RDM Sub?

[Raka]

Beastmaster/Red Mage

The Benefits:

-Fencer
Increases rate of critical hits by 5% when wielding with the main hand
only. Grants a 40 TP bonus to 1-handed type weapon skills.
(Although this is a benefit to Beastmaster/White Mage too, it's still
worth noting.)

-Phalanx
Reduces damage taken by all forms of attacks.
(If only by a little, it varies on you Enhancing Magic skill level.)

-Ice Spikes
Allows you to be able to paralyze you opponent should it process once
your enemy has attacked you.
(Unless your opponent is immune to Paralysis; this is exceptionally great
to use if you plan to be hit alot.)

-Bio II
Reduces your opponents attack by ~10.1%.
(Another great benefit to reducing physical damage you/your pet take.)

-Refresh
Helps to maintain a balanced stock of MP.

-Dispel
Removes one beneficial buff from the opponent.
(Usually easy to land anyways, can't go wrong with this.)

-Fast Cast II
Reduces spell casting time by 15% and recast by 7.5%.

-Magic Attack Bonus II
Gives a total of +24 Magic Attack.
(Great for use with Primal Rend and Cloudsplitter.)

-Level 94~96 Beastmaster
Access to Protect III, Cure IV, and Haste.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Disadvantages:

-Duel Wield
The ability to wield two One-Handed weapons.
(Not so much of a loss really for the most part; unless
you are like myself and sub Dancer or Ninja for the
"Pet: Physical damage taken -10%" Axes.)

-Utsusemi
Utsusemi: Ichi/Utsusemi: Ni both grant the user three shadow-images
while used as a Support Job.
(Great for buying time to avoid taking unwanted Area-of-Effect physical damage,
re-charm, Call Beast, or trade off your enmity to your pet with "Snarl".)

-Berserk
When active, the users attck is increased by 25%, and their defense lowered by 25%.
(Great for damage, especially with the Job Trait "Fencer". I usually favor the use
of Beastmaster/Warrior just for damage in Abyssea.)

-Double Attack
10% Chance of attacking twice.
(Once again, I favor the use of Beastmaster/Warrior for damage dealing in
Abyssea parties.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My Overall Opinion:

Beastmaster/Red Mage is without doubt a great combination and one I have loved before the days of Abyssea.
Other Support Jobs may deal heavier damage than others, but at a risk of also being defeated easier; such as:

Beastmaster/Warrior-
No real way to recover any damage you have taken and a bad choice when fighting things that have access to some hurtful area attacks.

Beastmaster/Dancer-
While lacking in DPS with only Dual Wield II vs a Beastmaster/Ninjas Dual Wield III(15% vs 25%); this combination has the ability to heal itself, remove most status ailments, and reduce an opponents defense or evasion. This combination may also use abilities such as "Drain Samba II" to add to your DPS(should you be taking damage in the process), or simply use "Haste Samba" instead.

Beastmaster/Ninja-
Although you are able to null most(if not all) physical attacks with the use of Utsusemi, this combination has no real means of recovering it's HP without resting. Should note that as of late there are many monsters that have been added that can either ignore or wipe-out completely, any Shadow-Images attained by Utsusemi or Blink. I use this combination personally when I plan to solo Notorious Monsters, letting pet do the dirty work while occasionally running in to add some extra DPS.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hope this has helped. If anyone thinks I have missed anything, feel free to add on.

[Xilk]

Hey Raka, thats a pretty darn good summary of bst/rdm advantages. Very nicely formatted too.

There appear to be a few misconceptions I'd like to address though. I don't agree w/ having "lack of dual-wield" as a disadvantage. Its not really applicable. If thats valid, then you would have to add every ability you could have w/ another subjob as a disadvantage. I would call a disadvantage of /rdm the low magic skill which would make several spells not-useful. Also, It doesn't make sense to list haste and cure4 yet. They won't be available for a long time still.

IMO, I think BST/DNC can out DD bst/nin. I'll have to test to be sure, but haste samba makes up for some of the difference in dual weild, and box step for def down helps both pet and master. It actually helps pet more than master. Its busier DD, but I think its probably the top option for bst dd. /dnc and /nin nock /war out of the water for DD now. The dual wield levels are just that much higher than the 10% double attack... I've got 26% double attack just from my gear... adding 10% from /war for trading off the 20% dual wield I"m getting from /dnc and gear and 5% haste /from ja just doesn't compare at all.