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

[Kalmado]

http://www.bluegartr.com/threads/104...ynamis-Changes

It's a lot to go through, but that's truly the answer.

Short version, spam CoP for singles. If you really want 100s, most will say doing Xarc, but drop rate varies on who you ask. I personally think farming CoP for singles will yield more profit than going after 100s. Depending on the zone I'm doing, if I see a NM close by I'll try to mix it in.

[Indalecia]

Just need a short and sweet answer:

Is there any gear that should be absolutely gotten post abyssea for SMN, PLD, DRK, or COR? Not talking .00001% increase in 2% of situations, I mean an actual improvement.

Much appreciated

[Aro]

Didnt go through all 50 pages but wondering if anyone could tell me the general state of balance of all the classes, from what I've read some classes are still considered sub par endgame wise. I havent played since before the caps we raised (~09) and was wondering how DDs and casters are spread in terms of party usefulness at endgame. SAM still top tier? Hows RNG? etc a general overview would be really useful.

Thanks

[Spira]

Just need a short and sweet answer:

Is there any gear that should be absolutely gotten post abyssea for SMN, PLD, DRK, or COR? Not talking .00001% increase in 2% of situations, I mean an actual improvement.

Much appreciated

i can answer for SMN. yes.

there's quite a few pieces to look at.

from VW:
Rubeus Boots (smn magic skill)
Auspex/Spurrina gages (BP dmg. new abjuration)

from Dynamis-Nouveau
Oneiros Grip (refresh)
Smn Horn +2 (pet:mab)
Smn Bracers +2 (skill, MB if u augment)

from Legion (an event no one does)
Ngen Seraweels (bp dmg)
Esper Earring (bp dmg)

from Limbus 2
Adhara Gages (perp. this is Nashiras+1)
Shedir Crackows (blood boon, pet: macc, mab, bp dmg) most awesome new piece of eq SMN has seen yet.

edit: BP dmg is SE's new fave SMN stat apparently. thankfully so because the increases are substantial compared to the ever dubious "increases avatar attack", and it works for both physical/magical.

[Slycer]

Just need a short and sweet answer:

Is there any gear that should be absolutely gotten post abyssea for SMN, PLD, DRK, or COR? Not talking .00001% increase in 2% of situations, I mean an actual improvement.

Much appreciated

@COR, are you referring to Wildfire, other WSes, Quick Draw, or what? I'm going to assume mainly Wildfire, since really that's by far the most important gear set for COR.
Head: Euxine Hat +3 or Thaumas Hat (Nyzul 99) - very significant improvement

Body: Tessera Saio (Provenance- very tough to get, very significant) or Athos's Tabard (Botulus Rex- easier to get, significant, depending on what you had before)

Ammo: Orichalcum Bullets added recently (crafted) have MAB+2 making them the only bullet which actually affects Wildfire damage

Not really aware of any other gear added lately which makes huge differences in Wildfire damage.

For Quick Draw, Omphalos Bullet from Akvan is a game changer. Just make sure you don't shoot it off accidentally.


If you don't have Wildfire, or you do but you want a good physical WS as backup where magical isn't useful, you should fully merit Last Stand - the marksmanship merit weapon skill. It's a good one - to gear up for it, you mainly want to stack AGI.

[Insanecyclone]

Alright so I started over again on Slyph back in April but had to let it run out because I picked a bad time to try and come back. Now I've reactivated it the other day and there are a few things I'm curious about.

I know promies and associated areas are now uncapped but what about 2-3 and other missions?

What makes you 'big money' now days? Right now I'm stuck with beehive chip & crystal shit again.

Is there anything you can recc to a returning old player?

[Mafai]

XP'ing in abyssea and converting the cruor to blinkers to NPC is pretty good gil for a person returning.

Also, if you can collect items from gold boxes to NPC, its nice as well.

[Scrynth]

I think virtually all mission level caps have been removed.

[Isiolia]

I know promies and associated areas are now uncapped but what about 2-3 and other missions?

What makes you 'big money' now days? Right now I'm stuck with beehive chip & crystal shit again.

Is there anything you can recc to a returning old player? I still have this 75 mind set still :<

- I believe all mission content is now uncapped, along with all the zones that used to have a level cap.

- The two main avenues you might not expect are cruor and Dynamis. As a returning player, you'll have a lot to hoard cruor for (buying KIs, buying base Empyrean armor, etc), but in the long term you can use cruor to buy NPC-able items. The most profitable is to buy Chocobo Blinkers for 200 cruor apiece and NPC them for 529 (max fame). As you get cruor for doing much of anything in Abyssea, or when doing Voidwatch, it's a constant potential source of gil that's only tempered in that you might need it for something else. Abyssea often nets other items you can sell/NPC, and Heroes zones have dominion notes which can also be used to buy NPC'able items.

Farming Dynamis is also fairly popular, if you have the playtime and inclination to do it. The new event structure has no entry fee, so if you can farm effectively it's all profit.

[Insanecyclone]

Well that's good then. Hopefully getting gear won't be so bad because I don't like to be gimp on a job unless it's a sj whore. I'm thinking of doing both MNK and THF this time around w/ possibly RDM.

edit: As usual there isn't shit in the nations AH compare to Jeuno's etc

[Leashedragon]

So Indy was sort of talking me into coming back to FFXI. It's been 2 years since I last played, and I only played for I think 6 months before I stopped again for outside reasons. Before that I had not played in 2 and a 1/2 years I think. So, it's almost like I've been gone for 4 years. I played a little bit before Abyssea and made it to the second Abyssea was released I think, only getting some of my jobs above 80.

My biggest issue coming back is 12$ monthly/reactivate, 25$ server transfer, and 10$ expansion to get to 99... and if I can't find my damn security token, another 10$ there. It's been sitting in my drawer or at my desk for 2 years and all the sudden up and disappeared now. Wtf.. seriously. Found it. It's always in the last place you already looked twice before...

So.. Dynamis is.. soloable now?
It has no entrance fee I see. I would like to work on Gungnir if it's easier to obtain Relics now. I did start at one point in the past until the Dynamis shell leader screwed me over.

Abyssea is still the EXP area of all EXP areas?
Leeching jobs in there while they open boxes if you're too low.

Indy mentioned a patch upcoming that will introduce upgraded Salvage gear?
I managed to finish my Ares body off before I stopped playing before. Just in time for the market to crash on the items and have newer, better, items come out right after!

Has anything been done in terms of getting skill ups?
With the level synch thing they added, it created really bad skill gimps if you were constantly level synching down. I know this was to create skill up parties, but realistically it didn't do squat in terms of getting people to do skill up parties when I was playing.

How would I fair gear wise/what am I looking at now?
Not sure how better to word this one.

My big priorities were DRG and SMN, the rest.. as I could get to them.

I'm not sure how accurate these sets are, as I'm not sure how up to date I kept them when I quit, but this is what I was sitting on: FFXIAH Item Sets.

When I originally stopped, Store TP was the big thing and the massive Haste craze was just seeming to come about. When I played again, I never got around to switching to a Haste build as I really didn't know much about it and wasn't given much advice other than, "OMG GET A SWIFT BELT!!11"

I feel so behind and lost. I know I had other questions, but Indy could probably answer them if I remember them... if he ever pops on vent again.

[Jeicen]

edit: As usual there isn't shit in the nations AH compare to Jeuno's etc

There is only one AH now.

[Insanecyclone]

There is only one AH now.

So every AH is now connected to each other? Took them long enough to do that. Guess Slyph just doesn't have shit for an AH then.

[Eastaran]

Hmph. Beaten.

[Isiolia]

AHs were merged, it's all the Jeuno AH now. There's just little market for low level items so they don't get sold.

[Insanecyclone]

I figured as much since you lvl so damn quick now with Gusgen and Abyssea. Only downside I'm going to have is limit breaks again, fuck maat, and if ancient papy is still a bitch drop. Or finding help for the others I suppose.

[detlef]

I think they changed the first limit break quest finding ??? rather than obtaining the 3 drops.

[Isiolia]

I think they changed the first limit break quest finding ??? rather than obtaining the 3 drops.

The latest patch offers this as an alternative. You can still kill the mobs if you want I think.

[Guyverarmor]

I started back up as well Insane. I'm over on Bahamut now since my LS on Quetz broke and no one I played with plays anymore. back to the grind ! I think I will be doing WHM this time around instead
of PLD n NIN. Also, I resolve to take up fishing as well !

[Apelila]

So.. Dynamis is.. soloable now?
It has no entrance fee I see. I would like to work on Gungnir if it's easier to obtain Relics now. I did start at one point in the past until the Dynamis shell leader screwed me over.
One time entrance fee. Also a jugpet fee, since everyone goes BST or DNC.


Abyssea is still the EXP area of all EXP areas?
Leeching jobs in there while they open boxes if you're too low.
Grounds of Valor is just as good pre-the ability to contribute to parties. If your a melee/BLM and your geared/skilled, you can actually carry an aby party by yourself if the healer is awake faster than GoV.

Has anything been done in terms of getting skill ups?
With the level synch thing they added, it created really bad skill gimps if you were constantly level synching down. I know this was to create skill up parties, but realistically it didn't do squat in terms of getting people to do skill up parties when I was playing.
They introduced trial of the magians. Now you'll have to grind a new weapon once you hit 99, so you might as well grind while you grind, as they say. There's foods that make skill ups come faster now.

How would I fair gear wise/what am I looking at now?
Not sure how better to word this one.My big priorities were DRG and SMN, the rest.. as I could get to them.
AF3 first, I'll let other people answer the VW stuff.

When I originally stopped, Store TP was the big thing and the massive Haste craze was just seeming to come about. When I played again, I never got around to switching to a Haste build as I really didn't know much about it and wasn't given much advice other than, "OMG GET A SWIFT BELT!!11"
Haste cap is 26%, I'll let others answer the setups for DRG I've forgotten them.

Answers in quote