Help me choose: RDM vs BLM

[CrimsonDark]

I'm new player with lv53 BLM and 50 RDM.

I wanted to know the pros and cons of these classes maximum level. i don't want be hardcore player, but I want to be easily accepted into groups and do good dps, both in group and in solo content (so, survivability and CC is important).

If you only recommend some website / blog with this type of guide, I also thank

[PuppytimusLeoroccanz]

If you're not into hardcore/latest ex primals/savage/ultimate raids etc, go with the job you prefer be it in terms of aesthetics or playstyle.

They can do damage as long as you learn and understand the class, I play neither of the classes but have seen them do good dps in casual contents before so its fine regardless.

[Jigglybutt]

depends on what you mean by softcore.
if you are still going for high-end raid, both classes are not desired, with rdm being slightly more wanted than blm. the only wanted caster class is smn. blm is a stationary turret. it does top tier dps, both aoe and single target. it excels at casual content, but sucks at high-end raid. however, u can clear any hard-core content with this class and probably still do better dps than rdm. its just that it is impossible to find a party because the class offers no party utility. rdm is mobile caster and has some party utilities, like heal and res. dps is the lowest of all dps classes tho. in the end, its which class you enjoy the most that matters. if you want to get into groups, play smn, but there are times when blm are more wanted than smn and vice versa. it all depends on the patch. caster classes are never the meta. the only meta dps class is ninja.

[Shiroe]

if you like the rdm playstyle at lv 50, rdm might be the better choice (doesnt change much..., or was it lv 60 when it doesnt change much, thought 50 already??)

as rdm you have an easier time getting in parties, and in end raids youll have an easier time learning fights (and can be the hero, when rezing dead healerd)

blm takes longer to master for endraids, and atm is not rewarding enough for its down sides, but its still fun when you can nuke things

master both if you can, but atm seems rdm is the more desirable caster of the both (and easier to learn)

but if like complex feeling endraids and up for the challenge, go blm (blm changes a lot at 60, if you stil like blm at 60 in HW extreme trials, might be for you afterall)

[ChaoticCrimson]

I'm also going to vouch for RDM being a good job to start with. It's pretty straightforward to learn, doesn't punish you much for making mistakes, has nice mobility for a caster, and good utility in the form of Verraise, Vercure, and to a lesser extent Embolden. It doesn't really have a set rotation of abilities you need to learn, rather it's more of a decision tree based on how much black/white mana you've accumulated, which makes it a bit more flexible. The one notable drawback it does have is that it's among the least damage-inflicting jobs out of all the DPS jobs, which makes sense for the added utility you gain. If you like being supportive of your party, mostly in the form of rezzing dead party members, while also dealing a bit of damage then you should definitely stick with it. If nothing else, it's great for solo content as well.

I only have limited exposure to Thaumaturge, so I can't speak much of BLM. But as far as I can ascertain, the basic plusses are nice damage output and essentially unlimited MP once you learn how to manage things between your fire and ice spells. The drawbacks, however, seem to be a lack of mobility and a lack of any kind of raid utility. You're basically taking up the role of a heavy damage turret. A lot of people believe it to be in a bad place atm, but that can always change. If you're into doing pure damage and don't want to worry about your other party members as much, and you're okay with limited mobility, then this is the route you'd want to go with.

In short, I'd actually say try both if you're interested in them. RDM is likely the easier of the two for you to start with, and it'll make the story quests go a bit more smoothly I think. But in the end it really depends on your own personal play style and which sounds like it would appeal to you, and the best way to determine that is to simply try them both for yourself. Good luck, and welcome to the game!

[FelixDaCat]

After getting fed up with my Dragoon one day (ok I'll be honest, I was THAT idiot who was always dying in raids), I unlocked Red Mage and have been blown away with how balanced it feels with the mix of ranged and melee damage. For doing solo content, having the ability to heal makes most quests simple to beat. In dungeons I have been able to keep a healer or tank alive, when we were for sure going to wipe.

To be honest, you can't really tell if you're going to be able to enjoy a role, without hitting 70 and doing some tougher content. Red Mage fits nicely between a pure melee DPS and full caster DPS, but the trade off is the amount of damage output (for now at least)

[RainDurell]

If you\\'re not into hardcore/latest ex primals/savage/ultimate raids etc, go with the job you prefer be it in terms of aesthetics or playstyle...

Screw that, ALWAYS play what you enjoy more. People make such a big deal out of META but fail to realize that picking one "less favorable" job over a "more favorable" one WON'T make or break a raid team. I thought the DRK who did WF Ultimate made that clear??

Play what you enjoy, be good at it, and you will always shine.

[zemogFC]

Why not both? They share the same caster gear.

I have black mage and red mage leveled and run all non-dungeon content on RDM since it's more mobile. I run daily roulette dungeons with BLM since there's typically less dodging and they are really good at AOE damage.

RDM is a very forgiving class, I'd start with that and make it your main.

[Transient_Shadow]

Why not both? They literally use 90% of the same gear save weapons. And once you reach that point on what to spend your tokens on you'll have practiced both enough to have a solid basis on which to decide which suites you best.

[Lord_Zlatan]

Why not both? They literally use 90% of the same gear save weapons. And once you reach that point on what to spend your tokens on you'll have practiced both enough to have a solid basis on which to decide which suites you best.

This is very true. As a counterpoint to your argument tho; not everyone (even though its easy) wants to level a second class to 70, or necessarily wants to play the same role. So, some insight is useful in helping one make that decision