Puppetmaster Guide: Support Jobs

Category:Guides
==Masters of Manipulation: The Role of a Puppetmaster==
From its humble beginnings, the role of a Puppetmaster has developed from a dismissable damage dealing class to a job which varies greatly in use depending on how the player decides to utilize their puppet. Needless to say, without their Automaton a Puppetmaster is nothing. One's puppet may serve as support healer of a party with the Soulsoother Head in use, or dish out impressive damage when using the Spiritreaver Head or Sharpshot Z-500. This leaves the role of the actual Puppetmaster in question, but they mainly serve as a damage dealer in parties, or as their own tank when soloing. Either way Puppetmaster is a powerful job which is still overlooked when it comes to party invites.
==Race-Job Combinations==
Quite honestly this should not matter at all, except for when it comes to AF; Galka just don't look right. Seriously, it's a scary sight to be seen. Anyhow, to be a proper guide I'll do a quick breakdown for each race and remind people the perks of choosing one race over the other.
===Hume===
* As a Hume you're well rounded and can serve as any job equally. Having no downfall is a good thing, especially with a job that relies on several different stats. Being average in everything allows for any gear or sub to be used efficiently. That being said, like any race you will most likely be spending all of your gil getting every last piece of strength, attack, accuracy, and evasion gear you can find to help improve your damage and soloing ablity. That is if you have any left after purchasing all of your attachments.
===Elvaan===
* Since Puppetmaster greatly lacks strength gear at all times, Elvaan serves a use with coming with a little extra of its own, and when added with the extra vitality, weaponskills ought to show a bit more damage when compared to a few of the other races. Pretty much you'll make the best use out of melee support jobs. But that is where the perks end, you'll still be hunting for the same gear as everyone else.
===Tarutaru===
* The antithesis to an Elvaan, Tartarus have a great disadvantage when it comes to strength and vitality, but they receive plenty of intelligence and MP to make up for it. They also have slightly higher agility which helps them evade while soloing, and because of their natural talents for magic classes, they work the best with mage subs. Needless to say, they are also the cutest looking in the AF.
===Mithra===
* Basically a Hume's slightly weaker, unfriendly cousin. Mithra excel at dexterity and agility, meaning they have a better chance at dodging and hitting something. Other than that they are basically like a Hume, with average HP and a dismissable loss in strength and vitality. 
===Galka===
* Galkan Puppermasters are basically miniturized versions of a Monk who lack the awesome job abilities. With high vitality, strength, and HP, Galka are natural powerhouses just like Elvaans. Don't be expecting too much damage though, you probably will never pull hate off the tank unless you cheat by using Provoke or Light skillchain with your Automaton. The downfalls of being Galka are you'll have slightly lower agility and you won't benefit as greatly from subbing mage jobs. Don't get me wrong, you can get MP gear, but it would come at the sacrifice of strength, attack, evasion, and accuracy.
==Support Jobs==
After all that it's time for the actual purpose of this guide: possible support jobs for Puppetmaster. In this section I'll cover all other jobs and explain how beneficial or useless they would be when used as a support job for Puppetmaster. Of course this will all be in opinion, so take nothing as fact and feel free to experiment for yourselves. Being this is of my opinion, however, DO NOT edit it, instead please add your own bullet after mine detailing your own opinion or experiences.
===Warrior===
* Whenever someone wants to pack on damage, subbing Warrior is usually the path they go. Every skill and trait gained by Warrior are useful except for Defender since you will still take a heavy amount of damage. Berserk, Warcry, Attack Bonus, and Double Attack on-the-other-hand, come in handy when it comes to boosting your damage dealing potential. In most cases this becomes the major support job for many Puppetmasters past level twenty-five since that is when the first Martial Arts trait is gained.
Heicko's opinion:
* This is one of the best support jobs for soloing as Puppetmaster when used in conjunction with the Stormwaker or Soulsoother. Provoke allows the Puppetmaster to keep hate easily and also enhances offence to a good enough degree to speed up kills. Also a good choice for grouping in smaller parties if the Puppetmaster is tanking.
Stealthylotus' opinion:
* This support job also goes well with the Sharpshooter frame. I found myself using this support job in the dunes because my Sharpshooter frame would do more damage than me and it's defense is not that great, especially at that level. Provoke comes in very handy.
===Monk===
* When and if a Puppetmaster decides to party in Valkurm Dunes, Monk would most likely be the support job of choice due the fact Puppetmaster doesn't receive its own Martial Arts trait until level twenty-five. Afterwards the benefit of subbing Monk decreases greatly, but if you solo at high levels, Counter, Dodge, Focus, Chakra and the ability to utilize the Wrestler's Mantle may be worth looking into.
===Thief===
* When you find yourself in need of more gil, or wish to help a Ninja tank properly for once, Thief instantly becomes the support job of choice. Stat-wise, the increase isn't any better than any other support job, but with Sneak Attack you will get a boost in damage for your weaponskills. Needless to say an actual well-geared Monk will probably still outdo your damage, though. That is until you decide to skillchain with your Automaton. Other than that, subbing Thief always comes in handy for farming no matter what your main job may be.
===White Mage===
* This is the job every class should sub their first ten levels if they don't already have Puppetmaster leveled to do so. White Mage comes in handy for soloing during earlier levels when your Automaton isn't too trustworthy, or for when in parties that need a support healer and you do not have the Soulsoother Head yet. This support job becomes easy to adapt to due to a Puppetmaster's armor selection, but to be efficient in parties, it would be wise to keep your Automaton in a mage frame as well so you can both make use of resting for MP. Let's also not forget the utility of the Sneak and Invisible spells, which aid greatly when traversing dangerous areas.
===Black Mage===
* Black Mage serves as an odd support job for any melee except for Dragoon, but none-the-less it has its uses for a Puppetmaster as well. Although it has no practical use in a high level party except to baffle people, earlier levels it may prove an interesting combination for soloing or occasionally in parties. For soloing you may Drain the mob for HP and cast Ice Spikes on yourself for added defense. In either senario though, you can make use of the elemental debuffs that your Automaton can't cast, nor can anyone else who isn't part Black Mage. The ability to cast Warp and Escape is also quite useful for getting out of danger and back to a city to log off or continue seeking for a party. Obviously the usefulness of Black Mage as a support job is limited and would be short-lived at best.
===Red Mage===
* Exactly as the job is meant to be, it's a mix of both Black Mage and White Mage, but that doesn't necessarily make Red Mage better than either one. Fast Cast wouldn't be too great a boon since you probably won't be casting magic often enough to make it matter, but it is still good to have. Without Curaga and Raise you won't be considered a party saver, but you can still cast up to Cure III and keep certain people alive. When it comes to Black Magic, you don't gain anything useful at all, unless you count Blaze Spikes, but you will not get that until a later level than you would subbing Black Mage. The real bonuses for subbing Red Mage are Dispel, Phalanx, and the En-spells, which all boost your soloing ability. In fact that is pretty much what subbing Red Mage is only good for in this case: increasing survivability while soloing, but I cannot say if it is better than using other jobs or not.
Finalrobo101's Opinion:
*This job is a great sub-job for PUP. It allows the user to buff his party along with his Automaton. Spells such as Barwater, Barfire and Baraero are great to use along side an automaton.
===Paladin===
* If you never bothered leveling White Mage or Red Mage, Paladin could be used as a support job to cure yourself while soloing at lower levels. With a low MP pool and no useful abilties or traits, Paladin quickly becomes one of the more useless support jobs for Puppetmaster. The only other place this sub may be useful is in PvP matches where Defense Bonus, Auto Refresh, and the ability to cast a Flash of your own may turn the tide of a battle.
===Dark Knight===
* Although you gain the second Attack Bonus, Dark Knight never makes too great a support job for normal use. Sure, you gain Last Resort, but it loses out to Berserk when comparing the increase in attack. Souleater is also fun to use as Dark Knight, but as a Puppetmaster with hand-to-hand weapons it will most likely result in your death as it eats away 10% of your max health per hit and generates a great deal of enmity. In addition, although you may gain access to a few of the stat-absorbing spells, your Dark Magic skill would be so low your spells would most likely be resisted every time. At later levels I would only advise subbing Dark Knight under special conditions where Stun is desperately needed, assuming it doesn't get resisted as well.
===Beastmaster===
* It may seem redundant to sub another pet class, but having Beastmaster already fully leveled gives Puppetmaster several benefits that may come in handy. If you tend to get your Automaton killed often, you may always quickly Charm a nearby monster to take its stead until your recast timer on Activate is up. Also while soloing, the granted Killer Effects will give a bit of an edge in a battle against certain monsters. But if you're a good Puppetmaster, this job combination should never cross your mind as you wouldn't ever need such a safety net.
===Bard===
* Bard makes a great sub when you're at the point where soloing is too boring to do alone and there is no refreshers seeking for a party. Although subbing Bard only grants you the ability to sing one song, the only song people would most likely expect from you is Mage's Ballad in order to keep the mage's MP up. You may also cast a different song for the melee in the party assuming your tank isn't a Paladin. Obviously, subbing Bard when there is no Red Mage or actual Bard around would probably net you more invites than seeking with any other support job.
===Ranger===
* A Puppetmaster's main benefit when subbing Ranger is gaining access to the two Accuracy Bonus traits, which give an additional twenty-two Accuracy. Wide Scan, Scavenge and Camouflage may have some fun uses, but they do not make up for the fact the plethora of range-related skills are utterly useless. This support job is best for lower levels, or any situation in which increased accuracy is thought to be desperately needed. In my opinion, Warrior would still serve you better, even with its lack of accuracy.
Blurryhunter's Opinion:
*Up to 30, again due to Warrior sub gaining Berserk, Ranger is viable as the only job to grant an Accuracy Bonus very early on. Nothing else about this subjob really stands out since the Job Abilities are practically useless for a Puppetmaster. However, the big kicker is that up until 30 most subjobs don't offer alot, even more so in the Valkurm Dunes range, and an Accuracy Bonus goes a long way towards assisting a job that finds itself running on very little gear choices.
===Samurai===
* Subbing Samurai will give Puppetmaster the ability to gain TP slightly faster than most other jobs. This is, of course, because of Meditate and the TP Bonus traits. Zanshin will also kick in once in a while as you happen to throw any missing jabs, giving you an extra chance to hit the target. However, since hand-to-hand weaponry is not considered to be two-handed, Puppetmasters do not have use for Seigan and Hasso. I would not advise sticking with this combination unless you find your TP growth steadier and your Weapon Skills are doing worthwhile damage.
===Ninja===
* No matter what your main job is, there is guaranteed to be a use for subbing Ninja for one reason or another. I won't say it's best to make use of Dual Wield, but if you wish, you can always run around wearing two daggers, two clubs, or one of each. The real purpose of this sub is the ability to cast Utsusemi, Tonko and Monomi. They are rather useful for both soloing and end-game events. The latter two spells are great because they save on buying Prism Powder and Silent Oil, and they also do not attract magical monsters like Invisible and Sneak. Although it may not be the best for experience-gaining parties, Ninja makes for a good support job as it has many different uses.
===Dragoon===
* I have heard great stories about subbing Dragoon since back in the day Puppetmaster was new. With this job you gain access to an Accuracy Bonus, an Attack Bonus, Jump, High Jump, and anti-dragonness. While Dragon Killer may come short in uses, Puppetmaster can certainly make use of both stat bonuses. As for the two jumps, they both aid in dishing out additional damage, as well as gaining you some extra TP. I recall some arguments stating that subbing Dragoon was best for TP gain due to all the Haste gear associated with it. Either way, this combination is probably worth trying out when you are bored, but there are definitely better options.
Blurryhunter's Opinion:
*Up to 30 (due in large part to Warrior sub gaining access to Berserk) Dragoon makes a good subjob for damage. On top of the Attack Bonus the sub would grant you, you also gain access to the Jump Job Ability. While some may question it looking funny, Jump is free damage and TP every one minute and thirty seconds. From personal experience I chose to sub Dragoon over Dark Knight due to gaining Jump and the Attack Bonus trait vice just the Attack Bonus trait and Arcane Circle.
===Summoner===
* Although it would appear useless in most cases, anyone creative enough would actually be able to make use of Summoner as a support job. Now, granted you will have to dismiss your puppet in order to make use of any of the summons, but in doing so you will gain access to several party buffs: Shining Ruby, Aerial Armor, Frost Armor, and Whispering Wind. You also gain access to a few debuffs that may prove useful as well. However, even with Auto Refresh, you will need to rest for MP often if you don't cast spells sparingly. Overall, Summoner isn't a good support job for Puppetmaster since it does interfere with the use of your automation. Seriously, don't bother even trying it.
===Blue Mage===
* Think Red Mage, but then limit the amount of spells you have access to at once and add in extra stats when you equip certain spells: that's what Blue Mage is all about. It's very similar to subbing Red Mage. You're best off equiping the few healing spells and defensive buffs you gain access to. Your other spell choices would serve to just increase your stats, as debuffs and attacks aren't likely to stick at higher levels. Blue Mage would be an interesting support job when soloing or in a PVP match, but nothing else.
=== Corsair ===
=== Dancer ===
* Despite my avatar's appearance in its AF, Dancer turns out to be a really fun job when it's your main. Given that Dancer has skills which utilize TP, instead of spells which cost MP, you don't have to stoop to dressing as a mage to help support the party. The bad part is that most of its better uses don't come until later; namely the Waltzes. In fact, the only skill you would have for some time is Drain Samba. However, starting at level thirty, this option picks up some momentum and would make a great subjob whether you're playing solo or in a party. While the eventual Accuracy Bonus would have been the highlight for added traits originally, the late game gain of Skillchain Bonus seems like a greater perk for some boosted damage.
Beestyboy's Opinion:
*From Level 30 Dancer can be a very affective sub-job all the way up to 75, curing waltz helps curing while soloing and parties when your pups are busy or in a different frame and spectral jig also comes in handy at 50 and after a while /DNC really does help leveling puppetmaster to 75, but i wouldnt suggest using /DNC until 30 for all you get is Drain Samba which is only from 20+.
Heicko's Opinion:
* Dancer is a good support job soloing when using other frames than the Soulsoother and Stormwaker heads for cures. As these frames can normally manage all the healing the dancer sub may not be needed but it is good for using with the other frames. For when you want to try keep your other frames skill capped whilst soloing dancer would be the ideal sub.
HydroMerano's Opinion:
*I believe Dancer would utilize better for Puppetmaster due to the fact, we lack alot of Dexterity to begin with (Even as a Mithra), and this helps bring some balance into that, not only that it provides Steps, Sambas, Waltzes, not to mention after 60 we get a much needed Accuracy Bonus, for Elvaan Puppetmaster's this job is more recommended than Warrior (In my humble opinion of course). I don't ever see a downside to this job and its also fun to be able to help heal the party while, lets say your puppet is in mid cast, or if you want it to deal damage instead of heal.
=== Scholar ===
Strudl's Opinion:
* For 60+ Scholar is a great sub for when you are healing a party as it provides you with upto cure 3 and has a large amount of the ~na spells (Poisona etc) and (74 subbed)Regen II, not only that but it also has conserve MP/Max MP boost ontop of its 10% Cost/cast time reduction, not to mention it raises your skill to that of a level 75 SCH with Light/Dark arts active, allowing you to utilize its drain/aspir functions... With Addendum: black you gain access to Sleep and as mentioned above your enfeebling will be raised with Dark arts and thus allowing you to sleep on PUP, this can make a great combination with the Black/Red turban as they can fire off a spell, you can sleep and continue on... There are resists on sleeps however and that is where stratagems kick in, You have a half cost stratagem or a half cast (also halves recast timer of spell used) at 60+ you gain 2 stratagems (1 charge per 2 minutes), as PUPs may know automations MP is easily refreshed by attatchments or Deactivating at 100% HP and reactivating, so your puppets MP is good no matter what... SCH has (level70 Subbed) Sublimation with goes off 1/4 of your HP (w/o HP+/) I think on my Hume i gain around 250MP when its fully stored, which is the actual amount of MP my PUP has; this makes it one of the nicer suppot jobs for when you wish to sleep/nuke on PUP or skill your automatons magic with less risk of it being hit.
=== Geomancer ===
=== Rune Fencer ===
I randomly decided to visit the wiki for FFXI after all these years, nearly forgetting I had made this article. It makes me happy to see you guys have made up for my slack while this was still relevant. Not sure how useful it is now that the cap is level 99. -Bohemund