My Dream...

[foobar]

Around 45-50 a good BLM is bursting for 450-500, sometimes twice per fight. Use 50 mp and you'll have a dead mage. Not only you end up using most of your mp (If you have no refresh or ballad) and abilities, you also have to time them right.
I usually alternate between shield bash and sentinel since the party is usually going for chains.

Regarding race, IMO Galka, Elvaan and Hume are probably all good enough. It always ends up with them looking for the best combination of hp, mp, vit and agi.

[imac2much]

I apologize. I will never bring my experience into arguments again. Apparently speculation and assumptions carry more weight than experience. I suppose you only care about your current level and don't care about what it's like as the game goes on. I was under the assumption that people did care how PLD will turn out in advance, but I guess I was wrong.


No need to get so defensive Samojan. I was only commenting on when you said that you use cures as your main hate bringer. Whatever, no need to argue with you since apparently you don't care what other people say anyway.

Yeah foobar I do the same, I tend to alternate sentinal and shield bash as well. Some exceptions are for certain monsters with bad skills that take a long time (again, ancient magic) for which I like to save Shield Bash if I don't have tp. If I have tp I don't participate in renkei, and instead save the TP for flat blade. (I'd rather waste tp with that crappy WS for 3 damage then eat a Quake for 700)

Also, ancient magic MB is useful when the enemy is weak against it (i.e. Freeze MB against crab in kuftal). If you're not sure if you can hold the aggro, ask the BLM to get behind you before he casts, then cover right before he finishes casting. Those 10 seconds will be enough to get aggro back on you. Either that or tell them not to cast til about midway through the fight when you have enough aggro and/or the MB would kill the monster.

I find juice useful when there's no RDM (even when there's a BRD). Buy a stack or two of khazam pineapples and bring some water crystals... make juice on the fly so it doesn't waste your INV space. Khazam pineapples are relatively cheap (60-70 gil each) so this isn't too costly.

All races will make fine PLD. Even Taru IMO will be fine as long as they can be kept alive... at least they will keep hate easier. Of course, I still think the ideal race for PLD is Elvaan but that's just my opinion. (If I could reroll, I would be a Sandorian Elvaan instead of Bastokian Galka... but I'd have to replace my BGM first. Can't stand Sandorian music )

[Diamanti]

Even if I could keep hate by spamming Cure 1's I wouldn't. All that casting takes time out that you can actually do some damage. Though PLD damage isn't much, its still something and lets you participate in Reneki. Just my personal opinion of course, not that any other way is wrong as long as it works

My static party however has me a little spoiled. The RDMs are good enough with getting Refresh on me and the mages constantally so I never have to rest AND I never lack MP. Thats with using Flash, Cure 2, and Cure 3 as often as I feel like. Next time we get back together I'm going to see how well MBing Banish 2 works for me as well. I like to experiment with little things like that

But if you want the MP of a Hume, but the tanking power of a Galka, I have 2 words for you: Boiled Crab. The +4 to VIT and +21.9% DEF (I think those values are correct) are amazing. Its a bit pricey though, so I can't always afford it but our LS cook can make it now so it helps to have a hookup

[imac2much]

I am so in love with RDMs... they make the PT so much better IMO. My personal opinion... if I were a race other than Galka, I would restart as a RDM asap. They are so awesome

Anyway, I was wondering... what stats do steamed crayfish give? Also, do boiled crabs really last 1 hour? I cook boiled crabs myself (usually on the spot since we get land crab meat in kuftal and I bring other ingredients) but never bothered to check exactly how long it lasted. I can almost make fish mithkabobs now, and they are cheaper than boiled crabs and give more DEF (DEF+24.9% I think?) Also, now and then I make steamed crayfish (HQ version of boiled crayfish), so I'm wondering how much DEF that gives... might be cheaper to wait for lightsday and full moon, then synth a ton of boiled crayfish... keep the steamed, sell the boiled's

[Hem]

Well, thanks Higher level Galka Guy...

i learned nothing new...but i was reconfirmed on Pentathrust not being great...but thanks ^.^

and yes, i have my seperate Provoke/Shield bash/sentinal/cover/Cure series/etc macros.

[imac2much]

None of my posts were meant to offend you, Hem. I didn't mean to imply that I am an "awesome" PLD because I know how to use job ablities. On the contrary, I think all PLD's (except only a very small amount of rotten eggs) know how to do that.. it's just plain common sense. Once again, I was just responding to his claim that Cures are the main aggro dealers. In many XP PT's, I actually don't have to cure at all. When monsters hit for 50-80 (which I'm sure they do at your level, right?), I find it more efficient to use Flash for 25 MP, saving you about 150+ HP of damage. And sometimes the WHM heals so much (esp with Refresh on them and Regen II on you) that you don't have much HP lost to cure yourself for anyway.

Yes Penta *in my experience* isn't that good in XP PT's... some DRG will still say it's an awesome WS, but to be honest it seems to only hit for 100-250 usually, sometimes less.

But who knows, maybe the DRGs in my PTs were having a bad idea or something. I actually haven't been in an XP PT for last 3 days or so it seems.. >_<

*shakes fist at AF coffer hunts*

[Pilsbane]

I had a 28 PLD. I quit it to play a RDM. I like RDM better, but that's just my opinion. Refresh is absolutely amazing. The Paladins I group with never sit down. With Flash they don't use as much MP to hold hate. It works out well for everyone. I guess I'm just fond of the "Brick-wall" Galka. I didn't mean to say the other races are inferior Paladins by any means. I was just expressing what I prefer.

[Lilandra]

imac i feel your pain on the gloves my friend, i got that crap out of the way asap . I know plds who are same lvl are higher who are no where close to getting that pain in the ass coffer. But now im on the garliage coffer and i know its gonna be no fun =/.


and i LOVE rdm.... but not as much as a lvl 55 brd with ballad II

[imac2much]

Yo Crosus, I am actually taking a break in XP PT'ing because I am waiting for a friend. The highest I plan to get to in the next week or two is 56... so I might have some spare time to help.

I finally got my coffer for gloves last night, and I think we might try to fight Dark Spark soon. I got my Garliage coffer, but if you need help fighting fallen's, weapon's and wraiths for the key, send me a tell. If I'm not busy, I might be able to offer some assistance. (Lately I am either helping people with AF, cooking or hunting stupid monsters with LS mates x_x)

By the way... the place we camped for Garliage keys was between the beetle/bat room and small room with 4 hellmines (one at each corner). You get there by entering Garliage, turning left and dropping down a hole... then walk across and slightly to the left (beware of aggroing bats and beetles... and the occasional Serket :p )

We had an alliance of 18 (15 or so needed key), and it took us a good 10 hours to get one for everyone. We only fought Fallens (Fallen Mage and Fallen Major) and Wraiths (banshee-like ghosts), we let another key-hunting PT have the weapons and other stuff. (I think over weapons drop key as well). Fallens are a LOT easier than Wraiths and also dropped the key more often, but there are generally more Wraiths. (Watch out for ancient magic, be sure to have shieldbash/flatblade ready and DRKs + BLMs with stun!)

UGH AND DON'T TOUCH THE HELLMINES! We fought a few, thinkin it was nothing... til it exploded and I got hit for 1.1k damage (my max is 1.15k or something... I died). Later we didn't learn our lesson and fought another (we thought barfira would help)... plenty died again. Then about 5 hours later we got aggroed somehow by 2 fallen majors and 2 hellmines... needless to say out of that 18 person alliance only 3 survived.. it was intense.

Oh well.. only Beadaux and Zvahl left now >< By the way how hard was Darkie?

About RDM and BRD.. the thing is, I as a PLD would rarely get Ballad I + II (except maybe during downtime), since other melees will want Madrigal at the least, and maybe March. I prefer Refresh generally still. Also, I like the fact RDM can dish out damage too (En hits add up, and they can MB during renkei). Convert is supreme as well. I know I know... BRDs are great too and greatly "power up" the PT... it's hard to decide on which support is the "best", but thankfully the complement eachother nicely. Just hard to get both in a PT though.

But if I were to choose between one or the other for myself, I would go RDM. At least with Phalanx + Stoneskin + Haste + En, they can solo rather well (for gilfarming purposes and the like). Plus they have invis/sneak to do quests and AF hunts. Seems most useful generally in the big scheme of things (not just xp PT). Just my 2 cents.

[Lilandra]

ballad II by itself is 5mp a tick *drools* but yeah refresh is dope as hell i love rdms.... And dude darkie is weaksauce you get a good pt and you will kick his teeth in, but BEWARE he can explode for massive damage. (didnt happen to me but i have heard about it ) and the WORST thing about that damn place is actually GETTING to him. Unless you got sneak and invis its gonna be a long fight without an alliance. Besides that your fine make sure you have bar fira and if you can snag a few brds (Depending on how many pts) fire carol will help a bunch. If ya need me to help im down

[imac2much]

...F...f...fiiiiive points per tick????? I had no idea!! :mad: Last BRD I teamed with was wrongfei (good BRD, but not level 55 = no ballad II)... holy cow I might have a new favorite class to play with...

Even then though, I'm actually considering make a whole new toon (HumeM I think) and making a RDM after I hit 60 or so. Not entirely sure (ugh will have to do subjob quest and all that again, not to mention building fame and gettin airship pass), but I don't think Galkas make very good RDM... too much HP wasted when using Convert

[Somajan]

Sorry that I came all that defensively. But I've been able to hold hate pretty well without provokes but I know that its a totally different ballgame when you reach the 40+ levels, which is something that I haven't had a taste of as of yet.

I wanna be able to see how I can handle it on my own, then I'll come crawling back for some deeply needed advice.

[Lilandra]

yeah hume is a damn good rdm, and yeah 5 a tick, its friggen crazy... Also i think ill take pld to 70 or 75 gonna be way painful but it will be fun, then i will probably switch do war or drk (i forgot how it is to do damage ). none the less it should be good times.

[Exsol]

one thing that pisses me off the most is when a PLD doesnt have the best stuff for there lvl and doesnt even try, I was standing next to a PLD the same lvl as me, and i had at LEAST 200ks worth more in equip than him AND AF.
If your a PLD with bad armor, it affects your PT too, so take a break from lvling and make some money!

[Lilandra]

I agree with ya my friend, Sadly my jewerly for most plds is very expensive. Phalanx ring are around 60k+ a piece. But if you wanna go the extra mile the +3 vit rings are like 100k + a piece

/sigh I need to get those dumb rings -_-