Problem with subbing /WHM for BCNMs...

[Siven]

At least, for BCNM40. The primary benefit is Blink and some status cures, and 1 more CHR bonus compard to other subs (woooo). You should be wearing the best DEF gear you can get which I believe is the lv38 Cuir armor. Combat Caster's Cloak is out because you won't be able to wear Noble's Ribbon. Other MP+ gears are also replaced by CHR gear, so as a result unless you're a taru you'll have less than 80 MP, enough to cast Blink 3 times (tarus can do it 5 times :handsdown: if they live that long). Obviously you'll be blinking between Horde Lullabies. It takes 6 sec to cast which frankly I think is better spent refreshing Minne on yourself and doing other buffs for the PT. You'll hardly have time to cure anyone except in the case of AOE sleep.

/RDM will give Fast Cast and basic cures.
/MNK will give you 50 to 60 more HP and 2 to 3 more VIT.

[Junun]

Monk sub would also give dodge ability. Could be useful, have yet to test it.

Every BCNM i have subbed WHM. Only time i use blink is for the opening fight. I rarely have time to cast it while doing horde lullaby, ballad/other songs, and healing. Onions hit very week, so blink is only going to save you about 60 dmg or so taken. Easier and faster just to use a cure2 after horde.

As for gear, I wear the standard +cha gear. I also chose to wear RSE gear over higher DEF gear. I prefer to have more mana and HP then the extra DEF.

[Aniga]

*shrug*

I like my Paralyna, Blink, Cure II, Stoneskin (Before I go in), Curaga (Melees forget to drink poison, I'm the only one awake), and what not. I guess if you're REALLY having trouble and are dying constantly, go ahead and throw on a more melee-ish sub. But BCNM40 really isn't that tough that it would require you to level up a seperate sub in order to win.

[Siven]

Far's prebuffs go, isn't Phalanx > Stoneskin? It also appears to last longer. IMO that plus Blaze Spike (as weak as your enhancing is) are worthy tradeoffs for Curaga and Paralyna.

[mIze]

/whm is fine as long as you bring the proper food. Fish mithkabobs boosted my def to about 200 before Minne, combine that with blink and curing yourself and you're pretty well off. I haven't defeated BCNM40 yet though, still have to find the right PT config. I just get invited to them because I'm brd, and of course I'm a necessity. I'm sure with a good group instead of random people it wouldn't be impossible.

[Mylek]

Far's prebuffs go, isn't Phalanx > Stoneskin? It also appears to last longer.

I'm pretty sure phalanx has the same duration. I believe around 3 minutes but the nature of their effects differ. Stoneskin drops when the spell expires or you take x damage. Phalanx drops only when the spell expires, and reduces x damage from each attack. x is determined by your enhancing skill. The beautiful thing is these effects stack so phalanx will reduce damage before it is absorbed by the stoneskin buffer.

Blazespikes on is of little use. This will only do a very small amount of damage to enemies your group is not focussing on taking down.

Another thing to consider: whm sub has divine seal and +1 cha and ~+10mp rdm.

If your brd is over 66 i think you have a little more survivability going in with phalanx/stoneskin and rdm sub over whm sub. Even then victory will still be determined by your group's level of coordination and tactics.