Black Mage (Final Fantasy XI)

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
10	Blaze Spikes
12	Drain
13	Fire
15	Stonega
16	Shock
17	Blizzard
17	Warp
18	Rasp
19	Waterga
20	Choke
	Ice Spikes
	Sleep
21	Thunder
22	Frost
23	Aeroga
24	Burn
24	Poisonga
25	Aspir
25	Tractor
26	Stone II

Level	Black Magic
27	Drown
28	Firaga
29	Escape
30	Shock Spikes
30	Water II
31	Sleepga
32	Blizzaga
34	Aero II
35	Bio II
36	Thundaga
38	Fire II
40	Stonega II
40	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
55	Water III

Level	Black Magic
56	Burst
56	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
73	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
83	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
Combat Skill	Rank	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
Magic Skill	Rank	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.