Black Mages are the specialists of the Black Magic and all other spells that are used for dealing damage. Black Mages are said to be the damage artist, though this is a thought which should be carefully understood. Black Mages have the broadest sorts of damaging spells available to them, some of which can hit for astonishing sums of damage. However, not all players see Black Mages as being the most overall damaging job, despite their enormous powers. This is because in longer fights, the Black Mage can run out of MP (Magic Points), entailing that eventually other jobs can out damage the Black Mage. With this fat already known, a good Black Mage would know how to quickly deal enough damage to finish the fight.

The Black Mage is the ultimate offensive spell caster bringing death and devastation to the battle field from a distance. They are not so good at taking damage or physical attacks but their strong spells make up for that.

In some ways, Black Mages are best compared to Monks. Both jobs are good at dealing large amounts of quick damage, but do not do as well absorbing damage themselves.

Black Mage magic is mainly damaging magic, with some disabling spells as well. Black Mages can not cast healing magic. Note that all mages need to learn a spell before they can cast it. Learning a spell involves buying the spell scrolls (similar to how warriors must buy weapons) and then learning (using) it to put it into their spell book.

As with the White Mage, the Taru Taru is the best race for the Black Mage because of their high MP. Casting a lot of spells will take up MP fast so you will need a lot to make sure you don’t run out in the middle of battle.

The Black Mage has the active abilities of Magicfont which gives the mage unlimited mana for 30 seconds and Elemental Seal which increases the accuracy of the next spell cast. Take note that Magicfont can only be used every 2 hours so it is best used when in great need of mana only.

The passive abilities of the Black Mage consist of Magic Attack Up at levels 10, 30 and 50 which increase the magic attack skill. Clear Mind at level 15 which inreases the mana regeneration rate of the mage. Conserve MP at level 20 which decreases the amount of mana used by spells. HP Boost at level 55 which increases the maximum HP of your character and Martial Arts at level 60 which increases the Black Mage’s hand to hand combat abilities.

The Black Mage spells are all different elementals like Earth, Water, Fire, Ice, Wind, Thunder and Darkness. Each type of element does different amounts of damage depending on the enemy, so it is best to know the weakness of the enemy before casting. Some spells may even heal an enemy if that is their element.

FFXI accounts are often just cancelled when the player does not want to play the game anymore. Can you imagine playing a game for years and years and just quitting? Imagine all of the time you spent playing FFXI and just quitting or canceling your account. All of the monthly payments and just the sheer amount of time you spent playing the game really add up.

Many players who quit the game after playing for a long time have learned that they can earn money by selling their Final Fantasy XI accounts and no longer having to wish they got something for all of their hard work. Thousands of players who are new to Final Fantasy are willing to pay so they do not have to start off at a low level. This enables players to sell their Final Fantasy XI accounts and make money.

If you are starting off with a new FFXI accounts you will have to play for months just to get a good character and be able to truly enjoy this awesome MMORPG. Many players spend so much time just trying to get to a level that is fun that they end up quitting because they become bored or just tired of trying to level their characters up.

If you decide that you want to enjoy the game right from the start, you can just buy a good account from a player who has already built up their accounts and has decided to sell. It is that easy to get started. In most cases you can be up and running with a great character in no time at all.

Get the best Final Fantasy XI accounts and start off playing this awesome game and be one of the best players in the game. If you have an old account, or one you are just tired of, you can simply sell it and make money! Not fake game money, but real money.

You may have grown up with characters like Cloud Strife, Sepiroth, Tifa, Squall Lionheart, Yuna, and the likes. These are characters that have been integrated in popular culture, thanks to the wide success enjoyed by the franchise that spawned them. Indeed, the Final Fantasy series is anything but final. It is an enduring succession of wonderfully prepared and genre-breaking games that has captured the hearts of millions and millions of people around the world.

The Legend That Gave Birth To Final Fantasy XI

Let’s look at the facts. Every time a Final Fantasy game is released in Japan, their country stops. Students skip school. Urban professionals file for vacation or sick leaves. Long lines form outside retail stores. And the whole nation is engaged in a perpetual race as to who will get to finish the game first.

The same success was repeated in the United States since the release of Final Fantasy VII for the original Playstation. It was the first time that US gamers were introduced to polygonal characters in a role-playing game, and it heralded the start of America’s love affair with the beloved franchise.

But previous games had limited hours of play. Once you defeat the final boss, the game ends and the credit rolls.

The newest incarnation of the series, Final Fantasy XI, deviates from that. It takes the form of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) where players participate in a persistent world that will never end. Indeed, Final Fantasy XI is the fantasy that will never end.

Final Fantasy XI: Not Just Your Ordinary MMORPG

It’s been two and a half years since the original release of Final Fantasy XI, together with its expansion pack Rise of the Zilart, for the personal computer, but the game shows no sign of slowing down, despite strong competition from newer MMORPG offerings like World of Warcraft, Star Wars Galaxies and Everquest II. The reason for this is simple. Final Fantasy XI is the only MMORPG that has been released for two platforms. Playstation II owners have the option to participate in this MMORPG game world through their consoles. And very soon, Xbox 360 owners will also be given such an opportunity. The result? More players are expected to join in the months to come, making the MMORPG world remain dynamic, diverse, and exciting.

If you’re a veteran MMORPG campaigner, you might find the Final Fantasy XI experience as completely unconventional. First of all, the control scheme utilizes the mouse as well as the keyboard for movement, which is far different from the simple point and click that other MMORPG systems employ. Second, the other aspects of the game are simplified, and you won’t have access to the maximized leveling up that other MMORPG systems afford. This is both good and bad. Good because customization can take hours in most MMORPG systems, which can prove dragging. Bad because some players do prefer total control over how their characters develop.

These aside, the MMORPG world of Vana’diel promises to offer a lot of fascinating adventures for the gamer. With close to a dozen classes and jobs, a world at the crossroads of magic, warfare, and technology, and the backing of the most successful RPG developer in history, Final Fantasy XI is an experience that would define this age of MMORPG gaming.

Is Final Fantasy XI Worth $12.95 A Month?

Square Interactive, a division of Square Enix, does charge $12.95 per month of play, as well as an additional $1 per new character created under the same account. Relatively speaking, Final Fantasy XI is one of the most expensive MMORPG programs today.

The question is not really a matter of how much. Rather, it is a matter of whether or not the experience is worth it.

The answer is a resounding yes!

Final Fantasy XI offers a different flavor compared to your usual MMORPG flair. The difference is as great as that of an American-developed RPG and a Japanese-developed game. Japan is the home of console RPGs, while America is where PC RPGs reign supreme. Both genres offer a diverse experience. While some people prefer the feel and the atmosphere of PC RPGs, a lot actually enjoy console RPGs better.

Final Fantasy XI has the console RPG feel, which is quite an accomplishment for an MMORPG. It’s definitely one of a kind, and stands proud for its uniqueness in a world populated by different MMORPG programs that come in different skins but offer the same experience.

And with its recently released expansion, Chains of Promathia, as well as the Treasures of Ath Urhgan in the horizons, Final Fantasy XI solidifies itself as an investment very much worth making. It is truly an MMORPG that has, and will continue to, withstand the test of time.

Bards are an indispensable member of any hunting party. A Bard is also nearly like a White Mage in the sense that it aids the party. Bards sing songs that improve skills, cure ailments and deal damage to enemies.

One of the unique features of the Bard job is that their songs (spells) do not require Mana Points (MP) to use – they can be sung for indefinite periods of time. Bards are the magical vocalists and musicians of Vana`diel.

The Bard is an Extra Job, a job that requires a quest to be accomplished to get into it, upon reaching level 30 before it becomes available to your character. As such, you will have a good working knowledge of the FF XI world by the time you are ready to attempt the Bard Quest (see below for information on the Bard Quest).

To become a Bard, go to Lower Jeuno and talk to Mertaire and all the inhabitants at the INN (I8). Then proceed to Mhaura and buy a piece of paper from Pikini-Mikini (G9). Leave Mhaura and head to G9 on the map, use the secret passage from the beach on the east. Look for the Song Runes and trade the paper you bought to the runes, then return to Lower Jeuno and give it to Mertaire. Next travel to Selbina where the dunes are and go towards the Northwest end where you will find a secret passage. Inside is another Song Rune, click on it to receive the Bard job.

Shifting to the Bard job for the first time (just like changing to any other job for the first time) means that you start at level 1 in the job.

There are many spells available to Bards; most of them increase a certain statistic for the party. Some heal, others deal light damage to monsters. The great thing about a bard compared to a white mage is that performing songs does not require magic points compared to white magic that consumes Mana. So you can always be assured that you would never run out of songs.

Bards are also loved in parties, as almost all of their songs affect everybody in a party. The Bards have a variety of songs with different effects, from statistic improvements, status change resistances to the very popular healing song. Other than these supporting songs for the party, they also have different songs that can do harsh things to monsters and enemies.

The only active ability of the Bard is Soul Voice which increases the effectiveness of songs for 3 minutes although Soul Voice can only be used every 2 hours. The passive abilities of the Bard are Resist Silence which it gets an extra level of at levels 5, 25, and 45.

A Paladin is an expert of close-range combat, just like warriors. Paladins are valued in battle for they have acquired the ability to cast white magic spells through their long and venerated hours of spiritual training. Paladins are holy knights of vana`diel who have sworn their lives to casting out undead from the land. In doing so, paladins study many divine abilities, giving them additional powers versus undead opponents.

The Paladin is an extra Job, a job that must be quested for upon reaching level 30 before it becomes available to your character. As such, you will have a good working knowledge of the final fantasy xi world by the time you are ready to attempt the paladin quest. Switching to the paladin job for the first time (just like switching to any other job for the first time) means that you start at level 1 in the job.

The Paladin has invincibility which has several purposes. Evidently, it defends your character from physical harm like few others. In an instant, you can use Invincibility to negate lots of damage while going after opponents with magic.

However, a more interesting note is the secondary effect of Invincibility. This power causes monster to despite you, even if you aren’t causing a lot of damage on your own. When a group is in trouble and your party risks losing one of its members, this pulls the attention off other warriors or party members and places it back on your character. Plus, healers and nukers will need that freedom to start spamming their spells while restoring the balance of the fight.

Paladins spend large amounts of time mastering sword and shield combat, for divine magic would not defeat enemies on its own. Their high defense and defensive abilities make them the best defensive (tank) class in the game. Because of this, paladins are often found in the front lines of battles protecting their fellow party members.

Paladins have a good variety of magic spells which heal and protect their allies. However, they are not primary healers because of their low Mana Points. Considering this draw back for paladins it is always good to focus on defensive or shield combat. Rather than relying on its supportive spells. Only use these spells when direly in need. It is always a good idea to have a white mage in the party to focus on supporting spells.