Random Question Thread

[Taim Meich]

Mainly just times when I've had 1hr up already from Embrava (Meebles bosses, etc). KS99 Wyrm I guess. But other than that it's basically like you say: speeding up some solo stuff. Any chance I could see your kaustra/helix/nuke set(s) so I have something to aim for?

Not totally optimized (considering for example I don't have the magian dark staff nor Anrin Obi), but pretty decent:

http://www.ffxiah.com/item-sets/130260

Gives +97 INT and +30 MAB. Assumes Klimaform and weather is up, and is independent of whether Ebullience is used or not, because Nares is still superior to AF3+2 in that case (this is because of being basically an helix, normal nukes still benefit more from AF3+2 hat).

The swaps you have done are all upgrades, so if you're interested in maximizing helix damage, can't really get rid of those items.

[Squah]

uh, is this normal? spoilered for unbelievable hueg

Spoiler: show

noticed gooey got killed from like 70% HP, recall, he gets hit by HP down, takes a counter for 26 dmg, and dies again. Is the HP down really that potent?

[Jem]

I had to look up wtf move that was but according to wiki 'Increases in strength as Gancanagh's HP goes down'. So I guess maybe assuming it was nearly dead.

[noodles355]

Not totally optimized (considering for example I don't have the magian dark staff nor Anrin Obi), but pretty decent:

http://www.ffxiah.com/item-sets/130260

Gives +97 INT and +30 MAB. Assumes Klimaform and weather is up, and is independent of whether Ebullience is used or not, because Nares is still superior to AF3+2 in that case (this is because of being basically an helix, normal nukes still benefit more from AF3+2 hat).

The swaps you have done are all upgrades, so if you're interested in maximizing helix damage, can't really get rid of those items.

That's great, cheers. Also, I assume AF3+2 hat isn't worth it for ebull helices either? I'll get rid of that. Good to know I wasn't lowering damage by all the helix swaps I make, though damn at not losing inventory lol. I guess when I've finally gotten the other few things I want I'll come back and ask something like "I have 85/80 inventory, which of these should I drop?"

[Sechs]

(this is because of being basically an helix, normal nukes still benefit more from AF3+2 hat).

Uhm don't want to sound like an ass, but how did you come to these conclusions?
Not saying I don't believe you, but when I asked the same question long time ago I got replied that AF3+2 was better for Helixes.
You also have Hyaline Hat btw, higher INT altough no Mab (but that counts shit for Helixes anyway) and no MCrit (which, once again, is a % to get additional Mab, so it shouldn't matter much)
When I asked I was told AF3+2 > Hyaline > Nares.

Not that it matters much for a noobSCH like me. I used to have more but as time went by, new items got released etc, I kinda went into the scenario where a new piece I obtained was better than both the 2 pieces I was using for Nukes and Helix, so I kinda replaced both with the new one. This happened for the majority of slots and atm my nuke and helix sets are really almost identical. I swap hands and uhm... that's it I think?
Speaking of which, Orvail Hands would probably be an awesome Helix piece, but I didn't get them because of inventory woes.

[Guitarman]

Can anyone recommend a good MDT set for NIN?

Also, was the brew holding trick ever nerfed? it's been ages since i've done it.

[Rocl]

Also, was the brew holding trick ever nerfed? it's been ages since i've done it.

Yes, most assuredly.

[Taim Meich]

Uhm don't want to sound like an ass, but how did you come to these conclusions?
Not saying I don't believe you, but when I asked the same question long time ago I got replied that AF3+2 was better for Helixes.
You also have Hyaline Hat btw, higher INT altough no Mab (but that counts shit for Helixes anyway) and no MCrit (which, once again, is a % to get additional Mab, so it shouldn't matter much)
When I asked I was told AF3+2 > Hyaline > Nares.

Not that it matters much for a noobSCH like me. I used to have more but as time went by, new items got released etc, I kinda went into the scenario where a new piece I obtained was better than both the 2 pieces I was using for Nukes and Helix, so I kinda replaced both with the new one. This happened for the majority of slots and atm my nuke and helix sets are really almost identical. I swap hands and uhm... that's it I think?
Speaking of which, Orvail Hands would probably be an awesome Helix piece, but I didn't get them because of inventory woes.

Remember the magic damage formula, which is, simplified:

(dINT+V)*M*other multipliers.

In the case of Helices, we have a very low V value (25, plus 24 for a level 99 SCH), compared to the 800-ish V value on the tier V nukes. Since the value that is going to be multiplied by the rest of the terms is your INT plus a fixed value minus the target's INT, when you have such a low V, your INT has a very big weight in the calculation. For example, at 100 dINT, every extra point of INT on a Helix is worth (1/(100+25+24))*100 = 0.67% extra damage before other multiplicative terms, whereas in the case of Blizzard V, the same point of INT is worth (1/(100+829))*100 = 0.11% extra damage before further multiplications.

Not only that, but the M multiplier, which is 1 for Helices and almost 2.3 for tier V nukes, further increases the gap in the number you get which is going to be multiplied by the rest of the terms, which are common.

Because of this, the 12 extra INT, plus the additional MAB Nares cap provides makes up for lowering the Ebullience multiplicative term from 1.3 with AF3+2 hat to 1.2 without. It's an additional multiplier to MAB etc, so it's understandable that, until now, it was always the best option, but both Nares and Hyaline are superior now.

Normal nukes, on the other hand, have that big fat V value attached to them, further increased by that 2.3 M multiplier, so you will gain more than any other piece in the head by increasing the Ebullience multiplier with AF3+2 hat.

[Peace Walker]

Do yellow procs interfere with the drop rates for Empyrean weapon materials? Such as sobek skins, apademak horns...
Or is it just dependant on TH procs?
I'm starting my Sobek runs today and I would like to know if I can just brew everything on THF instead of wasting time on long fights

[Sechs]

Just TH

[grover]

With the updates to 35 drop rates in Salvage I, assuming I can get in with 2 mules, think a BST could solo Skadi Feet pieces? Only did Salvage a few times back in the day, so not really familiar with it.

[Fake]

Bst can do everything in old salvage, the only thing you can't do solo is pop f5 frog in Zhayolm. That doesn't drop skadi feet pieces anyway.

[grevenilvec75]

Is there some part of the FFXIAH forums where useful conversation goes on? Like how here on BG we have Skirmish thread and Colonization thread where people are posting their findings? I can't seem to find anything like that in the General forum.

[Peace Walker]

Any good guides for BST in dynamis? Also which one is the best choice for a solo BST? I've been doing buburimu, usually I can pull off 150~200. Anything better than that?

[Ophannus]

What is this I don't even

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/7483/83235348.png

[Snprphnx]

I know this is an old, and previously discussed issue, but I am hoping someone has found a way to get this working.

Just got a wireless microsoft xbox 360 controller to use on my PC running Windows 7, for playing FFXI. As previously known, the trigger buttons are not natively functional. I found the Vista driver to enable these, however, it is not digitally signed, therefore Win7 will not use it.

Had anyone found a workaround yet, or am i stuck getting used to a new button layout?

Thanks

[Sechs]

Had anyone found a workaround yet, or am i stuck getting used to a new button layout?

The latter.
There are several solutions you can use for wired pads, but none of that works on the wireless one.
In theory you could use software like xPadder or similar. They treat your pad like a "keyboard", so you can remap keyboard hotkeys to your pad buttons, but you'd have troubles mapping the digital pad and the ctrl+alt macros would work differently.
They are normally instant on pad while they take a second from keyboard, and if you use this solution they would work as if you pressed them from the keyboard.
(you can avoid this with third party software but I don't really know how "safe" it is to use them).

The best thing to use here is Masahiro Morii's JP drivers for wireless controller. If you install that you're gonna have issues with other xInput games, but it will work perfectly with FFXI.
For some reason they do not work for every people... like for me for instance.
You can try them.
If they work for you then you might have your solution.
Remember to pick the ones for WIRELESS controller, not wired (two different drivers), and also pick the right version for your S.O. (x32, x64 etc)

[Hitou]

This probably won't help because it's designed to address the opposite of your problem but you can try http://code.google.com/p/x360ce
it converts direct input devices to xinput, which probably doesn't work on FFXI cause it's such an old game.

[Carraway]

When I started playing XI again in ~2008, Kirschy's findings regarding gear haste capping out at some number slightly higher than 25% were relatively new, and Blitz Ring was the hot shit as a result. Now, after looking around at different recommended gearsets, reading guides, and playing around with Motenten's DPS spreadsheets, I can't seem to nail down a consensus as to whether that extra fraction of 1% is worth gearing for from a DD perspective. Can anyone give me a definitive answer?

[Jem]

It entirely depends on what you would have to drop to accommodate. It's not as critical as it was back then and you'll see sets with like 23-25% haste because what you gain outdoes the the haste.