New or Returning Players Discussion 2: SoA Homeless Veterans Edition

[MaachaQ]

Got myself updated and stuffs, trying to get all my macros working again and noticed some weird things that I can't find answers for... I probably could find them if I went back over the 2 years of update notes that I've missed, but I was hoping for a fast answer before I go mad...

All of my previously augmented items now look like this; with no augment stats showing, only an Evolith triangle thing on the bottom. It's the same if I look at other people's augmented items, I can't see the augment stats, only the triangle. WHY T.T


Another odd thing, but not that bad; I was shellholder for an LS that was only my own mules. I assume because we were all deactivated for almost 2 years, the pearls were broken and the shell itself was "broken." Well, the shell is now _named_ "Broken", and 2 of my mules that were sackholders still have pearlsacks, but all the ordinary pearls are completely gone.

[Psion]

hit the menu button while highlighting the item with said triangle. (- button on keypad for me). it will tab to a new page of stats, showing augments on it.

It's SE's way of fitting more stats onto one item without running out of room.

[Cantih]

Three matters.

So, I plan on using the free month of SoA/Reactivation starting on the 6th to finally get a look at the stuff.
(also, because my PC install was borked and unrepairable somehow, going to WotG [and only WotG] caused the game to crash, and wouldn't let me log back on. Had to fire up the PS2 to get out. [This is half of why I was gone, no PS2 SoA])

I know that all non-effect pre-SoA gear is outdated. I know shells are pmuch dead in this day and age, and everything is shouts.
I'm currently in +2 Abyssea with some random patchy upgrades, my shell finally gave up the ghost during VW/Legion/Meeble so I have no progression, and I never got Limbus/Nyzul/Salvage II done (I'm also behind on Relic+2 because I suck at getting time solo, and never had a duo partner.)

So I need to know, what's the pre-SoA to now gear progression path? So I can participate in random stuff and not be an embarrassment.
Relatedly, have there been any shifts since SoA on how THF is played? The last major change to me was the death of /NIN because of native DW and the fact that damn near everything would wipe shadows and hit you anyway.

Lastly, a more specific question. What's the state of Bahamut server these days? Who's who, what's when, and all that.
From 2006 to 2012 I was in Konoha/CetraSanctuary doing stuff in EU prime, we never had much crowding/competition in endgame (though as a rule, we never touched world spawn HNMs, to preserve sanity). I was rarely on/interacted with NA prime people, and not too social anyway.
Are there any competent and fair but not super serious shells left? Is there a home for me? (to compare skill wise, CS did all endgame content successfully, without voice comms. You did things not because someone was telling you, but because everybody knew what they needed to do and did it. If anything needed to be spelled out, it was done before a fight, either in game or in a forum post.)

[Kyreth]

Three matters.

I know that all non-effect pre-SoA gear is outdated. I know shells are pmuch dead in this day and age, and everything is shouts.
I'm currently in +2 Abyssea with some random patchy upgrades, my shell finally gave up the ghost during VW/Legion/Meeble so I have no progression, and I never got Limbus/Nyzul/Salvage II done (I'm also behind on Relic+2 because I suck at getting time solo, and never had a duo partner.)

So I need to know, what's the pre-SoA to now gear progression path? So I can participate in random stuff and not be an embarrassment.
Relatedly, have there been any shifts since SoA on how THF is played? The last major change to me was the death of /NIN because of native DW and the fact that damn near everything would wipe shadows and hit you anyway.

Gear progression's pretty darn simple. Bayld gear (at the Peacekeeper's) -> Cirdas/Raja Skirmish for better weapon, Yorica Skirmish for better armor, Wildkeeper Reives, then Delve from beginning SoA gear to top.

Look for "item level" to get an idea- mainhand weapon also means what it checks for level differential now, so the difference between regular ol' L99 weapon and, say a 115 from a Wildkeeper Reive is huge, not to mention the stat difference. Some 100+ content has leaked over- there's new hardmode BCNM's in the old world that drop 109-level gear, for example, and the original AF can be upgraded to ilvl 109 gear (yes, the VERY FIRST AF). Getting the seals for those is either very nasty Abyssea mobs or pretty much any Adoulin monster.

Far as THF goes, I tend to stick to THF/DNC. Most of what's going to hit me these days, shadows aren't helping much anyway vs. being to self-recover from what they're going to do. Status effects are nasty, nasty things at times in Adoulin- getting a faceful of Umbril love, all kinds of nasty DoT's (the Mantis ones are a special kind of hell) and debuffs you want gone RIGHT NOW, not later. There's a lot of cases where if I hadn't been able to heal myself...well, hi, Home Point.

[Darkmagi]

Don't waste bayld on that gear, just get into skirmish runs. Save it for wildkeeper entry imo

[Kyreth]

Don't waste bayld on that gear, just get into skirmish runs. Save it for wildkeeper entry imo

If you want to sit there leeching for random items, sure. Or waiting on shouts for Skirmish. Besides, you need to get out there and do coalition stuff or no mission progression, and although you can run around and do lost items and such, it's more fun being able to at least hit things in Adoulin without getting raped in the ass by random monsters in the field. At the least, get a bayld weapon to start with- so you can actually contribute in Skirmish vs. flailing impotently at monsters and wondering why the life bars don't go down.

If you've got friends who'll let you leech along and pick up easy Skirmish gear, then by all means, do so. It'll let you skip a step, though the high-end Bayld dagger is still a nice offhand and you'll be able to go do coalition stuff easily for a steady supply of bayld.

[Rentwokay]

If you want to sit there leeching for random items, sure. Or waiting on shouts for Skirmish. Besides, you need to get out there and do coalition stuff or no mission progression, and although you can run around and do lost items and such, it's more fun being able to at least hit things in Adoulin without getting raped in the ass by random monsters in the field. At the least, get a bayld weapon to start with- so you can actually contribute in Skirmish vs. flailing impotently at monsters and wondering why the life bars don't go down.

If you've got friends who'll let you leech along and pick up easy Skirmish gear, then by all means, do so. It'll let you skip a step, though the high-end Bayld dagger is still a nice offhand and you'll be able to go do coalition stuff easily for a steady supply of bayld.

I agree with this. If you have a solid set of gear from the 99-era, you could probably get away with leeching and produce a reasonable set of gear relatively quickly. Anytime before that, though, and you're in for a long, tedious slog because of the lack of decent AH gear at the moment.

I'm part of that latter group, and I had something like 400k Bayld saved up from doing Assignments as I leveled up. The difference between my old gear and the Bayld gear was like night and HOLY CRAP IT BURNS.

[Dotsudoku]

Unless something has changed tremendously, people are much more interested in splitting the costs of Skirmish entry items than whether or not your character is top notch.

And if you're a healer or something, having updated gear nearly irrelevant, so there's that.

[Darkmagi]

Yeah, people generally don't care what your gear is in skirmish. Buy a pop and no one will care more than likely.

[Revati]

I've been quit for maybe 2-3 months and saw they fixed blm rme. Would love to come back for that but is endgame still monk fantasy 11?

[Darkmagi]

Yes, endgame is still mnk fantasy ever before tbh. Other DD work fine, but MNK has a pretty big advantage due to survivability while still dealing nearly as much damage as the stronger DDs. It also requires the least player input of any DD to still deal near optimal damage.

[TehKerm]

Just returned to the game after an almost years break, my server seems quite dead lol. Any servers still populated decently at all with active linkshells? Curious but my hopes arent high, playing casually to pass the time.

[Kohan]

Just returned to the game after an almost years break, my server seems quite dead lol. Any servers still populated decently at all with active linkshells? Curious but my hopes arent high, playing casually to pass the time.

According to this, your server appears to be third from the bottom on the list. If you want one that's more active, there are the more populous ones, but I have no recommendations beyond cruising LS recruitment forums here on BG and elsewhere.

[Carth]

I quit a month before SoA came out.

I realize this question has been answered plenty of times, but to be frank I don't really understand so please be patient with me. I have two accounts. My main is a RDM, WHM, and PLD(No Ochain), and my alt is a DNC, THF, MNK, and SCH. Both characters only has partial abyssea +2 gear, no full sets on any job, but I realize pre-SoA gear is pretty much shit these days and I need to grind for SoA gear.

The issue I'm having is I have no idea where to start. I'm in Adoluin right now and I just got my Pioneer's Badge. I'd just like to be pointed in the right direction so I can get started.

2nd question: What subjobs does RDM and DNC use these days?

[Damane]

I quit a month before SoA came out.

I realize this question has been answered plenty of times, but to be frank I don't really understand so please be patient with me. I have two accounts. My main is a RDM, WHM, and PLD(No Ochain), and my alt is a DNC, THF, MNK, and SCH. Both characters only has partial abyssea +2 gear, no full sets on any job, but I realize pre-SoA gear is pretty much shit these days and I need to grind for SoA gear.

The issue I'm having is I have no idea where to start. I'm in Adoluin right now and I just got my Pioneer's Badge. I'd just like to be pointed in the right direction so I can get started.

2nd question: What subjobs does RDM and DNC use these days?

+2 gear is still usefull on some jobs, in your case

RDM +2 gear for haste refresh, aquaveil etc (buffs non or little dependent on enhancing skill) is very good, unless its a fight spammed with dispelga moves
SCH +2 gear is situationally good, especially the one that ups the duration of rapture stratagem
WHM +2 legs are godlike and the body is good too

as where to start:
Start doign some assignments on a coalition, maybe do some reives
get the quest "Scaredy cats" done, which rewards you with reive unity https://www.bg-wiki.com/bg/Scaredy-Cats
go out and get all bivac teleports frontier station teleports
go out and get the survival skill KIs
you need assignments to progress in story and to be able to get WKR KIs to enter their battle
exchange bayld for some gear you might need (there are okeish pieces for the start)
try to join skirmish 2.0 runs (yorcia wield) for some decent gear
get some decent WKR gear
try to join delve runs

[brozy]

Quit not long after the cap was raised to 99 thus never actually got around to getting it done so i'm wondering if it is soloable now.
I've noticed that you can now stack up on tails (got 2 atm) and it now freezes him aswell but i've been looking around yet can't seem to find a definitive answer if it is actually possible got Nin and Thf at 95 that are...well not bad but not great geared either =/

[buttson]

I swear I've googled for this and haven't found anything. These are probably easy questions so I must be missing something obvious...

1) bought a Camaraderie Dagger. when I equip it I can see my parry skill level increase, but my dagger skill doesn't increase. whats that about?

2) ran around doing some quests and some reives and the dagger leveled up from 100 to 109. what caused the level-ups?

thanks for any help!

[Damane]

I swear I've googled for this and haven't found anything. These are probably easy questions so I must be missing something obvious...

1) bought a Camaraderie Dagger. when I equip it I can see my parry skill level increase, but my dagger skill doesn't increase. whats that about?

2) ran around doing some quests and some reives and the dagger leveled up from 100 to 109. what caused the level-ups?

thanks for any help!

can only answer number 1). the parry/eva/guard skill on ilvl 100+ weapons applies to the skill tablet itself, while the +weaponskill does not apply to the skill tablet, but gives the same amoutn of atk. and accuracy as if you would get that skill naturally. This was done to prevent other jobs/main jobs getting weaponskill they should not have (that was SEs reason).

[Hitou]

Camaraderie dagger is always item lvl 109, you probably just misread the 9 as a 0 at first, there is a item lvl 100 dagger you can also get for bayld, though.

[buttson]

can only answer number 1). the parry/eva/guard skill on ilvl 100+ weapons applies to the skill tablet itself, while the +weaponskill does not apply to the skill tablet, but gives the same amoutn of atk. and accuracy as if you would get that skill naturally. This was done to prevent other jobs/main jobs getting weaponskill they should not have (that was SEs reason).

ahh, that makes sense, thanks!

Camaraderie dagger is always item lvl 109, you probably just misread the 9 as a 0 at first, there is a item lvl 100 dagger you can also get for bayld, though.

oops, yep, i'm a dummy.