What's you method of play?

[Meleena]

I know that for the time being getting your Mind up is almost useless, but if they ever actually fix the stats, I would still be putting points to Mind even if they don't make Pugilist into a Monk.
Magic defence is Magic defence I dont wanna have 0 MD Base.
Unless ofcourse it's proven otherwise by serious and extensive testing.

[Akuun]

PUGs would never use Mind reason for it because it's not a monk. I would like for SE to change all the class name back to FFXI titles like PUG becoming monk then we could use kick attack and more magic attacks second wind is ok but monk chakra and added some MND could give us more then 500hp per use.

By the looks of few interviews they there thinking of doing a tree base system or unlock jobs within your class. So level up Pug to 50 you can now become a Monk or other class. I think i would like the idea of unlocking class it would brig more storyline then just a tree.

When you start fighting the world NMs you'll likely want MND for additional magic defense,
and will give more mp for seismic shock for dropping the Great buffalo
Prior to NMs ya, better off focusing on dex and str (not many magic using mobs)

Setup I use for NMs
Head: Silver tricorn or elemental crown
Body: Buccaneers shirt or Toad harness
Waist: Buccaneers or tarred sash
Legs: Kecks or Tarred
Feet: Buccaneer or Armored caligae
Hands: Reinforced mitt or Wrist spikes (reinforced is better but leather is more common craft for pug)
Neck: Mythril choker
Rings: Brass x4 or 2 elemental earrings (brass rings give best acc to slot cost ration)

Traits: Prime conditioning, Fleet of foot, Out of sight OR Intimidation (depending on if i'm tank or dps)

Stats (these vary as i'm always trying different combinations)
Str: 50-174 (damage might increase by one on flurry (per hit))
Vit: 140-174 (probably your best stat, for surviving)
Dex: 50-174 (if you want to evade an attack, use featherfoot)
Int: Base-50 (small change in seismic shock, but larger than str to attacks)
Mnd: Base-100 (doesn't help with peiste breath but can save you on gobby nm)
Pie: Base-100 (just doesn't help resist enough to be of any real use)

Elements: just leave them at 84, they don't seem to really do anything when
increased, but you will know when they are too low

Skills I don't use when tanking and whys
Taunt: doesn't generate enough enmity, mob goes back after casters and archers
(better to use accomplice, steal hate from the person with the most)
Light strike: Boost to def and eva is not worth the loss of enmity that flurry generates
Pummel: This base attack is just horrible, I don't even use this on normal mobs unless i'm farming.
(it's likely to improve if they change the way the tp system works)
Evasion first skills: the only exception is simian thrash, one it looks hella cool, second, it generates a ton of enmity
(I can tank with flurry featherfoot and simian thrash with no one pulling hate)
Discerning eye: meh, i'll take Raging strike, hawk's eye, ferocity (no stamina cost, more enmity, recover stamina)
(I should probably test this one a bit before i count it completely out)
Everything else is pretty much dependent on which nm

Everyone plays differently, all that really matters is that you have fun doing it ^^
These reflect my opinions, and are in no way the only, or set way of setting up or doing anything

[Minzara]

I currently don't have a real dead set goal. I am preparing for more solo play though. I did A LOT of parting in FF11. Okay I lied. All I did was party in FF11. I am changing it up a little in this game. Especially since I am now married, have work, and go to college. It's hard to juggle everything and play FF14. I have set my character up so he can solo. I also have gladiator leveled for the same reason. I don't know my stats right now. However, I do know my skill setup. I use Heavy Strike, Pummel, Second Wind, Victimize, Ferocity, Bloodbath, Rampart, Cure, and Sacrifice. With this setup I have been able to solo quite easily. While I used a little different skills, I was soloing Rank 20 missions at Rank 13 pug, and Rank 12 gladiator with this setup. I can generally complete a Rank 20 mission on Troop now as well with Rank 22 Pug. So I think it works quite well.

[Daemion]

First off, I generally LOVE my PuG. EVA Tank is about the funnest thing.
As a R46 PuG, I have 2 main ways of playing and using this and that ability. Both I use the same equipment for: got +1 Toadskin Harness, minus changes in rings and earrings. I use Silver earrings and DEX rings when tanking, and STR and DEX rings when DD'ing. Both I have more or less alotted the same attribute points into, pretty even throughout.
I have also ranked most WAR and both MAGE jobs to 20 for the extra insurance when I solo stuff from time to time. I use Buff abilities and misc abilities (Quickstride) on my second bar from 11-16 usually.

EVA tank:
1: Light Strike
2: Pummel
3. Aura Pulse
4. Follow Through
5. Raging Strike
6. Featherfoot II
7. Presence of Mind
8. Changes between Taunt II for parties and Ferocity solo. Bumps to 6 and FII and PoM get brought up one spot.
9. Sacrifice II
10. Second Wind II

I keep only what I need on my 1st action bar. As I realized playing that most fights take 45sec-90sec or so. I usually alternate between pummel and light strike to keep the buff going, splashed in with some DD, featherfoot and healing in between to keep myself alive.

Damage Dealer:
1. Heavy Strike
2. Flurry
3. Follow Through
4. Ferocity
5. Hawk Eye
6. Aura Pulse
7. Raging Strike
8. Concussive Blow II
9. Blindside II
10. Discerning Eye

Generally on leves, I find that mobs go down in roughly 20-45 seconds. I try to spread out my WS' and Damage buffs to utilize them as much as possible in a short period of time. This is specifically to deal as much damage as possible and nothing more.
If I have to offtank I usually just switch to EVA tank mode.

I've died some, i've lived many. This works for me at the moment as I do not like to clog up the bar and with the short time period it takes to down a mob, I don't feel cloggin up all bars with everything is a must.

On a side note, I haven't done many NMs really. I know the fight goes MUCH longer so I imagine I most likely would put a few extra Damage buffs on the 2nd bar and transfer self buffs to the 3rd bar. I just do not like the lag in switching between bars during battle.

Hope ya'll have been enjoying PUGs too!

[Yuuki_Talamara]

maaaaaybe i'm just extremely newb BUT i don't play my pug using purely pug moves or for that matter with just 1 sub o.O.. my set-up is as follows with a completely level point allotment (47) across the board. heavy strike, light strike, pummel, feather foot, ferocity, bloodbath, consecutive blow 2, moonrise, victimize, sacrifice, cure, presense of mind, and stoneskin. as far as gear goes i use dodoskin harness, cotton slops, dodo skin leggings, copper earrings and rings, starter belt and an eyepatch for the smexiness of it. with that as it is i solo ALOT and given the combo plays even if i'm in a party the hate gen is awesome. but i really wouldn't consider myself a tank more so a well rounded player.

[Drexel]

I wonder why none is giving any bonus points into Mind (not only Pugs).
I mean Mind is at least Magic Defence right?
Why do you guys want to have only physical defence and not magical too?

Am I on the wrong train of thought?
Maybe magic defence is broken so far?
Please explain if you know whats happening.

Its not totaly broken but like other stats the effect of additional stat points is hard to notice. Most of how your damage is calculated both to you and from you is determined by your class rank, maybe your phys level and your gear. My mind is non existand and it hassent ever seemed to get me into trouble.

[Ichi]

On the other hand I have 20~ or so less points in str and dex than you and we do the same dps on nm nights hmmm~

[Akuun]

On the other hand I have 20~ or so less points in str and dex than you and we do the same dps on nm nights hmmm~

Simularly 2 lancers in my ls were doing same damage on leve mobs, one had 100+ dex and str, while the other had base str and dex but both wore the exact same gear

I will say that i notice some difference if i drop my dex below about 50 on nms
i've also heard people say 5 stat = 1 att acc def eva ect, but this hasn't seemed to hold water in my testing
currently building for 174 str, and rest in dex with jade hora+1 to test on nms
I'll post my findings later

[Meleena]

Then we can agree that with the curent system its best to max Vitality (since you see a difference there) and put everything wherever you feel like? :P

[arlee]

I Don't really evade that much, so I dont use Light Strike at all.

hence why you are not evading that much, light strike increases your chance to evade. and for pugs its pretty much spamming featherfoot and using light strikes to boost our evade rate.

stats are pretty much broken right now, 174 str is not gonna be a big dmg boost to say a person who has 130 str. I agree with Ichi for now its best to go with a more balanced stat distribution.

I think I'm sitting on 15x (with gear) for all 3 Str,Vit & Dex