White Mage Guide by Zero

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The Essential Guide to Whacking Things with a Club



About this Guide

Originally written back when I was in the 40s, this guide was originally written because there was no guide for White Mage on the site it was originally on. Now some 14 years later, the game has changed so much that I feel like not even trying anymore and going full nonsense. Why do you want to do this? Because its fun. Remember fun? What video games are supposed to be like and not a second job you have to pay for?

A Word of Warning

This idea is not for everyone, not for every situation (small range AoE enfeebles like Paralyze and Silence spell death) and is significantly more challenging to do while keeping things in line. If you're not comfy, hang out in the back. No one will judge you.

Macros

Equipment

Start with Batcher's 99 WHM Gear Guide. It won't be all you need, but it will be your jumping off point for your essential healkit. The things that change involve your main/sub, which can require some slight reshuffling of gear to make sure you get the most out of things.

Clubs

  • Homestead Wand is easy to get and good for starting.
  • Magesmasher +1 slightly harder in power and obtaining.
  • Yagrush will be a great option since you're likely to get the base level as part of your healing kit anyway.
  • Mjollnir is far from its glory days. Statistically, it has the highest damage, DPS and skill bonuses when completed, but Randgrith as a weapon skill is kinda sad and its bonus effects of recovering MP and Refresh are nothing compared to Mystic Boon just giving you everything back. There are easier things to get you going. I can see this as an offhand weapon for dual wield, but that's a lot of effort.
  • Maxentius turns Black Halo from a mediocre Fragmentation weapon skill to painsville. This is probably the easiest to obtain compared to the REMA options available.
  • Cath Palug Hammer is powerful and just an item drop compared to everything else on this list.

Shields

If you can't have a subweapon, you might as well put this in your other hand. Thorfinn Shield +1 is likely your best option here.

TP

Haste, Accuracy, Attack, Double Attack. Just like you'd expect.

Hexa Strike

A classic, hits like a truck with a STR focus. Except for Black Halo's weapon mods, you are likely to use this much more frequently than any other weapon skill. Of note, attack rounds are limited to 8 hits no matter what's going on, so double attack isn't as useful here, especially when dual wielding. For the former, since double is checked against only twice, we would need a 100% double attack to guarantee a octa strike, which just isn't happening. With dual wield, that drops to 50%, which still isn't happening but is a much more reasonable goal. I would focus more on turning the six hits you have into pure power over trying to nail an octa.

Black Halo

Let's be honest. Hexa is cool and great fun. However, with the existence of Kaja/Maxentius, you will likely end up using Halo more with these weapons. To put it in basic terms, Hexa over six hits does 6.75x damage (+crits) while Halo does 6.00x damage. With the Ambuscade weapons, it goes to 9.00x. Combined with gear that gives a TP bonus and stronger MND boosts, you're genuinely going to hit harder with this once you reach that level. Also, if double attack takes effect on either of Halo's hits, you've gone to 13.50x, which means its outdone Hexa twice over already, not to mention doubling both hits just gives you 18.00x. It really doesn't compare.

Mystic Boon

While whacking is fun, you will need MP at some point. Boon is likely to take you from an empty tank of gas to full in a single hit, when geared correctly.

Realmrazer

Stat for stat, point for point, this is comparable to Hexa Strike depending on how much MND vs. STR gear you're packing. However, it does not benefit from bonus critical hit rate, so Hexa is likely to outperform.

Sub-Jobs

Of the offensive ones to use, I find myself sticking to three major ones depending on the moment.

Warrior

A fine choice giving you access to a lot of tools to enhance attacks from traits to abilities. I'd pick it if I knew control was secured.

Ninja

Dual Wield and shadows. If enmity is going everywhere or you have a specific combo set up (Yagrush off-hand for example), I'd go with this.

Scholar

For White Mage, there isn't a better subjob for healing and support. You are probably on this anyway, so why not embrace it? There is nothing here to enhance whacking things, however.

(Old) Information on other subjobs may be found here.

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