Optimal Blu Merit build?

[Meian]

It isn't just "shit is situational" but also how you play your job. If you just DD and that is it then fine. But I tank when I can at events so having a free mini-invincible as a JA merit sounds good to me. You may not tank often enough to warrant it allowing you to choose Enchainment 5.

Again, take Enchainment 5 if you aren't planning to be a tank.

[Wolfknight]

Personally I am doing:
physical potency 5
Chain affinity recast 5

Diffusion 1
Enchainment 4
Assimilation 5

Have now:
physical potency 5
Chain affinity recast 1
Assimilation 5

[Araius]

Convergence is every 10 minutes, but I agree it's use is limited. I use it when I decide to get fancy and pull imps with Radiant Breath or something. Lost count of the number of times I've done that and AoE'd a fly A max convergence/magic build could produce interesting results I think, but I don't much feel like trying to turn my BLU into a sub-par BLM. Before the TP-burn days, maybe it would have been worth it, but now not so much.

I'm having an awful time finding decent formulas for calculating damage related to TP, for BLU. That's what I get for being out of the loop as far as BLU goes. Whatever happened to the good ole days of figuring out what SC traits all the BLU spells have and making renkei charts

[Spider-Dan]

Seems to me that (in general) having access to another JA, for use in whatever random scenario one may need, would be a bit more useful (and I don't mean mathematically) than a tiny improvement in one's min/maxing.

It isn't so much "what do I plan to do with this every 20 minutes?" as much as it is, "hold on, I think I have something that can work here...". But that depends on how often you use BLU in non-specialist situations.

If you use BLU for many different events in general, then extra JAs can come in handy. If you use it only to cast breaths on Ultima, then probably not so much.

[Nevex]

Seems to me that (in general) having access to another JA, for use in whatever random scenario one may need, would be a bit more useful (and I don't mean mathematically) than a tiny improvement in one's min/maxing.

This pretty much.
It's like PLD's Fealty, something that people generally don't max out and don't use very often, but being able to use it when needed does make a difference.

The problem with Diffusion is that other than Exuviation for an emergency erasega/massive enmity tool the only spells worth casting with it are Saline Coat(especially useful on Nyzul bosses) and Warm-Up(occasional high evasion mob?).
I don't get why many BLUs waste it on Refueling when Haste is available... and if it's not then something is wrong 95% of the time.

You need to keep in mind that as more mob types are added in future updates SE might add new spells as well which may influence your current idea of "ideal merit build".
This is why I don't have cat2 merits capped yet (5 assimilation, 1 diffusion, 2 convergence).

[Ultimagi]

This pretty much.
It's like PLD's Fealty, something that people generally don't max out and don't use very often, but being able to use it when needed does make a difference.

Most Paladins don't bother maxing out the category 2 merits at all, because they suck. Other than maxing out Guardian, there's not any other options that really help. Fealty is situational, Chivalry you will never need more than once every 20 minutes, especially with Atonement, and Iron Will is just crap. It's not like you have to decide whether or not to unlock Fealty at the cost of enhanced performance every 1 minute 30 seconds.

[Nevex]

Most Paladins don't bother maxing out the category 2 merits at all, because they suck. Other than maxing out Guardian, there's not any other options that really help. Fealty is situational, Chivalry you will never need more than once every 20 minutes, especially with Atonement, and Iron Will is just crap. It's not like you have to decide whether or not to unlock Fealty at the cost of enhanced performance every 1 minute 30 seconds.

Have to disagree about Guardian and Chivalry merits but this is not the place to talk about it.
This is true if you play BLU as a pure DD and nothing else 90% of the time.
Otherwise, depending how and where you play the job, versatility > damage.
There are already too many pure DD jobs in the game and BLU has to have something that separates itself from them.

Certainly capped Enchainment and CA recasts are preferable to other options in merit parties (the former if you /THF and use Cannonball a lot on HNM and such, too), but I wouldn't say so in places like Limbus and Nyzul where you can make use of more supportive abilities other than raw damage.

[Ultimagi]

versatility > damage.
There are already too many pure DD jobs in the game and BLU has to have something that separates itself from them.

Blue Mage doesn't need a 20 minute toy to set itself apart from other jobs. It's already the most versatile job in the game just with being able to change your spells, equipment, and job traits to match any situation and perform any role.

[Plow]

Blue Mage doesn't need a 20 minute toy to set itself apart from other jobs. It's already the most versatile job in the game just with being able to change your spells, equipment, and job traits to match any situation and perform any role.

He's saying the versatility is what sets them apart, and he'd rather add to that than to his raw damage.

[jimbobsonofgod]

People care about Damage buffs and Curing.
If you are doing all 3 you are doing all 3 shitty compared to the jobs that do it individually.

This game stopped being fun years ago and has just been about being efficient since. .

And this is coming from a guy doing a blu mythic.

[Ruuz]

People care about Damage buffs and Curing.
If you are doing all 3 you are doing all 3 shitty compared to the jobs that do it individually.

This game stopped being fun years ago and has just been about being efficient since. .

And this is coming from a guy doing a blu mythic.

This is pretty true. Efficiency uber alles. However, I still find BLU a good job, as you can fill a few roles, but not all at the same time. Spec for the scenario you think you will be in. Very gear heavy, though.

Also, I think Tizona is an awesome Mythic. Probably not the best for all things, but gettings ~3mp/tic more when meleeing is just awesome for BLU. Tizona and Kenkonken are the only mythics Id even remotely consider.