Mai’s Samurai Equipment!

Not only there are numerous style to gear a job, but there’s also numerous ways to play a job. Humans are reluctant to change hence when people come with weird subs or weird weapons, most people just panic. Hence most people we exp with go with a typical setup (Axe Axe war, Thf/Nin, GKT Samurai).

Luckily, my LS allows me to do testing and allow me to discover the strength of Polearm Samurai.

I originally leveled Samurai purely for PvP purposes, but since I played WoW, I quickly lost interest with FFXI’s PvPing in general. Therefore, my merits on Samurai are a bit catered to PvPing / Parrying Skillups.

Samurai-Related Merits

8/8 Polearm Skills (Bringing it up to 256)

5/5 Meditate
5/5 Third Eye

3/3 Overwhelm (Free damage increase across any type of weapon)
3/3 Blade Bash (To Stun people, but apparently after that FF patch, it became useless).

I’m a Polearm Samurai, and if you’re interested in being one, just read on.

A little talk about Mai’s merit choices.

I’ve calculated about Stored TP (actually, SohJai did it for me xD). I’d like to do Store TP simply because in general, it takes a few less hit to achieve 100% TP. But here’s the kicker. When I was choosing merits, the 2-handed adjustment wasn’t in, and with a B weapon, accuracy was extremely important in terms of Exping with a Polearm. If I were to do a 6 hit setup (including merits), I need 26 Store TP on myself, provided I land 4/5 of a Penta Thrust (Average 80+ accuracy). I did some gear predictions and to get that much Store TP (looking into other 6 hit GKT Samurai setup), I will have to sacrifice a lot of accuracy equipment. Making it absolutly un-doable.

With this in mind, instead of aiming a 6 hit and low accuracy setup due to Store TP equipment, I aim for a high accuracy setup. Afterall, when you miss, not only you get NO DPS, but you get NO TP. You loose a lot when you miss a hit.

With the mind set of giving up 6 hit setup, I build my samurai around PvP and Parrying skillup, I ended up doing 3rd Eye merits.

Samurai – Polearm Accuracy Setup

Main: Engetsuto (2 Acc)
Sub: Axe Strap
Ammo: Tiphia Sting (2 Acc)
Head: Optical Hat (10 Acc)
Neck: Peacock Charm (10 Acc)
Ear1: Brutal Earring
Ear2: Fowling Earring (3 Acc)
Body: Haubergeon +1 (12 Acc + 6 DEX)
Hands: Ochiudo’s Kote
Ring1: Sniper’s Ring +1 (7 Acc)
Ring2: Sniper’s Ring +1 (7 Acc)
Back: Forager’s Mantle
Waist: Life Belt (10 Acc)
Legs: Byakko’s Haidate (15 DEX)
Feet: Amir Boots (6 Acc)

Note: This is a 88% Accuracy according to parser (+69 Acc, 256 Polearm) pre 2-handed update and a 95.5% accuracy (+69 Acc, 21 DEX, 256 Polearm) after the 2-handed update. With DEX contributing to accuracy increase, I can probably swap some equipment such as Life Belt for Swift Belt. Before the update, nothing was possible to further increase DPS. I did a few parsing with different equipment, the accuracy lost was not worth it in the end.

Samurai – Polearm Weapon Skill Setup

Main: Engetsuto
Sub: Axe Strap
Ammo: Tiphia Sting
Head: Optical Hat
Neck: Peacock Charm
Ear1: Brutal Earring
Ear2: Fowling Earring
Body: Haubergeon +1
Hands: Myochin Kote +1
Ring1: Sniper’s Ring +1
Ring2: Sniper’s Ring +1
Back: Forager’s Mantle
Waist: Potent Belt
Legs: Byakko’s Haidate
Feet: Amir Boots

Note: This setup itself can produce around 880 WS Average pre 2-handed update and 1374 WS Average after the 2-handed update. My highest damage was 1999 Penta Thrust (/w 2 Minuet).

The only two piece of equipment I swap was Samurai AF+1 gloves and the Belt. Pre 2-handed update, I used to WS with Alky (since DEX don’t give accuracy). But with last update, since DEX gives acc, I assume -DEX gives the reverse effect, hence making Alky not the ideal WS equipment anymore for my Polearm WS setup(T_T to 25m Alky lol…). The Gloves gives +7 STR and +7 DEX, which is perfect setup for Penta Thrust. Keep in mind, all WS take STR as primary modifier and can always use more STR to boost damage on WS.

One thing that must be keep in mind. Landing an extra Penta Thrust can mean 250-400 damage on your WS. Therefore, accuracy must not be sacrificed in your WS setup. Remember, Penta Thrust is a 5 hit WS. Also, Dark Gorget don’t do much here. The damage and accuracy only buff your 1st hit. Your other 4 hits will not benefit at all from the Gorget, so in this situation, I just pick more accuracy.

With the 2-handed setup, other equipment can be swapped in. Since after the update, I had a 95% Accuracy, meaning there are places which I can give up for a bit more STR. I can use Creek F Clomps for a bit more STR. Alky is still not the ideal WS equipment since for 4 more STR, you decrease -7 Accuracy (from the -DEX), this is worst than not wearing gloves at all lol.

Samurai – Great Katana TP Setup

Main: Hagen
Sub: Axe Strap
Ammo: Tiphia Sting
Head: Optical Hat
Neck: Peacock Charm
Ear1: Brutal Earring
Ear2: Fowling Earring
Body: Haubergeon +1
Hands: Ochiudo’s Kote
Ring1: Sniper’s Ring +1
Ring2: Sniper’s Ring +1
Back: Forager’s Mantle
Waist: Swift Belt
Legs: Byakko’s Haidate
Feet: Amir Boots

Note: Unlike people who have Samurai as their main job, this is my 3rd job and none of my merits were catered to this. Since I don’t have merits, my setup was purely aimed for not missing stuff. Besides, why would you need anything else other than Accuracy when you are TPing. I mean sure you can squeeze more attack or more haste, but when you miss, not only you don’t get TP, you don’t deal damage, which lowers your overall DPS. I can tune it given I goto more Exp parties, but this is pre-2handed update, and I haven’t had an opportunity to Exp since then.

Samurai – Great Katana WS /war Setup

Main: Hagen
Sub: Axe Strap
Ammo: Tiphia Sting
Head: Myochin’s Kabuto +1
Neck: Snow Gorget
Ear1: Brutal Earring
Ear2: Fowling Earring
Body: Haubergeon +1
Hands: Alkyloneus’ Bracelets
Ring1: Triumph Ring
Ring2: Triumph Ring
Back: Forager’s Mantle
Waist: Potent Belt
Legs: Byakko’s Haidate
Feet: Creek F Clomps

Note: The Alky is -6 DEX, but since Haidate is 15DEX, I still actually gain 9 Acc on top of 11 STR. Since GKT is 276, the Accuracy by default isn’t bad so I went a bit brave and stack some STR. Also, Gorget enhances accuracy on Gekko (& I only use Gekko). Hauby 12 Acc, Belt with 8, 9 Dex on Pants and.. 10% more from Gorget, it actually lands pretty decently. Spikes only when DA kicks in though.

Samurai – Great Katana WS Setup

Main: Hagen
Sub: Axe Strap
Ammo: Tiphia Sting
Head: Myochin’s Kabuto +1
Neck: Snow Gorget
Ear1: Triumph Earring +1
Ear2: Triumph Earring +1
Body: Haubergeon +1
Hands: Alkyloneus’ Bracelets
Ring1: Triumph Ring
Ring2: Triumph Ring
Back: Forager’s Mantle
Waist: Warwolf Belt
Legs: Myochin’s Haidate
Feet: Creek F Clomps

Note: THF sub, its going to land, so pure STR on this one. Don’t really need to debate on it.

So what? Polearm Samurai?

Well first thing first, the… Blade Bash could have been something else. I didn’t feel like being Mr.Nice guy (Give TP to others, Shikikoyo). Also, improved Zenshin isn’t really for me either, since I don’t really miss.

The 3rd Eye merits turned out to be pretty useful. Most of the people (I’d say 90% of the people), would do Store TP. I’d thought about it at first, and definitely no question if you’re a GKT user. But for me, landing Penta Thrust could make a huge factor. Each hit from Penta Thrust is 1TP more, so its really hard to assume how much Store TP you really need. So I went to do 3rd Eye. But what I found out was, my parser is usually pretty high, or in fact, outparse people. I might loose out on WS damage (before 2h update, now its just pure ownage), but my melee damage would definitely be high. That’s because everytime I get hate, I have a chance to counter while having 3rd Eye up.

If you do choose to do Store TP, I guess the best assumption is to assume you land 1st hit, but miss all other hits. For me, that’d be 16 TP.

In Exp parties, I usually have Berserk + Seigan/3rd Eye, or Hasso with 3rd Eye (without Hasso) when it isn’t up. When its the Berserk + Seigan/3rd Eye combo, I even weapon skill at the start. That’s because when I get hate, I can counter their attack with extra melee damage. Remember, 3rd Eye gives you a chance to counter your next attack (can increase that chance if you have AF2).

The nice thing about Seigan/3rd Eye is, Pecking Flurry only count as ONE anticipated attack. So if you’re good, you can put up 3rd Eye just before Pecking Flurry and your healer will thank you. For me, I just put it up 24/7 rather than subbing Nin. It produce quite a nice result. Since I have 5/5 3rd Eye, my Eye will be up 5 sec before it wears off (last 30sec with Seigan on), and most of the time, even if you continuously get hit, a single Seigan/3rd Eye can consecutively take up to 20sec of bashing. Leaving only 5sec open to take damage, in that case your healer will hate you :( .

Having one merit into Shikikoyo isn’t a bad idea, so at least you aren’t absolutely useless in Salvage, but regardless, I just meditate and WS when its safe to do so. Its still okay but pretty sure most people rather you give TP to MNKs using Shikikoyo.

So yea, you don’t really need like Abjurations or… Ace helm to do good damage. I think most of my equipment is AHable… or Sky LS able. With correct combination, you can really do good damage.

You can find the rest of my Samurai party post [here]. (For those who’d rather see some parser results, and keep in mind those are mostly pre 2h update. My damage now is crazy, will tell you about it next post!)