Let's break down the AF

[Babekeke]

So, what can you full-time, what's TP only, what's WS only, what's only for tanking, and what's macro only for enhancing a JA?

There's a lot of dex here, on everything but the legs, so that makes up in part for having no accuracy.

There's 24% haste here, so full-timing the lot will cap haste (in adoulin with Ionis haste bonus).

There's some -PDT (5% total), which is nice, but both pieces offer less than DUX. DUX can be used for multiple jobs. DUX has no haste though, so AF is good for a hybrid.

There's absolutely no DA or TA, which is a shame.

There's no -MDT, though until I discover how the body affects valliance and vallation, depends on whether that will be much of an issue.


Head

Obviously a nice FC piece, and good for regen duration.
More STR than Thurandaut, but less DEX, and less (no) acc. I'll still use Thur for WS.
More DEX than Oce +1, but with set bonus when paired with Toci's, 3% Triple attack makes it a nice option. I'll stick with Oce +1 for TP.

Body

Is it 2MP/tick refresh? if so a nice idle piece to replace Orvail.
2 more STR and 5 more DEX than Toci's, but 10 less acc/att and 3% less DA. See above for set bonus TA too. I'll stick to Toci's for TP.
2 less STR and 15 att less than Thurandaut. 9 more DEX though, so better than Thur if you're struggling for acc, probably. Though Toci's is probably best, unless you're REALLY low on acc, in which case a rank 15 Manibozho Jerkin.
Good for magic resists though.

Hands

With -2 PDT and haste, these make a good hybrid set.
Obviously good for gambit, barspells and phalanx.
9 STR, 22 DEX and 4% haste makes them good for a TP set, thought Thurandaut might be better, but I've not seen how much STR (if any) they got since the ilvl update. I'll be likely to swap out my Brego for these though.
If you don't need the haste or acc, Mustela can still be a better option though. Mustela are also a better option for WS if you don't need the acc.

Legs

Good hybrid set with PDT and haste.
Good vs status ailments.
Other than that, Manibozho Brais all the way, especially at higher ranks. Rank 10 matches the STR of AF, but the massive amount of att with some dex and acc make them the way to go.

Feet

I'm undecided about these... Right now I use Rager Ledelsens, as I don't need the haste, but acc and att is very nice.
If you need the haste, these are a nice option. The best (as usual) are rank 15 Manibozho feet, or maybe Choco boots from Foret WK reive.

[Thorbean]

If you are doing the tanking, you want to be using the body, hands, & legs, feet + u'uxkaj hat.

At ~800 def, with AF having an extra 26 def over thurandaut, the extra def buys you:


0% -PDT in gear = 26 def grants just over -3% PDT
10% -PDT in gear = 26 def grants just under -3% PDT
20% -PDT in gear = 26 def grants just over -2% PDT
30% -PDT in gear = 26 def grants just over -2% PDT
40% -PDT in gear = 26 def grants just under -2% PDT
45% -PDT in gear = 26 def grants ~-1.5% PDT

All based on physical damage based on attack V def. -PDT is still best for non attack based physical damage.

The less def you start out with, the more -PDT you gain from 26 def.

EG. @ 400 base def, and 0%PDT in gear, 26 def is = -6% PDT.

The extra def over other options is reducing the damage we take significantly. So while the legs may only have -3% PDT, the def/vit bumps them up to around the same damage reduction as dux +1, + they have haste and lots of other goodies . The def on the hands is amazing too, especially with an additional -2%PDT.

Full credit to Motenten for def vs -PDT findings!

AF body has 34 def over Dux +1, more evasion, haste, vit, hp etc. etc. None of dux is really worth carrying outside of the very rare physical damage type spells that are not based on attack vs def.
RUN can't use choco feet. Mani if you don't need the defensive benefits of AF.
The enhancement on the body is +15 seconds duration on each ability.

If you have Uk'uxkaj cap, the af head is only useful for fastcast/recast and regen.
For feet, use a 4% haste piece (mani or af depending on tank/dps mode) to free up the belt slot. Windbuffet for DPS mode, flume otherwise.

The only piece that stays on in both my DPS and tanking set are the legs, as the defensive benefits outweigh the minor DPS loss.
Acc is almost irrelevant with the + skill on weapons, but we have Buremte gloves if we really need an accuracy boost.

Every piece has a better replacement for WS, don't use it for that.
4/5 is great for idle!.

[Babekeke]

For feet, use a 4% haste piece (mani or af depending on tank/dps mode) to free up the belt slot. Windbuffet for DPS mode, flume otherwise.

I'm not convinved that 1%QA and 2%TA beat the 2%DA of Twilight when combined with 3%DA and 3%TA of Oce+1/Toci's combo for pure DPS. I guess it depends how much % of our damage comes from WS.

The only piece that stays on in both my DPS and tanking set are the legs, as the defensive benefits outweigh the minor DPS loss.

So if you're not getting hit, you keep legs on for extra defensive benefits.......?

Manibozho Brais are just about the best legs in the game.

It also depends on which sub you are using. /NIN doesn't need to full-time def/-pdt. You're better off either full DD, or eva set.

[Thorbean]

1%QA is = 3%DA
2%TA is = 4%DA
An extra 5 swings per 100 rounds than twilight.

TP in thaumas + uk'uxkaj cap. Thaumas alone provides 9 more swings/100 rounds than toci + hat. So in your set, you give up 14 swings/100 rounds for a minor attack boost.


Who said anything about not getting hit? You still get hit in DPS mode all the time and you still get hit with AoE enfeebles. Defensive benefits covers more than taking a few hits!

[Babekeke]

1%QA is = 3%DA
2%TA is = 4%DA
An extra 5 swings per 100 rounds than twilight.

TP in thaumas + uk'uxkaj cap. Thaumas alone provides 9 more swings/100 rounds than toci + hat. So in your set, you give up 14 swings/100 rounds for a minor attack boost.

I will do when I get Thaumas. Until then, Toci's beats the rest.

Who said anything about not getting hit? You still get hit in DPS mode all the time and you still get hit with AoE enfeebles. Defensive benefits covers more than taking a few hits!

That's what macros are for.

[Thorbean]

Yep I don't know what a macro is for. Good one.

Napkin math doesn't account for missed stuns, debuffs getting through and stopping a vital One for All, gear not swapping quickly enough during high server traffic or add effects. Have you actually put any of the set to use yet or is this all theory craft? I only ask because you seem unsure as to how much MP/tick the body gives.
If you want to know what's best on paper against a stationary idle target then you are looking at things the right way. I prefer to put things into practice and find out what actually works better all round rather than try to squeeze every last 1 DPS out of it. (just play DRK if you want that)

[saevel]

Learning to flash in and out of DT gear isn't hard. It requires you set your filters accordingly so you see every special move while ignoring the damage / attacks of everyone except you. Whenever you see "XXX readies XXX" you hit your "don't die" macro and wait a second, if the attack is stunned flash back into TP gear and continue. Hybrid DT sets are for dangerous phases / moments where you want to continue pouring on the damage while not being one shoted.

[Babekeke]

Iuitl gear just relegated most of this set to macro only >.>

[Delvish]

Iuitl gear just relegated most of this set to macro only >.>

I really really wanted to come in here and prove you wrong, but even from a defensive standpoint, the Iuitl gear wins a majority of the time. The two pieces that I think would win is the Coat and the Pants, for elemental and enfeebling resist. Beyond that, piece per piece the Iuitl set has higher stats even in the MDB category.

Offensively speaking, there is Accuracy, Attack, and MAB on some of these as well as overall higher attribute rating. I guess it is just one of those things that come with item levels. I don't plan on killing myself for them though until RUN AF2 is released because the difference (in defense at least) is relatively marginal.

[Babekeke]

The worst thing about the Iuitl gear (in terms of wishing AF was better) is that it's ridiculously easy to get.