Still learning the ropes

[Anela]

I am a lvl 8 black mage in Bastok. All I have been doing really is killing monsters with my son who is a lvl 8 warrior. What is the best way to level up my mage and where is the best place to go to get gear? I'm still very new to this so any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Daos]

I'm studying a bit of Black Magic in Bastok myself, although I focus primarily on white magic. Let's see...Bastok does not have much in the way of magic. The magic shop in Bastok has a very limited selection, especially if it is not in 1st place in Conquest. I'd save up my gil for the AH or maybe make a trip to Windurst. Usually such a trip would be too dangerous for level 8s, but thanks to the Starlight Festival, you can teleport there for free.

This goes for gear, too. Most of the good stuff in Bastok is for warrior types. Windurst would have good BLM gear, though.

[Mog]

I am a lvl 8 black mage in Bastok. All I have been doing really is killing monsters with my son who is a lvl 8 warrior. What is the best way to level up my mage and where is the best place to go to get gear? I'm still very new to this so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Up until level 9-10, just pick up a staff and start killing stuff in Gustaberg. When you hit level 10, you're going to want to go to Valkurm Dunes. Just sit yourself out in the dunes and put your flag up, and you'll generally get an invite. These levels are pretty quick, so you won't have much to stress about.

As far as gear goes, there really isn't that much of a selection until you get higher up. Just make sure you keep on top of your black mages spells so you can better assist your party members when you get higher up.

[little ninja]

Really up to lvl 10 you can run around outside Bastok and on Vomp hill. Once you hit then you can go near the entrance to Wadi and kill bees and goblins. This will make you some $$ and get you to 12 fast. Then just head to the Highlands and seek while you kill more bees and saplings. Or like Mog says park yourself in Valkum and seek.

As for gear and spells most of it is still cheap on the A.H or vendors.

[Malacite]

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Black_Mage

Tons of great BLM info and various guides there (including an amazing soloing guide)


As a BLM, you'll want to focus on your spells first and foremost, then your gear. Speaking of which, you'll want to focus on INT first, then MP. You should be able to get most of the gear on the Auction House at okay prices since you're just starting out.

Windurst would have been a much better city to start in as a mage, but you can still make due in Bastok ^^b

Have fun and good luck with your adventures in Vana'diel :3

[Anela]

You know what has been the most frustrating? Getting my spells in Bastok. I am considering creating a character on Windurst. The problem is my family plays too and they are all in Bastok - and doing well I might add.

[Daos]

Yes, I learned early on that Bastok is not a mage town. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great city and I will always think of it as home. But yeah, you need to use the AH to get most of your spells, quests for others, and make visits to Windurst when you're able to.

At level 8, the spells available to you are: Stone, Poison, Blind, Water, and Bind. Which are all pretty useful, I've found. At level 9 you'll want to pick up Aero and then Bio and Blaze Spikes at level 10.

[Mhurron]

You're only going to be in and around any starting city until lvl 10~12 unless you solo farther. When you go to the dunes you'll meet more people and might get a LS who can help you get spells/gear from other parts of the game and you're as far from San d'oreo as you are from Bastok so you're not really stuck with going to either one. Going to Windurst adds a boat trip but you can make it there just as easily as going to either of the other two. At level 20 you'll be going to Jeuno yourself at which point it won't really matter.

What ever your job, it really doesn't matter what city you start in.

[Malacite]

Mhurron... your thanks count... wtf o O

And while it won't matter later on, in the early levels having cheap access to spells from NPC is very handy =/


At least you can quest Warp in Bastok though! ^^b

[little ninja]

Mhurron... your thanks count... wtf o O
And while it won't matter later on, in the early levels having cheap access to spells from NPC is very handy =/
At least you can quest Warp in Bastok though! ^^b

True but Aspir and drain are in the other 2 cities. lol.

[IfritnoItazura]

I am a lvl 8 black mage in Bastok. All I have been doing really is killing monsters with my son who is a lvl 8 warrior. What is the best way to level up my mage and where is the best place to go to get gear?

An alternate character stationed in Windurst will help with getting low level scrolls for spells. You can find a list of Black Mage spells from FFXIclopedia's page on the job, or go directly to: Black Mage Spells and Abilities. (The list includes NPC locations, so it's pretty handy.)

The Somepage database search page is out of date, and possibly dangerous for PC users. If you are using Firefox (instead of Internet Explorer), though, it should be safe enough and it's quite handy when it comes to looking for gears: http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/advanced.php

Two body gear you probably won't find in Somepage which may be useful:
Lv.1 Cobra Tunica: Def:1 MP+8
Lv.1 Pilgrim Tunica: Def:1 hMP+1

The Pilgrim Tunica is especially impressive; I can see it easily last until Lv.30's Seer's Tunica.

Some other info which may be interesting to new players:

• New Player Guide
• FFXIclopedia
• FFXI-Atlas
• How to make money as a newbie
• The Black Mage Index
• The EXP Party Index