Corsair: Guide To Subjob Selection

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Introduction This is meant to be a discussion and set of suggestions rather than a set-in-stone command of what is best. There are, as always, strengths and weaknesses of any subjob choice. The following are analyses of the most popular and obviously useful subjob choices, as a start to discussion. Reasoning Having such high combat skills, along with strong support abilities, a Corsair can choose to build themselves either to fill a hybrid Damage/Support role or a full Support function. Having a B skill in Marksmanship, B+ in Dagger, and B- in Sword, a Corsair can indeed gear to do moderate damage in an exp party. Due to their business with Phantom Roll, they often (read usually) will not be able to take part in the main skillchain - due to less time spent TP'ing than pure DDs - however they can contribute signifigant damage. On the other hand, being of slightly lesser damage output and having access to so many buffs, a Corsair can legitimately gear for a pure support role, without their lesser damage "gimping" them to the party. The damage loss is less severe than to a full DD; and the Corsair may well fill a spot usually reserved for a mage-type job. Thus, backup healing and support might be more needed.

Support Job Options

Warrior

• Warrior provides a stable subjob for any damage dealing job. Its Provoke, Warcry, and Berserk abilities enable the sub a large degree of melee support and an increase in damage output. It should be noted, however, that because a Corsair rarely melees in an exp party until later levels, the Double Attack trait will not be nearly as big a boon as for other DD jobs until then.

Traits 20 Defense Bonus 30 Resist Virus 50 Double Attack 60 Attack Bonus 70 Resist Virus II Job Abilities: 10 Provoke 30 Berserk 50 Defender 70 Warcry

Strengths Increased damage per shot, from Attack Bonus and Berserk Double Attack can add TP gain, for those who melee for TP Provoke adds a small degree of party support Warcry can be mildly effective before a party's skillchains

Weaknesses Double Attack will have much less effect than on fulltime melee jobs, damage-wise A War sub, while amazing for melee output, adds little to Ranged Accuracy. Thus, damage will increase at the expense of accuracy No added support capability, for a job that's highly support capable Lack of cures, as sometimes expected by a support job

Ranger

• Ranger adds a variety of DD capabilities, including better overall accuracy, and Barrage for faster TP gain and damage. As a majority of Corsair damage is ranged, a Ranger sub provides one of the consistently highest damage output builds.

Traits 1 Wide Scan 10 Alertness 20 Accuracy Bonus 40 Resist Poison 60 Accuracy Bonus II Job Abilities: 1 Sharpshot 20 Scavenge 40 Camouflage 60 Barrage

Strengths Sharpshot and Accuracy Bonus greatly increase accuracy and ensure that Slug Shot will hit Barrage allows for burst damage, and is easily worked into Phantom Roll timers and combined with Sharpshot Gun Belt can be equipped for additional Marksmanship skill. Beater's Earring can be equipped for additional ranged accuracy. Able to act in an emergency by using Wild Card with Barrage and Sharpshot being restored.

Weaknesses Lack of shadows/protection for pulling hate after obtaining Slug Shot, Barrage, and Sharpshot, which are best used stacked near each other Lack of cures, as sometimes expected by a support job

Ninja

• Ninja, the most common subjob choice for Rangers, seems an obvious choice for Corsairs as well. However, through dealing less damage and not pulling, Corsairs will get less benefit from Utsusemi protection. In addition, though a /ninja can use a second Archer's Knife for added accuracy, a true Ranger has an innate Accuracy Bonus, which stacks with the added knife. The trait, however, is actually more potent than an additional knife. A ninja sub, in general, adds more accuracy than a warrior sub, but less than a ranger sub. It gains Utsusemi and Tonko in return.

Traits 10 Stealth 20 Dual Wield 20 Resist Bind 30 Subtle Blow 50 Dual Wield II 60 Resist Bind II Job Abilities: None Spells: 18 Tonko: Ichi 24 Utsusemi: Ichi 50 Monomi: Ichi 68 Tonko: Ni 74 Utsusemi: Ni Ichi-line debuffs will not stick

Strengths Dual Wield allows the use of a second Archer's Knife (or at higher levels, Trailer's Kukri) for extra ranged accuracy Utsusemi offers protection against accidentally pulled hate and allows for safer pulling

Weaknesses Offers less accuracy than /RNG, and less damage than /WAR Fairly autonomous role in party, with no "desperation" action to be taken in emergency Lack of cures, as sometimes expected by a support job

Thief

• The Thief subjob does not provide all of the ranged accuracy of a Ranger, and doesn't gives shadows like a Ninja, but COR/THF is a far less expensive and comparably capable DD choice. The COR/THF can use TP built from ranged attacks to unleash respectable melee weapon skills using Sneak Attack/Trick Attack. The recast timers of these two abilities is 60 seconds, which aligns nicely with Phantom Roll, so the roll rotation is not affected. Also, the melee Weapon Skill delivered using SATA is a guaranteed hit, which helps for players frustrated by inherently low ranged accuracy leading to botched Marksmanship skills. The Evasion Bonus traits and (to a lesser extent) Flee, when paired with the luxurious attack range granted by firearms, allow the COR/THF to fulfill the pulling role just as effectively as a COR/NIN. This job combination takes a little more care and practice than other DD-focused setups, but has the potential to be just as effective, for a tiny fraction of the cost.

Traits 20 Evasion Bonus 30 Treasure Hunter 60 Evasion Bonus II Job Abilities: 10 Steal 30 Sneak Attack 50 Flee 60 Trick Attack 70 Mug

Strengths Sneak Attack/Trick Attack available for spike damage Decent Dagger and Sword skills for SATA+WS Treasure Hunter, Steal, and Mug for increased treasure for self and party Evasion Bonus useful if pressed into a pulling role AGI equal to Ninja and only 1 point behind Ranger all the way to COR75, giving comparable ranged accuracy. Dagger Belt can be equipped for more Dagger Skill.

Weaknesses Lacks the Ranger's ranged accuracy bonus traits Relatively little support/healing capabilities when compared to White Mage Relatively little enfeebling capabilities when compared to Ninja

White Mage

• White Mage, arguably the most common choice of sub for support jobs, is another obvious choice for Corsairs. The White Mage sub, for a Corsair that wants to focus less on damage, and more on support, offers Cures and -Na spells. Though not always appropriate given party set-up, the /WHM sub can be useful in many situations and camps. Because the COR is not as heavy a damage as true DD jobs, the damage lost is not as vital as with, say, a MNK.

Traits 20 Magic Defense Bonus 40 Clear Mind 50 Auto Regen 60 Magic Defense Bonus II 70 Clear Mind II Job Abilities: 30 Divine Seal Spells: Cure I, II, III Curaga I, II Status Removal Spells, Raise Stoneskin, Blink, Reraise Protect, Shell

Strengths Backup curing capability, supported by the COR's own Evoker's Roll Status removal power, to aid a busy main healer Increases the total MP and MP-regeneration speed of the party Damage loss less noticeable than for a heavier damage dealer Able to act in an emergency by using Wild Card with Divine Seal being restored.

Weaknesses Offers less accuracy than /RNG, and less damage than /WAR Offers nothing new in the way of offense

Bard

• Since a recent patch on the job, a main Corsair can now hold two full powered Phantom Rolls and one full powered Song from a Bard sub. This is the truest version of a fully support Corsair. The Corsair loses significant damage output, compared to Warrior, Ninja, or Ranger subjobs; and the job cannot throw a direct Cure at all. However, this job combination is capable of some of the highest MP regeneration per tick of any job in the game, and an additional reliable Sleep and Dispel are gained.

Traits 10 Resist Silence 50 Resist Silence II Spells: 10 Army's Paeon I 30 Army's Paeon II 32 Foe Lullaby 50 Mage's Ballad 54 Horde Lullaby 62 Hunter's Prelude 66 Magic Finale 74 Raptor Mazurka

Strengths Increased MP regeneration per tick, through Ballad I More reliable/stable MP regeneration per tick Sleep - Lullaby sticks surprisingly well, despite the lack of magic skill or instruments Dispel - Magic Finale sticks surprisingly well, despite the lack of magic skill or instruments

Weaknesses Less damage than Warrior sub; less accuracy than Ninja or Ranger subs Offensive Bard debuffs will rarely to never stick Melee-boosting Bard songs will often be considered outdated or minor, due to the subjob's level Lack of cures, as sometimes expected by a support job

Red Mage

• Uncommon, however it can be used as a useful support job, as a Corsair gains the ability to heal and dispel. This is a compromise between a /BRD and /WHM build, in which the ability to heal replaces the ability to sing Ballad, with the ability for an added dispel maintained. Additionally, the Corsair's Quick Draw gains a damage bonus from /RDM's Magic Attack Bonus job trait.

Traits 20 Resist Petrify 30 Fast Cast 40 Magic Attack Up I 50 Magic Defense Up I 60 Resist Petrify II 62 Clear Mind 70 Fast Cast II Spells: Cure I, II, III, Regen Dia Sneak, Invisible Blink, Phalanx, Stoneskin Dispel

Strengths Backup curing capability, supported by the COR's own Evoker's Roll Increases the total MP and MP-regeneration speed of the party Damage loss less noticeable than for a heavier damage dealer Dispel can be a substitute to spare Dark Shot's timer Sleep can be a substitute if Light shot gets resisted and you have a link. This, however, will rarely stick Magic Attack Bonus adds a noticeable amount of damage to Quick Draw

Weaknesses Offers less accuracy than /RNG, and less damage than /WAR Apart from Magic Attack Bonus, offers nothing new in the way of offense Offensive magic will generally not stick, because of skill level No area effect cures, or status removal spells

Dancer

• Dancer is something like a combination of /WHM, /RNG, and /NIN, or support, offense, and defense. It grants access to cures, Erase, Curaga, a pseudo-Regenga and -Refreshga, self-target Sneak and Invisible, and slight increases to Accuracy, Evasion, and even Attack in a way. Dancer is a very good party support job, since the Corsair can switch between damage-dealer and backup healer without needing to change subjobs, and its survivability definitely makes it one of the best subs for a soloing Corsair.

Traits 30 Evasion Bonus 40 Resist Slow 40 Dual Wield 50 Subtle Blow 60 Accuracy Bonus Job Abilities: 10 Drain Samba 30 Curing Waltz 40 Animated Flourish 40 Quickstep 50 Aspir Samba 50 Divine Waltz 50 Spectral Jig 60 Box Step 60 Curing Waltz II 60 Desperate Flourish 70 Drain Samba II 70 Healing Waltz

Strengths Increased accuracy for yourself from Accuracy Bonus, and for the entire party from Quickstep and Desperate Flourish Increased melee and ranged damage and accuracy from Dual Wield when using certain daggers. Increased attack for the entire party from Box Step Increased Evasion for greater survivability Aspir Samba can be used in place of Evoker's Roll for magic-using melees (such as BLU, PLD, or DRK) who don't want to give up their melee buffs. Be aware that it only works on mobs that have MP Drain Samba can be used to help out if mages are spending too much MP on cures Several cures, including a Cure II and Cure III equivalent from Curing Waltz and Curing Waltz II, as well as a small Curaga from Divine Waltz Single-target Erase from Healing Waltz Self-target instant Sneak and Invisible from Spectral Jig

Weaknesses Offers somewhat less accuracy than /RNG, and less damage than /WAR Offers nothing new in the way of offense No way to mitigate damage, but Evasion Bonus and the ability to cure yourself makes up for this in most cases No Raise or Reraise equivalent If you're spending TP on dances, you'll have less to use for Slug Shot, which is the main source of a Corsair's damage