Mirror Images/Paladin


 * Paladin I went in with nin sub, bad equipment for lvl50: Royal Squire's Chainmail, breeches and mufflers, Eisenschaller and Eisenschuchs, Sniper's ring and Venerer's ring (although I'd suggest agi rings for evasion rather than accuracy), Spike Necklace, Swordbelt, Ice Brand (use a sword/shield if you can), Nomad's Mantle and a Tavnazian taco. So, if you have proper lvl50 equipment you should have an easier time. My NPC was a Soothing Healer since I anticipated taking a lot of damage, but thanks to Flash and Utsusemi I got hit once.  The key is only to use just enough of your spells and abilities to keep hate from your npc.  When he burns 2hr (Blighted Gloom starts with the 2hr animation for enemies to warn you), run away, and your npc will either grab hate from hits and use Blessed Radiance, or you will outrange his Blighted Gloom and nullify damage.  After that, grab hate back with Flash if you need to. Your npc, if lvl50, should successfully debuff him with paralyze and other spells.  She will also heal herself if she's really low on hp (I was about to lose, but she used Cure IV on herself with about 5% hp remaining and I won).  However, as anyone who's used a healer class npc knows, they're not always dependable, so if she's running low on hp err on the side of caution if you can spare the mp.  MP shouldn't be an issue, I was Elvaan with no mp boosts besides the taco, Vassago Aspired 56mp and I still managed. Just keep up the attack, don't do anything to grab a lot of hate or you'll regret it since you'll have trouble keeping shadows up, and you should be fine, no potions or anything needed.  As a last note, when I did take damage it was for about 60, so keep that in mind.
 * Paladin I just finished doing this as a PLD/NIN. My /NIN was underleveled at 18, but as I'd done it twice as DRK and lost, I took a shot with my PLD.  My equipment list follows, but the basic strategy was simple.  I set my NPC (level 39 at the time) to Soothing Healer.  Used a Tavnazian Taco before entering the BCNM.  Entered, and cast Protect III and Shell II on myself.  Cast Utsusemi, and rested to full.  Just before I left the tunnel, when I could see Vassago, I popped a Yagudo Drink, and a Pamama au Lait.  Used Flash to get his attention, and started beating on him.  AT 100% TP, kept firing Seraph Blade.  He attacked so slowly, and missed fairly often that keeping my shadows up was fairly easy .. just a matter of timing.  With a flash here and there, my NPC very rarely got the hate, and when she did, it was a simple matter of tossing a Cure III.  When Vassago goes for Blighted Gloom, I ran back down the tunnel .. as soon as I saw the message that he'd missed, I turned .. ran back and used Flash to keep him off my NPC.  I think somewhere I popped another Yagudo drink but it wasn't necessary.  The fight took about 10 minutes, so no .. you're not going to break any records .. but I never dropped below half hit points either.  For the record, I'm Hume if it matters.  Equipment list:  Tactician Magician's Espadon (Main), Temple Knight Army Sword (Sub), Happy Egg (Ammo), Valkyrie's Mask (Head .. I had it from my DRK and thought the added ATT would help), Tiger Stole (Neck), Reraise Earring (I actually mean to swap this out for a Drone Earring, but forgot to use the reraise and so it was on during the fight), Drone Earring, Iron Musketeer's cuirass (Body), Royal Knight's mufflers (Hands), Woodsman ring x 2,  Jaguar mantle (Back), Life Belt (Waist), Iron Musketeer's cuisses (Legs), Royal Knight's sollerets (Feet).  As I said, you won't break any records .. but this fight was easy, with an underleveled sub, and a NPC that was only level 39.