[Robert Redford]

I've never seen much discussion about spell interruption rate down equipment (or merits) for PLD, so I was wondering if anyone had thoughts about whether it's something worth considering among everything else, particularly with respect to macros for slow-casting spells such as ichi?

Now, obviously it would never be advisable if it were occupying a slot where haste could go. But how would it compare to shield skill?

I'm speaking mostly hypothetically because I don't know if spell interruption rate down equipment stacks, whether there's a cap, etc., but is it possible there's a point at which X amount of spell interruption rate down would be superior to Y amount of shield skill if such a choice were to arise? Consider for example a buckler earring vs. knightly earring, or karasutengu kogake vs. AF(+1).

Notice I'm not advocating a crazy theory or anything, simply wondering if anyone has tested or even considered it before.

[Ture]

personally I would rather have shield proc let me get ichi off than pray to get a low% chance of not being interupted. That being said I have it merited for use on my thf. My ls leader and I have had quite a few lively debates about the interupt% down merits usefullness.

[Robert Redford]

Is it possible it should be the other way around, though (i.e., depending on spell interruption rate down instead of a low chance of my shield skill activating)? The reason I question it is because I generally prefer things I can quantify. Say you've got 8% spell interruption rate down vs. 8 shield skill. With the former (if it works the way it sounds, which I'm unsure of and is really why I'm asking), you'd be guaranteed an 8% reduction to the rate at which you're interrupted. Eight shield skill, as far as I know, doesn't guarantee anything — it only increases the chance of blocking by an unknown amount that, to my knowledge, isn't quantifiable, and therefore might be less reliable.

If you built for spell interruption rate down, you could merit it for 8%, use resolute belt for 8%, willpower torque for 5%, valor breeches for 10%, knightly earring for 9%, karasutengu kogake for 15%, and muse tariqah for 10% and theoretically get a guaranteed 65% chance of not being interrupted. Swap knightly for a guardian earring with the latent active, and you'd be at 86%. From my experience, stacking all the shield skill I can muster during my ichi recast doesn't get my anywhere near to blocking that often in either case. It seems too easy, which is why aside from the obvious flaw of being impractical because it sacrifices haste is why I assume there's a reason nobody does it, such as a cap to spell interruption rate down or shield skill being more useful than I'm giving it credit for.

[Requim]

You can get a ton of spell interruption rate down gear, which adds up really easy. While shield proc is nice, getting ichi off would save you more damage than multiple interrupts. The merits are an added 8% to whatever your rate would be before (very, very low with /nin skill) and for a non-career tank the only other Other category merits I want are crit.

For some slots it would be swapping out some vit/def gear, not sure what the enmity values on utsusemi are, but you could possibly swap some of them out if the values are low. Shield skill, haste, or fast cast could definitely take priority for that slot over spell interruption rate.

Some decent pieces for pld are knightly earring (9%), af2 legs (10%), obi +1 (8%), Muse Tariqah (10%), willpower torque (5%), and Karasutunga (15%) that can get you 57%, 65% with merits. I think there is a cap for it but forgot what it was. Of course some of those slots are better spent on shield skill/haste/fast cast, but as far as spell interruption goes it is useful for when you're trying to cast slower spells and shield doesn't block (especially on fights where you want to have shadows up for as much as possible).

It seems significantly less useful for non-/nin though

[Eurlin]

Spell Interruption as far as i can tell is based off the skill first so the fact that's it's a subjob spell makes spell interuption less valuable because it's a 150~ skill difference from cap. (114 skill capped sub usually) so the 65% with Merits might make a better difference on Divine Magic or healing, but i don't see it being possible to help at all for Ichi

[Livaud]

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Spell_Interruption_Rate

that page doesn't mention any cap on a cap %, but i remember being told by a few friends that the cap is somewhere in the area of ~50% or so

[Hitoseijuro]

It seems too easy, which is why aside from the obvious flaw of being impractical because it sacrifices haste is why I assume there's a reason nobody does it, such as a cap to spell interruption rate down or shield skill being more useful than I'm giving it credit for.

Thats basically why I wouldnt do it, most of those slots are for my haste pieces. When casting ichi, ill be using those slots with haste. The only slots that leaves me with with non haste is ear and neck. 1ear is ethereal, and the other can be loq/buckler. I'll use loq only if with the current haste I have on, it'll drop it a second, or for ichi(if the mob attacks fast and cant be slowed).

For neck, its 7 skill vs 5% interruption vs 1tic refresh. Some ppl like to keep the gorget on always to maximize the full effect of the refresh. For me I could only be able to get -5% interruption which wouldnt be too hot vs whatever +7skill +my total shield skill would net me in % of blocking. Idk if their are tiers for shield blocking, but if there was and the +7 would help me break into that tier to get a higher % of blocking, I think it would be worth it. Also if I block I get tp

[firepixiedarien]

I didn't parse it, or do any serious documented testing, but with 55% in spell interrupt, my Utsusemi Ichi kept getting interrupted enough times to piss me off. I was interrupted once on 1 dmg, wtf?!

Merits: 4/4 (8%)
Neck: Willpower Torque (5%)
Ear: Knightly Earring (4%)
Waist: Resolute Belt (8%)
Legs: Valor Breeches (15%)
Feet: Karasutengu (15%)

[Ture]

valor breeches are 10% not 15%

[firepixiedarien]

valor breeches are 10% not 15%

Woops, Imma nubz

[Ture]

lol np just 5%, what was the rest of your gear, and what were you fighting. Did you have any support or was it just solo.

[Phlow]

Also, to consider, the fact that your shield potentially blocks anywhere from 50% to 60%, the Interruption Rate Down you stack would be hampered and cut at least in half by the fact that your shield skill check would proc before your damage taken to interruption rate compared.

[pathwriter]

No clue if this is of any use, but I occasionally run out to let some Chigoes beat on my White Mage (subbing Red Mage) to get Shield skill. Even with 40% Spell Interruption Rate Down from gear and Aquaveil up, it can be damned near impossible to cast even short spells like Phalanx or Cures, much less Stoneskin. My Enhancing skill is certainly underleveled (somewhere around capped for level 60), which doesn't help, but with even Cures being interrupted (and Healing just shy of cap), my experience has been that Spell Interruption Rate Down rarely helps enough to justify itself.

[firepixiedarien]

lol np just 5%, what was the rest of your gear, and what were you fighting. Did you have any support or was it just solo.

I can't remember what mobs specifically, but it was in bout 3-6 different Nyzul Isle runs. When I did have all that spell interrupt gear, it would be macro'ed into my Utsusemi: Ichi casting.

I was pissed cuz I said in vent to my static a couple of times, "That's with 55% in spell interrupt total, and it still hasn't proc'ed for me, what BS."

[Furisouls]

Like others have said, you would be sacrificing slots of haste/enmity/both for spell interruption rate down pieces. Considering the mob I, myself, have had spell interruption rate down merits (was at 4/4), AFv2 legs, knightly earring all stacked on PLD. Also put into consideration I haven't parsed nor cared to; however, I haven't even seen any occasion where stacking spell interruption rate down proved useful. I'm not knockin' on it, in fact, if you were aiming to test out your discussion Robert, more power to ya. But in my own personal experiences with it, spell interruption rate down is a myth lol. I rather just rely on my shield, and shield skill.

[Ture]

quit being bitter J.

[Robert Redford]

Hmm, thanks to everyone for the thoughts. I might one day (i.e., after I get valor breeches and a little gil to experiment with) test it myself, but until then I'm satisfied with the conclusion it's probably not worth sacrificing for but couldn't hurt to macro in if I can find a slot that isn't giving me anything more useful.

[Jacker]

the answer is quite obviously both shield skill and spell interrupt when casting ichi.

if you get interrupted, hopefully recast on ni would be ready, if not, keep that shield stuff on and hope your mages keep you alive! >.>;

[Hyriu]

or get a better co-tank who can take hate off you when you're getting beat.

[Phlow]

or get a better co-tank who can take hate off you when you're getting beat.

Jesus is my co-tank.