Excellent, yet unconventional!Follow

I've noticed there are a lot of great job combos that can work EXTREMELY well, but not everyone knows about them. So, I thought I'd throw the few I've seen out there for everyone to look over. My hope is to get the word out that these are very valid combos, so maybe people will start mixing it up a bit and we'll see a little more variety. These are the ones I've seen that worked surprisingly well.

DRG/WHM - Yep, there's already a topic on the board about this. Yup, it's what prompted me to make this topic. It's really a brilliant combo that just gets better the higher you go. I'd really suggest going DRG/WAR until at least 50 though, since through the early and middle parts of the game a DRG/WAR can outdamage almost every other melee. But once the DRG's utility starts dropping off, DRG/WHM becomes another alternative. Cure IV for 7 MP...? Who can pass that up?!? Plus there's Cure Breath which removes any status effect with a -na spell (Paralyze, Poison, Silence, Petrification, Blind, Curse, etc.)

THF/RNG - This one seems to be catching on a bit, but still seems pretty rare. Equipping a RNG sub will allow the THF to use Wide Scan for pulling, and also gives them access to the ranged weaponskills. And give this guy a crossbow and some status bolts and he becomes seriously awesome. Bloody Bolts almost always drain HP from the mob and give it to the THF. Acid Bolts almost always severely weaken the mob's defense. A THF/RNG can be an extremely effective debuffer/puller, and builds TP quite quickly for SA/TA. The ranged weaponskills are a nice bonus that you probably won't use very often, but they tend to chain well so they can be occasionally useful. But really, the big bonuses are Wide Scan and Sharpshot, which make you a more effective puller and give you a lot more usefulness between SA+TAs, making THF no longer the "one-minute wonder". Additionally, a THF/RNG equipped with a crossbow and Bloody Bolts can actually solo pretty damn well too!

SAM/RNG - Similar to THF/RNG, but even better. SAMs naturally are very skilled in bows (second only to RNG itself) and this combo allows them to access those powerful bow weaponskills. With their rapid TP buildup, they can actually do quite nicely as SAM/RNG. It also expands their skill-chainability quite a bit to have access to the ranged skills as well as great katana. They lose their (already marginal) ability to tank, but it's no real loss.

THF/SAM - A pretty good combo, since it boosts the THF's main role in the group. A THF's biggest strengths lie in SA+TA. Obviously you want the THF to be pumping as much hate as possible into the tank. The best way to do this is to combine SA+TA with Viperbite. Store TP makes the THF build TP even faster, meaning more frequent Viperbites. Meditate means a great big boost to TP whenever they need it. Third Eye is great before a pull. Resist Blind doesn't kick in that often, but the last thing you want is for your THF to be blinded so it's definitely a bonus. Without Dual Wield the THF's DEX is a little lower, but the incredibly fast TP gain offsets this.

DRK/WHM - A lower-level combo, but probably the best for DRK until 30 when they can learn Berserk from /WAR. Before that, WAR doesn't really give them anything except Provoke (and DRKs really shouldn't be trying to get even MORE hate). Since DRKs are a hybrid spellcaster, they already have base MP to draw from. So a DRK/WHM is going to have significantly more MP than a WAR/WHM ever would. And since no other sub gives them a whole lot until 30, it's definitely a help being able to throw out Cures as needed. I've actually seen a DRK/WHM be an effective main healer (with a backup healer) in the dunes. I wouldn't recommend trying to main-heal, but it CAN be done. At any rate, this combo loses its utility at 30 but until then I can't think of any reason NOT to use it. HP isn't a real concern until Soul Eater, the STR difference between /WAR and /WHM at that level is minimal, and it makes the DRK a lot more useful early on when they're usually still pretty weak.

So, those are the "unusual" combos that I've seen played very effectively. Most of them are situational...sometimes the "traditional" combos would be more effective (depending on your group/mobs etc.) but often these can be just as good or even better. And it's nice to know you're not THF/NIN #8011936 on your server. ^_^

I'm lost.... How do you get cure IV for 7 mp?

Healing Breath. DRG/WHM gets Healing Breath from their wyvern, activated by casting any WHM spell...including the cheap, incredibly quick-casting Dia. At high levels, Healing Breath IV cures for the same amount as Cure IV, but is activated by cheap li'l ol' Dia. The only caveat is that it only activates on anyone at 1/4 HP or lower, though that number is increased by the DRG AF helm, Drachen Armet. With a BRD as a backup healer/refresher, a DRG/WHM can actually be a very effective main-healer/damage-dealer from 60+.

oh crappers! If there was a way to control how much hate the wyvern got, I would "die" for some emergency treatment like that. Instant Cure IV for minimal MP? {Yes, please.}

Considering people don't consider DRG as prime damage dealers to begin with, I'm surprised this combo is not endorsed more. A DRG in my LS was actually talking about this combo, though she herself was unsure of trying it as she is usually DRG/WAR.

Jeezus, how did I reply that 4 times >_<

It always gave me an error when I did "Post Message" so I was under the impression it wasn't posting >_<

DRK/BLM gives a tiny bit more MP than DRK/WHM, but doesn't give any useful spells or abilities to speak of (DRK already gets many of the BLM spells as it is). DRK/WHM gives them a much better use for their MP early on, since they can Cure (and since Cures can't be resisted, it doesn't really matter if their healing skill is half-level). I'd definitely suggest DRK/WHM over DRK/BLM.

Nin/RNG with a gun.

I used this all the way from 20-37 mny party loved me, I dealth almost as much damage as the rng. I was really impressed with this combo, when I drew aggro I seems much more able to handle it than I did as a ranger.

Excellent ideas, and very nice feedback from every poster. It surprises me that no one has been bashing this thread yet. (which I don't think is justified)

I wouldn't hold back from inviting people with an "out of norm" combo if they could explain what they had in mind. Usually, they dont know what they are doing though.

How often does the healing breath trigger? All the time if a member is 1/4? Does it target all members of the party? Do the wvyern get all the hate or the player?

I also fully support the idea of DRK/WHM pre level 30. It works really good. Infact, I use it as my main sometimes when we're doing missions and such or duoing with a friend.
Like getting a coffer or skill up. I have around 300 MP at level 56. Thats a whole lot of cures for me to throw out.

I also belive THF/SAM can be a nice combo, however it requires alot of timing in the party and have good SATA buddys to work with.

MNK/SAM is another cool combo which I think can do well.
Actually, SAM as SJ can be viable for most DD classes.

NIN/RNG is also a perfect good damage dealing class, especially if you don't like to tank. Much better than NIN/THF anyday.

I would love to see how this combo works at higher levels. (added with throwing stars and being able to use both the Ichi and Ni series in case of hate). He can also work as debuffer with his Ninjutsu..

NIN also would have access to most Equipment giving +ranged accuracy like the daggers and rings giving a huge boost into acc and at level 60 NIN you'll get two "ranged accuracy up" traits along with barrage.
The only drawback is that NIN will have to stick with less ranged equipment since not all bows are available (the best ones..) Not sure about how the access is in terms of guns. (get's expensive then :)

Dude, I'm a tarutaru bard. *I* can pull at higher levels. If a THF requires Utsusemi to be able to pull, he's a bad THF and needs to find another job. If the THF gets into that much trouble he's always got Flee to get him back to the party quicker, though any THF doing a long pull at that level is an idiot or desperate.

As for DRG/WHM, please know what you're talking about before you join the discussion. DRGs become "less desirable" because Wheeling Thrust sucks, because many mobs are resistant to piercing damage, and because they can't Lv.3 chain very well. DRG/WHM means they don't HAVE to be pure melee, and they don't HAVE to do "uber" damage. And DRG/WHM isn't just capable of support healer, they're perfectly capable of being MAIN healer. Do you understand how Healing Breath works? It doesn't sound like you do.

DRK/WHM is excellent pre-30. If you are so desperate for a tank that you need the DRK/WAR to do it, you must not be in the same Valkurm I'm in. There are SO many jobs in Valkurm that can tank that the DRK won't have to. And no, the damage from DRK/WAR isn't that much more than DRK/WHM...the STR difference at level 18 is TWO POINTS. For all the curing he can do I'll happily give up two points of strength. That's like 8 points of damage per swing, I'm sure the party can manage without it.

Edit: 700th post!

Edited, Wed Sep 8 07:37:40 2004 by Saboruto

actually with drg/whm you get it at 1/3, with AF you get it at 1/2!
1/3 is pushing it, but 1/2 is perfectly possible.

ok ok read a bit further and saw the difference in ehaling breath.. I dunno still even if it activates at half health it be very very risky... some monsters ws's can do half of even a plds life making it a dangerous combo.. and i asusme there is a delay between healing breath uses....

There is no delay between Healing Breaths. As long as you can cast a spell (any spell), you can activate Healing Breath. And with a PLD tank and either a BRD or RDM or BLM/WHM, you're already going to have heaps of backup healers. You're using conjecture and assumptions, I'm telling you I've SEEN a DRG/WHM main-heal... It works extremely well, and their damage doesn't hurt much at all (since at that level it's rather uninspired as it is).