DNC, our true abilityFollow

I get so tired of hearing, “we have no purpose endgame,” and, if someone would like to sort out the math I would appreciate it. Anecdotally (I have been forcing my endgame LS to take me along as DNC), I’ve found we actually mow stuff down a lot faster than normal. As a DNC we don’t truly excel at anything. That being said, everything we have available at our disposal stacks with all the normal debuffs that are available. I.E. box step on dia II, haste samba on Haste and March. Many times I find that LS leaders and pt formers don’t really know where to fit us in and default to the normal setups in endgame events. However, when I get slated with the right setup in limbus or salvage we chew through things far faster and with few less deaths (I’m 5/5 on haste samba). So my question becomes, considering that most of our abilities are somewhat subpar as compared to other jobs…is our real ability to supplement the buffs, debuffs and heals already out there and make those jobs easier and stronger?

DNC is a good combat healer, and can support a party of DDs at a larger scale event, such as Limbus, Dynamis, or Einherjar.

DNC is also a pretty good substitute for a nin or thf tank in a low-man situation.

When it comes to hnm though, dnc just fails. Even with No Foot Rise and /sam, you aren't getting enough tp for the cost of your abilities without meleeing. And I'd never let a dnc melee anything dangerous.

In the end, dnc is a versatile job, just like blu or dare I say pup. The problem with the job isn't that it's weak, but that it's not a specialist. FFXI is a game for specialists.

When I am around doing day-to-day operation, like helping LS folks, random battles, and even missions, I use DNC a lot. Some of the criticism against using DNC in end game, even if justified, is not the complete story -- as not everything in end game is like TP feeding bad, high def - hit for zero enemies. I go to Dynamis, Nyzul Isle and sometimes Einj. as DNC.

I know some players want to have extreme efficiency, and ultimate job combinations and gear, but FFXI is not rocket science anyway. After you get the basics right, any number game you play beyond is playing against your own obsession but not the enemy.

It's not enough of a difference to see from eyeballing it. They are small icing for DNC to primarily gain finishing moves out of doing the steps. Defense down? Acid bolts (outside of HNMs), Angon, and Dia III are tremendously better that does the job at an instant in comparison to DNC having to wait between steps over time to make it potent to the fullest. Evasion down? Feint. And not many situations where Magic Defense Down are needed. Such a mob that uses magic and dangerous AoEs out of it aren't usually where DNCs are really welcomed to. If a target's weak point is a certain magic, using that certain magic is a boost and plentiful in itself that makes the Magic Defense Down not needed nor desired as much as Defense Down where in most cases that any weapon can do fine especially with more support there is for it that makes the idea more attractive.

Edited, Jun 5th 2009 10:38pm by Jevilwolf

With a RDM and a BRD or COR presented which isn't unusual, their noticeable difference they contribute is what makes DNC better off being replaced by a strong DD that makes the group do better overall even if DNC's debuffs stack. This is especially true against HNMs where a DNC's melee hits isn't going to do well. A stronger buffed DD in that situation is going to do better for the group than a buffed DNC even with their debuffs to offer.

No it's not. Look at jobs like SAM and WAR, what is their specialty? What is RDM's specialty? What is BRD's specialty? The strongest jobs kick ass at nearly everything, not just one or two events. Specialty jobs are the weak ones.

Every DD is a DD specialist. SAM and WAR are simply better jobs and it has nothing to do with them being specialists. RDM isn't a specialist. Even BRD isn't a specialist, because they contribute great CC, dispel, slow, and extra support via their subjob. Admittedly, all most players care about in merits is the buffs but in most low-man events BRD's ability to sleep is huge. Is COR a specialist? They offer potent buffs but DD instead of support. I think most people would count COR among the better half of jobs. What about SCH? I don't think you could call SCH a specialist by any measure, yet they are a very good job. Look at BLM, they are a specialist to the extreme and while highly valued at endgame they are crapped on for xp and merit parties. Heck, if you go over to their forums half of them are complaining about how BLM is gimp because of SCH and/or the melee zerg.

The problem with DNC isn't that they are a hybrid. It's that they are a poorly designed and implemented hybrid for endgame. Just like PUP and THF and BST are poorly implemented DD. Just like SMN is a poorly implemented...whatever it's supposed to be.