Coming Full Circle

I'm back and hopefully will be updating on a semi-regular basis. I was gone from FFXI for a while due to a computer meltdown. My processor just decided to stop working. I borrowed a laptop for awhile and got a little playing time, but didn't have photoshop or image capture program loaded on. I finally got myself a new computer so things are back to normal. I'm still the attendance monkey for my Limbus shell. I'm still part of AlwaysFune, but also have joined Imperial.

I'm not sure how many people still read this, but here's hoping for some comments! And I gotta track down Taritai's new journal. So if you read this taritai or anyone who knows where it is, can you drop a line?

Red Mage

When I first started Final Fantasy XI I chose to be a Red Mage. I had been ready the Brady Guide and thought that Red Mage seemed like a good balanced job. I could use both White and Black Magic (I tend to be a magey person) but I could also swing a sword decently. So I grabbed my gear and headed outside of Bastok to wail on things. However, after 7 levels of Red Magery I gave up. For some reason it didn't appeal. So I thought, hrm, maybe I'd like to be a melee. And that THF had Treasure Hunter and the gil multiplier thingie.

That lasted a whole 3 levels.

Then I tried out White Mage and Verrick's Final Fantasy journey began. It took a while slogging through the levels, questing the tele-scrolls, whoring and begging for Erase, eeking through the limit breaks, saving and saving for my blessed and noble's tunic, but I finally hit 75 on WHM. After that I went through BRD, and eventually BLM (after swearing I wasn't going to level BLM, but you know, it's sometimes fun to blow things up). I then started up COR and realized I needed RNG as a sub. So I decided to level RNG up and stopped at 65 (getting some xp on RNG through ENMs) after my static broke when I was on leave from FFXI due to a move. So what does a taru do when he comes back?

He goes back to his roots.

So I picked up my RDM again. I had left it at level 41 right after I received refresh (I had finally leveled it for a soloing sub for BLM). I'm in HI so my playing times are limited/screwed up with the rest of the nation. The famous RDM invite rate seemed to elude me. But I slowly managed through main healing parties and sneaking in with BLMs to duo/trio. Finally on January 28, 2008 I was about 4K from 75. I managed to snag a party on Greater Colibiri and hit 75, capped xp, and managed to get a merit.

Congratulate me. I'm finally a 75 RDM after 2.5 years!



In honor of this momentous occasion I finally made myself a new signature.



Missions

Eckardt and I finally managed to make our way to San d'Oria. After getting some help on the 2-3 dragon and the 5-1/5-2 mission fest we worked our way through the long-neck missions. With gracious help from AlwaysFune members, Bardon, Blaire, Kael, Lavina, and Aznmahavailo we managed to hit Rank 10 in San d'Oria. The Sandy missions were kind of dry and you had to listen to long-winded and haughty elvaans talking.



Exploring a little bit of the past, however, brings you face to face with the Young Griffons. Young Elvaans in the past are cute.



During one of the missions (I can't remember which) there was a ray of light that bathed me. I had to snap a screenshot because I happened to be wearing some of my WHM gear at the time. It just seemed to me the perfect backdrop for a WHM.



I managed to FINALLY do ZM-17 and beat that punk kid to a pulp. Now I have to figure out a way to finagle a Bahamut v.1 so I can do AN and get another earring.

My CoP static broke apart after they beat 8-4. Demesis left for a while. Nojoke joined an HNMLS and basically doesn't come into the social shell anymore whlie loot whoring. So I was talking with Thayos. I did some ENMs with Imperial (the promy ones) and had a blast. They were also going to do ToAU missions and I just happened to be on the mission they were on. So I managed to join up and hopefully will be able to finish up ToAU too! The story is just starting to get interesting and make some sense.



I finally got around to unlocking the WotG jobs. I still haven't unlocked BLU or DRG yet. I have no real urge to play DNC (although it seems like a fun job), but I had been hearing about SCH as a subjob for WHM. After reading about it and seeing how Light Arts can affect casting time, recast time, and MP I felt it was a good sub for WHM. So I've started to level it. It's fun and seems like a good sub for RDM if you don't need the -na spells from /WHM. I managed to slowly get to level 11 with some soloing and some duoing with Arizod on his mule. I want to get Accession and be able to AoE regenII, AoE protect and shell on other parties in the alliance (go go BLM alliance). Maybe SCH will be my next job. Poor COR and RNG. On the back burner yet again.

Pimp Hat Go!

Red Mage

Did you know RDM was my first ever job in FFXI? I leveled it to level 7. Then for some reason thought that THF would be better. Hah! Got that to level 3. Then I started on my journey on WHM. Those first 10 levels or so were very painful. I remember using a staff (yes I didn't know better) and being PL'd by Lanoire on her WHM. It was then playing catch up to Lanoire and then Sumiko's WHM.

I don't quite remember how I got RDM to 37, but somewhere along the way I hooked up with Guankim and Kenshinshiro. We started a semi-static that leveled very slowly. Basically whenever we found time. It was RDM, THF (Ken), and BRD (Guan). However our work schedules became so diverse that we hardly ever saw each other online. It's been a year since I've had my RDM AF in storage. So as you can tell I decided to branch out on my own.

It had been a nice circle to have all the mages (at the time) to 75, WHM, BLM, and RDM. Now there's BLU but I don't have the urge to play it. I've had some frustrations with RDM lately, idiotic parties, diconnects, you name it. I've been called on to main heal by myself and haste 5 other people as well as refresh a PLD and a DRK. Sometimes it gets too much.

My last party went pretty well. We had a NIN, MNK, THF, BRD, RDM, and SAM. One of them was dualboxing a RDM named FantasyApple (I think). However, that character would occasionally toss out a cure and haste (I think it was the MNK who was dualboxing). So it wasn't a true PLer. Thank gosh, cause I can't really stand those. However, we were lucky they were there. The BRD, for some reason, was tickled pink when he linked 5 spiders together. Needless to say, my MP doesn't stretch that far especially since I didn't have sleepga and could only target sleep mobs. He did use Horde Lullaby. But sickle slashes are nasty. We did get a chain #7 in there.

Then the BRD kind of stopped moving. He'd sometimes sing songs, sometimes just stay stationary. I sent him a tell asking him if he's going AFK, but instead he says he's falling asleep. Eventually he just stops moving. Ugh. The party was going to disband, but luckily they said they'd stay for my level. So now I FINALLY can wear that PIMP HAT. RDM 60!



In other news I've been assigned to be the attendance person for RuinousOmen, my Limbus LS. We defeated Temenos W. And thankfully time chests dropped there. I hate that one when no time chests drop. I was 2 coins short of my loquacious earring, so Eckardt was kind enough to lend them to me. In the end I decided on the Loquacious instead of the Brutal because I felt that I would just use the Loquacious more. The Brutal would be for having fun on WHM, since I really don't have any REAL Melee jobs.

Pretty in Black

Dynamis

Today was Valour's first Dynamis-Beaucedine run (the LoHDynamis Shell merged together with Valour the newly named LoHHNM shell). We had about 20 odd people show up which is not bad since we have to work on getting access for the rest of the members (hello city runs again).

We had about 3 BLMs, 2 RDMs, 1 WHM, 2 BRDs, 1 SMN, and a decent amount of melees (which is better than the 13 WHMs we sometimes field in city runs). It was actually a relaxed and fun run although Landar (MNK) and Snajper (BLM) did die quite a bit. Not sure who won, but my gil would be on Landar.

Again, I prayed and hoped for my WHM body (the only body we had received in the last year of dynamis went to Acreana when Dragoces and I couldn't make one run). I'm 3/5 on WHM AFv2 (Kavita outlotted me on the gloves when they dropped in Xarc). Been wanting this relic body since I first started playing WHM, my first job. However, it was not to be. Instead I got to lot on this:

So I got my BLM body before my WHM body, so sad. When you compare this to the NQ Igqira Weskit (which I have) you sacrifice +6 MAB and +2 Conserve MP to get -2 enm, Refresh, and some MP. I think I have to rework my macros now to switch over to JSE in the middle of casting so I can keep the refresh bonus as long as possible. Of course I lose out on the -enm bonus. Maybe I'll use the coat more when I'm soloing or during hard NMs where I want every little bit of -enm I can get and I can sacrifice some damage potential and conserve MP potential for refresh. Not sure.



Red Mage

Since I don't get to see Guankim much anymore, I decided to try and level RDM on my own. Got into a party last night with Belanus and his cronies. I remember partying with them in Garlaige Citadel a long time ago on my BRD I think. At that time his friend Lep (something) was our tank and dc'd when his mother pulled out his xbox. Then the party had broken up because Belanus didn't want to party without his friend. I should have thought of that this time.

So we start off in the woodlands fighting pink birdies at level 53-54. At first he told me we had a WHM so I was estatic. When I joined it turned out he had a 51 BRD and I'd be main healing again. I couldn't land enfeebles with any great accuracy even with my HQ staves and Glamor Jupon. It was so depressing. Then all of a sudden, the WAR (Lep) starts to DC. Belanus (NIN) stops moving (no red dot yet) and the BLM Dcs. While I was frantically trying to cure the NIN I pull hate and end up dying. The RNG kills the bird with EES. Then I see the red dot appear as I'm laying dead. I was getting annoyed. THey come back on and he goes lol, playing at the same house.

So we continue on and then on the 3rd fight after that guess what? All 3 Dc again. This time the BRD and I eat it. The RNG manages to get onto a chocobo and lose hate. The 3 never back on. I was so annoyed. Then I get a tell as I'm waiting for beseiged asking if I want to party. I had been afk reading a book and took like 2 minutes to get to my comp. I say sure, and then Thedarklord goes, sorry party full. That was very annoying too. *sigh* RDM may turn out to be the bane of my existence in this game. And to think I had wanted it leveled up before BLM.

Feeling the Joy

The pictures are back and not just cutscenes either! Joy!

Red Mage

After a long while, my semi-static got back together for RDM. Guankim (BRD) and Kenshin (THF, he has a longer name, I just forget the whole thing at this point) teamed up with my RDM and we went a searchin' for a party. Amazingly we found a NIN tank which for us is good because we usually have to make do with a less than ideal tank (e.g. solo WAR/NIN, WAR/NIN x 2 bouncing hate, WAR/NIN + SAM bouncing hate). We added a WAR/NIN and a MNK/WAR into the mix. I was main healing with Guankim as back up. The party actually went pretty well in Kuftal. I think I managed to get my haste and refresh cycles down pat. Eventually the WAR/NIN had to leave so we got a SAM/WAR replacement. Damn the damage just went super high after that. Everytime I party with a SAM, esp a Tarutaru SAM, it makes me want to level it more. I managed to eek out to level 53, seven more levels to full pimpness. Maybe in about a year? It also gave me a chance to try out my glamor jupon that I received a while back while helping on a swift belt run. I am in love with the armor. But then again I'm a +skills type of guy. Joy!



Meanwhile I get this creepy party invite while running around as a RDM:



Yes, it's from Anna. The infamous WHM/THF and THF/WHM of Garuda. I posted stuff about her a while back. She's still doing those combinations, but at least not bothering us on Alla boards. The scary thing is she's becoming known on other servers as well. I don't understand why she would invite me. After all I was one of her non-ardent supporters (yes believe it or not she has her fans for her "individuality"). I almost laughed in her face. But I was polite. No Joy!

Summoner

I haven't touched Summoner since waaaaaay back after I got it to 38. Part of my reason was I wanted to have Fenrir before I went further. Other parts was finishing WHM to 75, playing BRD and BLM. I've been wanting Fenrir for a while but I'm horrible at starting party/missions. Luckily some friends, Arizod and Gheldhart were looking out for me. They planned to do a Fenrir run for Sali to get his Evoker's ring and some other people to get Fenrir. So they invited me in. We had SMN/WHM, SMN/WHM, BLM/WHM, BRD/WHM, RDM/WHM, and NIN/WAR. Luckily we fought him on Lightsday. Dark Carol really helps on his 2 HR, but the damn beast loves to dispel. He caught a couple of us by surprise with his vehement use of dispel the first battle (a couple of us were Fenrir Virgins) but I managed to sneak out a RR without it being dispelled before we wiped. So we reraised ready for revenge. This time it went much smoother, although Gheldhart did die. I managed to get dark carol up, but Fenrir dispelled right before he 2HRd, evil damn wolf. But now I have him on MY side. After I get BLM going could SMN be next? Probably a part time thing, since I want to level COR next. Go go Support Jobs! At least Fenrir is in my arsenal now. Diablos, hrm. Joy!



NPC/Crafting

I took Vimechue out for a spin. I've basically neglected her. She tried to get my attention back by wearing her leather outfit. We went a huntin'lizards in CN for lizard tails. I'm getting Verrick's Alchemy to 60 cap so was working on ptions for levle 35-40. I want him to make venom dust to 61 so I can use it on Brin to level to 68 (venom potions) then 76 (venom bolt heads). Anima synths look nice, but the cheap memories are always not in stock in the AH. Plus I heard you can't sell Anima to NPC. Got some stacks of lizard skins which sold for 10-15K and some lizard eggs which sold for about 3K (I remember when chocos first came out, the lizard eggs were going for 20K a stack and CN was crowded).



I managed to get to 56.7 on Hunter's Cotton on Whit. I'm a few K short on GP for Whit's Apron, just have to get him to 68 first. Wist's cooking has been stalled in favor of other crafts. Sarn managed to get to 52 on Catebolas leather. I'm about 40K away from his apron. Brin is sitting at 67.4 in Alchemy, about 60K shy of his apron. I really have to start working on Alchemy GP. Still haven't decided on Verrick's crafts but I'm starting to craft more again. Joy!

Silverhook

No pics of this one. But I was randomly fishing up nebimonites to level fishing (got from 22.7 to 24.3 in one night, woohoo!) and I saw a pirate attack. Then I saw the middle pirate in a vermy. So I whacked the Ship Wight...and Silverhook appeared. WHM/NIN solo attempt. He's a tough one, I just did not have enough firepower. Some random BLM/WHM tossed me a few Cure IIIs. I managed to get him to 8% and was ready to fire off another Hexastrike when he blood saber'd me to get to 15% health. I knocked him to 5% and then ran out of time ; ; In retrospect I should have asked the BLM/WHM to join me and maybe heal/nuke. No Joy!

The real meat of the Post, Joy!

I, however, have even better news to report. On 1/25/07 I get a tell from my friend Arizod. He asks me coyly what I was doing at 12 AM EST (7 PM my time). Didn't have anything planned so he asked me to meet at the entrance to SSG at 7PM. Turns out, Sali had camped the ToD on Charybdis, otherwise knwon as Charby to me. The 8 hour mark truned out to be 12 AM EST. So I trooped down there as BRD/WHM, Arizod as NIN/WAR, and Sali as NIN/WAR. We start killing PH. There was another trio camping it as well, but after about 3 hours we noticed they had left. Which left us all alone, except an independant RDM that was waiting for ToD. Sali was worrying (rightly) about firepower so he managed to recruit Lokina (THF/NIN) and Kattsu (THF/NIN) to help. He changed to SMN/WHM. After about 6 hours of camping the NM finally appeared! Arizod was so excited he immediately voked (even though there was no competition). Unfortunately our SMN and I were low on MP after the whole party had fooled around on some fish people outside. Then we didn't pull him up the ramp so ended up with a manta link as the other "PH" popped. W emanaged to kill off the link but eventually wiped to Charby. We reraised (and nicely the RDM didn't swoop in and try to solo it) and proceeded to kick it's ass. So my friend Arizod got his joytoy! Joy!

The next day I was trying to burn some of my KS since they were taking up space in my MH. My Social LS LordsofHydra recently started up a KSNM service which is nice. I brought 3 orbs. It was a long day waiting. Since Kaboom closed up shop, I think people are starved for KSNM so there were a LOT of people there. Now if timing isn't good some BLMs can die. Vallis who is often quite wishy washy about being helpful and not liking the dying gave up and warped himself out. So I got asked to bring my subpar BLM to help out. So I ended up being part of the KSNM service. I only died once in the whole ton of battles we did. Made about 100K just in the 3K gil that drops after each battle. On one of my orbs I was lucky to get a D.Ingot which sold promptly for 1.35 million, so I have some gil again. I'm supposed to get some of the profits from last night. While I was waiting for my orb runs (before I joined the service) I was talking to Isildor whom I saw in SSG during the new pop window for Charby. It turns out he was fighting it at the moment for Argalo. Now Isildor and Argalo were part of the 15 man to end CoP mission, plus members of the Dynamis shell. They managed to beat Charby and get Argalo his Joytoy. So now I knew the new ToD. Joy!



Unfortunately, LoH is a lot of EU players. Most of the NA players are about levle 30-60 and the new pop window time was in US time. My friend Arizod logged in about 2 hours before the pop window so I asked him if he'd come tank again. He said sure. Our KSNM run had just finished so I asked Dukenukem if he'd come as well. He agreed to come as BLM/WHM since I was told Charby eats PLDs. Sali also said he'd make it. Unfortunately when the pop window came about Sali wasn't logged in (turns out he had to do something for his brother ASAP), so Arizod, myself (BRD/WHM) and Dukenukem went to SSG to camp. Two independent RDMs were there getting ToD. We started to kill some placeholders while I made passionate pleas in the LS. One person Zaon, said he'd only come if he could lot. Grrrr, so he didn't come. Demesis a level 67 (or 69?) WAR/NIN offerred to come out. Then my friend Munami (75 THF/NIN) popped on and I begged him to come. Eventually Sali popped back on and came as SMN/WHM. Two PH pops after Sali arrives Charby pops up. Munami pulls, I double Mambo the melees, elegy Charby and ballad the mages. Arizod had brought Gheldhart as well for R3 and random cures and hastes (as he was controlling Gheldhart as well). And we managed to kill Charby without any deaths. And guess what? I got Joy! Joy!



I am now the devoted slave of Sali, Arizod, Gheldhart (who was there in spirit), Demesis, Munami, and Dukenukem. I got to try out my new toy on a PH manta and managed this:



Yes my sword skill is low, I need to level it. But that Joytoy's two time hitting actually happens quite often. TP fun. So with a Peacock Charm and a Joytoy it's starting to look better for COR every moment. Need to purchase me a gunbelt and get started pouching bullets. That and level RNG to 37 for a full sub...hehe.

After we attempted to go to Ro'Maeve for Sali's YinYang Robe NM. This NM is kind of ridiculous as it spawns invisible (can see on Widescan) and has permanent Flee until it aggros magic or links to a weapon. Poor Sali has been trying for over 2 straight weeks, showing up at every pop window. I think he's got a few claims but no drops. Last night we didn't get the pop again, and some other group got it. And got the drop. Sali was getting frustrated of people going 1/1. Hopefully he gets it soon!

WHM/NIN

After helping Sali (or trying to help) I suited up as WHM/NIN to take down robber crabs with my friend Kalia from my LS. She's a 74 WHM and was trying to break her trial of clubs. We had been doing this off and on when she took breaks from her BST leveling. We actually managed to break it rather quickly (gotta love Black Halo to Hexastrike for a level 3 SC and 5 points as she closes it) so we're all set for her WSNM in Ro'Maeve. Joy!



Joy!

I talked to Valynne yesterday since I found strategy guides that she had lent me a long time ago before my "blow-up" and frustrations. I'm going to return them to her on Tuesday.

All in all, had an adventure in Garuda. Never thought I'd get a Joytoy because I always thought there would be too much competition and I was not willing to camp for a ToD to know when the pop window would open. So much thanks goes out to Sali (for camping the original ToD for Arizod) and for Argalo and Isildor for telling me the new ToD. I made my LS leader Lorddocster jealous when he logged on again showing him the Joytoy (he's a RDM, BLM, and WAR 75). So of course I told him when the pop window would start and he decided to camp it. I went to sleep and logged in about 1.5 hours into the pop window (I had logged off in the pop place). He had 10 people there with him, camping against the 2 RDM who were at my battle (camping the ToD). We managed to get the claim and he know has the Joytoy himself. Joy!

So much Joy! spreading around. Hope everyone is having fun. Drop me a line ^^

The Valynne Update

Per Valynne's request (although she rarely posts a comment) I will update my page today. So everyone thank Valynne for your fix of Verrick's Garudian Adventures.

As this entry is dedicated to Valynne I will start off with a few pictures and quotes. It always saddened me that Verrick was too short to see over the top of many tables. In addition the secretary set I've had for a long time now was sitting on the floor. So Valynne told me that Tarutarus can see over a workbench. So I had her make me a signed one so I could have a furniture with her name on it. Eventually I want a signed piece of furniture from my friends in game, in particular Lanoire and Alcindor. So work on that WW guys.



The infamously slowly leveling (when we first started we did it pretty often) "fifties" static, previously known as "Sunday" static met again on Tuesday. We went up against the Lesser Colbriri (I call them pink flamingos). They have a move called feather tickle which reduces TP to 0. So it was challenging to beat it so Zaria (our resident NIN tank) could do some WS. I managed to eek out level 58 (went up about 1.25 levels). We have basically no downtime with Alcindor (our WHM) a lot of the time ending with the majority of his MP (thanks to refresh and MB II and MBI) but the higher you get, the more exp you need. *sigh* Poor Alci, wants level 75. I think he'd be better off leveling another job to 75 faster than we do. One more level to Carnage Elegy. Two more levels to full AF (the hands, the hands!). Fourteen levels away from my AFv2 Hat. And in 1 more level, Valynne has a surprise for Dahoman and Zaria!



I got asked by Lorddocster and Lordesequiel to static with their manaburn as my BRD. I told them I think Valynne would kill me if I left (not that I want to leave the static now, there were times when I did not get along quite well with Zaria). But they were desperate for a refresher (and I was about 5.6K exp behind Val who is our leader) so I said I'd come refresh them for 4K exp. Trudged out to the Valley of Sorrows to pit ourselves against the Raptors. Apparently they were having a hard time finding a good BRD, e.g. one that could stick lullaby and one that could refresh them. This was my first time in a manaburn party. So the SMN carby pulled, I lullaby with Apollo Staff/Mary's Horn and stick it (missed 2x in party). Then I cast Terra Staff/Battlefield Elegy, then Lightning Threnody. The 4 BLM cast Burst and hopefully one shot it. If not, I get ready with another lullaby to sleep the mob while they prepare other spells to kill it. Pretty simple once you get down with it. The SMN would cure and remove status effects with Leviathan's Spring Water. Elteriak (from the long party night) is in this static as well. In about 20-30 minutes I had my 4K (they got 6.5K with the band) and had to leave.



This segues me into something exciting. Take a look at the picture to the left and what do you see? Yes! I am now the proud owner of a Mary's Horn. I was borrowing Japyaa's horn all these months (before that Sumiko's Horn but that was given back after the incident). Lorddocster was on a hot streak on 8/31/06. We went after his coffer key for BLM AF. In Davoi he got it in 3 mobs, in the Necropolis he got it in 2 mobs. Switched to BLM and found the coffers within 5-10 minutes each. The easiest AF I've ever seen. I jokingly told him that I wouldn't count him lucky unless he could find Stray Mary and get her Horn and kill VE and get Empress hairpin. He took me up on that challenge. Now Taritai and I have spent months each on our sever hunting for this NM. I've seen her once and killed her while running through the highlands but only got Mary's Milk to complete a quest. Since then I've killed thousands of sheep but she never popped. So what happens? Within 20-30 minutes I see Lorddocster silencing Stray Mary. Then Mary's Milk and Mary's Horn pops up on my screen! Thank you so much Lorddocster! We tried for VE next, but someone else was camping it too. It popped in about 5 minutes, so know i know that VE exists. Tried for Centruion x-i but I was too slow with the claim. So Munami and Skylee no more trying to hunt for that stupid horn!

Dynamis LS has been doing Dynamis-Bastok. We get closer and closer each time to getting a win. Yesterday's run was the closest ever, we almost got to the last boss. Unfortunely aggro and trains did us in at the last minute. Bard's Cuffs dropped, but I got outlotted ; ; I want a win Damnitaru! Then I can start worrying about AFv2.



I went out leveling my RDM again with Guankim and Kenshin the other day. For the life of us, we can never find a true TANK when we party. Once we had a PLD, but he was mediocre at best. We've been using WAR/NIN bouncing hate tanks. This past night, however, there was only one WAR/NIN available. So this was our party set up. WAR/NIN (to tank), THF/NIN (Kenshin), COR/NIN (was originally RNG, but they wanted her to pull so she switched to /NIN), BRD/WHM (Guankim), RDM/WHM (Wwcc), RDM/BLM (me). Yes, heavy support. Now WAR/NIN are pretty nice damage dealers, but as sole tanks they have it hard (once their shadows drop and they have no access to Ni until 74). BUT with Healer's Roll, Evoker's Roll, and MB I (plus etudes, +int for me +mnd for Wwcc) I mainly nuked and BLM enfeebled (cured a bit), Wwcc healed and nuked, and Gunakim back up healed. The WAR/NIN to his credit held hate very very well. The COR/NIN was always ontop of her rolls and was shooting as well. Kenshin's modified SA + VB did well. All in all we did really good. The RDMs were riding their convert timers to a T though. Got to about 3K away from level 48. Almost at AF time.

One incident marred an otherwise enjoyable party. Anna, yes, Anna. The stupid, idiotic THF/WHM was in the basement as well. As a level 49 THF/WHM. Come on Garuda, why do you keep partying with her? This is what she says the instant we drop down.



Now that just irritated me. Aside from her infamous posts on Allakazham, I've watched her several times, and she's not a very good THF. I shudder to think what her WHM is. In her mind, however, she is goddess. She even has a mentor sign on which makes me cringe in horror. I basically said in /say Anna is an idiot. So I make a plea to all Garudians, STOP PARTYING WITH HER!

To end this on a happier note ... here is my current title.



I got it after helping the Elderly Elvaan lady in Upper Jeuno get a candle. Poor Eckardt was out killing Rams for a while and never got a lanolin cube. He sent me some ram skin though. Thank you dude, and congratulations on level 60 BLM. Your work is about half done!

So all in all, eventful. Highlight is definitely Mary's Horn! And Valynne, I better get a comment this time!

Photologs

Just some random pictures of Verrick that I thought I'd share. Betwixt my typing.

So I continued to level my RDM last night with Guankim (BRD) and Kenshin (MNK). We picked up a COR/RNG (Myyah) and a PLD/WAR (Speedtwister). For the 6th we picked up a DRK/RDM (Kligsomethingoranother) because he was the only one looking for a party in our level. When asked why RDM it was because his WAR was not leveled. Great, I thought. Now the party was going ok. The COR was great! The PLD died twice due to sickle slash. The PLD was ok, he cast some flash, but did not really provoke much so sometimes hate bounced.

Now the DRK/RDM really irritated me. First of all I was casting my enfeebles. Then he would randomly cast Dia and Bio. Over and over again. I asked him why he was spamming Bio and he said, what is spamming? And he had no clue that Bio overwrites Dia. Then he self cured himself (cursed RDM sub) to garner even more hate which means he got hit more. I asked him why he didn't drain and he said I don't have DRAIN. Now this was at 45 and drain is a pretty easy spell to get. He said he did not have any FAME. Now I thought this was pretty sad. I don't know how he survived in other parties. So basically we brought back Iamweasel (WAR/NIN) from the other parties (his party chat/macros are a little annoying, but he's a pretty good WAR) as was planned from the beginning he just didn't get on in time. The DRK/RDM goes, I hit it for 132 why are you guys dropping me?

He just did not get it. I still don't understand how they got to this level. I mean he had to have a basic job somewhere to get the advanced job of DRK. And another thing, he missed relatively often and was not eating any food. ARGH! So it seems that RDM is the new sub job of choice as noticed by Alcindor. Maybe it's because of the self-curing aspects and the fact that so many people are not equipped to handle the stresses of WHM.

Eventually the PLD had to leave and the COR/RNG had to leave as well. So we were stuck up a creek again without a Tank (there has been a dearth of tanks in our level lately when we want to level). So we begged Malumake to come as a BST/WAR and have Iamweasel tank (which he gladly did). There was some debate about a 6th. Apparently Malumake mentioned that he was going to party with us and someone from my other LS (Graveyardshift) named Sumiko had told Guankim that she was interested in leveling her BLM. This caused a lot of anger on my part. Sumiko was the reason that I left Graveyardshift in the first place because of her attitude. Some members of the LS like Jai had figured out why I left. Not sure if there are people that notice that I don't frequent the LS anymore. I also dropped out of two statics, hence I leveled my THF on my own and my COR has not seen the light of day.

I basically said if that was our only choice I would take it. I personally preferred to have Highper come (a WHM who I had partied with before) so I could focus on enfeebling and "nuking". Highper got the spot. A funny thing, Guankim was asking him to move more toward me so he could be hit with ballad better...he accidentally thought he was being asked to leave and disbanded. Miscommunication over he was back and the party ran smoothly. So in leveling my RDM it's been rare to have a "real tank". Our combinations have seemed to work pretty well.

In the end Guankim was talking to me about making amends. I have no wish to really do this as Sumiko has never come forward to apologize. In some ways we are alike, and perhaps that is why we clash. But I don't like her berrating and bossy attitude. It is denegrating. I'm happy in the LS I am in right now.

I never thought I'd level RDM this high. I think it's time to dust off my BLM so I can complete the Holy Trinity of Mages (I don't really want to do BLU). Gotta start doing AF. And also continue fishing for tuna to level my cooking!

Refresh Whore!

No pictures with this post, sadly.

Been leveling RDM a bit with a friend named Guankim (BRD). My RDM had lingered at 23 for a long time (not exactly sure why but remember my last RDM party being in the Delkfutt's Tower with Kiobi as PLD). Then I dusted my RDM off to main heal for some LS (LordsofHydra) members. Brought my RDM to 35. Then dusted my RDM off again when Guankim could not find a healer (had been partying as THF to 35 before that). Since then I've "staticed" with Guankim and reached the echelons of Refresh Whore last night.

So we ended an interesting party in Crawler's Nest 2 nights ago. Last night he said we should party again (knowing how I really wanted to use my refresh scroll up!). So we get a THF and then wait around looking for a tank. *sigh* Never one when you need it. After about an hour we get a NIN/WAR, a SAM/WAR, and a WAR/NIN to compliment the THF/WAR, BRD/WHM, and RDM/BLM. So seeing I was to main heal again (I really need to dust off my BLM so I can blast things) I switched to /WHM. CN was super crowded so I suggested Gustav Tunnel which was empty. We go there and proceed to have a wonderful experience party doing about 4-5K an hour (the first hour with the band was about 6K). Needless to say it was late where everyone else was. So our WAR/NIN had to leave. We get a BLU/NIN Chafarrra (who Guankim and I had partied with the other day in Garlaige Citadel) to replace them. The SAM/WAR stays for her level then has to leave. So does our WAR/NIN. Unfortunately the SAM/WAR set up her own replacement without telling Guankim. So Guankim tells one of the 2 WAR/NIN he got that we have a different replacement. Unfortunately it turns out the SAM/WAR has a WHM/BLM (with an underleveled sub) as her replacement. The poor WAR/NIN now is in the role of the tank with the THF not sure who to SATA off of. The WHM comes on in again without any food (not even cookies). The first few fights were painful. He used only Cure II and Cure III (no regens) and I was pulling off the poisana faster than him (of course I had been main healing up to this point so was still in the mode). We finally figure out that the WAR/NIN will first voke and hte THF will SATA off the BLU/NIN.

Turns out the WHM (with the underleveled sub) was not a bad guy. I offerred some pointers (and hopefully didn't make him upset) and he started using regens. I gave him my stack of cookies so he could get MP back faster. And we worked out who would cast certain enfeebles. Now to give him his credit, no one died. We started making chain #4 and #5 again. And he had to main heal with a WAR/NIN who probably was not expecting to be sole tank. The sad thing for me was that he was decked out in a linen robe and level 12 pants. He said he put all his gil into spells (which was commendable). But I warned him that he should seriously think about setting aside time for farming and getting some better equip (like seers) and saving for his erase spell (which is darn cheaper now than when I bought it) because parties would probably be expecting this in the future. He mentioned that he had been only playing for 3 weeks. Now how someone got to level 39 in 3 weeks as a WHM is beyond me.

Now by this time I had actually achieved that amazing plateu of 41. So I was a refresh whore. And I was horrible at it! I actually think about 3 others in my party were RDMs so I felt scrutinized too. I have a feel for when haste will wear but I have no feel for refresh yet. So there were times when I didn't even notice my refresh gone. I apologized profusely. But all in all I made it to 42 last night. And finally, finally got rid of my refresh scroll that has been in my MH forever!

Thank you to Guankim who has been gracious enough to party with me all this time and form all the parties (I hate forming parties). Of course it helps when your selling point is a RDM + BRD. All I can say is I want a WHM in my next party because it is stressful mainhealing and keeping enfeebles, nuking and a refresh cycle going on 4 people. I was riding my convert timer to the hair! Oh and as a little lol @ myself. I didn't realize I received Convert at 40! And the WHM kept telling me, you're scaring me dude when you do that. Ah, a man after my own heart!

Clouds and Reys

I let myself be dragged out to exp again. Kael (from FFXI-garuda.com) wanted to level his WHM as a sub for his BLM so he could manaburn his way to 75. So I pulled out my THF (which had stalled at 32 as I left a static). We had a jolly good time for a while, until Lionheartzero had to leave. He brought in his friend Cloudx (a BLM). Now this person states that he's a 63 RDM. So in all his smartness he casts Firaga on the beetles in the desert o.O. During one of our downtimes he wants to show us he can solo a spider. He tells our two WHM not to heal him. So he casts Sleep, then Bind, then Rasp! All of us tell him that he cast a DoT and he won't be able to sleep it. He again states he is a 63 RDM! So the spider merirrly whacks him when he can't sleep it and he's in the red. Poor Kael heals him. So he sleeps again and tries to bind it again. I go and start whacking on the thing to save him. And he says "the fu**ing THF woke it up!". Now the rest of us were getting kind of pissed at him. We kept telling him that he had cast a DoT spell. He would not admit he was wrong. Eventually the SAM killed the thing. Then he starts calling me names for breaking the bind (which I admit I didn't notice he had bound it, my first thought was to save his sorry ass). He continues to cast Firaga when asked not to and completely misses the MB consistently on Distortion. All the while claiming that 63 RDM and he knew better. SO eventually Kael kicked him from the party (after he was taunting our SAM that he would beat him in Ballista against his 75 MNK). Apparenlty he kept sending tells to the SAM and Kael until he was BListed.

What really irks me is that people think that their "high" levels mean they know everything. Heck, I have a 75 WHM but I know jack crap about being a THF. I can offer some pointers to the WHMs in my parties, but I begged for help with my SATA macro, ViperBite Macro and positioning. I know in theory how things work, but it's very different when you're actually playing the thing! Once we got rid of Cloudx we recruited rogerjr. Now he was a little nuke happy, but did tone it down a bit when we asked him/her. It was enjoyable after that. In the party we originally had a tarutaru WHM, a tarutaru THF, a tarutaru WAR, a Galka SAM, and Mithra WHM, and a BLU. Swapped out for Cloudx (for the BLU). Then the WAR and WHM had to leave, so we replaced with a Hume NIN and a tarutaru WHM. And eventually another tarutaru BLM. Hehe, so the Galka and Hume had a little tarutaru army following them around.




Eventually we move to Garlaige Citadel. Unfortunately Kael died on the way, but when he came back it was pretty good. I didn't have to worry much about MP due to two WHM. Eventually Moho (WHM) had to leave and we got Twigs (a WAR). Now poor Kael was the sole healer and we could only chain up to #3, but it still went well. Eventually people were tired and we disbanded (after we escaped from a nasty link).

So my friend Guankim (whose party had broken up at the same time) invited me to a new party with him (as BRD/RDM) and Iamweasel (as WAR/NIN). I volunteered to change to RDM and main heal. They recruited Coltran (WAR/NIN, and Iamweasel's "bro), Twigs from my other party, Chafarrra (BLU/NIN, but I partied with her a looong time ago in Quicksand caves, me as WHM and she as SMN), and me as RDM/WHM main heal. Twigs pulled and we did very well. Except for Coltran who went AFK randomly, did not provoke (so ended up with full HP after every fight even though they were supposed to be bouncing vokes between the three WAR/NINs). So Guankim eventually booted Coltran and received some nasty swears to him by Coltran. Iamweasel begged to have Coltran stay, but when offered the option of being replaced too if he didn't want to level without Coltran, he decided to stay. We ended up getting a PLD Bluejay who was very good! He used cover, he healed other people, my god he was a PLD. And exp was flowing. Unfortunately he dc'd after about an hour and half and never came back. (I had that happen to me the other night, I just could not log back on and went to sleep instead). So we fought bats with 5 of us and eventually Chafarra brought out her NPC.

Then Rerey, a person from my LS LordsofHydra, brought his party in and camped right in front of us. Now there were already two parties there, it would be hard to share the mobes. Kaname (from my other LS Graveyardshift) sent me a tell saying he thought Rerey was a RMT and he apologized for camping on top of us). Kaname left that party. So I asked Rerey in the LS chat not to camp on top of us. Multiple times without any answer. Now this was the same Rerey who was a 30 WAR/01 MNK because he wanted NIN. I refused to help him get his job. But you know he was on for like 36 hour straight leveling his NIN/WAR. I never got an answer out of him. Needless to say I was extremely annoyed.

I have run into my share of idiots lately. Sorry for the ranting post, but needed to get this off my chest. Happily as you can see from my profile, now i have a full RDM sub (although only 5 into level) and am getting close to a full THF sub.

Ding 35!

After the update finished downloading, I went into FFXI. Was just running around when Elteriak from the other night asked me if I wanted to party. So I dig out my RDM gear and go to Garlaige Citadel. In this party was a WAR/NIN (Kotou) and a WAR/MNK (I just can't remember their name, but they were GOOD), Vengeance (NIN/WAR), Elteriak (DRK/WAR I think), myself (RDM/BLM) and a WHM/BLM named Scuzz. So we get skillchains for bats (fragmentation) and beetles (Distortion). So I figure, sounds like a good party. Unfortunately, the bane of my existence starts again, the WHM.

Scuzz was an idiot. He did not use regen (which helps to manage MP in my opinion) and did not use food (not even cookies). He would cast Bio (luckily I have Dia II) without any rhyme or reason. I asked him why he was casting Bio (he wouldn't get DRK skill ups) and he never answered. Then he starts casting shock over and over and also using water to nuke. And I end up regenining and main healing. What the hell? So I share my frustrations with Elteriak and Vengeance. They too are incredulous. Ask him several times in the aprty chat not to cast BIo and to focus on healing as THAT is his JOB. And he just ignores us. So Elteriak has a replacement come and he gets booted. Apparently he complained in tells to Elteriak.

His replacement was Sye. Now if you have the chnace to party with this WHM do so! She was awesome. Regens, heals, brought cookies, and was just plain fun to play with. We were doing great experience and chatting up a storm. Sye also spoke Japanese and English so was able to chat with Kotou as well. Then one of the WAR had to leave (the one I can't remember the name, I'm so bad), so we get Benia (a RNG) to replace. So instead of Kotou pulling she starts pulling. And doing insane damage with her shots (like 80-100 per shot). She also pushed us to our limits with pulls, but never pulled too fast that we were in any danger of wiping. The RNG was so good. In fact the whole party rocked. And we were teasing each other as well. Faith in pick up parties is restored! Poor Vengeance he had a hard time tanking with the WAR, RNG, and DRK doing a lot of damage. Here's what he said about his tanking:



And Raptor Mazurka for BRD! Yay. Although it doesn't seem that much faster to me. Now I have to start meriting someday to get my Protectra V and Shellra V. The Sunbreeze festival is starting. Get ready for dancing Tarus and repetative music. But the fireworks. I have to take pictures this year! (and I have to learn to type less).

A Long Day of Leveling

So I was stuck sick at home. I hate being sick. So what do I do, I log into FFXI, fully intending on crafting my GP items for the day and maybe trying to make some progress in Alchemy or Cooking. So I pop on and equip the LS pearl of LordsofHydra (yes the majority of their LS came from the XBOX live). Now there is a crazy person named Lorddocster who is the leader. Hehe. I leveled my WAR with him from 13 to 16 with his NIN. Then yesterday I dragged out my poor RDM and leveled from 23-26 with his NIN. So yesterday he offered me a spot in his party for my RDM. I can't refuse a LS mate, so I pull out my gear and go a leveling.

We were in the jungle at the time. Now he brought along a powerleveler since I think he really wants NIN to be done so he can sub it for his 75 RDM (yeah he levels like a machine). Now the party seems really good except for one glaring problem, the WHM. Yes, I'm a career WHM so I tend to notice the WHM off the bat. He was a "legendary" dragoon at level 75 he claimed. But he had no concept of how to use Regen. He relied totally on the PL. That made me sad. Then when it was time to move to the other jungle we pick up a NIN/WAR who apparently is well known as well. He brings along his wife who is a RDM and we could only find a WAR/MNK as a DD. The unfortunate thing was the WAR was 27 and his sub was 09 MNK. Yes, yet another underleveled sub. Sometimes I wonder if people care anymore.

So we move to the second jungle. Still the WHM has no clue. The RDM is skilling up with a STAFF? I said STAFF? And she said, my sword is capped. But RDM has no native staff skill. She wasn't going to get any skillups anyways. And the delay time on a staff is so much longer and can't en-spell it. *sigh* And she could not magic burst to save her life. When there is a PL I want the party to act normal and the PL may be there to offer assistance (e.g. let the freakin' WHM and tanks do their jobs). But the NIN refused to provoke saying the PL was the tank. Lorddocster, bless his heart, provoked. People don't understand that it's hard having the PL be the tank, as the mob keeps moving and running all over with no clear hate line. The MNK was relaly good though. The WAR was using a great sword and kind of did not have a clue.

So we level to I think 28 and decide that they want to go to Altep. Now I think we should stay in the jungles till 30 cause beetles are a little tough at 28. But I get overruled. Meh. So we regroup in Jeuno in an hour (giving me time to get more stuff for juice making and to upgrade my armor). And off we go to Altep.

Now of course we struggle with beetles. The NIN is still an idiot. The poor PL is hleping the darn WHM out. *sigh* But we manage with the PL. But eventually Lorddocster and the PL have to leave (since it was freakin' late in England that crazy Lorddocster). And the party kind of breaks up after that. Leaving me with a MNK, WAR, NIN, and MNK. We gather some new allies a WHM (still had the crazy NIN). After a while the NIN and one of the MNKs had to leave. So this left me with MNK, WAR, and me.

Now the MNK (Sidewinder) and the WAR (Fightinghard or something like that) were really nice and good. We collected a THF, WHM, and PLD. The WHM named Highper was excellent (using regen, resting whenever he could) so that I didn't have to cure as much. The NIN actually turned out to be a not bad tank. The PLD on the other hand was a complete idiot. He had no clue on how to set up for SATA which I can forgive if he's new, but after multiple explanations he still couldn't do it. He would rest forever and not get up until the middle of the fight while the poor WAR was getting hit and hit. He never used his MP to cure anyone (as I asked him to so he could regain hate). I gave him juices which he never used. He was not using any food to boost defense. The THF was excellent (name: Calypsiana) and we were having a good time chatting. Unfortunately the WHM disconnected after a few fights, poor guy was having connection issues. SO we get a WHM named Doof to replace him. And Doof is just as good using juices and cookies. So I figure woohoo! good party (except for the PLD).

The PLD was getting more and more annoying. And I was chatting with a friend in private tells. When I accidentally and really accidentally typed in the party chat This PLD is an idiot! OMG egg on my face. But the THF was annoyed too and backed me up. She tried to find a replacement but couldn't find one. So she continued to pull. I offerred to kick myself and find a replacement as I opened a can of worms but Sidewinder asked me to stay. Now we eventually get a BLM (Gottlieb) replacement for the WAR and life is going ok. Then the MNK has to leave and brings a DRK in to replace him. The DRKs name is Elteriak. And he offers to bring stuff from the AH. Unfortunately we had miscommunication and he didn't get the fish mithkabobs I asked for the tank. So I had a friend of my bring steamed crab and also a mercenary doublet for the MNK (he wanted a soil gi as he only had 20K, but I felt he was a bright spot in the party so I shelled out the other 20K for his doublet).

Eventually the WHM had to leave. The THF was going to leave too because she was kind of high for our party and decreasing the EXP. Then the PLD just announces he has to leave and logs. Without giving warning or finding a replacement. Now we had a THF on the way named Skylee and a WHM coming to replace Doof (who happened to be Highper). And no tank. Absolutely no tanks. All the 31-33 NIN, PLD, and WAR were taken. And we were feeling really bad for the THF who chocod all the way from San d'Oria because he couldn't get a Teleport Altep (yes he had the crystal after only playing for 3 weeks, and he did it himself, dying 4 times). And I felt bad for the WHM since I hated being invited and then having the pt disband on me. So I continue searching in vain. The party is really cool though we chat about everything.

So Skylee mentions he has a WAR at the same level and he could change to tank. The THF then said she'd stay if we didn't mind her being higher leveled than us, because she felt bad too. So I take Skylee to Rabao (he had never been there before) and we get him the map of the desert and I ask the pt if they can give me 10 minutes. So I warp to Jeuno and do some shopping. Skylee only had the lizard armor from level 17 (and I remember how hard it was to afford gear back then). And our BLM had never heard of seer's outfit until that day actually. So I buy the Centurion Armor and Sword for the WAR (with my conquest points) and by the BLM the whole NQ Seer's gear. I bring some Steamed Crab for the WAR tank and get back to the party. I actually really liked the BLM and the WAR and thought I'd help them out. They were pretty happy about it.

So the party ended up being one of the best and most fun I had. We were chatting about a whole ton of stuff about the game. Skylee was asking lots of questions about crafting, tanking, macros, and SATA. And guess what, explanation of SATA once and he did it! So the exp wasn't the fastest, yeah we were getting chain #4 and #5 but with about 40-120 per kill. But it was relaxing and fun. And I actually gained level 33 (go go phalanx). And then were were all so tired at the end we had to stop. But about half the party reached 35! So yes, I had leveled for a good 16 hours (from level 26 to 33) yesterday. But I added three new friends to my list. And Highper (WHM) and Doof (WHM) replaced my faith in WHMs. Calypsiana (THF), Elteriak (DRK), Highper (WHM), Skylee (WAR), Gottlieb (BLM), thank you for the wonderful party and the goodtime. And helped me remember that pick up parties can be fun!