Attribute Merits

Thanks everyone who's replied since then, because some of you actually know a thing or two about BLU. All I wanted was some sensible advice, not bias SAMs.

@ the quote: You obviously misread the sentence, BLU isn't made or broken by sword damage so there's no use focusing on increasing that when you can increase spell damage. All I was saying is that, and because of this we generally only engage to get TP. I never said I didn't engage the mob, or even implied it but our sword damage is so low I don't see a point in increasing it over spell damage.

@ The Two People from Bismarck.

I never said my highest head butt was over 100 damage but there is not a single purpose for increasing this damage, it's only cast for the stun effect, and will never be a very hard hitting spell.

I never said I wouldn't merit STR, but all I had heard was people with SAM75 that don't know jack about BLU telling me to merit STR incase I ever level DD.

Also, @ person who said I get roughly 350 DMG from Expiacion/Savage Blade, good for you DMG is still DMG but you proved my point when you said it's not high. I just didn't see the point in meriting a stat that would only affect spells equally modded by a stat that modded most spells or helped them in some way, sword damage is never likely to be that high even with 5/5 STR.

I never said that I was torn, I made it clear that I thought DEX was loads better for BLU, and I just wanted opinions because I've heard stuff about STR. This is the last thing I'm meriting so I haven't decided anything.

If anyone else cares to start an arguement, please do it elsewhere I'm just looking for advice, as I have stated at least 3 times in this thread. No need to take offense if I question you on something, I'm just trying to figure out what is infact the best stat so I only have to do this once.

STR or INT are the only attributes worth meritting, no matter what job you are, unless you're like a pure-BRD or something and don't touch any other jobs. And even then, you should keep the attribute merits blank until you do level either a mage or a DD.

Dex>str for thf

Yeah :( Like I said, horrible CoP luck.

I might be a 75 sam but i was a 75 blue before you even bought the game douche bag

To elaborate on what everyone else has been saying, STR all the way. It improves all melee damage and all physical spell damage. Almost always, adding STR will improve your damage more than adding a secondary mod.

Well... this is the great part about being a BLU, that whatever stats you merit, it would benefit you one way or another.
(lol >.>;)

Majority of the BLUs I've talked to would go for STR as they've seen an increase in every physical spells they cast.

Though DEX isn't a bad choice, it's only limiting the DMG potentiality you could be adding everywhere and increasing overall efficiency (increase in sword DoT, spell DoT, faster kill rate, etc). Also, don't forget that ACC can be easily capped using food/equips (caps at 95% I think).

If you've even bothered to read the link provided from "that SAM that doesn't know jack about BLU" (which I doubt you did) you'll see in most of the physical BLU magic: STR is used in the equation twice. Once to calculate the fSTR and the other is the mod.

Hysteric Barrage would be a different case (as the mod is only DEX, though fSTR is still calculated), but limiting yourself to one spell would be something to think about...

Though another stat I'd say is great to merit if not STR would be INT/MND (Regurgitation is more than enough as a reason, though there are other spells like Firespit, Corrosive Ooze and Magic Hammer) only thing stopping me was the MP cost of magical spells.

That's impossible because I got this game as a gift before CoP was even announced, I just never played it. If you don't have anything productive to write would you kindly leave?



And yes I did read the link, and it had a lot of information proving STR was better. Was all I wanted, because I didn't want to blindly merit something. I hadn't heard of a lot of this and now I have, the only reason I'm still posting in this thread is to try to calm people down, like seriously if it angers you that much than just leave.

So you are going to merit STR, right?

Melees that don't merit STR are dumb...

Most of us aren't mad/angry, it's mostly out of concern as most of us has gone through a phase of trial and error.
Would be a huge waste of points and time if you've chose a specific stat, then realize it would've had more benefit if you've used the other.

I know I did when I merited CHR... had it at 5/5 and realized I had too much CHR that most of them are just diminishing returns. Thought about implementing it into Eyes On Me, but the MP cost was silly and just stuck to Poison Breath >.>;

I used to have 2 str merits... but I ♥ my blm more.

@ Terminus BLU is a bit more complicated than most melees, but from what I've heard STR is best if BLU is your main/only job.

War, mnk, drk, rng, sam, and drg would like to have a word with you.

Depends on what you are fighting really, if you find yourself capping fstr anyways...

have you leveled any other job pass 60? BLU is not even close to that complicated. And regardless how you look at it STR will always factor in physical spells even if it's not a mod. DEX is nice then again, I'm mithra i don't need all that extra dex crap for spells :P

Not true. If your dstr is 84 or higher more str will not do a thing to your fstr at all. Which is easier to do then it sounds

Mind posting a list of your gear sets for BLU? All of them. It's no PUP, but it's sure as hell no SAM in terms of complexity either if you're taking it beyond the "Big 3" and SA Cannonball.

EDIT: On topic: STR would be your best choice to merit if BLU is the only job being taken into consideration. INT is a good second choice if you're often playing BLM, RDM, or SCH.

EDIT2: Careful, this is the logic that leads to people offhanding Ifrit's Blade (read: not /THF SA Cannonballing) rather than a higher DPS weapon.

Blu is as complicated as you want to make it really. Even if you only do melee blu to fully optimize dmg you need to have different gear selection between Frentic rip/disservement and hysteric barrage even more different for vertical cleave and way different for cannonball. All of which except vertical cleave could use different peices depending on if you are using CA or not. Then there is your tp set. And refresh gear which you can switch in/out. Full -recast/acc for headbutt and utsusemi. Ws sets for 3 ws which are all differently modded.

Different spell sets depending on the situations you will be in.

This isn't even touching the magical spells lol.

Much more complicated then most melees and even some mages

MNK is Level 61, but I don't have gear, subs, or the inclination to level it. I missed the part where I said STR sucks, It seems from the way people are reacting, that this is what I said however I didn't mean to imply this. It's a wonderful stat and I just put my first merit on it, like I said I was told STR was better when I thought DEX and wanted some information which I've received.

@ Geldrik Yes STR is great for those but I don't have any desire to level any of those ever, or atleast not in the distant future (let alone close future). This thread is aboout BLU, my only 75 and I'm not looking to merit based on what jobs I am able to level, so I have to ask what was meant by this?

I have 84 Total STR right now, but next to none of that is from spells.

You had said str is best if BLU is your main/only job. However if have BLU and any of the other jobs I listed leveled, does STR not benefit them also?

Ohh, I understand now. Yes STR is amazing for them, but all of those jobs happen to be on my never ever list (save for MNK), however I'd like to merit based on what it does for BLU not jobs I may level. However I have heard alot of promising stuff about strength and have chosen this, and will merit this little by little unless something turns me off it.

dstr as in 84 more str than the mob has vit. I normal have a decent amount from spells enough to tp in almost 100 str (not bad for a int meritted taru)

-Its easy to edit is own post them say u didnt wrote it but w/e. Fyi i have no str gear for headbutt except of those that have acc with (ex: potent belt).

-About expiacion/savage blave: obviously u didnt take the time to read my post, like i told ya i aint merited yet in attribute or even sword skill... with right gear/skill i can pull a 500+ expiacion/savage blade

-Like i told ya, merit depend on how u plan to play ur job n the gear u have ex: if ur DD blu then focus on str, a mage blu then go with int etc.. unless u plan to go /thf all the time dex will never b as good as str. For my part whenever i have the chance ill go for str/int since i play both way

this^^

Depends on what you are fighting. I'm a taru QQ but have 6 swd merits. Hitting consistent 500s on expiacion/savage blade on even lower lvl stuff isn't all that easy for me at 100%. Granted I'm only rocking like 130-140 str usually in my ws gear and like 70int and crap for mnd but still.

Also if you are /thf all the time you should be using single hit spells with that SA. Generally speaking endgame that should primarily be Vertical Cleave, Cannonball and maybe Death Scissors. Cleave is 50% str mod only. Cannonnall is 50% str and vit. And Death Scissors is 60% str. None of them have dex and all have very strong str mods. Dex does litterally nothing for SA /thf. Not even acc or crit hit since you got 100% chance to hit and crit it lol

The only times dex should win endgame are if you are capping fstr when casting Frentic rip/disservement, capped fstr of hysteric barrage or just using it with Chain affinity.

heeheh i never had the chance to go /thf in pt yet since bismarck kinda dead on invite, i did 65~75 mostly in campaign. Ever since i hit blu70 i started to use more /sch than any other sj. i make 2.5~4k exp per wave with all-around gear since mog is full ;; loll think i have ~10spaces left but yea ur right with this even as /thf str will mostly win over dex.

When my dyna shell dont need me on pally or whm i have the fun to go play blu/sch :P my tank love me again mnk there but also deadly on my buffer XD
Never had a mp issue n i have no other kind of refresh or ballad beside my own+ sublimation/aspir n still manage to outhate other DD. blu was the job i wanted as 75 but sadly i was unable but whenever i have the chance i get into n love it.

note: my highest expiacion in dyna iirc is 380dmg atm

I love me some blu/dnc in campaign. The efficiency is about the same but well it's less work which means I spend more time swinging, and I can balance the gear just right depending on the mobs to take and spend mp healing dmg exactly as fast as I am gaining it pretty much. Plus gotta love instant erase and cures for when things are bad. And if somehow someone does manage to get hate from me mini provokes yays. Though that pretty much doesn't happen lol. I pretty much always get at least as much notes as xp cause so overcapped it's rediculous.

I've done like a 600 expiacion once (go taru with int merits lol) but this was on like a EM in nyzle. The best part was cause my CA maccros says don't interupt my skillchain and I stalled my ws I got a sam to ws first getting me distortion for a good 300 on that. Then did vertical cleave for massive 3 step darkness... wonder if I screenshotted it...

So you kinda half assing the job then hmmm? i bet you TP in Af don't you. If you wanted to be good at a job surely you should improve all aspects of a job, right? I may be a SAM, but i am also a Blue Mage, With sword merits, and tp / casting sets. So i suggest you check before you make comments suggesting i know nothing about the job.