Black Mage (Final Fantasy XI)

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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.

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Becoming a Black Mage

Since the Black Mage is a basic job, players can choose to become a 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

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.

Trading card.

Trading card.

Triple Triad (Portal App)

A Tarutaru Black Mage appears on a Triple Triad card.

Gallery

Concept art of a Black Mage.

Concept art of a Black Mage.

Promotional artwork of the Black Mage by Yuzuki Ikeda.

Artwork of a Tarutaru Black Mage.

A Mithra Black Mage in Artifact Armor.

A Tarutaru Black Mage in the Black Cloak.

A Hume Black Mage in the Cobra Coat set.