Anna's More Idiotic Twin?

GhostWhisper

GhostWhisper has finally grown up! And he turned out to be a fine specimen of a black chocobo. He's at above average discernment and receptivity now. Have to go on a couple of long walks to learn the canter story and then teach it to him. Hopefully then I can get him to a moderately fast chocobo. I did get the hankerchief finally to get my chocobo whistle to call him to the field. But his str/endurance is poor, so I doubt I'll be riding him soon. Once I ride him though, expect that top picture of mine to change!



A person more idiotic than Anna?

See this and judge for yourself:

My friend Arizod had logged on in the middle of the night and got accepted into an experience party. I had been planning on getting some exp on elementals in sky when he was telling me about some deaths of the WHM. Curious, I trudged out to the Mire to watch.

Here's the kicker, the mire was empty except for their party and they could not get above a chain #5 if any. And here's the reason why. Party set up was MNK/NIN, MNK/WAR, SAM/WAR, NIN/WAR, WHM/?, and ... RDM/BRD. Aliesha was the RDM/BRD, in the mire, meleeing with full errant gear and MP rings with a lust dagger. She sat on 500 MP and did not haste anyone/buff anyone. The SAM had to pull as she was busy whiffing. When they had links she didn't sleep anything allowing the MNK and WHM to die. Not that the WHM was spectacular (they didn't haste anyone either nor remove silence) but at least they did cure. Half the time, Aliesha was resting away from the fight and essentially just leeching. When Arizod told me she was bragging how good she was, I had to laugh.

I ended up sort of PLing them ... as a BRD/WHM. Yes, I lullabied their links, cured, and removed statuses. It was totally pathetic. The SAM/WAR, MNK/WAR, RDM/BRD, and WHM were in the same LS. The MNK/NIN had enough of dying and replaced himself with a WAR/NIN (who appeared to be confused as to the party as well). Eventually Aliesha changed to RDM/WHM and stopped meleeing. But ... she rarely threw haste out and never did sleep anything. After Arizod and the WAR got a merit, they bailed. The other four stayed in the Mire.

Now I thought no one could compare with Anna in terms of sheer idiocy. But I think Aliesha might take the cake. And she brags she's skillful? And that she's on the way to Maat's cap. If you're on Garuda, I'd avoid her. She's useless. Could she have had a bad day? I suppose so. Could she have been fooling around with LS members? Yes, but when you invite someone outside the LS for an exp party, you do your job. And if you're going to melee, at least put on meleeing gear! Especially since she wasn't doing anything remotely magical.

Whitemage

After 2 long years I have finally managed to ... cap my healing skill! Now I have all blue numbers. Thanks to Hachi for needing LB2 and letting me get my skill up on the Boreal Tiger!

Items Galore!

One day Aznmahavalio asked Arizod and myself if we wanted to do a BCNM20 with him using his Pirate chart. So we agreed. I went as SMN, Ari as PLD, and Azn as a SMN. Basically when he pulls up 3 NM, Ari aggros, vokes, and Invincibles. Then Azn and I both Judgement Bolt and dead NMs. When he opened up the chest we found:

This kris is going for about 9 million on Garuda now. Azn was extremely lucky!



Arizod and I did a failed attempt at completing ZM. It was right after I helped a DRK friend of Arizod's and Gheldhart's get through the Tenzen fight. We took Arizod (WAR), myself (BRD), the Arnagamon (DRK), Deathseeker (DRK), Arton (PLD) and Charmedangel (WHM). Now first of all if people don't know where they are going don't run off and pretend that you do. We got lead to Kirin's pop instead. So I manage to find the way to the BCNM area with Charmedangel in tow. I had been told to come as BRD. We decide to do a dry run. I tried to sleep the orbitals but Lullaby wears of fairly quickly. We did manage to get the boy to 4% which was nice, all without major food or 2 HRs. So I ask if someone can help me pull one of the orbitals away from the main boss so I can sleep them but no one helps. So I have to run in and pull them with elegy one at a time and get hit by a lot of AoE. Arizod was unable to target the exoskeletons for the majority of the fight. The WHM is a complete idiot and only cures the PLD. So I'm left in red HP trying to alternate sleeping orbitals and shadows without receiving any support. So I die. And I say thanks for the cures and the WHM condenscendingly says that other people need healing. I'm super pissed right now. I received not a single cure in either battle. Then the DRK says, you died from the orbitals. No crap sherlock, it's a little hard to sleep them when I have less than 100 HP. The WHM wanted to try again and she brilliantly comes up with the idea that she'll cast Dia to pull an orbital. What a complete idiot! I would never party with either that DRK or WHM again.

The day after I send a tell to Arton to thank him for his kind words. He had told me he wasn't sure why the WHM or the other DRK were getting in with me as he saw that I had kept them off as long as I could. That resulted in him asking me if I could join him in an exp party as a BRD. No pulling and I could sub WHM. Which is nice for me since I have lag in the Thickets for some reason. So I go and we make about chain #10-15 at a nice pace and I had a good time. People left and people replaced and then all of a sudden we had the thickets to ourselves (the other party had left). A WAR changed to RDM and I changed to BRD/NIN and pulled with the RDM helping me to sleep (my lag causes my macros not to fire very well). We managed to do this:


We lost the chain because 5 sea puks popped on us in rapid succession and we got a little sidetracked trying to sleep them all and the melee got confused on which one they were fighting. But Chain #110 was pretty good, and broke my record of #66 in the Mire. I don't think I could ever get #400, my concentration would just slip.

So I decided to go fishing with Arizod yesterday on Valentine's day. We had a couple of pirate pops but no pirate in Vermy in the middle so no NM. So sad. Gheldart joined us a little later about 2 hours before limbus. I finished fishing up 6 stacks of nebs and we were ready to head to Jeuno. But we decided to take one last boat ride to see if the NM would pop. I got so excited when I saw the glitch (that lets you know when pirates would pop) and then the central pirate had a Vermy! So Silverhook popped. This time I had a NIN/WAR and a SMN/WHM to help me out.



and then:





This thing is so much fun!



Right after we went to Limbus. We decided to do Apollyn NW to finish off a chip set. Limbus was super fun again! We managed without any deaths and just one link on the Wyvern Floor. We skipped the boss on the Wyvern Floor, the mini-Fafnir. We defeated the mini-Genbu. The fifth floor was super fun but hard as hell. Kaiser Behemoth managed to sneak up on us and killed the majority of us (except for me and the RDM). We managed to run around and raise people and one of the BLMs kited Kaiser while everyone got unweakened and healed. The RDM and the 2 BLMs (I was one) tossed on as much DoT as we could. Eventually we managed to kill him in an organized fashion and scored 4-5 Ancient beastcoins a piece. That equals to 8/75 for me for my first earring.



Did Dynamis-Bastok earlier in the day. I swear I died tons of times which sucked but we got the win again, even with a messed up mega boss pull that linked an Effigy Shield and about 3 other links along with the Mega Boss. We had 4 BLM AF drop and a THF AF drop. I was 5th on the bid list for the BLM AF...lol. For my deaths and exp loss I got 1 byne bill. *sigh* But still enjoy Dynamis, but I'm going to go as WHM next time...for RR3.

It Finally Happened

You knew this would happen someday.





I finally reached BLM to 75 on 2/3/07. And the vast majority of it was soloing. For a while the social LS was fixated on manaburns since the LS leader was RDM and BLM and wanting to get merits. And I barded for a lot of it. Now the LS is fixated on TP burns which means my BLM was left out in the cold. I'm probably not going to party with my BRD until BLM gets a full compliment of exp to cap. Eckardt and Guankim were there at the momentous moment. Recently been duoing with Eckardt when time permits.

Been doing some KSNM runs when I can find the time to help out the service. It's usually jam packed. *sigh*



Notorious Monsters

Got a tell from Kavita if I would be willing to smack down an NM in Junger forest. So I sadled up my WHM/NIN and went after this huge tree. Turns out it drops the bellicose mantle. But this thing has a very high regen rate and between my spell casting (stoneskin, dia, paralyze, slow) and shadow spamming the darn thing was getting HP back more than I could dish it out it seems. So Kavita got her husband Dukenukem to come as PLD and we took it down. Unfortunately no drop. But fun seeing 3 pint sized tarus going after this huge ass tree.



I was seriously disappointed in people this Saturday. WHM get asked all the time for teleports and raises and we oblige when we can. No tanks showed up at ALL for our shen fight on Saturday. What pissed me off was one PLD, Snakegod, whom basically had us kill Charby for his joytoy did not show up when he said he was going to. Our first try one of the BLMs cast before the SC went off. Shen delayed bringing his filtrates out, but I was the only BLM left standing with no MP at about 8% before he retreated into his shell. Then the filtrates took us out. I should have Manafronted now that I think about it. *sigh* Our second try went even worse as he pulled out the filtrates at the beginning. Got it to 40% before wiped. One BLM was only level 60 so he wasn't doing much damage. If we had a tank that could keep some hate off the BLMs it might work better. Maybe some RDMs as well. Maybe the BLMs could have logged for hate issues and come back it. Hopefully try it again on Saturday.

The Yinyang Robe has been a source of frustration for some people that I know. I posted about Sali finally getting his. I lost track of the ToD and didn't know when to go to Ro'Mauve to help Gheldhart out. I get told it was going to be a 6 AM HST pop time so I manage to wake up at 5:30ish and log in. Didn't have time to change from BLM/RDM to BLM/WHM so I OP'd to the Sanctuary and run. Arizod (who was controlling Gheldhart as well) told me the weapon popped early and he accidentally aggro'd it and wiped to it. When I got there, another LS had the weapon but were faring pretty badly. They had links up the wazoo and were ineffectual at handling them. They wiped and Arizod tried to voke the NM, but it ignored him and cast invisible and went running around. I tried to cast magic, but aggro'd another weapon. Arizod and I took care of it and gheldhart got aggro. Then amazingly the NM aggro'd us (whether magic or link not sure) and we got claim. Now the weapon isn't the easiest thing in the world, especially when your main tank is controling the main healer, so I ended up main healing. Sali managed to work his way back to us with a weapon on his tail (he was tyring to aggro it in another section). We fought off two links and the NM. I got the kill. And the robe dropped. So now I'm 2/2 on the robe when we get the claim. Maybe I'm a lucky charm?



Gil

It's been a long time since I've seen this:

Most of this was the D.Ingot I got at a KSNM run. It was promptly used to buy an Austere Staff. Now I'm 7/8 HQ staves. Not going to get the Water unless I get my SMN up high enough for staff usage. I managed to BCNM Wild Wild Whiskers with my friend Arizod. We duo'd it the first time and I managed to get my Penitent's Rope! Since this has a 600K price tag I was pretty happy I didn't have to buy it. I gave Ari the rest of my loot since he helped me out. We went back yeterday with Arizod (NIN), Eckardt (RDM), and myself (WHM). Definitely made it a lot smoother with Eckardt there to BLM enfeeble, refresh, and help with curing and nuking. Unfortunately Eckardt and I ended up with gleeman's belts. Arizod got the big money drop of the night with a Penitent's Rope. I think this Galka is my new best friend ^^



Dynamis

We managed to beat Dynamis-Beadecine on our 4th try (I was present for only one of those). Smooth run without any wipes to the Mega Boss. Puller sight aggro'd, used perfect dodge and ran the dragons to the beginning of the zone. Meanwhile the PLD voked the Megaboss and let it debuff him while we waited for the dragons to be kited away so they wouldn't aggro and help the megaboss. Tossed the SMN and /SMN pets on it so we could follow as it teleported around. Had a RDM/DRK Chainspell Stun when it used it's chainspell. He was our only casualty as it got off a death/doom spell. And we won. We tried to kill the dragons for fun, and killed one off but could take on the other three. Plans are to have a BLM warp out when the boss is at like 10-15% and run back to the markings. Then everyone drop the glass when they win and hand out new glasses. Come back weakened for 10 minutes then go back to farming. Anything to avoid those dragons. We had tried Buburimu in the past and I'm not looking forward to it in the future.

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 ^^

Emptiness Bleeds: Sea Obtained

Sorry, been away from the whole posting on the blog thing, but hopefully I'll update a little more regularly. Hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday and things are getting back to normal. I made a new signature for the LS forum. I have had a ton of pictures, but too lazy to go through them all, adjust them, upload them, and then post them so the few I have will have to do.


Now ... on to the big news:




Yes you are seeing that correctly. After thinking that I'd never get past the Minotaur fight (CoP 2-3) I have finally made it to Sea! I had done the Promies in one frenzied night with my old LS Graveyardshift and was stuck on it forever. I didn't have the motivation to do the rest of CoP. Others in LordsofHydra I helped through the promies but could not make it during their Minotaur fight and they surged on ahead. They sort of stalled on the Three Paths. In the meantime, a few of them came back to help me through the Minotaur fight. I teamed up with Guankim one night when they needed a WHM for the Mammet fight. That night I pushed through the rest of the early Mission set 3 with them. From then We gathered up Kniko and Vallis and went through the Diablos fight. With Oruyu we picked up Dukenukem, Snuggle, and Legos (Snuggle and Legos went on a month hiatus though). Cutedeafy joined us somewhere in the midst of The Sacrium.

Once we were on the Three Paths, the CoP static was formed. Lorddocster, Vlacatocc, Enedin, Kniko, Vallis, Fullen, Dukenukem, Torrin, Verrick (me), and Cutedeafy. We managed to go 1/2 on the Snoll Tzar (well 2/4 since we had to do battles twice). Then we took a bit of a break for the holidays. When we came back we had planned a day for all 10 of us to get together and posted it on our website. We helped some other people (Xxander, Isildor, Dragoces, Zorrow, Braveheart, and Argalo) to get through Snoll (with some extra BLM oomph) while waiting on Cutedeafy to show. We waited for over 2-3 hours without any word. Her brother eventually logged on as her and he could not find her equipment so we decided to proceed and catch her up later since everyone else was here. Unfortunately she came on late just as we were about to go in the BCNM against the moblins and proceeded to yell and scream. If you cannot show consideration to the other 9 players telling us that you'll be late I don't think you have the right to berate us. In any event she was not a very skilled player and did not take time to be prepared for the missions. She refused to bring medicines, she did not reset her Formor hate when we reminded everyone repeatedly to have it done, she missed completely on her Astral Flows all the time, etc. SO in any event she was kicked from the shell because she did not cease her constant screaming in LS chat while we were trying to concentrate on the BCNM fight we were in. Luckily we managed to go 1/2 on the moblins and got the rest of our groups through as well. We ran the gauntlet of Tenzen's path together and the 15 man CoP static got moving.

The Airship fight took a lot out of us. The other six could not make it on a certain day so did their airship battle the day before and WON, the lucky bums! The Airship fight was so disheartening for us. Our first try we wiped to Omega at 60% but decided since we didn't use any CCB pumps to just exit the fight and try again. We got Omega to 30% on the second fight and had used just one CCB pump so we decided to try again. Our third fight we got Ultima down to 3% but wiped. We reraised, but the RDM was weakened and didn't have enough MP for chainspell to do much and we were ejected for lack of time ... it was a sad heartbreaking battle. Some of us stayed for a bit longer and tried 3 more times, always getting Omega down to 1-3% but never having quite enough oomph to kill it. Some of them tried 2 more times the day after but Omega was our bane. I went on a CCB polymer farming trip and got two full sets and another CoP mate got 1 set with me.

Our initial 3 tries were with a RDM/NIN, WHM/SMN, BRD/WHM, WAR/NIN, PLD/WAR, and DRK/NIN. We just couldn't deal enough damage fast enough. Our next 3 tries were with a PLD/WAR, NIN/WAR, BLM/RDM, WHM/SMN, BRD/WHM, and DRK/NIN.

So we steeled our hearts for battle and girded our loins. We initially went in with a RDM/NIN, DRK/NIN, WHM/SMN, PLD/WAR, BLM/WHM, MNK/WAR. We wiped to Omega at 1% with his magic shield up. We reraised, waited some time, and our BLM killed him (we had hoped the shield would have worn). We rested to full and went to take on Ultima with only 13 minutes left. We got kicked out for lack of time when we had Ultima down to 15%. And were disheartend.

Our next party went in (with some help from the other 6) as WHM/SMN (Dragoces), BLU/NIN (Zorrow), BRD/WHM (me), PLD/WAR (Fullen), BLM/RDM (Lorddocster), and MNK/NIN (Vlacatocc). Mammets were cake. Omega we chipped away at. During the fight Vlacatocc and Zorrow went down but reraised to join the fight. We got OMega down to 3% again and the 3rd CCB pump had run out and he was spamming discharger like mad so our BLM could do nothing against that shield. Our WHM used the 4th CCB pump and the melees were finally able to get him down witht he PLD using Invincible. My heart was beating fast. We rested until fully healed and then went to face Ultima. This guy went down so much easier than Omega. We used one Pump at 40% and the MNK 2Hrd. Our BLM 2Hrd with AM and was finally able to kill Ultima with an Aero III. We had finally beat the stupid airship battle in 30 minutes. I went a total of 8 times and through 3 CCB pumps.

Our other group then tried. Initially RDM/NIN (Enedin), DRK/NIN (Torrin), BLM/RDM (Lorddocster), BLM/WHM (Vallis), WHM/SMN (Kniko), and PLD/WAR (Dukenukem). Hate control was nasty with 2 BLMs using AM and Tier III spells. We regrouped and removed one BLM (Lorddocster) and switched in the MNK/NIN (Vlacatocc). This time they wiped to Omega but was able to Reraise, time a ChiBlast and a Nuke to get him down. I was nailbiting at this time. Finally I see I am too far away from battle to get exp! They had won and our 15 people static through CoP was through the damned Airship battle! After a lot of time invested in farming and a lot of gil spent on meds and on CCB pumps we were finally through.

Some of us had to leave, but seven of us decided to push on through the CSs and see if we could do a try run at Tenzen to better get an idea of what was to come. Some people had said Tenzen was very easy, but guides I had read had stated that you had to do 12000 to 12500 damage to him fairly quickly before he did a Level 4 SC to Cosmic Elucidation. We had to get 3 NMs out of the way, but these were very easy since it was all uncapped. It took more time getting to the points than killing the mobs.

So here we were, 7 of us, elated to have finished the Airship battle and high on the smell of success, sitting in Sea Lion's Den, contemplating Tenzen. We decided to do a dry run without 2HRs and see what he was like. WHM/SMN (Kniko), BRD/WHM (Verrick), MNK/WAR (Vlacatocc), WAR/NIN (Fullen), BLM/WHM (Vallis), and PLD/WAR (Dukenukem). We let carby engage Tenzen so the tarutaru support that he has would focus on Kniko rather than the tank/melee. I tossed up Minuet and March on the Melee and Elegy on Tenzen. Went back and Ballad I and Ballad II the mages, then tossed an INT etude on the BLM. I alternated threnodies between Ice and Thunder while the BLM nuked him (slowly so not to pull hate). The Melee just WS everytime they got TP. The WHM and I were on cure duties (although Tenzen went to hating me sometimes and tossed me an arrow or two). And before we knew it...we had won in 7 minutes! And entered a long, but interesting CS and set foot on SEA!

Of course, Lorddocster was still in Sealion's Den entreating us to come back and get him there too. We let him sweat for a bit, then went back...heheheh. We swapped out our BLM/WHM for him as BLM/RDM. This time we had 2HRs to burn. So with Mighty Strikes, Hundred Fists, and Manafront we took Tenzen down in just over 3 minutes and broke the record. We attempted to do part of 8-1 and kille done est of NMs but people were tired after the long day and we resolved to finish it later. We still need to get the other 8 to Sea, but we know these can be hammered out pretty easily.

I want my Tavnazian ring (since bastok hasn't had control of Tavnazian OP since I could do the supply run there). And I can taste my Tamas Ring (almost all of my top tier jobs are magey, I suppos Rajas would come in handy if I solo as WHM/NIN but I doubt I'll ever get a melee job to 75 one day).

Now for other news, no pictures though:

I finally managed to get NIN from 30 to 37 and now have Ustusemi:Ni. Let me tell you, soloing as WHM/NIN with a FULL sub with Ni helps a lot. I went farming solo for some of my CCB chips and it was a LOT easier. WHM also got a boost form me finally winning the Cleric's Pantaloons in Dynamis Jeuno. So now I'm 3/5 on it, the other piece I'd want is the Briault. I like the Cleric's Cap whenever I do big battles due to the -ENM on it. The pants I macro in for bar spells (now I can get resistance of 110 or so) and the feet I macro in for stoneskin.

I suffered through all the scorpion shells and managed to cap Bonecraft at 60. So Verrick now has Bonecrafting, Woodworking, and Cooking at 60. Currently working on Alchemy for him (yes the side is not updated), will do it sometime). I'm still not sure what craft to do on Verrick. Woodworking has kind of left me Blah. Alchemy, Clothcrafting, Cooking, and Leathercrafting all have mules (which I have been neglecting during this CoP run/leveling run). And we already have a 91 bonecrafter in the LS. I would really cry if I had to do GS or Smithing, but it might come down to it. Right now I'm trying to get 60 on most of the crafts.

As for leveling, I managed to get BLM up to 72. The vast majority of the 60s was through soloing, on fleas or Qiqirin RNG mobs in Adywerre Subterrane (sp?). I had one or two parties in the 60s, but honestly I could probably make more exp solo. One day (me barely level 70) decided to duo with Vallis who was BLM 74 at the time on Princes. We got there, and another BLM asked to join us so we became a trio on Princes. Eventually that changed to a full manaburn on Flans. With many BLM and refresher changes I eventually leveled to 72 on BLM. I always find the 70s the hardest as there just seems to be so much more EXP that I need. I bit the bullet and bought Blizzaga III (after trying to farm it several times). I have all the rest of the spells to 75. Still missing FLOOD and I refuse to pay 200K for that since I never use it (and I tried farming this too, *sigh*). If I were truly a BLM I'd probably have to opt for getting a Penitent's rope and better rings. I'm 6/8 on HQ staves and still need the Wind staff (I should have got that first since if I ever touch my RDM again it'd be so useful for silence) and Water staff (not in ANY rush to get that one). I have the Weskit and Errant pants. Not sure what to do for the hands (right now using AF1 hands). I have my R.pumps for when I hit 75 (if I do).

So that's been what's been going on. A lot isn't it? I'll try and keep better updated. And sort through all my pictures and post some up for anyone who still reads this. I'll need to restart doing my rounds of blogs too, interested in seeing what everyone has been up to!

Dabbling Here and There

Quite a lot has happened in the world of Vana'diel since I last posted. So here is the multiple updates, including pictures!

Black Mage

I actually managed to get my BLM up to 60. Time for full on AF! And most of it was solo. I admit I haven't actively sought out parties now that I can pretty much solo on my own. When you can get Chain #4 for 400-500 exp without an experience ring (even when you gain levels and it drops to 200-300 exp) who needs to bother with parties and the stresses that go along with it. Mind you, I like to MB. I haven't even done a manaburn. I've been duoing a bit with a taru named Vallis which is actually quite fun. And since my RDM is stalled I might end up getting BLM up as my next job (although at a much more leisurely pace). Maybe I'll find a party one day and get to magic burst to my heart's content.



White Mage

Nothing much to report on this homefront. I used to be capped in experience but after some of those runs noted below, I'm 10K to capping. *sigh* now gotta find a party as a WHM. On the other hand, I used to hate Black Halo. I still don't like it much as a WS, but it looks pretty cool. Especially when you spin! Been fooling around with WHM/NIN and I actually do ok. Would help with Ni though. Yes, I need to level frickin' NIN. I hate that job ^^.



I also duo'd my Nanban armor for level 30 NIN with Dukenukem. Know what is hard about tarutarus? When you have grass you can never see yourself. Case in point.



King of Items

What can I say, I managed to get a lot of shiny new items recently. My Optical Hat fight went pretty routine. Only had some suicidal SAM who were doing their best to prove that they could tank and die. My lot on my hat was horrible though as you can see below. But I am now part of the pointy hat brigade!





Another bit of good news. I finally got my Rostrum Pumps. It wasn't the cleanest of fights for me. Lorddocster devised a strategy of the BLMs zoning in and out to reset hate which worked pretty well. Legos died multiple times and so did everyone else when things just didn't go quite as planned. We managed quite a few pumps that day. My fight, however, took over an hour. We had gootten some new help and the other NIN did not realize that Dukenukem was trying to pull the Feeler antlion back tothe main group sothe BLMs could nuke it to death. So he kept voking it off the PLD. This resulted in 5 executioner antlions popping. That was murderous. But with Dwyana (WHM) kiting it a bit, Legos kiting, Anubis kiting, and even I took my turn at claiming and kiting, we reraised, healed, and eventually brought the sucker down. All that for "enhancing fast cast". But hey, I like them ^^



Another note. Lorddocster, Lordesequiel, and I went on a long night of Under Observation. We must have used at least 2 orbs each (I think I did 3). On one of my orbs it dropped Ustusemi:Ni which I was able to sell for 600K. Yay. It got to fund a grandiose chain and an enlightened chain. On one of Lorddocster's orbs it dropped an Ustusemi:NI and ... a Peacock Charm. Then, he decides that his chivalrous chain is better for his RDM/NIN solo ... and he gave me the PCC to use for my COR/RNG/NIN jobs ^^ He made me promies that we will do more runs (since I still have a crapload of seals) and that I give him the next PCC that drops. Definitely will do. So I'm gathering up gear for NIN. I'm using the PCC now during Hexastrike so more hits land and it's become more consistent.

Craftauring

Crafting has caught my fancy again. I got Verrick's Alchemy up to 30 after being stalled on 28 (Cap for Sairui-ran) for ages. Another big achievement, I FINALLY got stupid WW up to 60. I was originally planning on taking WW to 100 when I fist started, some silly dream of making signed staves for myself. I saved up 40Kish of GP items. But I hate WW and their GP items. I was planning on saving for the mitts, but when you need to turn in 100 of an item (and you don't make 33 at a time like cooking) that just sucks. So I'm going to go for ensorcellment so I can make my own warp cudgels and switch over to leatherworking guild. I want to get tanning for Verrick for when I go hide farming. Don't know what skill I'm going to go "all the way" on Verrick yet.



Wist ... Wist. She finally started crafting again. Marron glace was extremely nice to me. Not only could I sell it off for profit (yes, the price dipped down to 2000 per glace and I moved Brin and Whit to Jeuno for more AH slots) but the skill ups were nice. I had received 0.1 skill up 7 times in a row once. Does directional crafting make a difference, I don't know. I do it because I'm superstitious. But ... I got really good skill ups on Firesday using a dark crystal. Maybe the antithesis of Dark isn't Light, rather Fire (it is clockwise to dark which is the way the other elemental strengths rok). I'm getting more convinced of that, so I might try it when I have another dark synth. I did HQ once.



Chains of Promethia

I've been stuck on the Minatour fight for so long after doing the Promies. Well I eventually did 2-3 and thought I'd be stuck at 2-5 forever. It seems that's where people stall a lot as well. However, Guankim's CoP static had an opening and I was allowed to join in as WHM/SMN (Guankim asked if I could go RDM/NIN but I rarely if ever kite stuff and I didn't want to wipe the party). We had a RDM/NIN, THF/NIN, NIN/WAR, RNG/NIN, WHM/SMN, BLM/WHM group to do 2-5. We got to Monarch Linn without a single aggro. Then we decided to fight the Mammets as a dry run without using food and minimal items. This was because 4 of us had never done this before. Our dry run, however, turned out to be our winning run. We won in 19 minutes, but we took it nice and easy. The kiters did a marvelous job and the BLM back up healed to let me get MP back. It was beautiful.





Then four of us went to do 3-1 to 3-3. Those are some long CSs but very intriguing storyline. We fought the sandy leg NM and beat it with ease. I tanked as they wanted to do SATA VB --> gust Slash with MB Aero IV (it was the THF, RDM, me, and the BLM). So I opened with flash and Hexastrike. The mob never looked away ^^. Then we did the windy leg which took a long time as there are many CSs and running back and forth. We went to the NM and tried to pull him away from his spawning point so he wouldn't regen, but without a voke it was hard. He must have regened at least 5 times, but eventually we won. Then came hell. The walk up that mountain is torturous for someone with bad hand-eye coordination. Yes, me. So Guankim and Anubannu got their feathers the first try. I kept falling off at one particular point. Bryer and Anu (bless their souls) stayed with me for multiple tries. Guankim had to go and get ready for an appointment (crazy person was up at 8 AM). Eventually Anu had to sleep. And Bryer insisted we give it one more try. This time instead of hugging the wall (which used to boot me off) I took it slow on the path. And I finally made it. Got the feathers! Life was good. Now I just have to finish the CSs to complete 3-3, then do the 3-4 CSs and I'll be ready for Diablos (have to farm chips I understand). I still can't believe I got through to Chapter 3. It's so exciting. I'll leave you with some pictures from that outing.

New Beginnings

Things have quieted down for me lately. Been on a leveling kick for BRD, as I was burned out crafting. Here is a retrospect of what has happened. Of course there are pictures.

WhiteMage



I finally managed to cap my experience on WHM. So now I have automatic limit points. That being said I helped a linkshell mate for a few hours in a nice, relaxed traditional party set up with a SC and MB and that's how I managed to cap exp. I also managed to get another merit point. So I have 2 waiting to spend. I'm still kind of meh on the whole Protectra V (although it does look nice). I've unlocked Devotion, thinking of unlocking Martyr. That is if I ever merit. As you can see I managed to get my turban finally. I kinda of like the WHM AFv2 hat instead. But the turban is fun to run around in.



I finally participated in the Optical Hat fight on my WHM. Two seprate sessions and 21 hats later, my thumbs are sore. But not one party wipe and every single person got their hat. Here is a LS person, Kalaria (one of my favorite WHMs) with her shiny new optical hat. I've been kind of meh on the equipment since I don't melee much on my WHM. But my LS leader has made it his personal goal that I get a hat and even camped 2 of the eyes for me when I was too exhausted to continue. But I have all of my eyes now, just need to find someone to craft the cluster for me.

Bard



One of the crowning achievements on BRD is to obtain the Opo-Opo Crown. This I did with the generous time of Lorddocster, Vlacatocc, and Munami. I got the Ten of Coins Card and the sands of silence on my own. The rest I purchased from the AH as I was unable to get a wandering bulb in Fei Yin for over 6 hours solo. Lorddocster and Vlacatocc helped me get my ancient salt 1/1 and my giant fish bones (after Munami and I tried for over an hour killing those stupid tonberries). Lorddocster, Vlacatocc, and Munami managed to get my my wyvern skull in 3 kills (and 2 deaths, both by Munami; turns out he accidnetally pulled the NM and sacrificed himself and then died again when the wyvern we were fighting did an AoE). I managed the lucky egg with the help of a wandering THF after I had been trying for 4 hours. The funny thing is, the crown only lasted me a few levels. This is because I had won the Bard's Roundlet in Dynamis earlier. I'm thinking about using the Opo-Crown in Dynamis for the extra MP and HP boost it gives and I can elegy and sleep most of the mobs without the need for the extra singing skill the hat gives me.



And yes, this BRD has reached level 75. Without a NIN sub worth his name. And yes, this BRD even learned to pull. It was painful, but it can be done. Not something I totally enjoy all the time, but it can be fun. The party that I reached 75 in was impressive. It was a merit party, and we were in the overcrowded and overcamped Mire. I started out 6 K to level and in an hours time was 7K into 75. I was so busy I hadn't even noticed that I leveled. I managed a chain #66 before a mob moved before I could elegy it and broke the chain. My previous highest chain was #16 on Erucas in Mt.Z. I also had fun pulling against two parties in Bibiki Bay and maintaining a chain #5 pace.

Since people found out my BRD was reaching the upper levels, I've had invites into sky shells. I haven't taken a permamanent spot because my social LS dreams of having it's own, and plus I'm on a different time zone. I just wanted to see and fight the gods in sky. I had the opportunity with two different shells. One with Brandondl folks. I saw Genbu, Byakko, and Suzaku that day. They did pretty good, although Byakko gave us a run for our money and was killing everything in sight. The next time I went with a friend Eleteriak with his LS. They were very organized and decimated Byakko 2 x in a row. I also saw Seiryu. I have yet to see Kirin. I'm not much for the endgame scene. The only equipment I want is the Rostrum Pumps and if I can get it the Reverend Mail. Mainly for my WHM.

Dynamis



Dynamis continues to be fun. I really actually enjoy it. The picture up actually is a mistake. This was our recent run to Sandoria where we won, but somehow managed to come out all dead. But the LS beat Windurst 2x in a row, which is a good thing. I really hate Windurst. The shell is growing and people are getting to know each other, and it is much more relaxed. I had a lot of fun joking around in this recent dynamis run. I've received most of my AFv2 from the starter cities except Jeuno which both WHM and BRD elude me. I got the best piece of BRD, the puffy hat already. I'm kind of meh on the rest, but kind of want it for completeness sake. I really want the cleric's briault. Hope it drops someday.

Crafting and Leveling

Crafting has definitely taken a back seat. I was burned out. I craft here and there to make some gil and same some money. But I think the levleing craze is slowly wearing off and I'll be back to crafting.

I picked up BLM again after I had left it at 41 to change over to BRD. I guess it's because I see all this fun blowing things up and I never quite get to do it. I kind of want it at 50 so I can do my AF quests and store that away. After that, who knows.

I made a new sig for the LordsofHydra site.

Frustrations

I am amazed at how people play FFXI. Granted I'm not the best quest completer in the game, but a new attitude seems to be rampant in the newer players. One of the LS I belong to has a whole crop of newer players. Some of them have underleveled subs (as I mentioned in previous posts) and are in a rush to reach level 30 so they can get "advanced jobs". A DRK I was helping out was level 56 and didn't have the Drain scroll done yet. He had not even heard of the mog house exits. I was shocked. One player said, I hate doing quests I just want to kill stuff. So I'm pretty sure there will be a race to 30 then a race to 75. Granted I focused on leveling for a long time, to get my WHM up. But I had all my spells (except for Erase which took me a bit to get the gil for) at the level. I usually carried the scrolls for my next levels in case I could use them. When I was leveling RNG in Korrokola Tunnel, the WHM (who was level 15) did not have Silence (which I found out to my dismay) as he was waiting on things to sell at the AH before he bought it. I almost left the party right then and there to go buy the darn thing for him. Am I just plain nuts for expecting certain things?

So to my adventures in the game. Yesterday I had logged on with intentions of doing GP items and then farming water clusters and honey. Yes, I know, I could be more efficient farming up more expensive things and buy the clusters and honey. But I'm a strange little taru who likes to farm his ingredients. While checking my mule in Jeuno, I see a shout from Lorddocster for a teleport vahzl for 15K. It just kills me to see people having to pay those prices (esp since I know Lorddocster from ffxi-garuda.com). So I change to Verrick and get myself to Jeuno (was in Whitegate). Turns out they were going to kill Darkspark, so I tagged along and got my Bard AF hands!

Then I went farming. But my TH was broken yet again and not a single pot of honey fell (and I could not steal one to save my life in Tahronghi Canyon). So I was happily killing elementals in Pashhow Marshlands (sp?) when I see in the LS chat that the DRK is thinking of buying Drain. So I give him a beastman blood, show him where to check his fame, describe the quest to him and tell him to go quest it. Got a little frustrated by that so I logged and took a nap. When I came back on I saw "Anyone have Raise III"? from the same DRK (who is the LS leader). So I ask why. In a gist there was a group of people that wiped in Davoi and needed R3 and said they'd help him get a coffer key if he could get a Raise III. So I pick up the DRK and head to Davoi.

I get tells from the group that they only have 16 minutes before they HP. *sweat* So I find them, dead in an encampment full of orcs. Luckily we arrived in time and I was able to R3 the whole lot of them. I actually met Darklordoftoast (the poor mnk had wiped) from Allakazham. So I raised their 75 RDM first and after he was unweakened, he held off the orcs while I raised everyone else. Turned out they wiped to the NM for the PLD AF quests when they ran out of healing power. So they asked me to stay and I said ok. Took us a while to get our first key. Then one of the DRKs lotted and got the coffer we passed on the way in the Monastic Cavern. Luckily another key dropped and the DRK I came with lotted on it. I automatically passed. Then we kind of stood around while people decided what they wanted to do. Most asked for a tele so I obliged. After I escaped us through the tunnel to Bastok, I see my DRK sending me a tell saying, I can't find my f*'in key. And I was OMG, my fault. I didn't check to see if the key had dropped before I tele'd (I just automatically assume people pass immediately). He was kind of pissed off for the rest of the evening.

I turned in my GP items for clothcraft, leathercrat, and cooking. Then I was tired so I went to sleep.

Here's what I did yesterday morning before I logged on. I created a wallpaper of FFXI with me and my RL friends from the game. I love this model viewer.