Question about the usefullness of drain...plz help

[ghadi]

Sorry to bother you guys, but I just started this game, and soon I'll have enough fame to start and complete a quest in the Sandoria castle dungeon to earn the BLM spell drain. I'm level 17 so I can learn it, but on the bahamut server, you can sell the spell for around 200k! I'm extremely short on money and was wondering if it's a better idea to learn it or sell it. How useful is drain? Does it ever become obsolete? Thanks so much in advance to any useful replies.

[Ellipses]

If you plan on leveling BLM at all, don't sell it. You'll just end up buying it again later, probably for more than you get for it now. Drain remains one of the most MP-efficient damage-dealing spells in a BLM's arsenal for quite some time (once your Dark Magic skill is capped or close to it). It's incredibly useful, especially if you do get hit once or twice; once the tank gets hate back, you can Drain back some of that HP. Even if you're at full HP, it still does full damage, though.

[Spinnthrift]

Quest Drain and learn it. It's one of the best spells you can get. Nuff said.

[ghadi]

ok, thank you very much for the quick answers, looks like I'll learn and keep it

[Mhurron]

In general, you always track down and learn every spell you can for your job.

[Omnitank]

Your strapped for cash you say? But you want Drain you say?

Did you ever think to make a mule, load him up on carrots or cellery or what ever that plant is and run to Selbina, trade, get him fame and do the Drain quest with a mule. Rinse - Repeat. Now you got your self Drain plus a nice way to farm 200k a pop.

[Mhurron]

Did you ever think to make a mule, load him up on carrots or cellery or what ever that plant is and run to Selbina, trade, get him fame and do the Drain quest with a mule. Rinse - Repeat. Now you got your self Drain plus a nice way to farm 200k a pop.

Except you'll need to level it a bit as well to do the missions to actually get into the Chateau in the first place.

[Yuanlung]

Except you'll need to level it a bit as well to do the missions to actually get into the Chateau in the first place.

I dragged a lv 1 mule to mission 2-3 and loaded it up with Selbina cabbage fame to get an extra Drain scroll. It the time worth it? Probably not. It was just a proof-of-concept test for me.

[durecellrabbit]

Except you'll need to level it a bit as well to do the missions to actually get into the Chateau in the first place.

Can't you get in if you're from sandy at lvl1?

[Mhurron]

Can't you get in if you're from sandy at lvl1?

No. If you're from San d'Oria, you have to be Rank 2. For other nations, on or past Mission 2-3.

In the amount of time that it would take to do that, you should have found a way to make a steady income.

[Murphie]

The reason that Drain is 200k on Bahamut in the first place is because people sold it when they quested it and then later realized that they needed it, so they had to buy it on the AH.

Well, that and folks are lazy. If they can just buy it on the AH instead of doing a very easy quest, they will likely do so.

[Mhurron]

The reason that Drain is 200k on Bahamut in the first place is because people sold it when they quested it and then later realized that they needed it, so they had to buy it on the AH.

It's dropped in a BCNM too.

[Murphie]

I didn't realize. Thanks for pointing that out though.

People are still lazy though.

[Mhurron]

I didn't realize. Thanks for pointing that out though.

People are still lazy though.

Trust me I know, using other peoples lazyness is a good way to make gil.

Just for completeness: Charming Trio - Balga's Dais (Level 20, 15 minutes, 3 members)

[Jenifa]

Drain remains one of the most MP-efficient damage-dealing spells in a BLM's arsenal

and it can save your life many times^^

amount of times i had a nearly dead VT mob come to hit me mid-cast of drain, the mob hits me and sends me to red, the drain procs and kills the mob and im back into high orange or yellow hp's again^^. The short cast time makes it great.