BLM as a first

[Ellipses]

Re: BLM as a first

At the risk of being called ignorant(read:a n00b)...
I think I'd rather play more of supportist than a heal/main-heal...
Especially if my main is BLM...
Like Yellow said...I didn't get into BLM because I thought I'd be healing...
Because, I would have picked WHM...
But, I have no problem giving support as a /RDM...
Of course, I might change my mind...

There's nothing stopping you from refusing to main heal. You can state that you won't in your search comments, you can look at the party list once you're in and make sure they're not expecting you to, etc. Some parties won't mind and won't expect you to do so. Some will, and you'll just have to leave those parties. It's not "You have to main heal, period." It's "Expect to be expected to main heal if you don't want to turn down parties."

Would SMN/BLM really be that gimp?...
Having it be sort of tough to play is fine with me...
I just don't want to be cast out of or not-even-invited to PTs because my Elemental Magic isn't nearly as high as it could be with BLM as a main.
(Also:Do I have the right understanding of this concept?)

Yes. It really is that gimp. What Armando said. It's not that, oh, your black magic is kind of weak, but it's better than no black magic at all. It's that your black magic sucks gigantic donkey nuts and does the party almost no practical good.

On another note...
I've been using Bio a little bit on EP...
And, it's been doing very little damage..especially with the MP cost...
Yet I was with another BLM in a PT the other day...Who continually casted Bio...
This just strikes me as odd...

Bio is DoT, like Poison and Dia. That initial damage that you see isn't the only damage it does. It also lowers the mob's attack. And it's one of two spells (Drain being the other) that you can use as a low-level BLM to raise your Dark magic skill, so a lot of BLMs will cast it regardless of whether they should be (In most parties, they shouldn't be, because Dia is better).

[Armando]

Re: BLM as a first

To be less blunt, yes, Tink, SMN/BLM would be gimp. Terribly gimped. That gimped. Whether it be intentionally or by some horrible design flaw (most likely the latter, but this isn't the thread for that), SMN doesn't benefit directly from almost any sub that isn't /WHM. If you sub /BLM, you won't be able to do anything with your sub, because no one wants Bio on a mob that could've been Dia'd* and I guarantee you that you'll be doing far less damage than the MP you spent casting BLM spells. BLMs themselves already get resisted a lot, there's no way you're going to get anything less than a 90% resist with halved skill.

Not trying to be an ass here, but seriously, drop the idea; there's absolutely no merit to the combination.
______________________________
*Bio lowers the enemy's Attack, which only benefits the tank to a limited extenct. Bio overwrites Dia of the same level. Dia lowers the mob's Defense, which benefits everyone that hits the monster physically, speeding up kills by a whole lot more than casting Bio will reduce downtime.

[Feba]

Re: BLM as a first

It seems much smarter to wait for a WHM than recruit a BLM/WHM and expect them to full heal.

Does it really seem smarter to wait for an indefinite amount of time (especially considering that parties tend to disband if they're stuck in a rut trying to get members for more than an hour and a half or so) for a better healer than getting one that works NOW and actually earn EXP? In theory, or if FFXI had more people up for invites, sure, but in practice no.

[Feenicks]

Re: BLM as a first

and dia is tied to your light magic skill.

Just to correct this, Dia is classed as Enfeebling Magic.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: BLM as a first

Would SMN/BLM really be that gimp?...
Having it be sort of tough to play is fine with me...
I just don't want to be cast out of or not-even-invited to PTs because my Elemental Magic isn't nearly as high as it could be with BLM as a main.
(Also:Do I have the right understanding of this concept?)

On another note...
I've been using Bio a little bit on EP...
And, it's been doing very little damage..especially with the MP cost...
Yet I was with another BLM in a PT the other day...Who continually casted Bio...
This just strikes me as odd...

Smn/blm if you solo. If you want to party then you are going to need to have /whm sub. You can be stubborn and seek for party with /blm sub but you'll get very few party invites so you'll eventually get frustrated. People in this game have it set in their minds what sub jobs are the ones you use and if you try to "buck the system" you'll find it hard.

As for Bio, it is damage over time and not the initial damage. While bio is on a mob it is losing hp just like poison or dia does. Bio also lowers the attack power of the mob where Dia lowers the mobs defense. Both do a poison like damage plus both of these traits. Bio is tied to your dark magic skill and dia is tied to your light magic skill.

[Aksannyi]

Re: BLM as a first

Would SMN/BLM really be that gimp?...

While it might be fun for soloing purposes I guess, the playerbase in general will consider you to be gimp if you sub BLM, regardless of your reasoning. A lot of players in this game are not at all forgiving of people and their subjob/gear choices, and it's a sad fact but you might as well just get used to it sooner rather than later.

[Tinks]

Re: BLM as a first

Right.

This forum's members often drift from a thread's purpose...
And, it's both colorful and entertaining.
x3

Anyway.
o:

At the risk of being called ignorant(read:a n00b)...
I think I'd rather play more of supportist than a heal/main-heal...
Especially if my main is BLM...
Like Yellow said...I didn't get into BLM because I thought I'd be healing...
Because, I would have picked WHM...
But, I have no problem giving support as a /RDM...
Of course, I might change my mind...

Would SMN/BLM really be that gimp?...
Having it be sort of tough to play is fine with me...
I just don't want to be cast out of or not-even-invited to PTs because my Elemental Magic isn't nearly as high as it could be with BLM as a main.
(Also:Do I have the right understanding of this concept?)

On another note...
I've been using Bio a little bit on EP...
And, it's been doing very little damage..especially with the MP cost...
Yet I was with another BLM in a PT the other day...Who continually casted Bio...
This just strikes me as odd...

[TheGrandMom]

Re: BLM as a first

I'll be careful, since Feba seems to have a tendency to over analyze everything someone says

Fast this one learns, Obi Wan.

[The Mauva Syndicate]

Re: BLM as a first

Off-topic, but I'd be careful not to poke Feba if I were you.

lewls

[fallenintoshadows]

Re: BLM as a first

I've been on BLM and been main heal while their were no WHM seeking and I always help the WHM by throwing in some cures if I notice they are struggling.

I've tanked on RDM before in merit PT.

I've pulled on WHM to save arguments and bad pulls.

Sure jobs have their set thing but that doesn't mean every now and then you won't get that odd pt where you're called up to take the place of another job role. It happens once in a blue moon so I couldn't care less.

If I'm on that job to get EXP I'll do whatever the pt needs to keep that EXP rolling in.

[Audioma]

Re: BLM as a first

Off-topic, but I'd be careful not to poke Feba if I were you.

Infallability definitely is a great perk to have on a forum o.o

I keed. No flames, please.



I have...bad gas.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: BLM as a first

I'll be careful, since Feba seems to have a tendency to over analyze everything someone says

Off-topic, but I'd be careful not to poke Feba if I were you.

[Tinks]

Re: BLM as a first

I'll be careful, since Feba seems to have a tendency to over analyze everything someone says

But, I think I did see someone in this thread say that when playing a BLM and /WHM, don't be surprised if I need to full heal.

Full heal, no. That seems silly. Help out a little, I can understand...
Especially if the team is in Peril.

But, I'm with Yellow...
It seems much smarter to wait for a WHM than recruit a BLM/WHM and expect them to full heal.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: BLM as a first

There's a difference between being adaptable (BLM tossing out a few cures after a near wipe, to help the WHM out) and being desperate (asking a BLM to main heal at all, just because they're the only ones with MP and a /WHM subjob around).

I only complain against the latter, and greatly laud the former.

EDIT @ TGM:



Well, thar's yer problem.

Well I don't know why you had to "bite" me then. I did say:

Please do NOT be a blm that thinks nuking is all they do. It's not. You need to help in any form thats needed and sometimes that takes the form of cures, regen, protect/protectra, shell/shellra, paralyna/poisona/etc.

I never said that blms had to main heal pt's if they choose not to. But if you have the ability to help and its needed but you sit there on your arse because "I'm a dd", then you're worthless. Go die now.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: BLM as a first

Or I could just level White Mage.