Black Mage

Table of Contents:
Abilities, Spell List
Combat Skill Ratings, Magic Skill Ratings
Race Selection, Support Job Options
Artifact Equipment

Job Overview

Through devastating magic spells, Black Mages bring tremendous firepower to the battlefield. A Black Mage's job is simply to cast offensive spells and destroy enemies. In battle, Black Mages are often called upon to participate in skillchains by finishing each chain off with a magic burst, adding even more destructive power to a party's repertoire.

Strengths

• Black Mage has access to many powerful offensive spells, making one useful in almost any situation.
• Offensive spells are not hindered by enemies' physical defense and evasion, making it impossible for a Black Mage's damage to miss, although they can be resisted.
• Warp spells make returning to one's Home Point painless and easy.
• Has an edge against enemies that are highly resistant to physical attacks.

Weaknesses

• Damage is limited by MP, so resting is a very common activity in a Black Mage's daily routine.
• Physical defenses and HP are extremely low, making Black Mage's very easy to kill in battle.

Abilities

Job Abilities Level 01 Manafont Level 15 Elemental Seal

Job Traits Level 10 Magic Attack Up Level 15 Clear Mind Level 20 Conserve MP Level 30 Clear Mind II Level 30 Magic Attack Up II Level 45 Clear Mind III Level 50 Magic Attack Up III Level 60 Clear Mind IV Level 70 Magic Attack Up IV Level 70 Clear Mind V

Spell List

01 Stone 03 Poison 04 Blind 05 Water 07 Bind 08 Aero 10 Bio 10 Blaze Spikes 12 Drain 13 Fire 15 Stonega 16 Shock 17 Warp 17 Blizzard 18 Rasp 19 Waterga 20 Ice Spikes 20 Sleep 20 Choke

21 Thunder 22 Frost 23 Aeroga 24 Poisonga 24 Burn 25 Tractor 25 Aspir 26 Stone II 27 Drown 28 Firaga 29 Escape 30 Shock Spikes 30 Water II 31 Sleepga 32 Blizzaga 34 Aero II 35 Bio II 36 Thundaga 38 Fire II 40 Stonega II

40 Warp II 41 Sleep II 42 Blizzard II 43 Poison II 44 Waterga II 45 Stun 46 Thunder II 48 Aeroga II 50 Freeze 51 Stone III 52 Tornado 53 Firaga II 54 Quake 55 Water III 56 Sleepga II 56 Burst 57 Blizzaga II 58 Flood 59 Aero III

60 Flare 61 Thundaga II 62 Fire III 63 Stonega III 64 Blizzard III 65 Waterga III 66 Thunder III 67 Aeroga III 68 Stone IV 69 Firaga III 70 Water IV 71 Blizzaga III 72 Aero IV 73 Fire IV 73 Thundaga III 74 Blizzard IV 75 Thunder IV

Magic Skill Ratings

Skill	Skill Ranking	Cap at Level 1	Cap at Level 37	Cap at Level 75
Elemental Magic	A+	6	114	276
Enfeebling Magic	C+	5	105	230
Enhancing Magic	E	4	94	200
Dark Magic	A-	6	114	269

Combat Skill Ratings

Skill	Skill Ranking	Cap at Level 1	Cap at Level 37	Cap at Level 75
Staff	C+	5	105	230
Dagger	D	4	101	210
Club	E	4	94	200
Scythe	E	4	94	200
Throwing	D	4	101	210
Evasion	E	4	94	200

Race Selection

Final Fantasy XI allows players to choose between five different races, each with its own strengths and weaknesses in terms of stats. While certain races' stats are better matched to some jobs more than others, the differences are never so profound as to prevent any race from playing any particular job (except for Elvaans and Black Mage). All players can excel at any job they so choose, provided they have the skill and the equipment; the race selection is mostly an aesthetic decision.

Tarutaru

Pros:
-Highest MP pool, can cast more and not run out of MP as fast.
-Highest intelligence, slight boost in damage, less black magic resists.

Cons:
-Low HP, survivability low.

Mithra

Pros:
-2nd Highest MP pool, can cast good amount, not as much as Tarutaru's.
-2nd Highest intelligence, not as high as Tarutaru's.

Cons:
-2nd lowest HP.

Hume

Pros:
-3rd Highest MP pool.
-3rd intelligence.
-Survivability mixed with nuking power... Strong enough to take some hits, but won't nuke as hard as a Tarutaru.

Cons: -Middle of the road, not perfect for any job.

Elvaan

Pros:
-Survability matching that of Hume / Galka.
-Strongest race allows for minimally extra melee power when needed.

Cons:
-Lowest Intelligence, will deal the least amount of damage.
-Relatively low Mana pool; must take care when casting in large amounts.

Galka

Pros:
-Best Survability of any race, with high HP/VIT

Cons:
-2nd lowest intelligence, damage isn't on par with races with higher INT
-Lowest Mana pool; needs mana up equipment or careful mana managing to be effective.

Starting Stats of Each Race

           HP MP STR DEX VIT AGI INT MND CHR
  Hume     25 24  5   7   5   7   8   6   6
  Elvaan   27 22  6   7   6   6   7   7   6
  TaruTaru 21 30  4   7   5   8   10  6   6
  Galka    30 18  6   7   7   7   8   6   5
  Mithra   25 24  5   9   5   8   8   6   5

Support Job Options

While not the only choices for Support Jobs, the following are the most commonly chosen for Black Mage.

White Mage

Black Mages chose White Mage as their support job because it gives a decent amount of MP. It also gives boosts to their Mind stat and gives them access to Healing spells, allowing them to play backup healer when the main healer is hard pressed.

Red Mage

Black Mages chose Red Mage as their support job because it gives some extra MP, as well as an additional boost in INT. It also gives them access to certain Red Mage only enfeebling spells (E.g. Gravity) as well as Healing spells, once again allowing them to backup heal, although not to the same extent as if they had chosen White Mage.

Summoner

Black Mages chose Summoner as their support job because it gives the biggest boost to their MP pool. The boost in INT it gives also helps give their spells that extra push, and the ability to summon spirits and avatars helps a Black Mage more extensively deal with links.

Ninja

Black Mages chose Ninja as their support job because of Utsusemi. These extra shadows protect the mage from enemy blows, and the Dual Wield ability allows them to equip two one-handed weapons at a time, and gain any stat bonuses such equipping options allow them.

Artifact Equipment

Artifact Weapon: Casting Wand Feet: Wizard's Sabots Gloves: Wizard's Gloves Legs: Wizard's Tonban Body: Wizard's Coat Head: Wizard's Petasos Relic Feet: Sorcerer's Sabots Gloves: Sorcerer's Gloves Legs: Sorcerer's Tonban Body: Sorcerer's Coat Head: Sorcerer's Petasos

File:BLM AF.jpg Top: Artifact // Bottom: Relic