New or Returning Players Discussion (Or Anything Old FFXI Then Vs. Now)

[Patsu]

Windowed seems to work on the Steam version of FFXI that I'm running.

yeah windowed works just fine. But I'm talking abut windower

[Misterjingles]

yeah windowed works just fine. But I'm talking abut windower

Yeah, I meant Windower. Auto-correct strikes again.

Spoiler: show

http://img.totalomnicide.com/images/...4835493802.png

[Patsu]

Yeah, I meant Windower. Auto-correct strikes again.

Spoiler: show

http://img.totalomnicide.com/images/...4835493802.png

I stand corrected. I guess I'll keep trying to figure it out.

[macross]

is there any endgame content that requires a full alliance anymore? it seems like most nms in abyssea that drops the good gear is 3-5 man able

Abyssea isn't endgame, abyssea is like getting AF and getting xp.

[Patsu]

how exactly does leveling up in abyssea work? people say I can start at 30

[Okan]

how exactly does leveling up in abyssea work? people say I can start at 30

Speak to Joachim in Port Jueno. He'll give your first Traverser Stone. You'll accrue a new one every 24 hours. Each stone gives 30 minutes of time to be in abyssea. Now you can get 3 abyssites that will make it so you accrue a new stone every 8 hours. There's also 6 abyssites that will increase the time each stone is worth by 3 minutes (Up to 48 minutes per stone).
You can find all abyssites here: http://ffxi.gamerescape.com/wiki/Abyssite
The key ones to obtain after getting 90:
3x Lunar Abyssite (Gives you access to atmas)
3x Abyssite of Celerity (Replenishes stones faster)
3x Abyssite of Furtherance
5x* Abyssite of Merit (The "hardest one" is a quest that will take some time, this is the 6th one.)
6x Abyssite of Sojourn (+3min per stone).
These are the important ones and they're not in any particular order of importance.


Once inside, you'll ideally want to gather the appropriate lights for whatever you're trying to accomplish.
Information here: http://ffxi.gamerescape.com/wiki/Abyssea_Lights
Azure lights are gained through magical kills. These will provide time extensions which are the most important part of the EXP group. These are Blue chests. You can also get EXP, Cruor, Temp items, and "Soothing lights" from blue chests. If I recall correctly: Feeble is HP, Warm(?) is HP/MP, Strong is HP/TP, and ISL is HP/MP/TP AND resets all cooldowns to 0.
Pearlescent lights are gained through "white" damage kills (Like an auto attack). These increase the drop-rate of chests.
Ruby light is gained from Physical WS kills. These drop Red chests. In these you'll find bonus to other lights.
Amber is here somewhere, but that's not important for an EXP PT.

The key to any good EXP PT is a balanced group of magic and melee. These groups will build up the lights needed (Azure, Pearl, and Ruby) to max to allow for the most amount of chests needed. And from Ruby chests, you'll get Ebon and Golden. Ebon increases the effect of all lights except for Silver, Golden, and Ebon beyond their normal cap. Golden increases your experience gained per kill. Silver is cruor per kill.

Depending on where you go, you'll have different methods of EXP'ing.
First, and the most popular, is "Dom Ops" parties. Personally I hate them, but you get a mission to kill 5 of ENEMYX. Kill those 5, run back and turn it in. Repeat. A lot.
The other is just down right slaughter. These are usually in older zones which lack Dom Ops, but you just kill every enemy of the same name. Killing Tonberry A and then Tonberry B will break the chain. A>A>A>A>A>you get the point. Cruor parties alternate. A>B>A>B>A>B>repeating.

That's the quick and easy of Abyssea leveling.

[Okan]

Too many edits, so another one:
Not all enemies give certain lights. Example would be Chigoes in Attohwa do not give Ruby so they're a hugely popular Cleaving area for TE/Amber KI farming.

As a low level, you may be expect to be a key-leech. You'd just open chests. Usually a good idea to "Peek inside" to see if it's worth it. You'll learn eventually, but a "tiny amount of EXP" is like 250xp and not worth keying whereas a "tremendous amount" is 1250xp and you can expect a good bit of these.

Each chest has their own "minigame" like system to open without a key.
Azure: High or Low. It'll state "Previous: 12" And you can turn the dial up to guess the next number is higher or down for lower.
Amber: They act like the brown chests outside, but they almost give you the answer. If you're not rushed, you can usually get these without a key.
Ruby: An air pressure system. You'll be told to get the air pressure to get between X-Y and it'll start you off at Z. Turning it +/- once is a small movement, twice is a medium, and three times is a large. I can't remember exact values.

Do not be surprised to one day burn 200-300+ keys in a single party.

Most people don't use temps even if you call them. I'd just see who does and does not and open those chests accordingly. Also note that unless it says "laden with temporary items" they will not be distributed and must be collected on a first come first serve. It's best to destroy these.

Edit again: Bah, and yes... You can go in at 30. You'd just... sit there. For hours. it'll be an 18 man alliance with many people rotating. At 30, you may need some leverage, so see if you get find a friend that's pretty heavily decked out at 90 and have them search with you as a leech. If they're a highly sought after job (coughBLMcough), you can almost guarantee an invite in just a few minutes.

[Mercilessturtle]

Abyssea isn't endgame, abyssea is like getting AF and getting xp.

If you aren't going to count abyssea as endgame, then there isn't any endgame content at all.

[Gokulo]

Semantics, endgame is what you do when you reach max level and abyssea fits right there.

[Hirronimus]

If you aren't going to count abyssea as endgame, then there isn't any endgame content at all.

Technically, not yet.

[bungiefan]

Edit again: Bah, and yes... You can go in at 30. You'd just... sit there. For hours. it'll be an 18 man alliance with many people rotating. At 30, you may need some leverage, so see if you get find a friend that's pretty heavily decked out at 90 and have them search with you as a leech. If they're a highly sought after job (coughBLMcough), you can almost guarantee an invite in just a few minutes.

Actually, SAM from 30 to 71, where I could actually fight, only took 6 hours in Abyssea opening chests and doing Sand Sweepers. It's not that long if you get one party. The long part was spending 3 nights AFK fighting Zvahl Fortalices to cap out my 3 weapon skill levels.

[Selamis]

Actually, SAM from 30 to 71, where I could actually fight, only took 6 hours in Abyssea opening chests and doing Sand Sweepers. It's not that long if you get one party. The long part was spending 3 nights AFK fighting Zvahl Fortalices to cap out my 3 weapon skill levels.

Those cap to level 90? I thought they only gave skill to like level 80, from what people used to talk about. If so, time to take a trip up there then lol.

[Esvedium]

Those cap to level 90? I thought they only gave skill to like level 80, from what people used to talk about. If so, time to take a trip up there then lol.

IIRC they cap @ lv82 skill.

[Kidnoftle]

Abyssea isn't endgame, abyssea is like getting AF and getting xp.

Probably sarcastic but just because a kid who just got a lobotomy can handle abyssea doesn't disqualify it as endgame. The same goes for all other old content. Kirin is still technically endgame; just easy endgame.

[Okan]

I don't follow. Kirin is considered "end game" but Abyssea is not?
To me, end game defines what I'll be doing once I reach max level to acquire the best possible gear. Thus Abyssea = end game. Kirin does not.

[Mercilessturtle]

No, he said kirin is endgame and so is abyssea.

[Okan]

Oh, my mistake. I somehow read "disqualify" as "qualify".

[macross]

If you aren't going to count abyssea as endgame, then there isn't any endgame content at all.

Endgame now is new dynamis and voidwatch. You should have been done with abyssea a while ago, cept to farm random empy #15 or 20 or whatever.

[Patsu]

So yeah leveling is definitely fast nowadays. In the past few days I've gotten BLM WHM and WAR to 45(still can't decide what to level!!) so now I'm pretty much deciding between BLM and WHM. Which do you guys think is faster to level? (I know spells are damn expensive!) but I got keylogged w/ my friend borrowing my dusk gloves+1 so when I came back I had a few mil to play w/ so I'm not too concerned about it. Btw thanks for answering all my questions, you guys are great. The game is so different.

[macross]

Whm can get gropes easier, but BLM gets them pretty easy as well.