[Balfree]

Time to hit the books. Scholar revealed!


Let's discuss Scholar first. An interesting combination of both White Mage and Black Mage abilities, and quite different than the Red Mage (to newcomers, a Red Mage is often viewed as a hybrid of WHM and BLM, with its own unique abilities and spells), the Scholar is able to switch -- on the fly -- between the two disciplines, enhancing the abilities of the main discipline at the expense of the effectiveness of the other. This won't likely be an issue, since you can switch between Light Arts and Dark Arts at will (the names of the two disciplines) depending on what spells you need to cast, but this is better explained by breaking down each ability.



Tabula Rasa -- This is the Scholar's two-hour move, and is coincidentally named the same as Richard Garriot's latest MMO for NCSoft. Tabula Rasa optimizes both white and black magic capabilities, while allowing charge-free stratagem use.
Light Arts -- Switching to this Scholarly discipline enhances divine magic and healing magic spells.
Dark Arts -- Switching to this Scholarly discipline enhances enfeebling, elemental, and dark magic spells.
Stratagems -- These are methods of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of magic. Like the two Arts, there are two types of Stratagems, as expected, Light and Dark. Within the Dark Stratagems menu lies four job abilities. We'll list what each one does. The Light Stratagems were not unlocked on our character, so we cannot reveal what they are at this time.

• Dark Stratagem -- Parsimony: Reduces the MP cost of the next BLM spell to 50%. So basically it's a user-activated Conserve MP move.
• Dark Stratagem -- Alacrity: Reduces the casting time of the next BLM spell to 50%. This is less like a Fast Cast and more like a Ranger's Rapid Shot, proportionate of course to the original casting time of the BLM spell used. But where this might come in especially handy is in emergency situations where Escape is needed, or in casting a nuke with a long cast time. Since it's unclear whether Scholars can wield any ancient magic (Freeze, Quake, etc.) this may not be a super-huge factor, but can be worthwhile nonetheless.
• Dark Stratagem -- Ebullience: Enhances the potency of the next BLM spell cast. This is essentially Elemental Seal renamed for Scholars, although it's unclear whether a SCH/BLM could stack Ebullience and Elemental Seal for a major nuke of enfeeble (it's unlikely). Applicable to enfeebling, elemental, and dark magic, this will be a very useful ability to have around.
• Dark Stratagem -- Manifestation: This ability is particularly interesting as the official description states "Extends the effect of the next BLM spell at an MP cost three times the normal cost, and a cast time of twice the normal length." By extend it means it turns the next BLM spell into an area-of-effect "ga" spell. This provides further suggestion that ancient magic spells are not among those available to Scholars, as a Freeze-ga II spell would put BLMs (and most HNMs) out of business.

The development team told us that Scholar was also designed to be a very effective support job, and since the job will also receive its own unique spells, we'd expect a significant spell or job trait to kick in around level 35-37 if it's to be used as a support ability. Other tidbits about the Scholar is that the one we played was using a staff, but does not have any special proficiency with the weapon, meaning there are no weaponskills unique to Scholars (nor are there any quested weapon skills exclusive to Scholars).

credits: 1up.com

[tdh]

Now this interest me. Though I must say, after reading the blurb on Dancer, I may level it to Lv.40 or 50 as I'm doing for all jobs. But this seems like it's going to be a lot of fun. I also want to be able to do an AoE Drain II on Great Colibri and kill my whole party! Bwahahahahahaha

[Malacite]

Oh man, the possibilities. Hopefully these grimoire effects won't be too toned down when subbed. Burstga 2...

I'm very curious about the enfeebling potency one. Say a RDM activates it, and then proceeds to cast Slow 2, which based on the ability description should recieve a nice fat boost. Slow 2 however is white magic and not black, so would it actually get penalized since Black Grimoire is in effect?

[Karinya]

Small note: Elemental Seal doesn't enhance spell potency, it enhances spell *accuracy* (i.e. resist rate). Potency sounds more like Magic Atk Bonus (for nukes) and maybe amount of effect for enfeebles (% slow for Slow, proc rate for Paralyze, amount of stat down for Shock/Choke/Burn etc... maybe even movement rate for Gravity.) All-or-nothing enfeebles like Dispel, Silence and Sleep probably wouldn't benefit, but still... I really, really want to try out RDM/SCH if these abilities can be obtained at SJ levels.

Oh, and do they stack with each other? Alacrity and Parsimony would both help offset the disadvantage of Manifestation... allowing combos like that could be what the multiple-charge mechanic is intended for. SA+TA+WS is allowed, after all. So is Berserk+Souleater+Last Resort, if you're sufficiently crazy.

[Balfree]

Originally Posted by Malacite

Oh man, the possibilities. Hopefully these grimoire effects won't be too toned down when subbed. Burstga 2...

I'm very curious about the enfeebling potency one. Say a RDM activates it, and then proceeds to cast Slow 2, which based on the ability description should recieve a nice fat boost. Slow 2 however is white magic and not black, so would it actually get penalized since Black Grimoire is in effect?

The -ga thing only applies to dark magic, apparently other schools are unnafected.

[IfritnoItazura]

Originally Posted by Karinya

Small note: Elemental Seal doesn't enhance spell potency, it enhances spell *accuracy* (i.e. resist rate). [ ...] All-or-nothing enfeebles like Dispel, Silence and Sleep probably wouldn't benefit, but still... I really, really want to try out RDM/SCH if these abilities can be obtained at SJ levels.

I thought Sleep can be partially resisted, and result in less than full length duration? If that's the case, spell accuracy should help. But, yes, I'm very interested in the RDM/SCH combination as well.

[Malacite]

Well damn. O. O I wonder what a DRK/SCH could do with absorbs then XD

or even stun. Not that it would be practical or anything but just for shits and giggles.

[Balfree]

Stun isnt dark i dont think

[Karinya]

Oh, spell accuracy *does* help for sleep. I meant spell *potency* might not help it, because how can you be more asleep?

Although they might make it increase the base duration, which would be nice.

The -ga thing only applies to dark magic, apparently other schools are unnafected.

I thought there was video of graviga? Gravity is enfeebling. (Or maybe you meant it only affects *black* magic... big difference between black magic, dark magic and darkness-elemental magic.)
According to ffxiclopedia, the white stratagems are substantially the same, but with different names (and boost white magic instead of black, naturally). So I guess we just have to see if a RDM/SCH can get the ability necessary for silencega or if it will be SCH main only...

P.S. BLMs thinking about Burstga II might be a little put off by the *triple MP cost* (on top of the double casting time). Unless you're going to 2hour it, that's 861 MP. 431 with Parsimony if that's possible and if you have two Stratagem charges to burn per cast. It might have value for some pulls in Dynamis, but I doubt it will be a frequent occurrence.

All this is even assuming that /SCH gets the AOE stratagems, which they may well not. If different stratagems are gained at different levels some are probably level 40+... if the order they're listed in is the order they're acquired, then /SCH may only get the MP cost and casting time stratagems, which would be decently useful but leave the main power of the job for those who have it as their main job. And it would mean no Curaga Vs, Flarega IIs, Refreshgas or Raisega IIIs. (Raisega I and Reraisega I might be possible though for a SCH/WHM or if SCH gets those spells natively... could be useful in some situations.)

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

I really just want to know where these SCH weather spells end up. I still have my sea Gorgets to finish and want to start getting my Obis. I can't help but see this as a great sub - possibly better than RDM, BLU and BLU - for boosting Quick Draws on COR, not to mention the potential for BLM and RDM in that regard as well.

[Malacite]

Originally Posted by Balfree

Stun isnt dark i dont think

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Stun

Stun

From FFXIclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Temporarily prevents an enemy from acting. [edit] Description

Spell cost: 25 MP
Spell element: Lightning
Magic skill: Dark Magic
Jobs:

• Dark Knight Level 37
• Black Mage Level 45

[edit] Timers

Casting Time: 0.5 seconds
Recast Time: 45 seconds

[Lmnop]

Originally Posted by Balfree

Stun isnt dark i dont think

'tis.
-
EDIT: BOOO beaten to the punch.
-

Was it Malacite that suggested Dread Spikes-ra in another thread? Tell me your PLD friend wouldn't love that. That's assuming it took the spell type and changed "single" to "all." And didn't specify "changes to all enemies."

[Malacite]

Manifestation + Sleepga II = win

Or hell, Stun (double length) or Stunga? The endless possibilities ^^

I have to admit I'm disappointed to hear that they're on timers. I was really hoping that simply switching between grimoires gave a passive boost in addition to have these abilities. Oh well...


EDIT: AoE Cure V.... wow... can't think of too many scenario's where that'd be necessary but hot damn!

[Balfree]

Ok. I seem to be horribly mistaken. The AOE thing is not just for dark spells.

...

[Yellow Mage]

Originally Posted by Balfree

Tabula Rasa -- This is the Scholar's two-hour move, and is coincidentally named the same as Richard Garriot's latest MMO for NCSoft. Tabula Rasa optimizes both white and black magic capabilities, while allowing charge-free stratagem use.

"Tabula Rasa" means "Clean/Empty Slate." I find the term quite fitting for Scholar.

But, yeah, just chiming in to say that it has nothing to do the homonymous MMO.