Guess what time it is!?!?

[WishMaster3K]

Well as a few of you might know, I'm leveling PLD right now. Which means that for the next BULK of the exp grind, to do anything effective I'll have to rely on Refresh, and more often than not that means RDM.

I like to think I'm a pretty decent RDM. RDM isn't a hard job, it really isn't. In fact, I've broken down Refresh based on the in-game clock, and you'd have to be a special blend of retarded herbs and spices to mess up a Refresh cycle after understanding the way I do it.

Which is why it BAFFLES me as to why there are so many sucky RDMs.

I'll just post the pictures and let them speak for themselves. I'll edit them in Paint because I frankly don't feel like loading up PS.

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/2710/img20070815223831editedcf8.th.jpg (http://img527.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img20070815223831editedcf8.jpg)

I've been playing this game too long to baby sit other players, and I'm not going to lecture someone how to properly do a job (Get BBQ for that, he has WAY more tolerance than me, and I think he likes it, to be honest >_>).

PT was PLD BLU BLU BLM BRD RDM, 52-55 (yeah it was TERRIBLE, because I was the lowest level) and we were fighting on Robber Crabs. If I didn't have Refresh on a constant basis, I can be sure that the other PT members didn't. The BRD was working her ass off, for her part, but we had to do Madrigal and Minuet, and resort to Ballad only after fights.

But seriously, is it THAT hard to read a forum or ask around about a job you plan on doing? I mean good lord. Maybe she was overwhelmed with all the responsibilities, so I understand slipping every now and then (For the record, I constantly DIDN'T have Refresh, but I was willing to be patient.. until I saw that)... but not using Macros at lvl 53 is just ignorant.

Edit:
Am I wrong for complaining? Let me know. I have my own standards of the bare-minimum of what I'll accept from a RDM.. And maybe I'm just blowing it out of proportion because I feel I need Refresh to do my job to the fullest capacity. What's sad is that individually, the entire pt was decent/above-average, but the RDM's lack of . . . Intelligence dragged us down.

[fallenintoshadows]

Peanut Butter Jelly time?

Well you handled it well as far as I'm concerned, you didn't shout at him like "omgwtf REFRESH ME NOW WHORE!" and you gave him advice, I refresh the same way you do and it's quite simple when you do it that way. Did he pick up after you gave him that advice or did he continue missing your refresh?

As for not using macros, don't judge entirely by that. I know a very good blm who's only macros is Stun and he plays his job incredibly well. However, seeing as they were pretty much failing they should of realised they needed to invest some time into making their macros. After all it's there to help you and make things easier and they said themselves they had a lot more to do now so it would definately help them.

You did need refresh, healing yourself helps you keep hate = better tank and it's a shame you didn't get it all the time and you went the right way about asking them about refresh and gave them advice. If they didn't pick it up after that then they would most likely be someone I would avoid partying with in the future unless they improved.

[WishMaster3K]

No, that was the end of the pt. It turned out to be accidental actually, because the BLM gave me a Warp II instead of the BLU who asked for it. Ah well, I had a headache anyway.

[fallenintoshadows]

X_x well let's just hope the rdm took what you said on board then, maybe the blm might learn to target properly too >_>

[KingOfZeal]

I think that some people are very much able to handle a complicated job (and RDM is as complicated as they come) without macros. Those people know exactly where a spell is in their list, mostly because they sorted it themselves, or they can type faster as a command line than a macro, and they have a 6th sense about recast times. Those people make terrific players at any job and level.

However, by the same token, many people can't do it. This person was obviously one of them. Some of those (many) people also think they can handle a complex job without macros. This person also probably falls into that category. Those type of people generally come across as sucking at their job, which is obviously the attitude you are sending about this person in your post.

However, with all that said, Red Mage is still a complex job, and people still have reason for doing (or in some cases not doing) certain things. For example, filters: even when I was playing White Mage, the only thing I did to my filters was alter the "detrimental effect" color to orange. I kept all the numbers and everything else that was party/alliance-related, because I occasionally like to parse my parties.

I've also heard that for any Red Mage to be considered "good", often they will have 2-3 full macro sets, not to mention a consistent maxed out inventory/safe/storage/locker. What if someone is pressed for macro space? As it stands, I have full macro sets for WHM, SMN, BRD, PUP, my specialty "miscellaneous" (often chat-related) macros for which I'm well known, plus the various other macros I have for more specific, but still commonly used things, like summoning skillups/showing off. I'd imagine that all mage jobs, plus PLD, DRK, COR, and NIN, could easily fill up their own macro set (coincidentally, 10 jobs not counting RDM). If I have all those jobs leveled, I'm not going to log out just to save macro sets, and load an empty set just for RDM, especially if, say, I'm due in DieInMass after the party on WHM.

All I'm saying is that sometimes there are good reasons, and it seems like you didn't bother to see what theirs might have been.

[Zempten]

lol

wait till they make you fight imps at 65/66 and don't have refresh or ballad for you =P Jesus it's hell.

Althought I'm surprised that the BRD didn't ask you to face your back to the mages so he could ballad you as well. Distance of ballad from testing is about 9.5-10 without a harp. We have a BRD in our static that lands ballad on the mages and PLD consistantly IF the mob doesn't have any dangerous AEs and even if it did I'm sure the BRD could have put a harp on to extend the range of ballad. I doubt the Robber Crabs had any "dangerous AEs". I mean Bubble Shower (I think that's why it is called) does how much? Under 100?

[Zempten]

I think that some people are very much able to handle a complicated job (and RDM is as complicated as they come) without macros. Those people know exactly where a spell is in their list, mostly because they sorted it themselves, or they can type faster as a command line than a macro, and they have a 6th sense about recast times. Those people make terrific players at any job and level.


True but NOONE can type fast enough to swap in 6 equipment & cast a spell before it fires off. At least noone that I know of. That's why macros are ultimately the best - not to mention it'll help against corpal tuneel =P. I know some spells don't require swapping equipment and those are left for typing imo.

As far as macro space is concerned. It takes under 10 mins to remake a new macro set with some intilligent copying and pasting and a bit of typing. It takes about 5 mins to learn where those macros are. Basically what I do is keep a set for my NIN and THF and the rest I will always rewrite. In short there are excuses why things happen but there is no excuse why you shouldn't correct them.

P.S: Sorry for the 2 posts.

[KingOfZeal]

Althought I'm surprised that the BRD didn't ask you to face your back to the mages so he could ballad you as well. Distance of ballad from testing is about 9.5-10 without a harp. We have a BRD in our static that lands ballad on the mages and PLD consistantly IF the mob doesn't have any dangerous AEs and even if it did I'm sure the BRD could have put a harp on to extend the range of ballad. I doubt the Robber Crabs had any "dangerous AEs". I mean Bubble Shower (I think that's why it is called) does how much? Under 100?

Just to point out, I was also thinking of pointing out that the BRD could well have landed Ballad instead of the RDM doing refresh, but I know from experience that unless everybody needs mp (or only 1-2 at most don't) it's better to have the precision of refresh than the blanket of ballad. Though, in this case, since everybody used MP, it probably would have been better.


Also, the range of any song cast with a horn is 9.9, and harps... well, harp range varies with your skill level. Not quite sure if the song effects the range of it as well, but it's doubtful. So when casting songs, especially when you need precision so you don't get people you aren't supposed to, it's not recommended to use a wildly inaccurate harp no matter how much boost on the range it is (there are a few times when it's acceptable, though).

True but NOONE can type fast enough to swap in 6 equipment & cast a spell before it fires off. At least noone that I know of. That's why macros are ultimately the best - not to mention it'll help against corpal tuneel (sic)=P. I know some spells don't require swapping equipment and those are left for typing imo.

As far as macro space is concerned. It takes under 10 mins to remake a new macro set with some intilligent copying and pasting and a bit of typing. It takes about 5 mins to learn where those macros are. Basically what I do is keep a set for my NIN and THF and the rest I will always rewrite. In short there are excuses why things happen but there is no excuse why you shouldn't correct them.

First: there's no reason to swap gear for Refresh, unless it's part of a very well-times cycle and you change gear to get ready for the next spell. However, even considering that, it's not really the point. I'm going to make myself VERY clear on this point: it is NOT necessary for a red mage (or any job for that matter) to swap gear for ANYTHING at ANY TIME. It is perfectly reasonable to get a balanced gear setup, which would help in any and all attributes you would do. However, since many people have the five hundred extra free lines in macros, they want to specialize in certain things at certain times (take MNK or any melee for example: He might have an ATK set and an ACC set, depending on what the target is).

Second: This is facing Rober Crabs, which are XP'd on in Kuftal Tunnel, and the levels were 52-55. Kuftal Tunnel (and 52-55) is where people start to wear their AF, and during those levels there isn't much (if any) gear swapping anyway because your AF is almost always the best gear you can get pre-60. You can easily put off macros until 60-65, when most RDM's (and other jobs) start seriously swapping.

Last, regarding macro sets: I would argue you are in the minority there. I spent my entire time as WHM (2 years) perfecting my macro set -- it's doubtful if I could even recreate it because of the little nuances. Same thing goes with many of my macros, including (but not limited to) PUP, SMN and BRD. When it comes time for me to try to find free space for a new set, it's difficult. The only way I'd be able to really level all jobs would be to use the three built-in macro sets saves, even though I would have to log out if I decided to level a different job and had to load a different set.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Each time I ask myself "How do you screw up with a job like RDM, BRD or COR?" it basically breaks down to this:

See Refresh ability.
See Dispel ability.
ZOMGInvite! Thier other jobs never got those!

And that's basically it. They could research, they could learn to be the most effective they can be, but they have fallen to the Dark Side of being a support class.

[WishMaster3K]

it is NOT necessary for a red mage (or any job for that matter) to swap gear for ANYTHING at ANY TIME.

My allergies flared.when you got to this point. I was swapping gear as early as level 10, when I would switch out Eremites for Saintly. Then I got pieces of gear such as Deveotee's Mitts, and I'd have to Macro them out for my RSE hands when I cast an INT spell, then I got the different body pieces in the late 30s (one had INT and one had MND, I forget the names) that I switched out. Then before Red Cape, I had Black and White capes respectively.

And even then, with the max gear I had for my level and race, and food, there were times that my spells would be resisted, or times that my nukes would be terrible.

And then I got to level 40 and I needed a Convert Gear Setup.

And then I got to 41 and Refresh came into play, and I needed to keep track of it across anywhere from 3-5 additional people.

Then I got the 48 and I needed to incorporate Haste.

Then I got to 51 and I started using Elemental staves.

KoZ, you are an intelligent poster, but don't say things like what I just quoted. There is no reason for the RDM in question to have Dark Stave on 100% of the time, miss Refresh, late cure (I saw Wild Carrot cast on me more than Cure 3), and do (or in their case, not do) what I saw that night.

While there isn't a need of macros, refusing to use them is ignorant.

You can compare NINs, THFs- hell, ANY job side by side to a macro user and a non-macro user and see which one outperforms the other.

All the time.

And you know that, indicated by your follow up to the quote (in regards to the MNK, etc etc) and your tooling of your WHM gear set.

I have 2 points to say to that though:
1) True, it is hard, but it's not impossible. I spent the majority of my career (1-75) as a RDM on PS2, and about 8 or so months beyond that on a PC w/o the use of windower. My spell lines alwawys had at least the Spell, and the Stave. Right there I only had 4 possible pieces of equipment I could switch, so generally, it wasn't that hard to do 51-72. Then I got to Errant and Wise levels and it was a nightmare. But it still wasn't impossible.

2) Now that I use windower, I can save my macro sets and just type them in, and they take up one line. Hell, I just have a general "MND-Enfeebling" and "INT-Enfeebling" set, and all I need to type in are the staves and the spell and the command.

If I'm so inclined, I use the same line of commands, just minus the spell for solo macros.

And I realize that I'm being very overbearing on my position, but I'm very passionate about my main job, and I HATE seeing young RDMs watering the class down, and other people just giving them excuses.

There is so much information online, there is no excuse to be ignorant and retarded. Yes, I'm broke too, but for the record, I have no sky abjurations, no "uber" gear and I manage just fine, and I can still hit a Convert Ratio of 1000/1000 at least.

Oh any typing in your spells in the line and going to your menu to switch gear is just retarded, I don't care who you are.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

At low levels, I didn't macro gear heavily for RDM or BRD, but when I got past the point of 40ish, where both jobs really start to open up in gear, I always made it a point to have various gear for various slots.

BRD had instrument macros from the earliest levels and they only grew more and more complex over time. Eventually, I'd put in things like singing skill gear directly into my buff macros, CHR was relegated to debuff macros. And it was the same for RDM. INT and MND gear were placed in the respective spells I cast. Staves for both jobs went with thier proper spells.

There wasn't spell cast or song sung that didn't at least come with three equipment changes and no job I've levelled since has been any different. None. All my jobs have something.

And COR is no different save for staves. I can't mix up staves in macro due to potential TP loss, but I bring the ones I feel I need for the situation. I actually have more gear changes on COR and RNG than I ever did RDM or BRD. I have at least five gear changes for a ranged attack, five for Quick Draws and even STR build I throw in for Slug Shot. And now I've started a MND build for both because of RNG's already lovely Holy Bolt build and I just got Savage Blade to play off that build. Did I mention the AGI build for COR, need AGI build, too.

So I have elemental Staves, elemental cards, working on Elemental obis, I have dozens of earrings, an MP build and there will always be more. The only day I'll be able to ease up with COR is when I get Denali Set and Skadi Set complete and I'm not even started on those.

[Rain_Blade]

Just to point out, I was also thinking of pointing out that the BRD could well have landed Ballad instead of the RDM doing refresh, but I know from experience that unless everybody needs mp (or only 1-2 at most don't) it's better to have the precision of refresh than the blanket of ballad. Though, in this case, since everybody used MP, it probably would have been better.


Also, the range of any song cast with a horn is 9.9, and harps... well, harp range varies with your skill level. Not quite sure if the song effects the range of it as well, but it's doubtful. So when casting songs, especially when you need precision so you don't get people you aren't supposed to, it's not recommended to use a wildly inaccurate harp no matter how much boost on the range it is (there are a few times when it's acceptable, though).



First: there's no reason to swap gear for Refresh, unless it's part of a very well-times cycle and you change gear to get ready for the next spell. However, even considering that, it's not really the point. I'm going to make myself VERY clear on this point: it is NOT necessary for a red mage (or any job for that matter) to swap gear for ANYTHING at ANY TIME. It is perfectly reasonable to get a balanced gear setup, which would help in any and all attributes you would do. However, since many people have the five hundred extra free lines in macros, they want to specialize in certain things at certain times (take MNK or any melee for example: He might have an ATK set and an ACC set, depending on what the target is).

Second: This is facing Rober Crabs, which are XP'd on in Kuftal Tunnel, and the levels were 52-55. Kuftal Tunnel (and 52-55) is where people start to wear their AF, and during those levels there isn't much (if any) gear swapping anyway because your AF is almost always the best gear you can get pre-60. You can easily put off macros until 60-65, when most RDM's (and other jobs) start seriously swapping.

Last, regarding macro sets: I would argue you are in the minority there. I spent my entire time as WHM (2 years) perfecting my macro set -- it's doubtful if I could even recreate it because of the little nuances. Same thing goes with many of my macros, including (but not limited to) PUP, SMN and BRD. When it comes time for me to try to find free space for a new set, it's difficult. The only way I'd be able to really level all jobs would be to use the three built-in macro sets saves, even though I would have to log out if I decided to level a different job and had to load a different set.

...

[Kirsteena]

I'm going to make myself VERY clear on this point: it is NOT necessary for a red mage (or any job for that matter) to swap gear for ANYTHING at ANY TIME.

Excuse me while I introduce my head to this convenient desk.




No no no no no no no. I'm going to hunt you down and make you understand macro changes. Hell I macro change for refresh, haste and cure....

[Malacite]

Even if you're good without using macros, you should still use them.

I don't care how skilled you are, no one can make gear swaps as for a spell or WS or what you (along with the timing of abilities) with same speed and precision as a well written macro.

[tdh]

"Hi. My name's Odude, and I'm a Blinker."

I've had equip swaps since Lv.31, I currently have 80 macros for RDM, and even my Refresh macro has equip swaps (Haste & Fast Cast gear).

Pre-Lv.31, I did minimal equip swaps. I started the fight out with a INT/MND Club, cast my enfeebles, then switched to Sword to melee. I was always typing out my spells, but since I type so fast, it wasn't an issue. Then I found out that I could swap all my rings, earrings, gloves, or weapon for spells, so I went to macros. I'm not saying you HAVE to have equipment swaps, but honestly the boost to your performance is worth being a Blinker.

I'd say Lv.51, if you haven't taken to equipment swaps, then you're not even trying. Rings, gloves, staves, etc; Blah, blah, blah - gear doesn't make the man, but let's not play like it's so trivial a difference. RDM in MP only gear & no Macros Vs. a RDM with Elemental staves, INT & MND build & more macros than J.C. himself. Who do you think is gonna land Gravity, Paralyze, Slow, Sleep, etc much better?

I too use the clock for my Refresh cycle, but I didn't always know about it. I used to start my cycle over when my Refresh wore off. I wish somebody would have told me in the 50's about this technique, like W3k did. We all hate the "know~it~all" who gives you the tell "I'm BLAH75, I know what I'm talking about, do it like this" as if the game just came out yesterday; but at some point I thought the weakest links were supposed to be weeded out. I guess this doesn't apply to OMGlolRDM & OMGlolBRD. Such a requirement for so many parties, you'll take a piss poor one over none at all.

[Taskmage]

I'll go ahead and say that I hate gear swapping in concept and in execution. I don't know whether it's worse to imagine that I'm taking off my tights and slipping on some poofy pants in the middle of a fight to nuke or that different facets of my wardrobe are simply materializing on me to suit the spell I'm casting. I hate the way it makes it unnecessary for people to weigh the pros and cons of different equipment and make intelligent decisions about how they want to build their character, since they can just choose ALL the equipment and just wear whichever piece is best for what they're doing at that precise moment. I hate the way it sucks up a thousand slots of inventory if you want to perform optimally, and I hate the way it makes you pop in and out of existence and screws up people's targeting.

That said, I think that the increase in performance is entirely worth the annoyance. Sure, strictly speaking it's not necessary to gear swap ever, but that's like saying it's not necessary to have equipment. Especially for a mage, most pieces of equipment are only good for one thing: Fire Staff for fire spells, Wizard's Tonban for dark magic, Devotee's Mitts for white magic, etc. If the gear you're wearing isn't doing anything for the spell you're casting at the moment, you might as well be naked—in the case of staves and the mitts you may very well be better off naked depending on the spell. If a mage or anyone showed up to a party naked I'd show them the curb. If someone isn't gear swapping out of ignorance or something that's one thing, but understanding how it works and what its benefits are and flatly refusing to is almost as bad as showing up naked imo.

[Zempten]

There's no reason for the PLD to have Madrigal or Minuet at 50 imo. Personally I don't feel there's enough DD gear for them to use and not to mention he's overcamping I believe. He'd be better off having 7MP-8MP/tick so he can keep himself cured and they can continue exp chaining.

Perhaps I'm a too old and retired RDM, but I believe about 3 years ago when I was lvling RDM that around lvl 50 or 60 a RDM's enfeebling wasn't superior enough to cast without gear to help it land. During that time, I macroed in elemental staffs over wands to land my basic enfeebles. Perhaps now RDMs have gear good enough to achieve a balance and doesn't need to swap equip so much, but I'm old fashion and when it comes to casting a spell I'm going to swap my staff to it's element and put in gear that boosts the stats associated with the spell.

[Mhurron]

Hell I macro change for refresh, haste and cure....
WHY? Spells that are not effected by stats have no requirement for switches. They last as long and have the same effect no matter what your equipped with. Why add needless steps.

[WishMaster3K]

Because our AF Hat lowers the recast. And there is a possibility that they have other gear, such as a few pieces of dusk.

Duh, Mhurron, you should know that.

[Taskmage]

I macro relic body for Refresh and Haste. Used to macro AF hat also to reduce recast so it doesn't take me a whole friggin game hour to finish a long cycle and I can possibly get a tick in, but after relic hat it became too much of an annoyance to pop that back on after every cast. The other macro slots I use to put certain defensive pieces of gear back on, like relic gloves and umbra cape, in case they got swapped out by some other macro.

[hongman]

I macro in Haste gear for spells that dont have stat related benefits. Lowers recast and cast. But Im a lil late here.

King, you know I <3 you to bits, but jesus chirst that statement was...I have no word for it.

To wear a generic set of gear the whole time is just plain stupid. I shall leave it at that, I see no benefit in carrying on.

The onky explantion I can think of is, he was drunk. Yes, King was drunk.

[Mhurron]

Because our AF Hat lowers the recast.
My hat never leaves my head, I didn't know anyone wore anything else, and my inventory would overflow if I had a lot of (hell any) haste gear.

[hongman]

I wear Elite Beret on enfeebles.

Not needed most of the time on EXP, but I use the same maro set for Gods.

Until such time I get Duelist Chap, in which case that would never leave my head. Not for anything.

[Kirsteena]

I macro in AF hat and AF2 body for haste and refresh - why? I'm trying to be optimal. I may not carry 60 items (I'm at 51 most of the time), but those I do carry I make best use of. I am also being given a couple of pieces of dusk by a quitting friend, so will probably macro those in as well.

[Aeni]

WishMaster, you suck. You suck for one reason only. You didn't ask me to static my RDM with your PLD.

/wrist

All jokes aside, I've had my share of bad and good DRKs I've partied with on this "other Main character" and as an ex-DRK I had to refrain from saying something to those bad players.

It's called "turning the other cheek."

One thing I learned about this game, after quitting twice, is that getting stressed over it isn't worth it. If you're getting ulcers, leave the game for a month and then ask yourself this question: "What am I suppose to derive out of this?"

If it's entertainment ... "turn the other cheek."

If it's trying to obtain "the end" of this game ... you should maybe try and distance yourself a bit. Remember, this is a game, albeit an online one, but it's your choice to play this. SE didn't hold you up at gun point. Same with other players. It's their $$ a month, and as such, it's hard to tell people what's "right or wrong" as it's all ... opinions.

My $0.02

[tdh]

To an extent, I follow Aeni's rule. If I'm doing something, and see somebody who's just not hacking it, I let them be. But if I was a job that absolutely required MP to do my job to the best of my ability, ie PLD, and my RDM wasn't getting he job done - I'd probably give a lesson.

This is why I hate leveling "needy jobs." I hate having to rely on somebody else for me to live up to my high standards, RDM is perfect in this respect. Same thing goes as a DD, and why I static my WAR with a PLD friend who RAWKS+1. I'm the worst DRK in the world when I have a crappy tank, but give me a damn good tank and I've parsed neck & neck with other DRKs in HNM/Abjuration gear.

[WishMaster3K]

Aeni, so help me Altana if you are on Gilgamesh and I didn't know.

I'd GLADLY have a constant RDM. Hell, I don't need a WHM if I have Refresh and Haste on me, and Slow and Paralyze on the mob.

I'm my own god damn WHM.

[Armando]

I'm my own god damn WHM.Lies! You can't throw out double Flashes.

[WishMaster3K]

Damn you Armando and your Good Points.

God damnit, that was like a Good Point +1.

But I DO have a 2/1 HP/MP ratio, so with 4mp/tick minimum, I can go all out for a standard fight, and in the intermittent resting/standing for the next pull, my MP is always good. But I need a good RDM or a competent BRD or COR.

[Aeni]

Lies! You can't throw out double Flashes.

Huh? WishMaster is god Armando. I've learned this ever since he's been posting his RDM goodness on the forums.

He can do double flashes.

1. Casts Flash
2. Strips his clothes off.

Macros can handle both, I can assure you, he can do this.

And WM, I'm on Hades ... but there's no reason for me to really stay here ... I'm tired of this server and its jaded immigrants.

[WishMaster3K]

Geez Aeni ._. /blush

I've fallen off I suppose. Haven't been motivated to be uber. I did solo about 4k exp in the Mire two nights ago, but I'm just stagnant right now! ; ;

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/49/img20070819013019ps9.th.jpg (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img20070819013019ps9.jpg)

[Aeni]

Oh man, those imps, I have this one funny story I have to tell you.

So my group went to exp on them, nevermind the fact that because I was only 66 at the time, I wasn't even gonna get maybe 15% of my enfeebles to stick (I think I already posted my gear before, may not be the greatest since I don't have HQ for every single slot, but I spent MILLIONS on it - basically unequipping my DRK - prior to deflation on my server)

We were doing relatively ... decent ... but I still thought those crawlers would've been better. Anyway... so on one pull ... someone got 1 imp ... then an add ... then another add ... next thing you know, our party was fighting 4 imps.

Ehhh ... so yeah, managed to keep one slept, the other gravitied (while the BLU kited it) and the other chasing after me ('cause our SMN pulled too much hate)

Just me and SMN on healing duty, no dedicated main healer as I was subbing BLM (lawl?)

If one of the imp didn't aoe slept the group, I think we would've pulled it off ... somehow. 2 imps down, WAR/NIN ate it big time as I got silenced (Spent that precious 2 seconds to get off an echo drop)

AoE sleep drops, I resisted sleep (lawl?) and ran away to the side. I spammed echo drop, tried to pop a curaga and got silenced by the other roaming imp.

Then ... here's the funny part ... while I tried to get off echo drops and my R: hit 1,500 (I was having a bad day with my ISP) I somehow evaded 4 hits in a row by that imp. Needless to say, it got really angry and decided to cast something. By the time I got echo drop off and landed the curaga, I got iced by a nasty -ga spell (can't remember what) for over 500 dmg received.

/sigh

Story of my life ... I've been getting into more and more of these parties that refuse to see less than 200 exp on a kill (non-chained) and 4 level disparity from high to low (after that damn WAR leveled only 2 fights in)

/weep

[IfritnoItazura]

I'm going to make myself VERY clear on this point: it is NOT necessary for a red mage (or any job for that matter) to swap gear for ANYTHING at ANY TIME.

/slap

That's the dumbest RDM advice I've seen in a long time. :rolleyes:

Gear swapping should start at Lv.10, with Pilgrim's Wand/INT+MND wand and INT/MND rings. Earlier, if one has the lower level MND/INT rings.

* * *

RDMs who can't keep Refresh on PLD should just be kicked from the party; they are little more than exp leeches.

[Taskmage]

WishMaster, you suck. You suck for one reason only. You didn't ask me to static my RDM with your PLD.
/wrist
All jokes aside, I've had my share of bad and good DRKs I've partied with on this "other Main character" and as an ex-DRK I had to refrain from saying something to those bad players.
It's called "turning the other cheek."
One thing I learned about this game, after quitting twice, is that getting stressed over it isn't worth it. If you're getting ulcers, leave the game for a month and then ask yourself this question: "What am I suppose to derive out of this?"
If it's entertainment ... "turn the other cheek."
If it's trying to obtain "the end" of this game ... you should maybe try and distance yourself a bit. Remember, this is a game, albeit an online one, but it's your choice to play this. SE didn't hold you up at gun point. Same with other players. It's their $$ a month, and as such, it's hard to tell people what's "right or wrong" as it's all ... opinions.
My $0.02I accept that a lot of people, most probably, don't play the game with the same rationale that I do, and that probably most of us forum-goers share. Maybe they enjoy the game on a more casual level, and they can appreciate the social and exploration aspects of the game without analyzing their play and being the best at their job they can be. I can perfectly understand people not wanting to grind out the gils to buy the best equipment or puzzling through equations trying to find the optimum balance of pdif and fSTR and whatnot. And yeah, it is their twelve bucks a month or whatever, so as long as they're enjoying the game it's hard to really criticize their choice.

So, understanding their position, I try to be tolerant and not browbeat them into my way of thinking if it doesn't seem advice is welcome. But good lord is it ever painful to party with some of them. I mean quite honestly, we were all newbs once but it seems like most people in the game just suck, flat out. And the ones that have no interest in improving or just think their way is best despite all reasoning just require my full restraint not to bite their friggin heads off.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

I just can't get into the number-crunching sector of the game for the life of me. While I appreciate that it might be fun for some, like math classes were "fun" for some, I try to not get too wrapped up in that. The numbers can be just as much for the benefit of others (to improve performace) as it can be detrimental to others (by people who act too elite).

But I don't think basic knowledge of the elements, MND, INT, etc should be totally ignored, either. People may exaggerate the value of some equipment, but that's no reason to dismiss the value of proven information. If there's something that will make you more effective at your job and you want your job to be better, its something to want.

Endgame is the grey area, that's where you step from the casual side to the some of the larger extremes. If you didn't bother to improve in EXP, expect to get your lungs handed to you here.

I have to snicker when people say endgame stuff "vastly" improves your character. It helps a little, but I'd say your milage may vary by job in regards to that vastness. I'm no WHM, but I don't really see much that wows me for that job even if I were. Here's a tunic and some stuff that helps you cure a little better than you cured before. Yay?

After all the agony of doing Mysticmaker for hours and hours, the moldavite earing gives me like many 12 points more damage to my quick draws. Yay? So that means Novio would give me like 16 more? Maybe?

That goes for 40 million on Titan. I think I'll just HQ my staves, thanks, BLMs can go to war over that piece.

[WishMaster3K]

I don't understand fSTR. What I understand: Equip stuff, kill enemies. Or.

Mob hits too hard? Turtle up. Take off gear bit by bit.

Calculations aren't fun. Unless you're Armando. He has a sick pleasure for that. >_>

[Armando]

Calculations aren't fun. Unless you're Armando. He has a sick pleasure for that. >_>Just a bit. It takes me like an hour to get all the numbers I need for a post, which sucks.

That and I failed Calculus II this summer, I officially hate math. Ok. Just Integrals. But still.

[Taskmage]

Integrals suck. I actually kinda like doing the math for damage equations and such sometimes, since it's pretty much just a toy for me. If I was a DD and felt obligated to do them then I'm sure I'd hate to.

[Aeni]

Just a bit. It takes me like an hour to get all the numbers I need for a post, which sucks.

That and I failed Calculus II this summer, I officially hate math. Ok. Just Integrals. But still.

If you weren't interested in math, even in the slightest, you would not come up with those terrific threads in which you set straight the mechanics of the game.

It basically puts things to right, so the rest of us can just enjoy the game on a more casual level, but making sure we're not being total ignorants in doing so ... thanks Armando.

[tdh]

I don't understand fSTR. What I understand: Equip stuff, kill enemies. Or.
Mob hits too hard? Turtle up. Take off gear bit by bit.
Calculations aren't fun. Unless you're Armando. He has a sick pleasure for that. >_>I don't understand fSTR either, but I do know that STR+50 equals OMG~Spinning Slash & OMG~Spiral Hell, even with my crappy Elvaan INT. I do however understand that xSkill + yMND equals cap'd Stoneskin & Phalanx. I also understand that if my MND/INT spell macro (For strength of spell) doesn't get the trick done that my Enfeebling Magic Skill macro sure as hell will. (Which I almost never have to use.)

[Armando]

If you weren't interested in math, even in the slightest, you would not come up with those terrific threads in which you set straight the mechanics of the game.

It basically puts things to right, so the rest of us can just enjoy the game on a more casual level, but making sure we're not being total ignorants in doing so ... thanks Armando.It's not so much an interest in math as it is knowing all the itty bitty details about what does what ;o But you're very much welcome.

[Lunaryn]

Yeah, there's a rather critical difference between interest in arithmetic and interest in algebra (which is basically solving equations without having the numbers that go in them). :P

Getting a feel for the formula, even without ever plugging numbers into it, will give insight on the effects a particular change, and help you make intelligent decisions when weighing options. Discovering a formula gives you a sense of how the environment you're operating within works.

(Incidentally, I think US public education waits WAY too long to expose people to algebra, given how central it is to an understanding of math and the realm of the conceptual.)

Though I actually did pass Calc II and Linear Algebra at UofI so perhaps I'm not exactly representative of the user base here. :P

[hongman]

Just me and SMN on healing duty, no dedicated main healer as I was subbing BLM (lawl?)

tried to pop a curaga and got silenced by the other roaming imp.



Nit picking here, please forgive me.

:biggrin: