Dragoon Guide by Sharaa

Introduction
So you've chosen to become a DRG. Congratulations, it cna be a very strong job or a very weak job. It comes down to if you're willing to put in the time and gil to equip yourself properly, or be one of those "lolDRGs"

Strengths

 * Dominates DD 1-55, And still Good after it.
 * Ability to solo very well
 * Versatile
 * Able to open many Skillchains, notable are: Distortion, Light and Darkness.

Weaknesses

 * Reliance on wyvern for solo restricts target choices.
 * High Delay, it hurts when you miss.
 * Slow Invites

DRG at a Glance

 * Weapons: Polearm (A+) / Staff(B) / Sword (C-) / Club (E) / Dagger (E)
 * Armor: No heavy chainmail (such as Haubergeon)

Before DRG, Warrior 1-37
Warrior, is probably the best subjob for all melee jobs. It provides a good boost to STR and DEX, as well as giving oyu Double Attack, Berserk and Warcry. So, First thing is first. Before you can get DRG you neeed to get a job to 30.

I would recommend Leveling MNK to 18, Getting the Subjob quest done then levleing WAR to 37 before starting DRG. this makes it so that, save upgrading gear, you don't have to stop to level another job.

Most times as a WAR you will be used as a tank, so gear for DEF and VIT over STR and ATT. It's alos a good idea to keep a str/att set lying around in case you aren't used a tank however.

DRG Unlocked, The Basics
DRG Specializes in using a lance as well as fighting alongside a wyvern companion. They get a few job abilities that ar enice, form both sub and main.

Spirit Surge
Spirit Surge Recast: 2:00:00 Level:1 Adds your Wyvern's Strength to your own. Our two hour, and a pretty good one at that.


 * Resets Timers for Jump, High Jump and SUper Jump.
 * Adds Additional Effects to jumps.
 * Jump Will lower Defense by 20%
 * High Jump will Lower the targets TP.
 * Super Jump will remove 50% of the closest person behind you's hate.
 * Adds all of the wyverns stats, including TP and HP.
 * Will grant a Mini-Haste

Call Wyvern
Call Wyvern Recast: 20:00 Level:1 Summons a wyvern to fight by your side.

This is straight foward, Call your wyvern, it attacks what you do. Quite simple. Your wyvern can do a variety of emotes as well as different breath attacks.

Jump
Jump Recast: 1:30 Level: 10 Perform a jumping attack on the target.

So, looks fairly simple, and it is. You get an extra attack every 1:30, This is useful in gaining TP quickly. It has no added effects other then higher damage.

High Jump
High Jump Recast: 3:00 Level: 35 Performs a high jumping attack on the target.

Once again it looks straight forward. Early on this will probably just be used as another jump for TP gain. High Jump has the added effect of removing some of your hate(Believed to be 33%, 50% with Wyrm Brais Equipped.) This is more useful as the battle goes on since it is a %of your hate and not a static number.

Super Jump
Super Jump Recast: 3:00 Level: 50 Performs a Super Jump.

When you first use this, you will probably say "Huh?" Super jump does no damage, and you stay in the air for a couple of second on using it. On using it, it will put you at the bottom of the hate list, or lose almost all Enmity. So if you get hate, just super jump it all away.

Boost
Boost Subjob Needed: MNK Recast: 0:15 Level: 10 Enhances user's next attack.

This will boost your next hit but 12.5%, Not amazing for later levels but early on it's fairly decent.

Provoke
Provoke Subjob Needed: WAR Recast: 0:30 Level: 10 Goads an Enemy into attacking you.

This will spike your hate, use it only when a mage is beeing attacked or your ninja is dying.

Sneak Attack
Sneak Attack Subjob Needed: THF Recast: 1:00 Level: 30 Deals critical damage when striking from behind.

The next attack you do will critcal if you're standing behind the target. Note that it only works on one hit of a multi-hit weaponskill, so it's only useful on something like Wheeling Thrust

Last Resort
Last Resort Subjob Needed: DRK Recast 5:00 Level Needed: 30 Increases user's attack, but lowers defense.

Honestly, Don't bother. It's less attack then berserk and lasts shorter as well.

Berserk
Berserk Subjob Needed: WAR Recast: 5:00 Level: 30 Enhances attacks but weakens defense.

This will increase your damage by 25% for 3 minuites, keep it active as much as possible.

Third Eye
Third Eye Subjob Needed: SAM] Recast: 1:00 Level: 30 Dodges the next attack.

This is a nice little defensive measure, simply doges the next attack letting your mitigate a bit of damage.

Double Attack
Double Attack Subjob Needed: WAR Recast: N/A Level: 50 May double your attacks.

Not an actual ability, but worht mentioning. This gives you a 10% chance of attacking twice in one round. It can also activate during weaponskills, making that 5 hit penta turn into a 6 hit.

Hasso
Hasso Subjob Needed: SAM Recast: 1:00 Level: 50 Grants a bonus to attack speed, accuracy, and Strength when using two-handed weapons, but increases recast and casting times.

It's 10% Haste, +10 Aacc and the str goes up with level. It's obviously a nice ability for anything two handed(like polearm) As is double attack, it's hard to choose between /SAM and /WAR, so it comes down to preference in the end.

Focus
Focus Subjob Needed: MNK Recast: 5:00 Level: 50 Enhances user's accuracy.

Now, It's a +20 ACC. Obviously twice as much acc as Hasso, but hasso also gives STR and Haste. If you're having acc problems that hasso can't fix, this is an option.

Meditate
Meditate Subjob Needed: SAM Recast: 3:00 Level: 60 Gradually charges TP.

This will only grant 60% tp, but that's 60% tp for standing there doing nothing.

Store TP
Store TP II Subjob Needed: SAM Recast: N/A Level: 60 Increases the rate at which TP is gained.

Stpre TP 2 willg rant you +15% tp per swing, this will obviously build tp faster which means more weaponskills. Store TP1 will Grant +10% per hit, at level 20

Souleater
Souleater Subjob Needed: DRK Recast: 6:00 Level: 60 Consumes your own HP to enhance attacks

It's not really worth it, you will lose 10% hp and that will be halved and converted into damage per swing.

Warcry
Warcry Subjob Needed: WAR Recast: 10:00 Level: 70 Enhances attacks of party members within area of effect.

This will spike your hate like provoke, but will give a +5.25% attack increase, best used before a wepaonskill where you'll probably need to remove your hate anyway afterwards.

Your Wyvern, and You
This section will encompass the wyvern and what it does for you.

Your Wyvern's Abilities
Depending on the type of wyvern you'll get a selection of abilities. These abilities are usually based on the wyvern's HP. All Wyverns get Super Climb at 50, which like Super Jump will make the wyvern immune to attacks for a few seconds, but unlike it will not shed any hate. The wyvern will use Super Climb wheny ou use Super Jump.

Offensive Wyvern
Now you're probably wondering how the heck you determine your wyvern's type. Well It's dependint on your sub (but defaults to offesive if there is no subjob, such as the maat fight)

The Offensive Wyvern is gained by Subbing:
 * BST
 * MNK
 * PUP
 * RNG
 * SAM
 * THF
 * WAR
 * COR

Using any of these subs will make your wyvern use an elemental breath attack whenever you skill. The elemental Breath is based on it's TP and Current HP.

Defensive Wyvern
The Defensive wyvern can main heal a party in the right circumstances, you can also solo quite well through the use of this.

The Defensive Wyvern is gained by Subbing:
 * WHM
 * BLM
 * BLU
 * RDM
 * SMN

Note that with smn you cannot cast any spells from smn because you already have a pet. Every time you cast a spell the wyvern will use healing breath if you are belew 33% (50% with Drachen Armet equipped). The wyvern gets Healing Breath I at 1, healing BReath II at 20 and Healing Breath III at 40.

Healing breath is based on the wyverns TP and it's maximum HP.

The defensive wyvern will also remove your status ailments on weaponskills. It gets Remove Poison at 1, Remove Blind at 20 and Remove Paralysis at 40.

Multi-Purpose Wyvern
The multi-purpose wyvern will do elemental breahts and healing breaths. However, the Healing breath trigger is 25% (33% with Drachen Armet) so soloing like this is more risky. Your wyvern will not remove status ailments on weaponskills, but will use an elemental breath.

The Multi-Puirpose Wyvern is gained by subbing:
 * PLD
 * BRD
 * DRK
 * NIN

Role of a DRG in a party
DRG usualy gets invited to do damage,On rare occasions you might get asked to heal but will either be in a TPBurn, or a Skill Chain + MB type of party.

Opening Skill Chains
Yes, you know those things where people use two weaponskills after each other? Well, DRG is a THF's best friend. We open up distortion with one of our better wses. You'll want /WAR for this because you will need to voke the mob so the thf can SATA the tank.

Common Skill Chain Openers:
 * Double Thrust: Used for Opening Distortion
 * Skewer: A Replacement to Double Thrust for Distortion
 * Wheeling Thrust: For Opening Light
 * Impulse Drive:For Opening Darkness

You'll want a macro to alert your skill chain partner of your TP. For instance

/p Dragoon TP = 

When both you and your partner have 100% Tp, then Use your weaponskill. Another macro may be helpful here.

/p Wheeling Thrust // Opening Light -> 

This will let your partner know that you went and to close the skillchain.

TP Burn
This is more common, and quite simple. You use your best ws as soon as you hit 100%, these parties generaly target VT mobs to chain faster. You won't need any special macros or anything, but the hate is usualy alot less organized then in a SC party, if you pull hate super jump it away, it may be a good idea to save high jump for hate removal rather then TP gain.

Healing
This you'll want to make a macro to cast dia or whatever spell you choose, thse parties will target VT mobs with little or no AOE, sometimes there will be multiple drgs for a DRG-brn or wyvern burn. Consiting of 5 DRGs and a Refresher such as a BRD, RDM or COR.

Subjob Selection
Ah, the subjob choice. DRG can use a couple differnet subjobs and perform well, personally I recommend /war.

Warrior
As /war you get a useful trait and a couple nice Job Abilities.
 * Double Attack : This will Increase your TP gain a lot, and your WSes will do more if it kicks in during it.
 * Berserk: 25% Attack increase, what else is there to say.
 * Warcry: A smalelr attack bonus, but still nice non the less

Samurai
As /sam you get some defensive abilities and faster tp gain, if you absolutely cannot level war or are pulling too much hate, might be worth giving /sam a try.
 * Hasso:10% Haste, +10Acc and some str. A nice little ability if your having acc problems.
 * Seigen + Third Eye: Defensive measures if your jumps are down this should let you go a couple rounds so you have time to remove your hate.

Monk
Mnk is a nice sub early on, and I would recomment it for level 1-30. Once passed 30 Berserk makes /mnk outclassed.
 * Boost: Nice early on, not that great later.
 * Focus: +20 acc, however if you're needing this much acc you probably have gear problems.

Mage Sub
Access to healing breath, what else could you need? I recommend /blu for faster casting spells.
 * Healing Breath
 * Status Ailment Removal Breath

Dark Knight
This is a bad sub. Don't do it.
 * Last Resort: Outclassed by berserk.
 * Souleater: This will only convert half the damage taken into damage.
 * Stun: This is the only reason you would sub DRK, but it will probably be resisted.

Types of Polearms
There are Three types of polearms
 * Spears Are usable by many types of jobs and are low damage/low delay compared to the other polearms.
 * Cousses are SAm/DRG, they are Average delay and damage, useable by SAM and DRG. these are best left to the SAMs
 * Lances are high damage, high delay. Usable by DRG only, get used to using it. This is your weapon.

Weaponskills
Polearms get some decent weaponskills which I'll go into.


 * Double Thrust This will be your best friend until Penta, It's a Two hit ws that does pretty good damage.


 * Thunder Thrust It's crap, don't bother.
 * Raiden Thrust Also crap, don't bother.


 * Leg Sweep This is your stun ws, use it if you REALLY need to stun something. (you won't use this often, if at all)


 * Penta Thrust This is your tp burn ws, you will use this all the way to 75 and beyond. It's very accuracy dependent, so stack on the acc.


 * Vorpal Thrust Allright! new opener for Distortion! Too bad it fails. Stick with Double Thrust.


 * Skewer This is your new opener for Distortion. It's a 3 hit ws and does pretty decent damage.


 * Wheeling Thrust WThis is oyur HNM/God/Anything with high dfense WS. Also used for opening light. (it closes as well, but drgs don't close very well.)


 * impulse Drive It sucks. But it opens darkness. Get it if you want.


 * Geirskogul Your relic ws, it's.. meh. It's a 2 hit ws, so use it in place of wheeling.

Equipment Choices
This is not going to mention EVERY piece of gear you should get, upgrade your lance every couple levels goes without saying. Get HQ if you can.

Meat Build
Meat builds are when you stack lots of acc and eat meat, this usually results in better Damage then sushi builds, but can be more expensive due to the price of some gear.

Weapons:

 * Obelisk - It's got STR+1, which is pretty nice for this level.
 * Gimlet Spear - Attack +3 Enchantment, Get it.

Earrings

 * Cassie Earring - +50 HP will help you out alot for your first 10 levels, and a bit of str too. But it's a bitch to get, so obviously optional.

Rings

 * San d'Orian Ring - STR+1 is pretty decent at this level.

Feet

 * Leaping Boots/Bounding Boots - your first foot piece that give Melee stats. get a pair if you can.

Head

 * Enyo's Mask - Doubtful you'll have this, but if you do it's a bit of acc.

Earrings

 * Optical Earring - Bit of acc, nice for this level.
 * Bone Earring - Some attack

Body

 * Garrison Tunica - A bit of dex, which means small ammounts of acc.

Hands

 * Battle Gloves - Get these. You'll use them for a long, long time.

Rings

 * Balance Ring - Dex = acc

Waist

 * Runner's Belt - The enchantment will counter the DEX- use this if you use any of the belts.

Legs

 * Enyo's Cuisses - A bit more DEX

Weapons:

 * Platoon Lance - The first thing you'll notice is the damage. And then the delay, then you'll notice the damage again. Get used to it, this is your weapon.
 * Military Spear - This will tie you over until your next Lance.

Head

 * Empress Hairpin/Emperor Hairpin - More DEX never hurts.
 * Phobos's Mask - You probably don't have it, but if you do it's a great piece.

Neck

 * Fang Necklace - The HQ is better, and cheap so you might as well go HQ,
 * Tiger Stole - This will give you more per hit, but doesn't offer the acc of Spike necklace.

Earrings

 * Beetle Earring - Some more attack

Legs

 * Bastokan Subligar - Get used to this, you'll be wearing it for a long, long time.

Feet

 * Savage Gaiters - Some str is better then nothing.
 * Wonder Clomps - Less str then Mithra, but better then nothing.

Weapons:

 * Lance - Our real weapons are now close enough together in level that you should never have to use another type of polearm.

Ammo Slot

 * Attar Sachet
 * Balm Sachet
 * Civet Sachet
 * Millefleurs Sachet
 * Olibanum Sachet

Head

 * Mercenary Captain's Headgear - Some str and DEX, this will be good for a little while.

Neck

 * Peacock Amulet/Peacock Charm - This is THE best Accuracy piece on your neck you can wear. It is however, quite expensive to buy,a and a very annoying NM to camp.

Body

 * Magna Bodice/Magna Jerkin - Switch over if you want, otherwise stick to garrison.

Rings

 * Shikaree Ring/Jaeger Ring/Venerer Ring - Get some Combination of these three. Unless you have a Rajas.
 * Rajas Ring - If you have it, you know you should be using it.

Feet

 * Deimos's Leggings - Doubtfuly ou'll have it, but if you do it's better then the other options at this level.

Weapons:

 * Peregrine - Our AF, and it gives some dex too, how nice of them.

Head

 * Voyager Sallet - It's a bit of ACC if you can get it.
 * Valkyrie's Mask/Walkure Mask

Earrings

 * Tortoise Earring - Replace your beetles finally.

Body

 * Brigandine - Some more DEX, Yay!

Rings

 * Woodsman Ring/Sniper's Ring - Your first expensive piece of gear. No they are not optional. get 2, Unless you have a Rajas, then you can get 1.

Back
Jaguar Mantle - Holy Attack Batman! A Back piece with DD Stats! Get it.

Waist

 * Tilt Belt- Your first bit of ACC.
 * Life Belt- Yourr second piece of ACC, and unless probably the last on your waist as well.

Ammo Slot

 * Tiphia Sting - Got screwed with your RSE? here you go, something for you. I would switch to this even if you didn't get screwed however.

Neck

 * Coral Gorget - You can replace your Neck piece now with this, or you can wait a couple levels for Chiv chain.

Earrings

 * Accurate Earring - If you have the gil, go ahead.
 * Fang Earring - yeah. More attack. You know how it works by now.
 * Assault Earring - This is a very nice Earring, and will take you to 75.

Body

 * Jaridah Peti - If your cheap, use this until you can use P.Body
 * Scorpion Harness - This is the best ACC piece you can get. The end. Get it unless your waiting for P.Body.

Hands

 * Spiked Finger Gauntlets -- Expensive, and optional. You can get the same thing at 70, but it's there if you want to use it.

Rings

 * Toreador's Ring - It's expensive, but very nice. Optional.

Weapons:

 * Grand Knight's Lance/Dark Mezraq - The effect on the mezraq kicks in quite often, but some things resist status things. Personally I would say get the mezraq, it does more damage and gives evasion down so your entire party benefits.

Head

 * Drachen Armet - This is an awesome piece for solo, nothing else.

Neck

 * Chivalrous Chain

Body

 * Assault Jerkin - Doesn't give as much acc, but it gives a very large bit of Attack. You might want to try this after a few polearm merits.

Back

 * Amemet Mantle - At least get the NQ, but the HQ is much better.

Legs

 * Tiger Trousers - Yay pants! Get some if you want, they have the same stats as the subligar.

Feet

 * Tiger Ledelsens - Some feet with DD stats, finalyl.
 * Rutter Sabatons - It has some minor slow, but not enough for it to be noticeable

Weapons:

 * Colossal Lance - This can take you to 75.
 * Dreizack - Pretty decent, the Defense down kicks in fairly often.
 * Ice Lance - the HQ is very nice and cheap, use it until you get Mezraq,
 * Mezraq - Get it. Yes it's that good.
 * Valkyrie's Fork - Outclasses NQ Mezraq in DPS slightly, as well as a store TP and Double attack stat on it, if you manage to obtain one make your own decision on if you want Double Attack+ or Evasion Down.

Head

 * Optical Hat - Best Acc piece you'll get for your head.
 * Pahluwan Qalansuwa - Bit Less acc, but some attack too.
 * Ace's Helm - Bit less acc then Ohat, but you get haste and str. Could be the start of a haste build.
 * Ares's Mask - This piece is just. WoW. More acc then Ohat, and A bunch of attack as well.

Neck

 * Love Torque - +7 Polearm skill. It's very nice. Use it if you can.
 * Shadow Gorget - Macro in for Penta
 * Light Gorget/Flame Gorget - Macro in for wheeling thrust

Earrings

 * Fenrir's Earring - very sexy at day.
 * Fowling Earring - More acc, and 1STR too.
 * Brutal Earring - It's a nice earring, get it if you can.

Body

 * Hydra Mail - It's usually more expensive than SH so don't bother. Unless you think it looks cool or something.
 * Pahluwan Khazagand - So you're cheap and didn't get an SH. This is for you.
 * Hecatomb Harness - Great WS macro Piece.
 * Ares's Cuirass - You can get other acc in other pieces, the attack on this is massive with no downsides. The full set is amazing.
 * Homam Corazza - Triple Attack and Massive ACC. It's quite nice.

Hands

 * Tarasque Mitts - These are cheap, stop using your battle gloves.
 * Barbarian Mittens - Another ATK piece for your hands.
 * Dusk Gloves - They aren't cheap.. but with a couple other haste pieces you can get a nice haste setup going.
 * Hydra Finger Gauntlets - A mix of ACC and ATK
 * Ares's Gauntlets - Yes, that's 10ACC on your hands. A Bit of STR as well too.

Rings

 * Mars's Ring - This is pretty impossible to get. But if you can, well. You have THE best acc ring in the game.
 * Iota Ring - It's less ACC then a Woodsman, so I wouldn't really bother.

Back

 * Forager's Mantle - Beats Amemet+1 by 1 STR. Get it if you want.

Waist

 * Wyrm Belt - It's nice. Use it if you can get it.

Legs

 * Barone Cosciales - They're pretty nice. Use them.
 * Drachen Brais Plus 1 - If you can get them, it's a pretty nice ACC piece.
 * Ares's Flanchard - A bit of Double Attack, a bit of STR and DEX. Pretty nice.

Feet

 * Barone Gambieras - Pretty decent.
 * Amir Boots - Thse are nice, get them as soon as you can.
 * Ares's Sollerets - More ACC, and More ATK.