Scholar as Magic DD?

[IfritnoItazura]

Has anyone tried to use Scholar more or less like a Black Mage? If so, how is it working out?

I'm having trouble figuring out the difference between the two, beyond that Scholar as magical damage dealer looks very weak against Black Mage, with its slower DD spell gain, lack of of -ga nukes except with the use of Grimoire, and its (supposedly) D rating in Elemental Magic. While the Black Arts Grimoires do seem useful, but they can only be used once a minute.

Unless it has some sort of as-of-yet unreported but impressive magic accuracy trait or some incredible magic accuracy or elemental magic skill gear, why would a party which rejects BLM as DD want a Scholar as DD instead?

* * *

On the other hand, it may be usable for small group manaburn, if the weather effects spells can be combined with gears which guarantees weather bonuses. But, that's so very far from Valkrum Dunes levels...

[Tsrwedge]

Well, using Black Arts gives a bonus to Black Magic spells (elemental, dark, enfeeb I think) equivalent to a B, and it's a longer effect. I think the Scholar comes into play where you need a White Mage, but only for part of the fight, then for the other bit you want some DD.

That said, I haven't unlocked it yet, so take that all with a bushel of salt.

[Malacite]

Well, a guy in my LS who's already hit 20 says he's surprised he hasn't seen any SCH burns.

Simply by activating Light or Dark Arts, you get 1 MP taken off the cost, spells cast faster and I believe are more potent (have yet to test that last part myself) on top of the increased skill levels (+3 to the corresponding skills @ lv10. I imagine it gets more potent as you lv SCH)

[Coinspinner]

It's a bit better than nuking as a RDM. You need to get the M. Atk Bonus from your sub though. I can't confirm Dark Arts giving a damage boost beyond increasing your skills, either.

[Malacite]

So far my nukes all suck with Dark Arts, but that may just be because I'm elvaan and only lv 12 (no MAB yet)

Banish on the other hand is hitting for 40+ with full MND set up and Goblin Mush pots. Makes for brutal paralyzes too

[Icemage]

I've been doing a semi-static at level 12-16 with 3 Scholars in the Maze of Shakrami. It's VERY similar to manaburning with BLMs.

Dark Arts (which you can keep active 24/7 if you like, since it stays on forever until you cancel it, activate Light Arts, die, or zone) raises your Elemental, Enfeebling, and Dark magic skills to B rank, which makes Scholar a very capable nuker. Better than RDM, not quite as good as BLM.

B rank skill is more than adequate to handle this sort of light nuking as long as you employ some strategy and patience.

In a full party setting, getting elemental staves at 51 will give you a crutch to get over the last few levels before you start getting the Helix spells (which, if initial reports are to be believed, quite potent indeed).


Icemage

[Gobo]

before you start getting the Helix spells (which, if initial reports are to be believed, quite potent indeed).
Icemage

The initial reports that Icemage means is taht Helix spells do DOT damage based off the damage initial hit, 1:1 ratio. So a 20 damage initial hit, would cause a 20 damage DOT effect. Magic Attack bonus does effect it, and the JA that doubles the DOT damage, but decreases the time remaining, has to be used ON a mob with a helix effect, to which the DOT damage will be doubled.

[Tsrwedge]

What kind of duration are we looking at on the helix spells?

[Malacite]

From what I've heard, the Helix spells do DoT based on how much the initial hit was for.

For example, if it somehow hits for 100 dmg, then it's 100/tic. The person who informed me of this in game claimed a friend of his actually did this, however I find that just a tad dubious (he also pointed out that there's no way you'd see that kind of dmg on an HNM as well but man... if that's true... Lebross Cavern just got pwned)

[Gobo]

What kind of duration are we looking at on the helix spells?

~50sec-~1:10 depending on weather effect (50 is ~base duration, 1:10 is with proper weather effect in environment or cast on the SCH).

Damage is tiered much like BLM spells, so Geohelix has the weakest base damage and Luminoelix would have the highest. A Level 63 SCH was able to land Geohelix on Wootzshells in Mt Zhaylom for ~50 damage.

[NicasinXS]

I have been lvling Summoner along with scholar along the same lvls, to get the most out of the gear I am cycling. I can say that Scholar is as much a magical DD that summoner is. Im lvl 24 right now and my magic spells are sticking very well. My thunder does 95 dd to mandies very consistantly. Scholar makes an excellent backup healer. I think this becuase alot of times backup healers find themselves a little bored when tanks dont take damage and the main healer is sufficient. Why not turn on the Dark arts and start nuking? This is what my experience has been so far, Ive been mostly playing the DD magic role with both scholar and summoner. I dont mind healing at all, I just havent had to much. Another thing is so many parties in the low lvls now are loaded with dancers that can heal. When I was lvling 15-18 you would think I was being powerleveled. I was the only mage healer and I almost never had to cast it due to the 4 dancers healing each other so much, it was a free nuke fest. That party of 4 dancers 1 blm and 1sch rocked more then almost any dunes party ever, with no PL at all.

Scholar is a very good mage job.

[Malacite]

What about Modus Veritas though and Ebullience >_ >

[Gobo]

What about Modus Veritas though and Ebullience >_ >

Modus Veritas does exactly what we are told, 1/2s the remaining duration to double the DoT damage. So a 50/tick Helix would jump to 100 damage a tick. However it is used ON the monster, so if there is no helix on the mob, the JA will be wasted.

Ebullience just increased the damage of the initial hit, so cause and effect, the DoT goes up.

My sources are dry now (I think). So yeah, if you want more to the internets!