Despite being an old game, there are a lot of things in FFXI that keep players engaged and interested. FFXI has retained its popularity, thanks to its distinct gameplay. This MMORPG differs from earlier titles in the series in a variety of ways. Players can pick their race, facial style, and many other options in this game, unlike earlier Final Fantasy games where characters were fixed. This game is constantly updating, so there’s always room for new adventures and mechanics. If you are an MMO fan, you can also visit the amazing MMOGAH site, which has everything related to top-notch games like WotLK, WoW, FFXI, and more.
FFXI has a total of 6 available to play, and Black Mage is one of them. In this guide, we’ll try to cover as much as possible about this heavy-damage dealer job in FFXI. Let’s begin!
Black Mage Job Role in FFXI
As aforementioned, one of the six main jobs (more FFXI jobs are available as well) players can choose from when playing Final Fantasy XI is Black Mage. A Black Mage possesses a vast array of Offensive Magic spells that allow them to deliver incredibly high damage to an enemy, especially at higher stages. A Black Mage is the only profession with access to the tier 2 and tier 3 "-ga" line of Elemental Spells, as well as the Ancient Magic spells Freeze, Tornado, Quake, Burst, Flood, and Flare.
Black Mages are frequently asked to join skillchains in battle, providing even more destructive power to a party's arsenal by capping off each chain with a magic blast. Players can decide to become a Black Mage at any moment because it's a basic job. Along with their adventurer's certificate and nation's ring, players who opt to begin as a Black Mage also receive a Stone scroll and an onion staff.
Important Things to Know About Black Mage
Players in Final Fantasy XI have the option of selecting one of six different jobs, each of which has unique stat strengths and drawbacks. While some jobs’ skills and stats are more closely linked to certain situations than others, no job is ever prevented from playing a particular career due to these conditions. If you’ve just started playing FFXI again, you will see a lot has changed, and you need to learn about the FFXI latest news and guides about the jobs, traits, and characters.
Here’s some useful information about the strengths and weaknesses of Black Mage that can help you in gameplay.
What is Black Mage Good At?
A Black Mage can be beneficial in almost any circumstance thanks to their access to a wide variety of strong offensive spells and support employment opportunities.
Although offensive spells can be resisted, they are more vulnerable at higher levels when monsters acquire the ability to cast Shells on themselves. Offensive spells are unaffected by foes' physical protection and evasion, making it impossible for a Black Mage's damage to miss.
Warp spells make it simple and painless to return to one's Home Point.
Black Mage has an advantage against opponents that are extremely resilient to physical strikes.
Black Mages at higher levels (60+) can use a combination of Sleep, enfeebling spells, and eventually nukes to defeat creatures who are Tough enough.
Drawbacks of Using Black Mage
Resting is a very frequent activity in a Black Mage's daily schedule because the damage is restricted by MP.
Black Mages have relatively low physical defenses and HP, which makes them incredibly vulnerable in combat.
Spells that deal a lot of damage equal high enmity.
Leveling Up With Black Mage
Level 1-10
It is advised to start with a good club or other items from Level 1 to Level 4, and then buy a pole for Level 5. If you can afford it, you might even wish to buy a Pole +1 because it is even better. You shouldn't worry about maintaining your skill level, as you won't likely engage in combat again after them. Select a few lovely, low-intelligent monsters, and then use Stone to draw them to you. Also helpful is poison. Cast Fire on plant-based monsters and Lightning on water-based monsters.
Level 10-20
Between Lv. 9 and Lv. 11, you finally begin to have fun. As a mage, you're probably sick to your stomach of soloing, so you're hoping it's the first of the two. Go and start nuking! Perhaps a lovely enfeeble here and a cure there, do this with a sub job, most likely a White Mage. There's no need to learn the hate threshold and shouldn't attempt to cross it unless necessary. Black Mage is unquestionably the job in the game with the worst defense. Even Fire cannot compare to the strength of Stonega I. It had better be for the MP cost. Unfortunately, due to their low damage per mp, -ga spells are generally not worthwhile to use unless you need something immediately. You unlock Warp at level 17. One of the game's most beneficial spells for saving time and money.
Level 20-40
Sleep is acquired at level 20 and, when utilized properly, can protect your party from links and aggro. Additionally, at level 20, you are given a job trait called Conserve MP, which occasionally can help you preserve a tonne of MP. From this point forward, you essentially merely receive upgraded versions of spells you already own.
Level 40-60
You begin receiving new spells that you have never seen before at levels 45 and 50. Stun is available at level 45 and grants you a good amount of hate while quickly preventing your target monster from using any spells or attacks. When monsters use powerful spells or attacks like Bomb Toss, this works wonderfully. Your first line in "Ancient Magic" is level 50. Freeze. It has a very, very long casting time and is large, strong, and uses up a lot of MP.
Level 60-75
The only difference between your final fifteen levels and your first fifty is that now everyone has Ancient Magic, and you have all of it. Now that you've hopefully mastered casting each of your many spells, you can increase the amount of damage you deliver by a small amount. Now, everything goes well from here.
Level 75-Endgame
The most popular enemy in Mount Zhayolm is Black Pudding. Gravity and use nukes to destroy them. Be careful, as these sludges can cast nukes of their own. Black Mage or Red Mage is required in almost all soloing circumstances. Or more specifically, Fast Cast and Gravity. Black Mages are still admired for their capacity to inflict harm on the Vana'diel gods. It doesn't matter if it's the Sea, Sky, or Limbus. Hurt the beast is a job well-suited for a Black Mage.
Jobs Supported By Black Mage
White Mage
An essential replacement for both Weapon Skills and the White Mage line of spells, particularly the eventual Curaga III at ML10, as this is often the favored sub for acquiring access to Earth Crusher and Cataclysm. Otherwise, White Mage provides access to the same abilities as Red Mage, but with stronger party support and without Gravity. Barspells, Cuaraga, Haste, -na spells, etc.
Samurai
Although not everyone considers Samurai to be a support position, it can be highly helpful in some circumstances. When necessary, BLM can and should increase its weapon proficiency and open or close SCs. However, it also can close them with itself using melee or Occult Acumen. This is especially enjoyable with AM3 on Laevateinn where you may three-step your Light or Dark SCs courtesy of Hasso. Given the 50% penalty for casting and recasting, it may seem counterintuitive to cast with Hasso on. Elemental Celerity aids you in overcoming the disadvantage with a desisted Hasso Fast Cast set that leverages it since you are most likely only able to get one burst off without a swift magic proc.
Red Mage
Sometimes the White Mage support position can be replaced by the Red Mage support job. It provides higher INT but less MP. Additionally, it provides you Fast Cast, which in some circumstances can be just as effective, in place of Auto-Regen and more spells. When a White Mage supports job grants Raise and Auto-Regen before age 50, it stands out notably. For soloing, special circumstances when you need more damage, enfeebling magic, dispelling, gravity, or higher intelligence, Red Mage is recommended.
Summoner
This support job is not recommended except in extreme cases where you always find yourself critically short on MP. It eliminates many of the spells that a White Mage would bestow upon you, allowing you to concentrate more on your Black Magic. And if done well, it can pass for something thanks to its Max MP Boost, high base MP, and, subsequently, Auto-Refresh. Just make sure it's not the only substitute you have; else, finding parties can be challenging.
Black Mage Itself as a Support Job
Black Mage only offers a small amount of MP; therefore, it isn't a particularly helpful support profession early on. Later on, though, it might be a good substitution for White Mage for positions like Red Mage and Scholar. The MP and a few beneficial qualities, such as "Conserve MP" and "Clear Mind," are provided by this job as a support job. Additionally, it provides Escape for Lv. 58 and Warp for Lv. The intelligence it provides is particularly excellent for mages who desire a slight boost to their spell damage.
Final Words
Black Mage might be your ideal class if you enjoy explosions, sparkly stuff, and watching creatures lose a lot of health. Black Mages are a class that nearly exclusively deals harm. They effectively potentially cause things to explode. Only Rangers can properly and sustainably equal a Black Mage in damage, and Rangers do so at a high cost as well as a lack of several support functions inside the Black Mage and his or her subclass. The route of Black Mage is thrilling and explosive.