The Sealed Dagger: A Ninja Guide

I find myself using both Yonin and Innin often -- in the same fight on v20s, as you say -- so I keep both at 5/5. Whereas it's rarer I find myself in an MB situation on NIN.

To chime in on merits...

I've mostly stuck with 5/5 MAB and Macc since they changed these, always been happy with that. Personally, I'd rank them as follows - but these are hugely subjective and would vary a lot based on how you actually tend to use NIN. Someone who only DDs with a tank who allows you to get behind the mob might get more out of Innin, someone who tanks a lot may lean toward Yonin, someone who never nukes (they really should though) may not get as much out of MAB/Macc, etc.

1) Ninjutsu MAB is pretty easily the best call if you nuke with any regularity whatsoever. Just too massive to pass up when paired with Relic feet. Definitely don't sleep on this if doing anything solo/self SC, where tacking on magic bursts can be a bigger deal than a lot of NINs realize.

2) Ninjutsu Macc is helpful too (and unlocks an extra Macc+3 per merit from Relic+3 feet augment, in addition to the Macc+25 from the 5/5 merits themselves). Less resists on nukes is very significant for magic damage and a Macc+40 boost is a very meaningful chunk of Macc. This merit also helps NIN enfeebles, which I don't discount; I use a lot of Yurin and Hojo (as a fast spell, I often even pull mobs with it like in a Sheol farm run... and it sticks pretty regularly). Still, I go with this mainly due to being less enthusiastic about the other options.

3) Yonin would probably be my next choice, and one I sort of consider changing to from time to time. I actually do tank stuff and use Yonin sometimes (though to be really effective that pretty much requires a Nagi or Fudo Masamune mainhand / Tsuru offhand set... or a Yagyu Darkblade /anger), so HP and better enmity retention from higher HP is nice when tanking. Yonin is also not bad when solo and the mob is facing you anyway (since Innin gives you nothing in that case, and the Acc- from Yonin is generally not a major issue on stuff you're soloing). If this merit gave a more compelling defensive/tanking tool than just straight HP (say, 1% DT-II per merit, or Meva+5/merit, or Enmity+) it would have changed my opinion and most likely I'd be 5/5 in it.

4) Innin? Positional requirement is too obnoxious to me, as I'm often NIN in lowman situations (mob is facing me, so no bonus), stuff without a tank always holding mobs I fight (e.g., Dyna, Sheol C), or not able to get into position behind mobs (tank with back to wall or in a position where getting behind the mob is difficult). For the fraction of the time I'm closing SCs or doing MBs when behind the mob, I don't think I'd get enough value out of this one to replace always active Macc, or more easily employed Yonin (for the situations where I tend to use NIN).

5) Sange? F**k Sange, as we've discussed. But theoretically, bumping that 79% Daken rate up to 100% (but, 95% hit rate ceiling for Racc if not under Sharpshot) is something for TP generation. Obnoxious to carry stacks of shuriken and refill them, or risk tossing your "good" rare ammo though, for minor DPS gain. I used to have Sange merits prior to the changes a couple years back, glad I got rid of them.

9999) Ninja Tool Expertise. LOL. No, saving a tiny amount of gil on tools is not worth your merit points.

I agree with all of what you said, but Ninja Tool Expertise has one small perk with merits and relic gloves. The trait grants an additional 5 magic accuracy per merit level when NTE procs. You can force an additional 30% NTE just by activating Yonin, and the gloves alone give 38% proc rate. Paired with 5 NTE merits, you get 93% NTE rate. So the Relic+3 hands can become the highest magic accuracy gloves ninja can use, at a whopping +63. And if you're looking to become more debuff accurate, you can double dip on ninjutsu magic accuracy merits for another+25.

In an era where a lot of these Gaol bosses resist have high resistances, it wouldn't be totally crazy if you went ninja to one of them and decided to max out NTE for the additional macc, for instance, to land Yurin or Hojo on a target like Mboze. Or even one of those pesky adds. There wouldn't be much else to merit in ninja anyways, so it's at least an option. Not saying it's groundbreaking, but NTE does happen to offer something else besides just money savings if you use the gloves. Something to keep in mind if you're looking for a max macc build.


Nagi over Gokotai if you have it
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OK, I'll admit that's an interesting thought! And even if you don't want to keep NTE merits active fulltime for that reason, if you want to temporarily switch... it's only merits. So I suppose I could see someone going for 5/5 Macc/NTE for the niche application of a max Macc set; perhaps if they are using NIN frequently for an NM like in Gaol in situations where it's not unrealistic to stick ninjutsu enfeebles but it does require a large amount of Macc.

Also worth keeping in mind that Malignance does have Macc+50, so when looking at the comparison to your next best option it's maybe a little less impressive to get a Macc+13 advantage when NTE procs. And as you said, very high proc rate with a fresh Yonin - though Yonin's NTE boost does decay with time (but assuming Yonin isn't dispelled, can pretty much always keep it at 18-30% by reapplying when Yonin is back up).

Anyway, maybe I should correct my rankings and bump NTE up to #5, and drop Sange to 9999 ;)


Relic +3 feet are higher Macc on a straight comparison.
Hachiya +3: Macc+52
Mochizuki +3: Macc+36/Skill+23 = ~Macc+59

I realize that your set uses two AF+3 pieces so unlocks Macc+15 set bonus, swinging the advantage to AF feet. However, Macc merits would favor Relic+3 thanks to additional Macc+15 from feet augment with 5/5 merits. Either one is obviously pretty strong though.

When talking about magic accuracy, keep in mind that Hachiya +3 has 20 INT, while Mochizuki +3 has none.

Good point when talking about nukes (or INT spells)... though for nukes you'd want Relic+3 feet regardless.

But for ninjutsu enfeebles... I'm actually not 100% sure how attribute affects spell accuracy. I do know that potency is not affected once they land, unlike most normal enfeebling magic. Anyone able to confirm?
- Are we positive dINT/dMND even affect enfeebling ninjutsu?
- Is it one of those attributes that affects all NIN enfeebles (as a "special" category), or spell specific? For example, do Hojo/Jubaku use MND like Slow/Para, but Kurayami (and probably Yurin since darkness spell) use INT? I'd assume they correlate to the mage enfeebling spells, but not sure I've ever seen confirmation.

FWIW, AF+3 and Relic+3 feet both have the same MND+22.

I think merits are frustrating. NIN is supposed to be this high/low enmity DD that can change on the fly but you have to pick what merits you want. That said I'd just put them into whichever you are using at the time.

Having to choose 1 of Nyame A,B,C is frustrating too.

I think the 100 r.acc from 5/5 Sange may become more relevant going foward. Those 147 Apex gears already need nearly 1700 accuracy and they are E cap evasion. We may start feeling the no ranged accuracy from madrigal.

Ninjutsu skill from master levels should help nuke damage too so that is nice.

Worth noting that Daken procs get an inherent ~100 Racc boost. The 5/5 Sange Racc is only when actually using Sange.

Every resistable spell in the game seems to have a dstat magoc accuracy term, which seems to be determined solely by spell category, not by individual spells. For example MN? enhances Holy MACC despite it being pure damage, and INT enhances Distract MACC despite it being am emfeeble whose potency is based on MND.

As such, all ninjutsu should have the same stat for magic accuracy, and while I'm unaware of any tests, I feel INT is the most likely candidate given the nature of most offensive ninjutsu, where some have INT potency mods (the damaging ones) but none of MND or CHR potency mods.

As much as it is irrelevant, because we all know that most people will be stuck to path B..

• Path A and D are actually bis for magic accuracy and by far, not Relic gloves with NTE proc or AF with bonuses etc.

• Most people know, that Path C body/hands/legs are obviously by far bis for damage on Magic Burst nukes, but not many people realize, that R25 feet and head are also bis now. This is counting in 25% unique multiplier from 5/5 mab augments on Relic+3 feet. Relic +3 feet can probably still win slightly if you use a lot of MAB buffs and make diminishing returns on Nyame's MAB a little higher

I have not seen any testing on this. I guess you could try it out in ballista using like a level 50~ NIN and a level 99 RUN. Use Odyllic Subterfuge and then try casting the Ninjutsu on the Rune. See if the -element effect lands. As far as I know, the effect is not resistable, though it is not displayed in the log in any way, so it's kind of hard to see.

A good nin I know swears by using raiton pre chi helps. I havent ever really looked into it enough. Plus I tend to make sc off chi and like to MB anyhow haha. I understand this wont exist in group play, but also nin doesnt really exist in group play .... we need SE to mnk-update us.

So theoretically, for max Hojo land rate, using Raiton (which tier?) before applying should help? Huton > Jubaku? How much elemental resistance is lowered per Ninjutsu (tier)?

yes and probably san, and from what I recall back in the day it was -30 meva. We are talking years ago and I cant even remember where I found that info. I would 100% suggest testing it before taking my word though.

I think we've discussed on this board ages ago, but does Kishar Ring's "Enfeebling Magic duration +10%" affect ninjutsu enfeebles?

Presumably not, considering they're not "Enfeebling Magic," much in the same way that our Ninjutsu buffs aren't affected by "Enhancing Magic" duration increases. It's referring to the spell school when it says Enfeebling Magic, not the effect (magic that enfeebles).

Should be able easy test in ballista. But I don't believe it works

Just like Cure Potency doesn’t effect Curing Waltz. Ninjitsu is it’s own Skill Set totally separate from Enfeebling Skill and unaffected by Enfeebling Skill gear or Enfeebling Duration gear.

Kinda what I thought re: Kishar, but wanted to double check with the group since I was cleaning up my ninjutsu/macc enfeebling set due to this discussion and would never be shocked to find some weirdness/poor translations on a piece of gear. Thanks everyone.

At least this has reminded me to put Crepuscular Earring in there, hadn't updated my set since obtaining that one (and off to a mule with you, trusty old Gwati's Earring). I actually had Hacyhiya+3 feet in my set too, but now I have myself debating a swap to Mochizuki+3 lol.

What is a Max Accuracy Set looking like nowadays. DynD has some serious Eva going on there at times. Everything looks rather obvious outside of Waist, Rings & Earrings which I’m not sure of. Assuming such is all Unity Aug items.

Max Accuracy in Dynamis means your Bard needs to Madrigal, your RDM needs to Distract III, or your GEO needs to Torpor/Precision xD.

IMO, "Max" Accuracy sets is somewhat of a misnomer and seem impractical. Most "Accuracy" sets just show tiers and item swaps that can be used to reach the requisite hit rate as an option; you wouldn't ordinarily use the highest accuracy piece possible for every slot as one build, as that usually means there's a breakdown in buffs somewhere. For instance, if you lost HM or a Madrigal via dispel, you would just make a few adjustments to hit the necessary accuracy, rather than use an entire set to overcap accuracy. But I digress.

If you mean that Malignance 5/5 is the "rather obvious" pieces in your comment above, then the accessories swaps would be something like Mache+1/Odr Earring, 2x Chirich Ring +1, R15 Kentarch Belt +1, Date Shuriken. Can probably squeeze more accuracy/racc out of using a few Artifact +3 pieces with Regal Ring, but again, I feel like that kills some of the momentum that Ninja would gain already cutting their dps to hit, since those pieces come with DW+/Daken+ stats that are not as helpful as the straight STP from Malignance.

I get all that but you could make the same argument for DW sets capping Delay. Crep + Telos Earring & Caco+1 Ring Aug then. Thx

I don’t doubt him as being wrong. I know he’s right. I’m just curious about Max Acc in Gear for NIN rather than Acc from RDM and GEO and BRD.

I mean we could even throw in a Feint w/ an Impact yet that’s out of my own hands while on NIN.

I wasn't trying to be funny or rude, just thought the idea of a "Max Acc in Gear for NIN" is somewhat misleading. How much accuracy do you need for your goal? Making a max set might go far beyond what you really need and you end up making huge sacrifices in the process, which is what I was pointing out. It's not the same as a DW set, because there is a finite number of Max DW/tier value that you would need to reach before you can focus on other stats. But you haven't provided that number for accuracy in Dynamis, so it's hard to say what is the best max acc set, unless you provide the numbers beforehand of how much acc you have and how much you need. That's what I was getting at.

As Simon pointed out earlier, Max accuracy in gear is Nyame Path A R25, at +65 accuracy/ranged accuracy per piece. Do you want to make that kind of sacrifice for "max" accuracy and give up Path B? That's why I said a set like that is a misnomer, you make major sacrifices to hit "max" accuracy. This is what a non Nyame "Max" set would look like, and I think it's not a great idea personally:

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You get a ton of accuracy everywhere, but you lose a lot of multiattack and stp to achieve it.