Other then BLM and WHM for sub

[Aries Black]

I was wondering if subbing Blue Mage would work. If anyone has tried it out can you post the pros and the cons to a RDM/BLU?

[swingfly]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

The main good thing I see with Blue Mage as sub is that you get Cocoon and Vorpal Blade. Cocoo is like Defender +2, higher defense boost (25% for Defender vs. 50% for Cocoon) and no -attack. This would be for soloing of course.

Can't really see a use for it in a party if that's what you're thinking of. To me there's 3 "good" subs and a few that are very situational. Whm, Blm and Brd are the good ones (Brd if the party does not already have a Brd main).

Then again, I haven't even unlocked it yet so there might be someone who has played around with it some and actually found a decent use for it.

[Aries Black]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

The main good thing I see with Blue Mage as sub is that you get Cocoon and Vorpal Blade. Cocoo is like Defender +2, higher defense boost (25% for Defender vs. 50% for Cocoon) and no -attack. This would be for soloing of course.

Can't really see a use for it in a party if that's what you're thinking of. To me there's 3 "good" subs and a few that are very situational. Whm, Blm and Brd are the good ones (Brd if the party does not already have a Brd main).

Then again, I haven't even unlocked it yet so there might be someone who has played around with it some and actually found a decent use for it.

Yes I plan on using it for soloing. I gotta get my gil somehow lol. I haven't unlocked it yet too but I'm considering going for it when I hit level 30. I want to make sure I have well rounded builds for PTing or Soloing so I'm considering what other jobs I should level up as well.

[Jei]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

The only real good blu magic we will get as sub I see is only Cocoon. It works but it is very situational I think. Cocoon on top of phalanx will be a really powerful combo for fighting multi-hitting mobs, like Charybdis. Or Lord of Onzozo if you can claim that thing I guess... o_O

[swingfly]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

Or for skilling up this-or-that, or for just randomly fooling around

Say that you're Rdm lvl XX and your defense is 100. With Cocoon + a Fishkabob you're looking at 187 defense. Even at lower levels this a is pretty awesome boost. Or you could eat a Mithkabob and have that attack boost and a defense boost at the same time.

If you're looking to make gil though, never leave home without TH, either from /Thf or from a duo partner. That or craft

[Icemage]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

For XP purposes:

/WHM, /BLM, /BRD depending on party configuration and needs at virtually all levels makes perfect sense.

You could possibly make a case for /PLD now, but I'm not entirely convinced that Auto-Refresh, Flash, Holy Circle, Cover, Defender, and Shield Bash are enough of a reason to sub it, unless maybe you want to Cover a overnuking BLM with blink/stoneskin up (which you probably have left over from using Convert in a lot of cases). Might be ok in a roaming party in King Ranperre's Tomb.

/DRK has a few applications in the pre-50 range as it gets earlier access to Drain and Aspir than BLM does.

/WAR only in the pre-20 range when no one cares what your sub is, but offers another voke in those oh-so-horrible Dunes parties.

/SMN... eh... guess you could sub it for a manaburn party at 50+ for Aerial Armor and Auto-Refresh. Not much other reason to use this sub for XP.

/COR might be interesting in a party where your sub doesn't matter due to other needs being taken care of (NIN DD DD BRD WHM RDM for instance) to improve XP gains with Corsair's Roll.

/NIN. I guess you could try some Ichi debuff ninjutsu and dual wield some +1 Yew Wands for an extra stat point or two in the low 30s. Not terribly useful, in any case.

I don't see much usefulness from /BST, /PUP, /BLU, /DRG, /SAM, /MNK, /THF, or /RNG in XP settings.


Icemage

[Patchinko]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

I think the main use of a BLU sub in a PT situation would be for Head Butt at level 24.

At the end of the day, WHM and BLM subs are better than any other. There are situational uses for DRK, SMN, BRD, BLU, NIN and WAR. But in a normal XP PT, you will serve most from having WHM or BLM subbed.

[Matera]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

I've heard of tanking Rdm/Wars. Phalanx, Stoneskin, Cures, Blink, and aquaveil all help, as well as Defender.

Low levels only though.

[Jei]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

stoneskin is 38Rdm so that's not very low tho.

[Atma]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

I have heard that Cocoon + Phalanx + Stoneskin will last for a veerry long time against even DC mobs.

I am very curious to try out /blu with my rdm, as apparently blue magic damage is not tied to your blue magic skill, but to your attack. it's just hard to convince myself to give up divine seal and status cures or conserve MP and warp for it though :/ If you could spam bludgeon with refresh though and do respectible damage, it could be a very good combo.

[Icemage]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

My friends who play BLU tell me Bludgeon does pretty weak damage at higher levels. Having seen several BLU 70+ in the past few weeks in XP parties and other activities, I can only assume they're telling the truth as I've never seen the BLUs near level 70+ use Bludgeon, ever.

Blue magic is reportedly tied to your stats (typically STR for most physical spells), so it may do respectable damage. Accuracy could be a problem, however.


Icemage

[Hamlet]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

Does headbutt work the same as stun? I'm wondering if I could lvl blu instead of drk for stun, and also if chainspell headbutt would work?

[Patchinko]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

Head Butt is similar to stun, but it's melee range and a physical effect whose damage is based on STR. I'm not sure how well it works when subbed since it's Blue Magic and thus may be reliant on your half-level Blue Magic skill for determining effectiveness.

Blue Magic, like other magics, doesn't scale up past a certain point. That's why you don't see high level BLU using Bludgeon. Low level Blue Magic abilities won't match up with high level Blue Magic abilities given the same gear.

[Apple Pie]

Re: Other then BLM and WHM for sub

Not in a XP PT but RDM/BLU can be an exellent healer at Ballista due to Healing Breeze (= Curaga 1.5 costing only 55MP).