[Arcsol]

I used HQ Katana every chance I got (except for Kabutowari +1) and never felt a bad dent in gil. They were never too expensive on Seraph like stated above and as endgame goes imho U/U >>>> all, but then again I'm just a haste freak. I don't think it was mentioned in your guide, but another novelty item i guess you could call it is Rutter Satobons. They are a good macro in for ws and you could probably get an Air Tank for popping the NM while fighting the higher level Goblins in Bibiki Bay if you ever go level there.
Edit: 3rd page owned by yours truly, Arcsol

[Clink]

Not sure but If your leveling with a bard and most ninjas should probably look into Melody Earrings (preferrebly the +1) version for the Latent effect which activates with a bard Evasion skill +6

[Sarutobi]

How much money do you think carpenter ninjas save as a whole on shihei?

[Hipstep]

Very little unless they are high enough level to break tier 3 on shihei. Honestly, on Valefor server it's easier to just drop 50k or whatever on a stack of shihei bags that will last a week or two than to sit and craft it yourself. unless you HQed every synth, you could probably make the money faster soloing as NIN, sadly. Now that new job specific merits are out and all of ninjas new merits pretty much suck (and righfully so, we're already the most versitile and solo-friendly melee DD job in the game), then capping ninja tool expertise combined with koga tekko sort of makes tools a non issue. Leveling up, I noticed that ninja tools were putting a pretty heavy hit on my avaliable fundage, but once the TP burn merit parties became popular, I really only use enough tools to care while tanking HNM, wich is cheap enough that it's not really worth crafting any of the tools. Leveling any job costs alot of gil if you want to be the best at what you do. Realistically you should be pacing yourself so that you can farm alot and buy what you need to be effective on your first job, and then use that job to fund others, making laveling them much more painless and fun.

[diverx]

One pretty good, and free katana that can be included here is the Fukuro, lvl28, dmg15, dly190, str+1, agi+1.
It can be obtained by a quest in Bastok where you just need to open a chest in Palborough Mines.

[evilpaul]

So, what are the preferred Katanas to 75? The short black ones with STR/DEX/AGI on them look best probably, but they're stupid expensive.

I'm thinking:
41) Bokuto +1 - x2 - cheap, having Blind proc if Kurayami resists is nice

46) Yoto +1 - x2 - again cheap, better DMG, Def Down is noticeable whenever it decides to actually proc

47) Hien +1 - x1 - offhand, optional, better DPS than Yoto +1

From 47 on I'm not really sure. Sai's have pretty high delay. Parrying+6 won't be very noticeable. Sai +1s are very expensive.

50) Buboso & Kageboshi offer superior DPS, but are very expensive.

54) Muketsu +1 - x2 - If you're still using Yoto +1 these offer better DMG and DPS. They don't have the very nice Def Down effect, but you'll probably want to up your damage with Rampage/Slugwinder at 55.

55) Hototogisu - x1 - offhand, better DPS than all the previous katanas besides Buboso

57) Hocho - x1 - mainhand, offers good DPS, it's stupid expensive, so optional.

61) Kabutowari +1 - x2 - expensive, but good DPS

64) Kitsutsuki - x1 - offhand better DPS than NQ Kabutowari, Crit+5% is nice for all those saplings you're probably not leveling off of.

Would going Kitsutsuki (main) with Hototogisu work well? You'd be swinging really fast.

[Syelntwolf]

this is a really good guide. it will help because i never have tons of money to spend lol -.-; i need t get nin up for rng/nin

[Ayrlyn]

High Breath Mantle +5 enmity + 38 hp 50 charges that each last 30 min for 10k , best from 36-61 imo.

[lethealbion]

Do stacks of toolbags come with Shihei in them?

[Aesctaa]

lethealbion :
Do stacks of toolbags come with Shihei in them?

yes, you use the toolbag, and it turns into 99 of the ninja tool.

[Hammered]

Meo :
Elemental ninjutsu debuffs the element that the spell's element is weak against. Like Water reduces lightning resistance.

Raiton (Lightning) would reduce Ice Resistance... so it'd be Raiton > Jubaku if you're using it for that purpose :x

Hojo would be preceeded by a Huton if you want to help it land more often.

Post 60, I only carried 2 stacks of elemental ninjutsu.... for Hyoton and Huton. Hyoton because its cheap and bursts off of Darkness, Huton because it helps with hojo and it bursts off of light.

They don't do enough to keep hate as effectively as they used to, but the little bit of extra hate from MB's helps, somewhat.

You could potentially skimp out on some elemental wheel usage in the 40-55ish range, if you spam hyoton and land the appropriate MB(s) on a SC. Its not as great as the elemental wheel, but it does help with hate alot at those levels.

Raiton reduces Earth resist....

[Meo]

Please tell me you read the rest of the thread before posting that tidbit which was pointed out/corrected by other people a few posts later :3

[solodayz]

really isnt alot you can do, ninja is expensive.
basic spells u should have

paralize, tonko, blind, and slow, and the evermost Shihie

or else if ur 75 get a k.tekko thats a nice little piece of equip

elemental magic is a bonus, and very useful while solo'in. Start casting
is as you swing and u can get like a 3x attack which helps.

[draugo]

i love how people mention hocho. hocho is for the cooking skill only.

[Shirai]

First of all, great guide!
It helps me greatly through my carreer and choosing the right gear. (Currently 45)

I have a couple of questions though.
Currently I have a survival belt equiped, and use swordbelt +1 for WS, should I permanently replace the survival belt with my life belt at 48?
My accuracy at the moment is pretty decent with sushi, I also have a Jaeger ring and a Venerer ring in my TP setup and STR rings for WS.
Although I don't know if future mobs will have that much more evasion then they currently have as this is my first melee job I'm leveling.

As for earrings I'm also in the dark, right now I still use my trusty dodge earrings.

And I'm wondering if my gear setup needs improvement.
Current TP:
Weapons: Bokuto +1 x2 and a Junior musketeer's chakram as ranged because I also pull for my static. (Yoto +1 x2 when I level up)
Head: Emp. pin
Neck: Spirit torque
Earrings: Dodge earring x2
Body: Jujitsu Gi
Hands: Horomusha Kote
Rings: Jaeger and Venerer ring
Back: Nomad's +1
Waist: Survival belt
Legs: Kingdom trousers
Feet: Mountain gaiters

WS swap:
Neck: Spike necklace
Waist: Swordbelt +1
Rings: Puisance ring x2

[Kobiko]

Dodge Earrings or Drone Earrings for level 40? The o.p. kind of supports both as good choices, but which are truely greater?

[Shirai]

Kobiko :
Dodge Earrings or Drone Earrings for level 40? The o.p. kind of supports both as good choices, but which are truely greater?

I'm not sure myself,
as far as I heard AGI helps you with parrying and evasion only to some extend.
In my opinion if you have parry capped from another melee job they would be worth to check out, otherwise I think it's best just to stick with the Dodge.

[Ashokan]

Shirai :

Kobiko :
Dodge Earrings or Drone Earrings for level 40? The o.p. kind of supports both as good choices, but which are truely greater?

I'm not sure myself,
as far as I heard AGI helps you with parrying and evasion only to some extend.
In my opinion if you have parry capped from another melee job they would be worth to check out, otherwise I think it's best just to stick with the Dodge.

And agility helps reduce critical hits. Despite that, Dodge > Drone.

[cyraxSan]

Please tell me you read the rest of the thread before posting that tidbit which was pointed out/corrected by other people a few posts later :3

why you didn't edit your reply then !
tk.. don't pay attention to this reply...

edit is there for that for futur error...