My gear is not very good @ level 36BLM, just some basic stuff lagging 10 or so levels. Some newer gear with much higher price tags (more than a struggling n00b can afford, at least without compromising) will give an extra INT or two. How much of a difference does it make?

When nuking in parties, I'm noticing my damage output is not as high as it used to be in say the dunes against lizzies, where I could nuke for 1/4th a mobs health. Now I'm lucky to do 1/12th -- more often than not, resisted on the IT / VT Mobs. Skill is capped or very close to cap. even if I elemental seal, I get more damage but it's not much.

Idk what food your using but i'd suggest fruit parfait ,under soups for some reason.

also int matters alot , int directly effects resistance and dmg. every int adds up its not suddenly going to spike except between tier 1 2 3 4 spells or drastically increasting your int . elemental staffs.

There is relatively cheap int gear for blms around ur lvl.
first off you should be subbin nin most of the time and dual wands is good int , seers gear, int rings . Idk what race you are but you can quest rse ( i could help if u need it) hume feet give +3 int , morion tathlum ranged slot item , shamans belt , morion earrings , all that stuff is relatively cheap you dont need+1 everything .

if u cant afford at least some of this stuff its probly time to farm.

To be blunt black mage isn't very good while exping. All HQ gear still gets plenty resisted. It's just a bad class on nasomi until 75

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this was funnier before everyone copied me

Damage falls off on BLM around 35 ish until you get elemental staves again. Once you get elemental staves you can effectively do better DPS. I believe melee will always outdps a BLM in parties though. However, at 75 they're essential for certain HNMs

And thus, my own BLM sits forever at 60. Apparently they're still useful at 75, but boy does it suck sitting in a party getting resists over and over. Trying to level myself a nice little pocket RDM alt right now, which means doing low level BLM again too. Joy.

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~~Guedj~~
WAR37 MNK10 WHM38 BLM61
RDM18 THF63 PLD15 COR24
BST75 BRD46 RNG12 SAM71
NIN37 DRG60 SMN70 BLU15
DRK0 PUP0

1 INT