RDM capable of good dmg?

[Altruist]

RDM Melee isn't horribly bad, but it isn't very good either. It is what I would call "marginally beneficial" post level 40. I melee'ed like most rdm's all the way til level 30 or so. Then I melee'ed on crabs in my 50's, then I melee'ed in bone PT's to get an extra WS for C5 (BLM BLM PLD WHM RDM SAM). Through all this time I've done about 2/3 rds to 1/2 the damage of a pld.

Farming-wise I do about 90-110 dmg against gobbues in Zit'ah with a gold sword. This is w/o en-spells and a level 15 thief sub w. My sam friend hits for 180-200. So farming-wise we don't do too well either, but we also don't do too horribly. Against EP I do fine as well, but hit for around 60, DC I hit for around 50, and my 1 hour and 10 minute solo verse a VT light elemental I hit for 9-15 (blm sub).

So in all aspects where melee ability counts we really don't do too well. Our biggest problem is having really low base attack, so to melee we need +str items which then takes away from +acc items. And stacking +attack items doesn't help when we reach the damage cap really quickly. Oh yeah, all our Quest WS's really aren't all that great either, working on eviseration right now, 300 points with only level 2 sc is painful.

[Vinen]

Talk about it lol, ive had my dagger of trials for 2 weeks and it still aint broke =x, then again I dont really try and break it that often, someday it will and thats when I will get evisceration.

[Uroboros]

DrMrLordX: No one bothers with bad parties post-60, it's just not worth it. If you're not getting at least 3k an hour, you leave, hehe. People also typically take the time to have decent gear and to set up a good party that is tailored towards what they're hunting. Not a lot of halfass players break 50-60. Some do, most don't. Also, good luck Poison IIing or meleeing bones. I'm not trying to be adversarial, just saying a good party will be a good party regardless of whether the RDM decides to melee. On the other hand, RDM melee is not saving a bad party.

[Lunakat]

A lot of people say that Rdm doesn't do much damage. This is true working solo but I'll have to disagree when you are talkin about a PT situation. My Rdm is only lvl 12 but I have seen how much a Rdm 30+ helps a PT.

With debuffs, melee's hit harder and more often. We can live vicariously through the melee's, that extra damage is coming from us . And once you have refresh, how many more nukes can a PT throw out, those are ours too .

So with that, I am led to believe that a Brd may be the most damaging job in the game with caster and melee buffs. In the right PT setup.

[Jonnyram]

As an aside, when I'm hunting, I've taken to use dagger over sword now. Cyclone at 300% hits every mob in the area HARD! If I've got 3 mobs attacking me, I'll do over 1000 total damage. Really good considering Circle Blade hits for about 150 total

And en spells go off more with dagger too, of course

[Deodorant]

Currently highest ever single-attack damage:

[Mila]

RDMs can do GOOD damage... just not in exp parties. THERE'S OTHER THINGS TO DO BESIDES EXP PPL! I can't wait to hit 75 where all people do is hunt nms and other stuff... squaresoft: don't ever raise the level cap. If we can get new abilties/power/strengths without doing exp grinds then all the better I say.

[Socromon]

my opinion on this, is basically that if you want to melee and the mob won't hurt you with AE or slow the other mages down with something like paralyzga then it's entirely up to the rdm. I used to melee up til I got dark staff, then I used that to it's full potential. Probably a good idea to do that with/without it though it will keep you mp higher so you can nuke more and the pt will get chain #5 easier and have less dt after the battle :D

But it really is up to the rdm... with a dagger, enspell vs the correct element, and haste rdm can do ~same as pld to a point.

[macross_sdf1]

hehe savage blade does crazy damage vs one of the genkai2 nms, think it was the tiger. I was hitting them for 1000 easy with it. But thief was doing like 3000 hehe.

[Jinxie]

RDMs aren't the damage dealers of a party. This is a fact. However, every hit on a mob that does damage is a good hit. The way I play my RDM is I cast my buffs when the puller says he has something, when the mob is within range I start with the preliminary enfeebling spells, then I just engage the mob and continue to cast. RDMs don't have to focus on melee, it's just something to do between casts. As far as thinking this may hinder the party, no it doesn't. I can get all of my spells off on time every time whether meleeing or not.

[Discordian]

Originally posted by Jinxie
RDMs aren't the damage dealers of a party. This is a fact. However, every hit on a mob that does damage is a good hit. The way I play my RDM is I cast my buffs when the puller says he has something, when the mob is within range I start with the preliminary enfeebling spells, then I just engage the mob and continue to cast. RDMs don't have to focus on melee, it's just something to do between casts. As far as thinking this may hinder the party, no it doesn't. I can get all of my spells off on time every time whether meleeing or not.

This will burn out fast. Later on you need to rest early for MP and you are so caught up in spells that you don't have time to melee unless its with a very fast dagger. rdm moves to backline, its inevitable for our later xp parties.

[Jinxie]

Originally posted by Discordian
This will burn out fast. Later on you need to rest early for MP and you are so caught up in spells that you don't have time to melee unless its with a very fast dagger. rdm moves to backline, its inevitable for our later xp parties.

I see your point now that you mention it. As I pickup more spells, I'm finding myself casting ALOT more buffs and debuffs before I engage. I can see where you would get to a point that melee just isn't possible.....Ahh yes....the ever changing role of the RDM.

[Vinen]

hehe savage blade does crazy damage vs one of the genkai2 nms, think it was the tiger. I was hitting them for 1000 easy with it. But thief was doing like 3000 hehe.

Yeah I saw a Sidewinder hit for around that on that one, which is something a RDM can do at some post 70 level if sub Ranger hehe.

[Ruic]

We actually get the chance to use sidewinder at level 59, with a Ranger sub. No clue on the comparative damage or accuracy though.

[Discordian]

Originally posted by Ruic
We actually get the chance to use sidewinder at level 59, with a Ranger sub. No clue on the comparative damage or accuracy though.

Due to the skill level it would probably be good against enemies that a rdm would solo later in game game. Accuracy is everything on ITs.