Category: FFXI

Back to the game, I took 5 days to level both my white and black mage jobs to 29. Somehow my EXP parties decided to disband before I reach 30. Doesn’t really matter since I just want to be able to put on the Seer’s set and get rid of the ugly San d’Orian tunic and other low level mage equipment.

I bought part of my Seer’s set from this Galka’s bazaar back then. He was shouting about quitting the game and selling his stuff at dirt cheap prices. Bought the mitts, tunic, slacks for a price of 10,000gil only. The crown and pumps I had to get them myself later on.

Now that I’m done with my mage jobs, it’s time to set new goals. For my dark knight job, I need 1 more sniper ring and if possible, an amemit mantle+1. Total cost approximately 1.5 million gil. I have on-hand, measly 300,000gil. Probably visiting the mines again and try again to seek for a party this coming Sunday.

——

My thoughts of WHM and BLM to 29.

Levelling white mage at Valkurm Dunes was a little stressful. There’s a high possibility of having novice players in your party. But somehow I managed to survive from 16-29 without any deaths! But of course, I have members who die. Some because of goblin/bogy aggro, links, and 2 deaths because I couldn’t get Benediction activated for them in time. I just needed 1 more second!! ( T-T)

Overall I didn’t find playing white mage exciting. All the while I do repetitive stuff. Protectra! Shellra! Paralyze! Slow! Dia! Regen! Spam cures! Then rest and recover MP.

Black mage is the same for me. Shock! Blind! Blizzard, Fire, Thunder! Rest a tick for tanks to get a good amount of hate before getting up and start nuking again to kill it off.

To be safe and courteous, I crafted my own Pineapple Juice and put {Amateur} {White Mage/Black Mage} in my search comments to warn people before inviting me.

——

During the course of levelling both mage jobs, I got invited by Japanese players on a few occasions even when I’m not on seek and with empty search comments. It’s not surprising since both mage jobs are highly sought after and since it’s in the low levels, it’s not a big deal to lose exp through deaths.

While in JP PTs, I sometimes respond to sentences they say. Then when asked if I understand Japanese, I say “hai, sukoshii” (yes, a little), and they seemed glad. I still don’t understand how the Japanese players think of NAs but I’m quite sure getting an invitation into a Japanese party for higher levels like my 62 dark knight is near impossible. And don’t tell me about forming my own parties because I have received either rude or no response at all from Japanese players. Enough to discourage me from forming my own PTs forevermore.

And so, I whine! [X|]

——

Here’s screenshots of me in Seer’s set equipment. Low res because I took them at work and my PC in office sucks.

Love the markings and color scheme.

Here’s one showing my new pants and shoes. [8|]

Hitting level 65 on DRK now feels like an impossible task, let alone 75. When I come home from work, the NAs are asleep or going off to school/work. The JPs would start forming their EXP PTs and I, stuck in the middle, end up idling at Lower Jeuno. By the way, and I learnt NA isn’t North American. It means Non-Asian. [8|]

So I went to level up a few crafts. Took fishing to 11, clothcraft to 22, alchemy to 20. If only the stuff I crafted from these skill up sessions sell, I have made some profit. [:D]

On my last EXP session, I ended up with 1200 to next level. My paladin tank logged out without a word when I asked if he could stay a little longer till I level. Oh well. [:|]

Later that day I managed to get another Crawler’s Nest escort party going. Evasama, Triston, Ladyrikku and me. I felt bad being the only person to benefit from this easy quest. Ladyrikku failed when Olavia (the NPC we’re supposed to protect), took a sudden turn and aggroed 2 lizards and a bee. [X(]

Obtained the Miratete’s Memoirs scroll, the reward for this quest. Just using it gives your current main job some experience points. With luck, I received 12xx experience points and attained level 62. But I expect to delevel on my next exp session or whatever crazy stuff I decide to do.

I had an interesting JP party last night, all thanks to a JP friend of a fellow Doom member. Note I was not levelling my dark knight job but my black mage. The JP monk expressed worry when he noticed my warrior friend’s english TP macro. But our JP friend, Pim, explained that we’re Singaporeans. To my surprise, she seemed glad. We had casual conversations and laughs, and she even asked us questions in english.

Sigh…

Kept my mining gear and went on seek for some EXP PTs. During the weekdays, I
ended up levelling Alchemy. On weekends, I went on a total of 3 EXP sessions.
First one was great. 4500 exp an hour. could’ve been better but our Ranger had
to leave an hour after the PT started because of linkshell issues. I
did a search later to find him in Behemoth’s Dominion, as a level 75 Ninja. King
Behemoth spawned I guess.

Next one sucked. This little taru monk formed an average PT and we were
headed for Valley of Sorrow. Where Velociraptors and Perytons lurk. I was made
the puller, no one else had a ninja subjob for utsusemi. I ended up reaching
back to camp with less than 50% health half the time and died once when the
raptor continuously critical-hit me. At first he invited a level 63 Paladin. Too
high! We had 100+ exp each kill.

Then I supposed he asked the paladin to leave. And he brought in a level 58
Paladin. Too low! He couldn’t tank the Peryton well and ended up saying he wants
to leave soon.

After this second EXP PT, I’ve decided to keep 2 different types of sushi.
Bream sushi, the cheapest I can find, which still gives +15% accuracy and Sole
Sushi, the most expensive NQ sushi that gives +6 Strength and the usual +15%
accuracy. The cheap one for those lousy exp PTs and the expensive one to use in
good PTs.

Also went on a skill up PT at Kuftal Tunnel. Reached 200 skill in Great Sword
and learned Sickle Moon. I’m gonna need a Sniper Ring should I have to use Great
Sword in an EXP PT to close Distortion. I also claimed Amemet! Not knowing it’s
a low HNM, in other words it’s too tough for my PT, I all of 4 members
of my PT killed. [X|]

And to summarize what I’ve learnt over the weekend, I need an Amemet Mantle
+1! Currently 1~1.2 million gil. I figured I need it’s help to do at least 100+
per swing in EXP PTs. As of my last EXP PT, I’m doing 80~120. In my
own words, higher strength raises damage cap, example: 130
instead of 120, and higher Attack increases minimum damage, example: 90 instead
of 80.

After spending almost a whole day of mining last Saturday, I was
able to meet my target of earning 500K a week and now I have 2 million gil!
[X)]

Now that I’ve hit 2 million gil of savings, why not level my black
mage job a little? Something to get my mind off the tunnels of Zeruhn. Putting
my winamp in an endless loop of Kotoko’s Hane album, Kokia’s Utaga Chikara and
Origa’s <album name forgotten>, I transferred over my black mage equipment
from my mule and began looking for a party. As I expected, I got an invite
within 5 minutes. [:|]

Halfway through Evasama dropped by to give my party a bit of
powerlevelling. Ladyrikku, who just reached level 69 not long, came to sell me
her Haubergeon. The price of Haubergeon on the Auction House fluctuates between
1,850,000~1,950,000. With a bit of bargain, we agreed on 1,800,000gil~ [XD]

Rest of Sunday involved visiting Stone Monuments with Evasama for
that Selbina quest, camping Stary Mary which we gave up in the end, attempted to
pop Goblin Archaeologist twice. At the first try, as we were waiting for the
next vanaday to come, 2 Japanese players came along and popped it despite the 4
of us (Joachim and Ladyrikku), standing near the spawn point. I guess because we
had quite a few high levels trade items to the spawn point, the Goblin NM turned
out to be too difficult for those 2 Japanese players. They teleported away in
the midst of the fight, almost dying.

On the second try, we traded the items and went away to camp Stray
Mary while waiting for the next vanaday. When the next day came, we went back to
the teleport crag to find the spawn point gone. Oh well… [:(]

And finally, here’s a few screenshots of me in my new armor! I
swear this thing gives ass-shaking skill +10. My ass shaking when
running looks so much more obvious when wearing it! [X|]

Front View

Back View

And according to the prices on IGE, an infamous evil gilselling
company, this Haubergeon would have a value of 80 US dollars. [8|]

Looks like it takes me a week of mining at Zeruhn to earn 500,000 gil [X|].
Whether this is fast or slow I do not know.

2-3 more weeks till I can afford my Haubergeon…