| DRK | PLD | SAM | WAR | RDM |
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| 
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| 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| DRG | ||||
 | ||||
| 75 |
Anyway, I've talked a lot about Paladin in recent entries and I still haven't had enough of it. Maybe I'm a PLD fanboy now, or whatever, but the job is just plain awesome and perfecting the style of play is my ultimate goal. Shortly after the events that took place in my last entry, I took PLD out for some more HNM-tanking first experiences. I must say, so much of this job depends on figuring out the best equipment in every situation. Nowadays most boss battles in FFXI are unique in their own way, and when situational gear comes into play, the effects of such gear tweaks prove to be very apparent. I'm not even talking about having high-end PLD gear such as Ares's Cuirass, Aegis, Hauteclaire, etc. Any pea-brain with enough time on his hands can join a massive bot-a-thon linkshell to obtain the best equipment available for any job, that still doesn't mean he knows how to play the damn role.
Thankfully, due to the impressive customization options in FFXI's macro system, the thought-out usages of each piece of equipment can be utilized with ease. Personally, I think this is where a tank job truly shines. My PLD folder is the largest macro folder I have, and each macro is laid out down to an obsessive amount of detail. Wait commands in the tenths of a second are used in most my PLD macros, precisely timed to take advantage of all the different types of equipment a PLD can take benefit from. 
Explanation: this works greatly to my advantage and allows my PLD to perform efficient to my standards. The Fast Cast benefits of Loq. Earring take effect the moment I start casting a spell (the lowered recast after spell is done from Fast Cast is not a big deal). Therefore, before the spell is done, my Magnetic Earring serves more purpose than a (very) minimal shortened recast of the spell [sidenote: I never considered leveling PLD before just recently and was enjoying RDM very much, hench my choice in Apocalypse Nigh earring]. My idle PLD/NIN neck of Parade Gorget that is equipped normally is swapped to an Enmity+3 neck. My normal ear2 is Hades Earring+1, but in casting Cure I swap in Hospitaler Earring before it is done casting for a +5% Cure potency. Boxer's Mantle is my PLD/NIN choice of back, but in casting a spell the Enmity+2 in Resentment Cape takes precedence for a split second. This same method of macro mapping is the same in PLD job abilities as well, with gear swaps targetted toward Enmity+, so you get the idea. I just love it when I receive a /c from someone bashing me for not wearing any Enmity. It's already been tested that standing and being hit reduces your Enmity values, but +Enmity does not lessen the Enmity loss, so it is pointless to wear Enmity full time like so many PLDs do.
People think I joke when I say I spend hours at a time setting up macros (I caught this bug while I was leveling RDM a while back). In fact, in retrospect I could delve into an even more obsessive amount of equipment detail through macroing but I think I've already reached a good balance that isn't too much of a waste of time. Anyway, call me crazy, but I am a perfectionist when it comes to video-gaming, and this is just indication of what a nut I can be.
This is one of the jobs I have taken the most seriously out of my 5 lvl. 75 jobs. Because it's more than just dishing out the biggest numbers, or keeping my party Refreshed; it's keeping my party alive, allowing everyone else in the linkshell to serve their purpose and perform their job without worrying about failure. I can definitely say being PLD is the most exciting time in my FFXI experience.
Well, that's enough of my ranting. On to some recent accomplishments I've been meaning to get around to since before I left for vacation. In order of succession since I lvled PLD and after the last entry:
▪ Jailer of Love This was only a few weeks after attaining lvl 75. I forced my ass into the role of PLD instead of suicidal Kraken DRK I usually am for the UFO. I definitely can't say this was one of my favorite fights, but it was my first oppurtunity to tank as PLD/mage. Utilizing the MDB/Magic Damage Taken -% build I posted in my last entry, I was amazed I was taking up to 75% less damage then a well-equipped PLD (not well-equipped for the situation, unfortunately) who used no MDB/MDT-% gear. The average difference though was actually much less, but still very significant. 33% HP saved against JoL's spells compared to a tank with no MDB/MDT-% builds. Since then my build has improved, with the addition of Iron Ram Hose; too bad Bru jacked his Lamian Kaman+1 back while I was away on vacation.
The fight itself is very basic. As PLD/RDM my pattern of spell usage rotation is as follows: Blind, Bind, Blaze Spikes, Barstone, Sleep/Dispel; Flash and JA are thrown in when available. Because of JoL's constant Dispelga, possibly removing a couple of Ballads or Refresh, the higher cost Enmity generators, Sleep and Dispel, were thrown in only every other rotation (once hate is established well and Enmity cap is almost reached). It is also worth macroing from Iron Ram Lance back to Macuahuitl +1 and Koenig Shield if Shield Bash is up. It doesn't hurt to stun an -aga or tier4 spell. That about rounds up my thoughts on JoL, this one was generous with us granting full drops. Grats Kesh.
▪ Ouryu Because JoL can cast spells of every element, I saved myself the trouble and stuck with my MDB/MDT-% build. Wyrms, however, are a different story. Probably the easiest Elemental resistance build is Ouryu. Though I had to go through the trouble of going 1/5 on Maldust Ring from some ghost NM in Gusgen Mines and soloing Garuda again for a Wind Belt, it was well worth the effort after seeing the performance at Ouryu. Too bad I couldn't get a pair of Sand Gloves before the fight, but I did spend a day or two afterwards to obtain it, 1/6, stupid Nutsucker. The Earth resist build is quickly swapped out the moment Ouryu lands. The few seconds that go by while a BLM readies an ES+Sleep II could result in an unlucky streak of multiple crits from Ouryu. My PLD/WAR straight-tanking build comes into play as Ouryu is on the ground.
I opted for PLD/WHM for the fight. WHM offers Magic Defense Bonus II innate trait. Though some people swear by the Enmity generation from /RDM, /WHM is just as good, if not even more efficient. Having a quick Erase for this fight is also very beneficial for a tank (Ouryu uses Slowga). The spell usage rotation is as follows: Poisona [me], Paralyze, Paralyna [me], rinse and repeat. Flash and Erase are thrown in there as needed. This procedure glued Ouryu on me 80% of the time.
Okay, so that kind of damage is in the extreme low end. The average fire(rock breathe?)-ball damage is anywhere from 30-50, without Phalanx (2) or Stoneskin. The Earth resistance build I have totals 144. Another 100 Earth resistance (maybe more, unsure what Enhancing gear is available to WHM completely) can easily be attained from a WHM, and +50 from BRD, as well. A possible total of almost 300. Tally in the effects of a Bar-spell merited WHM or if the tank PT is lucky enough to have a COR, the Magic Defense Bonus elevates the defense from Earth resistance to great heights. In the future I will eat Steamed Catfish for this fight, instead of worrying about dying after flight-landing and eating Tavnazian Taco (BLMs should be compenent enough to Sleep on time).
▪ Wyrm KSNM99 More Wyrm-type action. This fight is always fun. PLD/NIN is definitely more suited toward this fight than a NIN/DRK, merely due to the defensive security measures athat a PLD can take if Terrorized. Not a lot to say about this simple battle. Regular MDB/MDT-% build was used during flight mode, which is normally not a long phase at all. Terror poses are done in Kiting gear, which is essentially my highest attainable Defense without usage of shield. (0/5 Martial Abjuration gear is sad :[ ) Most of the fight consists of Flash, Curing trigger-happy SAMs, self-Cure3s (HP-/HP+ allows for a 210 HP difference for a comfortable Cure3), and a teeny bit of Ninjutsu tossed in.
Aaaaaaaaaaand I think that about catches me up on the fun PLD activities I've been doing. Toss in a few tier1 Jailers and regular Limbus/ZNM/etc. events and that's pretty much the jist. I guess that wraps up my PLD coverage. I have taken quite the effort to play the job as well as I can, and optimizing it for every different situation even if I don't have the best end-game PLD gear yet. Time can only bring improvement and I'm looking forward to spending a lot of that time tweaking my tank style.
