lv99 bitch/speculation/etc thread

[bercus]

Honestly, I disagree. Everyone and their mom has SMN75 nowadays, AB is absurdly overused. If Kirin is that big a deal to them(it shouldn't be, it's an easy mob and not particularly long as far as fights go), AB smn.

Well maybe the people you know and their mom all have SMN75. I don´t, almost all of my friends don´t and so do many people I know from our endgame LSs on Bahamut and other servers. SMN is a not very interesting job, it is boring to XP. Not to mention that using SMN is for myself the not very exciting sissy tactic. We only used a few for Odin and killed everything else just fine without, including low man most, so never had a reason to level. What most of us have levelled is LM.
I am not fan of AB, I won´t force anyone to level a job they don´t like and because of same what this person said:

ABs seem to be made up of two types of players: the lazy "I want a Maat's cap with no work" players and people who are already so busy with endgame that they don't have the time to level jobs "normally".

Are you talking in the past? I honestly don't see how finding SMNs is the least bit difficult now.

What does this have to do with the past? I am not talking about finding new people with SMN at 75, I am talking about left over members in linkshells w/o SMN at 75. Do you think those will level SMN to 75, just because you can low man Kirin with this strategy?

Take a good look at BG in general. Gear upgrades aren't significant to your performance, they're a way to show you're better than others and compensate for FFXI's lack of real PVP. Give everyone all gear, and that goes away. Hurf.

There will still be fights and gear (for instance fights with Level 99 jobs vs. new HNMs or in new instanced endgame zones) that not everyone can get. Voila there is then your new pimp gear. Chance for not so good players to get that gear then, well why not.

You didn't take triggers into account, and that aside, we're not talking about efficiency any more. Bercus implied average shells need a higher level cap to be more capable of lowmanning things, I really don't agree with this.

I don´t say they need it, but they will benefit and maybe have more fun. Linkshells full of newbies can´t beat stuff us better plays can. It is time for us to move on with this update and do new, more challenging things. (HNM fights with Level 99 or other new things). Maybe SE will raise and strengthen excisting HNMs too, fuck I would love to see that.

As for my linkshell, we had many quit the game and with a closed server pretty much all linkshells get no applications and have less and less members. Mainly though because of people quitting the game and not much new blood coming. Half of the things we kill takes
double as long now, with being allowed to possible use higher level and job abilities and spells in those fights we can go back to our same killing speed and therefore will balance our effiency out again, as it was before. If you can kill stuff with 9, as fast as with 18, 2 months ago, then I am glad for you, but we can´t.

To efficiently low-man maybe? If 99 makes Kirin zergable with 10-12 in 2minutes, then that's significantly nicer than what you are suggesting.
Also, Your pop your drop Kirins, triggers don't matter to the shell!

EXACTLY, thank you. You can kill Kirin with enough people within minutes, going back to that killing speed is a reaction to the player decrease that SE is doing for us. People not realising that should take a look at the server merge picture . Why should people take for
everything double as long now if you can balance that out by increasing level?

I've been in a group that zerged Kirin in 45 seconds with 15.

Good for you. Zerging Kirin is very risky with 15, it can easily fuck you up and you need
15 people all knowing what exactly to do. Maybe 1-2 linkshells on each server are able to do that, again less talking about what some pimps can do and look at all linkshells. This game is
not just meant to excist for people with elite gear and full of perfectness. You can kill same things with not so smart people too.

8 people can zerg it in 45 seconds, it's called 2hrs(which i'm sure you were using as well)

Sorry, but 8 people with standard gear will 100% for sure not zerg Kirin down with 2 hour.
Even if some have bit better gear, I say no. Everyone with pretty much perfect gear can kill stuff with very minimum of people in fast times. I assume you had several KC DRKs and/or some nasty relic person, ups shit how many not elite linkshells have that?

Everyone will want to lowman dynamis with 6 ppl and thus will be like 500 groups of 6 ppl all wanting to enter dynamis and not caring about other ppls dynamis schedules plus the server merge in itself will change the times dramtically unless they they instance the zone and allow 500 different groups to all enter their own xarcabard replicated zone like nyzul isle and salvage is.

People already low man Dynamis now with 6-8 people. With 72 hour restriction hopefully nothing will change, as it was with the 1m to ½ M entry free. I still don´t think that you will be able to use Level 99 in Dynamis. Even if you do, you still need a bit more then 6 people to kill enough inside. I don´t think you can have enough success in COP-Dynamis, especially Tavnazia for instance with 6. The maximum 12 people we have on these days and possibly level 99 in Dynamis would solve all our problems.

Because they did not strenthen Roc, Simi, KA, lumberjack, Cassie, serket, shadow lord, etc.

“New camping grounds are scheduled to be added to cater to the anticipated rise in demand for experience parties. Furthermore, the redistribution of monsters in existing areas is also under consideration.“ I hope changes being made to excisting HNMs too. (mainly to their strength)

They been told several times that people kill pretty much everything called HNM with 6 people (Khimaira, Cerberus, Kings, even Tiamat ect.) Small research from SE side will make them adjust or I would jump on the wagon that they suck with this update. Now if there really would be no level restriction everywhere, which I doubt (BCNM20 for instance with Level 99 now?) then I still think it is a step needed for those people still playing the game. What will happen when FF 14 comes out? I go so far saying that pretty much all linkshells lose the majority of their best and important players. Elite LS´s will be in the situation Hokuten is with maybe 6 on average online. If those are not able to do anything anymore, there is no purpose for pretty much everything.

Hell even if it is easy to kill Fafnir now with 3 people. WHO CARES if the gear is outdated then? People still going for them..... it´s their fault. I want new challenging shit.

SE is abolishing level caps on CoP zones, so I assume that level restricted zones are not on the table anymore. (I am going to go rape a promy spire zone in glorious revenge ASAP)
Fights on the other hand are possible, ANNMs are level capped. Dyna, Limbus, Einherjar, Nyzul, & Salvage are maybes, but I hope not.

Dynamis, Einherjar, Salvage, Nyzul are for me zones too >.<.

[Xavier]

Wish people wouldn't get so worked up over player speculation. No reason to incite a riot until you have the specifics confirmed.

As far as I am concerned, this represents the first genuine chance of real progression since NA launch. Frankly, however, I would still be shocked if Square introduced dramatically more powerful gear into the game. Actual improvements rather than side grades? Likely. Gear that completely outclasses everything already in the game by a wide margin? Doubtful.

More than anything else, I think the new level cap is a way to make older content more accessible for players in a game with a dwindling population. It would not surprise me if the existing gear was still fairly competitive with the new lvl 76-99 gear, creating a situation where you can be moderately successful low manning old content, or more so by tackling new content with more players. Similar to WoW and the difference between 5-10 man and 25 man raids. As long as the gap isn't huge between new and old gear, maybe an osode with +12 to all stats, etc., then I think this could be a positive step for the game. I imagine that the real significant upgrade won't be from gear anyway, but rather the much higher base stats a player should have at lv. 99. Players will likely be given a free +15 to 20 stat increase across the board.

For the first time in a long time, I am excited about the game again. It has taken them years, but they've finally decided to change the status-quo. I am looking forward to doing old content with 3-6 people (most of which is already possible, just painfully slow). I am excited by the prospect of actual progression, with the chance of upgrades across the board. Certain jobs should get a lot more interesting with the abilities and spells unlocked by level 49 subjobs. At the very least, I agree with whoever brought up colibri, it will be nice to see endgame accomplishments stop being defined by having the most ideal meriting gear for a single camp. I face palm everytime I open a thread about gear in advanced. I am so embarassed sometimes by what these forums have become.

[Plow]

ninurta's for all
+dual wield VI
+innin
+aggressor

= OM NOM NOM


Reliable Jins wut?

Gonna be nasty.


Also, I'm thinking everything will be reasonably 3 mannable at worst, most things will be soloable. I just don't see the point to raising the level cap if not to make it to fill in the gaps.

The solution to the issues with kings is 3-6 man ein.

[Gra]

My initial reaction to having the level cap raised was one of horror. How dare SE screw with my Lv75 jobs after I spent so much time on them!!!one!1!

After having had a day or two to sit back, read the Vanafest site and absorb the information I'm far less annoyed than I was at first.

Sure, it's going to be a pain levelling each 75 up to 99, but nevermind, it'll keep my busy and will get me out of the current rut between HNM pops where I find myself bored with little else I want to do.

I'm looking forward to the new areas, I'm looking forward to the new HNM's/NM's.

With a bit of luck it sounds like the HNM's/NM's will be instanced so that we can get rid of having to sit around for hours on end waiting for a chance to fight something which has a slim chance of dropping an item that most of us want.

This part inparticular makes me think it'll be worthwhile.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the raised level caps changes the balance of what a 'traditional' exp party will look like and how the upcoming job adjustments will impact on this too.

Anyway, it's still some way from being fully implimented so I guess we'll see how it goes.

The only downside is that I get the feeling there's going to be huge amounts of emergency maintenance....

[Neosutra]

6 man Einherjar would be fucking amazing.

[Corrderio]

It would be nice soloing shit like dynamis, limbus, salvage, ect instead of relying on noobs.

Just imagine how annoying Dynamis/Limbus would be to get into though.

At least on the bright side I could finally get Homam Legs/Feet for my PLD and lolBLU....

[Jakson]

Every time I think "Oh shit, I'll be able to do xxx on NIN99/DNC49 solo that I've always wanted to but couldn't" I also have to think "Am I really going to be playing FFXI after December if FFXIV manages to come out in 2010?"

[Argettio]

(I am going to go rape a promy spire zone in glorious revenge ASAP)

Wait... a... minute....

Why didn't that occur to me. Stone gorgets for all!

[Outlaw]

I know I am way late but..

I didn't look at BG or log into the game at all over the weekend. I knew that Vanafest was going on but I thought, "Meh, they will just announce new WoTG missions, more snyergy stuff, Nomad Mog banazna winners, etc."

I wake up this morning and decide to look at BG and see this....

I am STUNNED!! Like I have been hit in the head by a brick. I can't think of anything to say about this right now. Maybe later after the shock wears off and I read over more of this thread.

[Hanyoko]

I'm half expecting a lot of things to still function the same. My speculation on the level 76-99 raise your stats per norm, but rather then give freebies (ja/magic/etc) they unlock higher tiers of merits to purchase; so you will have to not only earn exp for the level but also limits to grant you the fancy toys. This will also lead to a higher level of job customization. I would hope that this is the case, that exp per level would be a flat rate (45kish)

I'm also largely expecting all new gear to be 75 and fit into the current 75 mold for power. Then via this "upgrade" quest you make it fit onto your lvl99; again with customization choices of some kind. They have recently release soo much gear choices for @75 that to invalidate it would seem counter productive (augmenting, fey weapons, synergy sets, etc)

But who knows, wont know exactly until SE drops a press release.

[Xali]

I don't think SE would say they're uncapping CoP zones then turn around and cap other zones to preserve your precious king spawns.
Dynamis, Limbus, etc. I can understand. But capping Aery and the like isn't going to happen.

[Nevex]

Keeping level 75 gear, assuming level 76+ equipment will be added, would suck. People are already lazy (or simply don't have room to carry sync gear) and they sync level 75 stuff in 50-60 BCs. Dynamis might become even more stressful than what it is now because of players using gimped gear.

[Silenka]

Zerging Kirin is very risky with 15, it can easily fuck you up and you need
15 people all knowing what exactly to do. Maybe 1-2 linkshells on each server are able to do that, again less talking about what some pimps can do and look at all linkshells. This game is
not just meant to excist for people with elite gear and full of perfectness. You can kill same things with not so smart people too.

This...just... head explodey....

I am pretty sure that EVERYTHING in this game save AV/PW and possibly Odin (but even that meh) can be done fairly reliably with 15 people. Problem is, gear or not, people are lazy, their attention spans are short (afk half of dynamis amirite?) and in a large group each individual will give less overall because of mob mentality - they feel they're blending into the crowd and don't need to exert as much effort as if they were killing a mob with less people.

As Thorny pointed out, elite gear's main function is to give recognition to those who exert the effort to get it rather than to make or break a fight. Do people who exert less effort overall deserve better rewards and recognition in the game? If this is how things worked in reality, fuck, I'd quit my job and sleep all day.

[ronin sparthos]

A. SE raises the level cap and raises the levels and parameters of the current HNMs to meet the new higher level player.

This then negates the need to level cap zones (which likely wont happen since COP is being uncapped) while maintaining the 'challenge' level of these monsters.

B. SE just leaves everything the way it was much like Behe/KA/Sim/Roc have been left behind with the times. This would be the death of AV and PW, since with level 99s they'd be about as difficult as Nidhogg is today for most experienced HNM shells.

My suspicion is that they'll devote resources to retooling AV/PW to the new level cap while leaving most of the other HNMs behind. Tiamat, the new Behemoth incoming.

Regarding alot of the Dynamis gripe (trust me, ive heard alot of it), I wish SE had just introduced a large increase in the currency rates from Campaign along with relic armor in union pools from Northland/Zvahl Campaigns. I don't give a shit about instancing zones, the runs are just too damn long for no appearant reason.

Honestly, post 75 XI may be a death knell for city dynamis which could mean a large increase in the price of currency. Most of the relic armor is garbage and we can assume that whatever new gear comes out would knock most of those pieces well below the AF1 tier of gear because most of it already was.

The prospect of a new FFXI is exciting but city dynamis would be under more of a threat than todays premier HNMs.

[Guitarman]

Imagine the 98>99 TNL. Thats alot of fucking colibri...

[Silenka]

Imagine the 98>99 TNL. Thats alot of fucking colibri...

Fuck that shit, from what everyone else is saying we'll be grinding Jormungands!

[ronin sparthos]

Fuck that shit, from what everyone else is saying we'll be grinding black colibri with red eyes that snatch buffs along with food.

FTFY

[Guitarman]

or sit in campaign for a month

[kareface]

Wow, how on earth they plan to balance the game after this is beyond me. The only thing I can consider is if you are forced to play with out a SJ or something along those lines. Maybe this is a push to get everyone to move to the FF14. This is an interesting turn of events at least.

[Deathbringer]

With the new cap gonna be @ 99, wth is gonna happened to the buffs on CoP rings(the 2~5 part)? the gonna turn it into a 2~6 or????