Rdm (Battle Mage)

RDM's Offensive mode toggles Normal only, there isn't even an accuracy option in the version I have (which is an old version), in the new version it appears it has the mage style OffenseMode of None and Melee.


So, if you don't have the newest version, I'd update now, I will be.

Just taking a look over that, it looks like the one I currently am using. I mean, if I press F9, it changes up to melee offense mode, but when I engage it still has bolelabunga equipped, even though the set has a sword in it. My understanding of gearswap is pretty basic so I'm having trouble getting my head around this one.

Without having it in front of me, there should be a line below the toggles to define the melee weapon, but the gearswap command will work.

Hitting F9 does not change your weapon. It only locks main/sub slots (and probably should lock range, too). So if you switch to Melee mode while wearing the Bolelabunga, the Bolelabunga will be locked in place for you. Since main/sub are disabled, it obviously won't swap to whatever main/sub you have in your engaged set, either.

Options are:

1) Engage first before hitting F9. If your engaged set has your weapons in it, those will be equipped on engage, then locked when you hit F9.

2) Manually adjust your weapons (outside of combat, setting up), then hit F9 to lock them in place. (Or hit F9 to lock the slots, then adjust the weapons; order doesn't really matter as long as the right ones are in place by the time you're done.)

3) In job_state_change, just before it executes disable('main', 'sub'), put in equip(sets.weapons) so that it will equip those weapons before locking the slots. (Construct and name the set per your own preferences, of course.)

Ah, that's great, I think I understand now, thanks Motenten! You really are a wizard with Gearswap :)

I had a thought pop into my head while i was updating RDM Enfeebling sets. I decided to go with Artsieq Boots path B w/ macc and MND over my 109 Vivitation boots because it has over all more Macc. My thought was that so many other magic types have Tier structures as to how they work, does enfeebling magic also? Example SMN magic, geomancy, and some blu magic once you get it to a certain number (tier) you get better results regardless of macc or what have you. So i'm wondering if lets say you have enfeebling magic 500 vs 495 is there a different resist rate? Even if the 495 set had an additional 5 macc to make up for it? Im trying to prioritize macc vs enfeebling magic skill. Thank you

Skill doesn't contribute to tier for enfeebling, it's just 1 skill = .9 Macc over 300. Base stats contribute Macc and potency for their respective spells.

Hagondes sabots can get +30 m.acc too. I find it hard to believe requiescat beats cdc on most things. You're average rdm with melee gear is probably in the low 900-1000 attack range in ws gear with food, adoulin mobs are rocking like 700-800 defense in the upper ilvl teens, so you're likely not capping 2.25 pDIF even with Dia 3, accounting for Req's attack penalty.

I find CDC doing better than Req on most things, but it requires a pretty dedicated gearset, whereas req can do decent damage on most things with most of the same gear you're already carrying. Req has always been pretty powerful for RDM just due to the metric ton of MND gear available and generally low amounts of DEX gear. People also don't seem to factor Dia III into their equation, either.

The fact that most people seem to forget that RDM in fact can use a sword fairly well pisses me off to no end.

That said, I have done some reading recently and have stumbled upon those who say that the Claidheam Solais (or however you spell that) is a superior main-hand sword.

I suppose that would depend on what the augment gods give you, though.

Currently, I use Anahera/Bura on those few occasions when I am permitted to actually melee on RDM. That and a really ugly hybrid FC/DD set allows me to at least do some content, though I don't think I'd like to try meleeing a Delve boss in it.

Distract II does help our accuracy, though. That + Dia III and other randomly tossed enfeebles definitely make things simpler.

Should follow the BLU paradigm of r15B Usonmunku/Bura. Anahara is good if you're nuking between hits but it's inferior to Uson, also if doing solo content below ilvl 119 like job points, offhand OAT sword from wkr is better. It's a shame RDM can't use Flash Nova, as it would be quite powerful if we could. Temper offsets our lack of no /WAR or Qaaxo pieces in terms of DA, but we really could use a Might/Saber spell for 20% attack/+30 accuracy, or adding a trait that grants accuracy equal to the potency of our enspells would be awesome too(so +30 at 500 enhancing for enspell I).

No because your a Mage, Magey stuff and BLU style attack would be stupid strong. SE isn't that stupid.

Well it wouldn't be stupidly strong because frankly RDM has piss-poor DPS gear selection, we don't get Thaumas/Qaaxo or any native dual wield or self DPS-related traits or abilities(outside of temper/haste2/gain-str). So adding spells that offset what we lack in gear would be nice. With enhancing spell duration bonuses, and m.acc on mainhand weapons, it's not too far-fetched that with a few adjustments, RDM can be a >>DECENT<< DPS. By that, I don't mean replacing a genuine DPS job, but rather in addition to keeping up buffs,enfeebling, they can hit the mob a few times and contribute DPS while reducing the mob's meva from enspells/death blossom or something.

Rdm do more than 'hit the mob a few times', you should be able to do half the damage of a samurai on anything semi-serious starting with serac rabbits (which puts you in the same dps category as a mediocre blu, dnc, nin, thf).

Its possible to melee and maintain aftermath on incursion fodder+NMs, the job is borderline OP as it is which is why they limit the dps gear options.

Ok but 99.9% of RDMs don't have Murgleis, and by relevant content I kinda meant Delve/Battlefield fights. Incursion, RDM is likely to be /BLM or /SCH for stuns/aoe sleeps, and since keeping NM/Adds slept is a fulltime job, it's difficult to melee on those since you'd have to be vigilant with watching when adds wake up.

For incursion I don't melee unless its a low CL like 123-125.
For 126+ things get busy enough I just nuke and try to MB on all those samurai light sc's between stuns (usually do 2 stunners so there is time to do this).

In general nuking is still best and safest dps option for rdm player while not compromising the reason you were invited to the party (help other backline jobs +stun/debuff/haste/etc)

If the battle content allows you to get away with rdm melee, its pretty much the best job now in terms of fun and versatility next to BLU.
(its so good that my dancer feels rather lacking compared to melee rdm which is sad)

What would be the ideal swords for soloing ilvl 114-115 Twitheryms? I was thinking Excalibur and Xuitleato augmented with Occ. Attacks Twice and Crit+4. Eating Sushi most likely, so I think accuracy ought to be capped, and when I offhand OAT Sword on BLU when soloing fodder for Job Points, can usually CDC>CDC due to the massive TP I get from the OAT offhand.

Or actually since they're weak to piercing, perhaps I should use Izhiikoh and Atoyac augmented with Occ. Attacks Twice and Crit+4 and spam Evisceration?(I don't have Mandau btw)

Lastly would you recommend /NIN for DW3 or /DNC which gives Accuracy Bonus, DW2+Haste Samba(more or less DW3). I won't be using Waltz or Utsusemi.

RDM can't use Izhikoh, but daggers would probably be better assuming you have a half decent Evisceration set on piercing weak mobs.

oh what? RDM can use the NQ dagger but not the delve one? That's extremely weird.

They added a bunch of jobs to Atoyac at some point. RDM rarely gets top tier daggers, there is a 119 dagger from a BCNM with lackluster stats.

Edit: Levante dagger from Garuda and Vanir Knife appear to be the best daggers RDM can use that aren't Mandau. Depending on accuracy requirements, obviously, and offhanding OAT Atoyac would be good for ripping up piercing weak fodder.

Weird that we have B in both sword and dagger but get trash daggers. Should at least get the same daggers as brd.

The same issue applies to dagger as sword, our terrible lack of DEX/Attack gear. Still, neither of those daggers are bad by any stretch, they just aren't top tier DPS.

So if farming fodder, how about atoyac+xuitleato, both oat with 4% crit on them? Can mainhand either depending on if piercing weak or not. Of course for anything higher than 118 mobs, wouldnuse Usonmunku or Excal mainhand but if acc is capped would dual wieldig oat weapons not be sweet?

I'd imagine the lower base damage on the main hand would hurt more, but idk. I've never used DPS sheets for RDM, lol.

Yeah i'm curious cuz i got a claidheamh soluis with acc+13 and dbl atk+6 and wonder if it beats excal mainhand since excal's triple damage proc and additional enlight hp proportion damage procs alot but soluis has like 20 higher base damage, though excal also has 40attack and rdm isnt pdif capped on ilvl mobs with /nin by far.

No, the delay is way too high, it's even behind Buremenk'ah and DEX Uson with the sets I checked. That's assuming capped magic haste and /NIN with Tojil as the target. It might change with other gearsets and targets, though.

http://www.ffxiah.com/forum/topic/44864/all-for-one-and-more-for-me-a-guide-to-red-mage/

The best scenario I can find puts Cali about 10DPS ahead of Excal, and that's with 6DA, anything less or on anything Tojil or below (where you'd actually melee on RDM) Excal is better. 4DA or less and it basically never wins.

Working on gearing up my RDM for soloing some certain Salvage 2 zones, and I think I'm almost satisfied with my WS sets for CDC and Requiescat.

CDC:

ItemSet 326467

Would Ramuh Rings be better here? Or are Ifrit Rings ok?

Requiescat:

ItemSet 326466

A LS member helped me spreadsheet out this one and I think should be pretty close to optimal assuming I'm not forgetting a piece or two off the top of my head.

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Ramuh are definitely better for CDC. Windbuffet +1 would a better choice for the waist slot unless they really do make fTP transfer after the update.