Melee WHM's Unite!

[Economizer]

To quote someone on a different forum quoting something in a different thread:

What's this? DD gear that WHM can use that isn't from 75 cap or mini-expansions? Madness!

Head:
HP+30 STR+5 INT+8 MND+8
Magic Accuracy+3
Set: Magic Accuracy+5
Lv.96 WHM/BLM/RDM/BLU/SMN/BRD/SCH

Legs:
STR+10 INT+13 MND+13
Evasion+10 Accuracy+10
Haste+3%
Set: Occasionally consumes no MP
Lv.98 WHM/BLM/RDM/SMN/BRD/SCH

Hands:
MP-15 STR+7 VIT+7 MND+7
Haste+5%
Lv.98 WHM

Feet:
MP-20 STR+5 Accuracy+5
"Store TP"+4 Haste+2%
Lv.99 WHM/BLM/RDM/BRD/SMN/PUP/SCH

Waist:
STR+9 Attack+25 Double Attack-5%
Lv.98 All Jobs

Back:
Attack+17
"Everyone's Rancor"
Lv.98 All Jobs

Interesting implications for the Blessed gear's viability to 99, but I'm not sure the set is dead just yet. I really wonder if that 98 WHM piece will be part of a proper set, but even if it is, the Haste isn't quite up to an HQ blessed set just yet, at least not on the piece we see.

[Alkimi]

I really wonder if that 98 WHM piece will be part of a proper set

Unfortunately no, it's just a one-off.

Head:
MP+30 Magic crit rate+5%
"Magic Atk. Bonus"+5
Magic Accuracy+5
Set: Occasionally consumes no MP
Lv.98 WHM/BLM/RDM/SMN/BRD/SCH

Body:
MP+100 INT+13 MND+13 CHR+13
Magic Accuracy+10
Adds "Refresh" effect
Set: Occasionally consumes no MP
Lv.99 WHM/BLM/RDM/SMN/BRD/SCH

Hands:
Enfeebling magic skill+15
Magic Accuracy+10
Enmity-5
Set: Occasionally consumes no MP
Lv.97 WHM/BLM/RDM/SMN/BRD/SCH

Legs:
STR+10 INT+13 MND+13
Evasion+10 Accuracy+10
Haste+3%
Set: Occasionally consumes no MP
Lv.98 WHM/BLM/RDM/SMN/BRD/SCH

Feet:
Divine Magic Skill+10
Enhancing Magic Skill+10
Healing Magic Skill+10
Enfeebling Magic Skill+10
Elemental Magic Skill+10
Summoning Magic Skill+10
Set: Occasionally consumes no MP
Lv.96 WHM/BLM/RDM/SMN/BRD/SCH

[Krysten]

dude i Melee with Fulcrum pole and the Dmg is amazing haha.

[Kitheren]

DD WHM does't get the love it deserves. :<

[Economizer]

I've been thinking lately of dropping my AMK hat (STR+4 Weapon Skill Accuracy +15, Accuracy+10 Attack+5) so I can get the hat for a pet job and just WS in either the Rokugo Hachimaki (Accuracy+12 Club skill +5 "Conserve TP"+5) if I need accuracy or something with attack like a Khthonios Mask (Attack+14 "Store TP"+4).

I figure that this would might be better, considering that the skill scaling has changed, making it easier to hit stuff with slightly less accuracy, and I've been running more and more into attack being an issue rather then accuracy based on the mobs I tend to fight.

Thoughts?

[Fredjan]

I'd use the mask out of the two options.

[Economizer]

The sad part is that I'd just be equipping the mask for weapon skills unless I had a better way to cap haste. Sadly, haste gear for White Mage seems to be sliding down instead of up in potency as it gets other stats... so we get sidegrades and inventory -1 instead of even the slightest of upgrades.

What I'd really like is a set with attack, accuracy and haste, and if we're really loved, other boosts like STR and crit rate/damage buffs, and if SE really, really loves us, some mage stats too. But at this point I'd probably settle for haste +1% on the pieces that I've seen them unload on us that have haste -1% vs. what we can equip now.

[Kitheren]

The sad part is that I'd just be equipping the mask for weapon skills unless I had a better way to cap haste. Sadly, haste gear for White Mage seems to be sliding down instead of up in potency as it gets other stats... so we get sidegrades and inventory -1 instead of even the slightest of upgrades.

What I'd really like is a set with attack, accuracy and haste, and if we're really loved, other boosts like STR and crit rate/damage buffs, and if SE really, really loves us, some mage stats too. But at this point I'd probably settle for haste +1% on the pieces that I've seen them unload on us that have haste -1% vs. what we can equip now.

Every update we see just disappoints me further as a DD WHM. SE gave us SOME things but then chooses to either give us pretty useless pieces or just nothing at all.

That aside, I don't seem to miss too terribly much(especially on weaponskills) so I don't focus too much on accuracy save for a PCC(I can't seem to get a Ziel Charm to drop for me) so I just go for the mods. I figure that there isn't enough actual attack(or STR) gear to work with for WHM so no sense in trying to gear for that and I just pound on as much MND as possible.

But I think the Sea Gorgets and the corresponding belts from Abyssea really make a difference. I would like to know if the gorgets give the accuracy to all hits or just the first for sure, it seems everyone is going back and forth on it again and as a WHM only... if I say anything all I get is "lolwhm trying to be dd!" :<

[Economizer]

Every update we see just disappoints me further as a DD WHM. SE gave us SOME things but then chooses to either give us pretty useless pieces or just nothing at all.

This has been my endless frustration. We got good and easy to get gear for cure casting (to the point where getting into Voidwatch as a White Mage is now hard if I'm trying to progress, I suppose I really should get into some sort of endgame shell instead of relying on shouts) they've totally ditched the damage dealing side (and it isn't like you can effectively do both at once so it wouldn't exactly be a balance issue to keep scaling up what we effectively had at 75 for years).

I figure that there isn't enough actual attack(or STR) gear to work with for WHM so no sense in trying to gear for that and I just pound on as much MND as possible

This is actually why attack and STR are so important, or at least part of the reason.

There is quite a bit of attack gear you can get these days too, it is just harder to get for clerics then it is for many others. Also keep in mind that stuff that adds Club skill adds accuracy and attack, although that is also pretty rare.

I'll list out some attack gear, although this is also mostly/partly for my benefit in the future (so I'll be saying some obvious stuff, sorry). Afterwards I'll give some thoughts as to what SE could do better for us.

I'll start with weapons. Your signature says you have a Mjollnir, that's a major attack boost right there. On top of that you can offhand something with attack and STR, although due to our low amount of traits to boost it many White Mages offhand something that increases weapon skill frequency such as a Kraken Club or the Magian multihitter.

The previous headgear choices I stated, Rokugo Hachimaki (Accuracy+12 Club skill +5 "Conserve TP"+5) or the Khthonios Mask (Attack+14 "Store TP"+4) both give fair amounts of related stats, effectively 17 accuracy and 5 attack for the headband or 14 attack for the mask.

For the body piece we're pretty much limited to the augmented ACP piece unless you focus on accuracy instead.

For hands the best attack piece only gives +5 so it is better to either get the Healer Mitts +1 or the Iuvenalis Mittens, which are just about identical in stats as a macro piece. I'd say fulltime Iuvenalis but SE managed to screw that up by not giving it 1% more haste.

For pants, Rubeus Spats pretty much mop the floor. With stats like STR+10 INT+13 MND+13 Accuracy+10 Evasion+10 Haste+3% they are pretty much for everything, although once again SE managed to muck up the potential of these being the best in slot in everything melee related by having the haste value off of Blessed +1 by 1% again. They are also a Voidwatch drop which means good luck getting them, but you could probably get away with wearing Blessed Trousers (+1) until then.

For feet there aren't a lot of good choices, I'd imagine that the best choice will be gearing for Mind. You could go for Salvage gear but you'd probably save a slot by wearing the AF3+2 shoes for +8 MND.

For the neck slot you pretty much get to choose between the Backlash Torque (+8 attack), the WS gorget, accuracy gear, the Prudence Torque (+7 Club Skill), or gearing for a stat. I've also seen dat mines of the new legion gear that suggest there is a new skill piece for neck coming with something like +8 club skill.

For Waist I'm thinking either the WS belt or a Prosilio Belt (STR+9 Attack+25"Double Attack"-5%).

For ear, Aesir Ear Pendant (attack +7), Merman's Earring (+6) or something expensive like a Vulcan's Pearl (+4 attack), as well as MND based options.

For ring, Rajas is always a decent gear/gil saving option, and there are lots of STR rings (and MND ones if you wanna save some space and use your caster options). You can also grab a Keen Ring (Accuracy+3 Attack+7), or a Tyrant's Ring (AGI-4 Attack+8 "Store TP"+4) for attack as well as a bit of sTP to edge out frequency. Also to consider is Tjukurrpa Annulet (MND+5 Sword skill +5 Club skill +5) if you can get it.

For back pieces the Rancorous Mantle is the piece to get. It has +17 attack and if you are willing to build tonberry hate it also has "Everyone's Rancor".

Honestly, many of these gear choices are all jobs gear or gear from the pre-75 days, something that is far worse a situation in terms of our haste gear, especially since SE has seemingly forgotten our Blessed set that made most of our melee exploits possible in the first place. Honestly all I want is a continuation on this. A few pieces have shown promise but there is far more SE could do for us.

For suggestions my ideas have mostly been drifting around a set that is also for Paladins that could be called something like a "Templar's Armor" set or something. Perhaps Red Mage could even be included. Maybe I'll workup a set idea sometime.

[Crimson_Slasher]

You know i actually am glad to see this thread revived, i been wracking my brain when it comes to hexastrike, and admittedly my whm gear isnt top of the line by any means, my issue is (and i know, being 6 hit with crit ability makes it random, as well as testing in abyssea, though i used refresh atmas with no other ws mods for control tests) I was unable to get a difinitive result for hexastrike Superiority. In 2 hours of testing (aprox) it seemed 40 str and 15 dex did as well as 72-ish mnd. And keeping the 40 str, 15 mnd, and adding 21 mnd (as slots allowed at the time) i saw virtually no increase. Im currently looking at using a somewhat unrelated set for hexa so far.

x x x Thunder satchet
Voyager sallet, light gorget, brutal earing, and either coral or minuet earing
+15 MND body, healers/blessed hands (Nq), Spiral ring, Raja Ring
Potentia cape, Light belt, Blessed legs (Nq), Marine M Boots (3+ str/+3 dex/-3 mnd) or Orison +2 boots (8 Mnd)

Problem, and i know my sample size is rather small, but i havent seen any other stats/gear pulling ahead, i am currently 96 whm, but have a decent degree of experience with rdm melee so this is truely confounding. If anyone can shed light on this, as well as offering other gear options (NO RUBEUS SPATS! Hard enough trying to get anything out of voidwatch)

I egarly await your answers!