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 ****, 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 **** 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