Category:Merit Points

What are Merit Points?

 * Once a player has reached level 75, he/she will have the option to earn limit points when defeating enemies. Once 10,000 limit points are obtained, they convert into one merit point.
 * Merit points are a type of currency used to "buy" extra enhancements for a player who's main job has reached the last level cap (75).

Merit Point History

 * July 2004: Merit point system introduced.
 * September 2004: Merit categories were expanded to include Combat skills, Magic Skills, and Other skills.
 * February 2005: Merit categories were expanded to include Job-Specific Upgrades.
 * December 2005: Maximum number of upgrades per item and per category was increased.
 * Treasures of Aht Urhgan Expansion Pack: Developers have reported that this expansion will include the ability to spend merit points to obtain additional abilities and magic spells.

Merit Point Menu

 * After a player has received the key item Limit breaker from the Nomad Moogle in Ru'lude Gardens, he/she will be able to view current limit and merit point totals in the status window by selecting the "Merit Points" button from the Status menu. This menu is only accessible when the player's current job is level 75.
 * This menu allows you to view your current limit points and merit points, to view merit points you have spent, and to view the categories you can spend merit points on.
 * When a player is in his/her Mog House (or Rent-a-Room), he/she is able to switch between EXP and limit point accumulation modes, as well as able to spend and cancel merit points.
 * As of September 14, 2005, it is is no longer possible to switch between EXP and limit point modes by speaking with the Nomad Moogle in the Ru'Lude Gardens.

How to Accumulate Merit Points

 * When a player has reached the maximum amount of EXP (44,000) after reaching level 75, he/she will automatically begin accumulating limit points when fighting monsters that are at least Easy Prey.
 * A player can begin collecting limit points before reaching the maximum amount of EXP by switching to Merit Point mode under "Mode Switch" on the merit point menu.
 * When a player is eligible to begin collecting limit points, his/her main job and level will be displayed in blue in the status window.
 * Once a player has accumlated 10,000 limit points, the points will automatically be exchanged for a single merit point. Switching to limit point accumulation mode affects all jobs that have reached level 75.  It is not necessary to swtich modes for each job.
 * If a player is KO'd while in limit points accumulation mode, he/she will lose EXP as normal. To regain that EXP, the player must switch back to EXP accumulation mode in his/her Mog House before fighting.
 * If a player drops to level 74 as a result of being KO'd, he/she will automatically be switched back to EXP accumulation mode until reaching level 75 once again. If the player was collecting limit points at the time of deleveling, the player will begin collecting limit points again once he/she reaches level 75.
 * All limit, merit, and experience points are saved internally. Switching between limit point and EXP accumulation modes does not result in a loss of any point types.
 * EXP earned from items (eg. a page from the "Dragon Chronicles") cannot be converted into limit points. If a player's mode is set to limit point accumulation and the player does not have the maximum amount of EXP, the item will grant EXP (which goes toward his/her buffer).  If a player uses one of these items after accumulating the maximum amount of EXP at level 75, the item will have no effect.
 * Limit points and merit points collected on all level 75 jobs are combined, and are totalled together in your Merit Point menu. A player does not have to earn the merit points playing the job he/she want to spend them on.
 * When set to limit point accumulation, after each battle, a message informing the player how many limit points he/she earned will appear in the message window (in place of the previous message informing the player how many experience points he/she earned).
 * The maximum number of merit points a player can stock is 10. Any merit points earned after accumulating this amount will be lost.

How to Spend Merit Points

 * Merit points can only be spent while inside a player's Mog House or Rent-a-Room.
 * To spend a merit, a player must access the merit point menu, select the category he/she want to upgrade, and selct Raise. There will be a series of confirmation messages.

Cancelling Spent Merit Points

 * A player may wish to undo an upgrade he/she has already made in order to spend points in the same category on different upgrades.
 * When a player cancels an upgrade, he/she does not get spent merit points back.
 * To cancel a merit, a player must access the merit point menu, select the category he/she want to upgrade, and selct Lower. There will be a series of confirmation messages.

Effects of Raised Attributes

 * The effect of attributes raised using merit points apply to any and all jobs that the player sets as his/her current main job, including jobs that are not level 75.
 * More upgrades apply as the player's main job increases in level.
 * Levels 1-10, no merits have effect.
 * Levels 11-20, one merit per catagory takes effect.
 * Levels 21-30, two merits per catagory take effect.
 * Levels 31-40, three merits per catagory take effect.
 * Levels 41-50, four merits per catagory take effect.
 * Levels 51-60, five merits per catagory take effect.
 * Levels 61-70, six merits per catagory take effect.
 * Levels 71-74, seven merits per catagory take effect.
 * At level 75, all merits have effect.

Merit Point Categories
There is a limit on the total number of upgrades that can be done in each category ("maximum combo"). There is a limit on the total number of upgrades that can be done on each item ("max per item"). Upgrades increase in the number of merit points they cost as you upgrade an item.
 * Example) A player can perform 8 upgrades on HP; 4 upgrades on HP and 4 upgrades on MP; 8 upgrades on MP; or any other combination adding up to 8.
 * However, upgrading both HP and MP 8 times is not possible.
 * Example) The first MP upgrade costs 1 merit. The second upgrade costs 2 merits.  The third upgrade costs 3 merits.  The fourth upgrade costs 4 merits. The fifth upgrade costs 5 merits.  The sixth, seventh, and eigth upgrades cost 5 merits each.
 * Example 2) If a player wanted to upgrade HP 4 times and MP 4 times, the HP upgrades would cost 1, then 2, then 3, then 4 merits, and the MP upgardes would cost 1, then 2, then 3, then 4 merits.

HP/MP
[1>2>3>4>5>5>5>5] Maximum combo: 8 Maximum per item: 8
 * Max HP (+10 per upgrade)
 * Max MP (+10 per upgrade)

Attributes
[3>6>9>9>9] Maximum combo: 5 Maximum per item: 5
 * STR (+1 per upgrade)
 * DEX (+1 per upgrade)
 * VIT (+1 per upgrade)
 * AGI (+1 per upgrade)
 * INT (+1 per upgrade)
 * MND (+1 per upgrade)
 * CHR (+1 per upgrade)

Combat Skills
Only skills that the current (level 75) job possesses can be adjusted. Depending on his/her main job, raising combat skills may not necessarily allow a player to use certain weapon skills.

Weapon Skills
[1>2>3>3>3>3>3>3] Maximum combo: 8 Maximum per item: 8
 * Hand-to-Hand Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Dagger Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Sword Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Great Sword Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Axe Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Great Axe Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Scythe Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Polearm Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Katana Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Great Katana Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Club Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Staff Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Archery Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Marksmanship Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Throwing Skill (+2 per upgrade)

Defensive Skills
[1>2>3>3] Maximum combo: 4 Maximum per item: 4
 * Guarding Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Evasion Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Shield Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Parrying Skill (+2 per upgrade)

Magic Skills
[1>2>3>3>3>3>3>3] Only skills that the level 75 job possesses can be adjusted. Maximum combo: 8 Maximum per item: 8
 * Divine Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Healing Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Enhancing Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Enfeebling Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Elemental Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Dark Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Singing Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * String Instrument Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Wind Instrument Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Ninjutsu Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 * Summoning Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)

Other
[1>2>3>4] Maximum combo: 8 Maximum per item: 4
 * Enmity Increase (+1 per upgrade)
 * Enmity Decrease (-1 per upgrade)
 * Critical Hit Rate (+1% per upgrade)
 * Enemy Critical Hit Rate (-1% per upgrade)
 * Spell Interruption Rate (-2% per upgrade)

Job-Specific Attributes
[1>2>3>4>5] Each job has specific job related attributes that can be raised. These upgrades do not apply to other jobs, and only apply when the job is at Level 75. Max combo: 10 Max per item: 5

Bard

 * Lullaby Recast (-1 second per upgrade)
 * Finale Recast (-1 second per upgrade)
 * Minne Effect (+1 per upgrade)
 * Minuet Effect (+1 per upgrade)
 * Madrigal Effect (+1 per upgrade)

Beastmaster

 * Killer Effects (Increase intimidation rate on all killer effects by 1 percent per upgrade)
 * Reward Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)
 * Call Beast Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Sic Recast (-4 seconds per upgrade)
 * Tame Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)

Black Mage

 * Elemental Seal Recast (Shorten recast time by 20 seconds per upgrade)
 * Fire Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
 * Ice Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
 * Wind Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
 * Earth Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
 * Lightning Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
 * Water Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)

Dark Knight

 * Soul Eater Recast (-12 sec per upgrade)
 * Arcane Circle Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
 * Last Resort Recast (-10 sec per upgrade)
 * Last Resort Effect (+2% atk up, 2% def down per upgrade)
 * Weapon Bash Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)

Dragoon

 * Ancient Circle (-20 seconds per upgrade)
 * Jump Recast (-3 seconds per upgrade)
 * High Jump Recast (- 6 seconds per upgrade)
 * Super Jump Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Spirit Link Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)

Monk

 * Focus Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Dodge Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Chakra Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Counter Rate (+1% per upgrade)
 * Kick Attack Rate (+1% per upgrade)

Ninja

 * Subtle Blow Effect (+1 per upgrade)
 * Katon Effect (+2 damage, +2 resist down time per upgrade)
 * Hyoton Effect (+2 dam, +2 resist down time per upgrade)
 * Huton Effect (+2 dam, +2 resist down time per upgrade)
 * Doton Effect (+2 dam, +2 resist down time per upgrade)
 * Raiton Effect (+2 dam, +2 resist down time per upgrade)
 * Suiton Effect (+2 dam, +2 resist down time per upgrade)

Paladin

 * Shield Bash Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Holy Circle Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
 * Sentinel Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Cover Effect Length (+4 seconds per upgrade)
 * Rampart Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)

Ranger

 * Scavenge Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Camouflage Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Sharpshot Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Unlimited Shot Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)
 * Rapid Shot Rate (+1% per upgrade)

Red Mage

 * Convert Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
 * Fire Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
 * Ice Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
 * Wind Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
 * Earth Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
 * Lightning Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
 * Water Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)

Samurai

 * Third Eye Recast (-2 seconds per upgrade)
 * Warding Circle (-20 seconds per upgrade)
 * Store TP Effect (+2 per upgrade)
 * Meditate Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)
 * Zanshin Attack Rate (+1% per upgrade)

Summoner

 * Avatar Physical Accuracy (+3 per upgrade)
 * Avatar Physical Attack (+2 per upgrade)
 * Avatar Magical Accuracy (+3 per upgrade)
 * Avatar Magical Attack (+2 per upgrade)
 * Elemental MP Cost (-1 per tick per upgrade)

Thief

 * Flee Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Hide Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Sneak Attack Recast (-2 seconds per upgrade)
 * Trick Attack Recast (-2 seconds per upgrade)
 * Triple Attack Rate (+1% per upgrade)

Warrior

 * Berserk Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Defender Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)
 * Warcry Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Aggressor Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
 * Double Attack Rate (+1% per upgrade)

White Mage

 * Divine Seal Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
 * Cure Cast Time (-4% cast time of all Cure spells per upgrade)
 * Bar Spell Effect (+2 potency of Bar spells, +2 magic defense bonus per upgrade)
 * Banish Effect (+2 damage, +2 length of defense down per upgrade)
 * Regen Effect (+1 HP recovered each tic per upgrade)

From FFXIclopedia, a Wikia wiki.