Bubble Trouble: A Geomancer Guide

I think its been tested a couple times to be MBBII was even a comparison to using the AF(?) head vs other options for that II and it fell short

It happens the same way every time.

99% of the time I don't burst. I don't care.
Once a year I go meh. Ok lets speed this up by 3 seconds.
Stand east.
Visible Confusion.
Bring it up.
*a year passes*
Repeat

Change the damn bgwiki page and I'll remember!

Editing the page is free for anyone to do.

Yup but if I do it then my bg name won't be secret

looking forward to you whining about the same thing in a year then!

It was actually longer than I thought since last time it got mentioned. 2019. So I guess 2026.

By then someone will change the cardinal chant page to II

So the plan is to just not update the page so when it is updated we'll know who did it.

Or, you can do not that, and carry on.

For heaven's sake, you guys.

https://www.bg-wiki.com/ffxi/Cardinal_Chant
https://www.bg-wiki.com/ffxi/Magic_Burst#Enhancing_Magic_Bursts

Updated both pages, included a link to Lute's testing using BLM/GEO from 2016 on the Cardinal Chant page:
https://luteff11.livedoor.blog/archives/48328246.html

Edit: I described it as working like the job trait rather than MBDII since the latter is a gear stat while Cardinal Chant is a trait, but it's all additive anyway if I understand correctly.

Edit 2: Took out the bit where I said Lute had capped MBD on gear, here's a summary of the relevant part of the test:

Target: Ceizak Battlegrounds mandragora (lv100)

BLM/RDM (~250 JP)

MB bonus +87
- 13 from trait
- 20 from JP
- 5 from gifts
- 38 MBD1
- 11 MBD2

Aero VI -> 11755 damage
Aero VI burst (Detonation) -> 62645 damage

Roughly 11755 x 2.85 x 1.87

Switched to BLM/GEO (MP+35, INT+1)

Aero VI -> 11773 damage

With MB+14 from Cardinal Chant facing west:
Aero VI -> 67437

Roughly 11733 x 2.85 x 2.01

Using Collimated Fervor to boost the bonus to MB+21:
Aero VI -> 69786

Roughly 11773 x 2.85 x 2.08

Might be a stupid question but why Bolelabunga over Bhima for idle?

If you look above that idle set you'll see it reads "old guide". There's another set above that that uses Bhima.

Oh, I was confused because I thought that old nicely formatted part wasn't updated.

I think that Bhima set is just as outdated, aside from being unrealistic. At the very least, it needs some kind of context or a disclaimer that it's basically a list of items that can have Regen/Refresh rather than showing a practical set.

The Refresh +4 on Jhakri Robe was always a trap, that thing has no HP/MP and I just don't think it's ever worth trying to compensate for that to gain a measly 1 Refresh over other 2020 options, especially if you're wearing DM merlinic augs that have low HP/MP as well. It also sucks defensively, but I'll leave defense out of this since I think DT Refresh, idling with luopan out, etc. are different sets. The only real advantage it has is that it's extremely accessible, so basically, it's for minimally-geared GEO bots. (If I'm honest, I don't think I would bother with a full Refresh focused set nowadays and just use Refresh-based swaps into a balanced DT idle set.)

With current prices on Asura, Bhima is 120 million gil for 3 refresh and HP/MP stats that you'll likely lose from swapping sets even with elaborate swap priorities, but I guess at least you'll refresh the fake MP back faster. Seems like a massive waste to me, and it's not like you can't Aspir without a path C Bhima.
In 2020, Bhima was even more expensive, and I can tell you this because the sales history still goes back that far. I don't think anyone would buy it unless they are utterly clueless, burdened with crippling excess of gil, suffering from an unreasonable obession with GEO, or any combination of the above. I write this as a person who wants to afterglow Idris for fun.

Finally - refresh Moonshade? I guess this set is meant for a very-well looked after GEO bot then.

Being slightly worried that some poor soul is going to come across this discussion in the future while building a GEO:
For a realistic refresh idle set as of early 2023, I think you would be better off starting from Empyrean body +2/+3 and holding Daybreak, Bolelabunga or something like Mpaca Staff+your choice of grip if you don't mind blinking. Grab an Agwu Robe if you CBA with the Empyrean body but you'll probably be making an Empyrean-based burst set anyway if you're doing Sortie.
All of those options are at least 119.5 million gil cheaper and you can probably skip an HQ stinky ring by wearing Shneddick Ring to scoot around Sortie or Dyna-D faster.

Oh... well... I was building off of that. I just finished making an Idris.

What SHOULD mt idle set look like then?

like this? was too lazy to take out empy body+3 for screenshot.
oh right, relic hands+3 too.
bhima, sandy volte x4, sibyl scarf, stikini x2, shamash.

I should clarify I wasn't advocating for that set, just that the top one was "newer" than the rest of the guide

my go-to idle is bubble idle since i'm typically sitting on indi-refresh if i'm between fights, so it's something like:
sucellus, genmei, azimuth head, bagua feet, shamash, geo hands, gelatinous +1 / shneddick, dunna, pet regen cape, isa belt, telchine legs w/ petdt/petregen and bagua charm+2.

the earrings i use are etiolation and genmei but that's for lack of better options.

don't have idris, so i have to make up petdt in other slots, essentially.

mine's somewhat outdated because i'm always broke and i just recently came back, so you can look at it as a baseline to find suitable dt/refresh swaps on.

I can't tell what some of those items in the ss are.

bhima, genmei shield, dunna, volte head/body/hands/feet, sibyl scarf, moonshade earring, azimuth earring, shamash robe, 2xstikini rings +1, moonbeam cape. not sure on belt.

Shinjutsu-no-Obi +1

I don't think I will be able to get volte gear. Can someone please list alternatives? Or at the very least update the guide? This has been very confusing.

during dark matter campaigns, trade oseem merlinic pieces and hope for refresh +1 or 2. on geo just need head and feet

I sat down this morning to try and start considering Cardinal Chant when gearing, which brought me to: Geomancy Galero +3 vs. Azimuth Hood +3

Galero has 1 MAcc and 4 MND for MND-based enfeebling magic enfeebles. However, CC only affects Elemental magic so that is as big as the gap will get.

For elemental magic, if the monster is...
South: Galero wins in terms of magic accuracy regardless of CC (and even more with CC bonus), but its damage stats are so much worse that it would be a very fine line when you want to use it.

North: Galero loses because its base nuking stats are way worse (MAB/MDmg) and Magic Crits sucks.

West: An extra 17 MAtk doesn't come close to making up the gap between the pieces.

East: 22 or 28 more MBB II vs. 3 INT, 51 MAB, 31 MDmg... it is at least closer. The MBB would be about a 15% damage increase without -ra or 20% with -ra for me. The Hood's MAB alone would give about +13% (because you'll pry my Seidr Cotehardie out of my cold, dead fingers).

I definitely wouldn't advise a new GEO to make Geomancy Galero at this point and might stop using it myself. It doesn't really seem worth the space to carry it around. They should have thrown 40 MAB on it and made things interesting.

Any recommendations on this set for a v15 Ongo? Is the magic burst bonus damage a bit too low? Checkparam shows its only 25 of 40 towards the MBDI cap.

I keep hearing Quanpur Necklace is all the rage on Ongo, so I'm not sure where else to stick more magic burst damage or if its worth dropping back to Ea gear.

Also- Regal Earring or Azimuth Earring +1? 10int vs. 1 MAB & 12 m.acc.

ItemSet 390595

https://www.ffxiah.com/forum/topic/57175/all-jobs-damage-simulator-and-gear-sets#rng-link

has a different setup. obviously, that one would be with augmented gear. definitely regal earring would be better for the int. also, metamorph ring is suggested over mujin in that other link.

Try Agwu's hands and feet. Metamorph instead of Mujin ring if augmented.

Definitely Regal earring over Azimuth.

Ea cap +1 might better, probably negligible.

When doing Bumba 20, do we main hand Idris or Max Club? I've been using Max club but bubble survivability is way down.

if you do it right you main hand max, cos dematerialize is up. With luck on random deal and wildcard you have the bolstered bubble full time for the enitre fight. If not it meant the dd is to low or just bad luck. The fight should be over in 3 minutes excluding buffs.

Thanks for the feedback. So basically we buff, pull, then I should bolster and dematerialize, wait for RD/WC, dematerialize again, then if lucky the WC/RD gives me a third dematerialize. Does that track?