Random Question Thread XIX: Welcome to Flavor Country

[Shin Volcano]

Don't know why those massive walls were necessary to explain the situation.

Shiva is better because of Atma of the Beyond. That's it.

Then don't read it, of course i could have just did the standerd

"Use beyond or kill yourself" Typical response you get here most of the time. but then what good would that do.

[Darkmagi]

Not that you would be using smn all that often I would imagine, probably not a good idea to max both shiva/garuda. Ice and wind will both generally conflict when it comes to resistant monsters.

[NynJa]

Beyond the fact that blind merits are retarded regardless, we know of no cap on paralyze potency, and unless I've missed further testing, increasing slow merits raises the potency cap.

Blind merits may be useless for you, I do a lot of my tanking on thf based on evasion...and rely on NOT getting hit...atleast outside Abyssea (inside I dont care, I tank most NM's in haste gear with DD atmas and dont even bother with shadows)

MND cap on Paralyze I/II would be next to impossible to test due to an inherent luck factor, but wiki says:
The slow effect from Slow II is calculated with the formula ([230] + [y * 10] + [floor(dMND * 1.6)])/1024, and caps @ (350+[y*10])/1024, where y = number of merits in Slow II.

* To reach the base cap of 350 a dMND of 75 is required, regardless of merit level.

Whether its true or someone just blowing smoke, I dont know, theres no discussion on the spell, so I cant see where these numbers came from. Possibly here somewhere?

[Yugl]

Thought so but I suppose equip swaps with 2 same name staffs will be troublesome if I don't leave the undesired one in my mog.

Or Satchel if you're worried about it.

[Syntex]

Not that you would be using smn all that often I would imagine, probably not a good idea to max both shiva/garuda. Ice and wind will both generally conflict when it comes to resistant monsters.

Well what should I max along with Heavenly Strike? I think going 1/1/1/1/1 in the others is stupid and I don't think the stun justifies the earth one.

[Darkmagi]

Ramuh seems like a safe option, should cover most everything.

[Shin Volcano]

Well what should I max along with Heavenly Strike? I think going 1/1/1/1/1 in the others is stupid and I don't think the stun justifies the earth one.

Personal choice...other then heavenly you can just go either way, Maybe Thunderstorm? geocrush is nice since it's the only one that actually has an added effect. Not like there is actually anything to put your merits in group 2 after that, so you may as well. not everything will be weak to ice or wind only, (irongiants are a good example)

[Aihree]

I went with 5/5 garuda and 1/1 on all of the others, well before Abyssea came out. Been thinking about respecing to shiva 5/5 but still tempted to keep 1/1 just for flexibility.

What you get from 5/5 is 4*40TP bonus on BP:R, 160TP, +100 bonus from AF3+2 pants, you're looking at 260TP straight out the starting gate, summon, BP:R, 260 effective TP in that nuke.

[Mojo]

Blind merits may be useless for you, I do a lot of my tanking on thf based on evasion...and rely on NOT getting hit...atleast outside Abyssea (inside I dont care, I tank most NM's in haste gear with DD atmas and dont even bother with shadows)

MND cap on Paralyze I/II would be next to impossible to test due to an inherent luck factor, but wiki says:
The slow effect from Slow II is calculated with the formula ([230] + [y * 10] + [floor(dMND * 1.6)])/1024, and caps @ (350+[y*10])/1024, where y = number of merits in Slow II.

* To reach the base cap of 350 a dMND of 75 is required, regardless of merit level.

Whether its true or someone just blowing smoke, I dont know, theres no discussion on the spell, so I cant see where these numbers came from. Possibly here somewhere?

This was figured out a long time ago by both JP & NA players. It's accurate, merits will put you over the cap.

[Vyvian]

How does counterstance work? I hadn't really thought about it until recently, and I can't test it at the moment. Attempting to search for info about Counterstance got me a lot of really variable info.

I read from some old data back at 75, that base counter rate increases to 45% while CS is active. Is that because CS is Counter x3, or is it adding 30% flat. And if it is multiplying, does the multiplication happen before gear (I'd assume so?), and before/after merits, in other words, would x3 be 51~% now with the increased Counter trait?

[Atoreis]

How does counterstance work? I hadn't really thought about it until recently, and I can't test it at the moment. Attempting to search for info about Counterstance got me a lot of really variable info.

I read from some old data back at 75, that base counter rate increases to 45% while CS is active. Is that because CS is Counter x3, or is it adding 30% flat. And if it is multiplying, does the multiplication happen before gear (I'd assume so?), and before/after merits, in other words, would x3 be 51~% now with the increased Counter trait?

I can only tell its not x3 gear and it might be x3 base traits. Its probably not x3 merits but I might be wrong here.

[Jex]

Perfect thread for my question as it's random as hell and its 2 AM and I'm so bored anything sparks my interest at this point.. I remember my friend owning the old Brady Games guide (Granted this was 6 year's ago) and I read through it in class because I was interested in FFXI I never much paid attention to the "Help" or "guide" aspect of the book but just read up on what different jobs this MMORPG had to offer. I read a post about someone making fun of how terrible the guide was and I vaguely remember some stupid shit about War/whm being a good combo (el oh el). I need a good laugh so my question is how "terrible" really was this guide as I never read through most of it. Anyone read the whole thing and can tell me how much lulz was in it?

[Kaisha]

Will spamming ops raise fame? There's a couple atma/abyssite quest rewards I want, but need lvl3 fame for. I'm guessing in Visions zones I'll have to find a repeatable quest.

[Mojo]

How do Estoqueur's Houseaux +2 stack with Composure? Duration = (3.0+0.20)*100%, or (3.0)*(1.20)*100%?

[Appie]

How does counterstance work? I hadn't really thought about it until recently, and I can't test it at the moment. Attempting to search for info about Counterstance got me a lot of really variable info.

I read from some old data back at 75, that base counter rate increases to 45% while CS is active. Is that because CS is Counter x3, or is it adding 30% flat. And if it is multiplying, does the multiplication happen before gear (I'd assume so?), and before/after merits, in other words, would x3 be 51~% now with the increased Counter trait?

While I remember the 45% thing, I also remember at some point (long before lvl cap went up) that it was simply 50% for activating stance. Think it was figured out when testing the relic shoes buff, but not sure. Wondering myself too if counter merits go before stance or after, I remember Almalexia in that same relic shoes test hinting at after, but very low sample size and only 2 counter merits iirc at that time. Looked on some JP sites? I'm sure they got it since they had info on that counter trait buff long before I even tested lv90 Spharai.

[Kirschy]

Blind merits may be useless for you, I do a lot of my tanking on thf based on evasion...and rely on NOT getting hit...atleast outside Abyssea (inside I dont care, I tank most NM's in haste gear with DD atmas and dont even bother with shadows)

MND cap on Paralyze I/II would be next to impossible to test due to an inherent luck factor, but wiki says:
The slow effect from Slow II is calculated with the formula ([230] + [y * 10] + [floor(dMND * 1.6)])/1024, and caps @ (350+[y*10])/1024, where y = number of merits in Slow II.

* To reach the base cap of 350 a dMND of 75 is required, regardless of merit level.

Whether its true or someone just blowing smoke, I dont know, theres no discussion on the spell, so I cant see where these numbers came from. Possibly here somewhere?

The formula is from an older thread I made on BG. I'm fairly sure in it's accuracy since I tested with Lv0 mobs outside Bastok and a handful of Dread Spike tests in a PvP setting.

There were two interesting Paralyze threads that I recall:
http://www.bluegartr.com/threads/838...lyze-I-Testing
http://www.bluegartr.com/threads/59134-Paralyze-Testing

I would love to see some additional testing in Abyssea considering you can hit 300+ MND.

[Appie]

Well looking on JP wiki I find this:

http://ffxi.wikiwiki.jp/?%A5%B9%A5%B...E2%A5%F3%A5%AF

Google translate:

Claw

* Ability to learn at Lv45. 5 minutes duration, using a 5-minute intervals.
* Counter the effect of +42, VIT's defense by half.
* Effects of equipment
o Up "effect claw"
"Claw" to counter the effects of a +47. Changing the effect lasts equipment.

+42 (probably with acc check, making 45ish % without) and relic shoes at 5%?

[Cymmina]

Will spamming ops raise fame? There's a couple atma/abyssite quest rewards I want, but need lvl3 fame for. I'm guessing in Visions zones I'll have to find a repeatable quest.

Visions: N/A
Scars: yes
Heroes: no

Worth noting: for whatever reason, I was unable to take OPs in Vunkerl due to fame restrictions. Same goes for both Martello quests. Very strange, since I had enough fame for Whither the Whisker.

[NynJa]

This was figured out a long time ago by both JP & NA players. It's accurate, merits will put you over the cap.

Misread base cap as hard cap -.-

[Zanark]

I saw a pic of BH with augments on it. It was on a JP site, can we augment RA/EX stuff yet? Where can I find more info on the new augmenting for ra/ex items?