Convert Damage Question

On 'convert damage' taken items such as Ethereal Earring, does the damage converted get completely negated and then given as increase to the thing it is converted to?

Ex: Ethereal Earring: converts 3% damage into MP. Given an attack that should hit for 100 unrestricted, would the wearer instead take 97 dmg and receive 3 mp, or would they take 100 dmg and receive 3 mp?

Basically does this earring act as a -3% damage earring and if it does does this -3% damage still work if the job doesnt have any mp?

No, you still take the regular damage.

thanks for answering. please forgive me for asking... but how does one check this out? Before asking the question I was trying to figure out a way to test this.

Also I cant find it but I thought there was (or is going to be) a 'magic shield' spell (or ability) that converts damage into subtraction from mp. Im very hazy on this and like I said I couldnt readily find it. But if its how I described it then why wouldnt they both work the same way? obviously taking both hp and mp damage would be a multiplication and a useless spell (or ability) to have.

thanks again

Go eat 1000 needles and see if you took less then 1000 dmg? that should be good enough

BLMs have a new ability called Mana Wall that halves incoming damage and then subtracts it from your MP.

with ethereal, it doesnt negate 3% dmg
i use it almost 100% of the time on PLD

if u were to take 1000 dmg u would take the full 1000dmg and get a 30mp return