MDB

WHM takes less damage because they have a native MDB trait. They typically don't run away from the person casting Shellra also. Additionally a good mage will always keep stoneskin up so what you are seeing isn't necessary the full damage they take.

I understand the variables. Traits and such. The amount of dmg they take less than other MAGES also bearing similar traits WITH their shellV that we didn't run away from. Also wouldn't it correlate into why SE gimped Taru's mind? To create the ultimate BLM. I don't know. Just personal things I've notice along the way. Just don't quote me in game to someone else. DISCLAIMER: I've been known to be wrong, I'm ok being wrong. It's a discussion, not a argument. (Keeps this from getting to "that point") =)

Anyone know a 75 WHM and a 75 mage with similar tiered Trait they can go eat a GA from? This seems to be a good test subject here.

Another quote.

# MND increases resistance to White Magic spells as well as reducing their base damage.

* Some people believe that MND increases resistance to all spells, not just White Magic, but there are no known published tests that show this conclusively.

Heh, maybe you should just try a WHM75/WAR37 tank with Dalmatica or Goliard Set and other MDB/Ele resist equips, what with its MDBIV trait.

Best you can do is give yourself the capped -50% damage. Then pile up on the elemental resist equips/spells as much as possible.

That way, a Burst that usually does 900 damage to a player can only do 450 damage if it doesn't get resisted, but most of the time it can go down as far as 50 damage (maybe less, maybe more).

I still say you should test in Ballista... should be really easy there... you can even confirm the MAB formula.... but based on the post on bluegatrls I dunno if I shouls trust the ppl that post there... but anyhow.... there isn't ANY conclusive testing on what the magic dmg aken - is... and again I think this could be tested as I said earlier....
if I had the time + gear I'd do it myself (but if you see that I am posting over than 10 hrs later... is because I don't!)

I hope someone gives a GOOD answer!

Best we can do is toss some -51% damage (magical or otherwise) or higher gear on somebody, have them aggro a BLM ant, eat an AM, take off the gear, eat another AM, and see what the cap is. I'm sure that you will find out that the cap is/should be about -50% on unresisted spells. Resistance is a bioch though, you probably will die several times trying to find out what the cap is though.

that's why I vote for a BLM to do ballista and test with Elemental Seal!
Slow but safe :P

edit: Good nite ppl I hope I see a concrete answer tomorrow!!! lol did I say I was lazy? :P

GL finding a BLM willing to do Ballista as a BLM. SAMs and MNKs usually would love to oneshot the BLMs while they are testing out magic resist damage out, at least on Asura they do.

Ballista is for the weak anyway.

And I think this is about as concrete as you can find.

PLEASE KEEP FLAMES OUT & PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC...

Btw, korpg I love the double posts were you repeat yourself and contribute nothing new.

Like you?

Korpg and Male.. Both of ya.. Just stay on topic????

~groan~

=(

Thank you.

Ya I know I broke my own request. F-it I'm human and I have my weaknesses. That whole "Like you indeed..." comment just goes to show that my favorite Jabroni doesn't know how to read. If he had he'd realize that anyone voicing a contrary idea to whatever I've posted, has been treated cordially by me. Atleast until his dumb post. So much for trying to learn something new here...

/sigh

You make it difficult to remember that it's just not worth wasting energy on you. Yet here I am, driving the bus again... C'mon junior get on, time for you to go to school.

Haven't you noticed, I've left you alone for the past day or two now. You're like a damn softball on a tee, ready to be hit and still I've tried my best to refrain from acknowledging your idiocy. Now you're in here mucking things up... saying nothing useful. You're not even reading the thread... put on 50%... go do ballista, and it's for the weak...

Why do you feel compelled to comment on every damn thread in existence? I guess this was to be expected. I'm actually quite shocked it took you this long. Gives me an idea, I should run an underground betting pool with the forum denizens and set odds on when you might comment. Hell, I might go a step further and take bets to where you won't comment. Likely, I'd still make money because I know you like running your hands across your keyboard. I bet if someone set up a thread titled "transexual pony porn" you'd have a fistful of pennies in hand with which to add your non-sense.

If there's one good thing to come out of this Korpg I'm calling you the whopper from now on. You're not only flame broiled because flaming you is the only thing I can do after reading something you wrote BUT the stuff you write... you're in college and you write like a demented junior high'er. The stuff I read, and eventually repeat to friends, peers and colleagues it's unreal. I only wish I wasn't making up these whoppers that I try to foist upon people. So there you go dude... enjoy your new name...

Good night whopper...

Dude.. Let me be brief..and let me indulge you..

Do you know Armand Van Heldon???? Do you know yer music, Troll??

" U Don't Know Me"

Get your office buddies and start betting, better yet, ask the Trollies, you so call all us...( most of us perfer to be peeps or Companions.. but in yer case for your fun.. sure!!) I dare ya? ITs fun seeing you get all worked up. LOL

I do not need to divuldge who I am are what marital status I am, but I share one thing for ya.. last time I was in HS was 25 yrs ago...( thought I'd share that with ya.)

lastly.. Junior?? I called a reserved a seat on the short bus just exactly for you.. and here /toss don't forget your CCM Hockey Helmet as well. Got the X-Large size for your Oversized Head.

I read your thread, but when you have to start maiming everyone liek Korpg just b/c you think he insults you?? Cmon.. guy just made a point, and your all over him like pig in mud...

I guess you and constructive Critism don't mix.

I m posting this b4 I go to work at 4:30 a.m EST.. read my forums like a newspaper.. for enjoyment? What about you...Troll???

there You won.. I posted.. go tell your betting pool buddies I posted...

~my appologies to everyone in the Forums for jacking this thread, I shall leave you with the lasting enjoyment of Malekith. Have a nice day!~

Personally, I think Malekith was talking about me in his last post.

But then again, who reads his posts anyway.

The 3 points I made in this thread was that

A) Cap the 50% damage reduction that SE gave us, then go to town on elemental resist.

B) If you don't believe the 50% cap, then here is what you do: Go above the 50% cap, go get AM'd, take off your gear, get AM'd again (same AM please) and see what damage is reduced by.

C) Asura Ballista players don't understand the concept of "One vs One." The very few times I EVER done Ballista, some idiot SAM or MNK would start whacking on me even though we have said at the beginning of the match who's going to fight who and for nobody to mess with those. Then those players who kill me or the other guy says "Ballista is everyone vs everyone, I felt like I needed to kill you" or some other random bullsh*t. That is why I stopped playing Ballista. So, I was giving my past experiences into the matter (who does BLM for Ballista anyway) giving the reason why most people can't/won't do ballista to see about skillcaps on damage reduction, elemental resists, etc.

Yes, I will continue to post when I feel that I can contribute (either with info or back-slaping you Malekith). Unless you live in a country where you have no freedom of speech, you can not say I do not have the right to an opinion. Even if you do live in said country, guess what. I'll just tell ya to fu** off and have a nice day.

I notice on the CB setup someone posted earlier they have PCC on the neck slot. Would it not make more sense to use something like Moon Amulet that gives you added Light Resistance? This looks like a solid setup for tanking JoL on PLD/RDM, but I don't really see anything that's specifically targeted to Light damage, and that seems to be part of any CB set I've seen.

As for the cap the MDB i am not sure bu it's save to say it's around +25. this seems like SE's happy number for most "stuff from gear" limits. As for those asking about a test on MDB here is some of the stuff i see as a pld. a few days ago my LS was fighting Mahjlaef the Paintorn the -Ga happy Soulflayer Znm. my counterpart tank was a elven and had no -magic damage gear or MDB. i was in 3 of 4 Iron ram and the Lamian Kaman, giving me +11 MDB. we both had the same pro and shell 5 and other buffs. on most -ga's i took 15-25% less damage then my counterpart and even fully resisted one Thundaga III. before that fight the other tank were laughing at me got for useing it over shield gear, now there all trying to get AN's to get them lol.

hope this helps.
oh and on a side note this is only useful on mobs that cast alot of big nukes

The CB setup I posted with the PCC was thrown together on short notice. It was posted here because I wanted feedback. Honestly when I went out and acquired everything for it I only focused on MDB+ and -Magic DMG. Now with respect to what people have posted on here, I'll be making some minor tweeks, chief among them will be adding in some Light Resistance pieces. I'll definitely be adding a Moon Amulet in the neck slot, and Iron Ram Greaves for in the feet slot to activate the set bonus. Now, I just wish I had something decent for the waist but there's really nothing out there so far as I know.

Version II

Btw Whopper because I know you're reading w/ interest, what Aramina and Nedesco wrote were infinitely more helpful and insightful than the generic off the shelf, I read wiki advice you posted.

MDB does not cap at +25. Saline coat has been shown to intially provide ~+50MDB. However unlike -% Magic Damage, stacking MDB provides diminishing returns on the damage reduction per each point added. Say if your first +1MDB provided .5% effective reduction, +50 would only provide 17% reduction. (If you want to think of it in mathematical terms the slope of +MDB vs Damage reduction is not linear) However more MDB will still reduce your damage taken it just becomes difficult to maintain -50% magic damage taken (~23% or so in gear) while stacking excessive amounts of MDB.

As for a light elemental resistance set for CB, again you really need to be pushing +300 total resistance for a decent overall resist rate and since there is no Barlightra spell this becomes exceedingly difficult. I used a gear set like this

Light Set

[along with Light Carol for +60 Light]

and took around a 700 CB, a 1100 CB and a 1300 CB and decided against using a Light resist set from that point on because the frequency for a high 1/2 or 3/4 resist was low. This was pre-iron ram set, but really hasn't changed my perspective that a Magic -% set and HP+ gear is generally more effective than a light resist set.

Ok, since I have noticed that nobody has actually posted a formula for this, I will post it up myself, and you can test the results. I got this from BG so I take no credit for figuring it out.

I am using this setup for the examples below. I am an Elvaan, and can push 1,750 - 1,800 HP with this setup eating Carbonara.

2088/MDB * (T/256) = Damage taken with no resists.
2610/MDB * (T/256) = Damage taken with no resists, but double weather effect.
2818/MDB * (T/256) = Damage taken with no resists, but double weather effect and on lightsday.

To work out MDB: Take your current MDB/100 and add to 1. (My MDB in this formula is currently 1.12)

To work out T: Magic Damage Taken*256, rounded down* 256 rounded down, so 1% = 2, 2% = 5, 4% = 10, 5% = 12, 10% = 25. Add those up and add to shell (S4 is 56, S5 1~5 is 62, 64, 66, 68, and 70), subtract it from 256 and call that T (minimum 128).
For example in this, I have -26% MDT. 26*256 = 66.56, rounded down is 66. Assuming capped ShellraV, 66+70 = 136. 256-136 = 120. Therefore my T value is 128, as it's the minumum.

With this setup, as long as the WHM has a single Shellra V merit, I cap my -%MDT (Which is -50%MDT), and any further damage reduction comes from stacking as much MDB as possible.

Now, to work out my approx. damage taken with each of the possible outcomes, you just plug the numbers in.

2088/1.12 * (128/256) = 1864 * 0.5 = ~932 Damage taken from Citadel Buster
2610/1.12 * (128/256) = 2330 * 0.5 = ~1165 Damage taken from Citadel Buster
2818/1.12 * (128/256) = 2516 * 0.5 = ~1258 Damage taken from Citadel Buster

From what I'm seeing -Magic Damage Taken (MDT) caps out as you write at 50% and that's from a combination of bar spells, shell and gear.

MDB however calculates the resist, and what tier resist at that.

So once again I am lead to the realization that it IS a two part calculation.

See... all I was ever asking for was a little bit of clarity... Excellent post Clannagh! Ty, now to break out my TI-80 and play with some numbers...

lol GDI. I "TRIED" to post earlier that we keep this as a discussion. Guys. If all you can do all day sit here and call each other names and whine over who's more correct w/out even considering variables or situational instances. It's no wonder you got nothing on your character worth noting. GO PLAY YOUR GAME!. This was a topic I did want to learn from, being it's such a vague topic amongst the whole community, NOT limited to this forum. But once again to no avail, someone sent a spark up someones ***. Thanks, some of us don't want to read that *** and would like to see some real information here. NOT ***. On that note. Kith, GL w/ your endeavor, I hope somehow/somewhere you find a good answer. /Flame off /Web Browser X. Back to that game I play called FFXI, NOT called Http://www.drama.ffxiah.com.

P.S. Mentor status died along time ago. I'm starting to see it didn't carry onto forums, its outright DEAD everywhere.

Disclaimer: I mentioned no names to who the culprits are. If you're offering some decent advice, I apologize for my post. If you're offering a earful of ***. I don't need to mention your name, EVERYONE knows who you are =).

I know right seems like the flaming is getting out of hand over the last few weeks...

Can't we all just get along? lol

The whole point of this thread was to gather info. I'm actually toying with writing a guide to cover everything a Paladin ought to know.

Reason being, I spent the last 2 months leveling THF to 75 and I was appalled by the horrible play of the tanks I had. I realize I'm off topic here, but IF learning how to use Cover is part of PLD-101 THEN think of this thread as PLD-720 Advanced Paladin Theory: MDB. This topic is something PLD's have to know about and really a lot don't myself included.

For a waist slot Resolute Belt.
[Waist] All Races
DEF:5 "Magic Def. Bonus"+2 Spell interruption rate down 8%
LV 60 All Jobs
Obtained with assult points or AH

Version 3.0 of the Proto-Ultima anti-Citadel Buster MDB set

My take on MDB set

its personal between Male and Korpg....I guess =/

IDk wut the problem is?

Nice try... I suppose Ikuni on our server can suit up like that, but for the majority of us rank-an-filers 3 of those items are pipe dreams. Atleast my set has pieces that most PLD can obtain. Ok maybe not the Avalon Body as you'd need a HNMLS doing sandworm or dedication to farm for 2 straight months to buy it outright like I did. That said... seriously your solution is Aegis, Hauteclaire, and D-ring... LoL

I'll give you credit for being imaginative but I'd think for people reading this thread that want to try and build sets based off what has been discussed thus far it DOES NOT HELP.

Then again what can I expect off someone doesn't even have PLD leveled and is throwing together wishlist items. The whole ensemble shows a lack of thought and care...

You are right, I don't really care about endgame PLD, when I can take hate from PLD quicker than ***. Well, all except good PLDs that is.

I'm just giving you what you asked for, the best possible gear to survive CB. Nobody has brought this list up, so I made it. It is still possible for anyone to get this gear (granted, you actually have to work for it, but it is still possible regardless) so you can't complain that I didn't give any helpful advice for somebody who's PLD is only at sub level.

Now, seeing how you like to flame me at any possible point, I think that whatever I say, you are just going to denounce right off the bat regardless of being good information or not. I admit I do it to you also, but not as much as you do it to me.

Have a nice day, hope my info helps, but since you think its impossible for anyone to do this, then you need to stop playing now, since you can't commit to anything at all.

Sounds like a helping of QQ with some ; ; thrown in for good measure... Just remind me, if you set up a thread similar to this for any of your mage jobs, to enter and spam Morrigans/Marduk's sets will solve all your problems.

Look, why are you even commenting if admittedly you don't even know what you're talking about? Oooohhh I can take hate... how is that even being a team player? I hope that you end up face down eating dirt on your next event when you do it and that your alliance *** you out for being a dumbass.

But whatever, I flame you because you have yet to show me a reason to show restraint. And really I always thought flaming was something like this, "stfu noob." I've yet to do that to you, and tempted though I am I won't write like that. I'm better than that. I get more satisfaction taking you down by pointing out how absurd your posts are...

As for impossible... I never said that, IF I have to say anything, I'd say your solution is impractical for the majority out there. So kindly refrain from putting words in my mouth.

Anyways, thanks for the wish of a nice day. It's appreciated, and now that I've had my lawlz I'm going to celebrate with some pie! Mmmm... pie...