New or Returning Players Discussion 2: SoA Homeless Veterans Edition

[Julian]

My brother and I recently came back to the game with new characters after a many-year hiatus (we are on Odin server), excited by the expansion pack and all the new changes. We have been playing pretty hardcore so far and having a really great time. I got my DNC to 99 and my brother is now THF 99. We also have capped or near capped most relevant combat skills and merits. I have some questions that maybe you dudes can help with:

1- now that we have hit this point, we really need to get going on Atmas and Abyssea boss clears. We don't have any sort of LS for this, of course. What's the way to go about this? Do people often shout for boss kills? How do we get Razed Ruins for example? I know where it comes from, of course, but do people often shout these fights for other items and stuff to where we can tag along to help and get the Atmas?

2- we are also open to leveling other jobs, to create the best duo we can. What are the best job combinations for stuff like abyssea and dynamis? Neither of us really wants to level white Mage, so if you could list both combinations with and without Mage classes that would be really helpful.

3- dynamis. We want to get in on farming this. I was reading that the CoP dynamis areas are much more popular for soloers, but what about our duo? (Thf and Dnc) would any city zones be doable, or should we go CoP? Also, does proccing affect AF2 drop rates/slots or is it only currency? (Didn't see it on the wiki)

I just wanna say that I am a wiki junky so I have searched these things endlessly on the wiki. I'm just looking for more experience-type replies about how to go about doing this stuff. I appreciate it!

I'm on Odin and I just made a few mules that I'm slowly clearing everything on. Will eventually be getting them razed ruins, more boss kills, etc. Shoot me your ingame name (PM) and whenever I get around to doing this (can't promise it will be anytime soon, especially razed ruins since they're all just whms until I unlazy and start specializing them in different jobs) and I'll send you a tell if you're online.

[Maksudyst]

I started playing again a few days ago after stopping during the level 90 cap days, I haven't really seen any exp group shouts at all on Asura. Am I just having bad luck or do Abyssea exp groups not exist anymore?

Just show up in a zone and lfp next to a group. You'll get picked up eventually.

[Guild43]

Just show up in a zone and lfp next to a group. You'll get picked up eventually.

Thanks for the idea, how am I supposed to know where there is an exp group? I'd really rather not do worms as I remember it being quite slow compared to Buffaloes for example.

[Plow]

Thanks for the idea, how am I supposed to know where there is an exp group? I'd really rather not do worms as I remember it being quite slow compared to Buffaloes for example.

a. it's a lot better than nothing

b. fuck buffaloes and dolls anyway cuz running back to hand in every 5 kills sucks balls

c. it's actually barely any difference these days since everyone and their dog can solo worms in like 3 seconds per kill

[Eldelphia]

Worm xp in Aby is where most groups end up. No running for pages and it's fast enough. Otherwise you'll see shouts for cleave style parties with people selling slots in them .

[Xeurb]

I started playing again a few days ago after stopping during the level 90 cap days, I haven't really seen any exp group shouts at all on Asura. Am I just having bad luck or do Abyssea exp groups not exist anymore?

Shouts still happen for Exp groups forming on Asura. What I haven't seen yet though is someone going back to Jeuno to shout for replacements. It seems like what happens for GoV and Abyssea exp parties is you just go and sit where they are with your flag. Ask once if there are any vacancies, then just chill till someone leaves (godfuckingpeoplewhoshoutevery3minutesnexttoa18/18alliance). Kinda shitty at Abyssea levels since they could be in any number of zones, but try worms in Latheine, Puks in Vunk, and dolls in Altepa.

[Uzor]

Worm parties pretty much always have 200k/hour minimum, and regularly have 280k/hr or more. I wouldn't say it by any means "suck" since you can get 30 merits in under 2 hours.

People do still shout for replacements sometime, but mainly whenever someone is goin back to Jeuno to dump merits.

[Guild43]

Right on thanks for all of the replies. If worms are the way to go then that's what I'll do, I just have nightmares of groups with more leechers than actual players at that camp.

[vegetaa]

Make your own parties and kick the leechers when they leech too much.

Or even better : make LS parties. Some people still have merits to cap.

[Dngnhack]

I only do turn ins on dolls/buffalo till xp built then i just let it roll and turn in one last one before i leave.

[niwaar]

So a few friends and I are thinking about heading back into XI soon. We have a few reservations though.

1) Some of us havent been back since before the level cap increase. How much of a challenge would it be for us to get to cap?

2) At least one of us (probably 2) lost their original accounts to ... well they are gone. Yet they still want to come back and play provided its not a huge challenge to level at least 1 job to cap in order to participate in SoA activities. Is this the case?

3) One of the reasons one of our group left last time was the lack of real Nvidia support for the game. She has 680 and the last time she played the game was capped at 20fps if she was lucky. Abyssea was unplayable. Did they ever fix the nvidia driver issues?

4) Windower still work?

[Uzor]

Isn't the game capped at 20 no matter what? Or is it 30? I know it's something absurdly low.

[Plow]

Right on thanks for all of the replies. If worms are the way to go then that's what I'll do, I just have nightmares of groups with more leechers than actual players at that camp.

to be honest at 90+ as long as people are at least opening all the chests for you, and hopefully tossing the occasional heal, a single dps can prob push 100k/hr

the thing is those mobs only spawn up to like level 90 max but that doesn't negatively affect the exp they give since it's abyssea

[Isiolia]

Isn't the game capped at 20 no matter what? Or is it 30? I know it's something absurdly low.

30fps cap. Some GPU/driver combos have had major issues though, like confluxes lagging them out.

SE did address the issues with some nVidia cards with the "graphics stabilization" option that appeared recently, though that's more for random crashing. It still didn't get all of it for me, but that + turning off shadows/effects/weather has taken care of it for me (using a GTX 670). I've still gotten a graphics driver crash very occasionally, like once a week or so, but it's not critical.

1) Some of us havent been back since before the level cap increase. How much of a challenge would it be for us to get to cap?

2) At least one of us (probably 2) lost their original accounts to ... well they are gone. Yet they still want to come back and play provided its not a huge challenge to level at least 1 job to cap in order to participate in SoA activities. Is this the case?

XP is not a challenge. Pretty much anything Abyssea or prior isn't, so getting a job to 99 and decently geared will take a fraction of the time it did before.

[Sev]

I just came back last night 4 more levels to go!

[Kohan]

So I have some questions.

1) I'm trying to regear my WAR to be competitive in today's fast-moving FFXI environment. What should I be on the lookout for as far as gear for TP and WS, and where should I put my merits?

Aside from the usual recommendation to cruise Media's Post Pictures of Your Gear thread—even if you don't post pictures, it's an excellent place to look and ask for gear advice—I also highly suggest FFXIAH's forums. Not only are they of a much higher standard than you may expect, but they include FFXIAH's built-in Item Set feature, which lets you click on items in gear sets and find out what they are. For someone who is just returning to the game, this is a lot more valuable than static screenshots of nameless icons.

2) I've never played a mage job before, but I've started bringing up WHM to see what I can do with it. I really don't know what I should be on the lookout for there as far as gear goes (and what should I worry about pre-99?), and also, what subjobs will I need? Just SCH? Or BLM and RDM as well?

As for gear: http://www.ffxiah.com/forum/topic/29...al-gear-at-99/

Naturally, you should have all three of those potential subjobs leveled.

Also, although I doubt you want to invest yourself in something as complex as SCH main, if you ever find yourself enjoying the job, here's a good reference for that: http://www.ffxiah.com/forum/topic/32...s-education/1/

[Darkmagi]

http://www.ffxiah.com/forum/topic/35...arriors-kyklos
Pretty much everything you could possibly want to know about war gear/etc. Very good guide.

[Sev]

What are the 3 best Merit weaponskills. I already picked up the GK one and working towards 5/5

[FNH]

What are the 3 best Merit weaponskills. I already picked up the GK one and working towards 5/5

depends on the jobs you prefer: resolution, shoha, shijin spiral, and last stand seem to be the most used. exenterator, upheaval, and shun also to lesser extent I guess.

[Asai]

I'm tempted to start playing again because of the expansion, but idk if I wanna drown my free time away in the deep abyss that is FFXI >_>

How long would it take to get my 6 75's to 99 or upgrage my nirvana? And what about AF3 gear? How do you get that stuff? I quit when the cap went to 80, but have been bored out of my mind lately and DayZ isn't helping.