Durable WHMFollow

I just started lvling WHM so I can sub for BST later and I had multiple, harrowing encounters in the Highlands area and I just wanted to share my experiences.

so I was lvl 12 with /BLM and fighting a DC Mist Lizard when the ML was about 2/3 dead another DC ML spawned right on top of us and linked. I panicked but didn't run. the first one falls to DIA damage and I start attacking the second DC ML. I have refresh from Fields of Valor but my MP is still draining away and my HP is about 1/2. about half way through the second ML fight a third DC ML rounds a corner and links again! they start doing a few crits and I use BENE. eventually I killed both and I had 10 HP left and 2 MP with refresh still active. Heart was pounding on that one.

3 DC mist lizards with overlapping linkage and I survived as a WHM.

later the same thing happened again with two DC mist lizards and this time they used Stonegaze and I still survived!

then that same night while fighting a DC Quad (Amethyst I think) I got linked by an EM Quad at the end (Onyx I believe). normally I would not even try an EM at full HP/MP with any Job at lvl 14 (by this time) but I had no choice. the fight was long, I used my 2hour again (it was a long night) and I was near death, but, good ole DIA saved the day and I survived a DC + EM battle as a WHM/BLM. The darn thing even used Cure II at one point!

I should have died 3 times that night, but, I survived all encounters. either I am one lucky Star Onion Brigade member or WHM is not as squishy as I thought it would be.

When you get higher up in levels, ask your melee whats their Defense is, typically, as a Whm, you'll have more then they will.

WHm is by no means Squishy, Out of the Hardcore Mages; Blm, Rdm, Smn and Whm, Whm has the highest Vit and Def. We also have the 2nd highest Hp.

Pair this with Stoneskin, the highest Mnd (to further boost Stoneskin)Protects, shells, MDB and cures galore (and cureskin later on)

We are Quite hard to take down, Sure Blms and Rdms can outdamage us with their spells, but a few hits on a Blm, and they'll fall.

Just wait til you get higher, with Capped Club skill and stoneskin, you can do more than you think a typical "Mage" can do.

I remember partying somewhere in Garliage basement long time ago, at the level that you could use the Holy Breastplate but before Earth Staff. It was probably my first real "Iddle/Ouch" piece I had.

I still believe that this piece was what allowed me to survive a horrible link on that party where I bene'd and had an IT bettle and a bat whacking at me while the BLM desperately manafont-cure spammed me.

So now I always carry it with me when I go to Riverne site (*'-')

Third highest shield skill cap in the game and Genbu's buckler shield of awesomeness and physical damage -10%, also agrees with Whitemage's durability. Shield is something alot of people seem to take for granted (except Pld of course) but even without A+ skill it can still be a valuable defensive skill.

whm is FAR FAR from squishy...they're a walking tank of cure bombing power in ballista. i don't know why this "squishy whm" stigma is still around.

but sounds like you had a fun night.

When shield blocks become unreliable with a Size 1, you should ignore block rate and focus on everything else the shield gives you. Given the Genbu example, you'd equip that for the DEF:24 and PDT-10%, rather than for the Size 1 block rate.

That's not to say Genbu's Shield isn't your best option for straight tanking, because it's plain to see it is, but the block rate's a bit meaningless unless for some reason (maybe you have PLD) you have shield merits and a fair bit of Shield Skill gear; in this instance, this'll mean Boxer's Mantle (means foregoing a PDT-% cape, though), Shield Torque and Buckler Earring (and plausibly Shield Belt if you're /PLD for some reason, though personally I'd rather /RDM for indefinitely maintainable Phalanx, and plausibly Enspells). In such an instance you're still limited to stuff that's lower-level than you are if you want a block rate approaching meaningful, and I'd rather put my faith in Genbu's PDT-10% than its block rate.

I'll retract my low block rate criticism, then, but that doesn't change very much -- you still use it mainly for the PDT-10%, rather than the block rate.

You'd need to multiply damage totals here, rather than add different reduction rates (because PDT-% is something different to shield-block damage absorption). Using the 22.1% you provide, that gives us 77.9% damage taken (out of 100%). The shield itself has got PDT-10% on it, so we need to multiply that 77.9 by 90% (since 100 - 10 = 90).

That puts us at 70.11% damage taken, for a total of 29.89% damage reduction (probably truncated to 29.8% knowing SE).

Keep in mind I'm not saying anything's good or bad here, I'm just correcting the numbers.

Edited, Feb 15th 2010 2:38pm by Lucinus

I have a question now that shield proc rate is coming into play...earth staff of genbu for taking less dmg? Assuming you're always facing the mob in question to be able to shield block

Well I certainly wasn't implying that Genbu's shield is only useful for its high shield block rate. Naturally other buckler shields have the same shield block, but none are near as powerful in stats as Genbu's. I was merely using it as an example because it's the shield I always use, for the many reasons you pointed out.

I just wished to point out how benefical having a shield equipped is to any Whm who find themself tanking a decently strong enemy. I mean no offense to you, Lucinus, but I had to clarify the uses of Shield even at a D rank skill.

Higher skill is perferred above lower skill, no doubt, but people shouldn't discount any skill or capablity of their job if they wish to be considered a skillful player.

Edit:



Club/Shield easily, the benefit of 26 higher club skill and Whm's two badass weaponskills for damage and longevity (Hexa and Boon), will benefit you far more than an Earth Staff, even with its -20% physical damage taken. If you want to go even farther with it, consider other damage reduction gear; chaviot cape (-5% daytime, -10% at night), jelly ring (-5%), patronus ring (-2% normal, -10% in campaign) and goliard trews (-3%). Totalled all these items (and genbu's shield) ammount to -25% daytime -30% at night, or -38% at night and in campagin.

I've even got a Darksteel set (total -8% phy dmg down) for my bard, which adds to the earth staff, rings, and cape for a total of -40/45% which nearly hits the cap. (Bard, of course, is a different story altogether.)

Edited, Feb 17th 2010 11:29pm by Teiei

Just what is your argument anyways? First you discount shield on account of low skill, then you suddenly decide it to be better than Earth Staff. I don't understand what you wish to prove other than arguing any suggestions I have just because you have some evidence against it. If that's all your doing then, hey "sh*t is situational," so I can also pull rebuttals out of my ass (pardon the pun) all day to your claims, but as you said, it doesn't benefit either of us.

I realize as well as anyone that certain things are better than others, but your reasons for attacking me, just for suggesting that people be prepared for alternative situations, does not benefit your arugment (whatever it is)in any way.

This thread is becoming far too derailed.

The stigma generally comes from low level mages using astral etc. And high levels using way to much zenith/ other conversion gear full time. Making them easy to pick off.

I always laugh when in dynamis or whatever someone dies and raises up with a max hp 1.

WHM if you know what you are doing is insanely durable, you don't need mental amounts of gear, just good skills, genbu shield and capped shield is a huge help, i've had it block on wyrms at some crucial points.

I've tanked Ouryu when both our tanks went down...he was angry that day, just throwing bad combos and crits at us. Whilst the BLMs decided to still nuke it....bad enough keeping hate off BLMs, let alone doing it on whm with more -enmity than them!!!

It's a fun job though, it does shock alot of people, somewhat with WHM though, it doesn't have the best dmg output, but it has staying power, and that's what counts if you can outlast whatever you are fighting.

I've happily kited stuff, Kirin for example when tanks have gone down in a zerg.... drop a curaga IV and beleive me, you'll get Kirin's attention!! COP missions i've kited, it's pretty nuts, but there is soo much potential if you have open minded people and are willing to give you a shot.

We also have the 3rd highest shield skill in the game, PLD (obviously!!) > WAR > WHM > BST > RDM > THF or something like that.

Now with trial of the Magi, we can get a club with base damage that matches Relic!

With power like that, Mystic boon is going to become even more valuable for the soloist Whm /drool.

We also finally get a backpiece worth using for melee!
SE made the Odin and Alexander items so desireable that everyone is going to be after him for awhile, even if they're not summoners (as SMN can only use their pact at 75, making it rather pointless to get if your SMN is not).

It remainds to be seen as to the strength of their double attack rate.
I'm not about to commit to that path considering how hard it will be to even access tier III VNMs, hell the tier I won't even change your abyssea until you've killed em about 20 times (or 200, from what I've heard -_-).

In any case, right now my priority for Magi trials is going to be on the Cure potency staff.