New or Returning Players Discussion 2: SoA Homeless Veterans Edition

[Cantih]

So, a few questions.

General
For Background - I got the PC version and expansion on sale a while back, and have popped on during free weeks since and got through most SoA quests and missions up to Ch. 3.
I exited constant subbing before SoA came out. I was PS2 at the time (so yes, never used windower/plugins), so no expansion for me, and my LS had finally given up the ghost. I was partway through Voidwatch, we didn't manage Legion (not enough numbers), and I never did Meeble Burrows. I never joined shouts for getting through Voidwatch, but I understand that nowadays it's pmuch the only way to get things done with most LSes dead. I did try to solo some meeble burrows and dyna stuff with RoE gear, but remember it not going so well. Whenever I see solo talk for content with THF, everything seems to be fine, so I guess I'm missing something.

So, questions.
1. How has playing THF changed? While in LS, it was pmuch SA/TA if the tank could keep it in position (spinning was becoming a problem, and everybody stopped skillchaining/positioning long ago), TH it, and oh god stop feeding it so much tp.
2. What events can I safely do in RoE gear / how can I participate in these events without being a fucking stupid embarrassment?
a. So the primer thing has the progression Skirmish > Merit/Mission v2 Battlefields > Delve > Alluvion Skirmish > Incursion. But where does Vagary and Unity Wanted (and Escha now) fit into this?
b. For what is soloable by a THF (and what is anyway) with Trust, what's the team I should be using? (For reference, I went into Escha with Aphmau and the puppets and some random DPS trust, and some Corse NM popped and curbstomped me.)
3. Wtf gear do I get? I know RoE is actually worse than 109 Reforged A/R/E gear, but I can't find what sets are in progression order, or even what the damned sets are, BG wiki only lists alphabetically, and otherwiki only has skirmish, and skips there from ZNM anyway. Also, Su1/Su2, wtf does that fit in?
a. With A/R/E, since they all use Rem Ch.'s and the rare old drops and some aren't cheap, among the three sets, what should I mix and match as a priority? (like, getting the TH +3 hands/legs, or w/e)
b. Less a question and more a note, but someone should make a guide for what old pre-99 NM/Casket/etc. (no, really, everything) drops are still worth going after.

Server
1. Is anyone BG alive on Bahamut?
2. What Unity on Bahamut is the one to hop on to actually do things?

Lastly. wtf, Soul Pyres. How the fuck are you supposed to do these without a distance plugin? Is it a S-E trap to get whoever is using one? (Hey, you're getting these consistently, must be cheating, ban em')

[Kyreth]

So, a few questions.

General
For Background - I got the PC version and expansion on sale a while back, and have popped on during free weeks since and got through most SoA quests and missions up to Ch. 3.
I exited constant subbing before SoA came out. I was PS2 at the time (so yes, never used windower/plugins), so no expansion for me, and my LS had finally given up the ghost. I was partway through Voidwatch, we didn't manage Legion (not enough numbers), and I never did Meeble Burrows. I never joined shouts for getting through Voidwatch, but I understand that nowadays it's pmuch the only way to get things done with most LSes dead. I did try to solo some meeble burrows and dyna stuff with RoE gear, but remember it not going so well. Whenever I see solo talk for content with THF, everything seems to be fine, so I guess I'm missing something.

So, questions.
1. How has playing THF changed? While in LS, it was pmuch SA/TA if the tank could keep it in position (spinning was becoming a problem, and everybody stopped skillchaining/positioning long ago), TH it, and oh god stop feeding it so much tp.
2. What events can I safely do in RoE gear / how can I participate in these events without being a fucking stupid embarrassment?
a. So the primer thing has the progression Skirmish > Merit/Mission v2 Battlefields > Delve > Alluvion Skirmish > Incursion. But where does Vagary and Unity Wanted (and Escha now) fit into this?
b. For what is soloable by a THF (and what is anyway) with Trust, what's the team I should be using? (For reference, I went into Escha with Aphmau and the puppets and some random DPS trust, and some Corse NM popped and curbstomped me.)
3. Wtf gear do I get? I know RoE is actually worse than 109 Reforged A/R/E gear, but I can't find what sets are in progression order, or even what the damned sets are, BG wiki only lists alphabetically, and otherwiki only has skirmish, and skips there from ZNM anyway. Also, Su1/Su2, wtf does that fit in?
a. With A/R/E, since they all use Rem Ch.'s and the rare old drops and some aren't cheap, among the three sets, what should I mix and match as a priority? (like, getting the TH +3 hands/legs, or w/e)
b. Less a question and more a note, but someone should make a guide for what old pre-99 NM/Casket/etc. (no, really, everything) drops are still worth going after.

Server
1. Is anyone BG alive on Bahamut?
2. What Unity on Bahamut is the one to hop on to actually do things?

Lastly. wtf, Soul Pyres. How the fuck are you supposed to do these without a distance plugin? Is it a S-E trap to get whoever is using one? (Hey, you're getting these consistently, must be cheating, ban em')

1) Rudra's Storm got a lot sharper teeth. It got throttled back some, but it's still a go-to WS now. With job point perks, you can also pull a few minor tricks like a drain HP/TP move, Steal more often (buff yoinks) and maximum TH goes up to 13 (and rate of +TH improves as well). Dagger maximum skill is now A+ as well, so you'll actually end up skilling up a bit when you log back in.

2) Spark armor/gear is good for stepping up- it'll do for stuff like Skirmishes and Wildkeeper Reives as well as exploring the areas of Adoulin nearest to the city.
2a) Vagary is large-group content, Unity small-group (you can do them with the minimal 3 players), and you'll generally want 119ish gear to pull them off (I'd put them in the Delve range). That being said, there's a lot of 119 options- upgrading AF/Relic/Empy armor, +1ing Skirmish armor, Alluvion Skirmish armor, Delve armor, etc. etc...
2b) Trusts also improve with gear level, so the better you're geared, the tougher your Trusts get. Escha spawns group-level NMs (or at least, very-well-geared soloer w/Trusts) from killing stuff in there, so it's not someplace I'd advise grinding without an escape plan (or Reraise). Spark gear will do you fine for the opening areas of Adoulin as a soloer, and make sure you're spending those imprimaturs in Adoulin City so you get far enough in the Adoulin missions to do Wildkeeper Reives. Get in on those whenever you see a shout. It's free gear, and the RoE quest will give you a KI that you can use to augment the good (115 ilvl) gear from them further. WKR augmented gear goes a long way-I'm still using the head piece from one.

3(a) The three pieces I upgraded were my +TH hands and feet (relic and empy), and my AF feet (for the +movement speed and they're decent 119 gear). Pages are no big deal- you can get those with sparks if you don't want to worry about going through battlefields- and spark gear will reasonably get you through old content (like, say, CoP) without worries soloing + Trusts. Su1/Su2 gear is basically the "I can't unlock things other ways" 119 gear- that is, you grind capacity points on THF, 30K of which is a Job Point. JP's can be spent on various perks (Mug draining HP, Despoil TP, etc etc.) and enough job points spent on a specific job give it "Gifts" - including what's called the ability to wear "Superior" gear. SU1/SU2 are the two steps on the way up.
3b) The reason there isn't a guide is because they aren't worth going after. Heck, finishing Rhapsody up to the current point lets you buy every chest/coffer key in the game. If you see one of the old biggies passing by, it's worth mugging them for the Gil and a quick kill, but the only oldschool mob regularly fought these days is Behemoth for the shanks -> King B -> Defending Ring as it's still uniquely BiS for what it does. Otherwise gear is generally surpassed by Adoulin-era stuff.

Gearwise for a soloer, I'd go Spark -> Wildkeeper (w/augments) <-> get into a high-end battlefield BCNM/Delve clear to unlock JSE weapon <-> upgrade A/R/ -> solo Yorica Alluvion Skirmish for armor and dagger (use 3 wings) -start with 1/1/1/blade for the KI. If you can get into a Delve run or the like once you're out of spark gear, all the better. JSE gear that's been 119'd is great, but rough to put together in some cases solo- but then, it's all doable with money and time, much like SU1/SU2 gear. You can be in respectable gear with nothing but grinding, Gil, and login points. And THF is quite good at being the DD role on Alluvion Yorica runs as butterflies melt to piercing/Rudra's hits and you move fast. Just remember they hit hard, too.

Soul Pyres are pretty much "Give up" for a free 5 bayld as far as I'm concerned. Cause seriously, not usually worth the effort. The Mummer's Guild has items you can use to make "catching" one easier.

[Karbuncle]

I came back for the Free part, a lot of interesting stuff, but damnit if about everything I want to do requires 3+ people and apparently even with 1k+ People on Asura, no one wants to do anything lol ;;

So I spent the day finishing Rhapsodies and wanting to do some of the Unity Hunts but being completely unable too ._.

[nicholai]

I'm really tempted to come back due to boredom from other stuff but don't know anyone playing still, is there any group of returning people on the same server smashing their heads against a wall together?

[Vil]

Ok, so for someone who is a new returnee (after a LONG time away), help me out with CP/JP/Gifts.

As of now, I could reconfigure my mog house so I can get Moghancement: Bounty from that behemoth crap, but I haven't tried yet. I have the NQ Aptitude Mantle, the ring from the Moogle, and Kupofried following me around. I think I've heard of augmented stuff that will give a bigger bonus, but for now... as someone who has pretty much just started anything Adoulin and only really exploring a few zones and doing a couple reives, is there other equipment that I can just pick up that will help give more CP?

[FNH]

Ok, so for someone who is a new returnee (after a LONG time away), help me out with CP/JP/Gifts.

As of now, I could reconfigure my mog house so I can get Moghancement: Bounty from that behemoth crap, but I haven't tried yet. I have the NQ Aptitude Mantle, the ring from the Moogle, and Kupofried following me around. I think I've heard of augmented stuff that will give a bigger bonus, but for now... as someone who has pretty much just started anything Adoulin and only really exploring a few zones and doing a couple reives, is there other equipment that I can just pick up that will help give more CP?

Make sure to set the Records of Eminence quests for the reives to get some % bonus to CP. Mecistopins mantle grants cp based on a random augment, but those come from Incursion and takes a group.

[arus2001]

I came back for the Free part, a lot of interesting stuff, but damnit if about everything I want to do requires 3+ people and apparently even with 1k+ People on Asura, no one wants to do anything lol ;;

So I spent the day finishing Rhapsodies and wanting to do some of the Unity Hunts but being completely unable too ._.

Generally been my issue, which I can attribute in part to missing content when it was current. The one time I saw a WKR shout I got to it just as it ended when I reached the ??? to warp. Otherwise, I spent a couple days collecting Rieve RoE clears and am a couple pages short of getting my 2nd i119 BLU gear. Rest of the time has just been soloing JPs, I guess. Up to level 5 on blue magic points+. Wondering if I could maybe fish out a better camp since the twitherym/raptors I've been doing in Morimar are a bit too spread out. Non-aggro/linking would be cool, too. Still need to find Ra'ka-whatever and get biovacs/warps there, too.

[Cantih]

Still need to find Ra'ka-whatever and get biovacs/warps there, too.

Kamihr Drifts west side. You need to take the SE path from Bivouac #4

[Vil]

Make sure to set the Records of Eminence quests for the reives to get some % bonus to CP. Mecistopins mantle grants cp based on a random augment, but those come from Incursion and takes a group.

Thanks. I had made sure to get that. I was doing those tasks or whatever and was doing more RoE for those for that.

[Kyreth]

Generally been my issue, which I can attribute in part to missing content when it was current. The one time I saw a WKR shout I got to it just as it ended when I reached the ??? to warp. Otherwise, I spent a couple days collecting Rieve RoE clears and am a couple pages short of getting my 2nd i119 BLU gear. Rest of the time has just been soloing JPs, I guess. Up to level 5 on blue magic points+. Wondering if I could maybe fish out a better camp since the twitherym/raptors I've been doing in Morimar are a bit too spread out. Non-aggro/linking would be cool, too. Still need to find Ra'ka-whatever and get biovacs/warps there, too.

Adoulin mobs tend to be hostile and/or linking without fail: It's a jungle out there. I'm pretty mellow about things, but the Twitherym spot just a bit away from the Ravine's base camp is a nice place to grind out stuff solo, even with the linking butterflies. You've got Subduction already, right? Blast them en masse and take advantage of the linking.

[Koyangi]

What is the name of the AHable cape that gives +CP%?

[Kilorilo]

Quite overwhelmed by all the new shiny stuff (haven't played since like march/apr 2012).

Is Chatoyant Staff still good for debuffs? Or does another easy-to-obtain item surpass it?
Is "Magic Accuracy skill" basically the same as having skill+?

[arus2001]

Adoulin mobs tend to be hostile and/or linking without fail: It's a jungle out there. I'm pretty mellow about things, but the Twitherym spot just a bit away from the Ravine's base camp is a nice place to grind out stuff solo, even with the linking butterflies. You've got Subduction already, right? Blast them en masse and take advantage of the linking.

I do, but I don't think I have the gear to back it (mainly eminence with older nuke accessories). Melee-wise, I can generally kill one under 30s unless Savage Blade misses/one-hits. At which point I could just pop a QC or TA to make up the difference.

CP% cape

Aptitude Mantle (+1)

[Karbuncle]

Generally been my issue, which I can attribute in part to missing content when it was current. The one time I saw a WKR shout I got to it just as it ended when I reached the ??? to warp. Otherwise, I spent a couple days collecting Rieve RoE clears and am a couple pages short of getting my 2nd i119 BLU gear. Rest of the time has just been soloing JPs, I guess. Up to level 5 on blue magic points+. Wondering if I could maybe fish out a better camp since the twitherym/raptors I've been doing in Morimar are a bit too spread out. Non-aggro/linking would be cool, too. Still need to find Ra'ka-whatever and get biovacs/warps there, too.

I was 119 or so on THF when I quit so I've just been wandering around aimlessly hoping a shout breaks the monotony... but yah, I guess its pretty much I'm f**ked cause I missed the train. I have 2 people, me and my brother who also came back for the free week... but we can't even find 1 person to just bum along with us so we can do some of the 3-man stuff like the lower-tier Unity NMs.

We couldn't even do the Heroine's Holdfast fight we've had the orb for forever because even it requires 3 people. Why give us almost a full party of trusts when we can't even participate in anything fun without 3 people I get its an MMO, but its not a matter of not wanting to team up, but a matter of not being able to find someone.

Edit: Speaking of which, I'm guessing that Helios/whatever gear that looks like Rubeus comes from one of the Alluvians Skirmishes...? I can't find info on that but I want the SMN one for the BP Damage.

[Isiolia]

Edit: Speaking of which, I'm guessing that Helios/whatever gear that looks like Rubeus comes from one of the Alluvians Skirmishes...? I can't find info on that but I want the SMN one for the BP Damage.

It does, yeah. Info for augmenting it is on BG Wiki.

Quite overwhelmed by all the new shiny stuff (haven't played since like march/apr 2012).

Is Chatoyant Staff still good for debuffs? Or does another easy-to-obtain item surpass it?
Is "Magic Accuracy skill" basically the same as having skill+?

Magic Accuracy Skill is the same, yeah. Just like there's melee skill. You're better off with ilevel weapons. Get started with Records of Eminence - there are a ton of Tutorial and such objectives that are for things you probably already have done, so you can just stand there and get Sparks (cap at 50k, so don't waste 'em). You'll also get a decent bit of XP and possibly other rewards. You can turn around and use those to at least grab a relevant Eminent weapon or two. There are some decent rings there, and the armor provides a lot better defense than 99 gear. I'd be conservative though, as you can also use Sparks for REM chapters to upgrade AF/Relic/Empyrean and so on, and i119 weapons and things aren't super hard to get at this point.

[Vil]

Where is the moogle in Windurst for the log-in campaign/rewards. I swear I probably ran past it like 3x, but I'm getting annoyed.

Never mind, found it. Ew.

[bungiefan]

Karbuncle, the Reddit LS is on Asura. I recently transferred there because fo them Post on their board http://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLinkshell and say you want to do one of those events and I bet you'll get a bunch of people. I did a Heroine's Holdfast run a few months ago and it was a blast. We actually did it twice to get both titles. I'm up for some of those things if you can catch me when I get to play. I'm on usually Saturday or Sunday.

[nicholai]

Ya I decided to come back, I'm on Asura hit me up, I'm so behind on everything but met some cool people already. Name's Kaner.

[arus2001]

Bwuh, apparently I need to do coalition shit to advance Adoulin missions. There a particularly easy one to spam? Not really in the mood to chase rieves in various zones.

[FNH]

Bwuh, apparently I need to do coalition shit to advance Adoulin missions. There a particularly easy one to spam? Not really in the mood to chase rieves in various zones.

Couriers if you have waypoints is tutorial mode easy with high reward. Inventors is also easy, but lacks in reward.