PLD or BLM

[Andylynn]

usefulness aside, which job do you think will be more fun to mess around on? it would be appreciated if people from both jobs gave their speculative analysis on some of the more finer aspects of the jobs.

[Arcon]

Hard to say, both can be really fun, especially soloing. BLM is more luck based I would say... on some mobs it would work, on others it wouldn't, simple as that. If a mob has movement speed, immune to bind/grav/sleep (not sure if that's still the case, but used to be true for VNMs (outside of Abyssea)), then there's not much you can do. Apart from that it's a very nice solo experience. Should read some of Kaeko's experiments (although Lv75), he described some rather intriguing BLM feats (soloing Bhaflau Remnants for example). There's also nice strategies there to experiment with. Although honestly, I'm not sure how well it performs these days, didn't play it at 90 yet. At 75 it was definitely lots of fun.

PLD has more versatility I'd say. You won't get the PLD party experience these days, but if you're with friends, they may still let you tank stuff on PLD. PLD is one of those jobs that can be prepared for any situation. It's (by far) my most-geared job, I have over 150 pieces of gear. Admitted, not all of them are needed these days (elemental resistance sets for example), but you'd still want PDT, MDT, Haste, Fast Cast, Enmity, Shield skill, DD set, and depending on your OCD sets for HP, MP, Cure IV cheat, VIT set for Rampart, Cure potency, Accuracy/Attack, absorb/annul damage, MND, Enhancing skill, (Shield) Bash, etc.

Abyssea especially opens a few new options for PLDs, especially solo wise (as I said, it isn't a popular party job these days). It's just fun to experiment what's possible, for example solo hordes of mobs with Phalanx/PDT Atma, farm your own KI/TE/EXP. Then use that time to solo NMs with a job that has lots of stagger WS. I've personally used it to farm some Atma for my Savior path, and it was pretty fun, have to think about different tactics for many mobs, but it's doable in most cases. Sometimes you'll want full Regen Atmas, sometimes you can spare some for Regain Atma, to proc red with. Other times you'll want Refresh too (MM is great for soloing, because you won't need the enmity). It's just fun to mess around, because it has lots of capabilities and can be very versatile. Can even do PLD/SCH for some fun (even if inefficient) strategies (/SCH pushes your skill to B+ for your main level with Light/Dark Arts, even if you don't have it natively).

As I said, I didn't play BLM at 90 yet, but PLD has been really fun, depending on how you play, despite its limited party usage. It's a very versatile job, even if not the most efficient, and I just love trying new things with it.

[Akujima]

I was playing NIN, when NIN apparently "sucked", but I'm playing PLD now because it's the "underdog" job.

[Misi]

My pld is still pretty low, but from what I've been seeing in my LS, the Plds have gotten bored with the job and are actually leveling blm as a secondary/third job and enjoying it. It really depends on if you personally want a tank or mage job. If you all ready have melee jobs leveled, blm may be a nice change for you.

Don't level blm unless you know you'll want to use it often. If your shell doesn't have many you are going to be asked to go blm more often then other jobs you may have. (out of the handful of jobs I have, blm is requested the most for events so that is what I'm going off of.) If you've all ready sold your quested scrolls, might be good to look the prices up and know what you are getting into. If all that isn't an issue I vote Blm for the fun factor.

[Akujima]

It really depends on if you personally want a tank or mage job.

I'm happy you actually regarded PLD as a "Tank" Job.

Awesome Sig BTW.

[Arcon]

Awesome Sig BTW.

Seconded .

[Mrbeansman]

Useful job or useless job so hard to decide.

[Arcon]

usefulness aside [..]

Useful job or useless job so hard to decide.

So hard to read.

[Misi]

Akujima and Arcon, thank you!

[Chocobits]

Being a backline job with heavy armor that can't cure or DD well but can survive about as long as anyone being curebombed, or being a backline job that does 12k on a set proc bonus and then can shed all hate AND has an improved version of the former job's 2 hour available as a 10 minute ability.

Tough choices.