staff, only like...50kish?
It puts me at 26% haste.

Besides that, for Cure V I'd suggest something like this
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...whmcurev-1.png

Not *much* different from yours, but just a little bit of enhancement for not that much more money. Obviously, your club/shield combo is better, so ignore that.
But this has a little less enmity on it, and I think personally the -enmity and mind on Peni rope is better than swift belt for cure V, but that's just me.

Your TP Gear looks fine. Personally, since I don't have a Suppa or anything, I use a diabolos earring as my second earring, the acc is nice. Only thing I can say is get another ACC ring. I use Blood/woodsman rings personally.

Hope this helps. I'm not the perfect whm, but most of my gear is incredibly cost efficient.

[Kriz]

I'd give a reading to: http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/70574...questions.html
which refernces http://www.bluegartr.com/forum/42449...ndom-crap.html

For non-relic/KC melee, my base set is - FFXIAH.com and hexa - FFXIAH.com. You'll find I'm a big proponent of Morgenstern/Perdu, until they come out with higher DMG clubs.

In short, you'll want to use Haste(for TP)>Accuracy>the rest wherever you can. Blessed body is a good Mystic piece, but Tabin Jupin(+1) is definitely the winner for Hexa (unless you go 10acc/10att/5mnd new scenario body)

[Classikmage]

For status cures, you might wanna try this build, minor upgrades, it won't cost you any money really.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...whmhaste-1.png
The staff is a capricorn staff, only like...50kish?
It puts me at 26% haste.

Besides that, for Cure V I'd suggest something like this
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...whmcurev-1.png

Not *much* different from yours, but just a little bit of enhancement for not that much more money. Obviously, your club/shield combo is better, so ignore that.
But this has a little less enmity on it, and I think personally the -enmity and mind on Peni rope is better than swift belt for cure V, but that's just me.

Your TP Gear looks fine. Personally, since I don't have a Suppa or anything, I use a diabolos earring as my second earring, the acc is nice. Only thing I can say is get another ACC ring. I use Blood/woodsman rings personally.

Hope this helps. I'm not the perfect whm, but most of my gear is incredibly cost efficient.

I use that exact same setup for Haste/-na/ Erase and it owns, all except the Swift Belt, I won't take my Cleric's Belt off for anything.

Remember, though, Loq. Earring/Rostrums reduce recast by 1% as well as helping with your casting speed. So, recast-wise you should be hovering around 24%, BEFORE the Swift Belt. I wouldn't waste my belt slot for that 2% more to get to 26%.

I'd rather just save up for HQ Blessed Legs/Hands to get it.

I feel the belt slot as a very formidable piece on WHM.

[Ultimagi]

Barspell potency is fine with just the body, legs, and merits. Enhancing Magic skill is such a small increase that it literally isn't worth it, and I don't say that very often.

My Repose never gets resisted with nothing more than Apollo's Staff, Cleric's Pantaloons, and Altruistic Cape. I doubt you even need the pants or cape.

If you want more Fast Cast, but can't get Marduk, you can make a Royal Redingote with Fast Cast +5% after the update.

There are other White Mages out there that don't melee with /Ninja? I'm not alone!
I usually prefer fighting in an Auto Refresh body, and make up for the loss of Accuracy and Haste in other slots, it really helps a lot. If you have Mystic Boon and/or Black Halo, you may want to look into a Martial Wand. It may have lower damage over time and no fancy added effects, but the extra TP on your Weapon Skills will help your MP management and deal extra damage.