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Black Mage Artifact Armor.

Through devastating magic spells, black mages bring tremendous firepower to the battlefield.

Official description

Black Mage is one of the six basic jobs available to players at the onset of Final Fantasy XI. A Black Mage has a wide variety of Offensive Magic spells that allow them to do extremely high damage to an enemy, especially at later levels. A Black Mage is the only job with access to the Ancient Magic spells: Freeze, Tornado, Quake, Burst, Flood, and Flare, in addition to being the sole class with access to tier 2 and 3 "-ga" line of Elemental Spells. They also have access to a somewhat more limited ability to weaken enemies through elemental enfeebling magic. Also, because it is desirable to end a Skillchain with a magic burst, Black Mages are one of the more popular classes to invite to parties as well as to Burning Circle battles.

Although any race can be any class, because of their high MP count and their naturally high Intelligence, Tarutaru make ideal Black Mages.

Becoming a Black Mage[]

Since the Black Mage is a basic job, players can choose to become one at any time. Players who choose to start as a Black Mage are given a scroll of Stone and an onion staff in addition to their adventurer certificate and nation's ring (if applicable).

Abilities[]

Job abilities[]

Job Ability Level Recast Duration Description
Manafont 1 1:00:00 0:01:00 Allows spellcasting without using MP.
Elemental Seal 15 0:10:00 0:01:00 Enhances the Magic Accuracy of the player's next spell.
Mana Wall 76 0:10:00 0:05:00 Allows you to take damage with MP.
Cascade 85 0:01:00 0:01:00 Grants a damage bonus to the next elemental magic spell cast based on TP consumed.
Enmity Douse 87 0:10:00 Reduces the target's enmity towards you.
Manawell 95 0:10:00 0:01:00 Eliminates the cost of the next magic spell the target casts.
Subtle Sorcery 96 1:00:00 0:01:00 Reduces the amount of enmity generated from magic spells and increases magic accuracy.

Job traits[]

Job Trait Levels Tier Description
Magic Attack Bonus 10 / 30 / 50 / 70 / 81 / 91 VI Improves power of magic spells.
Clear Mind 15 / 30 / 45 / 60 / 75 / 91 VI Raises amount of MP recovered while resting.
Conserve MP 20 / 76 II Occasionally reduces spells' MP Cost.
Magic Burst Bonus 45 / 58 / 71 / 84 / 97 V Improves magic burst damage.
Elemental Celerity 50 / 60 / 70 / 80 / 90 V Quickens elemental magic spellcasting.
Occult Acumen 85 / 95 II Grants bonus TP when dealing damage with elemental or dark magic.

Spell list[]

Level Black Magic
1 Stone
3 Poison
4 Blind
5 Water
7 Bind
9 Aero
10 Bio
Blaze Spikes
12 Drain
13 Fire
15 Stonega
16 Shock
17 Blizzard
Warp
18 Rasp
19 Waterga
20 Choke
Ice Spikes
Sleep
21 Thunder
22 Frost
23 Aeroga
24 Burn
Poisonga
25 Aspir
Tractor
26 Stone II
Level Black Magic
27 Drown
28 Firaga
29 Escape
30 Shock Spikes
Water II
31 Sleepga
32 Blizzaga
34 Aero II
35 Bio II
36 Thundaga
38 Fire II
40 Stonega II
Warp II
41 Sleep II
42 Blizzard II
43 Poison II
44 Waterga II
45 Stun
46 Thunder II
48 Aeroga II
50 Freeze
51 Stone III
52 Tornado
53 Firaga II
54 Quake
55 Retrace
Water III
Level Black Magic
56 Burst
Sleepga II
57 Blizzaga II
58 Flood
59 Aero III
60 Flare
61 Thundaga II
62 Fire III
63 Stonega III
64 Blizzard III
65 Waterga III
66 Thunder III
67 Aeroga III
68 Stone IV
69 Firaga III
70 Water IV
71 Blizzaga III
72 Aero IV
73 Fire IV
Thundaga III
74 Blizzard IV
75 Merit Burst II
Flare II
Flood II
Freeze II
Quake II
Tornado II
Level Black Magic
75 Thunder IV
77 Stone V
80 Water V
81 Stoneja
83 Aero V
Aspir II
84 Waterja
85 Break
86 Fire V
87 Aeroja
89 Blizzard V
90 Firaja
92 Thunder V
93 Blizzaja
94 Comet
95 Breakga
96 Thundaja
99 Meteor
99 Job Points Stone VI
Water VI
Aero VI
Fire VI
Blizzard VI
Thunder VI
Aspir III
Death

Skill ratings[]

Combat Skill Rank Caps by Level
49 99
Dagger D 133 334
Scythe E 124 300
Club C+ 139 378
Staff B- 144 388
Throwing D 133 334
Evasion E 124 300
Magic Skill Rank Caps by Level
49 99
Enhancing E 124 300
Enfeebling C+ 139 378
Elemental A+ 150 424
Dark A- 150 417

Gameplay[]

Black Mage FFXI Ikeda Art

Strengths[]

  • Extremely high spike damage potential.
  • Able to target an enemy's weakness by element, in most situations.
  • Black Mages have unique status ailments that can benefit the party in doing additional damage or hurting the enemy's damage potential.
  • Exclusive access to Ancient Magic and AoE elemental spells.
  • Access to Escape.

Weaknesses[]

  • Low defenses, meaning the Black Mage won't survive long while under heavy attack.
  • Without the use of traditional skillchains in experience parties, Black Mages are not able to fully realize their damage potential.
  • At high levels, it is far easier and more efficient to chain a large number of easier enemies using pure melee damage than to defeat a harder opponent with a standard party setup. This leads to very slow party invites for Black Mages at higher levels (though this is changing due to Abyssea).

Support Jobs[]

White Mage[]

This is the traditional support job of Black Mages. It unlocks decent curing abilities, raise, reraise, and barspells for more opportunities in parties. At high levels, it enables use of teleportation spells and haste.

Red Mage[]

Red Mage is an alternative but similar support job for Black Mage. It gives faster casting and access to the Dispel and Gravity spells, both of which are useful when soloing. This is by far the most popular support job for Black Mages in endgame play to help them cast their very powerful, but very slow, high level spells with Red Mage's Fast Cast. It does not, however, give access to any healing magic other than basic hit point restoration and a White Mage support job gives access to many of the same spells at an earlier level. At high levels, it also enables use of Convert and Refresh, aiding in MP conservation.

Scholar[]

Scholar has become a popular support job choice since its introduction. Dark Arts reduces the MP-cost, recharge time, and casting-time of all of a Black Mage's native spells while boosting enfeebling skill to a B-rank. Light Arts does the same for White Magic, boosting healing, enhancing, and divine skill to a B-rank. Sublimation sets a portion of the caster's HP aside to be restored later as MP in a similar manner to the Refresh spell (though they are not compatible). At high levels, it provides access to Manifestation, which enables the Black Mage to convert enfeebling or dark magic into AoE if needed.

Other subjobs[]

It is unusual to see Black Mages using any sub other than White Mage, Red Mage, or Scholar, but Ninja and Summoner are sometimes used in unusual circumstances or by inexperienced players.

Other appearances[]

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game[]

Black Mage appears on cards.

Final Fantasy Portal App[]

333a Black Mage

A Tarutaru Black Mage appears as a Triple Triad card.

Gallery[]

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