PLD + MNK skillchains

[KamaAina]

Hi my set party consists of PLD, 2 BLM, RDM, MNK, and (BRD or WHM we are still deciding on a 6th but thats not what I am asking)

So what are some good skillchains we can make? Ever since about lvl 20 we have been doing fusion (Red Lotus-> Combo and now Raging fists).

My question is what better skillchains will be availiable down the road (we are lvl 50 almost 51 now). Will lvl 3 skillchains ever be possible? If not then will that hurt us later?

I use Aden's Renkei chart (I think that is what it is called) and it looks like we can do both a Light renkei and a Dark but on other charts it doesn't.

I was thinking Vorpal Blade -> Dragon kick (it says that is light)
or Howling Fist-> Swift Blade (says that is a Dark skillchain)

I am still completely lost on Lvl 3 skillchains but it looks on others that we cant do it cause Sword is Gravitation and Fragmentation and so is H2H. Can anyone help me out here?

[imode]

Level 1 + Level 1 = Level 2

Level 2 + Level 2 = Level 3

However, two level 1's become level 2 only when performed in a certain specific sequence. Notice Raging Fist > Red Lotus = Liquefaction (Level 1) while Red Lotus > Raging Fist = Fusion (Level 2).

In this case, Liquefaction (red lotus) + Impaction (raging fists) = Fusion. Now, the only way to go to level 3 here is to combine another level 2 skill. Weapon skills received pre-65 are all level 1, making it impossible to create level 3 chains (1 > 1 = 2 > 1 != 3). Post 65 weapon skills automatically have a Level 2 element so if you do 1 > 1 = 2 > 2 then you will fantastically have a level 3. Now for instance, you're doing a light chain. Light = Fusion (2) + Fragmentation (2). The most common way to perform this is Red Lotus (liq) > Raging Fists (imp) [FUSION] > Dragon Kick (frag) [LIGHT]. Performing three step level 3 combos get the most bang for your buck damage wise, and are there are no 2-step light skillchains for one-hand sword > hand to hand.

[Oni]

eh, im not really good figuring out weapon skill but.. can anyone list some of lvl 3 light and dark renkei with set pt consist of

PLD, MNK, DRK, RDM, WHM, BRD

Either pld or drk can use great sword also.

[Lone Dragon]

Figure it out yourself. ;[

[ZQM]

Re: PLD + MNK skillchains

Originally posted by KamaAina
My question is what better skillchains will be availiable down the road

Go with what element the monster is weak against instead of having a 'set' skillchain. There's no point in doing a skillchain if the renkei and MB do shit for damage.

[KamaAina]

Well not always. Sometimes a backhand blow -> fast blade (scission) would do more damage on a particular mob. But that is like (if at 100 tp) 100-150 damage for backhand blow + maybe 70-100 damage for fast blade plus 400 with 2 stone II MBs and since the SC damage depends on how much damage the skillchain itself does only about a 70 for that.


As opposed to fusion on say the same mob which Raging fists does 400+ Red Lotus does 100-170 SC of at least 100 and 2 Fire II MBs of 250 each so 500.

I mean one inch punch can setup a lot of renkies but why? So that the renkei can do maybe 20-50 more damage and the MBs can do slightly more too but one inch punch does like 40 damage?

[Mithrael]

The first skill in the chain means almost nothing. It's nice if it does damage, but the money is in the renkei closer. One inch punch is a great example of that.

The importantance of the right element for a skillchain isn't so much a higher maximum damage, it's more that the average damage is more due to less resists of the Magic Bursts. For example, distortion renkei against Robber Crabs ends up with Blizzard II or Waterga II getting resisted a lot. Even though the maximum damage could be more, over the course of a multiple hour party, the average is probably lower due to the number of times it is resisted. I've seen Freeze resisted down to 65dmg against an I.T. Robber Crab, that's not fun at all. However, doing Fragmentation almost always results in a slightly lower damage chain, but higher damage in the long run because crabs rarely resist Thunder II.

[Barook]

Like they said it depends on what your fighting.

The best combination pre 60 is what your are doing, Red Lotus Blade -> Raging Fists. But if you are fighting monsters that are resistant to light and fire then you may want to work with something else.

After 60 you get a great chain. Howling Fist -> Vorpal Blade does Distortion and a lot of monsters are weak to ice.

Its really best to have 3 weapons to help diversify your WS chains. The paladins level 65 WS starts to really help with damage, Vorpal Blade is nice, but Swift Blade owns it.

Read that chart that was linked and you can figure it out.

[KamaAina]

how badly is it going to affect us not being able to setup a lvl 3 renkei?

Is it a big enough difference to warrant me changing jobs to like DRK, SAM, or RNG because they can setup a lvl 3 renkei?

[bside]

first of all, there's no lvl 3 renkei that PLD+MNK duo can perform, no matter what weapons they use. in order to "force" lvl 3 renkei, one of the magicians (probably RDM in that setup) has to take part in it, such as Burning Blade->Flat Blade->Dragon Kick=Light. u could do Hexa Strike(WHM)<->Dragon Kick=Light also, but i don't think that'll be an option.

and because of the setup, ur renkei option is very limited. as PLD is the sole tank in that party, he/she almost has to use a 1h Sword. likewise, u won't expect MNK to use Club or Staff, thus H2H all the way.

that leaves these renkei's to consider;

Red Lotus Blade->Raging Fists (Fusion)
Red Lotus Blade->One Inch Punch (Gravitation)
Howling Fists->Vorpal Blade (Distortion, at lvl 60+)
Swift Blade->Dragon Kick (Fragmentation, at lvl 65+)

these 4 cover all elements, so as far as Magic Bursts r concerned, u should be set. but the renkei dmg is something u can't miss later in the game, especially the lvl 3 renkei's.


when i play MNK, i usually go to Gustav to kill skeletons there, and the normal renkei there is this; Red Lotus Blade->Raging Fists->Dragon Kick=Light. and the damage? RLB=200->Raging=700, Fusion=300->Dragon=1000, Light=1500. Total=3700, of which 1800 is renkei damage. of course, it won't always go like this; renkei dmg may get resisted a bit, WS dmg might be lower, but u can take this as a rough picture of what the renkei is like at my MNK's lvl, 69.

it's up to u if u take this number to be a good enough reason to change ur job to something else. but my advice to u is, change one of the BLM's to another melee class, or RNG, if u r concerned about the exp effectiveness.

[imode]

Drop the second blackmage for another monk.

[Ungerpurr]

Mmm, pld mnk mnk rdm blm brd would be really tasty. The monks can fusion or impaction with themselves until level 60 (although there would be arguments about who has to be the "bitch," the person who starts the skillchain with shoulder tackle or spinning attack and thus doesn't get the glory of closing with Raging Fists). Perhaps a little light on healing, but very heavy on damage, and plenty of magic bursts. Just make sure no one dies!