The Beast Within -- A Guide To Blue Mage

I can't decide whether I should go for DMG+ or STR/DEX or quad attack on Claidheamh Soluis >.<

The Wightslayer? Go into 95 and run up to 100. I doubt you'll get screwed over by lamps, especially after the change last patch to make them stay on longer.

Edit: And that's what I get for answering the phone mid post lol.

DMG+ is what makes Claid worth it. Otherwise it's incredibly meh. No other dusk augment comes close. The high delay murders it otherwise.

Dual Nibiru As are actually quite strong as well, and will compete with even a perfectly augmented Claid.

Aside from REM, Claid/Nibiru A seems to be the best combo overall from testing, with Claid/Nibiru B being just slightly ahead when not attack-capped and you don't need the extra accuracy.

DMG+, nothing else comes close.

Path A Rawhide should beat everything else iirc. I should probably start doing Escha at some point with that in mind... Taeon with STR/DEX and acc/att should be better than what you're wearing. Lacono Necklace +1 for any non-VIT spells.

Path A rawhide body demolishes most other options for a ton of stuff, but the other slots are more of a toss-up. I still think very well augmented Taeon will pull ahead for spells and CDC, but I haven't run the numbers for spells.

I do know that for CDC, Enforcer's > Rawhide A > Taeon for body, and Rawhide A > Taeon for gloves, although the difference is less pronounced in the latter.

A few pieces should be close, but the only Rawhide piece I'm really iffy on vs Taeon is the legs. I'm heading out for the evening though so I'll have to double check everything later.

Rawhide Vest path D is also potentially worth noting for ilevel TP.

I really don't see the legs working for CDC. Just 10 dex and some STR won't replace 4 TA and a possible 20 acc/atk. I didn't even bother running them through the spreadsheet because they're so lackluster, but I'll go ahead and double check.

EDIT: Just ran them through and it's no contest. Taeon legs are ahead of them by quite a lot.

I'm only looking at spells right now. Will check for CDC later.

Oh, my mistake. A bit ignorant when it comes to spell damage calculations, so I'll defer to your findings on those.

spells are simple since you only need to compare WSC and pDIF, things like multihit and crit rate and everything need not be included for they have no effect (crit affects some, but unless you're using Sickle Slash religiously...)

Compare the WSC/skillD boost between two pieces.
Compare the pDIF boost between two pieces.

Whichever one receives more from the combination of both bonuses is superior. No other factor needs to be included. You can cheese it and not even do a full damage calculation in most cases, and it goes without saying that if attack is capped higher WSC wins every single time anyway.

That all being said physical spells aren't even worth casting unless you're doing something specific like matamata/craklaw/salv cerbs/they can be one shotted with a spell. Even with CA, 9/10 times with a good TP and spell set you're losing damage by wasting JA and casting delay on a spell+SC when you can just use that time for additional melee strikes, TP, and potential self SC from the second CDC.

Spells were good for a little while, but then they made weaponskills so strong that they aren't even worth looking at.

Really? I just dinged 99 this morning, and really haven't messed around too much yet. Still got a bunch of spells to get, mostly the level 99 ones. I thought at least the self-skillchains which were so incredibly awesome leveling up would still be useful.

I did notice, however, once I took off my ragtag level 98 gear and put on my ragtag (homestead/eminent, Thaumas, MNK and THF accessories, Manibozho, etc) 99 gear, the job was totally different from before. Rapid TP gain, neared 10k damage on some Salvage Blades, went from longish fights against Pygmytoises to dealing out absolute slaughters. While this is true for most jobs, it seemed like BLU took on a whole new dynamic.

a fresh 99 is probably still going to benefit from CA, but as your gear improves so does your CDC self SC rate

Spell damage in and of itself would be fine these days, were it not for the unavoidable 3 second forced delay after casting + cast time + JA delay if using CA/Efflux. That's always been a big problem with using BLU spells for damage, and it's only become more apparent as melee became more potent and other issues like abysmal spell pdif were rectified. It's still a situationally viable source of damage when that delay isn't a prohibitive factor, but in most cases you're better off with sword damage.

Nikia, all visible slots plus the necklace (situationally) would be changed. Sinker Drill would presumably get its own set if optimized.

Just wait until you get a nice pair of clubs and get a good set of magic attack gear, you don't even have to engage to slaughter mobs outside or within like cirdas caverns, or escha zones. Subduction will annihilate everything in AoE. Single target though, good gear and CDC lets you destroy mobs with ease.

I haven't really fallen behind on Blue Magic Skill til I started using Savage Blade > Goblin Rush from 81-99... Currently my skill level is lagging around whatever is capped at level 91 or 92... (395ish?)

Whatever the case may be, it seems completely insufficient for learning level 99 spells like Erratic Flutter and Nature's Meditation. My current plan is to spam Foot Kick on Chapulis until I either cap my skill or learn Nature's Meditation. But in case anyone knows, is there a good level to get to in order to start learning these spells? Is Foot Kick spam the best method for skill ups?

I'd suggest just capping your skill outright. Merits are very important as well, and you can also add +skill gear to bump you up even more. I capped mine through skill books from sparks when I leveled BLU on a mule. Before they were available, I just spammed low-cost spells for hours on end. I'd suggest the skillbooks, as they will keep you from gouging your eyes out.

Use Bludgeon instead. Low mp/recast, and can skill up on all hits.

Round up some mobs and spam Sandspin or did it get nerfed?

I actually thought of this, but didn't bother trying it when my brain countered by asking "can a BLM skill up multiple times by spamming Stonega on a group of mobs?".

Blue magic works...in mysterious ways. Reportedly you could use it a while back, don't know about now. I'd need to unlock blu to test/debunk this. /shrug

No you won't skill up multiple times, but you have a much higher chance to get a skill up per cast.

If you have 5 mobs you have 5 chances to see a skill up. Its still the fastest way to go about it, but you wont see .2 x3 or anything.

I just cast pollen with those pitas ad nauseum until I capped blu skill. If your skill isn't capped, things that help learning are AF gloves(or +1 or reforges, what have you) and things that increase blue magic skill. it took a while, but it was easy.

Hey guys, boy oh boy is it good to be back!

I came back for the free login after a 2-year break. I quit right before delve 2 come out and some buddies used my pg as mule for a while (shhhh).

I'm trying to get the BLU back together, and I would like to add I used to LOVE BLU, to the point where I actually own a 99 Almace ( Tizona a couple of years ago was way to much hassle and not worth ).

I had a bit of gil left and I 119'd it ( I realize it's situational at best ), and I'm looking to gear up.
I'm getting all of the latest important spells for traits and I'm looking to cap my Job points, but since all of my friends have quit I'd like to know where I could solo for best efficiency ( I have a few trusts ).
I understand cleaving is back in a whole new way, but it requires some stuff from skirmish I doubt I'll be able to get my hands on for a while, ( as I said I'm totally solo! ) so I'm probably just going to DD my way for a while. Any advice is well accepted, thanks!

If any BLUs or old friends want to say hi, I'm on most weeknights GMT/+1.

Thanks for the advice!
Gabe

Welcome back

Thanks man!

I've been reading all of the pages here and on BG but it's really so much new info I need time to process it.
And considering I had to throw out my beloved BLU.xml spellcast and have to do all my macros, any advice is well accepted!

Yorcia skirmish is very much soloable if you're in need of Iuitl/Hagondes gear. Ra'kaznar skirmish technically is as well (to HQ the aforementioned), but I'd recommend shouting for a group over going in solo.

Yorcia Alluvion is also soloable, but I don't really see much point in doing so beyond proving that you can. Fortunately there should be no shortage of shouts and/or people willing to join shouts, especially with the event going on right now. Put some wings towards an offhand Claid and maybe a Nehushtan if so inclined (there's far less interest in Cirdas/Rala Alluvion and they're slightly less idiotproof).

A mainhand Claid will be superior to an Almace main, so if you want to work on one, go for it. If you want to keep the Almace (which I probably would for sentimentality's sake, as I loved that weapon), don't bother with an offhand Claid. Bura'menkah will be a better offhand and is far easier to obtain. Nibiru A is superior to both, but will be much more difficult to obtain and max out.

BLU is highly desired in skirmish these days, so you'll find it incredibly easy to get your foot in the door there and start getting gear and augment stones.

Just focus on getting all your spells and try your best to finish the BLU set points category right away, and then get your 100 JP gift after that. Both of those make an enormous difference in the power of the job.

I picked up a Claid the other day, which is nice, I still need to get a decent (using Eminent) off-hand sword, and augmenting the Claid hasn't been very kind to me yet (M.Acc+5, DA+1, Save TP+90).

TP Gear is getting there - still need a few pieces/augments.

ItemSet 335715

Qaaxo is Rank15 Path A, Hands are STR/VIT+5 Acc/Attack+17, TA+2, Legs are Acc/Atk+5, TA+2, and Feet are Acc+12, Dual Wield +5, WSD+1%...

But once I finish up that stuff, I want to focus more on the magical strengths of the job, from what I can tell is mostly spamming Subduction. I'm already at a point where I can easily train 10-15 mobs in say Ceizak or Sih Gates and wipe them out with a few Subductions (usually 1600-1700 each IIRC). That said, I have gotten a few requests to do Alluvion Skirmish on my BLU, but have declined because I'm certain it's not good enough to trot the below disaster out in front of people.

ItemSet 335716

-Hands have MAB+9, Fast Cast+4
-Legs have MAB+10, Spell Interrupt-9
-Feet have MAB+10

Again, I'm limited on gil right now, so the augments and re-augments are coming a bit slowly. Most of this gear, I realize is terrible, but just the best options based on what I've had drop from Skirmish and already had in my inventory from previous jobs (MNK and THF).

What would be a good "starting point" for spamming Subduction in Skirmish, as well as in other events where it's useful?

Although I have been, and plan to go back and get the spells I missed, are any of the following a clear priority?

Eyes On Me, Spinal Cleave, Sandspray, Tail Slap, Ram Charge, Mind Blast, Reactor Cool, Vertical Cleave, Thermal Pulse, Everyone's Grudge, Barrier Tusk, Water Bomb, Quadrastrike, Vapor Spray, Thunder Breath, Orcish Counterstance, Amorphic Spikes, Wind Breath, Rending Deluge, Embaling Earth, Retinal Glare, Diffusion Ray, Rail Cannon, Restoral, Sinker Drill, Nectarous Deluge

Hoping I can knock the bold spells off in one Salvage run.
The italicized spells I've tried quite a bit to get, but the mobs haven't wanted to use them, especially Eyes On Me (everything else), Ram Charge (Bleat) and Thermal Pulse (Heat Barrier).