This is my take on the Red Mage from FFXI. I saw Tengudor's build, and I thought "gee, that's kinda cool", but then I saw the 8 Con and I was aghast. So, I decided to create something more versatile and effective in melee, even if I had to sacrifice some spellcasting ability.

Mystic Fencer

Rogue 13/Cleric 12/Wizard 15

Race: Halfling

Domains: Strength
Healing

Stats:

Starting

Str 10
Dex 16 (+8, +4 Great Dex)
Con 14
Int 15 (+3 Great Int)
Wis 14 (+2)
Cha 8

Ending

Str 10
Dex 28
Con 14
Int 18
Wis 16
Cha 8

Feats

1 Dodge
3 Weapon Finesse
6 WF: Rapier
9 Extend Spell
12 Improved Crit: Rapier
15 Spell Penetration
18 Greater Spell Penetration
21 EWF
24 Great Dex I
27 Great Dex II
30 Great Dex III
33 Great Dex IV
36 Epic Dodge
39 Your Choice (Epic spell pen., Epic Prowess, or Armor Skin)

Rogue: Defensive Roll, Improved Evasion
Wizard: Great Int x 3

Skills

Concentration: 43
Discipline: 21
Lore: 20
Healing: 43
Hide: 41
Move Silently: 41
Spellcraft: 40
Tumble: 40
UMD: 25


Total: ~314 skill credits

AB: 25 base
+9 Dex
+1 Small Stature
+1 WF
+2 EWF
________
38 w/ mundane Rapier

AC: 10 base
+9 Dex
+1 Small Stature
+8 Tumble
_________
28 Naked AC Could you explain why this character is more versatile? I can only see that he's better then my Red Mage in three things:
1. Roguish skills, including sneak attacks, UMD and evasion
2. AB bonus bigger by 5 point without buffs
3. Better HP

And he's worse in:
1. Spellcasting - no access to 9th level of spells, no epic spells
2. AC
3. Damage
4. No dev crit

I don't know the stats of your build with buffs, mind posting them?

Anyway, this character is still pretty good. But he's not as versatile as he's supposed to be (but still much more then Versatile Kensai, who should be rather called Iconic Wizard/Rogue).

ps. I never played FF XI, but in FF 1-6 Red Mages don't have any roguish skills. Also, in FF 5, they tend to be very low on HP.
Quote: Posted 09/03/04 17:21:05 (GMT) -- Tengudor_t

Could you explain why this character is more versatile? I can only see that he's better then my Red Mage in three things:
1. Roguish skills, including sneak attacks, UMD and evasion
2. AB bonus bigger by 5 point without buffs
3. Better HP

And he's worse in:
1. Spellcasting - no access to 9th level of spells, no epic spells
2. AC
3. Damage
4. No dev crit

I don't know the stats of your build with buffs, mind posting them?

Anyway, this character is still pretty good. But he's not as versatile as he's supposed to be (but still much more then Versatile Kensai, who should be rather called Iconic Wizard/Rogue).

ps. I never played FF XI, but in FF 1-6 Red Mages don't have any roguish skills. Also, in FF 5, they tend to be very low on HP.

Basically, what you mentioned. He has higher HP and AB, and his damage would be better with sneak attacks. Also he gets more skill points, and I think his AC would be better as well.

Your Red Mage build was a pure Wizard/Cleric build with 8 Dex IIRC, so that means that you could get around 24 AC without buffs and wearing only mundane armor (I'm assuming maxed Tumble). If you throw in +5 armor and tower shield, as well as cat's grace, you could get that up to something like 51 AC or so? My build gets 28 AC naked. With +5 items, and assuming +12 to Dex (and a Shield spell since he can't wear a shield with his rapier), he can get around 58 AC.

Granted, he IS worse at spellcasting, no doubt about that. He doesn't get Dev. Crit., but he does get Epic Dodge, which is much better in my opinion since Dev. Crit. isn't allowed on many servers. So, although his spellcasting abilities aren't quite up to par with your Red Mage, I'd definitely say his melee capabilities are better, and he gets stealth abilities as well.

As for the Red Mage getting roguish skills, I don't think they did. That said, they WERE incredibly versatile characters, adept in black and white magic as well as melee. I don't believe that Red Mages got access to lvl IV spells, at least in FFXI, so it doesn't bother me too much that my build doesn't get 9th lvl or Epic Spells.

As for stats with buffs, he should be able to get his AB to the max of +20 with only lvl 6 Cleric buffs, and even if he can't, he's got True Strike from his Wizard spellbook. As for stats, he can buff any and all of them 2-5 points with 2nd lvl spells from both of his spellbooks (only Wizard gets Cat's Grace though). Also Divine Power will buff his Str up to 18, so that adds a bit of damage, and you can cast Bull's Strength afterwards to improve it a little more, or just equip a +Str item. Beyond that, it's pretty much dependent on equipment. Note that I could buff my stats a little higher (3-8 vs. 2-5) if I got Empower Spell, but then I would have to sacrifice a pre-epic feat like Extend Spell, which I like since it increases the duration of certain Cleric spells like Divine Power. Actually, Red Mage has 50 AC with all buffs, and without magic items. Buffs that increase his AC are:
Mage Armor
Haste
Maximized Cat's Grace
Shield of Faith
Barkskin
Magic Vestment (twice, on armor and shield)

With magical itmes, this can be increased even more.

He also has Epic Warding, incredibly useful when fighting melee - much better then Epic Dodge I think.

PS. I know that dev crit is forbidden on some servers, but I think that's just plain stupid.
PS2. Your character might not be able to use a rapier with weapon finesse, halflings wield rapiers with both hands. I realize this may not be the most "Uber" build, but I like it nonetheless, because it can do almost anything. This build can cast Arcane and Divine spells, fight with a sword or a bow, craft and set traps, and use stealth to his advantage. He can get a nice high AB and use Knockdown to disrupt spellcasters, or he can bust out an Empowered IGMS and toast some melees.

Spells like Mind Blank make him immune to mind-affecting spells, while spells like Shadow Shield and Death Ward make him immune to Necromancy. He also has spells such as Negative Energy Protection and Protection from Elements, so he can resist at least some damage from virtually any type of energy, with the exceptions of magical damage and positive energy.

In addition, he has a decent Reflex save, and even if he fails he only takes half damage due to Improved Evasion. He can use a combo of Divine Power and Bull's Strength (they stack, cast Divine Power first) to boost his damage and carrying capacity (and Strength Domain if he needs it). With 7d6 sneak attacks and Flame Weapon he does good damage against any enemy that isn't crit immune, and even if they are crit immune he still has spells and traps.

Granted, I realize the Red Mage can do a lot of the same things, and he gets more spell power, Epic Warding, and Dev. Crit. It's arguably a stronger build, though I won't argue the point. I like this build because it has a ton of skills and abilities, and is able to make use of a wide variety of items, due to skills like Craft and Set Trap and UMD. I can't recall having ever seen another character who can do all the stuff this character can do, even if that other character could do some things better.


Revised:

Mystic Fencer

Rogue 13/Cleric 12/Wizard 15
(pre-epic Rogue 8/Cleric 12)


Race: Halfling

Domains: Strength and Healing


Stats:

Starting

Str 10
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 15
Wis 14
Cha 8

+1 Int, +2 Wis, +7 Dex

Ending

Str 10
Dex 26
Con 14
Int 18
Wis 16
Cha 8

Feats

1 Knockdown
3 Weapon Finesse
6 WF: Shortsword
9 Extend Spell
12 Improved Crit: Shortsword
15 Empower Spell
18 Spell Penetration
21 Epic Weapon Focus
22 Improved Evasion **
24 Great Dex I
27 Great Dex II, Great Int I *
30 Great Dex III
33 Epic Prowess, Great Int II *
36 Epic Skill Focus: Discipline
39 Defensive Roll **, Epic Dodge
40 Greater Spell Penetration *

* Wizard bonus feat
** Rogue bonus feat

Epic Level Progression

21-22 Rogue
23-29 Wizard
30 Rogue
31-37 Wizard
38-39 Rogue
40 Wizard


Skills

Concentration: 41
Craft Trap: 21
Discipline: 31
Hide: 40
Move Silently: 40
Set Trap: 43
Spellcraft: 40
Tumble: 40
UMD: 25


Total: ~311 skill credits

AB: 25 base
+8 Dex
+1 Small Stature
+1 WF
+2 EWF
+1 Epic Prowess
________
38 w/ mundane Shortsword

+5 Greater Magic Weapon (Wizard)
+1 Bless
+1 Aid
+1 Prayer
+5 Divine Power
+4 Divine Favor
+2 Battletide
+1-4 Empowered Cat's Grace
________
58-61 buffed AB


AC: 10 base
+8 Dex
+1 Small Stature
+8 Tumble
_________
27 Naked AC

+4 Haste
+4 Shield
+5 Shadow Shield
+2 Mage Armor
+4 Magic Vestment
+1-4 Empowered Cat's Grace
_________
47-50 buffed AC


HP: 314 max unbuffed


Note: If you wanted to, you could take your Weapon Focus feats in Shortbow rather than Shortsword. The reason I chose Shortsword instead is two-fold:

1) You do more damage with a Shortsword because you get +Str bonuses as well as Flame Weapon or Darkfire and Greater Magic Weapon,

2) You can beat DR of -/+5 or less without needing special arrows. You can still cast Greater Magic Weapon on a bow, but it doesn't transfer the enhancement bonus to the arrows.