Corsair: Guide by Yemaya

Corsair Theme
New Levels mean new knowledge, so I added some data and information. --Yemaya 09:49, 5 May 2007 (CDT)
Level 73 and some time to play with Quick Draw --Yemaya 20:28, 23 June 2007 (CDT)
Level 75, unlocked Detonator, collecting Merit Points to cap Phantom Roll Recast, Quick Draw Recast, Fold and Winning Streak (actually 11/54)--Yemaya 20:58, 5 July 2007 (CDT)
== 5 min Window for Corsair ==
Phantom Roll has a 1 minute recast and every roll stays for 5 minutes. Additionally, the Corsair can't reroll a die if the same effect has not worn off. So he has to wait until the effect wears off or he has to "overwrite" the effect with a different roll.
This results in a ~5 minute window to give 4 buffs to 2 different parts of the party. Normally you can split the party in two parts:
*Melee
*Mages
Normally, a Corsair starts with the mages, to keep the the melee buffs on himself. The rolls a COR uses depends on the party setup, mobs and level.
Timetable:
#First roll on mages - 0:00
#Double-Up (if necessary) - 0:01-0:45 max
#Dealing damage on mob with Gun+Bullets or boost up enfeebling magic with Quick Draw until Phantom Roll is ready again - ~0:45-1:00
#Second roll on mages - 1:00
#Double-Up (if necessary) - 1:01-1:45 max
#Dealing damage on mob with Gun+Bullets or boost up enfeebling magic with Quick Draw until Phanrom Roll is ready again - ~1:45-2:00
#Third roll on melee (Important: Don't hit the mages!) - 2:00
#Double-Up (if necessary) - 2:01-2:45 max
#Dealing damage on mob with Gun+Bullets or boost up enfeebling magic with Quick Draw until Phanrom Roll is ready again - ~2:45-3:00
#Fourth roll to melee (Important: Don't hit the mages!) - 3:00
#Double-Up (if necessary) - 3:01-3:45 max
#Dealing damage on mob with Gun+Bullets or boost up enfeebling magic with Quick Draw until Phanrom Roll is ready again - ~3:45-5:00
#When the first roll wears off, start with step 1 again.
== Phantom Roll ==
Everyone hit by a roll gets the effects of the roll even if those effects aren't useful for that player, i.e. refresh roll for a job with no mp or pet acc roll for a job with no pet. There are some Rolls that have increased effects on their optimal job! Two of these are:
*Samurai Roll - Enhances "Store TP" effect for party members within area of effect
*Fighter's Roll - Improves "Double Attack" rate for party members within area of effect
The Samurai Roll effects all jobs .. so everyone that has the effects of this roll gets more TP per hit. A Store TP + 20 means you get 12% TP instead of 10%. With a SAM in PT and an XI total on rolls, you get 12.5% instead of 10%. So you gain TP 20% faster.
The Fighter's Roll not only effects WAR!! Everybody gets effect. WAR makes it stronger. 
At least this area is good for experimentation. Keep in mind the fact that melee that can do much dmg per hit or can hit multiple times, but missing very often is inefficient. In some cases a ACC boost is better than a dmg boost!
Keep in mind that you remove any Bust if you simply zone!!
== Damage ?! ==
A well equipped Corsair can deal 50-100 dmg per shot, 80-160 dmg with a weapon skill (55+ gives you Slug Shot that deals 400-500 dmg on normal Mobs and up to 800 dmg on Mobs weak to piercing), and every minute 140+ dmg with Quick Draw (60+ you have AF hat that increases dmg to 180+). If you have a party member building TP, with your speed you can participate in Skillchains as well. Level 60 gives you Barrage which can deal up to 500 dmg. 
As COR/RNG , every 5 minutes you have the possibility to make a nice combo:
Sharpshot -> Slug Shot -> Barrage -> Slug Shot .. This combo is done in less than 60 seconds, my own dmg record on Colibris with this was ~1900 dmg in less than 30 seconds (700+ first Slug Shot, Barrage hits with 5 Bullets and deals ~500 dmg and set TP to 96%, one more Shot for like 90 dmg to get TP 100%+, second Slug Shot deals only 650 dmg .. I didn't have Quick Draw ready for additional 180 dmg ; ;) .. the nightmare for every tank.
Example: Corsair in action ^^
== Food ==
Most players make the bad mistake of using high-level food during low levels, and don't get the full effect. For Corsair you need food that raises RACC at first and later AGI. Squid Sushi is an excellent food, but don't use it before lvl 30 when you get the Noct Doublet Set and a higher base RACC. The reason is simple: Squid Sushi gives +15% RACC, and with little base RACC at low levels you get nothing with +15% of it. So use Jack 'o' Latern for Level 1x-30 (1x means the level you starting in Dunes/Buburimu). 
== Weapons ==
Corsair can use Swords (B-), Daggers (B+) and Gun's (B).
Why SE makes skill for Gun's to B and not A+ is a riddle (maybe because they didn't want to create a new RNG job which can also buff?). The first pirates and corsairs the "Buccaneers" in the 17th century in the Caribbean Islands. These guys were excellent riflemen and I'm sure better than only B. :) For more informations of the Buccaneers read: Buccaneers (Wikipedia)
=== Main Weapon ===
Before lvl 28 you can use a sword to do more dmg and build TP. Archer's Knife (lvl 28) gives +10 RACC +1 AGI .. best Weapon till lvl 61 where you change to Trailer's Kukri.
=== Gun! ===
Firefly @ level 5, first gun and +1 AGI *Rare/Ex from West Sarutabaruta treasure chest.
Musketoon or +1 at level 6. Even the +1 does less damage than Firefly, but non-Rare/Ex
The first Gun you get level 15 (Bandit's Gun), you don't need the +1, because it makes no difference. First gun to outclass the Firefly
If you have enough Gil buy the Pirate's Gun +1 for lvl 27. This Gun has +5 RACC. If you don't have the money, wait for Mars's Hexagun that gives +3 RACC and be much cheaper. Another alternative if you have good RACC (dual wield hawkers + Noct gear) is Military Gun DMG: 23 Delay: 548 Ranged Attack +7
Lv. 30 THF / RNG / NIN / COR Damage Per Second: 2.52 TP Per Hit: 14.6%
At lvl 36 buy Darksteel Hexagun or if you have the money Darksteel Hexagun +1.
If you have only the normal Darksteel Hexagun replace it with Trump Gun at lvl 40 (COR AF Gun), if you have +1 keep it!
Level 60 brings the Shark Gun you get for 16,000 imperial standing points. If you don't have this much points and/or the needed Mercenary Rank Corporal, keep Trump Gun/Darksteel Hexagun +1. 
Only if you don't get the Shark Gun with lvl 60 you can think about the Hexagun on lvl 65 .. if you still use Trump Gun only change if you miss to often .. the more RACC may be help.
Next Gun you get is the Gun of Trials with lvl 71. It don't have any RACC bonus, but you can unlock it on this way easily to get the weapon skill Detonator. If you have the 300 WS points take your old Gun for more RACC.
Last and best Gun you get on lvl 72 .. Coffinmaker. This Gun is a KS30 drop. Please unlock the Latent BEFORE you use it in EXP party's!! Unlock the Latent need 500 WS points. You can build TP with Dagger/Sword and only make WS with the Gun to save Bullets (best place is Kuftal Tunnel because Crabs are easy pray so you don't miss often).
== Useful Equipment ==
There Some very usefull equipment that you can use as COR and specifically as COR/RNG:
*Beater's Aspis (/RNG only)
*Beater's Earring (/RNG only)
*Gun Belt (/RNG only, brings you Slug Shot with Level 55 instead lvl 56!!)
*Feather Collar +1 (be careful .. german version says RACC +5 .. that's wrong!! It's only +2)
*Diabolos's Torque with lvl 70 (if you, like me, one of the unlucky guys, don't get Charm from NM and neither from BC ; ;)
*Vision Earring
*LV 72 you can use Pahluwan Body/Hands/Legs/Boots .. keep Corsair AF Hat
RACC rings you can use the cheap -ACC +RACC ones you can find normaly every 10 Level. Normaly the +1 is cheap too. COR/RNG don't realy need ACC, so Sniper Ring is a waste of money.
== Quick Draw ==
The accuracy for Quick Draw depends on your AGI. If your AGI is too low you get resists. To lower resist rate, a good way is to build equip changes in your Quick Draw macros. I use 2x Drone Earring and 2x Jadeite Ring (later you can replace it with 2x Emerald Ring). Since you can change your equip in your Quick Draw macros don't forget to change it back with your range attack macro! The damage from cards depends on your current base RACC (dmg from gun + ammo) and your magic attack. If you want to maximize your card damage you have to use a high dmg gun and corsair bullets and use Wizzard's Roll and Magic ATT equip (like Moldavide or Novio).
Example:
/equip ear1 "Drone Earring"
/equip ear2 "Drone Earring"
/equip ring1 "Jadeite Ring"
/equip ring2 "Jadeite Ring"
/ja "Fire Shot" <t>
/p Fire Shot >>> <t>
PS: If you have to pull and have another pt around so you have to "steal" pulls from it, use Quick Draw for pulling, because it's as fast as Provoke!
=== DMG Testing with Quick Draw ===
I was interested in the factors that effect the damage from card shots via Quick Draw. I've found the following formula to get the dmg:
damage = (Gun damage x 2) + (Ammo damage x 2) + (Magic Attack x 2) + Bonus
Without COR AF hat you do exactly (Gun damage x 2) + (Ammo damage x 2). If you equip Moldavite Earring (Magic Attack +5) you will do 10 more damage. The AF hat gives you a damage Bonus that depends on a factor that I have yet to find out. I only know that you will get +10 damage with COR/RNG and +13 with COR/BLM. If you want max out the damage you're doing with Quick Draw you should equip elemental staves (I prefer Auster's Staff myself because of the additional AGI+5). With Blackmage Sub, Corsair Bullets (they do an extra +7 dmg bonus with this job combination) and with the staff I do 301 damage when using Quick Draw (263 without staff). Wizard's Roll raises the damage.
Because you don't loose ammunition if you use Quick Draw you only need a single Corsair Bullet to make decent damage with cards. I tried COR/BLM in Besieged and I think it's a better way make damage there (every 60 seconds 301+ damage is not this bad ^^)
If you find errors on this please write it down here! If you know more please write it down here too.
== Some Interesting Data ==
With the Light-Card Quick Draw, you have a very strong Sleep for adds or links (normaly Quick Draw is ready again before Mob awakes) and with the Dark-Card Quick Draw you have a Dispel (unfortunately only every 60 seconds). Maximum MP refresh from Evoker's Roll is 5 MP per tick (if a SMN is in the party) and Healer's Roll gives a maximum of +9 MP Recovered While Healing (much better than Wizard Cookies). All roll effects are stronger then BRD songs if you hit 11.
== A Word About Subjobs ==
In some special situations, another subjob than Ranger may be useful, but not in EXP parties. The subjob guide for Corsair shows what's possible, but not what's useful. So if you want be a Corsair uses all the possibilities you get with this job go COR/RNG.
Other Subjobs:
*WAR brings more dmg per shot, but you will miss many more shots because of the lower ranged accuracy and you don't have Sharpshot and Barrage. At least you make also less dmg than more
*NIN is worth a try if your tank can't hold hate. COR/RNGs don't have problems hitting with a gun if you have Squid Sushi with you, so the second knife with ranged accuracy bonus isn't a "must have". 
*THF for SATA? You have to use dagger to keep good DoT with a gun so you don't have a high dmg weapon skill for SATA. Additionally, you lose Barrage which deals much more damage.
*WHM subjob has MP too low to be helpful with cures at early and intermediate levels and can result in lower accuracy for your gunplay. MP and accuracy gear can also create conflicts, resulting in lower damage dealing performance if you opt to go with MP in slots Ranged Accuracy would normally go. However, with the right combination of RSE and sacrificing accuracy gear of smaller benefit, COR/WHM can be very functional at high level, but only in special situations or events if the DMG from COR not necessary.
*RDM subjob has low MP as well and sleep gets resisted more than Light-Card Quick Draw. If you use Dispel your MP will be empty very fast.
*BRD makes sense if you COR in a Burn Party, perhaps, but without an instrument, the bard songs are very weak and you can only use one low level song. If you're in a pure Mana Burn Party COR/BRD is okay because +1 MP per tick is welcome and you don't have to deal dmg .. let the BLMs burn the Mob ^^ (btw, BRD/COR makes more sense in most parties).
*BLM ... I have test COR/BLM to get the possibility do dmg only with Quick Draw. The BLM Subjob rises the card dmg over 250 with magic ATT equip and Wizard's Roll I made over 300 dmg per Quick Draw. This way may be interesting, if you merit out Quick Draw so you can use it every 50 seconds .. with outmerrited Quick Draw Accuracy you can make nice dmg. Before this time /BLM is more or less useless except for in Besieged.