Red Mage’s Tier2 Merits!

New Merit Points setup!

Duplicating this post here.

Some people (2-3) so far ask why I did my specific upgrades in merit, here’s my explanation.

First read the discussion on theorderls.com about red mage merits
I’ve also previously tested Stoneskin and Phalanx Potency on this thread.

Fact from theorderls post!

Bio2 @ 220skill does 7dmg/tick
Bio2 @ 276 skill does 8dmg/tick
Bio3 @ 220 skill does 8dmg/tick

Red mage sucks in drk magic, and obviously its not worth it, if blm can land it AND do it better, so not worth the merit points. Lets just say its not worth both your time and MP to do something someone else can do better.

Dia III, 45mp for 1st upgrade, last 30sec, each upgrade extend it for 30sec.

Lets say you are totally doing this for exp mobs, exp mobs NEVER last more than 40sec, so 30sec would definately be good, lets say you kill 12 mobs every 10 minute, and you dia3 all mobs. that is 540mp “just to dia3”. Since each upgrade is time extension and not lowers mp cost, so if you cast it “frequently”, the extra merit doesn’t help.

NOW, say you must “keep dia3” on the mob, for 10 minutes (HNM, solo etc), if it last 30sec, you are looking at (45mp x (600sec/30) = 900mp JUST to keep dia3 on. Whereas with 1 upgrade of merit, you significantly lower MP cost to (45mp x (600sec/60) = 450mp. Which leaves you LOTS more mp to DO other stuff.

3rd upgarde, will be 45mp x (600/90) = 300mp to keep it on for 10 minutes. But the MP savings is too little to be worth 5 merit points, so I’d say leaving it at 2 upgrades would be just fine.

Paralyze II: 39mp, each upgrades makes it easier to land ‘~” and increase its potency.

Hard to debate, Paralyze can null JA’s of enemy. But people on theorderls tested that the proc rate isn’t as high as Paralyze I. So I’d say 1 upgrade, but again, paralyze is a very luck-based magic. I wouldn’t say its a bad spell, I’d definitely upgrade this one if there were more merit space.

Slow II: 45mp, each upgrades makes it easier to land, and makes it even SLOWER. I read it once on this website, hence I still have the bookmark.

• Slow1: Caps 30% slowness
• Slow2 (1): 34% slow
• Slow2 (2): 37% slow
• Slow2 (3): 39% slow <-- estimate, can be slower.
• Elegy: Constant 48% Slow.

We all know Elegy is very slow, but if you fully upgrade a Slow2, added with Elegy, you are nearly slowing the enemy 90%, with a 2.4sec delay / attack from most mobs, you are slowing enemy’s attack by (2.4 x 48%+39%) = 4.48sec, that’s nearly enough time for a ninja to Utsusemi: Ichi up!

So I was thinking, this benefits both in HNM, and exp parties, so I decided to fully upgrade Slow2 :) even without elegy, I would pull nearly a 4sec slow, making it still possible to blink up Utsusemi: Ichi.

Blind II: I don’t know MP cost, 9% evasion naturally, 11% with blind1, 12% evasion with blind2 1 upgrade. Result from theorderls (or BG) is definitely not pleasing. To me it isn’t worth it. There are a few reasons

• Slower Attack over time = Null 1 attack. If its 10% slower, so that means the monster now hit 9 times instead of 10 times, basically means it nulls a hit.
• Paralyze an attack also nulls the attack, but then it can null both magic or JA’s
• Blind II not only does not null the attack, but its very evasion dependent . It would only help to evade more, but if the blindness % (hense the evasion incrase due to Blind II does not out-weight the Proc rate of Paralyze II or significantly better than Slow II, I would put Blind II probably something I’d level very late.

Phalanx II is a different one. Its like Warp 2, you are now able to cast on party members (lolPLD). But here’s the deal, with 1 upgrade you start with a 16 damage potency (that’s lower than normal phalanx). Each upgrade makes it last longer, and increase damage reflection by 3. A fully upgrade is only 22 damage reduction. My phalanx with enhancing gear, is 23 potency. So if you really need it for HNM OR love partying with Paladin, this would be a worthwhile upgrade.

So personally, I think Slow 2 is more a constant debuff, the moment you cast it, the effect is on, its effectiveness is guaranteed. Paralyze “needs to kick in” but at least it can null attacks, but Blind doesn’t offer nulling attack so….. (at least I won’t upgrade it)

But keep in mind, each upgrade is offset by “not able to merit other stuff”. They are all good up to a certain extent. If you wanna be avesta, Bio3 still good, or if you like to be tank PT rdm ‘~”, Phalanx 3 upgrades still good, but all goes down to your own playing style :).

How good is MND for RDM?

I caught this in BG forum, but LOL someone really did some SERIOUS research in RDM’s MND-based debuffs! Lets take a look!

Random numbers? Um.. hard to say but lets define some words..
Duration: I suppose it would be “successfully” landing the spel, thus having “some sort of duration”, I mean 0 duration means you pretty much fail rdm.

Proc: How many times it will kick in, a 100% Proc rate for 10 sec means during that 10 seconds, anything that the monster does for the next 10 second will get paralyze, Proc rate is basically (# of paralyzed attack / total attack).

I’ve done some test with Roranora back at um.. UB? rofl Omen 1? He was trying to convince me to buy HQ staves when I was power leveling my Goldsmithing, so it must be a really convincing argument, and it did, since blm have low enfeebling, it would significantly tell us equipping what would improve landing debuffs on aura statues. After numerous testing, we’ve concluded that… HQ staves > enfeebling dagger (which is what I used back then) helps with landing enfeebling spells. This is a fact. (at least to me)

Looking back up at the graph, the determinants for “duration” are from enfeebling skills, HQ staves, and MND. We know that HQ staves > enfeebling, and the number on the graph totally reflects that relationship, so at least to me, this graph is not complete bullshit

Well rather you believe it or not, I’m goin summarize what I see. Overall order of importance: MND > Enfeebling Skills > HQ Staves. MND plays a major role in the calculation of Proc rate AND duration, no doubt. Enfeebling is second because… it plays both a major role in both Proc rate and Duration… whereas HQ staves only helps on landing, doesn’t do crap about um.. Proc rate.

So I guess if you are having trouble landing, you are better off with HQ staves, but for me who um.. have no problem with it, I’m going to consider using enfeebling dagger again :3 for the higher Proc rate! Afterall got to prove this graph is true ‘-‘

My Evaluation on Tier2 Merits:

Two upgrades of Dia III: Purely for exping, if I finish merit someday >.> I’d probably remove it and maxed out Paralyze II

One upgrade of Paralyze II: Purely for the looks.

Zero upgrades in Blind II or the gimped Phalanx II (I never have PLD tanks nor I goto tank parties during Fafnir). Blind’s too dependent on evasion.. Phalanx II? Someone else would do it :)

Three upgrades of Slow II: Slowness guaranteed! Hay, 4sec / attack can allow you to put up Utsusemi: Ichi!

Bio III: For Avesta-type Red Mage’s

Avesta’s Merit Evaluation (Found this 2 months after I wrote all these)

Avesta: Merit Setup
*2006 9/7

First lets explain some of the Japanese up there lol.
Name of Tier II Merits | MP | Soloing (Grading) | PT (Grading) | Remarks

Basically, he share the same view as I do, Slow II ftw, Blind II too evasion dependent, as I suspected, Avesta upgraded Bio III, he grades Paralyze II as C+ and B, vs Dia III, Dia III is a good spell imo. Hence I did upgrade it too, but removed it for Paralyze II later due to more effective on HNM (someone’s going stick Bio on anyway, why not have a good Para II)

Maiev’s Merit Setup

MP: 8
INT: 5
Sword: 8
Evasion: 4 (Evasion skill kicks in 24/7 XD)
Crit on Enemy: 4 (for blu,sam)
– Enmity: 4 (Cure bomb mage!)

RDM Tier I
Convert Timer: (5 upgrades)
Wind Accuracy: (5 upgrades, completely removed)
Ice Accuracy: (5 upgrades)

RDM Tier II
Dia II (2 upgrades, removed)
Slow II (3 upgardes)
Paralyze II (3 upgrades)

Blue Tier I
Physical Potency: (5 upgrades)
Magical Accuracy: (5 upgrades)

Avesta’s Merit Setup