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

—Official Description

See also: Black Mage (Job).

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 him to do extremely high damage to an enemy, especially at later levels. A Black Mage is the only job with access to the 6 Ancient Magic Spells: Freeze, Tornado, Quake, Burst, Flood, and Flare, in addition to being the sole class with access to tier 2 and 3 -aga 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.

Contents 1 Becoming a Black Mage 2 Black Mage Abilities 2.1 Job Abilities 2.2 Job Traits 2.3 Spell List 2.4 Combat Skill Ratings 2.5 Magic Skill Ratings 3 Black Mages in Final Fantasy XI 3.1 Strengths 3.2 Weaknesses 4 Support Jobs 4.1 White Mage 4.2 Red Mage 4.3 Scholar 4.4 Other subjobs 5 Gallery

Becoming a Black MageEdit

Black Mage is a basic job in Final Fantasy XI. Players can choose to become a Black Mage 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).

Black Mage AbilitiesEdit

Job AbilitiesEdit Level  Name 1  Manafont 15  Elemental Seal 76  Mana Wall 87  Enmity Douse

Job TraitsEdit Level  Name 10  Magic Attack Bonus 15  Clear Mind 20  Conserve MP 30  Clear Mind II  Magic Attack Bonus II 45  Clear Mind III  Magic Burst Bonus 50  Elemental Celerity  Magic Attack Bonus III 60  Clear Mind IV 70  Magic Attack Bonus IV 75  Clear Mind V 81  Magic Attack Bonus V 85  Occult Acumen

Spell ListEdit

Level  Spell 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

Level  Spell 25  Aspir  Tractor 26  Stone II 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

Level  Spell 51  Stone III 52  Tornado 53  Firaga II 54  Quake 55  Retrace  Water III 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

Level  Spell 73  Fire IV  Thundaga III 74  Blizzard IV 75  Thunder IV 75 Merit  Burst II  Flare II  Flood II  Freeze II  Quake II  Tornado II 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

Combat Skill RatingsEdit  Skill Rank Caps by Level 1 37 45 75 90  Staff B- 5 109 132 240 325  Club C+ 5 105 128 230 315  Dagger D 4 101 122 210 280  Scythe E 4 94 114 200 255  Throwing D 4 101 122 210 280  Evasion E 4 94 114 200 255

Magic Skill RatingsEdit  Magic Rank Caps by Level 1 37 45 75 90  Elemental A+ 6 114 138 276 361  Dark A- 6 114 138 269 354  Enfeebling C+ 5 105 128 230 315  Enhancing E 4 94 114 200 255

Black Mages in Final Fantasy XIEdit

StrengthsEdit

• 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.

WeaknessesEdit

• 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 JobsEdit

White MageEdit

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 MageEdit

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.

ScholarEdit

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 subjobsEdit

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.

GalleryEdit

v · e · dFinal Fantasy XI Jobs
Basic Jobs
Warrior - Monk - White Mage - Black Mage - Red Mage - Thief
Original Advanced Jobs
Paladin - Dark Knight - Beastmaster - Bard - Ranger - Summoner
Rise of the Zilart Jobs
Samurai - Ninja - Dragoon
Treasures of Aht Urhgan Jobs
Blue Mage - Corsair - Puppetmaster
Wings of the Goddess Jobs
Dancer - Scholar