Relic Weapon Revival (06/06/2012)

[Ropeydonkey]

http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com...cdd1f0ca80484c

Eorzea has witnessed a resurgence of the old ways in recent days, as adventurers the realm over take up the ancient trades of warrior and dragoon, bard and black mage, and more. Now, it is the traditional weaponry of these old mantles that are sought, the means of their making long since lost to the ages. It would seem this longing for things past and old is not limited merely to the schools of war and magic...
Relic Weapons
The reformation of Eorzea’s Grand Companies was born of a longing in the hearts of the free peoples of Eorzea—a longing for the days of old and the peace they knew. It is a sentiment that has since spread to the realm’s adventurers, guiding them toward the rediscovery of trades from a former age that had all but died out. Small wonder, then, that those who have mastered these ancient ways of battle and sorcery now seek the weapons of eld which will enable them to realize the truest expression of their newfound powers. Thus have adventurers begun their quest for the relics.

Obtaining Relic Weapons
Relic weapons are a category of arms designed specifically for a certain job. They are obtained via the “A Relic Reborn” quest, which can be undertaken as of the release of patch 1.22b*. Only players who have completed at least one of the job quests and obtained a soiled promissory note from the NPC Rowena in Ul’dah will be eligible for this quest. Once these conditions are met, “A Relic Reborn” can be started by speaking to the NPC Gerolt at the Hawthorne Hut, found within the Black Shroud.

“A Relic Reborn” is a repeatable quest. After completing it and obtaining a relic weapon, it may be begun again to obtain a different relic weapon. It is not possible, however, to progress towards two different relic weapons simultaneously. Should you wish to pursue a different relic weapon while “A Relic Reborn” is already underway, you must abandon the quest and begin anew. Epic challenges and hard work await those who undertake “A Relic Reborn,” so please choose the object of your desire carefully, lest you find yourself coveting your neighbor’s weapon!

* Though quest progression is possible as of version 1.22b, completion will not be possible until a future patch release.

Origins of the Relic Weapons

Curtana and the Holy Shield* (Paladin)

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...6cbeb70a504f93

Long has the sacred sword Oathkeeper been bestowed upon the commander of the Sultansworn, vowed protectors of Ul’dah’s ruler. Yet it is not alone in its greatness. At the time of its making, three other swords were struck from the same ore and forged in the same fires. These brethren blades, Curtana among them, were then gifted to the three noble paladins by whose hand the brotherhood of the Sultansworn was founded.

* Curtana and the Holy Shield are a set, and are awarded together.


Sphairai (Monk)

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...cf93e49bc7cac0

The celebrated monk Ivon Coeurlfist passed his days in ascetic seclusion atop the mountains of Gyr Abania. It was there, legend tells, that he sought out coeurls with which to vie, in a bid to advance his training. In time, he came to incorporate the natural movements of the beasts into his fighting style, and in so doing established a legacy in the martial arts which has known no rival since. Ever at his side was his beloved Sphairai, a pair of deadly striking weapons shaped in the likeness of coeurl heads.


Bravura (Warrior)

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...99f8192cc5ab2f

Hidden deep amidst the mountains in the northern reaches of Abalathia’s Spine there once lay a village of stark warriors, among whom lived a line of blacksmiths bound by family and forge. It is said they used molten rock given forth from the bosom of Hydaelyn to heat iron fallen from the heavens, with which they forged axes bearing a tensility and edge unlike any other. This proud line of warrior smiths has long since died out, however, and with them all knowledge of how the great axe Bravura was made.


Gae Bolg (Dragoon)

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...7ab771fca71e98

There is a custom still observed in Ishgard today which ordains that the Holy See bestow a polearm dubbed Gae Bolg upon any lancer who ascends to the station of dragoon. Exactly how his weapon is forged remains a mystery, as the very few highland smiths who create them are sworn to keep their methods secret. All that is known is that the bones of dragons slain in the name of Halone are worked into both haft and head, achieving an unmatched balance between lightness and strength.


Artemis Bow (Bard)

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...7316202c722986

Godsbow—a name of great honor given only to those most accomplished with that weapon. According to the annals, the first to win that title was Gilbert, a bard celebrated for his honeyed yet thunderous voice. He is credited with having fashioned the likeness of a lyre into a bow, forming an instrument of war he simply called “Artemis.” Upon Gilbert’s death, the weapon which loosed the arrows that killed countless Ixal and played their requiems both, was taken for safekeeping by the Gods’ Quiver of Gridania.


Thyrus (White Mage)

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...7e49dcc2256159

For generations, the staff known as Thyrus was passed down as an heirloom in House Cant, a proud lineage which yielded Gridania several Padjal, those chosen of the wood. Some decades ago, however, the then head of the House Cant, A-Towa-Cant, disappeared suddenly and inexplicably, and the legendary Thyrus along with him. To this very day, none know for certain what became of the Padjal, or his treasured weapon.


Stardust Rod (Black Mage)

http://static.finalfantasyxiv.com/to...7e6223db690a82

All in the Order of Nald’thal know well the legend of Shatotto, a mighty thaumaturge from the fifth of Astral Eras. Her creation of destructive and catastrophic spells evoked as much fear as it did respect, prompting ignorant souls to call her unsavory names—Death’s Handmaiden, the Black Witch, and the She-Devil among them. She was also possessed of an otherworldly talent for crafting thaumaturgical staves. Among her creations, the Stardust Rods are by far the most powerful and coveted, believed as they are to be fashioned from the celestial remnants of a star Shatotto herself brought down to Hydaelyn and clove asunder.

I wasn't expecting relics this early. Did I miss something? Was this already announced?

[Lucavi]

Seems way too early, content-wise, for relic weapons, unless they're going to be weak, "themed" weapons that exist pretty much just to match the color and design scheme of AF equipment.

[Ropeydonkey]

Yeah, 'completion will not be possible until a future patch release' so assuming its just inv-1 for a few years...

I wonder how hard the quests will suck. Kill 1,000,000,000 dodos inc.

[Tomino]

All in the Order of Nald’thal know well the legend of Shatotto, a mighty thaumaturge from the fifth of Astral Eras.

I see what they did there

[Gokulo]

Shatotto was already mentioned in the Black Mage quests, get in with the times

Yeah, 'completion will not be possible until a future patch release' so assuming its just inv-1 for a few years...

From various in-game dialogues and such people are assuming they will be upgradeable weapons. Although we don't know if only the final version will be worthwhile or maybe earlier versions will have decent stats too.

[Jamison]

Somewhere I got the impression that these would continue to be upgradable for the life the game.

[Eagleheart]

Somewhere I got the impression that these would continue to be upgradable for the life the game.

You might be thinking of the Final Fantasy Legacy items. (O.o)

[Rocl]

Seems way too early, content-wise, for relic weapons, unless they're going to be weak, "themed" weapons that exist pretty much just to match the color and design scheme of AF equipment.

Relics were added in FFXI on February 26, 2004 (at least, this is when Dynamis was introduced). I have no idea if the weapons were finalized per se, but judging that the Northland Dynamis wasn't released until April 22, 2004† seems to suggest to me that the Relic Weapon Quests were incomplete (or at least, unfinishable) when the items were first released. Seems similar to this, obvi.

For those keen to forget, FFXI was released initially on PS2 in Japan on May 16, 2002 [according to wikipedia], so that's what? A little under two years from release they added "Relic" weapons to FFXI? About the same time frame here as XIV is now approaching it's second anniversary of launch.

Not to mention that I'd consider these more Artifact Weapons (as they were called as such by Producer Letters and what-not before this update) and I expect them to be our first set of Job-Only weapons and the ability to finish the quest will probably be in 1.23 or 1.24 (aka I imagine it'd be before 2.0).

I also have no idea what you mean by "content-wise;" do you mean Relics in this case aren't getting an event in which they're the "best possible outcome*"? (Well, we could digress further here but...) In which case I would say, as of 1.22a, Hamlet Defense is XIV's answer to XI's Dynamis in terms of Relic Weapon progress. The difference being instead of amassing millions of currency drops, you amass 9 rare drops. Militia Gear stands in place of XI's AF2 (scant as it may be, though AF2 was largely trash pieces in the beginning, despite everyone's desire to own a full set, and I swear they increased the rate of Dynamis drops at least twice, certainly when they finally introduced ToAU/WoTG job drops thousands of years later) in the whole "here's your reward for helping me get my weapon, bro." Of course, if you mean content-wise as in it's not an epic struggle with 63 other people, then yes it's not.

*Er, what I meant to say by this is that you did Dynamis for currency/money/armour/synth mats, etc, right? But at the end of the tunnel the big reward was omgexcalibur. In this way, I consider the omgcroutana of R-21 to be the light at the end of the tunnel etc etc
† Yes, apparently in fact no one understood the point of relic weapons until this update when their whole "unique WS" was revealed. http://zeusls.llima.net/download/ffxiupdatehistory.html

Spoiler: show

FFXI is used for comparison because fuck you that's why

tl;dr -- this is no faster than relics in XI, it's just relics were more subtly added in XI; there wasn't a HEY BRO LOOK AT THIS SWEET RAGNAROK teaser

Spoiler: show

there may have been a HEY BRO LOOK AT THIS SWEET RAGNAROK teaser but i spent enough time looking for that fucking update history site to confirm JP dates

[miokomioko]

Somewhere I got the impression that these would continue to be upgradable for the life the game.

That's pretty much what I'm expecting.

The way I remember it being mentioned, Legacy items are supposed to be throwbacks to classic aesthetics of the franchise (Red Mage chapeaus, etc.).

[Jem]

That bow is the bow that Jehantel already uses in the BRD quests. Pretty certain of it.

[Elcura]

Most of the weapons are used by the main NPCs in the job quests. I haven't seen the BLM or WHM stuff, because you don't really have a companion/fight for those.

[Jem]

Ah fair enough then, I've only actually bothered completing one quest set before just crafting.

[Rocl]

Most of the weapons are used by the main NPCs in the job quests. I haven't seen the BLM or WHM stuff, because you don't really have a companion/fight for those.

Actually I don't think the WHM weapon has been used by an NPC--I'm almost certain the BLM staff is used by the main guy though.

[Lucavi]

Dates and times[/spoiler]

That wasn't quite what I meant; I probably should have explained myself more clearly. I meant that -we- as adventurers haven't really done too much in the grand scheme of things. A few bosses killed, a few people saved, but I know I certainly don't feel as strong in XIV as I did in XI in comparison to the things I had done, by the time I was diving into Dynamis to fight corrupted everything.

I just feel like there hasn't been enough lore out yet; enough going on in the world to justify making arguably the most powerful weapons in history avalaible to the players. We haven't even had an expansion or a level cap increase yet.

[Raldo]

You know 'relic' is just a word, right? There's no reason to expect these to be of the same caliber or difficulty as FFXI's "relic weapons".

[Seravi Edalborez]

Yeah, Gae Bolg looks like weapon used by DRG-guy, and same for PLD stuff. Calling them relic weapons is probably a marketing tagline to draw in XI players. Even if it doesn't end up being like "those" relics.
Same with "Artifact" I guess. And Materia to an extent.

[Lucavi]

You know 'relic' is just a word, right? There's no reason to expect these to be of the same caliber or difficulty as FFXI's "relic weapons".

Or power, I suppose, but you are correct.

[Eagleheart]

I just want to see the stats. ._. Gonna be a long day of waiting, and not even a particularly busy workday to keep me from thinking about it.

Incidentally, it's annoying to try to find information on the Legacy items, because searches keep turning up Legacy campaign results. o.x Bah.

[Balb]

Yeah I dont think these are anything more than AF weapons.

[solracht]

You know 'relic' is just a word, right? There's no reason to expect these to be of the same caliber or difficulty as FFXI's "relic weapons".

Can't believe it took this long for someone to mention this.

EDIT: Rocl was telling me I shouldn't have tl;dr his post because he mentioned it too.