MithraPride

True, for T and higher mobs I usually either sub nin or just sleep/nuke it to death- sometimes both.

I learned the hard way that if something's taking down SS too quickly for my recast on it to come back up- its usually not a good idea to go toe to toe with it

Avesta ftw

Thanks Evi- we all needed to feel insignificant next to that lilbastard.

Not that I'm not used to it since I'm on his current server- unless he's moved since the transfers became available, but still- do you know how much trouble it is getting help for something that lil%&*# can solo?

Avesta... why do I keep hearing that name? If he's just another RDM than anything he can do, anyone can. Whats the big deal?

ScarlettPheonix wrote:do you know how much trouble it is getting help for something that lil%&*# can solo?

One of the things I like to point out about help is that if you need a group to help you get something when there's absolutely nothing in it for the rest of the group, think about the relative efforts involved. In order to balance the karmic scale, you'd have to help others on average 5 times as often as you need help. If you need alliance help, that would be 17:1 on the help output versus helped received.

Not saying you're not a helpful person, but 17:1 is a TON of helping to do. Usually there's a bit of a surcharge on help. It's more like 10:1 for party help or 25:1 for alliance before people notice how helpful you've been and feel guilty enough to repay you.

Avesta is a Taru RDM (blm, nin, and a bunch of other jobs I'm sure) who's made a name for himself by soloing things most players only touch with a full party- if not an alliance. Soloing Seiryu was the last fight he did that I know of.

He is geared to the freaking max possible and fully meritted- and he also has the patience of a saint for some of his feats.

Okuza- while I understand what you're getting at- that's not the issue. Very few other players (or jobs) in the game have the reputation for doing the impossible like Avesta has created for himself and by virtue of being the job he did it as- for RDM.

Its bad enough for the general RDM population but being on the same server he is paints every RDM with the same expectations- that every single one of us wearing a plumed cavalier style hat can do what he's done.

Now, I know a lot of people know better, but the steroetype is there and its more than a little frusterating when I do come across it- either because I'm trying to get something done that, oh yea, Avesta solo'd or because some random person seems to think I'd be happy to kill that <randomAvestasolo> NM for them.

Well, Im glad I don't hold myself to anyones expectations. I used to care about making myself a name on Phoenix as a RDM, but then I realized that as much as I enjoyed RDM, I really don't care about the job that much. I had more fun lvling it if anything else. (Which I don't get party invites due to my gimp whm sub nowadays) I do however want to become a good Dark Knight. A job that not many players touch or have the patience to lvl up. The thing that makes me want to leave Phoenix Server so badly is.. it seems like my friends aren't really friends. They never ever send me a tell, and be like hey whats up, how your doing. If thier not asking me for anything, they aren't talking to me. I feel that this is caused by me being a RDM. When I move to another server I refuse to use my RDM job at all, until I feel that I can stand ppl spamming me for help. As for what server, well Im just gonna go with a random draw. Maybe scribble all of em down on a piece of paper, put em in a hat and pick a name. I was going to go to (forgive my spelling) Quatzlequatle, but nobody ever responded to my "Looking for Linkshell" Post on Allakazham.

/comfort

Hope your new home server is a better fit for you

Pheonixhawk wrote:Well, Im glad I don't hold myself to anyones expectations. I used to care about making myself a name on Phoenix as a RDM, but then I realized that as much as I enjoyed RDM, I really don't care about the job that much. I had more fun lvling it if anything else. (Which I don't get party invites due to my gimp whm sub nowadays) I do however want to become a good Dark Knight. A job that not many players touch or have the patience to lvl up. The thing that makes me want to leave Phoenix Server so badly is.. it seems like my friends aren't really friends. They never ever send me a tell, and be like hey whats up, how your doing. If thier not asking me for anything, they aren't talking to me. I feel that this is caused by me being a RDM. When I move to another server I refuse to use my RDM job at all, until I feel that I can stand ppl spamming me for help. As for what server, well Im just gonna go with a random draw. Maybe scribble all of em down on a piece of paper, put em in a hat and pick a name. I was going to go to (forgive my spelling) Quatzlequatle, but nobody ever responded to my "Looking for Linkshell" Post on Allakazham.

Geez, now I kinda feel guilty about all those nights I was grinding away in a JP party while you were all alone.

Pheonixhawk wrote:I do however want to become a good Dark Knight. A job that not many players touch or have the patience to lvl up.

DRK has a huge negative stereotype attached to it at low levels. First, because it's a big-number job, it attracts a lot of players that like to brag. Second, because most of those players don't know how to play it. And third, because a lot of people hate playing DRK and just want to get it up to level 37 for use as an end-game sub-job (it's mandatory for RDM and NIN end-game and very very nice for MNK, WHM, and many others). These folks don't put much effort into it usually -- just enough to hit 37 and then kiss it goodbye.

DRK is a great job, though. The absorbs are far better than most think they are. I wish DRK got auto-refresh like PLD did so they can use all their abilities without having to stop and sit.

Pheonixhawk wrote:The thing that makes me want to leave Phoenix Server so badly is.. it seems like my friends aren't really friends. They never ever send me a tell, and be like hey whats up, how your doing. If thier not asking me for anything, they aren't talking to me. I feel that this is caused by me being a RDM.

I wouldn't be so hard on folks. If these people help you out, too, they're better than they might seem. Random "Hi, how ya doing?" tells are kinda rare even if you're an ultra chatty kitty. Most of that kind of chat is at the shell level. Considering the 17:1 karmic rule for help in FFXI, it's nice to find a group of people you like helping, since that's what you'll be doing quite a bit.

Pheonixhawk wrote:When I move to another server I refuse to use my RDM job at all, until I feel that I can stand ppl spamming me for help.

LOL. I used to get that as THF back when TH4 was more rare. Random tells from total strangers: "Hi! Come help me get (insert random Genkai item)". "Hi! Come help me camp Amemet!" The only ones I ever helped that way were good friends. You can tell someone is a good friend when they invite you to come XP with them as THF. ^~

Pheonixhawk wrote:As for what server, well Im just gonna go with a random draw.

Come to Bismarck! We could really use another RDM in our shell -- particularly a RDM/drk. BTW, what did you say your name was? Oh, never mind. It doesn't matter. I'll just call you "RDM/drk #3" or just "3" for short, ok?

Kidding asside, we have a pretty fun endish shell. We're not nearly so rabid as the "true" (tm) end-game shells. Mostly dynamis and sky and some other random stuff now and then. And, if we (Orange Linkshell) don't work for ya, I know lots of other nice shells here I could introduce you to.

Eh, I enjoy Valefor alot. Consider there's alot of good kitties to be found. Hell, I don't mind a good chat/brag once in awhile. God knows I do it alot (Suppanomimi, Rajas Ring, Noble's Tunic). Of course, by the third day, the novelty wears off, and the WHM that couldn't cure, becomes a uber badass with three mission completes.

Once I'm done with Serket Ring. I'll work on SMN, and then NIN. And after that, some DD job.

Edit: Also, to me RDMs are nothing special. I usually bug Kessa for something, and that hasn't happened since I had to deal with Maat Genkai 1

And we thank you for that, Fiye

Tsybil wrote:And yes, once they get beyond T its a whole different ball game.

Are we forgetting what the context of the whole RDM tanking thing was for? Namely (exp) parties of which most of the time you'll be up against IT+ so yeah... RDM tank, no thanks.

Can't think of the hardest thing I've had to tank/solo on my RDM... possibly the PUP AF3 mob that almost killed me and we had a full party too

Pheonixhawk wrote:Avesta... why do I keep hearing that name? If he's just another RDM than anything he can do, anyone can. Whats the big deal?

Avesta is not just another RDM. He is a god among us in Taru form. Name any HNM that has wiped an alliance of experienced players. Avesta has taken it down solo.

Tsybil wrote:

Pheonixhawk wrote:Avesta... why do I keep hearing that name? If he's just another RDM than anything he can do, anyone can. Whats the big deal?

Avesta is not just another RDM. He is a god among us in Taru form. Name any HNM that has wiped an alliance of experienced players. Avesta has taken it down solo.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but eh, no. Avesta's soloing method means he doesn't do it fast. Anything that can Rage he can't take down. King Arthro, Roc, Simurgh, etc. Here's a list of what he's soloed according to Avesta's website.

"Come Into My Parlor" BC, Eald'narche, "Operation Desert Swarm" BC, "The Scarlet King" BC, "Wild Wild Whiskers" BC, 'Bionic Bug" ENM, AncientGoobbue, Ash Dragon, BaronialBat, Big Bomb, Bune, Cactrot Rapido, Charybdis, Genbu, Hakutaku, Lord of Onzozo, Olla Grande, Seiryu, Ungur, VoluptuousVivian, Zipacna.

There are a few missing. He's taken a few vids down over the years and he doesn't make vids of every fight he does either. I don't think he has any for before 2005 and I know he first did Genbu well before that. He's been doing his Solo thing since he was on Asura and just continued it on Remora in the first migration when Remora opened.

Before the Rage timer was implimented he'd also done Simurgh and Serket that I know of. There may be a few more. I'm pretty sure he's done Simurgh since the Rage timer was put in but not 100% positive on that one-it may have been just before that he did that.

Sugami wrote:

Tsybil wrote:And yes, once they get beyond T its a whole different ball game.

Are we forgetting what the context of the whole RDM tanking thing was for? Namely (exp) parties of which most of the time you'll be up against IT+ so yeah... RDM tank, no thanks.

I was talking about soloing. I have never tanked. WAR 18 came just this month. I had never put even 1 EXP into WAR till I had to unlock DRK.

Eviticus wrote:Sorry to burst your bubble, but eh, no. Avesta's soloing method means he doesn't do it fast.

RDM soloing isn't fast. Or even just quick. Its slow and boring. If it gets exciting, you are doing something wrong. Remember, you DRGs can solo for decent EXP/hour. Despite the fact that we can solo bigger things, we can't. Melee soloing EP lesser Colbri is 3 - 5 mins each.

Well, to be strictly honest- RDMs can't melee solo for ok exp/hr. We can do ok (ie: non-burn standard) exp/hr solo by sleep/nuking mobs to death.

But in general- we don't "kill" mobs, we just annoy them to death.

ScarlettPheonix wrote:But in general- we don't "kill" mobs, we just annoy them to death.

Way too true.

ScarlettPheonix wrote:Well, to be strictly honest- RDMs can't melee solo for ok exp/hr. We can do ok (ie: non-burn standard) exp/hr solo by sleep/nuking mobs to death.

But in general- we don't "kill" mobs, we just annoy them to death.

I'm not sure I'd have the patience to be a decent RDM then I like to kill things fast. Playing as a solo DRG is a blast! My next attempted solo excursion is going to be to try and get my WHM AF weapon in the dunes. So far I have been able to solo NM's that somepage.com says are 5-8 levels above me solo-able. The toughest one I've done thus far is the NM in the maze that drops the bone knife for the Windurst Quest. I actually spawned the NM by accident when I was helping someone get their RSE.

I can't wait to hit 60 and be able to trip a Healing Breath at 50% health insted of 33%! That will be awesome!

Not many people do- or there are some who like the mage aspects and not the melee because of it.

We're great survivors and we can put up some crazy numbers DD wise, but that's only under the right circumstances. Most of the time we just enfeeble something and then start in hacking at its HP until it gives up and falls down

Still, there's something to be said about putting some effort into your DD set up/skills if you're a RDM. Its a bit embarrassing if you end up dying to something most RDMs (and other jobs) can handle in their sleep at 75~ like the EP L. Colibiri that killed a RDM/nin on my server last night. 3 people in my LS watched it happen- all of them were/had been RDMs and none of them had anything polite to say about the dead RDM's skills.

Tsybil wrote:I was talking about soloing. I have never tanked. WAR 18 came just this month. I had never put even 1 EXP into WAR till I had to unlock DRK.

Why would you talk about soloing when the discussion was aimed at which jobs could tank at what levels with the right subs/gear?

Remember, you DRGs can solo for decent EXP/hour.

Not sure I'd call it "decent exp/hour", I can get 1K/hour by smashing through lesser colibri but you really need the uber gears to do harder stuff like Sea Puks (of which there are like none that aren't being killed already) such as Etherial Earring and Wyrm Armet.
I tried doing Sea Puks once, did 2 and didn't even get a chain and almost died on the second one (only survived by sacrificing Azure)

Soloing in the old days was a big headache. Spend an hour getting your exp then lose it all to a death and have to wait another hour to get your pet back, just wasn't worth it. More to the point, it's very boring and lonely

Sugami wrote:Why would you talk about soloing when the discussion was aimed at which jobs could tank at what levels with the right subs/gear?

Because the discussion bounced around between the two subjects.

Sugami wrote:Soloing in the old days was a big headache.... More to the point, it's very boring and lonely

Total agreement.

Eviticus wrote:#1 thing I complain the most about in this game is not gilsellers or stupid players, or even the occasional hilarious stupid gilseller. But rather how SE has used and abused Pup with seemingly little goal or direction in mind for such a unique job full of spark and potential.

The potential has been ignored, comments and suggestions from the players have fallen on deaf ears, and it seems the Dev's have taken a piss on the spark this job has. I love it regardless of how mistreated it is by both the creators and some of the players, I'd even chose it over Drg(my first love). I just hope they eventually carry through on their promises to properly finish this job, and not let the fervor of a new expansion blind them to the gaping holes they left in ToAU.

My summoner ears hear your cry.... but frankly are too busy keeping me aware of bombs while i solo to pay too much attention. Its been like that with most pet type jobs, evi. Except Beastmaster which itself is beyond uber when alone.

Solo exp as drk? lmaowbbqsauce. Not going to happen. For you drks out there id say you can mess the mobs world up and then die a very happy drk tho.

On a more Serious note. If you truly want to try to solo anything as drk, id have to say go /blm. Soloing worms is cake, along with the lower lvl colibri (Although they will give you a rough time until you learn dread spikes so ive heard.) Drk/Sam can solo stuff as well as a friend of mine demonstrated, only because of the spamm TP + Absorb TP. But if you pit a DRK against our #1 Enemy - Undead. Just expect a slow and painful death. The only other enemy more annoying than Undead to Drks are those evil little winged furry black creatures of hell we call Bats.

I think any job can solo EM and lower now, in Signet areas, with the right sub and some Evasion+ perhaps.

Pheonixhawk wrote:Solo exp as drk? lmaowbbqsauce. Not going to happen. For you drks out there id say you can mess the mobs world up and then die a very happy drk tho.

On a more Serious note. If you truly want to try to solo anything as drk, id have to say go /blm. Soloing worms is cake, along with the lower lvl colibri (Although they will give you a rough time until you learn dread spikes so ive heard.) Drk/Sam can solo stuff as well as a friend of mine demonstrated, only because of the spamm TP + Absorb TP. But if you pit a DRK against our #1 Enemy - Undead. Just expect a slow and painful death. The only other enemy more annoying than Undead to Drks are those evil little winged furry black creatures of hell we call Bats.

*In a Napoleon Dynamite voice* I soloed a pack of Wolverines all by myself god.

Sugami wrote:I think any job can solo EM and lower now, in Signet areas, with the right sub and some Evasion+ perhaps.

Any melee job/nin can solo up to DC pretty easily. When I couldn't put a group together for leveling my DRK, I'd go dual-box DRK+WHM. VT gave the best results, but sometimes had to kill other stuff to make the area safe. When it was DRK/nin v. DC, I'd just med my WHM through the entire fight. This was level 1-42.

I can solo EP-DC crabbies on my WAR with a RDM sub, before the signet change I relied on my NPC to keep me alive but afterwards she rarely put a Cure on me. It helps getting 7hp/tick (Regen + Barone Corazza)

Come to think of it, they might have been up to EM... getting point for Steel Cyclone and Decimation so would have been anywhere between 71-74.

Sugami wrote:I can solo EP-DC crabbies on my WAR with a RDM sub, before the signet change I relied on my NPC to keep me alive but afterwards she rarely put a Cure on me. It helps getting 7hp/tick (Regen + Barone Corazza)

Come to think of it, they might have been up to EM... getting point for Steel Cyclone and Decimation so would have been anywhere between 71-74.

Remember that your NPC takes 30? 25?% of your EXPs.

Whatever it is, the combination of Empress Band, NPC, and EM = 105 EXPs.