I’m playing FF5 for the first time, and I started one of the characters as a Blue Mage. However, he wasn’t learning ANY skills, so once he got Learning, I switched him to monk and made Learning his job ability. He still doesn’t have any skills, and I just finished the water crystal. Is this job broken? Should I stop wasting time trying to make it work?
If I remember right you have to be the target of one of the Monster spells. If that specific character that is either a Blue Mage or has the Learning ability equipped, it will learn spells in blue magic that you get from monsters.
Stuff like the Aqua if I remember right, you can access the spells after learning them and I believe it tells you when you learn. Later in the game you’ll want to job up the whip job that lets you control monsters and make them cast their blue magic spells on you to learn since the good defensive spells and certain level dependant spells you have to make monsters cast.
I guess I might have to check a walthru then. Because he gets hit by spells, but he doesn’t learn them. There must be certain spells that count, and I am not sure which ones. I guess I could just stop using that job until I can tame monsters…
It’s only certain spells. There’s a detailed FAQ here.
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/game/562810.html
Select “Blue Magic chart” (Gamefaqs barfs on direct links, sorry)
Generally you’ll want Mighty Guard (which is damned near impossible to get, since it’s only cast by a rare monster and you have to control him to cast it on you, but sadly worth it as it buffs your party in one cast) White Wind (a cure party spell), Doom 5 (whacks anything with a level divisible by 5) and Aero 3 or a similar damaging spell. You can ignore the rest.
You also only have a chance to learn them. Why did you switch him to Monk? It’s better to throw Learning (and then !Blue) on another mage type.
Anyway, the spells Lum listed are the ones you want, but he left out 1000 Needles, which deals a flat 1000 damage regardless of defense, and is invaluable in certain fights. Also of note are L4 Quarter and L3 Flare, which work similarly to L5 Doom in terms of what monsters they affect. Quarter hits for 75% of the monster’s health, and Flare is just regular damage.
Honestly, Blue Mages aren’t even that great, it’s just that a few of their spells are really good. Mighty Guard is the only really, really good one. 1000 Needles is the MVS in fights against things with super high defense but low HP, but there aren’t that many of those, and L5 Doom is just tremendous for grinding out quick levels if you know where to use it, but neither of those are really that essential.
So yeah, Blue Mages are great in certain situations, and have one really awesome spell. Don’t neglect Blue Magic, but really don’t forget to make a Summoner, which is really a lot better than Blue Mage anyway.
Well, as I understand it, you want each member to get lots of jobs anyway. I needed another physical attacks guy, and Galuf was the best option. The women were black and white mages and my main was a knight…I plan to switch the jobs a lot and build it up so that I can customize the party for certain boss fights, as I read once that that is a good plan.