Dark Magic Sets

[Hmkiroko]

In my infinite stupidity, I assumed INT affected the potency of Drain's and Aspirs (which I now know it doesn't). Time to re-tool my Dark Set.

Other than the obvious +Dark Skill items (Nashira Manteel, Sorc Gloves, Torque, Abyssal, Merciful), which items do you use to fill in the gaps?

Let's stick to Waist, Head, One Ear, Rings, Legs, and Feet.

Optimal Set I would say (in addition to above):
Waist: Witch Sash/Swift Belt (MACC+2 vs. Haste)
Head: Wal Turban
Ear: Dark Earring / Magnetic (utility vs skill increase)
Rings: Omega and Insect (MACC)
Leg: Wizard's Tonban
Feet: Iqgira (if you have) vs. Nash Crackows.

For interests sake, what are you guys using now?

 

[Lucki]

Just curious, but why would you use

over

if you're going for a Dark build?

 

[pchan]

Let's stick to Waist, Head, One Ear, Rings, Legs, and Feet.

Optimal Set I would say (in addition to above):
Waist: Witch Sash/Swift Belt (MACC+2 vs. Haste)
Head: Wal Turban
Ear: Dark Earring / Magnetic (utility vs skill increase)
Rings: Omega and Insect (MACC)
Leg: Nashira Seraweels (Haste/MACC)
Feet: Iqgira (if you have) vs. Nash Crackows.

For interests sake, what are you guys using now?

head : Morrigan corronal/nashira turban/Shadow hat
ring : omega and balrhan
leg : AF1 pants
feet : igkira/nashira/goliard
Waist : Witch sash when people actually do campaign in castle ostroja


And INT probaly affects accuracy of the spell which is all you care about. As for the "potency", part of it is probably due to accuracy while another part is totally random like for gravity. I mean ES drain doesn't get you 400 HP guarranted.

 

[Tristam Green]

Never forget a Dark Torque for the neckpiece as well.

 

[Bladewind]

I'd use Loq. earring over Magnetic.

 

[Grandphoenix]

meh I'd probably take the haste over mag acc unless I'm not drain/aspiring worth a damn also maybe even rostrums for feet? W. turban, swift belt, loq. earring and rostrums 10% haste and 2% recast right there if you're not getting resisted would be doing more over the long run

 

[Hmkiroko]

Whoops I'm dumb. Of course I would use Wizard's Tonban.

Edited top post.

 

[Hmkiroko]

I'd use Loq. earring over Magnetic.

For fast cast I guess?

 

[Hmkiroko]

And INT probaly affects accuracy of the spell which is all you care about. As for the "potency", part of it is probably due to accuracy while another part is totally random like for gravity. I mean ES drain doesn't get you 400 HP guarranted.

Right, I want consistency in sticking and low/no resists. 100+ Aspirs extend those pudding chains. I was reading (BG) that stacking INT has no effect on the landing of Dark Spells. Wiki also states the same, but hints at other minor factors.

Dark Magic is the largest factor which determines if a Dark Magic Spell lands unresisted or not.

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Category:Dark_Magic

From all of this, I was wondering if there was anything conclusive that INT has no bearing whatsoever on resists, and MACC and +Skill should be focused on with Dark Magic spells.

 

[Bladewind]

For fast cast I guess?

Exactly, Magnetic doesn't add anything beneficial that i can think of, 1% fast cast may not be overly impressive, but every second counts, right?

 

[Tristam Green]

Tyrath and I have believed that our INT does affect our Dark Magic even if in a lesser role than that of the Dark Magic skill (speaking from Dark Knight experiences).

I suppose the best way to test this is to wear all your Dark Magic gear without any additional INT+, find a mob you can Aspir where your accuracy will be floored, then pile on the INT+ gear in the spare spots, and do it again and again.

Unsure what the results would be, but it'd be neat to know definitively...

unless i'm way offbase.

 

[Sanoske]

Mine is:

Pluto's/Dark Grip/ /XXX
WTurban/Dark Torque/Abyssal/Loq(if Im not lazy... usually just Moldy stays in)
Oracle's Robe/Af2 Hands/XXX/XXX
XXX/XXX/AF1 Legs/XXX

I would love to get Nashira Body, Omega Ring, Sea Cape and Swift Belt. Other than that I'm not doing so bad. I used to use Mahatma Body until I got Oracle's Robe, just in case the INT effected the MAcc.

 

[Hmkiroko]

Tyrath and I have believed that our INT does affect our Dark Magic even if in a lesser role than that of the Dark Magic skill (speaking from Dark Knight experiences).

I suppose the best way to test this is to wear all your Dark Magic gear without any additional INT+, find a mob you can Aspir where your accuracy will be floored, then pile on the INT+ gear in the spare spots, and do it again and again.

Unsure what the results would be, but it'd be neat to know definitively...

unless i'm way offbase.

Low level crabs maybe? If I have some spare time I will try it out.

That was my initial assumption as well, in theory and practice, but there seems to be some disagreement! If anyone has any hard facts I'm on the lookout for them!

 

[Linhjah]

Main: Dark Staff
Sub: Dark Grip
Ammo: Phantom Tathlum
Head: Nashira Turban
Neck: Dark Torque
Ear1: Loquacious Earring
Ear2: Dark Earring
Body: Nashira Manteel (don't have this yet, but want /cry)
Hands: Sorcerer's Gloves (don't have this yet)
Ring1: Tamas Ring
Ring2: Omega Ring
Back: Merciful Cape
Waist: Witch Sash (don't have this yet)
Legs: Wizard's Tonban
Feet: Nashira Crackows (Igqira Huaraches if you can find them)

I try to stack on + Dark Magic, + MACC, +INT in that order.

 

[Tristam Green]

Ammo: Phantom Tathlum

Tarutaru get Sweet Sachet

 

[Lavi]

Main: Dark Staff
Sub: Dark Grip
Ammo: Phantom Tathlum
Head: Nashira Turban
Neck: Dark Torque
Ear1: Loquacious Earring
Ear2: Phantom Earring +1
Body: Nashira Manteel (don't have this yet, but want /cry)
Hands: Sorcerer's Gloves (don't have this yet)
Ring1: Tamas Ring
Ring2: Omega Ring
Back: Merciful Cape
Waist: Witch Sash (don't have this yet)
Legs: Wizard's Tonban
Feet: Nashira Crackows (Igqira Huaraches if you can find them)

I try to stack on + Dark Magic, + MACC, +INT in that order.

This. Although I don't personally own most of it, this is what I would get if I could and had the space to store it.

Re: INT vs. Dark Magic skill
In my personal experience, it's always been that skill is equivalent to attack and INT is equivalent to STR (maybe to a lesser extent attack as well). Aspir and drain are very random, their numbers fluctuate greatly and never hit any true defined max value like a nuke will. I can cast Thunder on a flan and hit the same number a dozen times, but if I aspir, I get random numbers such as 14, 52, 111, 8, 76, etc. all from the same mob. This always leads me to think aspir/drain are more like normal melee hits and have some boundary it falls between. Skill would be like attack raises the lower boundary while INT raises the higher boundary. However, by raising the lower boundary, you're in fact decreasing the variation and making it more accurate.

If I were to test, I'd get one or two people (more helps because of recasts timers) and remove all gear. Use two players of the same race with similar merits or none at all and use ES+Aspir on a mob with MP (MP pool should obviously be low). Compare the results. Does ES+Aspir mean the two values hit an equal number or is it always a random value? Second test if the first tests shows equal values, one person ES+Aspir without INT rings and other with INT rings. Third test, remove rings and replace with dark torque. If the first shows different numbers though, I honestly have no idea how to test it without running hundeds of trials which is time consuming and a pain. Note: Make sure the mob doesn't run out of MP too.

This is just my personal guess, but I believe ES just gives you an average or median value and if you were to cast several more aspirs, you'd get values that go far above and obviously far below as well.

 

[Tavjon]

Can never go wrong w/

+Dark Magic -> +M. Acc. -> +Fast Cast

 

[Linhjah]

Tarutaru get Sweet Sachet

I have one, and I used it on RDM and BLM until I hit 66. I prefer my Phantom Tathlum cause I'm an MP whore :biggrin:

 

[Zerayla]

For a BLM who barely has the opportunity to play the job (once you let them know you have WHM, you never get to play anything else! lol), would you guys be able to explain the importance of having haste/fast cast on BLM?

What kind of situations/events would the haste/fast cast play a big enough role to equip gear with those stats for BLM? Or is it just something to equip when there is nothing with INT or Dark Magic Skill available?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Hmkiroko]

Nuking (Thunder 4/Blizzard 4/etc) I'd never focus on putting haste.

Timed abilities like Drain/Aspir/Stun, Haste pieces to speed up the timers are perfectly acceptable. Even with my minimal 5% haste with W. Turban makes a world of difference.