December 4, 2011 - Augh.

Severe Rainstorm now: Damage (%) = (40 * Skill Level + Dex + Agi/5)* Base Level/100SP Cost: 70 + (10 * Skill Level) Cast Time: 0.5 (fixed) + 2.5 (var) Cast Delay: 1 Second Cooldown: 5 Seconds Duration: 0.3 + (0.6 * Skill Level) Seconds

Severe Rainstorm post-balance patch:  Fixed Cast Time: 0.5 second Variable Cast Time: (1 + 0.5 * Skill Level) secondsSkill re-use Delay: (4.5 + 0.5 * Skill Level) secondsGlobal Skill Delay: 1 secondAoE: 11x11Number of hits: 12ATK [{(Caster’s DEX + AGI) x (Skill Level / 5)} x Caster’s Base Level / 100] %

SP cost goes up, cast time goes up, after-cast delay goes up, damage goes down, fml.  Why did they have to nerf the only leveling skill performers have?  Ugh, I'm going to need to invest in an Elven Bow + Elven Arrows just to have worthwhile damage, and I'll need to buy Increase Weight Limit certs just to be able to carry all the potions I'll need to survive the strays that don't get OHKO'd by SR while I'm waiting for the delay to go away.  Oh well, at least ABs aren't getting hit with the nerf stick.  Rangers are getting a slight boost, too, so I'll finally have a reason to level Liseur.

So, costume tabs.  I like the idea, and the headgears in the Kafra shop right now are really cute, but I wish they would have implemented it so you can use older, non-Kafra headgears for costuming as well.  I have a ton of useless, cute headgears that I'd love to be able to use as a costume.  I mean, as much as I love the effect of my Dark Randgris Helm, it is kind of ugly.  I'd like to be able to replace its sprite with a Boy's Cap and (unslotted) Elven Ears.  Same with my Crown of Deciet.  It's actually not a terrible sprite, but it isn't CUTE, so I'd like to replace it with a Coronet and Small Ribbons or something else adorable.

I have Filliah's final stat and skill build planned out, so I'm going to be working on her this winter break.  Well, in between turning in applications, because this was my last week of work for CDS until next semester and I need something to pay my bills between now and then.  Anyway.  Her final ungeared stat/skill build is as follows (keep in mind she's currently FS and might go hybrid FS/battle endgame):

STR: 30+5

AGI: 98+4

VIT: 100+5

INT: 100+8

DEX: 80+6

LUK: 48+0

Divine Protection 5     Blessing 10     AGI Up 10     Angelus 10 (4 Aco+6 HP)     Heal 10     Ruwach     Teleport 2     Warp Portal 4     Pneuma     Aqua Benedicta

Lex Divina 5     Lex Aeterna     Slow Poison 4     Resurrection 4     Increase SP Regen 5     Sanctuary 7     Kyrie Elesion 10     Magnificat 5     Assumptio 5     Imposito Manus 5     Suffragium 3     Asperio 5     Status Recovery     Meditatio 3

Clementia 3     Ancilla     Epiclesis 5     Preafatio 10     Canto Candidus 3     Lauda Agnus 4     Lauda Aramis 4     Clearance 5     Silentium 5     Coluseo Heal 3     Renovatio     High Heal 5

Sadly I didn't have room for Secrament.  Hopefully future parties will forgive me.  I opted for KE 10 and Prefatio 10 because there will be moments when KE is actually more useful than Assumptio, and I'd like to have the option of switching between the two as needed.  I wish there was a party Assumptio skill, that would make my life infinitely easier, but I can make do with the single target skill as it is.  All the AB healing skills were necessary, IMO, because I'll need to cycle through all of them when I FS for big parties so I can keep everyone standing.  Renovatio will be especially useful for mobbers/tanks, I feel.  Now I just need to get some gear to help out with that.  I'm doing pretty good with what I have on her now; the +7 Dress Hat and +5 Dea Staff really work wonders, and the Morpheus Shawl/Bracelet/Ring do help out a bit as well.  I would really like to replace her +4 Low-Level Shoes with some +4 Low-Level Valkyrie Boots, but I need another Gold Acidus card in order to make that happen.  Eventually I'll replace her Dress Hat and Dea Staff with a Benevolent Guardian and Holy Stick, in order to up her healing potential.  When that happens, the Dress Hat and Dea Staff will most likely go to Arekshandah, and the Heal Staff and +7 Yggdrasil Crown he's wearing will go to my sister's FS, Raziel.  In the meantime, does anyone know of a good headgear card for an FS HP/AB?  I was thinking maybe Rideword, but you don't really get the full benefit of that one without havig the rest of the Aco card set, and right now that's a no-go since I'm using a two-handed staff.

Blargh.  I feel like crap.  It's so cold that I'm running my normal central heat, my space heater, AND I'm wrapped up in a shawl and like five blankets.  What the hell, this is Alabama, it's not supposed to be this cold here!