An advice to all BLUs

As previous post mentioned, I've been focusing playing BLU a lot and got a lot deep enjoyment out of it. I was intended to write a guide(again, not a guide from a pro, since I know quite a lot of BLU that's more knowledgeable than me on this server that I often ask gear advice from them), and if there's any advice I'd give for anyone playing BLU, or intend to lv it, I'd do one suggestion, that I believe it's very important for every BLUs, more important than grinding x gear set y weapon for this job.

Try to solo all the spells and all the mission BCs. Try to solo or lowman tanking stuff as much as possible. Don't drag 1000 ppl if you want to do get something done. Always try a couple of times to solo or lowman tanking an NM/mission BC before getting help.

The main reason being it's a good practice of pushing the job's potential and it's limit, when to use defensive spells to help you survive, how to conserve MP, when to cast stun or flash, when to start running away and kite, when to recast shadows, and which job trait to set will help you survive the most or kill faster, and how to deal with links or adds. IMO soloing or lowmanning stuff is the best way to learn a job's true potential, because when you're in a difficult situation, that's when BLUs shine, it shines in solo/lowman, when you get variety(more versatile than every other job in this game) of different tools to help you get out of this difficult task.


1. Always tell yourself "I can do etttttt" even if it seems impossible to do. Why? Because you can only do it if you believe you can do it. That's why I found that JP RDM/BLU Shinryu solo vid or Draylo's solo vid inspiring. You will never know whether you can do it or not until you tried, and try hard. I believe a good player of a job should be inspiring, and created new value of the job, by doing the impossibles. I found a lot of players like to ask for unnecessary help nowadays, before even trying without help. And often bring extra bodies just to be safe when they can totally do it with less. There's no way a BLU can learn how to play the job and pushing it's limit when you do it with a bunch of ppl. Any player loving their job enough will always tell themself "I can do ettttt" and try to push the potential of this job further.

Long time ago when I told Ager that there's no way BLU can out DD a MNK, he said "I swear I will do anything I can to prove that is wrong". I don't believe BLU can mathmetically out DD a MNK in abyssea ever, but I have to admit it is that kind of attitude that's been pushing his BLU's DD aspect potential, to a point that I will never get close.

If you don't believe you can do it, then you won't be able to do it, enough said.


2. Always not afraid of taking risks, but be prepared before taking the risks, or else it'd be reckless. Many ppl seems to unwilling to try anything unless they feel it's safe. Although it's nice and efficient to do it safe, but that also means you will never create new value of the job. Ppl only grow while dealing with hard tasks, this applies in both RL and FFXI. And don't be afraid of losing anything. EXP is ass easy to get if you die, losing a pop set or KI is no big deal if you can farm it again(unless that pop set or KI is ass BS hard to get like a relic weapon, most of the KI/pop set in this game atm aren't).

Remember, this is just an MMO, you got nothing to lose for trying.


3. Ask questions, and more questions. The moment you feel you know everything about the job, that's when you stopped at where you're at, there's no way you'd know everything, just like you'd never complete a piece of perfect art work. You should never feel that you know everything. Always try to find an answer after question asked. No one can tell you how to play the job, and it is a question you must ask yourself and find the answer yourself.

The reason why I'm writing this, is because a lot of player attitude was rather disappointing. When they're facing difficulties, the first thing is to ask for help and bring more bodies, even for obviously easy things to do like CoP BC fights or learning spell from Wamoura. I can understand where it's came from, since I was like that as well, never believe I can do it without help. And that's the main reason why my BLU sucked so much. According to my experience, some of the better players always willing to take risks and challenges, and always believe it's possible to do it unless it's unreasonably ridiculous.

IMO, the best and respectful players should be inspiring, by offering the new ideas and insights of the job, and create new value in it, not spending all days to farm gears(gear means nothing if you don't have the skill/knowledge to use it properly) and unwilling to try and learn.

And no, I didn't write this after I watched the vid, I've been thinking that way for very long time when I see new players post on the forum and ask for help for easy NM/BC/spell hunt before even try to solo, and seeing ppl still try to solo hard stuff like that RDM/BLU just confirmed my belief. He will never solo Shiryu if he got the mindset of "I MUST BREW SHINRYU, OR ELSE I CAN'T WIN"

Anyways, there's a couple more things I want to try on BLU and COR myself, but need to lv COR to 95 first ._.