If there’s one thing players learn about FFXI, it’s that it pays to be prepared.
This often means having as wide a range of trusts as possible.
Black mage trusts are considerably less popular than other types (aside from the top trust on this list) because of their often intrusive AI and inconsistent MP management.
However, there are times where you’ll encounter situations that only magic damage can resolve. So it pays to have options.
5. Adelheid
Adelheid deserves a special placement in this list due to her capabilities as an offensive caster as well as a supporter.
Because she’s a scholar, she’s capable of accessing both white and black magic which she uses to cast Cures and single-target elemental nukes.
She’s also capable of casting stun which can impede enemies. And she’ll also cast helices, a unique line of spells for scholars that deal very high amounts of DoT damage.
While she doesn’t have any ways to manage her own MP, she uses Dark Arts.
But don’t worry, her healing capabilities aren’t negatively affected by dark arts at all!
Her unique weaponskills come in the form of the Blinding, Paralyzing, or Silencing Microtube, which can sometimes apply debuffs respective to their names – and are also AoE!
She’s capable of magic bursting with her helices too. Expect some considerable DoT damage if she’s able to do this.
Her main drawback is her fixation on casting elemental spells that match the current day. This can often work with or against players, depending on circ*mstances.
4. Kayeel-Payeel
Kayeel-Payeel has tons of Fast Cast, meaning he can cast spells rapidly.
This can be largely beneficial for many reasons. But it often synergizes well with his ability to magic burst.
He has the full array of black magic, ranging from single target, multi-target, and even ancient magic spells giving him the ability to deal AoE damage.
Kayeel-Payeel also possesses the very rare Tartarus Torpor weaponskill, which deals darkness damage, inflicts Magic defense down, magic evasion down, and puts enemies to sleep.
The best part of that? It’s AoE!
He also benefits from aftermath with this, and gets an 8 MP/tick refresh after using it. He’ll tend to favor using Tartarus Torpor when he’s at low MP.
His main weaknesses lie in his notably poor MP management, and his periodic use of Sunburst instead of Tartarus Torpor, which only exacerbates his dwindling MP pool in longer fights.
3. Robel-Akbel
This bandaged black mage deserves a special mention because of his MP efficiency.
He’s capable of casting single-target and –aja series black magic, giving him AoE potential.
And he most often casts spells that target enemy weaknesses, and will tend to use weaponskills which restore his MP in the form of Spirit Taker and Null Blast. Though he’ll sometimes uses his third weaponskill, Quietus Sphere, to his own detriment.
Luckily, he also possesses the Occult Acumen trait, which grants him TP whenever he nukes to increase his weaponskill frequency.
Being quite intelligent, he’ll often attempt to magic burst a skillchain with –aja spells that target the enemy’s weaknesses, and will occasionally try to double magic burst – but will often fail because of slow casting speeds.
2. Ullegore
Ullegore is a powerful and intelligent black mage.
His main claim to fame is his very high MP pool, setting him above the other black mages in this list considerably.
It’s estimated at a staggering 5000 at ilevel 119!
Suffice to say, it takes Ullegore much longer to run out of MP than other trusts, making him a good choice as a caster in lengthy fights.
He’ll mainly try to exploit an enemy’s weakness by casting a single-target nuke that they’re weak to.
Additionally, he’ll often use Momento Mori, which increases his magic attack by a large portion. And he mostly pairs this with Comet, capable of dealing very high damage.
There’s also some utility in the form of the stun as well, which he’ll periodically cast on enemies.
Interestingly enough, despite being undead, he can still be healed by natural means like Cure. So there’s no need to worry about friendly fire.
1. Shantotto II
To say that Shantotto II is far ahead of the curve for black mage trusts would be an understatement.
She’s most often the strongest damage dealing trust in the game!
She just has too many good things going for her.
In addition to practically never running out of MP because she only casts Tier I nukes, they’re also very strong. And she’ll often magic burst or double magic burst for very high damage because of her insanely quick casting speeds.
She’ll even use her TP to close skillchains when possible, because of her healthy dose of weaponskills covering every possible skillchain element.
Her only clear weakness is one shared with all other trusts in this list:
She can be rather fragile.
But for all her immense power, that’s one weakness she can afford to have.
