Ancient Magic II

[Davion]

Just wanted some other BLM opinion on this:

I know the standard on AM IIs are full on Freeze and Burst II.

My question is: Is there a noticeable difference in just straight damage (not magic burst) when you have each AM II open then you cap Freeze and Burst II?

This is an honest question. I'm one of those types where I like to have full access to everything my job can do but only if its worth it.

 

[Lucki]

I was under the impression that additional merits only add damage to magic bursting.

It's been some time since I've played, so things could have changed since then.

 

[Dowzer]

They add Magic Accuracy regardless if it's magic bursted. That could be considered extra damage because it helps avoid resists.

 

[Germ]

I was under the impression that additional merits only add damage to magic bursting.

It's been some time since I've played, so things could have changed since then.

In oneluvv Lucki, you must remember we fucked up damn near every starting WS -- > MB we tried. I hope you aren't basing your impression on this

 

[Lucki]

In oneluvv Lucki, you must remember we fucked up damn near every starting WS -- > MB we tried. I hope you aren't basing your impression on this

I try not to think of OneLuvv. I shudder each time I think of Honcho meleeing with his RDM.

I didn't think we ever tried to MB things, lol

 

[Xzerper]

BurstII/FreezeII are the most versatile Nukes in the game when it comes to AMII, and that being so I went 5/5 on Burst II, and 4/5 on Freeze II. Reason being there because you have Aquilos for Freeze II w/+10 Elemental Skill, Burst you do not. So 5/5 is not as optimal. Always use Freeze II however unless you can use weather and/or day bonus for Burst II, or the mob is naturally strong to Ice. As Freeze has higher natural damage w/the 4 INT on Aquilos.

Added Tornado II for Kirin Purposes if for some reason I am up there and helping some random 2004 LS kill Kirin.

Last one is random really whichever you like most or preference. Fully dedicated blm will do 5/5 Burst II 5/5 Freeze II, or 4/5 Freeze II and something else based on the events they do(Like I mentioned above, Tornado II for Kirin etc.)

If you not going todo anything important on BLM, go ahead and nab them all, makes the job more classy and fun to see and use them all, and for mobs that are IT or lower, more times than none you not gonna resist on them if you got decent gear on.

 

[Davion]

Well that's what I thought the accuracy would do in the merit description. I currently have them all open but will cap Freeze and Burst II. The extra AM IIs come in handy for opposing days and weather changes on Puddings when Freeze and Burst II like to be random.

 

[Xzerper]

If you did Freeze II 4/5~that leaves you open to nab something else that fits your preference, since even as 4/5, Freeze II's accuracy is beyond Burst II's due to the +10 Elemental Skill you have while nuking. ^^

Might be wise to 1/5 something else that you see yourself using most w/Obis and the sort~

 

[charlo]

The main reason though is because of the group 1 merits.
This is why burst 2 and freeze 2 will do alot more damage, because thunder 5/5 and ice 5/5 is pretty much the best which transferes to your group 2 merits.

 

[Caelia]

No pretty much about it. 5/5 ice and thunder hands down. Now that you can take group 2's to 10, I have all of them opened up, but I'll take freeze and burst as high as I can (3/5 each I think).

 

[Davion]

Yeah that's as far as you can go when you open the other AM IIs.

So far I have consistent numbers on puddings. I"ll have those random "spell fart" moments when earth weather comes in during my Burst II cast (SOOOO ANNOYING) or I'll a random full resist.

Still have some work to do. I"ll blog about it later for people that care about what I'm doing.

 

[pchan]

Clearly, if all you do is pudding, additional merits in Freeze II will do nothing. They add 5 magic accuracy, and getting 5/5 adds 20 more magic accuracy than 1/5, which is like adding an NQ staff. The problem is that you accuracy is already capped, since puddings are not very high level. I'm almost certain that with just an HQ staff and max elemental merit, a level 75 caps its accuracy on them. So it will not add damage (except magic burst, which is not the case here).

 

[Davion]

Yeah I'm aware that it will not add damage; only the potency (which I have capped) INT and MAB will give me an increase. I was just wondering what BLMs were doing cause it seems like Tier II Merits are kinda the preference of that individual.

 

[toqabowl]

whenever i finish my blm cat2 merits, ill be doing 1fire 4ice 5 thunder.. Its nice having 3 AMII spells to choose from(esp in xarcS, w/ 3 AMII i can get chain7-8 easy on tiger pets)

I also put 1 merit into fire potency cuz of flareII

 

[charlo]

esp in xarcS, w/ 3 AMII i can get chain7-8 easy on tiger pets

Why would you use AM 2 on pets. It's terrible mp wise and prob very overkill.
With the ice weather there you can kill a tiger with 2 x blizz 3, or a blizz 4 with an obi for alot less mp.
I know doing this i can get to chain 7/8 without blowing my 2 hour there.

 

[Caelia]

With the ice weather there you can kill a tiger with 2 x blizz 3, or a blizz 4 with an obi for alot less mp.
I know doing this i can get to chain 7/8 without blowing my 2 hour there.

So at 75, do you just solo out there? I'm still not too familiar with the area since I just had my first level sync experience there (sync'ing down to join friends).

 

[Cilvestre]

Why would you use AM 2 on pets. It's terrible mp wise and prob very overkill.
With the ice weather there you can kill a tiger with 2 x blizz 3, or a blizz 4 with an obi for alot less mp.
I know doing this i can get to chain 7/8 without blowing my 2 hour there.

if you sub sch it helps a lot with the mp for that camp and also its quicker to chain when you dont have to worry about aggroing and just one shotting the pet.

 

[charlo]

So at 75, do you just solo out there? I'm still not too familiar with the area since I just had my first level sync experience there (sync'ing down to join friends). ]

Yeah i soloed there from about 68/69, i did have full skill merits from rdm and always got top line gear though. Resist rate > damage was always my gear plan up to 75.
At 73 the exp starts to slow down though and you right syncing down to a group at around 63/64 is way better exp. Like 10k/p/H +.
I dont recomend soloing out there at 75 though, the exp is not great. either sync out there or go to flans or can always go to sea and solo exp and get organs at the same time. I solo aerns inside if i need exp and combine it with HQ organ farming. Still 0/66 on ix'aern though /wrists

if you sub sch it helps a lot with the mp for that camp and also its quicker to chain when you dont have to worry about aggroing and just one shotting the pet.

At higher levels i agree subbing sch helps. But id still only use teir 4s one shot with it. Also i never recomend casting AM2 because not only the mp cost but the time it takes to go off at this camp can mean another gigas can walk over and you have to move, or the pet can move away mid cast. You literaly have to catch them just as they stop. And having to roam after chain 5 to get to about chain 7 makes that crap for keeping chains.
This is why i, depending on leve,l used a teir 3 to pull then teir 3 to finish after sleep, because its fast casting. Or a drain to pull then sleep and teir 4. It would also save me about 80-100 mp over AM. And you could always pull the mob to a safe place faster.

 

[Caelia]

Yeah, I agree Charlo. That camp is fan-freakin-tastic. 63 was a little rough for our group, but 64-65 was awesome. Yeah, I usually just solo at flans whenever I want to mess around on BLM. I should try sea more often, especially since I need to do more organ farming lol. Do you solo in the Palace or the Garden?

 

[charlo]

Palace is ix'aren mnk. Garden is ix'aren drk. Differnt pop conditions.
Also soloing in sea itself outside the palace is good for obi's. Quest - In the name of sience.
I suggest you go wiki and read up on mobs. Goldfish take double damage from anything when mouths are open. happens every 30 secs. But you can sleep to keep it in this state. Sharks sight aggro and are aspirable, UFO's aggro from above, aviod if i were you. Squids go in groups of 3 and leaders/moms drop organs 100%.
BLM pretty much owns sea though, all grav, bind and sleep will land and blm's inhibit tp gain through massive damage for 10 tp given.
Id suggest at least getting ice, thunder, dark obis's minimum. Others will be good situational, wind for kirin, water in undersea ruins double weather, fire against undead and in ifrits coldron, light is very good for temenos for curing, up to you really.