Blue mage in Salvage

Yes, this post is about Salvage, a long forgotten event in this game that is now lol in many ppl's mind.


Ever since I got Salvage access about one year ago, I've been trying get into Salvage parties. Whenever I see /shout in WG, I often sent /tell and ask if I can join. Then when I was asked what jobs I have, I replied BLU and COR, and I often got ignored after I told them my jobs. It is until much later I finally realized only MNK THF BRD WHM RDM or maybe random 2h DD are allowed to do Salvage, every other job is meh. And it is until much later I finally able to get into some groups, on COR, as "a substitute of BRD". Since everyone and their mother told me Blue mage is a NO NO for Salvage.

I've been educated that way, that Blue mage is a NO NO for Salvage ever since I asked ppl in Escaflowne if I can join their Salvage static. And ppl never ask me to come BLU for Salvage. It's always, always COR. Although sometimes I have my doubt, that if BLU is really THAT bad for Salvage. Most ppl complain that BLU needs too many cells to fully unlock it's power, however the only cell that BLU really need and other 2h frontline jobs don't need is just MP cell really. Everything else, magic, STR, weapons and SJ are needed for other 2h melee job as well. I've been thinking about draging ppl and do my own Salvage run and use BLU to see if it works, until yesterday the leader of my Salvage static asked me to come BLU instead of usual COR, I finally get a chance to try BLU in Salvage.

So what's my opinion for BLU doing Salvage? I'd say BLU is hugely underrated for Salvage. Maybe it's not that good before lv 80 update, but now it's certainly underrated badly. No, it probably won't replace other melee jobs like MNK or THF, but its far from a NO NO job, and it has it's own unique strength(and weakness) when comparing with other 2h melee DDs.

I'd say compare with lv 75 era, 3 updates made Salvage friendlier for BLU than ever. First is new job trait Double attack and Dual wield, and quite possibly new magian weapons that's good for melee. Before BLU gets magic, SJ and MP cell, BLU is able to deal at least acceptable melee DoT dmg because of both job traits. Secondly, RDM now has Refresh II, and BLU now has new low MP cost spell Delta Thrust. MP is less an issue, even without MP cell, the small MP pool is still enough to spam spells constantly.

To summarize the strength of BLU I've found in Salvage:
1. Can deal good enough dmg without JA cell.
2. Able to deal both blunt/piercing dmg, for extra dmg when fighting against mobs weak against those.
3. Has access to self defensive spell such as Occultation before SJ unlocked.
4. Other usual BLU strength, such as stun lock, flash, several buff/debuff spells, won't get raped by attack down or amnesia etc.

Of course there's something I'm not all that happy about BLU in Salvage:
1. Dmg output is still a bit disappointed compare with other ppl I usually do Salvage with.... although I'm kinda compare my mediocre geared BLU with Spharai MNK or Fudo SAM. I guess I got spoiled by Abyssea's crazy dmg output too.
2. TP feed on Chariot...Although this can kinda be avoided by not spamming multi-hit like no tomorrow, and focus on more debuff spells or stun.

Hmmm sounds like the weakness aren't that much of a big deal no?

Note that since our Salvage run went much smoother when I come BLU instead of COR(kills much faster), the leader told me to come BLU from now on. Odin/Ultima fight and Salvage is probably the only event I still use COR for, now there's one less event I can use this job XD. Since Untima drops now kinda lol, the only event I found COR still useful is probably Odin, because Dynabus do Odin with RNG pt and RNGs in the pt often ask for Snapshot roll. I spent at least 20 min yesterday QQing to Tav about how useless my main job is(pretty much every friend of mine consider I'm a COR main, so be it). Tav also QQ for a bit about he never get to use DRK because he has WHM, hell DRK is not even as bad as COR. Then I edited my WL on MILA website and put some gears that benefits my BLU a bit closer to the top, since I have a feeling that I'll have to rely on my BLU to get stuff done in this game for very long time until I lv another more useful job, so I can't let it gimp. My WL for Abyssea events is usually full of COR gears, now I kinda put gears that benefits both jobs (such as Atheling Mantle and Epona's ring) closer to the top.


How ironic, someone in Cynosure just started some drama yesterday and got kicked because he insisted all jobs has it's place when I said some jobs are easily replaceable with better options for better result. Pretty much most of the events I do in this game works better if I use BLU instead of COR, so I may as well just stay on BLU fulltime from now on. So far I'm happy with full timing BLU because I can get almost every thing I want to do in this game with only this job, on the same time not getting stuck on it and have some freedom to play other job when I feel like it. For someone who only has 2 jobs 75+ (probably not a lot of ppl only has 2 jobs 75+ these days, even worse, one of my job is rarely used), this is one job that can fit into most pt setup, most events and situations and still get the job done. Not the best option sometimes(for example, BLU/WHM main healing can never heal as good as WHM or even SCH), but it works, and works well.