Final Fantasy XI Then...

[Tsingtao]

Rare, I can go with you and take Vans place if you want to do it, I have all 3 anima and all the gear needed to complete the run. I can come WAR/THF, WAR/NIN or WAR/MNK if you need a DD.

Offer there if you want to use me

[mikewl]

Finally got back to leveling Bard again last night, it was a good party and in a new area, took quite awhile to get to the camp but it was good.

Unfortunately Bayan took a few hits with exp being the puller, oh and also the Pld had two bad moments right at the end, Doom twice in a row.

I think holding off from leveling Bard worked out well as last night was alot of fun.

Tonight im up for whatever, EXP or ENM or anything else.

[C']

Sorry Tsing. Once again it looks like I ignored your offer to help with Promyvion.

Personally I would have loved to have cleared Mea last night but sadly I was logged onto the game before you made the post offering to help so never saw it. By the time you logged on it was gone 7pm and Wedge, Tobal and Moot had already begun their EXP parties.

Another concern is that Apathye never showed up last night either and I don?t think he would have seen the post cancelling Mea as he does not check on here very often.

Personally I am ready to do this whenever, and the sooner the better in my opinion. I really want to have a look around Lufaise Meadows/Misareux Coast, and maybe even put together farming sessions for Gobbiebag 6 items (2 of which from Phomiuna Aqueducts) and of course subligar farming (I won?t be doing any level 50 cap missions until I have my Nokizaru Gi ^_^).

Not sure if Vanicent is feeling better today (or if he can be online tonight) but I can say with certainty that me and Moot will be up for Mea tonight or any night this week.

[talizker]

I really want to have a look around Lufaise Meadows/Misareux Coast, and maybe even put together farming sessions for Gobbiebag 6 items (2 of which from Phomiuna Aqueducts) and of course subligar farming (I won?t be doing any level 50 cap missions until I have my Nokizaru Gi ^_^).

There are some very nice 'regular' drops to be had from mobs in Phomiuna Aqueducts. I got several items worth 100k+ on my last run. I also need the Subligar for that lovely RDM Glamor Jupon^^

[Tobal]

Aye, the U range rocked. Made good exp even with 5 deaths slowing us down. I love fighting Demons! I think I?m ready to go hit 75 only 72k exp to it, and with all the items I need now being cheapish or Rare/ex from mission?s(CoP and Zm multi arkangel battle)

Im up for following in order
Exp/ENM
Avatar Battles
Zm14 to finish
San?d 8-1, 8-2
NM fights, misc

[vwilsonuk]

Where do you guys look to find what armour you should be using? In game AH? Other players @ the same level? Web resources?

Up until now I've always used the AH, and spotted a few things others are wearing, but of course this means I don't get to see items that are rare/ex drops that might be better. So I'm keen to find out the best way to establish whether one is wearing "the best" gear.

[Tobal]

I use combo of Mystery Tour, they have a nice clean setup(split into type then lvl set i.e. lv1-10) for equipment and its always up to date, unlike AK. I would then use AK to find out in more detail how to get said item in the user forums.

[Tsingtao]

Hardest thing I think on gear is defining the optimal set, personally I will trade some DET for extra VIT+ but not massive amounts. After that come AGI and then MND, with bonus STR and accuracy coming after. Started to carry situational tanking gear as well now for AGI and VIT up if needed and phalnax rings if my DEF is not up to scratch. Switched in phalanx rings last night against Dhalmels seeign the damage I was getting tarred with, think I'm ready for my Adaman set.

Obviously that all changes on WAR depending on role, for WAR/THF you could break my armour in a strong wind. All stacked for DEX, STR, attack and accuracy. My WHM you could one shot half the time but has massive MND bonus so I'm kind of reliant on a good tank.

[C']

I?m like Tobal. Mystery Tour is easily the best resource for equipment lists. Sadly I don?t have the exact web address but I do know a Google search for ?ffxi mystery tour? will bring it up.

For the most part I find the AH is a great starting point when looking at my equipment choices. I will at least once a week go through and see what equipment I could be aiming towards. Already I have several wants highlighted for the 70+ levels. The thing you have to remember with the AH is that an item won?t be on there unless someone has at least attempted to sell it.

The real difficulty to though, as you mentioned, is the Rare/EX equipment. For this I used Mystery Tour as on their equipment lists they put small red and yellow dots to highlight items that are Rare and/or EX. I never knew about Rare/EX stuff until about 15 months ago and since then it has become something of an obsession of mine. In my mogsafe I have about 10 items of Rare/EX equipment (not including AF gear) many of which I can?t use but got a kick out of hunting the NMs for and there is many more I would like to obtain (Hototogisu still eludes me).

Such is my dedication to the Rare/EX cause I have actually created my own list of these items just so I?d have all the information in one place. It lists the items in question (divided by type), the stats they offer and how they are obtained (i.e. quest, NM etc)

[vwilsonuk]

Cheers for the input guys I'll definitely take a look at mystery tour. Its v. helpful to see what strategies you've all adopted for a common problem.

Rare - that list you mentioned, might be good content to stick on a Rargh website if Tsing and I can come up with a reasonable site. Perhaps could make it available to ls only by login or something. It'll take a while to get something like that set up, right now we're just looking at getting a basic freely available message board script and working from there. It'd be really nice if we run across useful links or material to be able to share it somewhere. Perhaps what we really need is a Rargh wiki!

[Tobal]

Indeed later on multi equipment sets come in to play, I normally carry 2 sets of setups for my sam and have optional extras depending on acc to damage rate, I have all Acc normal setup with TP gain equipment so I?m swinging for 16tp a hit and nearly always hitting, then equipment changes for Weapon Skills focusing on +STR which effects my last 3 WS greatly, I drop out ACC gear in comes STR and I rely on the +WS acc on my Hachiman set to make sure the WS hits.

I?m thinking when I reach 75 I maybe try for Critical Hit(lots of +dex and any %critical gear), and Tanking Set. With my current setup I?m getting 1-3 criticals a fight.

[Apathye]

yo, yesterday i did read the post about vani being ill. I planned to go out with a few freinds instead, sorry for not posting.

PS. i allways check here just to dam lazy to post.

[mikewl]

Tsingtao and Talizker do you want to arrange these BCNM20's.

Are you ready for them yet.

[C']

Alternate equips are something I?ve definitely come to appreciate since the mid 50s.

Generally when looking for equipment I take a priority of:

Evasion Skill (very difficult to get. Few pieces have it and they are often expensive)
Evasion +
Emnity +
Accuracy/Attack/STR I consider about even with each other

However, sometimes it not as simple as picking Evasion in a slot over anything else. Balance is the key. For example from just Head (Emporer Hairpin), L.Ear (Elusive Earring), Body (Scorpion Harness), Hands (Arhat?s Tekko+1) and Feet (Arhat?s Sune-ate+1) I can total Evasion+34 (which is +44 at night time thanks to AF legs).

Now at the same time I can equip back, Waist and R.Ear slots for a further Evasion+13 but it really isn?t worth it as those slots can be better served with other gear. Back is an Anemet Mantle+1 (STR+2, Attack+15), Waist I have either Lifebelt or Royal Knight?s Belt+2 and R.Ear is Eris Earring (Emnity+2). This is where getting the optimum balance is necessary. It?s no good having all that evasion if my damage isn?t high enough to maintain hate throughout the battle.

However at the same time I make sure I have those extra Evasion+13 items on me all the time when EXPing just in case things go wrong, and I need the extra Evasion to get me through to the next Utsusemi cast.

Emnity is the same. With all my enmity+ items I can have +11 which is probably close to challenging what the PLD AF armour offers but I will rarely operate with all that. I stick it on for the first few battles and if I am holding hate fine will remove a piece (usually Meraid Ring goes in favour of STR+4 ring) then see how that goes. Having Emnity+11 is a waste if +9 is enough.

[talizker]

Tsingtao and Talizker do you want to arrange these BCNM20's.

Are you ready for them yet.

Indeed. I am ready for these short of buying a few bits of Lv20 RDM gear (which I only held off getting due to my lack of space). I'm good for this any evening this week.

Alternate equips are something I?ve definitely come to appreciate since the mid 50s.

As a RDM I have been carrying 3 sets of equipment since the 2x's and change constantly during battles with Macros dependant on the type of spell i'm using or if i'm meleeing (only solo now of course!). I have MND and INT setups as well as a max MP one. I change Rings, Neck, Weapon and Pants when moving between MND and INT and Earings and sometimes Boots when doing other things like being main healer, Convert etc. Of course this cause space issues especially when also having Lv40 and Lv30 RDM gear along with Lv30 BLM, Lv20 WHM and Lv10 NIN O.o