Final Fantasy XI Then...

[Darwock]

Y'know, I was just reading that notice again and I noticed the original level cap was 50. When was this changed? Was it with the release of the first expansion?

If so , that means everything in the game that existed before that point is surely meant to be completed at level 50! What was the last rank available in the original game.. 6? I can't see it being 5 as that would kind of leave things hanging in terms of story.

I saw a level 60 person shouting for help for mission 5-1... if it can be done at level 50 I'm far more enthused about taking it on.

[mikewl]

Y'know, I was just reading that notice again and I noticed the original level cap was 50. When was this changed? Was it with the release of the first expansion?

If so , that means everything in the game that existed before that point is surely meant to be completed at level 50! What was the last rank available in the original game.. 6? I can't see it being 5 as that would kind of leave things hanging in terms of story.

I saw a level 60 person shouting for help for mission 5-1... if it can be done at level 50 I'm far more enthused about taking it on.

Rank 6 is a very big Mission in the story of the game and was originally possible at lvl 50 before the Zilart expansion was released.

I did it with the others at lvl 60 and honestly it was great but maybe it would have been more fun at lvl 50, I think we were a bit too high.

[Darwock]

Great news! I'm hoping Talizker and Tsingtao at least will be up for this challenge with me.. what do you reckon guys? Think we could find three other masochists around level 50?

Oh another question, presumably this also means artefact armour was only introduced after the initial raising of the level cap?

[C']

The original level cap was 50 upon release of the game but this cap was increased to level 55 in the Sept 2002 update (Rise of Zilart expansion was released in April 2003, just over 2 years ago).

November 2002 update took it up to level 60. Artefact armour was made available at some point after this but also not all at the same time. Some jobs (I think the 'standard' ones) got their artefact gear available prior to the extra jobs. However, artefact gear was available for jobs added in ROZ straight away so artefacts were available between Nov 02 and April 03.

The story missions took you up to Rank 6 and stopped. However, I am not sure if you were actually granted rank 6 upon completion of the mission though as further rank missions weren?t added until ROZ.

The release of the ROZ expansion added much more mission content. As well as the ROZ story that encompasses 20+ missions (which could only be activated once Rank 6 was obtained) it added further country missions which took the possible rank up to 10. However, the missions weren?t all made available at once and were released gradually over the months after the expansion was available.

As for Missions 5-1 and doing it at level 50 well

->Open Spoiler<-

it is a level 50 cap mission anyway

I'm also not certain if all missions were available at the start of the game either or whether they were released gradually like the Rank 6-10 missions.

[Darwock]

I'm too uptight to read your spoiler quote Rare, can you say briefly in your opinion.. yay or nay?

[talizker]

Great news! I'm hoping Talizker and Tsingtao at least will be up for this challenge with me.. what do you reckon guys? Think we could find three other masochists around level 50?

Oh another question, presumably this also means artefact armour was only introduced after the initial raising of the level cap?

Hell Yeah!

Can I set a tentative date of Thursday evening (hopefully around 8pm) to do the NM part of my AF1 - It involves a trip to Davoi... I'm really not sure if this is doable for several 40's (i'm thinking of you Darwock and Tsing ^^) but if anyone is up for a bit of fun and excitement (whatever your level) on Thursday then give me a shout.

Got half way through level 42 on Saturday and aim to get at least 43 + buffer before Thursday (so I can wear my Red Cape +1). I've also got the next main COP mission activated and ready to go so hopefully we can sort out a date for this as well.

Does anyone else have anything exciting planned I can get involved in? Darwock - when are you thinking about doing your AF1?

[C']

Confirm what you are asking before I reply. Are you asking me if it is possible for you to do Mission 5-1 at level 50?

[Darwock]

Darwock - when are you thinking about doing your AF1?

Tonight

Windurst have reclaimed Valdeaunia so I'm going to go along tonight. At the first attempt I may not even make it to the aurora crevasse (I'm not taking prism powder) but that's what xp is there for. To be lost in futile endeavours lol.

After that I hope I can find a nice group to do it with where I can still feel that my involvement was required for the victory.

Rarehero- yep, that's what I'm asking. Would appreciate your opinion!

[C']

Haha in that case yes, doing 5-1 at 50. I don?t even know why I spoilerised what I wrote but I guess I did it just in case.

I think 5-1 could be done, with a degree of challenge, with a party of all level 45.

Keep a note of my post above then after you do 5-1 check the spoiler quote. You may laugh

[Tsingtao]

Hopefully I'll be activating 5-1 tonight, intend to reach 45 tonight with some more xp grind. Been partying with Caladbolg recently but need to catch up a level now as he's only 2k from 46 and I'm 1k into 44. Things start to get awkward when the tank is 2 levels below the mages ^^

Once that's closed I can party with my own refresher again for a while, it's been a lot of fun the last few weeks having calad in all the parties and has moved us both up nicely. I still need to do the distant beliefs, not sure how I'm going to get a party for this together but need to start thinking.

Been advised the one after is an absolute stinker of hola-esque proportions so I want to be doing it with people I know well.

[Darwock]

What job is Caladbolg, do you think he'd be in as a regular for doing the rank 5 missions? I've got some xp ground to make up myself (couldn't get a party on Saturday night) but I think it's worth doing for the opportunity to do these missions with a decent group.

[talizker]

I think he's RDM

[Darwock]

OK, I'm going to have a hard time getting to sleep tonight, the adrenaline is still flowing! I went back to Xarcabard by myself, to try my AF1 and satisfy my notion of 'you never know until you try'. Short story is I failed 3 times. First time attempting to reach the crevasse without invisible. Warped away just in time as the demons piled on. 2nd time I got to the crevasse...



And I started fighting the chaos elemental.. and this is the key thing - I actually *fought* the elemental... yes it killed me but I can f*&king do this!!! I know I can!

I must apologise to Talizker for the endless stream of babble I started sending him right around this point:



But at this point I realised if I had someone else there to help keep me healthy, and enough medicines, I should be able to defeat it. When I got back to town I just couldn't wait, I went right back up there and tried again. This time I had all the tools for the job, and a plan in my head, but unfortunately a demon wandered back in my direction just as I started the fight. Dead.

Too late to try again.

Talizker, thanks for offering to help me out tomorrow
I figure we need to bide our time up there until the area is relatively clear of demons, then I can drop invis and just go for it with all I've got. The ideal place to stand for me would be on the ridge right above, there is 1 demon patrolling up there but there are 3 in the area where my body is in that screenshot. I couldn't go up there cos that one demon wouldn't bog off.

From one kind of elemental to another, here's another pic of my pride and joy, lol

[talizker]

LOL, no worries dude! I had a hard time talking to anyone tonight as the exp party I was with in West Altepa Desert was intense! Great 3 hours - went from 42 +3600 to 43 +5000ish

Should be on 8.30pm ish tomorrow and looking forward to going to Xarcabard again ^^

[Tsingtao]

Nice I had another one of those very average xp parties, about 2.5 hours for 5k. Darwock was there for the fisco to, just didn't run well as the right tier of mobs kept killing the thiefs trick partner. I've used DRGs for trick partners before but never a taru one before. The dude was down in around 4 - 5 hits and SATA wasn't going off all that fast.

That being said the dude may have done better in some half decent armour rather than the tissue paper he was wearing. Think DDs forget that a lot of the time (basically any time there's thief instead of a ranger) they're going to be first voke for the SATA onto the tank and just don't sort their defence.

Good to hear that you reckon you can solo this one darwock or duo or whatever. I'm not going to be on tonight unfortunately or I'd come help as I need to go to Xarcabard to get the Vahzl-crystal anyway.