Lack of decent Red Mage Gear

[Seriha]

General gist of that video was the RDM was basically ignoring the party's needs and swinging away. One of those blanket stereotypes you see flung around, really, along with how all melee RDMs swing in mage gear. It's more appropriate to say that bad players will be bad regardless of job. RDM just so happens to stand out as a result of the perceived "need" the old days yielded and it being painfully obvious when a subpar player is overburdened in situations that could give even veterans trouble. Granted, you'll find some who will create situations just to spite a melee RDM and turn around and try to blame it on them.

Either way, try not to step into the job expecting miracles and without some understanding friends, playing outside the norm could be a bit dicey. DNC is probably the closest job in your roster you have to relate to if going physical, but they'll still play differently. And perhaps from an outsider's perspective looking in, you might see some of the issues we've brought up over time.

[saevel]

Yeah the old "if a RDM pulls out their sword the following happens"
#1, Monster gains HNM status
#2, Everyone in the party suffers a debilitating status effect that kills them shortly
#3, Monster instantly decides to wipe the entire party
#4, Monster gains the ability to instantly use a weaponskill
#5, The RDM hitting the monster actually heals it instead of hurting it

And I'm sure a few others can put some in.

[Swords]

#6 Get blamed for a person dieing, even though he was one shotted at full hp.

[Kitkat]

#7. Feeding too much tp to the mob with melee

This is rather counter-intuitive to other stereo types stating rdm can't hit anything anyway, while completely ignoring a blu spamming low dmg multi-hits to skill up or someone using a kclub doing 8dmg per hit just so they can do WS more often. Unless of course it is the rdm using the kclub ~shrugs~

[Economizer]

Anyone have any good ideas where to get some information on decent red mage gear? I looked a couple of posts in this thread, but I'm doing some looking around now and some direction would be good.

Okay, I might be able to help more now, since I'm not super tired. It is definitely not a complete list, but it might be able to help a little. For the most part I left out enhancing magic gear, which helps enspell damage and Magic Attack Bonus which can help certain weapon skills. Additionally, this is mostly melee focused, so if you need to tank something while hitting, this list won't be the most helpful, and if you want to cast powerful spells, this won't be the most helpful either. Keep that in mind.

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Weapon: Assuming that you don't want to put the effort into a Relic/Mythic/Empyrean or even the fake empyrean weapons, at least at this time, you'll have a few choices.

Before 75, if you plan on hitting things (instead of Staff swapping and nuking), your best choice is probably a Blau Dolch dagger (which you can buy) in your main hand and a Joyeuse sword in your offhand, while subbing either Ninja or Dancer.

At higher levels you will be able to do the Magian Trials for Sword. You can use these to get a few nice things, like a STR/Attack Sword, or something with stats you might like more.

At this point, you can either continue mainhanding a Dagger (while possibly upgrading to a Clement Skean or a Twilight Knife for Evisceration and Aeolian Edge at high levels, or a Sword (upgrades will probably be the Runic Anelace which you can buy, or a ton of even better Swords you can't) for Savage Blade and (if your sub is PLD, BLU, DRK, WAR) Sanguine Blade.

If you want to use a Sword, subbing Dark Knight for Sanguine Blade is probably your best bet (alternatively, Warrior), but then you'll need a Shield. If you want to just buy one from the AH, your best bet is probably a Psychist Shield (kinda new, so limited availability), a Blume Buckler, or a Tariqah +1. That said, farming for a Genbu's Shield isn't that hard and you will only need another mage or two to help you take down Genbu, or if you don't mind hard work, a Muse Tariqah from doing Zeni NMs.

Don't underestimate your Dagger, since Red Mage gets better native access to Dagger weapon skills, freeing your sub up for Dual Wield access.

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Head: Something with Haste during TP, such as the Walahra Turban (easy to get, miniquest), Brisk Mask (leach a Glavoid kill, they'll usually give it to you), or Zelus Tiara (much harder, but the most haste). If you are worried about Accuracy, an Optical Hat, Issen Hachimaki, or Kensho Hachimaki can help.

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Body: Goliard Saio, ACP Body, are the common choices.

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Back: Atheling Mantle is probably the best piece you can get (it isn't too hard), but if you are dead set on being able to buy one, either a Vimukti Mantle or Vellaunus' Mantle will suffice, but won't be quite as amazing.

Your AF3 cape increases duration or spells, which may also help.

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Belt: Headlong Belt 3% Haste, Swift Belt 4% Haste, Goading Belt 5% Haste, 5 Store TP.

For accuracy, a Life Belt or a Virtuoso Belt (easy camp) can help.

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Hands: Dusk Gloves +1 are the one I commonly hear mentioned for Red Mage. If you don't mind farming a bit, there are a new pair of gloves in Dynamis called Alucinor Mitts.

And although they are more casting oriented, Eradico Mitts can help your Aeolian Edges out, or Sanguine Blade.

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Neck: For accuracy, Peacock Charm, Chivalrous Chain, Ziel Charm, Fortitude Torque (Sword), Love Torque (Dagger).

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Ear: Brutal Earring and Suppanomimi.

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Ring: Rajas Ring, still the best melee ring, from level 30 on. Keen Ring and Spiral Ring buyable.

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Legs: Calmecac Trousers are something I've seen suggested. You can also get augments for the ASA legs (probably Haste and double attack). Prince's Slops for accuracy.

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Feet: I've heard Dusk Ledelsens +1 mentioned, but the new Eurus' Ledelsens have slightly more Haste, albeit a different downside.

Your AF3 boots augment duration like your cape, which makes them an important Macro piece.

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Again, this isn't a complete list, nor is a list going to tell you what stats you will value more. Find what stats you want and wear them. Play the style you have fun with.

[VraeliaRDM]

Economizer, I love your ending post. 'Play the style you have fun with.'

To be honest, RDMs are also Melee. (Look back to Final Fantasy 1) where RDM was Melee and a caster/buffer.
Even in this game, RDMs can do everything, remember RDM is a 'Jack-of-all-Trades.'
We are not only casters, we can also melee with good melee gear.
I love meleeing as Red Mage. It is quite fun. And it helps as a stress-reliever (for some). XD

And to see more melee gear for RDM past 75, I would love for this to happen.
Square Enix knows we can do almost everything and anything. They don't need to change anything in our Mage side nor our melee side.

Some people might have forgotten that we Red Mages are the 'Jack-of-all-Trades' job.

We heal. We buff. We Enfeeb. We cast black magicks. We Melee. We can do it ALL. Some aspects of RDM can be buffed more, yes. However, people shouldn't forget that we can melee well. Not as good as other DD jobs, but we can.

[Varlan]

Okay, I might be able to help more now, since I'm not super tired. It is definitely not a complete list, but it might be able to help a little. For the most part I left out enhancing magic gear, which helps enspell damage and Magic Attack Bonus which can help certain weapon skills. Additionally, this is mostly melee focused, so if you need to tank something while hitting, this list won't be the most helpful, and if you want to cast powerful spells, this won't be the most helpful either. Keep that in mind.

Sure thing. Thanks for the information.

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Again, this isn't a complete list, nor is a list going to tell you what stats you will value more. Find what stats you want and wear them. Play the style you have fun with.

That's an interesting list. I looked up a few of those items and I don't know if I can beat some NMs since I only have my wife and she's low level at the moment. I'm not part of a guild, I mean linkshell, so this is why I pretty much live by the AH. Still, gives me something to look forward to in the future. Though, what stats are worthwhile? I've been stacking STR, ATK, DEX with MND and INT to help round things out a bit. I understand the class is a hybrid of sorts, so I tried to gear accordingly.

I'm still level 70, though. Gotta beat Maat.

[Mageoholic]

GL with Maat. Make sure you have capped enfeebling and he is cake.

[Seriha]

That's an interesting list. I looked up a few of those items and I don't know if I can beat some NMs since I only have my wife and she's low level at the moment. I'm not part of a guild, I mean linkshell, so this is why I pretty much live by the AH. Still, gives me something to look forward to in the future. Though, what stats are worthwhile? I've been stacking STR, ATK, DEX with MND and INT to help round things out a bit. I understand the class is a hybrid of sorts, so I tried to gear accordingly.

It's rare STR/DEX/ATK interact directly with INT/MND/MATK, usually only as WS mods like with Death Blossom and MND, otherwise a melee-centric WS and thus a good idea to hone the physical portions first. Anyway, I'll try vaguely sum up what you should try to wear when doing what.

Phalanx/Enspell/Spikes/Barspells: Enhancing gear only affects these.

Stoneskin: Enhancing is also a mod, but MND works and there are Stoneskin-specific items out there. Eventually your natural enhancing will let you cap without other stuff, but the mentioned gear breaks those caps.

Slow/Paralyze: MND and Enfeebling skill, Magic Accuracy also an option. I'm unsure if Addle functions similarly, but couldn't hurt since it's also white magic.

Blind/Bind/Grav/Sleep: Potency isn't so much affected here by INT like with the MND enfeebles, so I'd emphasize Enfeebling and MACC with INT on the slots where 2 INT outweighs a MACC value.

Nukes: MATK, INT, MACC, and Elemental skill (Going from damage to accuracy). /SCH and Dark Arts is really our greatest buff here, as nuking harder prey usually boils down to resist issues.

Meleeing for TP: Haste gear usually wins the day, with ACC and ATK on the side. But as I mentioned earlier, a gear set that works for one mob may not work so well for another (THF types demand more ACC, for example). Get a feel for your target and adjust accordingly.

WS: For physical WS like Vorpal/Savage Blade, Evisceration, and Death Blossom, you'll want to stack up on STR/ATK/ACC and likely a WS elemental gorget. Some like DEX for Evisc since it's a mod, but it doesn't do nearly as much for us as it would a THF. For Sanguine Blade, you can pretty much use your nuking gear.

Idling: You'll want gear with Auto-Refresh, Regen, and most likely Physical Damage reduction. When you're not doing anything, it's best to slap this on so you recover more MP until you do something again and take less damage from AoEs or possible random aggro. This is probably the set you should hold off on fine tuning until you get your other ducks in a row since if you're busy in a group, you won't be wearing it much.


I didn't go into too many specifics since I didn't want to aim you toward things outside your means. You'll have a hard time getting a lot of things without an LS, though. Even the more socially inclined ones can get things done in Abyssea, and once you're past Maat, that's more than likely an environment you'll want to be spending time in.

[Economizer]

That's an interesting list. I looked up a few of those items and I don't know if I can beat some NMs since I only have my wife and she's low level at the moment. I'm not part of a guild, I mean linkshell, so this is why I pretty much live by the AH. Still, gives me something to look forward to in the future. Though, what stats are worthwhile? I've been stacking STR, ATK, DEX with MND and INT to help round things out a bit. I understand the class is a hybrid of sorts, so I tried to gear accordingly.

I'm still level 70, though. Gotta beat Maat.

Of course, having a good linkshell that you can ask for help, even if it is just a social shell where people talk, would help a lot. I can't help you out here however, due to server differences.

With a lot of the Abyssea stuff, you won't need a Linkshell. For the Rajas Ring, and the Suppanomimi, you might need to shout in Port Jeuno to get some help for the big fights, but you can duo if not solo through most of CoP (Chains of Promanthia) and ZM (Rise of the Zilart) now. For the add-on gear like the ACP body, you should be able to duo through all of it except the last fight (if I remember correctly) and then shout for the final fight.

For the Nyzul Isle gear and weapon skills like the Goliard Siao, you will probably need a static party, although you could do it with shouts, with a lot of work. You can probably skip the gear, but the weapon skills can be nice to have.

For all this, don't get into a group with people you don't trust, or people who are rude. These days you don't have to put up with people being jerks to get what you want in this game. If you do find a group you like, congrats, but don't feel pressured.

As for stats, what you generally want for melee is Haste > Accuracy > Attack > STR, with a bigger priority on DEX then STR if you use Daggers for extra crits. Haste caps at 25% (wear 26% visible on gear to ensure you cap). There is a lot to gearing stats, but the basic rule of thumb is that Haste is the single most important stat in the game (for melee). Maybe someone else could help explain some stats?

On beating Maat, watch videos of people doing it and read guides. Cap your skills, mainly enfeebling and elemental. My LS leader did it 1/1 on Red Mage back when it meant something, and her big thing was preparation. The other thing that can happen is your nerves - staying calm even if things go slightly wrong will win you the fight.