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| Forum Index > Paladin > Paladin Information VERY USEFUL!!! | The current time is Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:30:06 |
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The New Paladin Equipment guide (1-50)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It seems everyday someone new posts a question about equipment (eq). So I have decided to piece together a guide that Paladins can use for a reference. First, I think this is important to state what, your job, as a Paladin is. It is to be the Tank and hate controller. Any enemy you engage should stay focused on you, because most other classes are not designed to take hits. Keeping the hate and tanking is a skill, to really be good at it you need to have the best equipment. The Paladins job as hate controller is equally as important as the White Mages job at keeping everyone alive. When you loose the attention (hate) of the mob, MP is wasted by the mages, and abilities are wasted by the melees, to try to get things back in order without deaths. Having the best equipment can help you more then anything else. Your hate controlling ability can either make or break a party. Q: What goes into deciding what equipment I should be looking at? A: #1 The items stats, obviously are what you should be looking. The stats that take priority over others to a Paladin are: Defense: Most important stat for your first 50 levels Vitality: As much as possible, Most important stat 50+ Mind: Helps your Curing potency AND natural resistances to spells Agility: Helps evasion, parry/block, and avoiding critical hits Magic Points: Cure’s = hate so having MP helps #2 Your race. Each race has its own disadvantages and advantages about being a Paladin. The Paladin role can be played equally well by any race as long as you know what your character is capable of. It will defiantly take more skill to play as a Taru or Galka in your first 40 levels as a Paladin. Humes, Mithra, and Elvaans have a bit easier time because their stats are somewhat more balanced and have to focus less strongly on one stat over another. In a nut shell: Elvaan and Galka have MP issues, Taru have vitality and hit point issues, Mithra are fairly well balanced, but are a bit lacking in vitality department, and Humes are fairly well balanced having similar stats compared to the Mithra but with higher vitality and lower agility, however Humes vitality is lower then Elvaans and Galkas vitality. Mithra and Humes usually focus mainly on vitality. Tarus in addition to vitality they also focus on hit points. Elvaans will focus on a balance of vitality and magic points. Galkas will focus on magic points for most of their career until they hit 50-60 where most Paladins focus strongly on vitality, which is what Galkas are noted for. All Paladins beginning at level 1 are going to have to ALWAYS have up-to-date armor. That means replacing your sets or armor EVERY 5-7 levels. But honestly you will absolutely need it. Having the best armor for you level will not only keep you from dying as much, but it will help to keep the xp flowing faster, for obvious reasons. Which is what most people want, to be able level as quickly as possible. Your armor is the first thing you should be buying, over anything else, accessories come second. Here is a break down of what armor you should be looking at level by level. *Variations occur, depending on race and I will try to make note of them as best I can* ** EQ + 1 is not necessary for 95% of the items. A few are, the ones I have noted** Back 4 Rabbit Mantle 12 Traveler’s Mantel 24 Nomad's Mantle 30 Mercenary's Mantle [Macroed into Provoke] 40 Earth Mantle Body 7 Leather Vest 10 Legionnaire's Harness 15 Bastokan Harness 17 Lizard Jerkin 21 Beetle Harness 24 Chain Mail 29 Eisenburst 36 Silver Mail 40 Royal Squire's Chainmail 42 Earth Doublet 45 Brigandine Armor 50 Iron Musketeer’s Cuirass 50 JSE [link=]Quested[/link] Feet 7 Leather Highboots 10 Scale Greaves 13 Light Soleas 18 Power Sandles (Fail this quest) 20 Mages Sandals [Galka Elvaan] 29 Eisenschuhs Hands 7 Leather Gloves (quested) 10 Legionnaire’s / Royal Footman’s Gloves 11 Zealot’s Mitts [Galka Elvaan] 14 Battle Gloves 21 Beetle Mittens 24 Chain Mittens 27 Magna Gloves (quested) [Elvaan RSE] 27 Elder’s Bracers (quested) [Galka RSE, keep until AF] 27 Savage Gauntlets (quested) [Mithra RSE, keep until AF] 29 Eisenhentzes 40 Iron Musketeer’s Gauntlets Head 1 Cache-nez 15 Bastokan Cap / San d'Orian Bandana [Macro Cache-nez into your provoke macro] 20 Silver Hairpin [Galka Elvaan] 21 Beetle Mask 24 Iron Mask 29 Eisenschaller 40 Electrum Hairpin [Galka Elvaan] 40 Iron Musketeer’s Armet Legs 7 Leather Trousers 10 Scale 17 Lizard Trousers 20 Royal Footman's Trousers 24 Chain Hose 29 Eisendiechlings 36 Silver Hose 40 Royal Squire Breeches 50 Iron Musketeer’s Cuisses Neck 7 Justice Badge (Quested) 10 Republican Bronze Medal [Galka Elvaan] 15 Bird Whistle [Taru] 20 Bloodbead Amulet [Taru Hume] [use until Medieval collar] 26 Holy Phial [Galka Elvaan] 35 Medieval Collar (if you don’t use Holy Phial) (Quested) 35 Shield Pendant [Taru] 37 Memento Muffler [For emergency use] (Quested) 50 Hateful Collar [Macroed into Provoke] Shield 9 Aspis 20 Decurion’s Shield 28 Kite Shield (the the PLD quest one^^) 38 Jennet Shield 40 Balanced Buckler [Elvaan] 43 Heater Shield 50 Royal Knight Army Def: 14 Str: 2 Mnd: 1 50 Temple Knight Army Def: 14 Str: 1 Mnd: 2 Waist 7 Leather Belt 14 Friar’s Rope [Galka Elvaan] (quested) 15 Warriors Belt + 1 [Milage Varies, 50-70] 48 Life Belt 50 Jungle Belt [Mithra] 50 Steppe Belt [Taru] Weapon 7 Xiphos 9 Spatha (the one from PLD quest^^) 11 Bee Spatha + 1 18 Fire/Flame /Iron (Quested) / Long Sword 30 Centurion Sword 34 Hunting Sword 39 Grudge Sword 42 Honor Sword (Artifact Sword) 50 Tactician Magician’s Espadon Ear 10 Onyx [Galka Elvaan Hume] 10 Opal [Taru] 10 Physical Earring [Taru] 30 Mercenary's Earring [r/ex] 35 Drone Earring Finger 1 Starting Rings is Fine 1 Ascetic’s Ring 10 Astral rings [Galka Hume Elvaan] *Luxary* 14 Stamina 36 Sphene Ring 36 Verve Ring *Luxary* 40 Electrum Ring [Galka] 43 Mermaid Ring *Luxary* 50 Phalanx Ring |
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Description: The Paladin is a combination warrior and white mage. As such, he can wield most weapons and wear most armor, and he can also heal the wounds of his party members. Even though the Paladin gets the ability to heal, his main role in a party will be as a "tank" type. In order to be able to switch to this job, you must be at least level 30 and have completed the Paladin Flag Quest |
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For the 100% clueless -- what's a HNM? HNM stands for Hyper Notorious Monster, or something to that extent. In essence, it's a big mob that requires an alliance to kill effectively. Most of them have an arsenal of totally horrible imma-eat-you-alive tricks, but that makes things all the more fun, don't they? You may compare HNM hunts to raids in other MMO's (I have no idea why they don't call them raids here, but that's another story). The most common way to fight these HNMs is to have a linkshell specifically geared for them. Are plds needed for HNMs? Plds are most definitely handy, even if your linkshell favours the use of blink tanking. Even if a pld isn't the main tank, they're good for kiting, and are handy backup tanks in case the blink tanks go down, or something happens and you want Invincible to save the day. How -many- PLDs are needed for a hnm linkshell is a different story, because each hnm linkshell has their own unique setup and no one hnm group is the same as another. It really depends on the ls you're joining. Equipment Now that you've gotten yourself into a HNM linkshell (let's assume), here's the time to reorganize your priorities and think of your future equipment plans. When you used to be exping, you'd focus on maybe vit > enmity > agi > mp, or something like that. Well, it's time to do some housecleaning. Here are the most important stats (in no particular order) for HNM hunting, and why: HP -- HP doesn't seem like it's that much use in exp parties, but it makes all the difference in this field. When you've got 50hp/tick poison, or 1400 damage Meteors, or consecutive 700 Breath attacks, you need that HP to 1) avoid gettng 1-shotted, and 2) allow whms a larger time frame to cure you. Whms are humans too -- there will be a short lapse (reaction time + cast time) before the spell can go off. So having a larger HP window means there is more chance for the cure to actually hit you before you die. Every point of HP is worth it. VIT/DEF -- as you already know, vit/def reduces damage by a lot. Stock up on as much as you can, but remember to keep a balance between this and your HP equipment. Most people look at Koenig armour and see the +vit, but Koenig equipment also comes with a hefty amount of def. BOTH vit and def are important for HNM fights. -% damage -- -% damage reduction is a very very handy thing -- your earth staff will reduce far far more damage than a koenig shield + gluttony sword (vit+12). When things are hitting you really painfully, you WILL notice a difference with that Earth Staff. These 3 areas are really the only ones you need for HNM fighting (moderate mp helps too). Boost as much as you can on these 3 stats; things like enmity and agi can be sacrified. You don't need those as much as you need these 3 stats, because HNM fighting and exping are 2 entirely, vastly, totally different worlds. Basic Equipment The following short, simple list of equipment are my personal bare minimum recommendations for starting HNM tanking: - Earth Staff - Jelly Ring - HP+ earrings and belt Most of what will help you tank HNMs come from the HNMs themselves. For starters, this tiny little list is just about good enough. The old end-game armour discussion This section included because some people might still be confused on which armours are used for what. Gallant equipment (your AF1 set): You can use this to exp to 75, tank HNMs in it, whatever. This is your basic, multi-purpose, I'm-starting-from-the-ground-up armour. It's not the best, but it's not gimp either. The Gallant Surcoat is a very good piece of equipment and is even more preferable to the Adaman/Gem Cuirass. Valor equipment (the AF2 set): Looks-wise, Valor equipment is teh hawt. Stats-wise, the ONLY piece of Valor equipment that will do anything good for HNMs are the gloves. Valor gauntlets are your next best equipment before Koenig. Everything else adds nice hp, but doesn't provide VIT at all. Adaman/Gem equipment (high level smithing, crafted): Some pieces (head, legs and feet) are a good substitute until you get your Koenig. The Gem set is the HQ version of the Adaman. The entire adaman set looks nice, but isn't worth the gil if you don't have it. Don't sweat if you can't afford everything, although the few extra points of vit help a little. Get the few pieces that help, but the body piece is a waste of money. The Adaman cuirass is inferior to the Gallant Surcoat for HNMs imo, because of the reduced HP. Dusk equipment (high level leathercraft, crafted): Besides being a very sexy suit of armour (it's not heavy armour, but it's literally tight-looking), the most noticeable piece of this set is the Dusk mask, which offers a nice vit+5, at a fairly hefty cost. The other pieces add random attributes and bonuses that you may or may not want, but pre koenig the Dusk mask offers the largest increase in VIT. Koenig/Kaiser equipment (cursed equipment, high level goldsmithing, requires Martial Abjuration or M. Abj): The ultimate HNM tank equipment. Total set is VIT+60 CHR+60 DEX-30 STR-30, and a crapload of HP+ and Def. Needless to say, Koenig abjuration drop rates are some of the suckiest in the entire game. However, every piece of Koenig is worth its weight in gold. This should be your long-term goal. Kaiser is the +1 version of Koenig. Crimson equipment (cursed equipment, high level alchemy, requires Wyrmal Abjuration or W. Abj): The crimson suit of armour is another nice-looking suit of armour, and some plds keep this as an extra set of cursed armour for use in certain situations, in particular the Crimson Legs piece, which provides movement speed+ and is hence the equipment of choice for kiting. Recommended setup before Koenig: Head -- Adaman (or Dusk if you can afford it) Hands -- Valor Body -- Gallant Legs -- Adaman (3 more vit) or Gallant (15 more HP) Feet -- Adaman Replace these pieces with cursed equipment as you get them. Common HNM PLD accessories Here is an appendix of accessories that HNM plds usually strive for. Remember that many plds carry multiple sets of equipment -- for example a HP set, or a VIT set -- to treat different mobs differently. This list does not include +1 versions except for the essential Warrior's Belt+1. Behemoth Mantle : Def12 HP+20 Attack+5 Bloodbead Earring : HP+25 Bomb Queen Ring : HP+75 Fire Resist-75 Cassie Earring (mainly for Hume/Mithra/Taru) : Def2 STR+1 VIT+1 Convert 50 mp to hp Defending Ring : Damage Taken -10% Desert Sash (Galka) : Def7 HP+30 AGI+4 INT-4 Forest Sash (Elvaan) : Def7 HP+30 DEX+4 INT-4 Iron Musketeer's Gorget : Def7 HP+15 VIT+1 Jelly Ring : Physical Damage Taken -5% Magical Damage Taken +5% Jungle Sash (Mithra) : Def6 HP+45 STR+4 MND-4 Knight's Earring : VIT+2 Shield Skill+5 Divine Magic+5 Ocean Sash (Hume) : Def6 HP+45 STR+4 INT-4 Pigeon Earring : HP+20 Water Resist+5 Rosenbogen : HP+10 VIT+3 Soil Ring : Def3 VIT+5 DEX+2 AGI-2 Steppe Sash (Taru) : Def5 HP+60 VIT+4 MND-4 Warrior's Belt+1 : HP+4 VIT+3 Subjobs PLD/NIN -- Despite what you may have been told, pld/nin is not a very good combination for the large, vast majority of HNMs. It -might- work for the baby NMs like Simurgh. At any point in time with regards to HNM hunting, a war sub > a nin sub. If already the other people of an exp party cannot take hits, this is even more so the case in HNM hunting. Therefore, a war sub gives you the best tool you can ever have for hate -- that precious voke. Again, pld/nin can be usable for lower end HNMs, but as you progress to stronger HNMs you will need pld/war. PLD/WAR -- Pld/war is the ultimate choice in high-end HNM hunting. Sadly for those who wish to explore other subjob options, that is not the case. For the strongest HNMs you will STILL use war for maximum results; nin will not provide jack and will end up levelling half your alliance in a fraction of a second. Eat it up, and stick to your war sub. Please. Kiting What is kiting? Kiting is basically stringing the HNM along (think of flying a kite) so as to reduce damage done to you. Usually this is accompanied by rdms gravitying and debuffing it to all hell, and in some cases the blms will attempt to nuke it to death as you kite. The plds basically use their JA's and Flash to keep hate on themselves while running the mob around. Not all HNMs should be kited; when and what to kite depends on your linkshell's personal strategy. Tips and Tricks 1. Take note of your hate. This is important, because when you're kiting your camera will be defaulted to face front, and you won't be able to see the HNM unless you rotate the camera yourself. Hence you can't directly see if the mob is still hitting you or not. Keep a note of your available JA's and timers at all times and apply them frequently and consistently. 2. Watch where you're going; you don't want to kite Kirin into the mages' corner. Always work out a route beforehand, and stick to that route. 3. Keep your target on the HNM you're kiting; that way if you run out of range you'll know immediately. That said, make sure you -don't- run out of range, because that will tend to disrupt your hate. You want to keep the HNM moving along smoothly, so if necessary, check back and stop for a while to let the mob catch up, then start running again. 4. To check back, rotate your camera around. To switch quickly back to front mode, switch the 1st person mode, then switch out to 3rd person. Roles Note that this list is not exhaustive, I've just included the more common things plds do at HNM fights: 1. Spirits Within whore Simple tactic, especially if you have a nin tank: build tp on surrounding mobs, then unleash a fully loaded Spirits Within on the HNM. A pld's spirits within is often stronger than the other sword-wielding melees because of their higher hp. 2. Flasher/backup tank/backup healer Also often when you have a nin main tank -- Whenever the nin has to cast utsusemi ichi it's a good practice to flash the mob at that moment, so that the nin may have some breathing space. Of course your Flash might not blind the enemy, but it's worth a shot. Also, backup heal anyone who needs healing and if things get ugly, it's up to you to voke and save the day. 3. Main Tank The most exciting position you can have in a HNM fight. You will be the punching bag and meat shield for anywhere from 7-20+ other people instead of your measly 5 in exp parties. You get to stand right under the nose of some foul-smelling dragon and get to feel its breath down your neck, and its spikes ramming into you and.... well, you get the idea. Basically, you tank. Savour the adrenaline rush, but don't forget to watch out for your hate, because you'll still have to watch it just like in an exp party. Many HNM fights drag on for fairly long, often anywhere from 20 minutes to 5 or 6 hours, so you need to ration your hate wisely. It helps if you can mentally stretch your hate routine for exp parties, and apply that module to HNM tanking. 4. Kiter Kiting explained above. Hate The hate in HNM tanking might feel a little warped compared to normal exping. In exping you find that you lose hate to a careless drk, or overnuking blm. In HNM fights, you'll be mostly losing hate to the whms (think of all that hp they're healing) and rngs, because rng damage on HNMs is nothing short of sick compared to the other dd classes. Even blms, sometimes. Although rng/nins have a bit more survivability if they can use utsusemi and shadowbind well. Also, hate is very very much more important in a HNM fight. While you can let an exp mob wail on a frail mage for a while, you cannot afford to let this happen in a HNM fight. More often than not the HNM will one-shot (or two-shot, depending on race) the mages. One flick and your mages will drop like flies (a pimped taru blm has about 500-600hp; he/she is going to die if a HNM so much as looks at him/her). Hence it is imperative that you maintain hate, at all and any costs. Even your 2hr. If you can save the HNM from going after your mages, do it! Mages are your lifeblood in a HNM fight -- save them, and you save the fight. This is also why pld/nin cannot work effectively in a HNM situation. You need that provoke like you need water to stay alive. Without it your hate is going to ricochet around the soft little mages in their robes, and well... you know the outcome. Your hate is of the utmost importance. Common HNMs to try fighting The following are a list of the common HNMs people fight, as well as the difficulty. As with all of my guides I don't like to go by numbers, so I'm going by personal feel and experience. Do also note that some HNMs are listed here because they drop worthwhile loot and are hence seen as acceptable targets for HNM shells. This list once again is not exhaustive. Only the very common targets are listed. I have included recommended levels for trying them out, but by all means please use the levels provided as a general guide and do not confine yourself strictly to them. For some I have also provided how many people it takes at higher levels to kill -- for example Simurgh: Recommended: 65-70 with alliance, 70+ with party means you can probably start killing it at around 65+, but once you have a group of 70+ people you don't need an alliance to fight it anymore and can do it with just a party. Training Stuff These mobs are not considered true HNMs and most can be taken down by very few 75's, but they are a nice way to experience the thrill of the fight at lower levels. If you want to slowly wean yourself onto the idea of getting smashed for 3 digit damage regularly, try these in your 60's. Roc Recommended: 60+ with alliance, 70+ with party This is arguably the easiest 'HNM' that people regularly hunt. He is really really easy and people in their 60's should have no problems taking him down. King Arthro Recommended: 60+ with alliance, 70+ with party Affectionately known as KA, this NM is really easy. The only trouble is actually getting claim, because he drops the Speed Belt, a very highly-prized item. So expect to have plenty of competition at his spawn. Lumber Jack Recommended: 60-69 with alliance, 70+ with party Another easy one for level 60's for those who wish to start early. Aquarius Recommended: 60-65 with alliance, 65-69 with party, 70+ with 2-3 The drop rate of Damascene Cloth (used to make Vermillion Cloaks) is totally horrible on this guy. He's a slightly greater challenge for 65's to 70's. As a crab he's pretty harmless in terms of 'devastating attacks'. In fact, a small alliance or full party of higher 60's can try him. Great way for plds to get used to getting hit hard. Simurgh Recommended: 65-70 with alliance, 70+ with party Another bird-type mob, but a tiny step above Roc. He should pose no problem as well. 2 level 75's of the proper jobs can take him down comfortably, but for level 60's he is a pretty nice alliance challenge. The Not-So-Training stuff These ones are slightly tougher and will require a bit more effort (as well as higher level). Great introductory stuff for level 70's as well as weaning off the smaller stuff. These ones also drop bigger and better loot. Yay! Adamantoise Recommended: 65-70 with alliance, 70+ with party This guy is so easy to experienced 75's that we call him the Skill-up Rock. The only problem are the links surrounding him, and the fact that you might end up with the +1 version of this guy (not introductory stuff!), Aspidochelone. Otherwise, this fellow is very very easy. Has close to no ouchy specials, and hits like a baby. Just sit on him and he'll cry inside that shell. Behemoth Recommended: 65-69 with alliance, 70+ with party Contrary to popular belief, I find the regular Behemoth -easier- than say, Bune. He doesn't even hit as hard, and he has no Meteor like his big brother, King Behemoth. He's just a purple dude who looks scary, but can be eaten alive. Get in there and poke him. Serket Recommended: 65-72 with alliance, 73-75 with party Popular target for training people and for established shells out for money. Serket has a few nasty attacks and will give you your introduction to the wonderful world of hate-reset attacks that stun and throw you from one end of the room to the other. Also he will give you your first taste of AOE attacks and for all your effort, he might drop a Venomous Claw (used for making Scorpion Harness). Bune Recommended: 65-72 with alliance, 73-75 with party Remember when you were levelling in Gustav you happened across this guy? Yes, now's your turn to actually poke him. He has normal dragon attacks, breath, hurricane wing and such, and he hits pretty hard for a HNM his level. This is a good time to see if your white mages can do a nice job healing you sufficiently in preparation for tougher fights, and if you can keep the hate off them. Lord of Onzozo / Charybdis Recommended: 70+ with alliance These guys are pretty similar, although I personally have somethng against Charybdis because he drops my sword <.<;; Basically, they don't hit for much, but they hit fast. Another test of your healers' curing skills. Za'Dha Adamantking / Tzee Xicu the Manifest / Overlord Bakgodek Recommended: 70+ with alliance The 3 beastmen gods. They're pretty similar in terms of difficulty, but they each have different job classes and have their own beastmen-specific attacks (like orcs have that Slam Dunk thing). Comfortable for practising alliance fighting. Capricious Cassie Recommended: 70+ with party She's a mean monster, but only because she has all these horrid attacks. Sweet Breath that fills you up with every status effect in the game, hate-rest Tentacle attack thingy, and many, many worse things. Eww. Simply eww. I hate going to fight her :/ No more training wheels! Not so easy stuff now kiddos... some of these ones actually drop Abjuration! Omg! Yes, you can get Koenig now! Fafnir Recommended: 70+ with alliance This guy is a pushover. Really. He just looks mean, but he isn't mean at all. Nidhogg Recommended: 70+ with alliance Fafnir+1. It seems as if SE upgraded Nidhogg's difficulty in a recent patch, but otherwise he uses about the same things as Fafnir. He tends to hit a little harder I think. Genbu Recommended: 70+ with alliance One of the directional gods in Tu'lia. Genbu is IMO the easiest of the four gods, because he attacks so slow (well, he is a tortoise). Think of him as the Adamantoise's bigger brother. Suzaku Recommended: 70+ with alliance The bird god, and also a pushover once you get past his Chainspell 2hr. I won't say exactly how because different linkshells have different ways of fighting him, but aside from his 2hr the other attacks are nothing to worry about. Aspidochelone Recommended: 70+ with alliance Adamntoise+1... he's ANOTHER tortoise. No comment. Seiryu Recommended: 70+ with alliance Dragon god. He can be nasty, but well.. he's a dragon. Basic HNM tactics = teh win. Just go at him as you've done with the other HNMs and all will be well. Byakko Recommended: 70+ with alliance I listed him last because some linkshells have trouble with him, although I personally find Seiryu more of a thorn than Byakko. This guy is difficult for a nin to tank because of his frequent Triple Attack, so plds, this is mostly your fight. The big boys Now we're rolling. King Behemoth Recommended: 75 with alliance Behemoth+1... his big, bad, very nasty brother. Not only does he tower over you and attempt to squash you with his foot, he casts Meteor and attempts to one-shot you. Nasty. Kirin Recommended: 75 with alliance The hardest HNM in the game. Average killing time averages from 3-6 hours; my linkshell clocked in at 5 on our first try. He is not for the faint-hearted, please go to the bathroom before coming to fight him. Manticore type mob, with a nasty temper. Does special attacks back-to-back. Fun. TEH toughest puppies These kids make Kirin look cuddly and cute, have longer spawn times, and generally kill your alliance by snorting at it. Tiamat/Jormungand/Vrtra Recommended: 75 with alliance The three new dragons included in the CoP patch. Each have their own special techniques; Tiamat flies into the air and shoots fireballs, Vrtra spawns undead stuff to try and pwn you as you try and pwn him, and Jormungand -- well I haven't encountered him yet. ^^; I hate those nin tanks, booo. While nin tanks excel at certain HNMs, there are some HNMs which are difficult (although not impossible) for nins to tank. Every type of tank has his/her place in ffxi, even war/nins. So don't feel upset about this, because if your linkshell plans on fighting most HNMs you WILL get to main tank. Unless of course, your linkshell has so many plds that they never get to your turn. Whatever a nin can tank, you can too, just that it might be a little harder. And whatever you can tank, a nin can tank too, just that it also might be harder. There are different types of mobs for everyone. For the god HNMs in Tu'lia (also known as sky), they have an additional effect that does as much damage as their physical attack, effectively enabling them to hit you for twice as much damage each round. 'Twice as much damage' means something like 180 damage+200 add effect, so you know how bad that is. There is a way to dispel that additional effect, but it requires throwing a special item at the god and having it hit the god, in order to get rid of it. Guess who has the highest throwing skill in the game? That's right, the nins. Of course you could also have a rng fire it at the god, but if you don't happen to have a rng around, you have to get a nin to throw the item so you can tank more easily. I don't feel useful at all, I get hit for so much! I'm useless without Koenig. I must get Koenig! Arrrrrrrrrrgh! This is where many HNM plds are confused. Many assume that Koenig equipment will automatically transform them into some uber HNM pld, although in many instances that is not the case. Koenig is a luxury; it helps a HNM fight be easier and less risky, but it does not win the fight for you. Basic, 'not pimp but not gimp' equipment will do just as fine, you won't be SO frail as to die in 2 hits even without a single piece of koenig. What DOES win the fight is not that lovely vit+ or that shiny defending ring, but your linkshell's strategy, teamwork, and execution of that very strategy. When you have a solid team that knows what it's doing, coordination, cooperation, and a good strategy that works, you're set. That will win the fight for you, not your equipment. I have seen AF plds tank mobs that hit like a ton of bricks, and I have seen Koenig plds get trampled by HNMs just because their people were careless or too cocky. Koenig will not save you from some of the meanest HNMs around; it is your team/linkshell that will. It is the white mages' teamwork with each other to heal you that will keep you alive, not vit+80. When a HNM wants to be truly mean, it will be truly mean. And when your linkshell wants to truly defeat a HNM, provided the teamwork, bonding and trust is there, you will win. Some plds become so caught up in their pursuit of Koenig that they neglect to appreciate the teamwork that actually does the winning. Hence this is why I brought this up. Work on forging and strengthening the bonds between your linkshell members, and you will blaze through any fight even in the same AF you wore at level 60. Koenig is a luxury, not a necessity. Teamwork and cohesion overrule a set of Koenig any day. Equipment is important. Teamwork is more important. |
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========================= I. A Paladin's Role ========================= A Paladin's job is to maintain consistent hate while taking as little damage as possible, and you should hold your priorities in that order. Your primary concern as a Paladin is to keep the mob securely focused on you so that it does not directly attack the other members of your party. All the best +Def, +Vit, +Agi, +HP, and -DMG% gear in the game will not matter if you are not the one getting hit. Once you can comfortably maintain consistent hate, you can begin focusing on taking as little damage as possible. a. A comparison between Paladins and other tanks Paladins are not the only tanks in this game. However, of the three most common or viable end game tanking classes, War/Nin, Nin/War, and Pal/War, they are capable of generating and managing the most hate. War/Nin specializes in damage output through Dual Wield, damaging Axe weapon skills, and specific pieces of equipment geared toward damage dealing, Nin/War specializes in taking little (or in many cases no) damage through the use of +Evasion equipment and the Utsusemi line of Ninjutsu, and a Paladin specializes in hate through spells and job abilities that generate hate, and emergency job abilities like Cover and Shield Bash that allow a Paladin to manage hate and protect the other members of the party. Paladin's specialization in hate management is evident from the fact that they have the tools at their disposal to generate and manage hate as the only tank in the party from levels 10-75, whereas other tanking classes will most likely struggle with hate management until the later levels. War/Nin, for example, do not have many hate tools at their disposal in the early levels, and since they rely primarily on damage ouptut as a means of hate control, most will likely struggle with hate management until level 50+, at which point this class becomes a major damage dealer. As Quor points out in his Warrior guide, at 50 War/Nin recieve a Dual Wield upgrade which significantly improves the damage over time (DOT) dealt by one handed Axes, and by this point they are able to equip two Viking Axes (49) and a Lifebelt (48) for a total of +30 Accuracy. At 52 War/Nin get their AF boots, which significantly improve the activation rate of the job trait Double Attack, and at 55 they gain access to the weapon skill Rampage, which becomes a major damage dealer and significantly improves hate management. In the mid to late 50s War/Nin also benefit from the hefty +Enmity bonus provided by the Warrior AF set (+15 total). For the rest of the game War/Nin deal out enough damage to effectively maintain hate, but before they have access to the improved DOT and TP generation resulting from the tier two Dual Wield upgrade, the +Accuracy bonuses from the Lifebelt and dual Viking Axes, and high damage weapon skills like Spinning Axe (49) and Rampage (55), they will most likely struggle with hate management. For this reason most Warriors recommend subbing /Mnk for tanking and /Thf for damage dealing pre 50. Nin/War also suffer from a lack of hate tools in the early and mid levels. Nin/War rely primarily on enfeebling and elemental Ninjutsu spells to generate hate, but while the first (Ichi) line of enfeebling spells such as Kurayami (Blind), Hojo (Slow), and Jubaku (Paralyze), do generate hate, these spells are frequently resisted by IT++ mobs even with a capped Ninjutsu skill level, and resisted spells generate no hate. Also, the Ichi line of offensive elemental Ninjutsu spells such as Suiton (Water) and Doton (Earth) deal so little damage that they generate virtually no hate. Most low level Nin/War cast Doton:Ichi at least once a fight, but they do so only to keep their Ninjutsu skill capped for when the second (Ni) level elemental spells become available and because the powder required for casting Doton is cheaper than that required for the other elements. The Ni elemental spells, on the other hand, deal a significant amount of damage comparable with many Blm spells, and as a result they generate a substantial amount of hate, but the Ni line of elemental magic is not available until level 40. The only other option for Nin/War in terms of generating hate is throwing weapons such as Shurikens. However, at an average server price of 10k per stack for the level 18 Shurikens, they are extremely expensive. Considering that even with a capped Throwing Skill many Shurikens still miss, holding hate by means of throwing weapons is a prohibitively expensive strategy. Here are some quotes I gathered while browsing through the Nin/War and War/Nin forums that further highlight Paladin's unique specialization in hate management: "I made lv32 yesterday, I am holding hate ok unless the blm went nuts spaming firaga and other spell OR a ranger doing the barrage thing. Its true that pass 30 is kinda harder to hold hate, I am looking for other way too." "You really don't have a lot of options when it comes to holding hate at that level. My best advice is to find a good backup tank and split the aggro." "As you go up the levels you'll realize that it's pretty tough to hold hate well all on your own without the help of a thief." "However, without Utsusemi: 2, I wouldn't really try to be the one-and-only- tank. That's the strategy for levels 40 and above. Things go much smoother if your party has a backup tank or alternating tank for the time when you lose hate." "Remember, every time you get hit, you lose hate. And you will get hit at level 30 because you don't have Utsusemi: 2." "NIN is better at reducing downtime, PLD is better at building hate so your dmg dealers can do more. A good NIN never has downtime and rarely looses hate. A good PLD never looses hate and rarely has downtime. " "ninjas cant tank by themselves before lvl 37. they need a backup provoker." "you won't be an effective main tank, so you need at least another voker in your party " "fact: ninja is a very efficient tank. fact: paladin is by far the best overall tank. paladin is a tank for any situations where ninja is slightly more of a situational tank." -67 Nin While any tank requires the cooperation of the other members of the party, Nin/War requires a specific party makeup including a backup or secondary tank before level 37 when Utsusemi: Ni becomes available, and both Nin/War and War/Nin require the damage dealers to hold back a little more without a level 30+ Thief in the party for Sneak Attack + Trick Attack. b. Which is the "best" tank? I am not arguing that Nin/War and War/Nin are not as good at tanking as Paladins. I am simply attempting to highlight the fact that Paladins specialize in hate management, but this is only one aspect of tanking. In many situations Nin/War and War/Nin will actually allow the party to gain far more exp/hour than a Paladin given the drastic reduction in downtime that results from Utsusemi tanks taking little to no damage. However, there are certain situations and mobs that prevent the successful use of Utsusemi. Mobs that double attack or use AOE spells/abilities frequently will usually eat through too many shadows too quickly, preventing successful blink tanking. In these situations against these mobs a Paladin tank is a more reliable choice, though again, there are many mobs that can be successfully blink tanked, and parties that fight these mobs with a Nin/War or War/Nin tank will generally gain more exp/hour on average than if the same party fought these mobs with a Pal/War tank, and for this reason many players prefer blink tanks. In summary, of the 3 most common or viable end game tanking classes, War/Nin, Nin/War, and Pal/War, each benefits the party in different ways, be it through increased damage dealt, decreased damage recieved, or heightened hate management, each is more suitable in specific circumstances at certain levels against certain mobs, and each requires a different playstyle. To argue about which one is "better" than the others is a waste of time. All 3 have their purpose, all 3 have their place, and given the drastic lack of viable tanks in this game, all 3 will get frequent party invites. c. Your attitude as a Paladin Given your role, as a Paladin you should be prepared to protect the other members of the party, even at the expense of your own life. In other words you should be prepared to be the first member of your party to die. While there is no reason to kill yourself if you can avoid death, you should be the last member of your party to zone, and sometimes you will be required to hold the mob while the other members of your party escape to safety. This means that you will end up spending a lot of time, especially in the earliest and latest levels, lying face down (or face up if you are Elvaan). As a Paladin what you do when you are dead is almost as important as what you do when you are alive. If you take your deaths in stride, realizing it is an unfortunate part of the job, you will develop a good reputation, and how many invites you get when playing this job in the later levels depends almost entirely on your reputation. ========================= II. How to maintain consistent hate ========================= As a Paladin you maintain hate through damage dealt, and the use of hate generating job abilities and spells. a. Hate related terms and their application Square-Enix has not provided detailed information regarding the nature of hate and exactly how it works, but many Paladins have reached a kind of general consensus given their own experience and that of other players. First of all, in order to generate mob hate, you must first be on that mob's Hate List. Each mob keeps a Hate list, or a record of every player that has done something the mob hates. There are several ways to get onto a mob's Hate List: -Negatively affecting the mob. This includes damaging the mob through physical attacks, spells, or job abilities, hindering or debuffing the mob through spells like Slow that decrease its performance, and "bothering" the mob by walking where it can see or hear you or by healing or sitting near it. -Positively affecting someone the mob hates. This includes healing or buffing someone on the mob's hate list. Each mob seems to have a Hate Meter that measures the level of hate generated by each individual on their Hate List. It is important to note the effect of Hate Decay: the hate you generate decays, wears off, or decreases in intensity over time. Hate decays even more frequently as the mob hits you for damage as this allows the mob to release some of the hate you have built up. Once you have made it onto the mob's Hate List and have been assigned a Hate Meter, you can begin to generate hate. The experience of most Paladins seems to indicate that there are two types of hate: Instantaneous or Spiked Hate, and Constant or Gradual Hate. Instantaneous/Spiked Hate is generated suddenly by certain job abilities like Provoke or Shield Bash. While these job abilities seem to create a high amount of hate which is usually powerful enough to immediately grab the mob's attention, the intensity of this type of hate seems to decay or wear off more quickly than that of Constant or Gradual Hate. Constant or Gradual Hate is generated by damage dealt, and by spells like Cure and Flash. While Constant/Gradual Hate will not usually generate as much instant aggro as Instantaneous/Spiked Hate, it appears to decay or wear off at a much slower rate, and is therefore considered more reliable. However, the increased reliablity of Constant/Gradual hate comes at a high cost as it requires you to use your MP, which is a valuable and limited resource, to generate it. Given the two different types of hate, most Paladins attempt to keep both Instantaneous/Spiked Hate and Constant/Gradual Hate as high as possible at all times in spite of the set timers on job abilities and their limited MP. This is accomplished by developing a Hate Routine that alternates between abilities and spells that generate Instantaneous/Spiked Hate and Constant/Gradual hate. An example of a common Hate Routine is: Flash -> wait -> Provoke -> wait -> Cure II/III -> wait -> Provoke -> wait -> Sentinel -> wait -> etc Using a Hate Routine like this allows you to generate significant amounts of both Instantaneous/Spiked Hate and Constant/Gradual Hate, and keep this hate at a high or constant level, and the fact that you alternate between the two and space them out saves you MP and does not force you to wait exclusively on any of the recast timers for your job abilities. Using this kind of Hate Routine allows you to set a high Hate Threshold, which is the total amount of hate you have generated up to a certain point on a given mob. The amount of damage the members of your party can successfully deal without grabbing aggro depends on how high you have set the Hate Threshold. b. Hate management in a party Hate management is not merely the responsibility of the Paladin, but depends on the cooperation of the entire party, especially in the lower levels before you have access to all your hate tools and especially pre-Refresh. If the damage dealers or mages in your party want hate from you, they can pretty much get it at any level. It takes skilled party members to not only recognize where you have set the Hate Threshold, but know how not to cross it. You should have the mindset of generating as much hate as possible without burning up too much of your MP or job abilities and slowing down the exp/hour, and your party members should have the mindset of dealing as much damage as possible without drawing hate, taking too much damage, and slowing down the exp/hour. Unfortunately you may have a hard time finding a full party of members with this mindset in the lower levels, but things do get better. Eventually the Rangers or Blackmages in your party will realize it is actually more beneficial in terms of exp/hour for them to hold back a little than to go all out and soak up the Whitemage's MP. Until then, if you are having hate managament problems, hang in there, you will likely gain access to new hate tools in a few levels, and your fellow party members will become more successful at controlling their own hate output. c. Should Paladins ever lose hate? There are certain circumstances in which it is actually beneficial for the Paladin to yield hate to another member of the party. These include: -Partying with a Ninja: Pre-37 A Ninja tank relies on a backup or secondary voke (be it from another Nin/War, a War/xxx, a xxx/War, or a Pal/War) due to the long recast timer of Utsusemi: Ichi and the unavailability of Utsusemi: Ni at this level. A Ninja can cast Utsusemi:Ichi for 3 shadows before the pull, then once the puller returns and the fight starts the Ninja will Provoke and then absorb 2 hits before recasting Utsusemi: Ichi, so that as the 3rd shadow absorbs the mob's attack the Ninja gets 3 more shadows. This will allow the Ninja to avoid 6 attacks, possibly more if the mob is blinded, slowed, or paralyzed, or if the Ninja has good +Evasion gear and eats +Evasion/+Agi food. However, once the shadows disappear, the Ninja needs the secondary voker to Provoke and tank until the recast timer on Utsusemi is up again, or if it is up already, until the Ninja can recast it without being interrupted by a mob attack. If the Ninja attempts to tank during this time, or the backup tank is too late with the Provke, he will take significantly more damage than a Paladin, negating the damage absorbed by the first 6 shadows. A single Provoke from the secondary tank should turn the mob away from the Ninja. Usually the mob will die before the recast timer on Utsusemi is up, if not, the Ninja will Provoke once the shadows are in place and absorb 3 more hits. Post-37 a Ninja can solo tank once they obtain Utsusemi: Ni because they can alternate casting the Ichi and Ni versions of Utsusemi without the need for a backup or secondary voke, and chances are you will never party with a Ninja after this point (I never have). Basically Pre-37 if you are willing to work together and co-tank with a Ninja, you will be rewarded with far more exp/hour than you could ever get tanking alone due to the reduced downtime. Learn how to work with a Ninja in your party, and be glad when you have one. Post-37 dont worry about it, a Paladin/Ninja party past this level is so inefficiant that you will likely never find yourself in one. -Setting up Sneak Attack + Trick Attack: Post level 30 Thieves (and level 60+ classes that sub Thief) have the unique ability to stack Sneak Attack (which guarantees a critical hit) and Trick Attack (which "tricks" the mob into assigning hate to another member of the party). If performed correctly this strong attack can transfer a significant amount of hate onto you, allowing you to maintain hate with less MP and fewer job abilities for faster chains, or allowing you to set the Hate Threshold significantly higher, allowing the damage dealers in your party to deal more damage for faster mob kills. Usually the Thief pulls a mob, and on the way back to camp readies Sneak Attack + Trick Attack (also known as Fuidama or SATA). The "trick partner" (any member of the party except the Paladin who has access to Provoke) Provokes the mob. The Paladin lines up with the Trick Partner but stands directly behind the mob, and when everyone is in position the Thief moves directly behind the Paladin, unsheathes his daggers, and attacks the mob with SATA through the Paladin, tricking the mob into assigning all the hate from the attack to the Paladin, not the Thief. When viewed from above using a Mnk/War as a trick partner, it looks like this: ............................................................................... ....<rdm>>.............................................................. .<whm>>...........<thf>><pal>><mob>><<mnk>... ..........<blm>>........................................................ .............................................................................. -Using Sneak Attack + Trick Attack + Weaponskill in the Skillchain: Another application of SATA is incorporating it into a skillchain. For example, in a party with a Rng and Thf Skillchaining Slugshot + SATA + Viperbite, the players assume the same position mentioned above (Rng in place of Mnk), except the Paladin begins the fight with Provoke and possibly follows with a Flash a few seconds later but does not use any additional job abilities or spells in order to set a low hate threshold. The Ranger opens the Skillchain with Slugshot, and hopefully grabs aggro. The mob turns its back on the Paladin to face the Ranger just in time for the Theif to land SATA + Viperbite, dealing massive damage as it completes the skillchain and securing massive hate on the Paladin. Ideally the Ranger will have a Ninja sub for Utsusemi so that he takes no damage in between the weapon skills. The Paladin will have so much hate at this point that he will most likely be able to "coast" through the rest of the fight using very few hate resources, and by the time the mob falls the Ranger and Thief should have enough TP to skillchain again at the beginning of the next fight. With a Blackmage to burst this is one of the most efficient standard party formations. There are several other instances in which a Paladin should yield aggro, but they are far less common. Chances are if another member of your party asks you to let them gain hate, they are doing it for a reason. As long as they are not merely attempting to raise their Evasion Skill, you will most likely benefit the party by cooperating. d. A note on +Enmity equipment Many Paladins describe +Enmity as a "hate multiplier", which means that all actions that generate hate such as damage you deal, spells you cast, and job abilities you use are awarded a hate bonus with +Enmity gear equipped, allowing these actions to generate significantly more hate than they would without it. It is a common misconception that +Enmity gear is for Paladins with hate management problems. I personally never wore any +Enmity gear until Paladin AF. I have found however, that the good damage dealers in this game have the mindset of dealing as much damage as possible without grabbing hate and taking damage, and they will usually use the first few fights to determine exactly how much damage they can deal given the Hate Threshold. What this means is that in a skilled party, the increased hate you could generate with +Enmity gear will allow the damage dealers to do more damage since you can set the Hate Threshold higher. So +Enmity gear is less about correcting your inablity to hold hate, and more about generating as much hate as possible, allowing the damage dealers in your party to do more damage for faster kills and more exp/hour. ========================= III. How to take as little damage as possible ========================= As a Paladin you take as little damage as possible by wearing equipment, eating food, and using job abilities that increase your Defense, Vitality, and Agility. a. Def and Vit Def and Vit: Defense determines the mob's chance of hitting you at the low end of your damage curve, while Vit lowers the curve itself. So Vit determines your minimum potential damage recieved each hit, Defense determines how often you reach that potential. b. General calculation for damage recieved How much damage you take with each hit is determined by comparing the mob's Str vs your Vit, and the mob's Attack modifier vs your Defense modifier. There are other variables involved, so this is a simplified version of the damage recieved equation, but it will still tell you what you need to know. c. Def or Vit, which should you focus on? Generally, you should focus on Vit until 50, when you will briefly switch over and focus on +Def until level 55 or 56. After 55 or 56 you will want to start focusing on +Vit again. Pre 50 even though Def and Vit are both important in the equation, you will get a lot more out of adding +Vit, especially since Defense increasing job abilities and food like Fish Mithkabobs are available. The basic reason why 1 or 2 points of Vit will almost always be more beneficial than a few points of Def is that adding Vit almost always results in a larger percent increase than adding Def, and so results in a greater improvement to your character. You can see this by looking at the number totals themselves. While you should have hundreds of points of Defense thanks to your passive Defense Boosts, your other gear, and your job abilities that boost Defense, you will have less than a hundred Vit given the fact that you recieve no passive Vit boosts or Vit boosting job abilities. Just looking at the percentage increases, a boost of 10 Def to say 300 Def total is less significant (only a 3% increase) than a boost of 6 Vit to 60 Vit total (a 10% increase), so that adding Vit represents a more significant boost to your character in terms of reducing damage recieved. After 50 the mobs just seem to hit a lot harder due to a higher Attack Modifier. You will notice this in the Boyahda Tree fighting Barking Spiders and later Robber Crabs. Since the mob's Attack Modifier is compared with your Defense when determining damage recieved, most Paladins try to counteract this higher Attack Modifier by increasing their own Defense Modifier with Phalanx Rings (+10 Def each) and by continuing to focus on foods that offer the largest Defense bonus. Even though the percentage increase from the +20 Def provided by the Phalanx Rings is slightly less than the percentage increase provided by the +3 Vit Chrysoberyl or Verve rings, you will most likely benefit more from focusing on +Def in your ring slots at this level based on the mobs you will face in exp parties. Post 55 or 56 your high natural Defense plus food neutralizes the mob's high Attack Modifier a little, and since the mob will already have a very high chance of hitting the low end of your damage recieved curve, adding additional defense beyond this point wont do as much to reduce overall damage, and so results in a diminishing return. At this point you should focus on reducing that potential minimum itself by adding Vit again. So after 55 or 56 most Paladins go with Chrysoberyl Rings (+3 Vit each) or, if they shelled out the extra gil for Verve Rings early on, put those on again. The other option at this point is Vigor Rings for +4 Vit each, but they are extremely rare and expensive: my Vigor Rings cost me 469k each on Shiva, and very few have ever sold, so its not an option for everyone. As far as food goes post 55 or 56 most Paladins switch over to foods that offer the most +Vit. Aside from this general guideline, if you take a consistent amount of medium damage from a specific exp mob, then you are most likely hitting the low end of your damage curve frequently, which means you should most likely focus on lowering that damage recieved curve itself by adding Vit. If you take inconsistant damage from an exp mob, occasionally getting hit for high damage, occasionally for low, then you are not reaching your potential minimum damage recieved very often, and should focus on hitting the low end of your potential damage recieved curve more often by adding Defense. However, given the innacurate nature of casual observation in game, you should parse the log results of an exp session in order to get the most accurate information. d. Primary Paladin stats The primary stats for Paladin are Vit, HP, and Agi. These are important stats for Paladin because they directly determine our ability to take damage, which is one of the two key aspects of this job. -Vit: The primary Paladin stat. Except for a few rare or level specific circumstances, boosting Vit is more directly beneficial than boosting any other Paladin stat, and Vit will therefore be the top priority in selecting gear for the majority of the game. Adding Vit directly reduces damage recieved by lowering our overall potential damage recieved curve. -HP: Another very important stat for Paladins as it determines the maximum amount of damage we can sustain. A dead tank is of little use to a party, and adding HP directly improves our survivability, especially end game when facing HNM or doing Dynamis runs, at which point this becomes the primary Paladin stat, with Vit remaining a close second. When you get hit with 50 HP per tick poison while fighting a HNM or have multiple links in Dynamis any additional HP can provide the Whm with precious additional seconds to land a critical Cure. In these endgame situations even a few extra HP will frequently make the difference between a death and a close call. -Agi: Another stat that reduces overall damage recieved. However, unlike Vit, Agi reduces damage recieved indirectly. Adding Agi increases our chance to block/parry/evade an attack, which also increases our chance to raise these skills, while lowering the mob's chance of scoring a critical hit. e. Secondary Paladin stats These stats determine the effectiveness of many aspects of each character, but they are not considered as important for Paladins as Vit, HP, or Agi because they do not directly improve our ability to take damage. -Mnd: Perhaps the most overrated stat for Paladins in the game. While Mnd determines our resistence to enemy status ailments, Paladins should not focus on boosting Mnd above Vit, HP, or Agi because doing so would be of little benefit in terms of actual play. Anytime you are hit by a status altering spell, your Whm will remove it in a matter of seconds, long before it would wear off naturally due to your high Mnd. Also, the chance of actually resisting a spell from an I.T. mob, regardless of how much Mnd you have, is virtually zero. Mnd also determines how much our Cure spells heal for, but only in the lowest levels before the soft cap comes into effect. By the time you reach level 20 your Healing Skill will play a far greater role, and your Cures should heal for the soft cap limits anyway. Mnd is simply not important or beneficial enough to be focused on above Vit, HP, or Agi for Paladins. Believe me, I am an Elvaan Paladin, I have the highest Mnd in the game, and I'm telling you Mnd is virtually worthless for Paladins. -Str: Plays an important role in calculating damage dealt. However, Paladins will simply never have the same damage output of any other melee class given our specialization in one handed Swords, which are inherantly low DMG weapons, and weapon DMG plays a far greater role in determining damage output than Str and Attack. In other words, don't expect adding Str or Attack to dramatically improve your damage output as long as you wield a one handed Sword. When you are invited to a party they will be far more concerned with the damage you take than the damage you deal, and since Paladins were not intended to be damage dealers, you will be better off focusing on fulfilling your role as a tank by boosting Vit, HP, and Agi. -Dex: While Dex is important for increasing accuracy, +Dex and +Accuracy equipment usually offer nothing in terms of +Vit, +Def, +HP, or +Agi, and so Paladins are unable to wear as much of this type of equipment as other melee who do not need to worry about getting hit frequently. However, if you are really concerned about your accuracy as a Paladin you will be far better off boosting it directly through +Accuracy equipment than attempting to raise it by adding Dex. -Int: Does very little for Paladins given our specialization in White Magic. Some have speculated that increased Int can decrease the damage recieved from enemy Black Magic, but whatever benefits would result from adding +Int gear if this is even true would pale in comparison to the direct benefits resulting from adding +Vit, +HP, or +Agi. -Chr: The effects of Chr are still debatable. According to an interview with "someone" from SE, "The Charisma attribute score does not affect hate or enmity(aggro). It does, however, affect how a bard's songs and a beastmaster's charm ability are not only used but also resisted. There are also weapon skills that are greatly affected by Charisma." source: http://ffxi.crgaming.com/interviews/viewinterview.asp?Id=272 second to last question. Some discount this interview since it does not provide the specific name or job title of the person allegedly representing SE, and cite the enormous Chr boost from Koenig gear and personal experiences as evidence that Chr does in fact effect hate. While the actual role of Chr is still somewhat uncertain, it is perfectly clear that Paladins would be better off focusing on their primary stats than on one that is still so misunderstood. In other words, if you are faced with an equipment decision between +Vit or +Chr, go with +Vit. f. A guideline for choosing equipment Generally as a Paladin you should purchase the pieces of equipment that offer the most Vit, HP, and Agi available for your level. You should not buy a piece of equipment that boosts your secondary stats unless it also boosts a primary stat, or unless no gear that boosts a primary stat is available in that slot. The only real exception to this general guideline of focusing exclusively on equipment that reduces your damage recieved is equipment that increases your hate potential. This includes +Enmity, +MP, and after a certain level, +Accuracy equipment. Some specific examples of this type of equipment are the Mermaid Ring (level 43, +2 Enmity), Astral Rings/Electrum Rings (level 10/40, +25/+20 MP each) or RSE gloves (which usually provide a significant MP boost), and the Lifebelt (level 48, +10 Accuracy). g. A few recommended pieces of equipment I generally do not like providing specific equipment paths from 1-75 because they discourage individuality and experimentation, and also because one of the best parts of this job is scouring the Auction House for the latest piece of tanking gear while you are standing around Looking For Party in Lower Jeuno. If you are interested in one of these comprehensive equipment guides there are many available in various faqs and on the Paladin boards (see Links section). There are however, a few great pieces of Paladin gear that you should be sure not to miss: -Warrior's Belt +1, level 15 (Def: 2 HP: 4 VIT: 3) This is a fantastic belt, and can be seen on Paladins as high as level 75 in certain circumstances, which is remarkable considering you can equip it at level 15. This piece is definately worth picking up as early as possible. -Power Sandals, level 18 (Def: 3 VIT: 3 Vs. Fire: 7) These are the basic equivalent of Leaping Boots for Paladins, except you don't have to pay 300k or wait for a heavily overcamped NM to spawn. You can obtain them by doing, but not completing, the "Test My Mettle" quest (see Links section). Given the fact that some Paladins wear these until AF (while some upgrade to Kampfschuhs at level 29 for the same +Vit but 3 additional Def), they are definately worth the effort. -Eisen/Kampf Sets, Level 29. These armor sets provide such large Vit and Agi boosts for their level that many Paladins end up wearing pieces of this gear into the 40s or 50s, and some decide to keep the boots equipped until AF. -Drone Earring, level 35 (AGI: 3 Vs. Wind: 6) With +6 total Agi they are a great purchase for Elvaan and Galka Paladins, and will make a dramatic difference in shield blocks/parries/evades and will also help you raise these skills significantly. Equip them as early as possible. -Verve Ring, level 36 (VIT: 3 Vs. Earth: 6) They may be expensive for their level, but you have to wait until level 54 for Vigor Rings (+4 Vit each) before you will be able to get more +Vit out of this slot, and Vigor Rings cost 450k+ each, assuming you can even find them. These are the best Paladin rings for BCNM 40, which is the main source of income for many mid level players. -Life Belt, level 48 (Accuracy: 10) A great belt that can drastically improve hate management. At 55 you get the weapon skill Spirits Within, which hits for 1/2 your current HP at 300 TP. The ability to deal out 500-600 points of instant damage and the aggro it generates becomes a major hate tool, but without the +10 Accuracy from the Lifebelt you will miss far too often to use Spirits Within frequently. In addition, as you continue to collect your AF pieces with +Enmity bonuses, connecting frequently with the mob can generate significant hate given the effect of the "hate multiplier", even if you are not hitting for high damage. But without a Lifebelt, you will miss far too frequently to take full advantage of your AF. -Gluttony Sword, level 57 (Dmg: 44 Dly: 295 STR: -1 DEX: -1 VIT: 7 AGI: -1 INT: -1 MND: -1 CHR: -1) I cannot stress how huge +7 Vit is for Paladins. This weapon is the single largest source of Vit in the game until level 73 (at which point you can equip the Koenig gear, which is notoriously difficult to obtain). The ring slot is the bread and butter Vit slot for Paladins, but this single sword offers more Vit than both ring slots combined until level 54, at which point you can equip Vigor Rings, but again, you will have to camp the Auction House for weeks, spend just under a million gil, and use two slots combined in order to get more Vit than the Gluttony Sword offers in a single slot. The lifespan of the Gluttony sword is just as impressive as the +7 Vit. Most Paladins use the Gluttony sword for 9 full levels (57-66), which is a long life span for a single weapon, especially considering this 9 level span occurs in the 60s. The experience required to level from 60-65 is greater than the experience required to level a job 1-40. Even if you only use the sword 57-66, that is a very long time in terms of actual play, and many Paladins use it all the way until level 75. If you consider that level 63 is the half way point in terms of total experience required to level 1-75, some Paladins end up wielding this sword for almost half the game. There is only one reason not to buy this sword: you don't have enough gil, and you just don't want to farm/mine/craft/quest for it. And if that is the case, I can assure you that given its huge increase to the primary Paladin stat, as well as its long lifespan, the Gluttony Sword is definately worth the effort. -Paladin AF The other equipment that you need to pick up is your Artifact Armor, which offers dramatic boosts to Vit, HP, Agi, and Shield Skill, and will greatly improve your tanking ability. If you take the time to obtain each piece as soon as it is available, you will have a much more enjoyable leveling experience 50-60. Paladin AF, like the Gluttony Sword, has an extremely long lifespan, and there are many circumstances in which Paladins will wear several pieces of AF until level 75. There have already been several helpful posts detailing the requirements for obtaining this armor (see the Links section) so I won't go into that in this guide. h. Paladin Food The early December update dramatically changed the effects and duration of many of the foods commonly used by Paladins. While the information below may not yet be 100% accurate, it should provide you with enough information to decide which food will be most beneficial given your level and the specific situation in which you will use it. Here is a list of the food most commonly used by Paladins and thier respective effects: | HP | MP | Vit | Dex | Mnd | Chr | Int | Def Cap@Def Total | Def % | Duration Boiled Crab 2 50@186 27% 30 Min Steamed Crab 3 65@241 27% 60 Min Fish Mithkabob 2 1 -1 90@360 25% 30 Min Fish Cheifkabob 2 1 1 95@380 25% 60 Min Shallops Tropicale 20 4 1 1 100@400 25% 180 Min Seafood Stew 20 5 1 120@480 25% 180 Min Since the effects of these foods vary according to level, it seems that for exp parties Steamed Crab will most likely be the most beneficial food for lower to mid level Paladins until the +Def cap comes into effect, at which point they should switch to Cheif Fishkabobs. For higher level Paladins Seafood Stew appears to be the best food for exp parties, though the higher cost and duration will likely be wasted when doing Dynamis runs or facing HNM due to frequent deaths. In endgame situations in which deaths are likely, Cheif Fishkabobs seem to be the food of choice. i. Should Paladins use Greatswords? Greatswords are viable weapons in exp parties, even for tanking Paladins. However, the drawbacks of using a Greatsword in an exp party outweigh the benefits. Specifically: Pros: -Increased damage output. -Increased style/individuality points. Cons: -Increased damage recieved due to loss of +Def bonus from Shield. -Increased damage recieved due to inability to block attacks with your Shield. -Reduces chance of raising Shield Skill to 0. This skill is hard enough to raise as it is, and should you ever decide to switch back to Shield your skill will be severely underleveled. -Loss of +stats from Shield. -Loss of +stats from one handed Sword. This is significant considering the many excellent Paladin Swords available 57-75. Using a Greatsword instead of a one handed Sword will cost you +7 Vit during levels 57-66, for example, when most Paladins opt for the Gluttony Sword. At 70 wielding a Greatsword will prevent you from taking advantage of the frequent Double Attacks offered by the Joyeuse, and at level 71 you will again miss out on +7 Vit, this time offered by the Durandal and accompanied by +1 Enmity. -Loss of Shield Bash, which generates a significant amount of instant hate should you lose aggro and need to reclaim it immediately. Technically you could macro a change to Shield for Shield Bash, but switching weapons eliminates all accumulated TP, and less weapon skills due to TP loss further reduces the benefit of using a Greatsword. -Inability to use Spirits Within at level 55, which hits for 1/2 your current HP at 300 TP and becomes a major hate tool. -Decreased accuracy resulting from Paladin's "B" skill in Greatsword vs their "A+" in one handed Sword, which will result in more frequent misses, and considering the long delay of Greatswords these misses will be more costly. Fact: You will miss more often using a Greatsword than if you use a one handed Sword given Paladins "B" rating in Greatsword and "A+" rating in one handed Sword. These increased misses will offset the increased damage per hit slightly. Fact: You will end up taking more damage long term while tanking with a Greatsword due to the fact that you only have 2 means/chances of completely avoiding damage (Parry, Evade), compared with a one handed Sword and Shield Paladin who has 3 means/chances of completely avoiding damage (Shield Block, Parry, Evade). Given Paladins "A+" rating in Shield compared with the "C" ratings in Parry/Evade, the loss of the ability to block attacks with your Shield is significant as it eliminates your most likely means of completely avoiding damage. Greatswords are fun for solo, farming, or helping others with quests or missions. For exp parties, if you are concerned about being the most efficient and effective Paladin possible, stick with a one handed Sword and Shield. j. Should Paladins use Staves? In my opinion tanking with a Staff in an exp party is highly situational, and is only truly viable from levels 51-55, and post 63. Pre-50: No Staff justifies the loss of the ability to block an attack with your Shield, and the resulting inability to raise your Shield Skill. This skill raises painfully slowly even with a Shield equipped from levels 1-75, so missing out on the chance to raise it on these early to mid level mobs is simply not worth whatever benefit might result from using a Staff. Levels 51-55: At level 51 you are able to equip the Earth Staff, which reduces physical damage recieved by -20%. I personally tanked with an Earth Staff for a few levels in the early 50s while partying in the Boyahda Tree. The -20% damage reduction makes a significant difference against the Robber Crabs and Knight Crawlers, which will most likely hit you for significantly more damage than you are used to. However, while you gain a -20% damage reduction with the Earth Staff, you miss out on the chance to block an attack with your Shield, which is essentially a damage reduction of -100%. Technically you would need to block 1 out of every 5 attacks with your Shield in order to achieve the same damage reduction offered by the Earth Staff, and while you will not be able to block this often, since your chance to block is based on your Shield Skill, should you ever opt for the Sword and Shield combo later in the game, your Shield Skill will be lower than it would be had you never used a Staff, which will result in fewer blocks and more damage recieved in the long run, diminishing the total return of using a Staff. Basically by using the Earth Staff in the early 50s I reduced the total damage I recieved during that time. But now I take slightly more damage than I would had I never used the Earth Staff due to my lower Shield Skill level, which results in fewer blocks, and more importantly fewer chances to raise my Shield Skill further. So in the long run it is not clear if using the Earth Staff during this time will actually reduce the total amount of damage you recieve when you consider things in the long term. Levels 55-63: By the mid 50s the damage you take from exp mobs will even out a little, reducing your need for the Earth Staff. And at level 55 you gain access to Spirit's Within, which in my experience is simply too good to pass up, even for the -20% in damage reduction offered by the Earth Staff. In addition, using the Earth Staff, which offers 4 Vit, prevents you from wielding a Gluttony Sword post 57, which offers 7 Vit. Post 63: At level 63 you gain access to the Staff weapon skill Spirit Taker, which recovers a certain amount of MP based on how much TP you have when you use the weapon skill and how much damage it deals. Recovering over 100 MP provides you with a significant amount of hate potential as it allows you to cast Flash and Cure II/III more often than you would be able to relying exclusively on juice/Refresh/Ballad. However, wielding a Staff post 63 also reduces your hate potential a little given the loss of Spirits Within, Paladin's lower natural accuracy with Staff resulting from our lower grade rating (A-) than one handed Sword (A+), and the lower DMG/DLY ratio of staves compared with Swords of the same level. So here again the benefits and drawbacks in terms of hate potential may even out in the long run. Staves are a viable alternative to a Sword and Shield in exp parties, but only at certain levels of the game and with a maxed Staff Skill, and even then there are specific drawbacks resulting from wielding a Staff that might ultimately outweigh the benefits. It is also important to note that one handed Swords are excellent weapons in terms of opening and closing skillchains, and for this reason many parties may need you to use a one handed Sword instead of a Staff in order to participate in the skillchain. For these reasons many Paladins recommend using Staves exclusively in end game scenarios such as Dynamis runs or while facing HNM. k. Please Do Not Use a Royal Knight's Belt While the Warrior's Belt +1 is clearly the belt of choice for the first half of the game, at around level 50 and beyond Paladins are faced with a few alternatives depending on specific situations and which aspect of tanking they decide to focus on. Certain belts increase hate management by providing additional accuracy, Enmity, or MP, others reduce damage recieved by offering Defense or Vit, and others improve survivability by increasing total HP, which becomes critical end game when doing Dynamis runs or when facing HNM. Yet at mid game many Paladins opt for the Royal Knight's Belt (Level 50, Def: 5 STR: 2 DEX: 2 AGI: 2 INT: 2 MND: 2 CHR: 2). Please, please do not use this belt. Regardless of which aspect of tanking you decide to focus on or which specific situation you find yourself in, there is always a better piece of equipment for this slot. Given that a Paladin's job is to 1) maintain consistent hate 2) while taking as little damage as possible: 1) A Lifebelt will help you generate more hate than a Royal Knight's Belt post 55. At 55 you get the weapon skill Spirits Within, which hits for 1/2 your current HP at 300 TP. The ability to deal out 500-600 points of instant damage and the aggro it generates becomes a major hate tool, but without the +10 Accuracy from the Lifebelt you will miss far too often to use Spirits Within frequently. In addition, as you continue to collect your AF pieces with +Enmity bonuses, it becomes possible to generate a significant amount of hate through damage dealt. While you will never hit very hard as a Paladin, many Paladin's describe +Enmity as a "hate multiplier", so that actions such as spells, job abilities, and damage dealt end up creating significantly more hate than they would without +Enmity gear. With the +Enmity from Paladin AF, connecting frequently with the mob can generate significant hate, even if you are not hitting for high damage. Without a Lifebelt, you will miss far too frequently to take full advantage of your AF. 2) A Warrior's Belt +1 will help you take less damage than the Royal Knight's Belt, because for Paladins +3 Vit, the primary Paladin stat, is far more beneficial and will more directly reduce damage recieved than 3 or 4 additional points of Def and +2 to several secondary stats. Even in the end game scenarios in which improving hate management or reducing damage recieved becomes secondary to improving your survivability itself, the many race specific HP boosting belts will do more to increase your effectiveness as a Paladin than the Royal Knight's Belt, which will not provide the healers with a larger window to land critical Cures while you face extremely hard hitting mobs in the same way that these +HP belts will. Again, the Royal Knight's Belt is by far the third or last best choice. Any time you see a Paladin wearing a Royal Knight's Belt they are either 1) broke and saving up for either a Warriors Belt +1, a Lifebelt, a Warwolf Belt, or one of the specific +HP belts or 2) don't really understand a few important mechanics of the game. Do yourself a favor and improve your effectiveness as a Paladin by equipping something other than a Royal Knight's Belt in this slot. ========================= IV. Paladin Traits, Job Abilities, Spells, and Weapon Skills ========================= While comprehensive lists of traits, job abilities, spells, and weapon skills are available on many websites (see the Links section), a few are the subject of frequent discussion and debate. a. A general Macro suggestion: /recast Paladins have so many great spells and job abilities at their disposal that it can be tempting to make a /party chat line for all of them. However, there are two serious problems with this: First, all that party spam can greatly irritate the other members of your party, and secondly, it can cause them to miss important information such as TP%, status ailment removal requests, skillchain notices, etc. In my opinion, for every job ability and spell you would be better off inserting a /recast "job ability/spell name" as the second line of the macro instead of a /party line. This not only keeps the party spam to a minimum, but if, for example, you set your Provoke Macro to Line1: /ja "Provoke" <t> Line2: /recast "Provoke", you can hit the macro every few seconds and it will either fire off Provoke, or tell you exactly how long you must wait until you can use it again, without flooding the party chat. Of the many Paladin job abilities/spells, In my opinion Cover, Provoke, and Invincible are the only three for which a /party line is justified, and in many cases a party line for Provoke is not needed. b. Cover What Cover does: When you activate Cover (you must select a target to use it on), the mob will attempt to hit the target, but you will "Cover" them, and take the damage in their place, provided you are directly in between the mob and the person the mob is trying to hit. Covering a Ranger looks like this when viewed directly from above: ................................................................... ......................<Whitemage>...................... ..<Thief>..<Mob>..<Paladin>.<Ranger>..... .....<Darknight>.........<Redmage>.............. ................................................................... When to use Cover: You should activate Cover only when 1) another party member gains aggro and 2) you are directly in between that party member and the mob. Activating Cover before you are in position wastes valuable Cover time provided you are unable to regain aggro before Cover wears off, at which point the mob would resume beating the Blm or Rng to death. Activating Cover before the member has aggro wastes Cover time as well, and could be unnecessary if they do not end up drawing hate. Up to the mid September patch, Cover had a 5 min recast timer, which means Paladins had to save it for when we really needed it. Since the patch Cover has a significantly shorter 3 minute recast timer, which means you don't have to wait as long for it to come back up, and can use it less sparingly. How to know when Cover is working: Check the damage log, you will see: Cover! The Robber Crab hits (Your name) for xx points of damage. Instead of: The Robber Crab hits Legolassz12 for xxx points of damage. Legolassz12 was defeated by the Robber Crab. Most experienced Blm/Rng will know when they are about to need Cover, and will get in position behind you before casting Freeze or unloading Barrage. If they don't get behind you, then unfortunately you are responsible for running up in front of them and positioning yourself in between them and the mob. Cover Macros: /ja "Cover" <stpc> /party {Cover} <lastst> Hitting this macro brings up an arrow by the party list, allowing you to select which party member to use Cover on by pressing the F keys and Enter. /ja "Cover" <p1> /party {Cover} <p1> This is the second way to macro cover. This will automatically Cover the first person in your party list besides yourself (you are <p0>, your party members are <p1-5>). I tried both methods and greatly prefer this way of macroing Cover as it activates immediatly and you dont have to fumble with the F keys and Enter while trying to position yourself. But if you set up the macro like this, you will have to edit the <p number> for either the Blm or Rng at the beginning of each new party since they will move slots (takes about 5 seconds). You will most likely not need to use Cover until sometime in the 50s when the Blm begin bursting Ancient Magic and the Rng and other damage dealers get their second or third tier accuracy or attack upgrades, access to damaging weaponskills and job abilities, impressive offensive gear, etc. c. Defender Defender increases your Defense at the expensive of your Attack. Many Paladins wonder if they should always, sometimes, or never use Defender. In reality it's entirely situational. A tank's job is to consistently maintain hate while taking as little damage as possible. Some Paladins decide to focus strictly on taking as little damage as possible, and use Defender constantly, while some decide to focus more on generating hate, and never use Defender since it can result in your hits landing for 0 damage, which results in 0 TP gain for Spirits Within, and negates the +Enmity bonuses from your AF. Which strategy is most beneficial given the situation and which aspect of tanking you decide to focus on is entirely up to you. d. Shield Bash Since Shield Bash not only deals a minor amount of damage to the mob, but also has a small chance to stun, many Paladins attempt to interrupt mob enemy special attacks like Bomb Toss by Shield Bashing. However, the stun effect does not process every time, and as you begin fighting higher level mobs it rarely takes effect. Shield Bash always generates a large hate spike, however, so most Paladins "save" it for those rare moments in which they temporarily lose aggro and need to regain it immediately. Since the stun effect is random, leave it to the Blm or Drk to stun the mob by casting their Stun spell, and leave it to the Whm to make sure Barfire is up when fighting gobs to reduce the damage if a Bomb Toss does go off. e. Flash This spell becomes your second most reliable means of generating hate after Provoke. Not only does this spell create hate, it blinds the enemy, resulting in up to 3+ missed attacks, which prevents the mob from releasing any of the hate you have built up by inflicting damage, and also saves the Whm additional MP since they do not have to Cure you as frequently. In the later levels you will cast this spell every time its 45 second recast timer is up given the fact that, in my experience, it generates as much hate as a Cure III but costs 20 MP less, and since, due to its incredibly short casting time, it is almost never interrupted. f. Spirits Within Those 55 levels of hitting for less than 50 damage are about to pay off. At level 55 you are granted access to Spirits Within, which hits for about 1/2 your current HP at 300 TP (the actual percentage is 45%HP). The ability to deal out 500-600 points of instant damage and the aggro it generates becomes a major hate tool. With Haste from a Whm you will swing frequently, and with a Lifebelt for +10 Accuracy those swings will connect for TP, allowing you to utilize this weapon skill every 2 to 3 fights. Spirits Within does not interrupt skillchains, never misses, cannot be resisted, and the damage is calculated independant of mob type/defense/resistence/evasion etc. It is important to note that Spirits Within is not worth using at 100 TP. ========================= V. Paladin subjob choices ========================= There are many viable subjob choices for Paladins in terms of Quests, Missions, and helping other players. However, for experience parties, the only truly viable subjob for Paladins is Warrior. a. Warrior If you compare the three most common or viable end game tanking classes, War/Nin, Nin/War, Pal/War, and even some of the less conventional or level specific options such as War/Mnk or Mnk/War, you will notice that every single one of them has access to the job ability Provoke. And there is a reason for this: Provoke is simply the most effecient and effective means of generating and maintaining hate in terms of exp parties in the game. If you are going to be an efficient tank, Provoke is mandatory. I have personally tanked as a War/Mnk, War/Nin, Nin/War, and Pal/War using Provoke, and even at the lowest levels it is quite apparant that hate management would be extremely difficult without it. You can successfully act as the main tank without Provoke in an exp party, but you will have more hate management issues, and your party will not be capable of dealing as much damage, killing mobs as quickly, chaining as efficiently, and getting as much exp/hour, and in the later levels of this game it is all about the exp/hour. In terms of actual play, whatever theoretical benefits you could get from the spells or job abilities provided by other subjobs will contribute less to your efficiency as a tank than Provoke, which unlike spells, is an unlimited resource. If you are somewhat resentful of the fact that /War is mandatory for Paladins in exp party settings, keep in mind that /War also provides us with excellent Vit and HP boosts, a Passive Attack boost, Double Attack, and many helpful job abilities such as Defender and Warcry. Chances are, even if Provoke was not mandatory, which it is, many Paladins would still choose a War sub for these reasons. ========================= VI. Paladin racial choices ========================= This is a very sensitive subject on the boards. The first and most important thing to realize when looking at the different racial choices is: PLAYER SKILL + EQUIPMENT > RACE Any race can play any job at any level given enough skill and the right gear, and Paladin is no exception. That being said, certain races such as Galka or Elvaan have natural advantages in terms of the primary Paladin stats Vit and HP. However, these races also have natural disadvantages in terms of total MP for generating hate, and total Agi for damage avoidance through blocked/parried/evaded attacks and reduced critical hits. Taru, Mithra, and Hume Paladins on the other hand, have natural advantages in MP and Agi, but natural disadvantages in HP and Vit. Each race should take note of their natural disadvantages, and purchase equipment that compensates for them. Again, every race is viable for Paladin, even if they each require different gear choices and a different playstyle. a. Paladin stats according to race at level 59 For general reference, here are the base stats of the 5 races for a level 59 Paladin/29 Warrior. I am currently working on collecting the stats for each race at level 75, but the stat calculator becomes innacurate post 60. Here are the 59 stats in the meantime: Galka HP: 1249 MP: 97 Str: 66 Dex: 50 Vit: 74 Agi: 40 Int: 37 Mnd: 54 Chr: 48 Elvaan HP: 1130 MP: 188 Str: 69 Dex: 47 Vit: 67 Agi: 36 Int: 33 Mnd: 61 Chr: 55 Hume HP: 1041 MP: 248 Str: 62 Dex: 50 Vit: 63 Agi: 43 Int: 40 Mnd: 54 Chr: 55 Mithra HP: 1041 MP: 248 Str: 59 Dex: 61 Vit: 60 Agi: 50 Int: 40 Mnd: 51 Chr: 48 Taru HP: 863 MP: 428 Str: 55 Dex: 50 Vit: 60 Agi: 47 Int: 51 Mnd: 51 Chr: 55 ========================= VII. Paladin Tips and Tricks ========================= Here are a few of the tips and tricks I've picked up from my own experiences and that of other Paladins. a. Avoid the Vit loss from wearing +MP rings If you are a Galka or Elvaan Paladin you may struggle a little with MP before level 41, at which point Redmages get Refresh and MP conservation becomes a little less stressful. If this is the case, I recommend picking up your RSE gloves and a pair of Astral/Electrum Rings depending on gil/level. However, many Paladins are afraid to do so due to the Vit loss that results from wearing +MP instead of +Vit rings. Fortunately there is a way to bypass this problem. You can equip your +MP gear via a macro and rest to full MP in between pulls. Once the fight starts, cast Flash or Cure II/III as normal until you have used the additional MP provided by your +MP gear, then switch back to +Vit Rings via another macro. If you have used the 40/50 additional MP from Electrum/Astral Rings, your maximum MP will go down after the gear switch but now your MP bar will be full, and you can wear your +Vit rings for the remainder of the fight. If you ever have any questions regarding the specific commands for this kind of equipment change macro, use the general formula: /equip LOCATION "ITEM NAME" and type: "/? equip" while in game for the list of locations. The macro for switching rings would look like: /equip R.ring "Astral Ring" /equip L.ring "Astral Ring" and vice versa for the change back to +Vit rings. Please note that the item name in quotes in your macro must be identical to how that item name appears in your inventory. b. Avoid AOE Paralysis/Petrify Certain mobs have AOE paralyze or Petrify abilities that can throw off your hate routine. However, many of these AOE attacks are line of sight based and do not effect you when you are not facing the mob. When you see Lizards ready their Gaze attack, for example, simply press the * button to unlock, tap down once to turn around, and wait for the Lizard to use its ability. Once it has, tap up and hit * again to resume target lock. If you time things correctly, you can avoid getting Paralyzed or Petrified. c. Target mobs the easy way One of the most irritating things low level Paladins do is frantically tab through all the enemies in range attempting to target the mob the puller just brought back to camp. Once they have the correct mob targeted they then wait to pull their sword out before Provoki |
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AF1: Honor Sword. Lv 42, Damage 28, Delay240, VIT +2, MND+2. You need to be lvl40 to take the quest. Talk to small child Ailbeche in North Sandoria. If you did "Father and Son" quest for a rod, make sure you return the rod to the kid (I know I ripped him off at first, used the rod for fishing). You can buy the rod from AH very cheap - Yew Fishing Rod. Once you take the quest, head over to Ordelle's Caves and go to H-10. Touch a stalagmite there and a NM Earth Elemental will appear. I personally would suggest having a good tank (lvl 55ish at least), couple blms and some good damage dealers (one or two of lvl50ish at least). The mob is pretty tough for lvl40s. Once you did that, you will get a key item after you touch ??? again. Then head to South Sandy and talk to the boy again. Then talk to Sobane around D-6 in South San d'Oria. |
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AF 2: Gallant Leggings. Lv 52, Def 14, HP +15, CHR +5, Blocking w/ Shield Skill +10; Strength of Holy Circle Up [link=http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/db/jobs.html?fjob=5&mid=1074094091728808826&num=3][/link] |
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AF3 Gallant Surcoat. Lv 60, Def 47, HP +20, VIT +4, Holy Magic Skill +5, Hate +2 I do not suggest doing till 60. It's really a bitch to get. First you need to head to Castle Zvahl Baileys for a coffer key. I went there twice. There are 4 holes, drop in one of them, and you will be on a ledge (make sure you do not drop to the very bottom). Land yourself on the balcony looking thing that is midway down the hole (every hole has it, just have to face right direction). Once you there, set up the camp. There will be a tunnel that leads to a closed room full of demons etc. In the tunnel there is Ahriman that spawns every 12 mins. So kill it, once it spawns, then kill demons in between spawn times. Once it's close to 12 mins after you kill the Eye thing, wait for it to spawn again. Trust me, you do not want links and 2 mobs at the same time. Once you get a key, find a coffer and open it. Then go back to South Sandy and talk to Vemalpeau at M-7. He is in a house there. After that investigate the painting on the wall of 2nd floor. Get a letter. Then talk to Exoreche in Weapon's shop. Now you're ready for davoi. Davoi is hard. Go to G-9 in Davoi and clear the area from orcs. There will be well. Touch it and 2 orcs appear. I actually did this about 4 times, so I think I got the strategy down pretty good. There will be a three eyed Something Orc. He has a bow - get everyone in your party to kill him first. While they are doing that, you should tank the one eyed orc (Or someone else should tank it, if you have a better tank). Once the bow guy goes down, everyone switches to your orc. Try to save invinc till later in the fight, so you can hold aggro better when everyone is bashing on your orc. I did it frist time with 15 people of lvl55-62. Then I did it with 12 people of lvl60ish (we had a lvl73 warrior). Noone died. Once you kill the orc, you get an item (not a key item), lot on it and get it. Then trade it to the well. You will get a key item. Head to Sandoria, talk to the boy Ailbeche again. Take a chocobo and head to Junger. Do NOT get off your chocobo there. Just ride to the pond in the NW corner. You will see a cutsceene, and once it ends, you will be back on chocobo. Ride back to Sandoria and talk to the prince. |
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AF4: Gallant Gauntlets. Lv 54, Def 16, HP +11, DEX +3, light magic resistance +10, Hate +2 Need to be lvl50 and done AF1. Go to Guslam in Upper Jueno and talk to him (Armor Shop there). This will unlock all coffer AFs. Meaning from this point you can do AF4, AF5, AF6 in any order. After this you need to get Eldime Coffer key. It's really a bitch to get. I suggest having monks and the higher lvl the better. Best kill Tomb Mages and Tomb Warriors, they are the easiest for keys. Once you get a key, find a coffer and you will get a key item. Take that item to Guslam. Then talk to Mithra in Tenshodo place by Lower Jueno AH. After that head over to Port Jueno and there is ??? by the Auction people there (where you go to chocobo stables). The ??? is on bunch of boxes, check it. After this you need to head over to Castle Zvahl Baileys. I forgot the zone location, but it's pretty easy to find. You will see 2 torches there by some kind of gate. Touch the torch and a Dark Spark will appear. Dark Spark is really easy to kill, it's a bomb. However, make sure you prevent self destruction, cause it can wipe out your mages. I personally would reccomend just a party of 52-55s for dark spark. But the key is much harder. Try to get some higher levels for that. |
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AF5: Gallant Coronet. Lv 56, Def 24, HP +12, MND +3,Enhances Cover effect. Enmity +2 You need to have AF4 Quest Activated (i.e talked to Guslam). Get a key from Garliage Citadel. Haunts, Magic Pots, Fallen Majors, Fallen Mages will work. Best camp is down in the beetle/bats room once you fall through the floor. After you get the key, find a coffer. In the coffer you will find your AF piece. |
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AF6: Gallant Breeches. Lv 58, Def 34, HP +15, AGI +3, Enhancing Magic Skill +3, Enmity +2 This is Bedeaux coffer. There are several places to camp there. A party of 58-60s should do. Get the key, open the coffer, and you're done. The best site for key holders and coffer locations: [link=http://www.speakeasy.org/~sticks/ffxi/][/link] |
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cha enhances provoke | |||
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And who said that llya | |||
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cha enhances provoke? if u mean chr yes it enhances provoke |
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thanks for the info.Im lvl 25 PLD useing these tricks..5 parties today 4 of them commented on how good i was...thanks guys nice work | |||
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No problem. | |||
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