An inquiry into skills.

[Rand]

Feel free to state why you made your choice.

[Kyou]

Although a Blackbelt really won't need Aurabolt once he leaves Death Mountains, a Ranger hardly ever uses camoflauge (unless its been eaten)

I use slow spells quite often actually >.> lock ... not so much, since the monsters with high defense are usually weak to magic.

[lordphoenix]

Nice job posting your reasons, people. I say camo because it's near useless for both the classes that get it. I can get, what, a 15% reduction to enemy attack accuracy that has a chance of fading after 3 rounds, always fades on critical health, AND requires human form? Hot damn, where does I sign? Screw call of the fox and cougar, camo is just too awesome!!

[Sur Realis]

Camoflauge. Not that it's useless, it's just paled in comparison with what could be done by that point anyway.

Instill Element? Oh bloody hell, who ISN'T using that and is a good Red Mage? It's not so much a lack of *Instill Element* being used, but a lack of Red Mages *to* use Instill Element.

Slow and Lock? I pity the Blue Mage that does not keep Slow close by. Slow 3 is my second favorite debuff, because the enemy can *practically never hit you* when Slow 3'd. It gives the time to set up more debuffs to make you further safer. It is, slightly, downplayed by Weak 3 (since a Slow 3'd enemy can still MW you into death thrice at once,) but overall I prefer Slow 3 anyway. Lock is fairly useful, but Boost is more versatile. Kill the Lock'd enemy the debuff is gone, but Boosted and then kill the enemy, the buff is still there. Maybe, just as a thought, more enemies to cast Dispell could cause Lock to be used on occasion, maybe.

Don't know about Aurabolt, but the one time I saw it it was actually useful. Had the one time I've seen Camo been useful, I probably would have chosen Aurabolt instead. But, of course, I know pretty much nothing of Black Belts and Rangers.

[Jumin]

i voted for camo, but rangers have terrible armor and seem to be crit magnets in my experience... thus dying a lot. so camo has been used on more than occasion for me.

i wish i could change my vote to aurabolt. I've never used the skill personally and if i recall correctly, has a pretty steep mp cost. the only reason BB's would only put points into wp is to help out with mantra, but who doesn't party without a WM? even RMs are more versatile healers.

[Rand]

Well, in THAT regard Redmages ARE supposed to be more versatile healers, since they ARE a mage-type. But you're right about Aurabolt as well.

[U. Dye]

I too chose Camo. I got nothing to add as to why; it's already been said.

[Takahashi]

Camo is by far the worst out of these choices. Rangers have little use for it, since even the worst wereform gives far better bonuses. Thieves have little use for it because it doesn't let them use any of their good skills, unlike Hide. Lock is a close second, given that few monsters by the end game have high defense (which Lock would reduce) as much as they have direct damage reduction (which Lock does nothing to). Even early on in the game, Lock almost always will have a minor effect since monsters with high defense and low reduction are scarce. Any monsters who do fall under that category are ones that can be one-shotted by a mage using a tier 1 element spell, so Lock isn't the spell they'd want to use (RMs can Instill if they don't have the element naturally and BMs will have the element unless it's Harm).

After those two skills/spells, nothing else comes close. Aurabolt has uses up to the midpoint of the game, which is better than Lock that has no real use at any point (same for Aurabolt vs. Camo). Anyone who seriously lists Slow or Instill as least used or least useful are delusional; underused or lacking in power by the end game maybe, but not outright least used/useful skill/spell.

[InfiniteWisdom]

Yo Yo!
I see many people i like writing about the different skills so i am sure they covered the reasons why some dont seem necessary but let me give my personal experiences with EACH of the following choices.
1:Instillation: It makes my rm more uber, a way of making things diverse and exciting, so as you can see i use it often so this is no prob for me at all. I am sure others should use this as well since it is a unique aspect of the rm so go redmages!
2:Camouflage: So my ranger looks awesome in it and well thats about it hahaha so yes, i didnt vote for this because i have used it and i mainly use it when i can boost and make my ranger strong without its transforming. Knowing that i overlevel a lot should also have an effect to this idea not being the worst,why? Well in a boss battle in which many people have, a ranger can be very helpful and knowing that it can only transform one time means that you should also have a backup plan if you need to revert. For this reason, camo can serve well under given circumstances, or if someone just doesnt like to waste a turn transforming
3:Aurabolt: If you think i chose this, you WIN! =D I dont use it a lot with my char because when i have used it...well it didnt do that much, so it was pointless to use, except looking at the cool colors. I am fascinated easily sometimes so thats why. Either way, i see more possibilities and a positive outcome disregarding this great ability, but if you want to see colors, use it like me ^_^!
4:Spells: 0.o...so I love mages so any spell is a fascinating aspect i can enjoy. Focusing on slow and lock can be a great contribution when facing strong allies...if you arent overleveled o.o... But yea, i like to have fun with spells, combining them all, and if you talk to Assa, thats how we gambled in the game hahah good times

I cant write too much so later!
~InfiniteWisdom

[Constantine]

Huh?

[Kumog]

Even though when I did my level 28 solo trek to Mona with my ranger Akira Toriyama I used Camoflague at times, I still rated it as the most useless. I only used it as a safety barrier while I tossed out Slow 2 and then were-formed to kill every encounter. If it could stack with wereforms, Camoflague would be especially great.

Slow 2 is easily one of the best spells a ranger gets, and yet is one of the most underused. Had I not had it, Akira wouldn't have made it to Mona fighting everything.

Aurabolt was used once by my BB. That's it. However, it did help when I used it since it was an iron golem.

Instill is pure sexiness.

Lock I rarely see much use in. Perhaps it should function some in removing the direct damage reduction that later monsters have, instead of just being an armor reducer?

[U. Dye]

infinitewisdom said:

I cant write too much

But you already did.

[Rand]

Thank you, everyone. I shall take this into consideration.