The Beast Within -- A Guide To Blue Mage

Your max acc set looks more like middle acc set. Max acc set would include Olseni belt, Digni. Earring and suppa is imo better than next DW tier, because you can use those points for utility or accuracy trait.

This is why I love BLU... Everyone loves FFXI because of it’s toolkit system and BLU is a toolkit within itself. Extreme flexibility with really good sword-chucking.

I've personally never needed a set with more acc. You are right that there are higher accuracy pieces out there, but to the detriment of other dd stats; it is more efficient to change your setup in other ways, e.g. madrigal, torpor, distract... (if you need the extra acc gear for some peculiar low man strat I could understand that)

I'm not sure what spell setup you use, but DW IV takes 3 spells: Delta Thrust (2 points), Barbed Crescent (2 points), Molting Plumage (6 points)

Assuming you only use the first two, you'd need to set 6 extra points for DW IV (6 points for 5 DW).

For comparison, the "Zahak Reborn" blu spell set in the guide on here sets 19 points for STP V (I only set STP III for 5 points): Fantod (1 point), Sudden Lunge (4 points), Sickle Slash (4 points), Tail Slap (4 points), Diffusion Array (6 points) (full trait)

Assuming you always set Sudden Lunge (I do), the most point efficient way to get STP III is to set Fantod. From there the most efficient way to get STP IV is by setting Diffusion Array (6 points per addt'l trait, each STP trait is 5 STP => 6 points for 5 STP) and then finally Sickle Slash/Tail Slap for STP V (8 points for 5 STP).

I don't think it's worth it to go for STP V under any real scenario therefore the comparison is really between setting STP IV and DW IV, that is, 6 points for 5 STP vs 6 points for 5 DW.

Roughly comparing Suppa to Telos earring:

(Suppa) 5 DW 5 sword rating (each point of sword rating is worth ~1 acc and ~1 att if you are using swords)
(Telos) 10 att 10 acc 1 DA 5 STP
=>5 DW (Suppa) vs 5 att 5 acc 1 DA 5 STP (Telos)

At least in the context of the earring slot: I'd rather set DW IV and equip 5 att/acc 1 DA 5 STP worth of stats than set STP IV and equip 5 DW.

However, if you are using those 6 points for something else then you can make a case for that. Maybe it's down to personal preference, but I have plenty of slots and points left over for accuracy, utility, healing, defense, and aoe spells.



(Also, it's kinda niche but in the case where you only have 30% magic haste, e.g. MG dispelled/on cd and no brd songs/indi-haste available, you can quite nicely cap delay with DW IV by adh body (6DW) + Suppa (5) + Eabani (4) + Reiki Yotai (7) + Taeon Boots (4) for a total of 26 DW.)

I dont have such choices tho. I have

Store TP V
Triple attack
DW III
Accuracy III
Attack III

Erratic Flutter
Cocoon
White Wind
Barrier Tusk
Occultation
Tenebral Crush

That 18/20 and 74/80

So I could set up DW IV and still have Store TP V too.

For me that last 6 points and 2 spells is a matter of:
a) DW IV
b) ACC IV
c) Attack IV
d) Skillchain Bonus
e) Critical Attack Bonus
f) Utility (Dream Flower, Subduction)

Let's see, my baseline melee set up is

DW IV (11 pts, 4 slots)(Quad. Cont., Blaz. Bou., Barb. Cres., Delt. Thr.)(unless /NIN)
TA (12 pts, 3 slots)(Emp. Thr., Heav. Str., Thrash. As.)
STP III (5 pts, 2 slots)(Fantod, Sudd. Lun.)
Acc III (6 pts, 1 slot)(Nat. Med.)
FC III (6 pts, 1 slot)(Erratic Flutter)
_________________________
40/80 points, 11/20 slots used
The rest is situational.

My most used defensive options: Occultation(3pts) or Zephyr Mantle(2), Barrier Tusk(3), Blinding Fulgor(8), Magic Barrier(3), Saline Coat(3) and Scouring Spate(8), Cocoon(1) and Entomb(8)

Most used offensive options: Sinker Drill(6), Searing Tempest(8), Paralyzing Triad(8), Embalming Earth(6), Anvil Lightning(8), Diffusion Array(6), Tenebral Crush(8)

Utility: Magic Fruit(3) or White Wind(5) (I always set a healing spell), Blank Gaze(2) or Geist Wall(3), Yawn(3) or Dream Flower(3), Winds of Promy.(5), Magic Hammer(4) or Battery Charge(3) (when not mainhanding Tiz), Glutinous Dart(2), Silent Storm(8)


I don't value setting STP traits above the first tier as highly as you do when there are so many invaluable defensive/offensive/utility options.

It's not the truth for everyone, but usually when you use Tizona/Thibron then you are in max buff situation and the only utility you might need is sleep or cure, because you are just spamming Expiacion like a mad man.

For BLU aoe spells would Naegling beat Nibiru club due to have an extra 100 Magic damage? Or should I still swap in Nibiru?

It wins on most but spells that are decently INT modified it will lose to an augged N Club.

If someone missed it, we are getting new body and hands from new Lilith HTMB.


Gloves - Marignos Gloves

DEF 108, HP+57, MP+36, STR+25, DEX+56
VIT+32, AGI+24, INT+11, MND+42, CHR+21
Accuracy+50, Ranged Accuracy+50, Magic Accuracy+50,
Evasion+80, Magic Evasion+112
Magic Def Bonus+4, Haste+4%, Store TP+12
Physical Damage Limit+4%, Damage Taken-5%

Body - Marignos Tabard

DEF 143, HP+68, MP+44, STR+19, DEX+49
VIT+25, AGI+42, INT+19, MND+24, CHR+24
Accuracy+50, Ranged Accuracy+50, Magic Accuracy+50,
Evasion+102, Magic Evasion+139
Magic Def Bonus+8, Haste+6%, Store TP+11
Physical Damage Limit+6%, Damage Taken-9%

Both are excellent hybrid TP pieces. Especially for AM3 Tizona. Also those are first pieces for BLU with high MEVA and accuracy at the same time (our only high meva set is Pinga (no offensive stats at all) and I guess semi high is Volte from Jeuno and partially (legs and feet only) from Bastok).

New gloves and body also have high (+50) magic accuracy (gloves are new bis for it I think). Also having high accuracy (also +50) and DEX, make them ideal for stuff like Sudden Lunge.

Really good stuff for BLU imo.

Now to wait for people smarter than myself to do the calculations and determine where they go in sets/gear meta

Has anyone done any testing/thought about raetic blade +1 offhand with Tiz MH recently? I doubt it competes with thibron, but prices have come down significantly since raetic weapons were first introduced.

In a situation where you need/want an ilvl offhand: anyone happen know how it compares to Almace/Zantetsuken/Naegling/Colada?

Honestly? I use Tiz/Thib just about everywhere. Given that we can cap our own haste most of the time I’m usually spamming Expiacion with just BLUs normal business.. but if you wanna hear maniacal laughter give me Samurai Roll xD

But as you said, it’s not the same for everyone

Well...goodbye Herc Vest augment of 4 Dex, 40 Acc and 10 STP :p

Where would you rank Zantetsuken ?

I have only Sequence R0 / Naegling / Tamagochi / Thibron and 2x Colada (incl QA+2 DMG+19 Colada.. bye bye) and I havent had time to test it out.

I'd assume Tamagochi/Zantetsuken for CDC

But I can't tell what would be the best SB setup in my case, Seq/Thibron or Naegling/Thibron

It's going to be Naegling/Thibron. It's too easy to just shoot way past 3000 effective TP with Sequence/Thibron.

Zantetsuken is imo perfect for sub hand whenever you can't use Thibron for Savage/Halo/Expiacion or you plan to mostly use CDC (because you want to play around skillchains for example)

Hi.

Is there any change to the best cleaving set in tge front page? What are the prefered weapons to cleave? 2x nibiru cudgel or some ambuscade weapon?

Thanks in advance

Best for cleaving are Maxentius + Kaja Club I think?
In general.
For some spells it's Maxentius + Nibiru, but I think in general you can't go wrong with Maxentius + Kaja Club.
Has been discussed several pages ago iir.

For most cleaving spells, Ambuscade Club x2 (Maxentius/kaja rod) is BiS. For a few spells, (Maxentius/nibiru cudgel) eeks it out.

There is a breakdown a few pages back.

Offhand, the waist slot is slightly out of date - the best item now is Orpheus's Sash, followed by Sacro Cord.

With respect to weapons, as mentioned, for the majority of spells Nibiru comes in behind Maxentius/Kaja (or Naegling/Kaja for that matter). Nibiru will still pull ahead nicely on Spectral Floe though, and others with a primary INT mod might be closer.

So, if you're 100% optimizing, inventory be damned, you'd use different pairings for some spells. For general use though, you can just as well use Maxentius/Kaja Rod or Maxentius/Naegling and be set.

Apologize ahead of time if this isn't the best place for this question.

Omen: Whats the best way to hit the 30k MB solo?

Equip level 1 swords with low delay and lock your MH and OH with Gearswap, make a macro that unlocks MH and OH and uses Burst Affinity (and use that macro lol), then use an elemental spell with element-affinity with the SC you just used.

Personally I had a macro for Fusion, a simple SC for Swords that's Fire and Light and I used it for the multiple MBs objective (Dia) and for the single MB objective (Fire).

Thanks Sechs. That's what i'm thinking too. I don't (currently) have any spells mapped that can burst fusion for 30k. I was thinking CDC>REQ and burst floe?

Pretty confident that could work. Just make sure to do the level1 sword locking and unlocking with Burst Affinity, otherwise the WSs and SC damage will do waaaaay more than affordable.

Keep in mind normal mobs have ~20k HP whereas the minibosses have around ~60k. If WSx2+SC does more than 30k damage you're already *** up.

Burst Affinity + Floe works pretty well to do the 15k non-burst objective as well btw.




Something completely different now, before someone else says it and depending on your available free time in this game.
Are you sure you want to focus on doing all objectives on a Job like BLU who's capable of clearing the whole Omen area (farming path) in less than 20 mins and walk out with an average of 9-10 Astral Detritus each time?
You could do 3 runs in an hour, walk out with Detritus for your REMA and also some cards.
You would just do the easy objectives as you slaughter everything and still walk out with at least 2 cards per run.
When there's no Omen Campaign active I wouldn't really focus on Cards farming but would take Cards as the icing on the cake of an Astral Detritus farming run.
That's just me though, but thought I'd share to give you the chance to see things from a different perspective.

Also in case you don't know how it works, Omen cards use 3 separate sources for calculation.

1) Main Objective
2) Secondary Objective
3) Kill count

In detail now:
1) These are the objectives you need to fulfill to complete the floor and gain access to the next one.

2) These are the additional objectives (you can track them all with the addon I released some time ago) you get on each floor, they scale with the number of people entering the zone, up to 6, after which they stop scaling.

Whenever you complete an objective you are given a certain amount of points (main objs are clearly worth much more). Once this counter of points reaches a certain threshold, the counter resets and you are given a Card.
This counter CARRIES OVER between runs.
That means if you end a run at, say, 900/1000 points (100 points away from a card) next time you do an Omen run you will be back at 900/1000.

3) This is a special counter that exists exclusively on the 4th floor, Farming (Ou) path. In this floor killing monsters gives "points", it's likely a separate counter from the one above. Each kill gives points, after a certain threshold you get one card. I'm unsure if this counter carries over between runs but I think it does.


All of this to say that just by doing main objs for floor 1, 2 and 4 and by killing everything on floor 4, you will get a lot of points, more than the sum of points you get from completing all the secondary objectives.
With this I mean that even if you don't focus too much on secondary objectives and just do a few, you will still likely walk out with 2 cards at least.

I don't think main objectives are worth more; I'm pretty sure both types are worth 20% of a card.

Something else to note is that progress is carried over between runs, so you can get a card on the first objective if you were close at the end of ths previous run.

Pretty confident they have to be, or you wouldn't walk out with 2-3 cards from a run where you completed like, what, 1 secondary objective only?

So yeah, pretty confident the primary objective gives more points than secondary.
HOW MUCH more I can't really be that sure myself, but very confident it is more points.

Edit:
One thing that I haven't considered is that not necessarily all floors main objectives give the same amount of points.
Maybe a floor 1 gives less "main obj points" than, say, a floor 3 where you have to kill the random miniboss?
I mean I dunno, but it could be.
Aside from this potential variability in the main objectives I stand by my position that they do indeed give, in general, more points than secondary ones.


Yes I mentioned it, and that's exactely what makes you get 1 more card than usual sometimes on runs where you completed the same (max) amount of objectives in both.

I'm not sure if the carry over applies to the kill count of the 4th floor, but I think it probably does.

Idk, seems overly complicated to me. I use
The easiest solution I’ve found for this problem is to set a “Kid Gloves” mode into my lua toggles. Under Kid Gloves, all WSs will be strictly Acc with as few mods as possible. With that measure, should be able to reliably CDC -> Requiescat - Darkness for very low Damage allowing a nice follow up with Floe or T-Crush (T-Crush hits surprisingly hard with the Affinity head). With Ambuscade +1 gear should be an easy 30k burst.

Could also Req + Chained Cannonball for Darkness iirc?

For individual bursts, I just use Shantoto Trust. Her AI is set to burst every SC that pops up and will count towards the objectives. So Kid-Gloves -> CDC Light spam and those will clear in no time

That's a solution but I'm not sure it will be enough.
Frankly, at least as far as my experience goes, once you use swords that have like 1-5 base damage, even if you swap to you WS gear with BiS stuff and lots of WSD, the final damage will still be super ***so it's really not an issue wether you swap into WS gear or not.

I'm talking about Katanas, Swords, Daggers.
Things might be different for some powerful 2 handed weapons I dunno.


Depending on your job a sword with 1 damage might be too low (you will do zero damage and won't gain TP). That can be solved by using a low level weapon from NPC sellers in home towns instead of using the cosmetic weapons (which usually have either 1 or 2 base damage)

Brainstorm session:

What are you guys using for low lvl weps to do sc+30k?

Is it overkill to make the ToM swords for it? Are they too strong?