Rune Fencer Merit Ability List

[Babekeke]

Pretty easy choices. The only one that may change things is Lunge accuracy and what it does to the effect.

Whenever you see a lunge that did less than the ~1500 that you were expecting, unless the mob has -MDT%, then it was resisted in some way. Lunge accuracy lessens the chance of these resists.

[Babekeke]

Oh and there's some slightly different wording in the (now released) english version of the merit abilities:

[dev1151] Job Adjustments: Rune Fencer
Rune Fencer has been added to the Categories under Merit Points.
Group 1
Rune Enhancement Effect
Increase potency of runes harbored by 2 points.

Vallation Effect
Add a magic defense bonus to Vallation and a magic defense bonus to Valliance of 1 point per harbored rune.

[Zagen]

Oh and there's some slightly different wording in the (now released) english version of the merit abilities:

[dev1151] Job Adjustments: Rune Fencer
Rune Fencer has been added to the Categories under Merit Points.
Group 1
Rune Enhancement Effect
Increase potency of runes harbored by 2 points.

Vallation Effect
Add a magic defense bonus to Vallation and a magic defense bonus to Valliance of 1 point per harbored rune.

Well then Vallation Effect is a given at 5/5 now and assuming potency on runes includes damage (seems logical) then that would also be 5/5 for me at least.

[Ariyon]

Will just copypaste this from FFXIAH, but these are my thoughts on RUN merits...

Rune Enhancement Effect- This one confuses me. Will we simply deal an extra 2 damage per rune, or will the increase be larger than that?

Vallation Effect- If the extra MDB has a substantial enough effect, like One For All, this could be worthwhile.

Lunge Effect- Lunge rarely misses anyways, even on high-level mobs.

Pflug Effect- I have never gotten this damn JA to work. I can have 3 matching runes, the appropriate bar- spell, and still get slammed with status effects all day. I get more random resists with Tenacity alone than when I actively try to prevent one.

Gambit Effect- Reduced recast on an already short-lived ability? Why not increase the effect or the duration? Then it might be somewhat useful.

Battuta- Probably one of the few merits that I actually went "Wow, that might not be too bad."

Rayke- Gambit 2.0, but with the increased duration that Gambit should've gotten. If the effects stack it could make for some sick Lunges, but I wouldn't be surprised if they share a recast ala Collaborator/Accomplice.

Inspiration- I cast three, maybe four spells while I'm actively tanking: Flash, Foil, Phalanx, Regen IV. That's it. Anything else either takes too long or isn't worth the MP cost.

Sleight of Sword- Because Great Swords swing so fast that we actually needed this?

[Babekeke]

Will just copypaste this from FFXIAH, but these are my thoughts on RUN merits...

Rune Enhancement Effect- This one confuses me. Will we simply deal an extra 2 damage per rune, or will the increase be larger than that?

It would have to be per rune per merit, if it is a straight +2 damage, which means +30 enhantment spell damage per swing, which seems unlikely, but possible. This would definately lean towards the sword > GS argument.

Vallation Effect- If the extra MDB has a substantial enough effect, like One For All, this could be worthwhile.

Most likely it will be single element only, unlike OFA. 15 MDB total, not ground breaking by any means.

Lunge Effect- Lunge rarely misses anyways, even on high-level mobs.

Maybe it's just me, but I've often seen 50%/75% resists on Lunge.

Pflug Effect- I have never gotten this damn JA to work. I can have 3 matching runes, the appropriate bar- spell, and still get slammed with status effects all day. I get more random resists with Tenacity alone than when I actively try to prevent one.

This seems to work fine for me. Just be sure you're using the right rune element for the enfeeb you want to block. Eg fire runes to block para, not ice runes.

Gambit Effect- Reduced recast on an already short-lived ability? Why not increase the effect or the duration? Then it might be somewhat useful.

I can only agree. I've never found the damage on the enchantments, and the time lost from DoT to put up another 3 runes, to be worth using this JA.

Battuta- Probably one of the few merits that I actually went "Wow, that might not be too bad."

I agree, if only it had a higher duration. But there's always the chance of relic+2 gear augments. ^^

Rayke- Gambit 2.0, but with the increased duration that Gambit should've gotten. If the effects stack it could make for some sick Lunges, but I wouldn't be surprised if they share a recast ala Collaborator/Accomplice.

Gambit lowers magic def, this lowers magic eva. The durations would need to be fairly long to use 1, get 3 more runes up, use the other, get 3 more runes up, then use Lunge.

Inspiration- I cast three, maybe four spells while I'm actively tanking: Flash, Foil, Phalanx, Regen IV. That's it. Anything else either takes too long or isn't worth the MP cost.

SS can be useful if a mob is casting a long-cast-time spell (of element you're not prepared for) and it can't be stunned.

Sleight of Sword- Because Great Swords swing so fast that we actually needed this?

Again, yet another way that SE is saying "You don't get native dual-wield, shields, ToM or delve swords, but DW swords are much better for your job overall, so it's time to decide!"

[Ariyon]

Maybe it's just me, but I've often seen 50%/75% resists on Lunge.

I've had a few rare instances where Lunge will only use 2/3 runes and deal less damage, but other than mobs that are outright resistant to damage (i.e. Acrolith NM in Bhaflau II) I've never had a problem.

This seems to work fine for me. Just be sure you're using the right rune element for the enfeeb you want to block. Eg fire runes to block para, not ice runes.

Runes are fine. Maybe I've just had bad luck with it so far.

Gambit lowers magic def, this lowers magic eva. The durations would need to be fairly long to use 1, get 3 more runes up, use the other, get 3 more runes up, then use Lunge.

I must've misread that part then. If Rayke lowers magic evasion then it could be useful for putting enfeebs on more finicky enemies. (The Jagil NM in Fractures, for example. Sometimes Silence likes to not stick.)

SS can be useful if a mob is casting a long-cast-time spell (of element you're not prepared for) and it can't be stunned.

A valid point, but if a spell is taking that long to cast I'm far more likely to just use Liement if it's available.

Again, yet another way that SE is saying "You don't get native dual-wield, shields, ToM or delve swords, but DW swords are much better for your job overall, so it's time to decide!"

RUN actually does get access to the Delve plasm sword, as well as a few other ones. I'm not sure if they get access to the Fracture boss sword, but our selection is far better than axes or great axes.

[Babekeke]

Hmmm, so it does. Not on the boss sword though (nor does there seem to be a boss GS). Best combo of swords is delve/bihkah +1? (it's not on skirmish or naakual)

[Yinnyth]

However I could be wrong since I'm wondering - does Gambit effect Skillchain and Weaponskill damage on the target as well? I haven't seen anything that says that anywhere.

Gambit does affect skillchain damage. I've only done some very basic tests, but it seems that each skillchain only does 1 type of damage, and its damage type is that skillchain's lowest-tier element (element tiers: earth > water > wind > fire > ice > thunder > light/dark (no idea what order those are in)). So if you want to boost the damage of a light SC, you need to weaken the enemy to wind.

Rake: So... how is this ability different from Gambit? It seems like it does the exact same thing.

It's been mentioned before, but rayke will be like threnody and just decrease the enemy's magic evasion for that element. Mostly just seems useful for helping the mages stick slow and elegy on something particularly resistant. Though that would suck because you'd have to use tellus runes on something particularly resistant to earth.



The biggest thing here seems to be inspiration. 50%(assuming first tier is the same as upgrades) fast cast which you can keep on yourself 99% of the time as long as enemies don't spam dispels on you. Heck, if enemies spam dispels on you, throw on 3 lux runes and use your meritted pflug. But if you can get 30% fast cast from gear, you'll max out spellcasting time reduction. Add in 40% haste, and you'll be able to spam flash every 9 seconds. Sub DRK, and you'll be able to keep lesser enemies flash/stun-locked.

[Alpheus]

Wonder how many more stuns it would buy against something like Tojil?

[Yinnyth]

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want a run/drk to be on stun duty for tojil