Final Fantasy XI Then...

[Sdub]

I am now lvl 18 and all I need now is a skull and I can start my subjob.

I have recently heard a number of people mention not getting a subjob until they are lvl 30.. I really don't think this is a good idea and I post the following advice when it comes to subjobs as something to think about:
( This is taken from http://ffvault.ign.com/ )

3:Common Myths/Misconceptions:

1: When I unlock a support job, it can only be used in conjunction with the main job I did the quest with.
This is WRONG. Once you unlock it, it is unlocked for good, no matter what job you have.

2: My support job is automatically half the level of my main job, no matter what level it originally was.
Once again, WRONG. A support job must be leveled by equipping it as your main job and gaining experience with it, just like any other job.

3: When I have a support job equipped, half of my XP earned goes to it (or any other fraction, I've heard a few variations).
WRONG. XP is not shared between your main job and support job. You must level it separately. (See misconception #2).

4: Equipping a support job can have negative effects on my stats.
WRONG. Only status bonuses are applied to your main job. So if you are a WAR, equipping a BLM sub might not be a great idea, but it won't hurt your stats in any way.

5: You don't need to bother with a support job until level 30. This way I can level my Advanced Job and use my original job as a sub.
This is probably the worst one I see...ugh. Technically you can do this, but it is NOT smart. Early on it won't hurt you much, but as you near 25, you will see the game is geared to you having a Support Job of some kind. If you are lazy, level an easy support like a MNK, but make sure to get some kind of support job, or leveling will become very difficult.

[C']

5: You don't need to bother with a support job until level 30. This way I can level my Advanced Job and use my original job as a sub.
This is probably the worst one I see...ugh. Technically you can do this, but it is NOT smart. Early on it won't hurt you much, but as you near 25, you will see the game is geared to you having a Support Job of some kind. If you are lazy, level an easy support like a MNK, but make sure to get some kind of support job, or leveling will become very difficult.

BAH!

Still not gonna bother though. Ninja ASAP all the way

So, the skull party proved unsuccessful in the end Sdub?

[Marvelon]

Concerning subs.

I didnt intend for this to happen but I developed'my character by stumbling along really. I started out as a Red mage, which I levelled up to 12. As some of you may have experienced, level 12 is a tough one to get past, your more or less stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Fed up, I switched to Warrior as main job. I levelled that to 18 (with a lull around level 12) and completed the subjob quest (with 1 VERY lucky skull find, I might add)

Then switched back, so I was then lv 12 Red mage/level 6 Warrior and levelled Red mage to 15.

Switched back again and continued to level Warrior. Now I'm a lv 22 Warrior/11 Red mage. I will carry on with this until i'm a level 30 Warrior and I can get my advanced job (going for Paladin, I've finaly decided)

I'll then be able to play as Paladin with Warrior as my subjob untill I'm level 60 (ie. the foreseable future)

(someone commented I had planned out my character 'pretty well' )

[Razz]

Those who don't level their subjobs are a waste of time, and those who aren't playing the game for any real purpose are a bigger waste of time. In any MMORPG, if you don't take the game seriously you won't get anywhere. Do yourself and everyone else a favour if you're not feeling it and just cancel your subscription.

As to why you're not enjoying it, it's probably because you're stuck as a lowbie in valkurm/qufim along with other newbies. No MMORPG is fun at low levels, and when you don't have enough time to dedicate to the game, you find yourself stuck, and you just can't seem to enjoy the game due to the lack of progression. Thankfully that didn't happen to me as I had all the time I needed to get to where I am today.

BTW, YOU MUST LEVEL YOUR SUBJOBS! why the hell would you want to suck? You'll just slow everyone else down. /sigh

[Tobal]

I got lucky with my subjob quest, i got in with a good party for the crab and worm bits and for Skull, 2 partie si went with couldn't understand what i was going on about (from respawns, times, the bat place holders), so after logged out in the spot where the ghoul's are, i logged back inthe next day, about the time ghoul come out (lucky), cleared a few bats out the way and took onthe 1st ghoul i found, and just beat him with my Hundred Fists+dodge at lvl 18 and very luckly i got the skull

As for subjobs i'm thinking of staying as Monk all the way through the game as nearly everyone gives up on the WAR/MNK/THF as the main job when they go for the 40+ lvls, so Im going do the Samurai quest, and level it up for a subjob for my Monk to gain quick TP(even quicker than Monks) so i would get a very good Solo character and backup damage dealer in parties, that would do great damage, stupid amounts of HP and be able to Skillchain more(something i'm now getting in to).

Hundred Fists - Increases attack speed.
Boost - Increases the damage of your next attack.
Dodge - Increases evasion.
Focus - Increases accuracy.
Chakara - Restores a small amount of HP.
Chi Blast - Attack enemy with an energy blast.
Counterstance - Raises chance to counter but lowers defense.
Meikyo Shisui - TP cost of Weapon Skills go to 100.
Warding Circle - Increases protection against Demons for the party members within area of effect.
Third Eye - Dodges the next physical attack.
Meditate - Gradually charges TP.

Martial Arts
Counter
Max HP Boost
Kick
Store Tp
Resist Bind

[C']

Turns out I have 2 of the items I need for the subjob quest when I thought I only had one

I have had a Crab Apron on my possession for 2 days and was about to chuck it clear space when I was told that was the third item needed (I only knew about skulls and worms). So just the impossible skull to get now. Just in a party that was hunting ghouls and our first Ghoul handed one over. Unfortunately it had been agreed prior to my joining that the next one went to one member specifically. Still I'll get it eventually.

Still don't plan on bothering with an actual subjob yet though. Level up to 30 with my Thief then go for the Ninja job and have Thief as the sub.

[Sdub]

I am starting to hate these skulls now lol. I was in that party with C' the other day and for about 2 hours we did nothing but kill Ghouls and we didn't find a single one!

Then yesterday morning I found a nice Scottish guy who was about lvl 25 or so who offered to help me, so for another hour, me and him must have killed about 20 Ghouls and still no skull argh... ALL I NEED IS A SKULL!!!

[C']

[quote="Sdub"]I am starting to hate these skulls now lol. I was in that party with C' the other day and for about 2 hours we did nothing but kill Ghouls and we didn't find a single one! [quote]

We may have been a party for 2 hours, but didn't we spend an hour sitting outside the mines (and practicing our panic motions) waiting for Donovan to get back to us

The party I was with yesterday got a skull from the first ghoul we killed. Like I say though, it had already been claimed ft:

[Adam]

lol yeah those the skulls can be a bitch, although some of the other items can be too. the damsel fly worm in my case. I had the help of some american guy, Lv35 WAR but the idiot accidently cast a lot for the first one that dropped and he rolled like a 980 something he stayed till I got the next one though, good man...if only I could remember his name hehe.

I found the skull easy to get, just peg it down to Gusgen Mines, east of Konchstat Highlands and get some Jap to kill the ghouls for you while partied with them, they spawn loads more in there than they do in the dunes and the high level guys can take them out well easy. don't be affraid to take libs and send tells to people asking for help, if it saves you alot of time then it's worth it imo 8)

I got my chocobo today wOOt, Lv21 WAR/MNK and fully equiped with Beetle Armour. Damn I love this game

[Sdub]

Yes that's where I've been for 3 hours - Gusgen Mines...

[Tobal]

More FFonline fun, 7hrs of the chocobo quest on sunday, followed by my 1st visit to qufim, where everyone around me was dieing and to many people stop having fun, playing the more boring and anal battling i have ever done, i can understand the 'Pro' whm we picked up there getting peeved for us letting him die, but 1st he cast sneak next to 'Dancing Weapon' so what does he expect to happen, plus he ran away to fast for our 2 war's to povoke it off him before he could zone, Bah!.

That followed up with actual fun, as i complete the chocobo quest and road around like a fool to dunes for a bit of leveling. This had me laughing my ass of on our 1st attempt at a bogy, which resulted in us fleeing from the top left of valkrum which is invested with goblin's, bats and pugils

the chase is on







And the action outside of seblina after we zoned, everyone ran inside with us, from parties outside leveling, to people getting of the boat

[C']

I've finally taken up a skill, Blacksmithery. Added another dimension to this, frankly incredible, game.

I had a ton of beastcoins and Fire Crystals in my Mogsafe, and discovered I could synthesise them into Bronze Ingots. From the moment it said 'Rarehero has synthesised a Bronze Ingot' I was hooked and used up all the beastcoins I'd stolen. Just moved onto making Sickles which require Bronze Ingot+Grass Cloth+Ash lumber. Unfortunately I have to buy my ash supplies from AH but can acquire the other 2 ingredients easy enough.

This game is DEEP!!!

It makes me all the more sadder that I'm discovering the joys like this, and then see people play the game purely for fighting and gaining experience

[Tobal]

I took up Tanning and Fishing as my guild's but tanning was getting nothing but rabbit mantels(unsellable) and sheepwool(500 a piece, nice but boring). so im thinking going to complement my fishing skills with what ever makes bait, but i haven't a clue how as none of the skills seem to cover this but i have seen players making insect paste.

*edit i just checked 3 Recipe lists i found online, and it does seem cooking covers them like i though it would, but 2 of the lists where missing the fishing bait.

[Marvelon]

Ah, item synthesis. I started out as a goldsmith quite early but found that it is a rather expensive hobby with no immediate profit so I've put it on the backburner for now. (I occasionally synth something if I happen to have to right ingredients (flint stones and wind crystals make Stone arrowheads for example).
I'm hanging out in Qufim mostly, my main goal is getting to Lv 30 and getting my advanced job. After that it's back to bastok to start from scratch yet again. I think that time around i'll have acces to some more money (from sold equipment) so i'll try and do some more synthesizing then.

On another note, this thread reminds me of last summer when Edge had a guest columnist who wrote only 6 columns, all but one about FFXI. At the time I though it a bit strange (the edge forum critisized him quite heavily for it too) but now I understand... It's addictive beyond kalief!

[Razz]

Yep, amazing game. I still stick to my guns even though I'm heavily crticised for awarding it a 10/10. fux them

When you sub a job, you DO NOT inherit it's 2 hour SP. So if you're going to sub Monk, you wouldn't be able to use Hundred Fists. Also, Samurai subjob isn't really all that useful pre-level 60. You only have Store TP and one ability (don't know the name in english). You would rather have Berserk, Defender, Double Attack from Warrior subjob, or even sneak attack from thief subjob. Sneak attack + Combo or Raging Fists = heavy damage.

When you reach level 60 you can then start thinking about subbing Samurai, so you can take advantage of their level 30 ability called Silent Concentration (i think thats the english name for it, might be meditation), which gives 60% TP in 4 seconds or so.

If you need advice on which subjob to use, ask me.