Grover's Guide to playing Black Mage (XIV)

Grover’s Guide to playing BLM:

Credit to Clayers Ray of Aegis Server where appropriate. 

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Cross-Class Abilities you should have for BLM:

Pugilist: Second Wind/Featherfoot

Archer: Quelling Strike/Chameleon

Conjurer (Optional): Sacred Prism

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Things you should shoot for stat wise:

INT: 325-ish+

Magic Accuracy: 471+ (For Garuda this should be in 490+ range)

Attack Magic Potency: 460+

Note from Clayers Ray: You can never have too much INT (literally as it doesn't cap, yet) for Garuda it's possible to do 100% acc. with 480+, so you can use that extra ten points on something else, and if you're in a party with a half decent tank the enmity - gear should never be worn (I don't even have them anymore)

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Good Gear Guide:

Most of the BLM AF as it is right now is useless. Dump everything in your storage container in your inn except the AF Body and Feet, that’s all you’ll want out of that.

Head: Felt Hat of Intelligence (Meld Magic Accuracy or INT)

Weapon: Lightning Brand or Electrum Scepter (Meld Magic Accuracy or INT)

Body: AF Body or Militia Body.

Note from Clayers Ray on Body Gear: If you're Uldah, get the officer coat for your BLM AF replacement. and for feet (if you can't afford by all means keep the feet) get Mahogany or Spruce pattens with AMP or Lightning potency materia.

Shield:  Depends on if you’re Twin Adder or not:

Twin Adder:  Gridanian Square Shield

Not Twin Adder: Aubriest Allegory

Hands: Mage’s Halfgloves

Legs: Felt Trousers (Meld INT/MND Materia)

Feet: AF Feet or Spruce/Mahogany Pattens with double Attack Potency meld.

Note from Clayers Ray on Feet Gear: Mahogany or Spruce pattens with AMP or Lightning potency materia.

Neck: Mage’s Choker (for Magic Accuracy) or Spinel Choker (For Attack Magic Potency)

Bracelet: Black Pearl Bracelet (Enmity-) or Zircon Bracelet (INT)

Belt: Raptorskin Satchel Belt (Meld Enmity – Materia), Raptorskin Satchel Belt (Meld MND) or Mage's Rope Belt (If deficient on Magic Accuracy)

Rings: Either Magic Accuracy or Intelligence Rings. It depends on what your numbers are and where you’re lacking. 

Combos:

Thunder/Thundara/Thundaga – The basic nuking combo for single target spike damage.  If Thundara is used without a combo, it has an additional stun effect. Not efficient for damage, but good for stunning a mob if it’s planning something deadly.

Thunder/Excruciate/Thundara/Resonance+ Quelling Strike/Dark Seal/Thundaga:  Great for spike damage. Good for Zergs. Good for Garuda if she teleports mid-combo. I use this to get off Thundaga if Garuda teleports. Most of the time because of Resonance, Thundaga will land.

Thunder/Thundara/Convert/Burst: Only good if low on MP and do not have hate. Use Thunder and Thundara to get low on MP, Convert, and then combo with Burst. Burst does more damage if combo’d with low HP. You can easily get a 1200+ spike damage. Warn your White Mage to cure you after you do the combo! Great for Garuda.

Fire/Fira/Firaga – Good for area nuking. If mobs are resistant against Thunder, like Golems or Thunder/Earth Elementals, use Fire combos.

Resonance+Flare/Blizzara – I use this for Aurum Vale and Skirmish. It’s great if you have these two abilities near each other on your bar or in a macro. Resonance enhances spell range, and Flare is … well Flare. Aurum Vale it’s good for mowing down a wide volley of mobs and anything that might be grabbed on the side. For Skirmish, it is good for the Golem or Tree, since it resets hate and runs over the place, with Resonance on, you can get a good DoT and the wide range helps Flare landing. Use Blizzara after to do any damage if mobs are left.

Sanguine Rite – Do not forget this spell. It’s good for saving your ass if you have hate.

Freeze - Hate Reduce. Nuke until you get Red. Pop this in lieu or with Chameleon to reduce hate.





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