Blue Magic Curriculum: Spell #78 – Surpanakha

Welcome to the seventy-eighth entry of the Blue Magic Curriculum, where we talk about the spells found in the Blue Mage Spellbook, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and what about them could be improved. In this case, we’ll be discussing the ability of that allows us to rejoice in the glory of combat as we send wave after wave of shrapnel into our foe: Surpanakha.

Favored by Ravana, this spell subtly manipulates earth-aspected aether to draw metallic particles from nearby mineral deposits, then propels them forward in an expansive wave to pierce foes’ flesh like shrapnel.

Range: 0y

Radius: 16y 

D.Type: Magic

Element: Earth

Alignment: Umbral

Explanation

Surpanakha is a Rank-5 Blue Mage Primal Ability, one of our heavily damaging oGCD nukes that we use to put out massive damage. In this case it was one that was introduced in Heavensward during Patch 5.15 and was one of the most unique for a time because it has a gimmick in that it uses charges. Basically, the first time you use this ability you gain a buff called Surpanakha’s Fury, which increases the damage of the ability for by 50% that lasts for 3 seconds and can be stacked up to three times. You also get up to a maximum of 4 charges, but each charge takes 30s to come back.

What this means is that when you hit it the first time, following up immediately after gives you a boosted version. And then again and again and again. That adds up to a huge amount of damage that goes from 200 potency (with 50% fall-off for every enemy after the first) until it reaches 500 potency, for a total of  1400 potency. We’ll get into the benefits and downsides to this ability below. 

Positives

This ability has pretty much the highest burst damage potential of the Primal Abilities from this era due to the fact that you hit multiple times and each hit grows successively stronger. Boosted under Moon Flute and with the potential to do critical hits increased by Aetherial Mimicry: DPS, it basically melts through the HP of bosses whenever you unload all the charges into their face. It also has a massive radius of 16y, meaning you can catch a lot of adds with it or cover a vast area for non-boss situation, making it also useful for melting mobs in the overworld.

Negatives

However, for the positives there are negatives. That stacking buff goes away if you take any other action besides using Surpanakha, and I do mean any. You press another spell, its gone. And with only 3 seconds that means you can basically only spam it, effectively pinning you into place unless you want to lose a crap-ton of damage. That will get you killed in certain Raids as you try to squeeze out the damage.

You also have to wait longer between uses to make the most out of it. Anything less than full charges is wasted considering they stack, meaning that you miss out on damage and have to wait for them to cooldown again. A single accidental press or being forced to stop effectively wastes not 200 potency, but 500 potency minimum, so you’ll basically only be using it during burst phases in raids.

It also has no range whatsoever. It’s completely close-range, meaning you have to get right into the enemy’s face in order to blast them. Pair that with the fact that having to stop means you lose out on charges and that’s a lot of dead mages due to point-blank AoEs if they don’t plan ahead.

Overview

Surpanakha is a fantastic Primal Ability that easily allows them to output massive amounts of damage and is beloved during Moon Flute Openers since the 15s of no damage doesn’t stop the charges from building back up. However, if you do anything other than commit once you start then you’ve wasted a charge and it has no range whatsoever. You’ll basically only use it when you have max charges so it effectively takes 2 minutes to come off cooldown. 

PROS

• Additive Charge Stacking
• Massive Radius
• Instant Cast

CONS

• 2 Minute Cooldown Due to Stacks
• Fall-Off Damage
• Short Range

Potential Improvements

• Increase Range
• Increase Stack Duration
• No Cancel Upon Execution of Other Actions

Blue Academy Thoughts and Ramblings on Level 80

Liam, Headmaster of the Blue Academy, gives his thoughts on what might happen when Blue Mages finally ascend to Level 80. Copium? What’s that?

Blue Magic Curriculum: Spell #77 – Aetheric Mimicry

Welcome to the seventy-seventh entry of the Blue Magic Curriculum, where we talk about the spells found in the Blue Mage Spellbook, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and what about them could be improved. In this case, we’ll be going over the spell that allows us to siphon off the aether of our allies to shift our stats and certain spells: Aetheric Mimicry.

A useful little ability originating with the ghrah, Aetheric Mimicry allows the mage to match his aetherial wavelength to that of another person, granting the same benefits as their hard-won combat training.

Range: 25y

Radius: 0y 

D.Type: Magic

Element: None

Alignment: None

Explanation

Aetheric Mimicry is a Rank-4 Blue Mage spell that was introduced in Heavensward during Patch 5.15 and single-handedly became one of the most important after it did. It costs 300 MP cost per use and you can only target allies, but depending on the role (Tank, Healer, DPS) of the target, you gain either the Aetheric Mimicry: Tank, Aetheric Mimicry: Healer, or Aetheric Mimicry: DPS until you cast the spell again or swap out of the Job. This spell brought with it some definite benefits that were needed to further flesh out the class, but the extra steps tend to be more annoying than anything, which we will get into it below.

Positives

The introduction of this spell made it easier for a Blue Mage to take a definite role when it came to Raid Content. Aetheric Mimicry: Tank grants an increase in your Defense and augments Cactguard, Devour, Chelonian Gate, and Dragon Force. These spells are naturally related to helping your survival, since you will be under direct fire and drawing in most of the attention, by increasing the duration of their effects, amplifying the damage, or increasing the effectiveness of the spell.

Aetheric Mimicry: Healer, meanwhile, gives a massive 20% buff to all healing magic spells, making Pom Cure, Gobskin, and Exuviation much more effective and practical. However, Stotram, and Angel’s Snack are augmented further. The former completely changes from an AoE DPS that hurts enemies to an AoE healing spell,  making it more useful for group healing. The latter gains a regen effect, offering a method to restore health over time.

And Aetheric Mimicry: DPS  basically increases your direct and critical hit rate by 20% for every spell you cast that deals damage, which is a massive buff since you’ll have a greater chance to deal extra damage. For these reasons, it’s considered the default one in use. However, only one spell is augmented by this one in the form of Matra Magic. This spell in particular has its potency doubled when under the condition, changing what was an eightfold 50 potency attack into an eightfold 100 potency attack with a 20% higher chance to critically hit, direct hit, and direct critical hit for massive damage. 

Negatives

As essential as the spell is, we’ve got to talk about the negatives. 

One passive issue that all of them share is that this spell requires you to target an ally. That doesn’t sound like a problem until you end up accidentally clicking off it during an instance and you realize that if you are a Healer or a Tank, you can’t get them back. Blue Mages are squarely DPS and so if you lose your mimic at any point, you’ve effectively screwed yourself.

This is especially frustrating for Tanks, as they tend to be the hardest to find in the overworld. The worst part is that this could be easily resolved by making it a toggle to where you can swap between all three so long as you aren’t in active combat, just like you can do with your Spellbook. It would save a lot of headaches.

Next, are the issues with individual mimicry. Aetheric Mimicry: Tank boosts Defense, but it doesn’t affect other Tank spells like Diamondback and Mighty Guard, which are costly and nerfs your DPS heavily. Aetheric Mimicry: Healer is the only way to make the healing spells work at a reasonable level, but only two spells truly benefit from it and not White Wind.  And Aetheric Mimicry: DPS  grants a solid increase to DPS, but only one spell really changes from it and that comes online at the very end of the build due to how you need to get it.

Last, the mimicry doesn’t change what your actual role is: a DPS. That means that mechanics in-game that are specific to certain roles cannot read them. So if there’s a specific mechanic that only targets a Tank normally, your entire party needs to be prepared in the event someone other than the Tank gets targeted instead, like your Healer.  In Raids, this basically leaves everyone to be on high alert and need to know how to handle every possible outcome, which makes some of the hardest content require an even higher skill ceiling.

Overview

Aetheric Mimicry allows Blue Mages to slot themselves into roles other than a DPS and the spells they have that align with those roles tend to benefit. However, if you lose a Healer or Tank mimic during a dungeon or instance, you are screwed because you have no way of reclaiming it. In addition, despite there being more than 100 Spells, not even a 10th of them gain any real change due to the mimicry when a lot of them could use it. It’s an essential spell, so I wish it benefited more by augmenting the other massive collection we have on a fundamental level. 

PROS

• Increases Damage Output for Aetheric Mimicry: DPS
• Increases Healing Potency for Aetheric Mimicry: Healer
• Increases Defense for Aetheric Mimicry: Tank

CONS

• No Method of Regaining Lost Mimicry In Dungeon
• Limited Number of Augmented Spells
• Mechanics Don’t Read Mimic’d Roles

Potential Improvements

• Independent Role Toggle 
• Additional Augmented Spells

Blue Magic Curriculum: Spell #76 – Condensed Libra

Welcome to the seventy-sixth entry of the Blue Magic Curriculum, where we talk about the spells found in the Blue Mage Spellbook, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and what about them could be improved. In this case, we’ll be going over the spell that allows us to dictate which alignment to attune our enemies to inflict the most pain: Condensed Libra.

Invented by complete accident whilst a master mechanic attempted to manufacture an automaton that might monitor his lover’s suspected illicit activities, and now a staple mechanism of mechanoscribes, Condensed Libra allows for the rapid analysis and amplification of a foe’s weaknesses.

Range: 25y

Radius: 0y 

D.Type: Magic

Element: None

Alignment: None

Explanation

Condensed Libra is a Rank-3 Blue Mage spell that was introduced in Heavensward during Patch 5.15. It costs 200 MP cost per use and upon use it afflicts a single opponent to either Physical Attunement, Astral Attunement, or Umbral Attunement for 30s. This is a beloved spell for Blue Mages but can also cause some headaches depending on the circumstances. We’ll get into it below. 

Positives

Blue Mages love this spell because it basically allows them to deal 5% more damage to the target so long as their attacks match the attunement. For Physical Attunement, that’s spells that do physical attacks. For Astral Attunement, that’s Wind, Fire, or Lightning spells. For Umbral Attunement, that’s Ice, Water, and Earth spells.

While 5% doesn’t seem like much, it adds up over time. For this reason its a staple of Raids when used with the choice of a filler spell between Primal Abilities and spells with longer cooldowns. The long duration of the effect means that you can get around 9 to 10 casts in between each use of the spell. And in the cast of spells like Fire Angon, which deals both Physical and Fire Damage, you effectively benefit from both of the attunements.

Negatives

As lovely as the spell is, there are some downsides. First, you don’t get to pick which attunement you want to align an enemy with. It’s RNG. That means you have to “Libra Fish” and cast the spell over and over to get whichever one best fits your spell choice. 

And because its primarily used during Raids, you will likely only attempt to get either Physical Attunement or Astral Attunement. That’s because the common filler spells are Sharpened Knife and Sonic Boom, due to their fast weaving time. There’s no point in bringing it up outside of Raids because The Ram’s Voice, Ultravibration, and Level 5 Death exists.

Last, a great deal of Blue Mages spells have no alignment and thus don’t benefit from the spell at all. That leaves a lot of free damage on the table, which could easily be resolved by simply having it so that spells that don’t have an alignment fell under Physical Attunement, though I would rename it Non-Aspected or something similar.

Overview

Condensed Libra allows Blue Mages to do what they do best: deal damage. It increases the amount of damage you output so long as you align your choice of spells towards a specific weakness. But because Blue Mage spells are all over the place, you largely have to plan around it. And with so many ways of instantly killing overworld content  such as the Ultravibe Combo, you won’t use it outside of Raids.

PROS

• Increases Damage Output
• Short Cast Time
• Low MP Cost

CONS

• Non-Aspected Spells Gain No Benefits
• Single Target
• RNG

Potential Improvements

• Target Multiple Foes
• Align Non-Aspected Elements To Physical

Blue Magic Curriculum: Spell #75 – Devour

Welcome to the seventy-fifth entry of the Blue Magic Curriculum, where we talk about the spells found in the Blue Mage Spellbook, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and what about them could be improved. In this case, we’ll be going over the spell that allows us to take in the flesh of our foes to make their strength our own: Devour.

No longer merely the domain of savage beasts, this technique, when reproduced by the blue mage, involves not the devouring of rent flesh, but rather heals and invigorates its caster through the absorption of aether.

Range: 3y

Radius: 0y 

D.Type: Magic

Element: None

Alignment: None

Explanation

Devour is a Rank-1 Blue Mage spell that was introduced in Heavensward during Patch 5.15 and later updated in Patch 5.40. It has a 300 MP cost per use, with a 60s cooldown between uses, and deals 250 potency of damage to a single opponent. It isn’t very special in that department, but it contains a unique ability that no other spell in the game has: it increases your max HP by a whopping 20% for while healing you for the same amount of damage done. That is really good in a lot of ways that we’ll get into.

Positives

This spell serves as a method for Blue Mages to extend their lives in raiding content. In normal gameplay, we have a lot of ways of dealing with crowds and bosses due to our variety of spells, but in Raids we essentially have the issue of having the HP of a Magic DPS, which are among the squishiest. That means acting as a Tank heavily reliant on being able to mitigate damage, but a slight mistake will get you killed since you don’t have a lot of health. Devour giving you an extra increase to your max HP solves that issue.

Before the patch that added in the duration extension under Aetherial Mimicry: Tank, entire groups of Blue Mages would use this in order to survive raid-wide attacks in order to get their health low enough to use Revenge Blast safely before healing up by the time of the next AoE. But after the update that gives the Tank a full 70s of duration having extra health, and with it coming off cooldown every minute, fitting it into the rotation effectively means you never drop it while also getting some damage in.

Negatives

Before the 5.40 Patch, the main downside was having only 10s of use with the spell. It was basically a defensive cooldown that only came up every minute and that meant the timing was crucial. But for Tank Mimics after the patch, there is no downside since having more than a minute of bolstered HP and it coming up every time it’s about to run out means you can effectively keep it up all day. The other downside is the range, being a meager 3y, requires that you have to get close to the enemy. That isn’t a problem for Tanks since we eat attacks face-first. But for other team members who want to partake it can become an issue since they tend to keep their distance.

Overview

Devour is a wonderful spell that only got better after the 5.40 Patch, as the only real weakness it had for a Tank was taken away. 20% more health provides a lot of breathing room, and for a coordinate team of Blue Mages who already have a ton of options to play with, they can come up with strategies to easily abuse it. But for non-Tanks they’ll have to get close to the boss and be stuck with a shorter duration.

PROS

• Increased Max HP
• Restores HP 
• Low MP Cost

CONS

• 10s Duration On Non-Tanks
• Short Range

Potential Improvements

• Increased Range

Blue Magic Curriculum: Spell #74 – Reflux

Welcome to the seventy-fourth entry of the Blue Magic Curriculum, where we talk about the spells found in the Blue Mage Spellbook, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and what about them could be improved. In this case, we’ll be going over the regurgitated accumulation of electrical manipulation: Reflux.

This technique strikes a foe with a ball of concentrated electricity─accumulated by wild elder wyverns during their passage through the clouds, but eminently reproducible through magical means─the power of which causes its body to seize as if being crushed by monumental weight..

Range: 25y

Radius: 0y 

D.Type: Magic

Element: Lightning

Alignment: Astral

Explanation

Reflux is a Rank-3 Blue Mage spell that was introduced in Heavensward during Patch 5.15. It has a modest 200 MP cost per use, which is pretty standard overall, and deals 220 potency worth of Lightning Damage to a target upon hit. It also has the benefit of inflicting Heavy upon an opponent, if they are able to be affected by it, giving it some secondary utility that we’ll get into as we review this spell.

Positives

This spell is pretty solid as far as single-target Astral-attunement spells go, having the standard cast time, good range, and a modest MP cost. It also comes with the side-effect of inflicting Heavy on a target. That can drastically slow down enemies, which is useful in certain mechanics, and it ignores the enemy’s resistance so you’ll always get 10s of use out of the effect.  This makes it an overall useful spell to keep on your bar if you just need an Astral or Lightning spell that only hits a single target.

Negatives

The only real downside to this spell is that by the time you obtain it, you’ll be fighting for limited slot space. Aside from the Heavy condition, which most bosses have immunity to, there isn’t anything that really stands out about it. Electrogenesis works as the AoE version without the Heavy, while Sonic Boom does only slightly less damage but the faster casting time means you can slide-cast easier. So you absolutely have to pick between them, you’ll probably go for the faster one.

Overview

Reflux is a pretty solid spell overall, with the damage-to-cost being decent enough that there’s no harm in having it as your Astral spell of choice for use with Condensed Libra.  And the fact that it can blow past Heavy resistance means that it has its place during some raids and Masked Carnivale events. However, outside of those situations, Sonic Boom is largely the more commonplace choice since it’s faster to get out, so if you have to pick between them you’ll probably go for the quicker choice.

PROS

• Ignores Heavy Resistance
• Low MP Cost

CONS

• Sonic Boom Exists
• Bosses Have Heavy Immunity

Potential Improvements

• Extra Damage For Enemies with Dropsy

Blue Magic Curriculum: Spell #73 – Exuviation

Welcome to the seventy-third entry of the Blue Magic Curriculum, where we talk about the spells found in the Blue Mage Spellbook, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and what about them could be improved. In this case, we’ll be going over the detoxifying powder that cleanses as it mends: Exuviation.

This spell enhances the body’s natural detoxification processes, stimulating organs and the growth of new tissue. Perhaps due to it having originated with wamourae, it feels much like shedding an old layer of scales.

Range: 0y

Radius: 6y

D.Type: None

Element: None

Alignment: None

Explanation

Exuviation is a Rank-2 Blue Mage spell that was introduced in Heavensward during Patch 5.15. It has a low cost of 200 MP, but can both heal the caster and the ally for a bit of HP while also cleansing them of detrimental effects. It is one of the few healing spells that Blue Mages get, and when under the effect of Aetherial Mimicry: Healer the potency jumps up to 300, making it a useful group-wide heal.

Positives

This spell is one of the few spells that its suggested all Blue Mages take into an encounter, even if they aren’t playing a healer, if the enemy will be using debuffs as a mechanic. That’s because it doubles as an Esuna, being capable of cleansing debuffs that you could with the same spell. It’s low cost also makes it efficient for healers because, despite the area being rather tight, you can heal up the party rather quickly.

Negatives

There are only two real downsides to this spell. The first is that if you don’t have Aetherial Mimicry: Healer, the potency is too pathetic to use in battle. The Esuna effect is fine, but as far as healing goes its too weak to be of use. The second is that a 6y Radius is pretty tight.  We’re talking Cure III prior to Patch 6.1, meaning you have to group in close to get the most out of it.

Obtaining the spell is also tricky depending on how you do it. In the overworld, you have to damage a specific enemy and then lure it over to the mob that has the ability so that it will be forced to use it to try and heal them. If you don’t know that, it can be one of the hardest spells to obtain because it requires foreknowledge.

Overview

Exuviation is the only AoE healing spell available to Blue Mages early on, but because it packs a built-in Esuna it has some utility even for non-healers. However, the range is so small that it requires coordination to heal the entire party. I really do wish that they increased the range, but considering they have an alternative group heal in later patches you’ll probably only use it after that for the cleansing effect.

PROS

• Low MP Cost
• AoE Esuna
• Decent Potency Under Aetherial Mimicry: Healer

CONS

• Narrow Radius
• Stotram Exists
• Low Potency Without Aetherial Mimicry: Healer

Potential Improvements

• Increase Radius Under Aetherial Mimicry: Healer

Blue Magic Curriculum: Spell #72 – Angel Whisper

Welcome to the seventy-second entry of the Blue Magic Curriculum, where we talk about the spells found in the Blue Mage Spellbook, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and what about them could be improved. In this case, we’ll be going over the sweet whisperings that coax those that hear its words back into the battlefield: Angel Whisper.

The origin of this revitalizing spell is steeped in mystery, as it requires healing aether be amplified through a familiar that appears for all the world to be a messenger from the heavens─a concept soundly at odds with Whalaqee religious beliefs.

Range: 25y

Radius: 0y 

D.Type: None

Element: None

Alignment: None

Explanation

Angel Whisper is a Rank-4 Blue Mage spell that was introduced in Heavensward during Patch 5.15. It has a massive cost of 1000 MP, but can raise up a single downed ally within 25y of the caster. It is effectively the sole raise that Blue Mages gain, making it indispensable, but its usage and the method of obtaining it make it one of the most difficult tools within their kit since it can be squandered easily.

Positives

This spell is basically a Raise, same as any of the others given to the Healers and Summoners (providing that doesn’t get cut at some point). You cast it and an ally that got knocked out will end up raised into a weakened state, allowing them to get back to work. Since it isn’t affected by Aetherial Mimicry, there’s no reason every Blue Mage can’t have it on their bar.

Negatives

The downside to this spell are pretty big. First off, that MP Cost is very high and will chew through a good portion of your primary resource. Second, it has a 10s casting time, which is the time it would take to get off three or four other spells, and you don’t want to risk slide-casting a spell like this so you’ll be immobile. Third, it has a 300s recast time before it can be used again, which is basically 5-minutes where you just can’t use it at all.

Last, to obtain this spell means you have to complete 30 stages of the Masked Carnivale. This is not an easy feat even after later patches improved the selection of spells we have. It is effectively gated off from anyone who can’t complete the challenges, which is a lot harder than you’d think since you have to have knowledge of the mechanics and what your spells can do.

Overview

Angel Whisper is the only Raise spell available to Blue Mages, so its pretty much a mandatory must-have for serious players or those who intend to do high-end content like Raids for titles and mounts. However, it has such a long casting time, such a high MP cost, and such a long cooldown that you don’t want to use it in combat. If it gets wasted because you and another person cast it at the same time, you’re stuck without it for five minutes where a wipe is very likely to happen. 

PROS

• Available to All Mimicry
• Resurrection

CONS

• Complete Masked Carnivale
• Five Minute Cooldown
• Massive MP Cost
• Long Cast Time

Potential Improvements

• Restores Full Health
• Removes Weakness
• Lower Cooldown Times

Blue Magic Curriculum: Spell #71 – Revenge Blast

Welcome to the seventy-first entry of the Blue Magic Curriculum, where we talk about the spells found in the Blue Mage Spellbook, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and what about them could be improved. In this case, we’ll be going over the rage-fueled retribution that brings down even titanic bosses: Revenge Blast.

The Whalaqee are generally willing to pass on this close-quarter technique, which allows the mage to harness his own feelings of desperation at being driven closer to death and launch a last-ditch offensive. The name of the creature who originally possessed it, however, remains a closely guarded secret.

Range: 3y

Radius: 0y 

D.Type: None

Element: None

Alignment: None

Explanation

Revenge Blast is a Rank-2 Blue Mage spell that was introduced in Heavensward during Patch 5.15. It has a fairly low 200 MP cost, and upon use it deals a 50 potency attack to a single enemy within 3y of the caster. That sounds pretty bad on paper, but if your health happens to fall beneath 20% that damage potency shoots up by 10x the original amount to a whopping 500 potency while still maintaining the short cast time and cost. In raids this is actually one of the best offensive choices providing you know when to use it, but that requires some explaining.

Positives

This spell basically exists to provide a huge DPS boost during raids depending on how well-coordinated the party is and how well-versed they are with the mechanics of a fight. There are several instances where a raid-wide will go out and lower the party’s HP, leaving them below 20%, but they won’t be at risk for any more damage for a prolonged period. During these intervals the DPS can use this spell at its highest potency while the Healer keeps the Tank alive. With such a low MP cost it can be spammed rather reliably and can burn down their health really fast.  

Negatives

The downside to this spell is that there is a high level of skill needed to make use of it. The HP requirement for the higher potency basically means that the Healers can’t be spamming healing spells or else you’ll be left with the nearly impotent version, making it a waste of MP. Likewise, the damage needs to be choreographed which only really happens during Raids and thus outside of that particular community it isn’t effective. And since you can only target a single enemy and need to be within range, any risk of unexpected damage like eating a point-blank AoE will result in a lot of deaths.

Overview

Revenge Blast is a ‘Risk vs Reward’ kind of spell. If you have low health and are willing to get within melee range of an enemy, you can basically nuke them with impunity given the higher potency of the spell compared to others with its rank and cast time. However, being at such low health and so close to the enemy means that if you take any unexpected damage then you are basically dead.  You’ll pretty much only see it in Raids where the players have the mechanics down to the second and are coordinated enough to make the most use of it, but casual players are likely going to skip out on it.

PROS

• 500 Potency Damage Potential
• Short Cast Time
• Low MP Cost

CONS

• Low HP Prerequisite 
• Short Range
• Single Target

Potential Improvements

• Increase HP Prerequisite

Blue Magic Curriculum: Spell #70 – Cactguard

Welcome to the seventy entry of the Blue Magic Curriculum, where we talk about the spells found in the Blue Mage Spellbook, along with their strengths, weaknesses, and what about them could be improved. In this case, we’ll be going over the cactaur-coated cooldown that softens the bulkiest of blows: Cactguard.

Wild sabotenders are believed to have developed this ability to channel their aether toward others as a means of protecting particularly fruitful members of their species─as survival in arid climes ever comes at a cost.

Range: 25y

Radius: 0y 

D.Type: None

Element: None

Alignment: None

Explanation

Cactguard is a Rank-1 Blue Mage spell that was introduced in Heavensward during Patch 5.15. It has a very low 200 MP cost, which is really economical, as well as a casting time of 1 second, making it fast as well. When used on another player, it reduces the damage they take by 5% or 15% with Aetherial Mimicry: Tank for 6 seconds. That makes this a Tank Spell, which is always nice to have considering the raw number of spells geared toward DPS. However, there are some problems with this spell to the point where you may never see it in use.

Positives

So, this is effectively a defensive cooldown that can be placed upon a character nearly at will. With such a short casting time, short recasting timer, and such a low MP cost, you can spam this spell over and over without any problems. 15% doesn’t sound like much mitigation, but other Tank classes have to work around a timer whereas you can use it at will so long as you have the MP. Moreover, you can stack it with the effects of Gobskin in order to keep the shield in place longer due to taking less damage. 

Negatives

This spell, unfortunately, is practically useless unless you have Aetherial Mimicry: Tank active, since only then does it have the 15% damage mitigation. And even then, it tends not to be useful for raiding parties because practically everyone has either Mighty Guard or Diamondback to reduce damage with the press of a button. A good number of strategies for Blue Mages center around having only one Tank Mimicry while the others are Healers and DPS because those two spells exist, and only someone who is going to be directly facing off against the Boss will ever need more than that to mitigate damage. 

Worse, it literally cannot be used on the caster. It can only be applied to someone else. The developers likely intended for it to be used with an Off-Tank, but because of how Blue Mages tend to organize their raid parties, said mage will most likely be running a DPS Mimicry instead. Hence why you very rarely see it used.

Overview

Cactguard is self-sabotaging in its design. It offers a fair chunk of damage mitigation practically on-demand if you have a Tank Mimicry active, but because it cannot be used by the Tank on themselves that limits its usefulness. Blue Mages generally don’t need to run more than one Tank in raids because they organize themselves around the mechanics and the use of Diamondback for nearly anything that could severely harm a targeted caster, so the low mitigation is honestly just not worth the slot it would take. If it was a self-applying cooldown then it would be a different story, but until that gets patched in it’s generally just not worth it.

PROS

• 15% Damage Mitigation with Aetherial Mimicry: Tank.
• Short Cast Time
• Low MP Cost

CONS

• Can’t Be Applied to Self
• Useless without Mimicry
• Mighty Guard and Diamondback Exist

Potential Improvements

• Allow Casters to Target Self
• Make Spell Instant Cast