But it's a sword.

[Venjamin]

I am so jazzed about having RDM. I love spellcasters with swords.

So why, exactly, are RDM's not allowed to use said sword outside of the GCDs? I can't even get in close for auto attacks without losing dual cast. ;_;

I just want to stick them with the pointy end between spells.

[ADVSS]

I am so jazzed about having RDM. I love spellcasters with swords.

So why, exactly, are RDM's not allowed to use said sword outside of the GCDs? I can't even get in close for auto attacks without losing dual cast. ;_;

I just want to stick them with the pointy end between spells.

their level 1 skill is a sword skill(first hit in the sword combo)... its just more optimal to use the combo to lead to the finisher because of the nature of using x amount of black/white mana with the combo for significant damage increase/have enough to cast the final nuke

[Duelle]

their level 1 skill is a sword skill(first hit in the sword combo)...

Which is likely there because it'd make no sense to give you Jolt at lv1 if you have nothing to spend mana on once you hit 30/30 from spamming it. It's purely for making the skill spread work and nothing else.

The sword is sadly an afterthought, since the design basically forces you to spam spells from range and then run in to hit the mob 3 times and then get away again. If you use sword skills without mana (which takes a long time to build), you're going to be dealing really low damage. Hence why the potencies are so low.

It's a step above this, but not by much. And yes, that guy doesn't use his sword for anything at all.

[Shurrikhan]

It's a step above this, but not by much. And yes, that guy doesn't use his sword for anything at all.

Wand-swords, yo.

On topic:

I AA between casts. If your ping is low, there's no gap for the AA to go off between the cast and the following instant. The damage bonus is less than neglible, however; I just tend to be in AA range in preparation for Displacement. Unless there's a specific reasons not to, I use both Displacement and Corps-a-corps as on-cooldown bonus damage like Blunt Arrow and Repelling Shot; I find the paired casts to be plenty of mobility in themselves.

So far (at level 60) RDM has about the complexity you'd expect from getting a third- or halfway to level cap. The burst is crunchy, and the mild versatility comes in quite handy in 4-DPS PotD runs. I'm enjoying it more than my gutted HW mains, but that's not saying much.

[Fyce]

Red MAGE...

[Alistaire]

Red MAGE...

Welcome to the final fantasy series of games! It's always great to have newcomers. I know it can be confusing to hear a name like that and think of red mage as a pure mage but it's actually always been kind of a hybrid between a classic mage type and a fighter.

[Fyce]

Welcome to the final fantasy series of games! It's always great to have newcomers. I know it can be confusing to hear a name like that and think of red mage as a pure mage but it's actually always been kind of a hybrid between a classic mage type and a fighter.

Who said it was a pure mage? Not me, that is, because I know what a Red Mage is. Thanks for assuming that I don't, or for your sarcastic answer.

Besides, not being able to auto-attack is such a minor thing... and probably an oversight.

[Duelle]

Who said it was a pure mage? Not me, that is, because I know what a Red Mage is. Thanks for assuming that I don't, or for your sarcastic answer.

Considering you did a callback to the "lol it has mage in the job name" argument, I think the response was warranted.

Besides, not being able to auto-attack is such a minor thing... and probably an oversight.

Actually, you are able to auto-attack. Auto-attack does not remove Dualcast like the tooltip says. That being said, auto-attacks deal tiny damage, and that still leaves the question of use of the sword when not 80/80 (you don't because your DPS then tanks).

[Fyce]

Considering you did a callback to the "lol it has mage in the job name" argument, I think the response was warranted.

I still think that my answer was appropriate considering that the thread is entitled "But it's a sword."

"I have a sword, so my auto-attacks should be powerful!"

Well, no. That's not how a Red Mage works. The main characteristic of a Red Mage is that he can use Black and White magic. Wearing a fancy hat and a sword as a catalyst doesn't make you a swordmaster. Especially if your main stat is INT.

But it's a sword. Yeah, but it's a mage.

Actually, you are able to auto-attack. Auto-attack does not remove Dualcast like the tooltip says. That being said, auto-attacks deal tiny damage, and that still leaves the question of use of the sword when not 80/80 (you don't because your DPS then tanks).

The sword and the crystal are both used as a catalyst for casting magic. Because Red Mage is a mage.

Jack-of-all-trades, master of none is what defines the Red Mage. It already have powerful melee skills. Can't have everything.