Optimal Gear Sets?

Hey Guys I'm new at Black Mage. I'm just wondering what I should be shooting for. I'm just hoping I'm going in the right direction.

Current Set.


I have Hir/Incusbus+1 Earrings to macro in/out for Drains/Aspirs
Sorry this is very basic atm and I plan on idle sets. (Refresh Body/Serpentes, etc) Also have HQ staves for each ele. Currently I'm just Exping/Capping my magic skills. I'm not using BLM for anything big yet.

Optimal Sets?

MDT- All I could come up with, PDT I am at a loss rings/torque aside.
I don't mind doing some Einherjar for the body.

Ele Nuke


Dark Magic


I can also make an enfeeb set.

Strendu ring and Searing cape for elemental set. Avesta bangles for enfeeb and dark magic set.
Edit: Oh, and instead of having an mdt or pdt set, might be better to go with a -enmity set.

True but say enmity that caps, a Mob has an AGA and stun is down for whatever reason. Been exping on worms lately for merits and stuff. Was just a thought :o

As an alternative to AF+1 for Dark Magic set, you could go for Portent Pants. Same 15 Dark skill, but also 15 Enfeebling and Enhancing skill, which may save you some inventory slots and/or be useful for other jobs. Also, probably take you less time to get than AF+1, unless you're already sitting on the upgrade items.

Also, related, there's the Windy ring from the WoTG mission series to enhance Drain/Aspir, or straight MAcc gear to use there. Multiple options for a Dark magic neck (Aesir torque, Dark torque, etc), +skill grip... basically, for Dark magic you're looking at Dark magic skill, MAcc, and recast.

While collecting all the obis might be a bit of an undertaking, if you'll be bringing BLM to Dynamis (or Apollyon) on a regular basis, the constant double dark weather makes an Anrin Obi a great investment.

PDT, a couple things that come to mind are Cheviot/Umbra cape (the effect is doubled at night). You could consider using ASA pants for it - movement speed + PDT (4%) is a great combo if you won't have gaiters. Goliard pants also have -PDT (3%) taken if you'll be doing Nyzul. Also remember that, since you won't have to care about TP, you'll probably have Earth/Terra's in idle for -20% to start with. Another 10-12% from rings, 5-6% from cape, 5% from Twilight torque, 3-4% from legs, could get 1% from Colossus' earring, or augmented earring(s). Can definitely get it up there.

If you're just wanting something to keep you from quite getting dead, Sorcerer's Earring is a flat -30% damage taken...albeit only in red HP, but still. It's dirt cheap, and much less inventory space for the time being.

I'll look into things, the earring sounds good since I got a Slayer's for DRK anyways, why not macro it in for oh-***moments. I was wondering where that ring came from since I'm also looking to optimize my DRK Nuke/Drain stuff as well. Thanks for the advice.

Romanus cape >> searing cape, works for blu too which is nice and rdm. I perfer wizzan grip to one you got in your sets. Memoria sachet slight improvement for accuracy over witchstone. I use those portent pants as mentioned for drk skill and have since stored tonban+1. I also just use witch sash for enfeebling and dark skill and oneiros for nuking or ele obi ofc. Moonshade earring with 4 macc and refresh also good option for both idle set and enfeeb/dark magic builds. Also I use appentence crown for aspir/drain. I dont bother carrying artemis at all anymore use use stoi...chen or w/e its called medal. Not forgetting strendu or zodiac ring where applicable. Oh and aesir torque for dark magic also or possibly elemental dot build/ ele skill nuke build.

Magian/Wizzan/---/Ombre
Oneiros/Stoicheion/Novio/Hecate's
AF3+2/AF3+2/Sorc/Strendu*
Romanus/Oneiros*/aug'd Valk Trews (Sorc Tonban +2)/Aife's

Resist swaps should be fairly obvious, but likely rarely needed as well. Not completely sure on Strendu Ring/Oneiros Rope... I believe their INT counterparts win on high INT mobs (Voidwatch).

PDT: Terra's, Wiglen Gorget (or Twilight), augmented Darkness/Black Earrings, Cheviot/Umbra Cape, Goliard Trews or ASA legs

MDT: You should have Shell(ra) V at all times unless you're soloing, so prepare accordingly. Sheltered Ring adds 2% to Shell if you're wearing it when you receive the buff, and Cleric's Pantaloons add 2% more to Shellra V (not sure if the two stack). Even if solo you have access to Shell II + Sheltered Ring unless you're /NIN. EDIT: Shadow Ring. There's also Hexerei Cape if needed.

Dark: Caecus Grip, Dark Torque, Dark Earring (over Incubus +1 or with it if not drain/aspir), Avesta Bangles, Appetence Crown for Drain/Aspir along with potency ring (I don't remember which of the three it is).

Enfeebling: I'd honestly say don't sweat this too much unless maybe hardcore soloing, anything BLM enfeebles tends to be relatively nonresistant.

Would suggest making haste and enhancing magic sets.

Buff enhancing set ideas, as Nightfyre mentioned one is useful ...



This caps stoneskin but doesnt have any enhance stoneskin gear, I use siegel sash now for enhancing, portent pants/merciful cape for phalanx, refresh legs when doing blink/refresh/haste most buffs that dont require enhancing skill or mnd. The neck has only 2 fast cast but goes upto 3. Body has macc/fast cast augments, although theres new vw gear that will beat this. I dont actually use the shield anymore either since numen staff.

Theres 0 reason to not use SS enhance gear.

I use
Affinity magian\Wizzan\Memoria
Goetia+2\Stoicheion\Hecate's\Novio
Goetia+2\Goetia+2\Icesoul\Icesoul
Romanus\Oneiros\Goetia+2\Goetia+2
this is my standar nuking set /SCH for max base INT accuracy shouldnt be a problem for max nuke power replace rings w/ strendu and sorcerer,Voidwatch been a total F@ck fest for me and strendu wont drop ..so im lacking that one thing =)

So Roman. Cape is worth using? I wasn't sure how much addle+6 would effect nuke recast/macc. Is there an actual number or percentage?

It doesn't affect recast, oddly enough. I don't think there's an exact number out there for the macc penalty but I haven't noticed any issues with it and I'm super paranoid about magic hitrate. I wouldn't be surprised if it was just macc-6.

just don't start your nuke in it >:

I never said otherwise, whats your point? I dont own any and dont really have the space. Just pointing out that the build didnt have any and thats also an option. Thats your 2nd attempt at trying to troll me now, give up.

That actually got me wondering... Addle's Fast Cast penalty is apparently only calculated precast, it could be that the macc penalty is also calculated then. That would explain the lack of any evidence for a strong penalty and also make the addle on Romanus Cape a complete non-issue.

Looks like you've got a good general idea for what you need, personally a few tweaks I would make for you "Ele nuke" set would be:



And Dark Magic set:



If you want to keep INT/Dark Magic on the the waist/ammo that would be fine too, Casso Sash and Ombre Tathlum would probably be the best there to my knowledge.

I personally have fallen in love with Witful Belt/Impatiens combo on WHM and have it transferred to my Stun/Drain/Aspir macros on BLM as well.

It's important to establish both a "regular" (everyday MAB-style) nuking set, and a "resistance" (highly resistant target) nuking set, which needs to contain more Elemental Magic Skill and/or Magic Accuracy than your "regular" nuking set.

You'll hear some (lazy) BLMs tell you that they "never" get resisted when nuking ... which is impossible, and almost certainly an embellishment compared to that BLM's actual performance. Your "resistance" nuking set is even more important when just starting out as a BLM, as the OP suggests, since your natural Elemental Magic Skill is probably uncapped and/or unmerited.

You'll definitely want to develop Enfeebling Magic (Enfeebling Magic Skill and Magic Accuracy), Dark Magic (Dark Magic Skill), Stoneskin (MND and Enhancing Magic Skill), Blink/Stun (Haste and Fast Cast), Burn/Shock/Frost/etc. (INT), and back-up healer (Cure Potency) Gear Sets.

Stoneskin set isn't as much about MND at 99, as it used to be. Assuming you can cap out your base Enhancing Magic on BLM.



With capped Enhancing Magic(no merits) and Base MND, this set here caps me at 430 Stoneskin on BLM/SCH w/o Light Arts. Just the base capped Enhancing Magic/base MND/ and this gear.

I stopped needing an elemental set long ago maybe the lazy BLMs you talk about are like mine w/ capped full merited ele skill :)
gear set i use has a lot of MACC and INT i have full merited INT at 99 /SCH i have 114 base INT +45 in gear

hm, that may be true... is there any way to test it? :3

edit: well, 6% addle would be -6 macc, correct? I don't see that being completely game breaking anywhere... let alone being noticable...

edit2: and i don't see it really being calculated during precast, as far as i'm aware no other macc + or - gear is calculated during precast, so i would just doubt it.... but you never know.

That's good, Bomber.

OP is a Hume who says he's new to BLM, and he has STR merits.

He'll probably need a "resistance" nuking set, like I said. If he doesn't wanna bother, c'est la vie.

Well, There would need to be some testing done first vs high tier VW nms to see how high they are and go from there to see if any "resistance" set is needed.

Yeah Im going to have to make some gear sacrifices for resists. I plan on keeping STR merits after all WAR/DRK/DRG are my spoiled babies. Though it's nice nuking stuff. Pretty fun DDing through nukes.

Hehe well even having BLM as your main you still gotta ask yourself this question for best results ^^;;

As far as I know... we don't know. So it could be -6 macc, -6% macc, or something else completely. The second option is obviously much more noticeable.

Well yeah, but this isn't just -macc. Since it's all wrapped up in a single status, the game may be checking for the value of that one status and only doing so once, at the time when the fast cast penalty would first be applied.

Rather cut off my dong then not have capped str merits on Ukon WAR good sir.

Id give up a testi before I trade my Rajas too! Im not sure what Id trade the other one for.

I think any BLM will agree. While AF3+2, relic+2 and certain rare-ex items will make improve ur damage/performance. The biggest damage booster you can make is via Trial of Magian Staffs and a Fast Cast Set.

Fast Cast

Theres also the new Rubeus Set Bonus from VW.

Don't fulltime Stoicheion Medal, unless ur struggling for inventory space. -3macc isnt going to make or break ur blm.

Stoicheion Medal/Jeweled Collar > Saevus Pendant

Nuke Set

Obis/Twilight if ur subbing SCH or day/weather etc ...


Resist things are really a thing of the past at current game state. Even VW supplies u with ascetics tonic. If your getting low numbers ur likely are nuking the wrong element.

I'd personally recommend Fire, Wind, Thunder, Ice ToM staffs. Water and Earth meh...

Should also make a dark potency staff for Drain/Aspir.

You mean for Comet =) lol

No. I mean spells that aren't a waste of MP, ie Drain and Aspir.