Trouble with skill ups. Any advice?

RDM90, Sword skill @ 296 (+6 merits) and I still can't hit anything. I have read through the guides on the wiki page and fought in several areas trying to build up my skill, but with little success. I know a previous version update was supposed to make it easier to get skill ups, and I have tried to get on and fight when Martial Master is up, but to no avail. Can anyone make any suggestions? I have been playing for several years now, but dont get to play often, and have somewhat neglected my skill levels, now I'm paying the price! Thanks for any suggestions in advance.

The wiki is sadly outdated since Abyssea, seems they just can't keep up any more. I can't speak to sword since I've almost never used one outside of PLD, but my dagger was stupid simple to skill to cap by just doing solo/low-man stuff in Aby. Since most all aby mobs check as DC+ you're almost always in the right range for skill ups. If you're having trouble landing hits, stack up on accuracy gear and eat sushi.

You just really need a chance to swing at things until you finally get your skill ups. I know its hard for any party to be okay with a RDM melee-ing away on mobs during an aby party, but its the best solution. Try to find a low-man setup with a reliable tank that actually wants to help, maybe a PLD that still needs to cap their shield and/or sword also.

There's also the bird mobs that were added to Misareaux Coast, the Seaboard Vulture, they don't link or aggro and are still DC at level 90.

Steelshells in Boyahda or Duriumshells in vunkerl inlet [s].

If you have 3 good regen atma (Mounted Champion, Vicissitude, and Stronghold), put them on and go solo mandies in Tahrongi or whatever other zone of your choice. You probably won't even need Phalanx, so just keep yourself hasted, wear haste gear, and eat a cheap ACC food like crab sushi. I can't promise it'll be super swift, but having a Joyeuse or other multi-hit weapon will help. On the other hand, if getting TEs is of no real concern, you could also grab a weaker sword and pretty much just AFK whack things for the 9 minutes of Haste you'd have with Composure up.

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Originally Posted by Seriha

...but having a Joyeuse or other multi-hit weapon will help

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Ugh...working on that one now.

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Originally Posted by Zyeriis

Steelshells in Boyahda or Duriumshells in vunkerl inlet [s].

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I don't think I was getting anything from Steelshells any longer, and Duriumshells were just tearing me up too badly. If I saw a decent growth in my skill while fighting them I would go for it, but killing for an hour and only getting a couple points growth was just too much for me to handle. It may be that I'll just have to bite the bullet and go through it anyway, but I didnt think Duriumshells would get me anywhere at the moment.

If you get your skillups in abyssea, I'd say crabs in Misareaux Coast, and then if those aren't yielding enough skill ups or die off move to Grauberg and kill crabs there and flag Dominion ops if you want. Having acc food, atma, and maybe purchasing some acc gear for the occasion should make a difference. (or if situation permits and you have it leveled, subbing war) Even better if you can take a bard friend with you if you need the extra acc/attack boost. I've skilled up quite a few low level weapons that way. (club was about 150,staff was 180 before said attempts)

If you are still not having luck, and private second class in assault missions, you might be able to get some points by doing Excavation duty. (two others would have to go with) Those seemed to yield a good amount just by trying to complete the mission.

I also hear Moblin Maze Mongers is good for this sort of thing too.

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Originally Posted by SnapperTrx

I don't think I was getting anything from Steelshells any longer, and Duriumshells were just tearing me up too badly. If I saw a decent growth in my skill while fighting them I would go for it, but killing for an hour and only getting a couple points growth was just too much for me to handle. It may be that I'll just have to bite the bullet and go through it anyway, but I didnt think Duriumshells would get me anywhere at the moment.

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Steelshells only work till about 290, so it makes sense that you've run into a dead end there. Other than that, try shouting in Jeuno, there's almost always people that need to skill something.

Just join an EXP party (preferably not doing Dom Ops) and melee with the DD's. No one cares in an Abyssea alliance.

You should have plenty good enough accuracy to get skill ups, and you should also be able to have a Stalwart's Tonic on most of the time.

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Originally Posted by Selzak

Just join an EXP party (preferably not doing Dom Ops) and melee with the DD's. No one cares in an Abyssea alliance.

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I have done that with both exp parties (including Dom Ops) and cruor parties as WAR. I have decent skills (lowest one outside of range is H2H, and thats at 215) and with sushi+1 on, can hit 95% on T-IT stuff all the time, even dual wield. Nobody cares because I can still pop 2k Penta Thrusts or Eviscerations, as long as I don't get ruby.

merits are getting you close to 85 caps. At that point, I've been pretty much soloing abyssea mobs a lot for skillups--unless I get a chance to smack crap in other aby parties. Capped katanas, evasion, and ninjutsu easily on the Glen Crabs in Grauberg (A)--kinda got me hooked on that zone for skillups after that. Got 1.5 in skillups to hit 332 staff on SMN (approaching 90 cap) doing a page of monitors in there today.