Frugal Red Mage Guide

Disclaimer
(NOT COMPLETED YET) This guide is intended for either new players or people with little money trying to play Rdm as their first job to lv75. Veterans who feel cheap enough and want to try out Rdm the easy way can take this guide as a reference. This guide will tailor your Rdm into a pure support role that will perform all the functions needed for a Rdm in an experience point party (including merits party) with minimal time and money spent on the job. However, this means your Rdm will not be able to perform well in other situations (such as HNM, missions or solo) so take careful considerations before engaging on this road.

Overview on Red Mage
Red Mage is a fairly interesting job in Final Fantasy IX. It has a mix of both as a front line job and a back line support job. However, Rdm, by itself, is not the best job for filling in the front line position unless it plays as a tank. Playing on the back line, Rdm excels as a support for other mages or even as the main healer when there are enough support from other jobs such as Brd and Cor. This versatility allows the Rdm to play as a one-man-army as tank, healer and support all in one (pets not included). There are several stories told about how one or two Rdms performed impossible battles that would take an alliance of other jobs to beat. However, this requires not only a fairly decent amount of equipments, knowledge, planning and skill to perform but also great investment into the job. The feats pulled by these Rdms have become legends that inspirited many Rdms to become the perfect invincible soloer.

A frugal Rdm, on the other hand, focus primarily on playing as a support role. Most of the time, she will be the refresh machine for that handsome Paladin or cute little tarutaru White Mage or just cure and haste those overgrown kids we call damage dealers. This means, only MP (and MP regeneration) and timing actually matter in a party. All other factors are secondary, at least for a pure support Rdm. Enfeebling is also a factor of a Rdm but it not very expensive to obtain the basic equipments for enfeeble spells.

Level 1-20
Weapons Swords will be your primary weapon for most of the early levels. In general, the higher the base damage the better. Additional stat bonus such as accuracy bonus should be taken in consideration before upgrading into a higher level weapon without such bonuses.

Purchasing a club (spoon, imo) that gives Int and Mnd bonus is highly recommended but not required.