RDM Nuking Equipment

I've been a RDM for years now, but always used the job for team-oriented stuff, campaign, and chain-stunning NMs.
I'm new to the concepts of solo'ing NM's with RDM.

I understand the basics of having Bind/Grav Enfeeble set, Para/Slow Enfeeble set, Haste/FastCast set, Stoneskin set, nuking set, Dark magic skill set, etc, etc.

I think I understand the basic strategies of kiting and DoT/nuking, and I can apply the strategies well enough to avoid taking damage.

Here's my issue: nuking potency. I tried to solo "Holy Cow" ENM. I was able to use tactics and strategy without any issues. But the nukes just did not do enough damage, even though they did not appear to be resisted.

Nuking with Blizzard III, Damage was between 600-700 per cast, averaging roughly 650. I have 8 Elemental Magic Skill merits, 2 Ice Magic Accuracy merits, and 1 merit in INT. Hume F character. Here's the equipment I'm using currently:
http://www.ffxiah.com/item_sets.php?id=159697
In summary, it's Elemental skill +27, INT+43, Magic Accuracy +41, and MAB+30. This includes elemental stave effects and augments on Redingote (Magic Accuracy +4, MAB+4).

So, other than some obvious but expensive potential upgrades, like Novio Earring, what advice do ya'll have for upgrading/improvements?

There's nothing wrong with your gearsets really. Just a few sidegrades and a Novio. I always used Errant body for nuking on RDM, could upgrade your rings/slops for the few INT you're missing.
650 is a pretty solid number, RDM during solos isn't going to be nuking astoundingly high, that seems about right for me.

Those numbers seem totally normal with a solid nuke-set.
You will never get high-dmg nukes on RDM.
650-700 is really all you can expect, but this depends alot on what you'r nuking.

I'm guessing you've seen videos of it where people are doing 800-900+ damage, eh? The thing with Holy Cow, though, is that Apis changes modes. In his normal mode, you'll do around 600, but if you get lucky and get him when he's weak to magic, you'll do 800+. I'm guessing that's why you're think your nukes aren't doing enough damage. If not, then oops, carry on.

These.

EDIT: Or actually, this particular one for that ENM, especially.

As people have said, your upgrades are:
Errant Body
5 INT rings
P.Tath
Bugard strap +1
HQ legs
Pendent rope/witch sash
INT earring or Novio

All those will increase your damage without any (real) negative affect on your resist rate.

But most guides I have read about holy cow say you should wait for ice weather before entering (to use obi) and ideally enter on ice day. That’s the only way you are going to get sizable increase in damage.

Your set seems to be a mix of accuracy/damage. For things such as ENMs where resists are going to be low (especially with ice and mac merits), the magic accuracy grip/range/torque/head seem unnecessary, although the item you want instead can only provide so little upgrades in damage (9 INT so maybe 20-30 damage).

The only serious upgrade would be morrigan's, starting from body. Unlike popular belief full morrigan provides a decent magic accuracy due the high number of INT.

morrigan is way up there though lol I know I won't be getting it anytime soon...I'll happily take my 100 less dmg

Double Ice Weather + Ice Day.. Actually.

Although I'd rather Enter on Thundersday and Double Ice Weather.. Rather then put everything into one nuke and have to deal with the cool down..

I've seen a RDM pretty much destroy it by hitting chainspell, and using Blizzard, but I'm willing to bet he went through quite a few attempts before that one just worked, given the fact that the mob changes what damage he's resistant to.

Didnt you guys forgot Yigit Crackows?

I see a lot of BLMs crying over they dont have Yigit Feet.

Isn't it better for RDM to use Yigit feet for nukes than the afv2 feet/goliard?

It's all situational but 99% of the time your going to be not using yigit if you have the other 2.

Golaird if you need more macc afv2 if you don't and want more dmg.

Yigit is sorta inbetween but 3 int isn't really all that much for macc. Chances are if you don't have enough you'll need more than that.

Blms cry about that because it's the best dmg feet they can get and they don't really need the macc.

Excellent responses!
Thanks much to everyone.

Stupidly, I overlooked the bonus of wearing Ice Obi on Ice Day/Weather. I do have an Ice Obi, so I'll bust it out and use that on my next try.

I'll also agree that Morrigan's is the ideal RDM body armor for nukes. I'm working on that.
But Morrigan's aside, can anyone explain to me why Errant Hpl. (+10 INT) would be an upgrade over Redingote (+5 INT, +4 Magic Acc, +4 MAB) for RDM nukes?

It isn't. RR is the best nuking body (before morgans).

Edit: For RDM, with normal nuking gear (before people get their panties in a twist).

This is what I personally use, and it serves me very well.
Yigiy feet on blizzard seeing how it's so much more accurate D:
(Aquilo and ice merits)

Could use some improvement but it gets the job done. +56int, 11macc, 24skill, 16mab. Working on some morri peices. Till then probalby wont ugrade anything else. Switch in relic feet if I think about it and macc isn't an issue at all. Like when I /sch lol

If you don't have Novio, for the ear slots you have the option of going with Helenus and Cassandra's earrings for the 5 macc, or you can pair a Moldavite with a Crapaud earring for 2 MAB. The Chocobo key from ASA mission "Battaru Royale" can give an Aptus earring which - depending on augments - can give useful nuking traits on it too. Mine gave me MAB+2 and spell interruption -1%.

A little mix of MAB, MACC and INT in this one. Tried it on the Mega Boss in Dynamis-Jeuno, landed some decent results with Blizzard/Thunder 3. Not exactly uber, but decent enough.