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Spell details for Phalanx  

Jobs/Level:Paladin, lvl 77
Red Mage, lvl 33
Rune Fencer, lvl 68
MP cost:21
Element:Light
Scroll:Scroll of Phalanx
Duration:3 minutes
Reuse:10 seconds
Cast time:3 seconds
Target Type:Self
Description:Gives you a certain amount of damage resistance.

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Phalanx thread not BCNM
# Nov 09 2006 at 6:55 AM Rating: Decent
I'm trying to read up about this spell but keep seeing random post about the BCNM 40 you get this from. First off the BCNM is cake all you need is a brd rdm whm and any melee jobs you wish rng's work best. Brd sleeps all mobs at start, at 1 end of the bridge. Rng's focus all atention on black mandy best to pull it back across the bridge. Whm heals rng's rdm heals brd. Brd only focus's on healing self and sleeping mobs. When the black mandy starts casting flood who ever has hate just run back out of flood range. After black mandy is dead fight is cake just pull mandy's away from brd area 1 at a time.

Now that. The explanation of how to win the fight is done can we get back to what Phalanx does. I'm a Ninja and was just continplating the use of nin/rdm for soloing. Mainly for the Fast Cast job ability and the enspells. But the Phalanx and stone skin got me wondering. Was thinking with Stoneskin and Phalanx ninja would be even more ubber at soloing stuff.

What is a rdm's capped enhancing at 37 and would it even be worth it to use stoneskin and Phalanx.

Opinion's please.
Rate up or down i dont care ^^
Phalanx thread not BCNM
# Oct 05 2007 at 11:42 AM Rating: Decent
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237 posts
Ok, maybe a dumb question, but do both Stoneskin and Phalanx absorb/reduce both physical and magical damage? I'm sure SS does, but not so sure about Phalanx, although I think it does. Along with this, is damage reduction gear effective against both. I know there are distinct damage calcuations for both physical and magical damage, the former primarily based on str vs. vit, and the latter int or mnd vs. mnd, I think.

Thanks.
Phalanx thread not BCNM
# Aug 16 2007 at 8:46 PM Rating: Decent
id say youd be looking at about 120-130 capped enhancing maybe not too sure havnt capped this on a RDM char in a long time but i dont think itd be worth it in lthe long run itd help a bit but not much but you can try it you never know your luck lol
great spell
# Oct 15 2006 at 6:48 PM Rating: Decent
this is prolly one of the best spells a rdm gets and not only for soloing. in an exp party i laugh when a whm casts stoneskin on themselves cuz we all know that its wasting mp since an IT++ will wipe it clear in 1 hit taking maximum damage basically making it useless. however phalanx can be used more as a protect for stoneskin giving you about 1-4 hits (depending on the mob) for a tank to get hate off you. and when you solo, buffing with protect, stoneskin, and blink (or utsusemi if nin subbed [which every rdm above 40 soloing should sub]), phalanx seems to make them more effective. the fact that you get a few points of damage reduced when no stoneskin is nice but lets face it, enhancing magic is a pain to level and personally as a 60RDM it is gimped quite a bit at 183 (although AF makes up for it a bit), so casting it without other buffs is kinda pointless unless your farming and the mobs are dc or lower then in that case it can be a difference of 10-25 points of damage to a mere 5-10 points which is great, but then again stoneskin would seriously last until it wears due to time restrictions so again its an awesome spell but i dont think it was made to be used in conjunction with other spells... my opinion, take it or leave it.
great spell
# Jan 16 2007 at 3:24 PM Rating: Decent
Completly false, im WHM 59 on one of my characters. and stoneskin stays up for 4 hits for me... now... um.... if ur Enhancing magic skill sux it will come off and if ur armor is like lvl 1 it will come off but as for me stoneskin has saved my life plenty of times... it will last for a time proportional to the defense of your armor + 4/5ths your enhancing magic skill... ergo if you have 4 defense it will come off... if you switch to phalanx rings and holy breastplate once you have used your added mp from the old armor. it will take even IT++ mobs at least 2 or 3 hits to take it off of you.
Great spell
# Nov 28 2005 at 2:43 AM Rating: Default
Phalanx is 30k on shiva and combining this with stoneskin/blink is awesome. Great way to take on Even Matches for skill ups. With Utsusemi could be even better.
Great spell
# Nov 28 2005 at 2:42 AM Rating: Default
Phalanx is 30k on shiva and combining this with stoneskin/blink is awesome. Great way to take on Even Matches for skill ups. With Utsusemi could be even better.
Incorrect formula?
# Jul 16 2005 at 2:31 AM Rating: Excellent
34 posts
(([your enhance skill] / 7.5) - 10)

I agree that this formula is not quite right. As a Lv34 RDM with 95 Enhancing Magic Skill, this spell should theoretically reduce any incoming damage by only 2 or 3 points:

((95 / 7.5) - 10) = 2.67

But I've noticed a much greater decrease in damage taken with this spell applied, even at such a low level...I'm not sure exactly how much, but I would estimate it at around 10 points. Maybe it's as NinjaInTraining suggested with his earlier post:

((Enhancing Skill - 10) / 7.5) = Damage reduced
((95 - 10) / 7.5) = 11.33

This coincides with his observations in which he noticed a ~20 point damage reduction with an Enhancing Magic Skill of 150:

((150 - 10) / 7.5) = 18.67

Whatever the case may be, I recommend this spell to RDMs who like to do a little soloing every now and again. :)

EDIT: Tried to format it to make the formulae and numbers line up for ease of understanding, but the 'pre' tags made things even more difficult, so I just removed them.

Edited, Sat Jul 16 03:46:30 2005
RE: Incorrect formula?
# Apr 07 2006 at 1:57 AM Rating: Decent
Just tried phalanx out on NIN75/RDM37:

Skill: 106

Cactuar's 1000 needles did 992 dmg to me...

So 8 dmg reduction at my skill lvl. If a mob would normally hit me for 30, it would instead hit me for 22 with phalanx up.

RE: Incorrect formula?
# Aug 13 2005 at 8:03 PM Rating: Excellent
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437 posts
This formula seems to make more sense. I was concerned about buying this due to it's price. If it only reduced 2 at my current level it'd be a waste. This formula makes it seem a lot more worth buying. I still need more confirmation before I cough up 100k.
in Gar, Citadel
# Jul 11 2005 at 1:48 PM Rating: Decent
I used RDM/SMN, casted phalanx, and stoneskin on me, stole nin's hate with dispel and paralize, and it hit me 3 times in a row before they got the hate back, total damage done was 2
compared to protect
# Mar 30 2005 at 7:09 PM Rating: Decent
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88 posts
This is so much better than protect it defies description. Yes, you might see a reduction in damage if you have a protect 5 ranks higher than your normal protect. But this takes damage DIRECTLY off what would normally be applied to you, and that damage is subtracted BEFORE stoneskin comes into play, so basically it makes stoneskin last much much longer...

Also meaning you are free to cast whatever you want in the middle of combat for a NICE long period of time. You could probably even get a warp off mid-combat without having to chainspell it.

Again, it is important to note that the usefulness of this spell drops sharply the higher the damage per hit done to you. So if your fighting some quick hitting rogue like monster, hitting you for say 25 damage very quickly, say once per second, (and lets say phalanx absorbs 20) you are effectivly taking 5 damage per second.

But suppose you are fighting one of those big gardener lugs (like outside crawlers nest area)
that are hitting for 75 damage every 3 seconds...
they are still putting out 25 damage per second unmitigated... but phalanx will only absorb 20 damage of that so 55 goes through every 3 seconds... net effect you are taking 18 damage per second (55 divided by 3)

So tons of weak enemies, you are a god, nothing can go through. One hard hitting enemy, it helps, but your still goign to be hurting.
phalanx...donate?
# Feb 22 2005 at 2:58 AM Rating: Decent
Is this spell really necessary at lvl 34 or whatever...cause i am very poor...if your rich...i will take any donations cause i really want this spell ~Goodkitty~
phalanx...donate?
# Mar 31 2007 at 3:50 PM Rating: Decent
nope it's not that important until you solo fight something, you don't generally use it in exp pt's.
good info
# Feb 12 2005 at 3:31 PM Rating: Decent
From what I have seen having phalanx for over 30 lvls now, is that yes it is inline with enhancing magic so the higher it is the less dmg a hit you take. Really it compares to VIT in that it takes off dmg a hit but not adding to your def at all. Still phalanx is the ultimate reducing dmg spell, and you can only cast it on yourself or it would be a 1 mill gil and your pld would LOVE you!!!!
Target?
# Jan 30 2005 at 2:14 PM Rating: Decent
17 posts
Can you cast this on a -Single- Target, or is it self? Currently Lvl 20 rdm and I'm planning on buying this either way but most of the RDM enhancing spells are self cast which is fine but i would love it otherwise.
its ok.....
# Jan 01 2005 at 11:40 PM Rating: Default
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144 posts
i use this with stone skin i mean it doesnt work very well but it makes stoneskin last 3-5 hits longer outside jeuno on DC's so i guess its ok but i really wish i didnt spend 225k on it
Phalanx
# Oct 15 2004 at 5:51 PM Rating: Decent
RDM34, just leveled in Garlaige Citadel, now I have all my spells and equipment until lv 37, bought Phalanx last night, soloed a Goblin Smithy T+, now I have Stoneskin and I have a high enough enhancing magic skill to use Phalanx, this scroll is DEFINETLY worth its salt, later on I'm sure I'll find it more useful but for now I can go solo anytime. Those who think this spell is a watse don't have high enough enhancing magic skill, maybe not worth 200K but only way to get it other then BCNM 40, if it sold for cheaper maybe 100Kish it'd be more then neccessary but at 200K GO FARM! If you can manage the price tag it is DEFINETLY a spell worth having, just make sure your magic skills ok.

Edited, Fri Oct 15 18:52:32 2004
RE: Phalanx
# Nov 24 2004 at 9:40 AM Rating: Decent
agreed. RDMs can solo better than most jobs in the game and this spell is one of the many reasons. There is a very good use for Phalanx later in the game to knock down how much phys damage you take and... the underrated fact that RDM is a good sub for BLM
Phalanx
# Sep 06 2004 at 1:53 PM Rating: Decent
I am greatly disappointed with this spell its sad really Stoneskin i think works better
RE: Phalanx
# Sep 10 2004 at 12:34 PM Rating: Decent
Try bringing your enhancing up to at least 150. It should take off 10-20 damage per hit. I hear of a lot of people getting it at level 33 where they dont even have 75 enhancing. This, stacked with stoneskin with high enhancment is very good.
RE: Phalanx
# Oct 13 2004 at 12:35 PM Rating: Decent
spamming bar spells will work just fine for this
RE: Phalanx
# Oct 13 2004 at 12:36 PM Rating: Decent
heres a macro i used:
/ma "barstone" <me>
/wait 5
/ma "barwater" <me>
/wait 5
/ma "baraero" <me>
#REDACTED, Posted: Oct 27 2004 at 11:29 AM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) i think this macro would be a waste. unless you find 1 mob that can cast all of those spells.i've personally never seing a mob that castes more that 2 diferent elemental spells
RE: Phalanx
# Oct 27 2004 at 12:18 PM Rating: Decent
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55 posts
You wouldn't use this macro while fighting monsters.

You ONLY use this macro for skilling up your Enhancing Magic. Stand outside your mog house and use this macro until you're ot of mp, then run into your mog house to get your mp back and start all over.
RE: Phalanx
# Nov 03 2004 at 3:16 AM Rating: Default
thats what i meant i used this tactic while seeking a party
light effect
# Aug 23 2004 at 7:49 PM Rating: Decent
I can't believe people get to high levels and yet have no idea what elemental effects do... if you have +23 light, your holy, banish and every divine or healing spells will work just the same! the +23 will affect your elemental resistance, not your magic attack. Plus Phalanx is light based but is ENHANCING magic (much in the same way sneak is wind based but is also enhancing magic). If you have +30 wind, your sneak/invis will not be affected but by the weather and your level, likewise, even if you equip a light staff, your phalanx will depend on your enhancing magic skill and a little by weather. The only way to make phalanx stronger is with items that improve enhancing magic.
RE: light effect
# Mar 18 2005 at 1:34 AM Rating: Decent
um.. in general yeah. but when it comes to the elemental staves, it's not quite the same. for example, a fire staff has no +INT, no +elemental magic, nothing that would increase spell damage. BUT, if you cast a fire spell (Fire II for example), the fire staff gives you a 10% damage bonus. basically, the elemental staves have a hidden effect of strengthen-ing anything of hte corresponding element. so using a light staff increases your chance to charm b/c charm is a light based JA. crazy huh? anyway, this has all been exhaustively tested before. so I'm not exactly sure which post you were responding too, but he may or may not have had a valid point/question.
RE: light effect
# May 28 2005 at 3:33 PM Rating: Default
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2,961 posts
Nope. Charm only SEEMs Light Based, when in reality it really has no Element to it. It's more like Dodge. Dodge isn't affected @ all through the use of a Wind Staff.

Charm is only affected by CHR and +Charm items.

The Elemental Staves don't affect such spells as Stoneskin, Barspells, or Spike Spells, but do affect offensive spells, which is why BLMs love em, and so do RDMs sometimes.
Light based
# Aug 04 2004 at 1:09 PM Rating: Decent
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2,389 posts
I just got a light staff, and this spell is based on the light element. Does anyone have any idea how this effects the potency of Phalanx? I haven't done a test yet, but in the mean time I changed my macro to swap in the light staff. Unless it's noticable I'll probably take the equipment swap out so I don't lose TP while soloing.
nice spell
# Jun 21 2004 at 10:09 AM Rating: Good
Bought this for 125k on Ragnarok. Went outside of Jueno to test on an easy goblin. Before Phalanx Gob hit me for approx 6-22 dmg. After Phalanx it hit for anywhere between 0-12.

Im sure the dmg saved wont be major on tougher things but for farming easys etc it provides significant dmg reduction.
$$$$
# Jun 13 2004 at 1:21 PM Rating: Default
How much does it cost on the Quezalcoatl server?
#REDACTED, Posted: Jun 13 2004 at 1:20 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) How much does it cost on the Quezalcoatl server?
The Formula
# Apr 19 2004 at 10:13 PM Rating: Good
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88 posts
It does DIRECT damage reduction, meaning it takes the number DIRECTLY off the damage dealt to you. Formula for how much it reduces is as follows:

([your enhance skill] / 7.5) - 10

so if you have 75 skill it does nothing, (or next to nothing) at 90 skill it will reduce 2 points. at 135 skill it will reduce 8.

This doesn't mean much when you fight monsters which hit you for 70, but a few points off a monster that hits for 10 means the difference between being able to stand there taking hits for 2 minutes before it kills you or being able to stand there for 10 minutes...

And THAT is why people pay so much for this. By the time you hit 50 even a high end easy prey (like 36 xp) will take so long to kill that you will have to cast your en-element spell twice... the damage reduction in the long term is IMMENSE.

[edit] That formula is not quite right... I think there might be a x2 or x1.5 at the end of it somewhere. Or maybe the -10 goes immidately after the enhcance skill, instead of coming out of the end result.
My enhancing is a little short of 150 now and I'm getting close to 20 points of damage reduction.


Edited, Mon Apr 26 12:56:01 2004
Durration
# Mar 26 2004 at 1:32 AM Rating: Decent
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81 posts
I just tested the time the spell lasts. I do agree with a previous post. It lasts the EXACT same amount of time as the En- spells do.

So it lasts 3 Minutes (180 seconds).
What Phalanx does...
# Mar 05 2004 at 9:55 AM Rating: Excellent
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1,720 posts
Well, I'm a Red Mage, and I just couldn't stand not having the RDM-only spell so I dished out the gil and got it.

As to what it does? I've heard lots of ideas proposed online ... it's like uber-Stoneskin, or high Protect. The truth is (as best as I can tell) that it is neither of those.

When you cast it on yourself, you still take damage. It lasts as long as an En-spell. It is like Stoneskin in the sense that it reduces both physical and magic damage, usually significantly. Enemies my level, however, still deal large amounts of damage to me. This damage is noticably reduced, but still painful. However, Easy Prey and Too Weak enemies can barely touch me.

It doesn't act like armor in the sense that the reduction is far more significant. I get the sense that the damage reduced is applied before the damage hits your "armor reduction" formula, because of the amounts that different damage hits are reduced. I would almost say Phalanx supercedes your defense, and takes a chunk out of the hit before it hits you.

Another thing is that, unlike Stoneskin, it has a constant duration, meaning that if you take 10 damage or 1000 damage during its duration, it'll still last the exact same amount of time.

All-in-all, is this spell necessary? During party play I use it along with Stoneskin before I perform an in-battle Convert. Other than that, no, not really useful. Is it useful in solo play? Extremely useful. When I help other people do quests and stuff, I basically never have to heal. A paladin with more than twice my defense will take more damage from weak enemies than I will with Phalanx on.

Also, I believe that Phalanx augments Stoneskin in the sense that the amount of damage delivered to the Stoneskin spell is curbed by the Phalanx reduction. So you get to stay invulnerable a little longer ^^

Buy this spell if you like to fight outside of parties and have the money to spend. It's neither critical nor extremely useful to party play, but outside of party it lets your Red Mage excel, and if you're like me, you chose Red Mage because he has the ability to do a little bit of everything ^^
RE: What Phalanx does...
# May 02 2005 at 12:29 AM Rating: Decent
You should have really just checked the effect up in the status bar. It says right there that it gives you "Damage Reduction"
lvl 40 bard
# Feb 19 2004 at 12:48 AM Rating: Default
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53 posts
best way to do this is to have a lvl 40 bard cast group sleep on the dragoras...then focus on the main one while the others are asleep...

other pt config prolly wouldn't matter much then since group sleep is in effect
Phalanx
# Feb 18 2004 at 9:33 PM Rating: Default
Can someone who has used this spell PLEASE clarify what it actually does? Damage resistance against what, and to what degree? It makes it sound like Protect IIĀ½ or something.

RE: Phalanx
# Feb 24 2004 at 12:57 PM Rating: Default
from what i hear it is like casting protect IV and shell IV on yourself, and it stacks w/ any protects and shells that are cast on you, so in essence you could have protect 8 and shell 8!!!
this is just what i have heard
RE: Phalanx
# Mar 12 2004 at 5:11 PM Rating: Good
Not really I'm sure Protect VIII Would be more than 2 protect VI's

Because look at Protect II (+25 defense)
Protect I (+10 defense)
If you could have 2 Protect I's on that would only be (+20 defense)
Phalanx
# Feb 14 2004 at 11:56 AM Rating: Default
I hear the best way to fight this mobs is to have a bard use the group sleep song. Doing this will put all the mobs to sleep and the rest of the party can take out one at a time.
#Anonymous, Posted: Feb 13 2004 at 6:27 PM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post)
RE: ODIN SERVER HELP!
# Feb 13 2004 at 6:34 PM Rating: Default
Hi, If there is anyone on Odin that wants to fight the BCNM LVL 40, I will be happy to provide the star orb...or a couple of star orbs if need be! I have tried, and tried to get Phalanx, without paying the 240k-300k at the Jeuno AH 3 times now, and was fortunate enough to escape 1 time and die the next 2..but I have never seen the thing beaten before...I really want Phalanx (just like every other "poor" RDM out there) and will stop anything I'm doing to get the chance to do it again with a more experienced group that knows the best strategy for defeating these mobs, so please send a tell if you get bored!! I would be in your debt forever :p!!

Orius=== Odin server
LVL 47RDM/23BLM....(today) 48RDM/24BLM...(tonight)
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