On Red Mage melee...

[saevel]

Ok, so assuming we're putting together Requiescat sets, do we focus on balance between +Attack and MND, focus more on MND or focus more on Attack?
lv97 and requiring 100 merits dumped into it to make worthwhile is not what I'd exactly call native. Not to mention there are those other 96 levels to account for. Well, 66 really because you can probably get away with having just Fast Blade going into lv30~.

Ohh I agree it's not perfect, but then again our last "Native" WS was level 75 and required a R/EX weapon from Nyzule, a 100 floor disc, or a retarded amount of time (14,000 Ws points I believe).

Merit Points seem much easier to do, especially in this day of Abyssea and 15K XP from Voidwatch. Seriously I did Req almost exclusively from Voidwatch XP.

Gear wise, crap MND into every slot you can. Ele gorget / Belt and Atheling mantle are the exceptions. If we had a MND+15 back then I'd use it, but 20 Atk 3 DA will beat 6 MND. It's basically your "max potency" MND enfeebling set. Praeco (or Cure +10% body) is a perfect piece for body, its +15 MND, only thing better is the R/EX Akvan drop at +17, but he can kiss my a$$ (0/ridiculous so far). Our Emp gear and Relic +2 provide a ton of MND in various slots. Aquasoul rings for +7 on each finger. Ruarc crown is kinda rare on the AH cause nobody does that VWNM now. So I'll be using Emp +2 Head for 8MND. Duelists +2 is +7 on the hands and used for your Enhancing set anyway. Legs would be rubious but if you don't have those then some +7 pair off the AH. Self buff with Gain-STR not Gain-MND, the MND will do more for your WS but the STR will do more for your melee, most of our damage is from melee not WS. Gain-DEX + CDC was the exception because it also enhanced our crit rate to some degree. That being said, if your primary role is landing a maxed our paralyze / slow on something, then the difference between Gain-MND and Gain-STR isn't very big.

The gorget / belt turn it into a 7.2 fTP WS (5+1 + fTP bonus). The -20% attack hurts .. lots, yet the +fTP and our easy access to ridiculous amounts of MND makes up for it and then some.

[Duelle]

The gorget / belt turn it into a 7.2 fTP WS (5+1 + fTP bonus). The -20% attack hurts .. lots, yet the +fTP and our easy access to ridiculous amounts of MND makes up for it and then some.

Guess I have more ahead of me, then. Oh well. Guess I'll start shouting for boot farming parties and then see who is still doing +1 items before I can even think about getting +2.