The Problem with Red Mage . . .

[ManaKing]

Not without giving up some really nice stats in other slots. The reason RDM's tend to use Z.Tiara is that it's 8% haste in a single slot that doesn't have any super awesome options. Putting that there means you only need to get 17~18% in other slots, most notable legs, body and feet. Only other head options are Brego Helm and Khthonios Mask, neither of which is particularly that good when compared to feet / legs / body.

The stats on any particular slot doesn't matter, it's the total stats of the build that are important. Also I've been trying to nail a capped haste + 15 Store TP set. At 30% DW and 454 Delay using CDC, you need 15 sTP to hit 100 in 16 hits or 8 attack rounds.

http://www.ffxiah.com/item-sets/272885

That's a little sloppy, but you have room to work with it. The feet you can change for Eurus and still have your TP goal. Phos Belt and +1 do exist, but you don't need them unless you want to use a body without haste.

http://www.ffxiah.com/item-sets/267751

Problem is, you are still looking at the Kudzu Aketon as an option for TPing in. The only way you work that in is with an Ephemeron, a Zelus Tiara, or a Phos Belt being used. I'd go with the Shedir Manteel instead. But then again, I still like Excal over Almace because it can be supported by the gear that already exists for RDM.

http://www.ffxiah.com/item-sets/265028

If you want to tell me about how horrible Ephemeron is as an offhand, then I'll just point out it's easy to get over 20 Store TP with it. It's not particularly easy to get, but neither is Crit Damage for CDC.

Without an Ephemeron, RDM sets are a lot harder to put together. If you are using an Excalibur you are already using En-Aero 2 and Paraylzing all the things so your 25% HP proc can go off. No reason your offhand shouldn't have a good additional affect as well.

I don't think Excalibur > Almace, but I do think it is more consistent and I really would rather rely on higher damage and Attack, than trying to gear for Crit on RDM.

[Demon6324236]

So did I miss something or what? I am not familiar with juliandev.com stuff but I saw something I couldn't easily ignore while looking around over there. I looked in the magic section and saw some spells we don't have, but it says we are getting it looks like.

Diaga II - Lowers defense of enemies within area of effect and gradually deals light elemental damage.
MP Cost: 60 Casting Time: 1.75 Recast Delay: 6.25
Target: Enemy / Type: White / Element: Light / Skill: Enfeebling Magic
Jobs: WHM52 RDM45 THIRD1

Diaga III - Lowers defense of enemies within area of effect and gradually deals light elemental damage.
MP Cost: 120 Casting Time: 2.0 Recast Delay: 6.5
Target: Enemy / Type: White / Element: Light / Skill: Enfeebling Magic
Jobs: RDM75 THIRD1

Meteor II - Magic Help Message.
MP Cost: 150 Casting Time: 18.0 Recast Delay: 52.0
Target: Enemy / Type: Black / Element: Light / Skill: Elemental Magic
Jobs: WHM75 BLM75 RDM75 THIRD1

Paralyga - Magic Help Message.
MP Cost: 12 Casting Time: 4.0 Recast Delay: 20.0
Target: Enemy / Type: White / Element: Ice / Skill: Enfeebling Magic
Jobs: WHM61 RDM61 THIRD1

Slowga - Magic Help Message.
MP Cost: 30 Casting Time: 2.5 Recast Delay: 30.0
Target: Enemy / Type: White / Element: Earth / Skill: Enfeebling Magic
Jobs: WHM61 RDM61 THIRD1

Hastega - Magic Help Message.
MP Cost: 80 Casting Time: 4.0 Recast Delay: 30.0
Target: Self Only / Type: White / Element: Wind / Skill: Enhancing Magic
Jobs: WHM61 RDM61 THIRD1

Silencega - Magic Help Message.
MP Cost: 32 Casting Time: 4.0 Recast Delay: 20.0
Target: Enemy / Type: White / Element: Wind / Skill: Enfeebling Magic
Jobs: WHM61 RDM61 THIRD1

Dispelga - Magic Help Message.
MP Cost: 20 Casting Time: 5.0 Recast Delay: 60.0
Target: Enemy / Type: Black / Element: Dark / Skill: Enfeebling Magic
Jobs: RDM61 THIRD1

Blindga - Magic Help Message.
MP Cost: 10 Casting Time: 2.5 Recast Delay: 20.0
Target: Enemy / Type: Black / Element: Dark / Skill: Enfeebling Magic
Jobs: BLM61 RDM61 THIRD1

Bindga - Magic Help Message.
MP Cost: 16 Casting Time: 2.5 Recast Delay: 50.0
Target: Enemy / Type: Black / Element: Ice / Skill: Enfeebling Magic
Jobs: BLM61 RDM61 THIRD1

Just curious because I saw these. Hope it isn't something stupid to ask about. :x

[Daniel_Hatcher]

So did I miss something or what? I am not familiar with juliandev.com stuff but I saw something I couldn't easily ignore while looking around over there. I looked in the magic section and saw some spells we don't have, but it says we are getting it looks like.

Just curious because I saw these. Hope it isn't something stupid to ask about. :x

Been that way since day one, it's for the enemies or something..

[saevel]

Without an Ephemeron, RDM sets are a lot harder to put together. If you are using an Excalibur you are already using En-Aero 2 and Paraylzing all the things so your 25% HP proc can go off. No reason your offhand shouldn't have a good additional affect as well.

This makes no sense, Relics's special stats on exist when their on main hand which is the only place Enspell II's work. Relics and Enspells are pretty much mutually exclusive to each other. As a general rule Eph sucks as a sword, it has a few specialized uses but in general Almace + Str Sword would be a better set. This pretty much forces you to use Zelus tiara to that you have more freedom in all your other slots.

[ManaKing]

This makes no sense, Relics's special stats on exist when their on main hand which is the only place Enspell II's work. Relics and Enspells are pretty much mutually exclusive to each other. As a general rule Eph sucks as a sword, it has a few specialized uses but in general Almace + Str Sword would be a better set. This pretty much forces you to use Zelus tiara to that you have more freedom in all your other slots.

Oh well, that's bit about enspells and relics is wrong. Enspell 1s override ANYTHING. Enspell 2s are actually much lower on the list. The Excalibur proc will go off and override your enspell 2 damage, the rest of the time you get your Enspell 2 damage and the resist lowering.

All I'm saying is that if you like a STR Shikagar that much, you should just make an Excalibur, because that is basically what it is x3 and then you can offhand what you want. My Builds with Excal have over +100 Atk on them. My Almace builds are nowhere close to that because they never incorporated an Ephemeron.

[Neisan_Quetz]

15 stp would be kudzu/vara brigande/rajas/tyrant/brutal unless I'm missing something (vara brigande would also work if it's easier to get than hoping for kudzu drop, or Morta runs dried up on your server)

Fencer's is a close call still... and I can't get the Kthonoios/Shedir combo to win at all

[Neisan_Quetz]

Smh

Even with the entire geode thread in General Str shikargar doesn't stop being the best offhand (bar severe accuracy issues) for most situations you would melee

That and in my case, Almace doubles as being usable on more jobs than Excal would be, and I'd still need a Str Shikargar regardless of which one I would melee with

[ManaKing]

Essentially you are saying, 'I care more about my BLU than my RDM' because you are building the wrong sword because it's convenient. You might also be saying something like, 'I talk about my RDM, but I don't really play it anymore. My BLU on the other hand, oh man I sure do like taking it places.'

Req Blows CDC out of the water in consistency and gear support on RDM. But hey you're BLU can actually use that Almace, so I guess it's good enough to watch your RDM limp around with it.

I would go into how bad your gearing options are without an Ephemeron, but I'm sure you've read enough STR Shikagar comments to not even look at what you can actually gear on RDM.

[Neisan_Quetz]

Ephemeron is a terrible offhand. This does not change based on what main hand you use.

Excal loses the +attack and hidden effect in offhand. Regardless of whether you use Excal or Almace in main hand, Str Shikargar is still your best offhand in most situations.

The difference between 90 Almace and 95 Excal is not as large as you are making it out to be (adding in new Vara Brigande, I have them pretty much even /nin on DC, and Excal 2-5% ahead /dnc). If both are 99 they're pretty close with my sets (Zelus/Kudzu/PhosNQ). If using Vara Brigande for TP Excal pulls ahead by a small amount.

If you're talking about Dynamis farming, then excal pulls ahead since you can't keep up AM, but I don't farm on Rdm in the first place.

[Demon6324236]

The benefit of Ephemeron is you get 3% Haste which allows for a looser build for TPing as you are not limited so much on TP gear. The advantage becomes very useful when stacking alot of Attack, STR, and Double Attack, with the extra space provided. Such as if you are using Ephemeron you can cut out 3% Haste from your build, meaning Eurus' can be taken out, removing -STP and instead you can put in something like Dusk+1, or Ghadhab for the Attack. You can also use Kudzu more comfortably because though it does not give haste it still becomes more easily worked around. As it stands without Phos you are forced into a build of Phasmida/Ninurta's, Zelus, Brego/Alucin, Calmecac/Rubeus, Eurus', which puts you at 25% Haste. With Ephemeron's 3% Haste you are able to use a few more varied pieces with stats that surpass Shikargar's stats in the end, which just like Saeval said, "The stats on any particular slot doesn't matter, it's the total stats of the build that are important" and that is why Ephemeron is good, it helps the overall build rather than just being a good item on own.

STR Shikargar is good for the attack & STR, however if you can make this up with the gear you are able to use thanks to the 3% haste than it loses its effect for the most part and becomes much less useful. The benefit that Ephemeron can not mimic however is in WSs, as you would already be stacking stats as high as you can regardless of the AGI, DMG, TP Drain, or Haste that Ephemeron gives, thus for WSs STR Shikargar is massively better. In TPing however its effects can be mimiced by gear you would use thanks to the 3% Haste on Ephemeron that you would need not worry about any longer.

I would argue that if anything STR Shikargar might be better off with Excalibur and Ephemeron better with Almace simply for the fact that Shikargar with the STR & Attack play more to the benefit of Req & KoR thanks to mods & Req's attack penalty. However both weapons have their merit, and to think either one is the be all end all of offhands seems like a flawed perspective to me because you can not ignore the 3% Haste Ephemeron gives to a TP build, nor the STR/Attack Shikargar gives to a WS build.