Sword Trial SuggestionsFollow

Ideal would be Almace and the DA% sword, but that's understandably out of reach for a lot of people. The WoE weapon would be the plan B, but the event itself is still pretty blah and too random on reward.

What you do with the other swords will kind of depend on your intention when meleeing, too. If you're doing a turtle mode /BLU style, it's hard to go wrong with the -PDT path paired with Genbu's Shield. The MATK sword will be a modest, all-around addition to nuking and Sanguine Blade if using the right sub, but staves will obviously be better for nuking and the WS% sword would also be better for Sanguine. I'd probably put the DEX sword over STR under the premise of hitting more often being better than a little harder, as even in Abyssea, some mobs you won't be capping ACC without food and/or meds.

Our current gear, sadly, is old and generally outclassed compared to other jobs, but it's all we can hope to muster until shows us some love, if ever.

Head: Walahra Turban (Zelus Tiara being an upgrade here)
Neck: Peacock Charm
Ear1: Suppanomimi
Ear2: Brutal Earring
Body: Goliard Saio (ACP body with DW% and ACC being a contender)
Hands: Dusk Gloves (+1)
Rings: Pretty variable here. Could go with 2 ACC if needed, or things like Rajas/Hoard for x-hit, etc..
Back: Atheling Mantle (Amemet +1 is basically the hold-over)
Waist: Swift Belt (Goading Belt its eventual replacement if you can coax people to give you a Lacovie drop)
Legs: ASA pants with +3 Haste/+7 ACC (Augmented ANNM Clown Subligar from Saur could get 3%, with Nashira being a lesser option to the two)
Feet: Dusk Ledelsens (+1)

Pretty much a Haste heavy build, and if you fall upon 25-26% with whatever combo, you might wanna look into swapping something else around for a more beneficial stat, most likely ACC under the same principle I noted with the swords. What you use for WSing will depend largely on the WS itself, but that's never been RDM's strong suit. Also, work on an Enhancing set to beef up your enspells during the TP phase. With merit cap increases coming, there's no reason for a dedicated RDM to not have 8/8/8 Enf/Ele/Enh.

Thank you both, this is great information!

I have a static Shin group and I am last in line for the Twilight Knife, since 3 of the 6 of us have THF. Luckily 2 already have it, so it should be mine in the next 2x we get it to drop!

I am feeling pretty good about the gear, because some of it I already have and the rest should be obtainable because my above static is great about doing NMs enough that everyone comes out with their desired objects!

I'm sorry to hear! Once things settle down at home, I am sure you will be able to get those things!

Don't be envious though! I work full time (with a 2 hour commute) and have a 5 year old at home, so I only play 3-4 hours in the evenings and on weekends. It's not so much a time sink to get things done if you are serious about doing it. I am not working on my first empyrean yet, but I do have my BLM all +1 with my body +2, RDM and WHM both +1 on legs, feet, and head. I have been working on my trials rather slowly and will continue to work through them slowly. I am not in a hurry to get everything done and I want to concentrate on my mages before leveling up any more jobs!

Judging from the surface, this doesn't seem very practical.

PDT gear is begging to...
-Utilize (Ice) Spikes, which aren't very Utsusemi-friendly
-Utilize PDT's innate -%Spell Interruption
-Utilize Shield Mastery
-Utilize motha f*ckin Sanguine Blade
-Utilize more TP, aquired from
a. utilizing the above
b. exemption from repetitive Utsusemi-casting (Cocoon)
c. utilization of motha f*cking Sanguine Blade

Cocoon is begging to...
-Facilitate ALL utilizations stated above

Regarding semantics; if the situation is "suicide" enough to necessitate both /NIN and capped PDT... I'd wear a Genbu's shield.

**EDIT**
As for Wild Carrot, Auto-regen, Killer effects, Head butt, and attribute/stat bonuses... why, those are just the little perks.

Edited, Apr 23rd 2011 4:31am by IcookPizza

I respect you as a RDM but you cant be a one trick pony, and most of that stuff is fluff.

-Para II is far, far better than Ice Spikes, even then, youre still gonna get hit plenty /NIN on anything that matters.
-Shield Mastery is a joke.
-Head Butt doest work subbed on anything that matters.

Cocoon/SB are the only reasons to ever sub BLU.

There are plenty of things you want PDT/Shadows/Dualwield without being "suicide" enough to warrant wearing a shield /NIN.

You're bias Xenith, and thats cool.

Edited, Apr 23rd 2011 5:03am by K1n371x

Actually, after thinking more about it, you're wrong.

If Xenith had applied herself more, she would have... better-proven whatever points I've been trying to prove.

Really?

Please forgive me for being a noob, I quit for a couple of years and only recently returned, and I havent even got around to regearing my Rdm yet.

But iirc before I quit Para II was considered to be too random, inconsistant and generally unreliable, with many rdm just sticking with the more mp efficient para I, and spending their merits else where. I also remember Icespikes pretty much being the Rolls Royce of para proc rates.

Has somthing changed whilst I have been away? Or is my memory just as bad as people tell me?

With some really strong potency gear (lots of +MND) along with Saboteur, Para II can be on the level of Ice Spikes pretty handily, but it's still kinda random and Saboteur is better spent on Slow II, which is always consistent.

I've literally Para II locked NM's like Mictlan and Lord Varney with just potency gear. To the point where the fights became easy mode. Ice Spikes can be potent in Brenner, or on things like EXP mobs but I have never seen them work anywhere near this good on NM's. Cruor buffs and easy to get high MND gear probably have something to do with it.

That's all good stuff, but like I said, I've never seen them work anywhere near as well as Para II on Abyssea NM's. I have been soloing a lot of them lately so I feel pretty confident about it. It's not even close.

Edited, Apr 27th 2011 5:21am by K1n371x

Both are capped. I'm pretty sure it has more to do with Cruor buffs and Atma. Casting Para II in +200 MND is something we've never been able to do until Abyssea came along.

I have to agree. That's the idea.

If by tank you mean solo, you're wrong.
If by tank you mean tank, I dont understand what you are getting at.

A wise man once told me never to dilute a strong argument with a weak one. Ice Spikes are not a strong argument for /BLU, because /NIN can eat a taco, PDT up, and let the mob stroke his spikes too. Cocoon and SB are however a strong argument.

/NIN is for things with powerful single target spells, and for when you need shadows to keep your stoneskin fresh for that big AOE or TP move.

/BLU is for things that shadows wont help you on, or when they are simply not needed.

Anyway I'm not going sit here and defend /NIN anymore. It is as practical on the surface as /BLU is.

Edited, Apr 28th 2011 4:53am by K1n371x

Ice spikes is far, far, far better than Para II during melee. Not only does it save mp, but the duration is much longer.

Head but does indeed work subbed on stuff that you are actually able to melee on. As a 75 RDM, I was head-butting XP mobs and level 8 Beseiged mobs.

Saboteur Para II, (As I've got 5/5) Seems to vary more depending on the monster it is cast upon, than simply being "Too Random". I've had it out preform Ice Spikes quite readily.

The problem being Ice Spikes may inflict a paralyze, and then that paralyze is also subject to potency variables. Even with enhancing gear, an mob can just be resistant to having it land on him.

I prefer to Saboteur Para II when:

I'm not the party target and (any of the below)-
There's another Red Mage
Enemy is Slow Resistant
Enemy multi-attacks frequently (Including /RA and Monk type mobs)

When I AM the party target and:
Slow Resistant enemy.
Ice Spikes seem to have a low yield
I'm going full defensive stacking against a single target(Blind II, Slow II, S-Paralyze II, Shock spikes.)
Enemy is a silence resistant caster.
I'm playing at a range. (Kite/nuking)

It's a risk vs rewards thing, honestly. Paralyze II can outright lock down some IT monsters in a way I've only seen Ice Spikes do to TW-EP mobs.

High delay detracts the benefits from all the swords in the Khanda tree slightly, also with atma (mainly Apoc or A/O for instance) the benefits of OAT and Oa2-4 are depreciated (even outside the 2-4 is fairly bad for overall DoT last I checked; it doesn't increase WS frequency by enough to offset its low DPS). The elemental shamshirs are also a good choice, STR if accuracy isn't needed and DEX is a clear winner if it is.



Edited, May 30th 2011 9:54pm by Neisan

Thanks for the clarification. It seems to be too narrow of a utility, however, for me to dedicate the Khanda to that when there's still the chance that the multi attack one could go 2-5 and outshine joyeuse for both DoT and TP building.

What I'm hoping for more, however, is that they eventually separate in name. Allowing us to carry multiple completed swords of the same category. (as far as Khanda is concerned.)

That would be an interesting spell to see, honestly.

For now, however, Khanda for me is just more of a toy to use for fun. Even 10% Triple attack isn't going hold a candle to the TP gain rate of a multi attack unless we either get more accuracy natively (which will allow me to put Double Attack rate on my add-on gear) or we get that spell. And honestly, the weapon itself is just for me to spam attacks with.

I'll decide when I get a Badelair +2 whether or not it's worth off-handing verses a Joyeuse, which is a ways off still.

I might just park the sword at the split point and wait to see what they do to finish it off, focus on my other swords in the meanwhile. If on the off chance we DO get a "Quick" spell, I wouldn't mind taking the DA+ Route.

I prefer this set up:

Weapon: 20% (Earth/Terra, 2x Shamshir, Shamshir/Genbu)
Neck: 5% (Twilight)
Ring: 12% (2x Aug. Dark)
Back: 6% (Umbra)
Legs: 4% (Tatsumaki, can add 3% haste or 8% movement augments as well)
Earring: 2% (Aug. Dark)

It's 1% short of 50% (only during the day), but it leaves body and hand slots open, which is a pretty big deal to me. Also, if you are lucky enough to get -5% MDT on your dark rings, thats -40% MDT with Shell V using the same set. Very nice.

Edited, Jun 2nd 2011 5:37am by K1n371x

Some Magian weapons have the RA tag, some don't; so you can make 20 Shamshirs if you like, but only 1 Khanda, 1 Almace, etc.