Oh, this thread triggered me and made me twitching... But I c..can't resist! Here you go!
[I am right now writing an incredibly long and detailed PDF for my mother who is interested in FFXIV but is "too old" (52 years) to try herself. She knows about mages in general and from other media, but just my short mentioning of being a "red" mage and wielding a sword she gave me the "Da fuck is that??!" looks. What once started as a superficial summary of the Red Magic turned into a love letter about this profession. I took many of the following illustrations and reasonings from it, just shortened it down for the forums]
I am an absolute Red Mage freak. There is no day where I am not using one particular spell or skill of my rich RDM toolkit that was either a cool to watch, a life-saver or simply so out of the DPS role that I often wonder why I see so few Red Mages - until to the point I realize there are different tastes and opinions out there and I am actually glad my profession is not seen so often.
Here is a shortened-down and quick insight why I absolutely love Red Mage:
---Look, Style and Motivations---
>> The absolute beauty of the Duelist attire (Level 70 RDM Artifact Armor) got me back to this game. I was playing GW2 for 4 years after I quitted FFXIV in 2015 until on a fateful sunday morning: I saw a picture of X'rhun Tia, and then I learned it's not just an NPC, but the professions attire of the Red Mages.
My brain and my soul fought now over me:
Brain: "You quitted this game for good. The gameplay was not fun to you. Also, you gotta invest for two expansions and monthly fees"
Soul: "You have to try it out! They look awesome!"
Later that morning I found the official render and I melted away in envy:
A plainsfolk Lalafell - just like my Zedek!
The same day I've invested I think 60€... Please mind: I have not seen the gameplay, just the official render and a random picture of X'rhun! Sixty Euros!
>> ...and this absolute tasteful gear of the Red Mages keep me in this game. Means: Continuos income and hype from me about this game wherever I am :-) (My signature says it all!)
>> The Duelist set - I am always attracted to the noble, tricorn-wearing classes and characters in every game (In League of Legends, I turned a Bard main just because of the "Bard Bard" skin - a humble healer that can also hurt a lot, the analogy to RDM is there!).
But this perfectly matching set of clothes, from the steel soles of our boots to the top of the feathered tricorn is the most beautiful gear I have ever worn. The tricorn with the feathers on it. Those beautiful, long leather gloves with the lace at the entry - and the rings over the glove! The long leather boots where even the (steel) soles and heels have an embellishment! I love it SO MUCH!
My passport photos, taken by the Twin Adders recently
It is respectful, tasteful and noble. It features all materials: Expensive cloth, finest leather and jewelry. It reeks of honour and valor, and it is up to me as RDM Lalafell to convey that (making me a more social player on the way - I can't be swearing and flaming when looking as noble as that!) - while not being over the top. All these aforementioned values are cranked up to 100% - but not in overdrive.
All parts of our Duellist gear has a purpose, for example none of those leather straps are just there for show: They either hold the cape/scarf on our back or our weapons. And the ruffled portion on our back do not only cover the split/gap all coats have, but a way for Miqo'te and Au'Ra Red Mages to get their tails trough. A dedicated fashion designer could not have done it better than these video game developers!
Matching colour ranges
I usually always changed some of my sets. Not this time, I constantly wear the full set, only alternating between the hat and my monocle here and there, but mostly I stick to the hat (hence my profile picture/mugshot on the forums show me like that). I've also never set up a title - I mean, never since September 2013 - but I am proudly wearing the "The Red" title.
Also, I often walk (not run) around, and with the Lalafell waddling and the huge, bobbing feathers on the hat, I have a certain look that puts a big smile on my face:
By the way, I do not like Level 80 outfit a single bit. It looks terrible - like a Captain Morgan Rum cosplayer...
>> While the pure motivations are always in the eye of the beholder - I mean, we RDM mass-murder sentient and innocent beings just for standing in our way or even invading their natural dwelling places - the motivations are being protector of those who can't. Nothing more and nothing less. We don't boast. We seek the diplomatic way first.
>> Our mentor, X'rhun Tia, is my favourite NPC. And despite being in a Lalafell-only FC, there were a few that agreed that he is some handsome cat! As he represents the "proper" Red Mage - he has all the necessary traits:
Firstly: Diplomacy
Secondly: Combat
He is a mancat. As Hardcore Lalafreak as I am, he is my wildcard
>> I am not sure if this supposed to be like that, but his teaching as my mentor felt so natural. As player, I never felt being just a tool or errand boy (like my SCH quest...). X'Rhun is an aging Red Mage that is glad to teach the arts of Red Magic to young blood (even though my Lalafell is not much younger either...). He mentions often what he could teach us, he teaches us about the fighting style, he explains how we are able to use Black and White Magic at once, that we don't use the Aether like the other mages, how the arts of Red Magic formed in the very beginning etc. - He is an much of a teacher you can think of..
Another thing that I felt was interesting: He gradually stays back the more experienced his student - me and you - get. I am pondering if that was intentional or just continously a coincidence, but it was like this:
The first fights he was actively engaging. I have footage of me in my trainee attire, and X'Rhun dashes in, does his fighting as if to showcase the RDM awesomeness, even casting behind my back and dashing past (Corps-A-Corpse).
Learning by doing: X'run teaches me the arts of Red Magic while engaging himself!
Later, in the Great Library, he always kept behind me and only engaged when he had to - almost as he watched his student. He fought, but just in rare cases! The final fight he left me fighting alone as he was busy doing the "mechanics" (which don't actually exist, but a good way by Square Enix to make X'Rhun fake-busy) - but in all cases, you could count on his Vercures. He pushed you to the limits but never let you die. Amazing!
---COMBAT---
>> Our combat is such a refreshing take on the FFXIV formula! We are full mages - but our melee phase is as important in order to reach our full potencial.
(Combo potencies have been credited; only first-target credited on AoE skils; only Enchanted versions are credited as it is expected to go into melee with enough red mana. Enhanced skills that have a %-change to get triggerd are counted in; credited skills that exclude each other (e.g. Verflare and Verholy), but since both are a part of our skills, I counted them individually into this value)
>> We can choose if we want to go into Melee combat or not. Unlike other melee professions, we do not have to expose ourselves to danger. If the boss is going to AoE the place around him, just delay sword combat. We are free to choose!
>> The balancing is what I also enjoy: RDM is a swiss pocketknife. And game developers usally put such "Jack of all Trades" professions in such awkward, underpowered states as "compensation" that you often want to play the real deal. The FFXIV vision of RDM is, at least in my opinion and from my observations, well balanced!
Judging from the emnity bar on longer boss fights, I am always in the middle, outdamaged by BLM often. As soon as I unleash my Red Mana with my blade, I can see the else hard-stuck emnity bar shifting in my favour - we are getting rewarded for the melee fight. And slightly punished for playing save with ranged magical combat.
>> Another absolute joy for me is the fact we Red Mages have our own skills. What I mean by that: We are not just casting "Flares", which is Black Mage's turf and an AoE spell. No, we have our "Verflare" - single-target, and somehow similiar, but then again not.
I like the Red Mage's one more from the visuals... Not biased *cough*
This certain distinction justifiy our existence (apart from the Rapier combat) - and not just BLM/WHM in a "Lite version".
>> You can even see what kind of magic we are casting, either by the aura, the way we concentrate the aether or simply by looking at the colours of our crystal:
>> The spells are beautiful, but magic is always pleasing to the eye. But what with our sword combat? Even the melee combat if beautiful! No testosterone-filled blind rage, no huge axes or other blunt force - Rapier combat is always focussed, determined. Our swords are probably unimpressive when you look at it, but as soon as they are fed with enough Red Mana, things gets nasty for our foes. Granted, we can unleash some AoE damage with our Red Magic-empowered swords, but mostly it is quick and focussed stabbing of our foes.
If you want to die with style, cause mad beef with a Red Mage -- no matter if in close quarters or ranged!
Contre Sixte in action: First we slam our rapier into the ground, just to step on it, do a huge backflip while we cast our stuff - and as our boots touch the soil again, we let rain down pain for our enemies.
* My cousin is BLM fan. And when we play over Discord, I often hear: "I can't cast anything" or "Do I have to interrupt again [because I have to move]?" The mobility and the "Flow of Fight" of a RDM is refreshing. Not only do we have abilities to let rain down magical blades on our enemies (e.g. Fleche) while we move over the place, but also gap-closers! I bet every RDM has his or her own favourite story when "Corps-A-Corpsing" or "Displacing" out of deadly AoEs or keeping a fluid fighting style. There are many possible ways.
"It is a dance, my friend!"
With a bit of "abuse" (read as: out of any meta), you can expand that. What I mean? For example it was a bit too early for melee but I casted Manafication and went prematurely into a swordfight with my foe. Not a full rotation then, but better than idling like my BLM fellow :-)
An example:
First, we cast all sorts of deadly magic from a far, then we dash (or often I walk) into the fray, use Corps-A-Corpse to dash onto an add, away from the boss, spend my Red Mana in melee combat and then Displace away, again evading melee attacks from our foes, then back to casting and observing the situation. Got hurt in the melee phase? Then you are free to use the free Dualcast spell for a refreshing Vercure - to taunt your enemy! (If only NPC AI would be able to get mad . . . )
---HEALING AND RESURRECTING---
>> I love the healing ability. Having Vercure, an easy accessible healing spell, ready on my fingertip was one (and still is) one of the reasons why I love Red Mage so much. A DPS profession with a viable heal - come on, how awesome is that?
>> Using Vercure is often frowned upon - there are dedicated healers after all! But as Scholar as secondary profession, I just have the habit that I have the urge to act when the team's healthbars go lower and lower. And, a dead player does less DPS, right?
In the "Final Steps of Faith", there were two RDM. Me, and a random. The random RDM died twice that run. He could and later should have figured out our healers are struggling, and every player they do NOT have to heal is a step towards success. I kept myself alive by using Vercure during the "stomping phase" in that trial. The other RDM? "WTF is this tanking?" "Those healers suck". But he was too proud and got stuck too much into the role thingy. DPS do not heal, ye? He rather bite the dust. Wow, good choice there...
In another trial, I think it was this Ant guy in Heavensward, there is that phase when we get blasted all over the place and in the middle is some AoE stuff. The healers are "Out of Ranged" if unlucky and you can't go there due to the AoEs. In the same "safe pocket", there was a badly hurt DPS next to me. So it was me, the Lalafell Red Mage (in my beautiful Duelist attire to make this whole "noble caretaker" theme even better), that took care of this guys's wounds and ensured his survival - just to turn back to a deadly DPS player again.
>> The heal is balanced in itself: It greatly expands survability - but in order to heal a tank, you do not only need more Vercures, but you also sacrifice damage (which can cause the run to fail due to lack of DPS) and it costs mana this way. I healed trough Som Al once and while we made it (Vercure is viable), I almost ran out of mana (Dedicated healers are not obsolete).
>> We can resurrect people. As DPS profession. As I smile like a Chesire cat while I type this, I think I don't need to explain further why that is awesome...
---PERSONAL REASONING---
>> My Lalafell is not the youngest with him close to the 50-year-mark. My once black hair turns grey slowly.. The times for brawls and such are over. He was a Black Mage and is a Scholar because it does not require massive physical strength. A rapier is a comparable light-weight blade, and the magical component is nothing new to him.
Also, he learned his lessons in life: Direct confrontation is not always the best - but he can when forced.
So, this is a very shortened-down version of my PDF guide. Sometimes I have rewritten or shortend down paragraphs so much that it almost lost the point, but I think you can have caught a glimpse why I love this profession so much.
I am a Scholar too, but it is a 85:15 RDM/SCH relation.
I will be a Plainsfolk Lalafell Red Mage until the game shuts down.
Sincerely,
Hardcore Red Mage fan!
Originally Posted by OhnoozeMyToes
A plainsfolk Lalafell - just like my Zedek!
Matching colour ranges
He is a mancat. As Hardcore Lalafreak as I am, he is my wildcard
Learning by doing: X'run teaches me the arts of Red Magic while engaging himself!
(Combo potencies have been credited; only first-target credited on AoE skils; only Enchanted versions are credited as it is expected to go into melee with enough red mana. Enhanced skills that have a %-change to get triggerd are counted in; credited skills that exclude each other (e.g. Verflare and Verholy), but since both are a part of our skills, I counted them individually into this value)
Contre Sixte in action: First we slam our rapier into the ground, just to step on it, do a huge backflip while we cast our stuff - and as our boots touch the soil again, we let rain down pain for our enemies.
"It is a dance, my friend!"
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