How Would You Design Red Mage!?

[SwordCoheir]

Good Goin Ramsey, keep the ideas comin.

to OP: I like your take on the Fencer/Musketeer class however I wa sunder the impression that the Musketeers use well Muskets :P shouldn't there offhand then be a musket? The guild in Limsa for the Musketeers shows them all equipped with guns of some sort and I was bewildered that this wasn't a class already especially when I was teased with being given a gun in an early mission cut scene only to have ti taken away. If they release a Musketeer class and I get another sword and no gun I'll be really disappointed

Fair point, I was thinking Musketeer would suffice sense they were famously known as fencer type fighters (with guns), but the way the game is built up (using archer as an example) they give jobs only a single weapon type. So would Musketeer be a fully ranged attacker with a mainhand gun, or would they incorporate the guns as a throwing type offhand that does jack for damage. I guess they could take a page from Corsairs and Engineers book and hook in magical abilities within the Guns justifying having one equipped, which could work in the RDM aspect. I'm just throwing more ideas out there though.

[Ramsey]

I'd much prefer to get engineer out of Musketeer, though I don't see that working. Then again, it's more feasible than MSK>RDM. Only gun wielding mage I can remember is FFX-2's "gun mage" which was a Blue Mage with guns.

[zaviermhigo]

I build rdm with a base in enfeebling, with still melee able to do dmg but obviously less dmg than the other dow, but the enfeebles bring it on par in dmg. Would love dedicated enfeebles instead of "cast blizzard and it procs gravity" or w/e it is I forget. I want the spell gravity back and to have it be useful, paralyze, slow, haste, all these give em to rdm and slap on a cure and maybe water lol.

[SwordCoheir]

That's kind of one of the major points of discussion I'm trying to address is how to fit all that stuff on RDM, were limited to 15 abilities +5 from the job, having enough melee capability, white/black/enfeeble magic, and JA's to fit within those limitations and not be overpowered or more likely underpowered due to it's own versatility. It's a pretty rough balancing act, doable but rough.

[Zantetsuken]

The Musketeer [Class] > RDM [Job] actually might actually work pretty well.

RDM have used bows and other weapons besides their Rapiers, so it wouldn't be a total departure...

Under this build, Musketeer would need to use Rapier as main, and Pistol as off hand...

The idea has merit!

[Duelle]

That's kind of one of the major points of discussion I'm trying to address is how to fit all that stuff on RDM, were limited to 15 abilities +5 from the job, having enough melee capability, white/black/enfeeble magic, and JA's to fit within those limitations and not be overpowered or more likely underpowered due to it's own versatility. It's a pretty rough balancing act, doable but rough.

Something I brought up on the XI forums when it came to RDM was the fact that something to play off could be the application of the three disciplines that make up the job. Spell selection doesn't necessarily have to be exact copies of what WHM and BLM get. I mean, if BLM can cast fire from 20 yalms and hit for burst damage, RDM's version of Fire could only be cast from melee range and do 2/3 total damage but with a shorter cast time (instant if Combo'd into) and cooldown.

[SwordCoheir]

Another Variation for a possible Fencer/RDM build. I dunno where I'm finding the energy to do this stuff. XD

Gonna incorporate this into the main post as well.


Fencer / Musketeer

Fencer / Musketeer

Weapon: Epee, Saber, Rapier type weapons.
Offhand: Parrying Daggers (Weak secondary weapon, deals little damage but increases parry chances.)
Armors: Cloth, Leather, Jackets, Harness, Scale, Chainmail (Excluding Habergeons)

Damage Modifiers: Intelligence, Piety

Incapacitation Weaponskills: None

Weaponskills

Weaponskills:

*No positional requirements for Combos.

** Weaponskills are affected by physical accuracy, but damage is magically based.

Combo Tree 1:

Water Blade > Watera Blade > Wateraga Blade

Water Blade- Imbue your blade with magic dealing, Water based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 1000, MP Cost: 10~100, Recast: 10 Seconds

Watera Blade- Imbue your blade with magic dealing, Water based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 1500, MP Cost: 100~250, Recast: 20 Seconds
Combo Bonus: Poison Damage, Duration: 15-30 Seconds

Wateraga Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Water based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 2000, MP Cost: 250~500, Recast: 30 Seconds
Combo Bonus: Drown Effect, Duration: 15-30 Seconds

Combo Tree 2:

Astral Blade > Banishing Blade

Astral Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Astral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 1000, MP Cost: 10~100, Recast: 10 Seconds

Banishing Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Astral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 2000, MP Cost: 100~250, Recast: 20 Seconds
Combo Bonus: Magic Defense Down, Duration: 15-30 Seconds

Combo Tree 3:

Umbral Blade > Scourging Blade

Umbral Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Umbral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 1000, MP Cost: 10~100, Recast: 10 Seconds

Scourging Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Umbral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 1000, MP Cost: 100~250, Recast: 20 Seconds
Combo Bonus: Magic Attack Down, Duration: 15-30 Seconds

Job Abilities

Job Abilities:

Arcane Seal- Boosts the power of your next magical based action. (Effects any move that consumes MP.)
Recast: 5:00 Minutes, Potency Increased: x1.5 effect (x2 with trait)

Runic Blade- Steal your opponents MP for your own.
Recast: 1:00 Minute

Focused Mind- Increases the duration of the next Enhancing spell used.
Recast: 3:00 Minutes, Duration Increased: x1.5 (x2 with trait)

Brittle Foe- Make your opponent more susceptible to incapacitation.
Recast: 2:00 Minutes, Duration: 1:00 Minute

Spells

Spells:

Sacrifice- Exchange your HP in order to heal an ally. (2 HP healed for every 1 HP lost, Self targetable.)
Cast: 3 Second, Recast: 10 Seconds, MP Cost: 100~250, HP Cost: 10% of Max HP

Fog- Increases the evasion and magic evasion of the target and party members within range.
Does not stack with Bewilder, Incantation, or Temper.
Cast: 3 Seconds, Recast: 10 Seconds, MP Cost: 25~250, Duration: 3:00 Minutes

Incantation- Increases the healing, magical attack, and enfeebling potency of the target and party members within range. Does not stack with Fog, Bewilder, or Temper.
Cast: 3 Seconds, Recast: 10 Seconds, MP Cost: 25~250, Duration: 3:00 Minutes

Bewilder- Decreases enmity generated by target and party members within range. Does not stack with Fog, Incantation, or Temper.
Cast: 3 Seconds, Recast: 10 Seconds, MP Cost: 25~250, Duration: 3:00 Minutes

Traits

Traits:

Enhanced Physical Attack- Increases Attack power by +8.

Enhanced Arcane Seal- Increases the potency of Arcane Seal by 50%.

Enhanced Parry- Increases parry rate by +8

Swift Caster- Reduces the cast time of spells by 1 second.

Enhanced Evasion- Increases physical evasion by +8.

Enhanced Runic Blade- Increases MP stolen from target by 25%.

Enhanced Magical Accuracy- Increases magic accuracy by +8.

Enhanced Focused Mind- Increases the duration of Enhancing spells by 50%.

Enhanced Magic Potency- Increases magic attack potency by +8.

Enhanced Sacrifice- Increases the amount of HP healed (2.5HP gained per 1HP lost).

Enhanced Runic Blade II- Increases MP stolen from target by 50%.

Level Progression / Abilities Learned

Level Progression / Abilities Learned

Level > Type > Ability

1 > WS > Water Blade
2 > JA > Arcane Seal
4 > WS > Astral Blade
6 > Spell > Sacrifice
8 > Trait > Enhanced Physical Attack
10 > WS > Umbral Blade

12 > Trait > Enhanced Arcane Seal
14 > JA > Runic Blade
16 > Trait > Enhanced Parry
18 > Spell > Fog
20 > Trait > Swift Caster

22 > JA > Focused Mind
24 > Trait > Enhanced Evasion
26 > WS > Watera Blade
28 > Trait > Enhanced Runic Blade
30 > WS > Banishing Blade

32 > Trait > Enhanced Magical Accuracy
34 > Spell > Incantation
36 > Trait > Enhanced Focused Mind
38 > WS > Scourging Blade
40 > Trait > Enhanced Magic Potency

42 > JA > Brittle Foe
44 > Trait > Enhanced Sacrifice
46 > Spell > Bewilder
48 > Trait > Enhanced Runic Blade II
50 > WS > Wateraga Blade

Red Mage

Weaponskills

Weaponskills:

Combo Tree 1:

Astral Blade > Banishing Blade > Heavenly Blade

Astral Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Astral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 1000, MP Cost: 10~100, Recast: 10 Seconds

Banishing Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Astral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 2000, MP Cost: 100~250, Recast: 20 Seconds
Combo Bonus: Magic Defense Down, Duration: 15-30 Seconds

Heavenly Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Astral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 3000, MP Cost: 250~500, Recast: 30 Seconds
Combo Bonus: Increased Astral Damage

Combo Tree 2:

Umbral Blade > Scourging Blade > Chaotic Blade

Umbral Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Umbral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 1000, MP Cost: 10~100, Recast: 10 Seconds

Scourging Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Umbral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 1000, MP Cost: 100~250, Recast: 20 Seconds
Combo Bonus: Magic Attack Down, Duration: 15-30 Seconds

Chaotic Blade- Imbue your blade with magic, dealing Umbral based magical damage to your opponent.
TP Cost: 3000, MP Cost: 250~500, Recast: 30 Seconds
Combo Bonus: Increased Umbral Damage

Job Abilities

Job Abilities:

Fallback- Doubles MP cost, removes TP cost, and incurs a casting time to use magic weaponskills from a distance. Effect fades on reuse. (Essentially turns magic weaponskills to spells, makes back-lining an option mid-battle but high MP cost makes it unattractive for full time use.)
Recast: 1:00 Minute, Weaponskill Cast Time: 3 Seconds

Renewal- Resets the duration of all active Enhancements to full, and resets the recast of all abilities and spells for party members within range. (Will renew 15 Minute abilities currently active, but will not reset 15 Minute abilities recast.)
Recast: 15:00 Minutes

Spells

Spells:

Temper- Increases the attack of target and all party members within range. Does not stack with Fog, Incantation, or Bewilder.
Cast: 3 Seconds, Recast: 10 Seconds, MP Cost: 25~250, Duration: 3:00 Minutes

Level Progression / Abilities Learned:

Level Progression / Abilities Learned:

30 > JA > Fallback
35 > Spell > Temper
40 > WS > Heavenly Blade
45 > WS > Chaotic Blade
50 > JA > Renewal

[Vanguard319]

I'd much prefer to get engineer out of Musketeer, though I don't see that working. Then again, it's more feasible than MSK>RDM. Only gun wielding mage I can remember is FFX-2's "gun mage" which was a Blue Mage with guns.

technically, Corsair's Quick Draw ability was considered magic damage, so they were kind of minor gun mages in thier own right. (in any case, it was directly affected by magic dmg gear.)

[Vanguard319]

The Musketeer [Class] > RDM [Job] actually might actually work pretty well.

RDM have used bows and other weapons besides their Rapiers, so it wouldn't be a total departure...

Under this build, Musketeer would need to use Rapier as main, and Pistol as off hand...

The idea has merit!

It's true rdm could equip bows and darts in XI, but they had pathetic skill in them compared to thier sword/dagger skill.
Gunblades on the other hand...

[Ramsey]

technically, Corsair's Quick Draw ability was considered magic damage, so they were kind of minor gun mages in thier own right. (in any case, it was directly affected by magic dmg gear.)

There are numerous instances in numerous Final Fantasy games where characters who are not mages deal damage that counts as "magic" damage. Perhaps if quick draw had used MP.