Merit Points

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## What are Merit Points?

* Once a player has reached level 75, he/she will have the option to earn **limit points** when defeating enemies. Once 10,000 limit points are obtained, they convert into one merit point.
* **Merit points** are a type of "currency" used to "buy" extra enhancements for a player whose main job has reached the last level cap (75).

## Merit Point History

* July 2004: Merit point system introduced.
* September 2004: Merit categories were expanded to include Combat skills, Magic Skills, and Other skills.
* February 2005: Merit categories were expanded to include Job-Specific Upgrades.
* December 2005: Maximum number of upgrades per item and per category was increased.
* July 2006: New Job-specific abilities and traits, new spells, song and bloodpacts.
* March 2007: You can now switch between experience and merit points mode from outside your Mog House. And, an animation visible to other players will appear when you gain a merit point.
* June 2007: The maximum amount of merits able to be placed in the categories "Combat Skills" and "Magic Skills" have been increased. Combat skills have increased from 12 -> 20, Magic skills have increased from 8 -> 16.

## Merit Point Menu

* After a player has received the key item Limit Breaker from the Nomad Moogle in Ru'Lude Gardens, he/she will be able to view current limit and merit point totals in the status window by selecting the "Merit Points" button from the Status menu. This menu is only accessible when the player's current job is level 75.
* This menu allows you to view your current limit points and merit points, to view merit points you have spent, and to view the categories you can spend merit points on.
* When a player is in his/her Mog House (or Rent-a-Room), he/she is able to switch between EXP and limit point accumulation modes, as well as able to spend and cancel merit points.
* As of the March 2007 update, You are be now able to change from Merit to EXP anywhere unless you are under level restriction status or taking part in Besieged. Allocating your Merit Points must still take place in a Mog House.
* As of September 14, 2005, it is no longer possible to switch between EXP and limit point modes by speaking with the Nomad Moogle in the Ru'Lude Gardens.

## How to Accumulate Merit Points

File:New Merit Animation.JPG
* When a player has reached the maximum amount of EXP (43,999) after reaching level 75, he/she will automatically begin accumulating limit points when fighting monsters that are at least Easy Prey.
* A player can begin collecting limit points before reaching the maximum amount of EXP by switching to Merit Point mode under "Mode Switch" on the merit point menu.
* When a player is eligible to begin collecting limit points, his/her main job and level will be displayed in blue in the status window.
* Once a player has accumulated 10,000 limit points, the points will automatically be exchanged for a single merit point. Switching to limit point accumulation mode affects all jobs that have reached level 75. It is not necessary to switch modes for each job.
* If a player is KO'd while in limit points accumulation mode, he/she will lose EXP as normal. To regain that EXP, the player must switch back to EXP accumulation mode before fighting.
	+ However, if a player has reached the maximum amount of EXP and has automatically switched to limit points as a result, he/she will automatically switch back into experience points mode until capped once again.
* If a player on Merit Point mode drops to level 74 as a result of being KO'd, he/she will not automatically be switched back to EXP accumulation mode, but will accumulate EXP until reaching level 75 once again. The player will begin collecting limit points again once he/she reaches level 75. Note that this not only applies to deleveled jobs, but also to subsequent jobs to hit level 75, so it is prudent to switch to EXP accumulation mode before leveling from 74 to 75 in order to build some buffer.
* All limit, merit, and Experience Points are saved internally. Switching between limit point and EXP accumulation modes does not result in a loss of any point types.
* EXP earned from experience scrolls (eg. a page from the "Dragon Chronicles") cannot be converted into limit points. If a player's mode is set to limit point accumulation and the player does not have the maximum amount of EXP, the item will grant EXP (which goes toward his/her bar). If a player uses one of these items after accumulating the maximum amount of EXP at level 75, the item will have no effect.
* EXP earned by completing ENM's will follow normal rules of accumulation per the selected mode. Note that if a player is on EXP mode and has anything less than a full bar, the EXP earned from ENM's will only go toward his/her buffer--it will not "overflow" into limit points. A player will only earn limit points from ENM's if he is on Merit Point accumulation mode, or has a full EXP bar.
* Limit points and merit points collected on all level 75 jobs are combined, and are totalled together in your Merit Point menu. A player does not have to earn the merit points playing the job he/she want to spend them on.
* When set to limit point accumulation, after each battle, a message informing the player how many limit points he/she earned will appear in the message window (in place of the previous message informing the player how many Experience Points he/she earned). A notification that the player has gained a merit point is announced just as if they had gained a level and a fanfare and banner is shown, but the HP/MP bars do not refill.
* The maximum number of merit points a player can stock is 10. Any merit points earned after accumulating this amount will be lost.
* If a player enters any Level Restricted areas, the player is unable to switch modes from Limit Points to EXP or vise-versa.

## How to Spend Merit Points

* Merit points can only be spent while inside a player's Mog House or Rent-a-Room.
* To spend a merit, a player must access the merit point menu, select the category he/she wants to upgrade, and select Raise. There will be a series of confirmation messages.

## Cancelling Spent Merit Points

* A player may wish to undo an upgrade he/she has already made in order to spend points in the same category on different upgrades.
* When a player cancels an upgrade, he/she does not get the spent merit points back.
* To cancel a merit, a player must access the merit point menu, select the category he/she want to upgrade, and select Lower. There will be a series of confirmation messages.

## Effects of Raised Attributes

The effect of merit points upgrades in the general categories apply to any and all jobs that the player sets as his/her current Main Job, including jobs that are not level 75. More upgrades apply as the player's main job increases in level, as shown below.

 10-19
 20-29
 30-39
 40-49
 50-54
 55-59
 60-64
 65-75

## General Merit Point Categories

Upgrades in the following merit point categories affect all of a player's jobs, as per the table above.

There is a limit on the total number of upgrades that can be done in each category ("**Max combo**").

* Example: A player can perform 8 upgrades on HP; 4 upgrades on HP and 4 upgrades on MP; 8 upgrades on MP; or any other combination adding up to 8. However, upgrading both HP and MP 8 times is not possible.

There is a limit on the total number of upgrades that can be done on each item ("**Max per item**").

The number of merit points that are required per upgrade increase cumulatively as you complete each upgrade for that item.

* Example 1: The first MP upgrade costs 1 merit. The second upgrade costs 2 merits. The third upgrade costs 3 merits. The fourth upgrade costs 4 merits. The fifth upgrade costs 5 merits. The sixth, seventh, and eighth upgrades cost 5 merits each.
* Example 2: If a player wanted to upgrade HP 4 times and MP 4 times, the HP upgrades would cost 1, then 2, then 3, then 4 merits, and the MP upgrades would cost 1, then 2, then 3, then 4 merits.

[1>2>3>4>5>5>5>5]
Max combo: 8
Max per item: 8
* Max HP (+10 per upgrade)
* Max MP (+10 per upgrade)

[3>6>9>9>9]
Max combo: 5
Max per item: 5
* STR (+1 per upgrade)
* DEX (+1 per upgrade)
* VIT (+1 per upgrade)
* AGI (+1 per upgrade)
* INT (+1 per upgrade)
* MND (+1 per upgrade)
 Combat Skills

Only skills that the current (level 75) job possesses can be adjusted.
Raising combat skills will not grant access to weapon skills not normally available to a job. This is entirely dependent on the job/subjob combination. For example, THF will be able to use Dancing Edge a few levels earlier, if merits were put into dagger on RDM. However, even if merits are put into Sword skill, a SAM will never be able to use Savage Blade.
[1>2>3>3>3>3>3>3]
Max combo: 20
 **Weapon Skills**[1>2>3>3>3>3>3>3]
Max per item: 8
* Hand-to-Hand Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Dagger Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Sword Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Great Sword Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Axe Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Great Axe Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Scythe Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Polearm Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Katana Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Great Katana Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Club Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Staff Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Archery Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Marksmanship Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Throwing Skill (+2 per upgrade)
Max per item: 4
* Guarding Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Evasion Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Shield Skill (+2 per upgrade)
 Magic Skills

Only skills that the current (level 75) job possesses can be adjusted.
[1>2>3>3>3>3>3>3]
Max combo: 16
Max per item: 8
* Divine Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Healing Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Enhancing Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Enfeebling Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Elemental Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Dark Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Summoning Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Ninjutsu Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Singing Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* String Instrument Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Wind Instrument Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Blue Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)

[1>2>3>4]
Max combo: 8
Max per item: 4
* Enmity Increase (+1 per upgrade)
* Enmity Decrease (-1 per upgrade)
* Critical Hit Rate (+1% per upgrade)
* Enemy Critical Hit Rate (-1% per upgrade)
* Spell Interruption Rate (-2% per upgrade)

## Job-Specific Merit Point Categories

Upgrades in the following merit point categories are in effect only when the specified job is the player's main job and when it is level 75. They become inactive if the player delevels to 74.

Within each category there are two groups, each with separate "max combo" and "max per item" values. Upgrades in Group 1 enhance abilities, traits, and spells that the player already has, while upgrades in Group 2 (added in the July 24, 2006 Version Update) grant and enhance new abilities, traits, and spells.

**Group 1**

[1>2>3>4>5]

Max combo: 10 (for each job)

Max per item: 5

**Group 2**

[3>4>5]

Max combo: 6 (for each job)

Max per item: 3

**Group 1**
* Berserk Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Defender Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)
* Warcry Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Aggressor Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Double Attack Rate (+1% per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Warrior's Charge (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Tomahawk (+15 seconds duration per upgrade)
* Savagery (+10 Weapon Skill TP Bonus per upgrade)
* Aggressive Aim (+4 Ranged Accuracy bonus per upgrade)

**Group 1**
* Focus Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Dodge Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Chakra Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Counter Rate (+1% per upgrade)
* Kick Attack Rate (+1% per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Mantra (+4% per upgrade)
* Formless Strikes (+5% effect per upgrade)
* Invigorate (+24 seconds duration per upgrade)
 White Mage

**Group 1**
* Divine Seal Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
* Cure Cast Time (-4% cast time of all Cure spells per upgrade)
* Bar Spell Effect (+2 potency of Bar spells, +2 Magic Defense Bonus per upgrade)
* Banish Effect (+2 damage, +2 seconds duration of Defense Down effect per upgrade)
* Regen Effect (+1 HP/tick recovered per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Martyr (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Devotion (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Protectra V (+2 Defense Bonus per upgrade)
* Shellra V (+1 Magic Defense Bonus per upgrade)

**Group 1**
* Elemental Seal Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
* Fire Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
* Ice Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
* Wind Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
* Earth Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
* Lightning Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)
* Water Magic Potency (+2 potency per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Flare II (+3 Magic Burst Damage and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Freeze II (+3 Magic Burst Damage and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Tornado II (+3 Magic Burst Damage and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Quake II (+3 Magic Burst Damage and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Burst II (+3 Magic Burst Damage and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
 Red Mage

**Group 1**
* Convert Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
* Fire Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
* Ice Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
* Wind Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
* Earth Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
* Lightning Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)
* Water Magic Accuracy (+3 magic accuracy per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Dia III (+30 seconds duration per upgrade : 30/60/90 seconds)
* Slow II (+1 effect and +2 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Paralyze II (+1 effect and +2 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Phalanx II (+30 seconds duration and +3 damage reduction per upgrade)
* Bio III (+30 seconds duration per upgrade : 30/60/90 seconds)
* Blind II (+1 effect and +2 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)

**Group 1**
* Flee Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Hide Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Sneak Attack Recast (-2 seconds per upgrade)
* Trick Attack Recast (-2 seconds per upgrade)
* Triple Attack Rate (+1% per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Assassin's Charge (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Feint (-2 minutes recast per upgrade)
* Aura Steal (+20% absorb rate per upgrade)
 Paladin

**Group 1**
* Shield Bash Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Holy Circle Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
* Sentinel Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Cover Effect Length (+4 seconds per upgrade)
* Rampart Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Fealty (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Chivalry (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Iron Will (+19% effect per upgrade)
* Guardian (+19% effect per upgrade)

**Group 1**
* Souleater Recast (-12 seconds per upgrade)
* Arcane Circle Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
* Last Resort Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Last Resort Effect (+2% Attack Bonus, 2% Defense Down per upgrade)
* Weapon Bash Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Dark Seal (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Diabolic Eye (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Muted Soul (-10 Enmity per upgrade)
 Beastmaster

**Group 1**
* Killer Effects (+1% intimidation rate on all killer effects per upgrade)
* Reward Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)
* Call Beast Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Sic Recast (-4 seconds per upgrade)
* Tame Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Feral Howl (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Killer Instinct (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Beast Affinity (+2 pet level per upgrade)
* Beast Healer (+1 Regen amount per upgrade)

**Group 1**
* Lullaby Recast (-1 second per upgrade)
* Finale Recast (-1 second per upgrade)
* Minne Effect (+1 per upgrade)
* Minuet Effect (+1 per upgrade)
* Madrigal Effect (+1 per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Nightingale (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Troubadour (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Foe Sirvente (+5% effect per upgrade)
 Ranger

**Group 1**
* Scavenge Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Camouflage Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Sharpshot Recast (-10 seconds per upgrade)
* Unlimited Shot Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)
* Rapid Shot Rate (+1% per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Stealth Shot (-10 Enmity per upgrade)
* Flashy Shot (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Snapshot (-2% Delay per upgrade)
* Recycle (+5% activation rate per upgrade)

**Group 1**
* Third Eye Recast (-2 seconds per upgrade)
* Warding Circle Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
* Store TP Effect (+2 per upgrade)
* Meditate Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)
* Zanshin Attack Rate (+1% per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Shikikoyo (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Blade Bash (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Ikishoten (+3 TP gained per upgrade)
 Ninja

**Group 1**
* Subtle Blow Effect (+1 per upgrade)
* Katon Effect (+2 damage and +2 seconds resist down per upgrade)
* Hyoton Effect (+2 damage and +2 seconds resist down per upgrade)
* Huton Effect (+2 damage and +2 seconds resist down per upgrade)
* Doton Effect (+2 damage and +2 seconds resist down per upgrade)
* Raiton Effect (+2 damage and +2 seconds resist down per upgrade)
* Suiton Effect (+2 damage and +2 seconds resist down per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Sange (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Ninja Tool Expertise (+5% activation rate per upgrade)
* Katon: San (+5 Magic Attack and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Hyoton: San (+5 Magic Attack and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Huton: San (+5 Magic Attack and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Doton: San (+5 Magic Attack and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Raiton: San (+5 Magic Attack and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Suiton: San (+5 Magic Attack and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)

**Group 1**
* Ancient Circle Recast (-20 seconds per upgrade)
* Jump Recast (-3 seconds per upgrade)
* High Jump Recast (- 6 seconds per upgrade)
* Super Jump Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)
* Spirit Link Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Deep Breathing (-2 minutes 30 seconds recast per upgrade)
* Angon (+15 seconds Defense Down duration per upgrade)
* Empathy (+1 copied effect per upgrade)
 Summoner

**Group 1**
* Avatar Physical Accuracy (+3 per upgrade)
* Avatar Physical Attack (+2 per upgrade)
* Avatar Magical Accuracy (+3 per upgrade)
* Avatar Magical Attack (+2 per upgrade)
* Elemental MP Cost (-1 elemental perpetuation cost per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Meteor Strike (+40 TP Bonus per upgrade)
* Heavenly Strike (+40 TP Bonus per upgrade)
* Wind Blade (+40 TP Bonus per upgrade)
* Geocrush (+40 TP Bonus per upgrade)
* Thunderstorm (+40 TP Bonus per upgrade)
* Grand Fall (+40 TP Bonus per upgrade)

**Group 1**
* Chain Affinity Recast (-4 seconds per upgrade)
* Burst Affinity Recast (-4 seconds per upgrade)
* Monster Correlation (Increase monster family related effects by 1 per upgrade)
* Physical Potency (+2 Magic Potency of physical Blue Magic spells per upgrade)
* Magical Accuracy (+2 Magic Accuracy of magical Blue Magic spells per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Convergence (+5 Magic Attack and +5 Magic Accuracy per upgrade)
* Diffusion (-2 minutes 30 seconds per upgrade)
* Enchainment (Grants a 10 TP Bonus to Chain Affinity per upgrade)
 Corsair

**Group 1**
* Phantom Roll Recast (-2 seconds per upgrade)
* Quick Draw Recast (-2 seconds per upgrade)
* Quick Draw Accuracy (+2 per upgrade)
* Random Deal Recast (-40 seconds per upgrade)
* Bust Duration (-10 seconds per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Snake Eye (Reduces the next roll to 1)
* Fold (Erases latest phantom roll or bust)
* Winning Streak (Increases duration of phantom rolls)
* Loaded Deck (Focuses effect of Random Deal on abilities waiting on recast. Has a chance to fail if only one ability is waiting)

**Group 1**
* Automaton Melee Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Automaton Ranged Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Automaton Magic Skill (+2 per upgrade)
* Activate Recast (-40 seconds per upgrade)
* Repair Recast (-6 seconds per upgrade)

**Group 2**
* Role Reversal (-30 seconds per upgrade)
* Ventriloquy (-15 seconds per upgrade)
* Fine-Tuning (Increase accuracy by 5, ranged accuracy by 5, evasion by 5, and magic defense by 5 per upgrade)
* Optimization (Increase attack by 5% defense by 5% and magic attack by 5 per upgrade)

*Note: Automaton skill upgrades are slightly bugged. The automaton equipment window will report both current and max skill as being increased, but the automaton will continue to gain skill until it recapped the skill. Ie, after upgrading melee skill by 1 rank, your automaton will start receiving skill ups again until it hit 242 skill on Valoredge. All the while, the equipment window will read 242/242)*

## Links

* FFXI Calculator Merit Point Calculation

From FFXIclopedia, a Wikia wiki.