I honestly think INT isn't important past a point.

[AtraposBLM]

Nodoka -
While yes, MP on the ring slots is nice, the vast majority of time, you won't be utilizing the MP on those rings. Therefore, save your money on astrals, and use electrum rings in addition to int rings. The 10 MP difference really doesn't matter (that's less than 1 elemental debuff, and not even half of a drain), and it will let you use a few spells for free before switching to int rings for nukes. I use electrum rings whenever I get to max, and then I switch over to int rings. I use the 40 mp for 2 elemental debuffs and part of a drain. Basically lets me do my pre-nuke routine for free, and gives the paladin some time to get hate.

Take a lesson from RDM's (and the lesson you should've already learned from owning 5 staves) - equip switch macro's are your friend.

[Nodoka]

Well you can call me just lazy then. I switch my torques and staffs because there is a great difference between the damage and resist rate, when using the correct staff and etc. But switching every time for 6 INT doesnt seem worth the hassle for so little damage. >.<

[irecinius]

I was lving with my friend blm other day, we both 72, we both mas elemental skill, it was a darkness chain so we bursted Blizzaga3 using icestaff both

He is a elvaan, and very concerned with INT, i'm a hume concerned with MP..

I was using Black cloak to MB (i didn't have errants at the time, out of stock lol) and I had 89INT, he however had 115INT total

Thats about 20int difference, and he bursted the SAME! not ONE Damage higher then me, we even got resisted at the same time, doing exactly the same damage.

After that I stoped completely caring about INT..

[cococola]

From my personal experiences

For magic resistance: (not talking about DMG).

Weather > E. Skills > INT > Day

Water Weather - Thunder spells will highly get resisted, etc.

Also there are the monster weakness, but that really depends of the type of mob you're fighting. I've had various results depending on the type i was fighting.

[Netrus]

in my opinion and this isnt a fact. i have a weird feeling that maybe mobs will resist all the same if 2 diff. ppl used an MB on it at the same time. i was with a rdm (i think rdm i know wasnt blm cuz i was only one in pt) and we would MB and both get resisted and do the same amount of damage..so i feel that if you guys didnt get resisted then the one with the more INT probably would've out dmg you. thats just from collecting what you said and actually having this happen to me before like 3 or 4 times in the same pt.

i know i could be wrong but it seems that there is a good possibility.

[AtraposBLM]

Originally posted by Netrus
in my opinion and this isnt a fact. i have a weird feeling that maybe mobs will resist all the same if 2 diff. ppl used an MB on it at the same time. i was with a rdm (i think rdm i know wasnt blm cuz i was only one in pt) and we would MB and both get resisted and do the same amount of damage..so i feel that if you guys didnt get resisted then the one with the more INT probably would've out dmg you. thats just from collecting what you said and actually having this happen to me before like 3 or 4 times in the same pt.

i know i could be wrong but it seems that there is a good possibility.

At certain parts in the game, when BLM's and RDM's have the same magic attack bonus, they'll be doing the same amount of damage on resists and otherwise, with the same spells. For the most part, though, you won't be choosing the same spells. But again, I can see how resists could be the same damage if 2 people are the same level (hence same multiplier from Magic Attack Bonus).

From my experiences:
Elemental Magic Skill > Weather > INT > Day

To be honest though...weather, int, and the days don't effect my resists much. The only thing that made a difference was elemental magic skill...DAMAGE is effected by weather/int/days...but not so much resists. I notice with water weather effect, my thunder loses a few points of max damage, but I don't suddenly have to deal with 3/4, 1/2, 1/4 resists any more than normal.

[imstimpy]

This may be purely coincidence, but I was doing some personal testing with damage in regards to day and I could NOT properly land Blizzard on a crawler during Windsday. I was having much better results using Aero and Aero II. I thought to myself, "Self, it is Windsday and ice is strong to wind so use ice." Self says, "Well, that was a waste of a Blizzard." A neutral spell that the crawler was weak to (Thunder) landed well...

[Karinya]

I believe windsday or wind weather strengthens wind, and weakens earth (because wind is strong vs. earth). Weather has a stronger effect than day. Intense weather (two icons) has a stronger effect than normal weather.

Staves work the same - ice staff strengthens ice spells and weakens wind spells (which is why your third staff after ice/dark should probably be wind, it's the one element you really don't want to be using ice staff for).

As far as magic attack bonus... there are few ways to influence it other than job and level, but some of those ways are really powerful (e.g. moldavite earring).

[Coinspinner]

I find day and weather effects very noticable... I wanna cry every time I see the day or weather conflicting with enemy weakness. But I freakng love it when I get both on my side, mid-fifties I got thunder day, double thunder weather fighting robber crabs in Boyhada and tore them up like never before.