FFXI

[Oni]

Is the game for me.


Who here plays?

[Taylor-MadeAK]

I do...but I spend a lot of time dead.

Let's see...what's my job level list look like now?  Something like:

Warrior: 37
Monk: 20
Thief: 37
Red Mage: 75
White Mage: 48
Black Mage: 37

Bard: 1
Beastmaster: 10
Blue Mage: 37
Corsair: 11
Dancer: 16
Dark Knight: 1
Dragoon: 75
Ninja: 1
Paladin: 1
Puppetmaster: 1
Ranger: 5
Samurai: 43
Scholar: 1
Summoner: 27

[Goman Fox]

Is the game for me.

Final Fantasy is an RPG
The only one that I need
It's the RPG for me~

(Link: http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/58184 )

I've been playing FFXI again lately.  With all the changes they've been making to experience game, it's made the game a lot friendlier for soloing, and since that's what I look for in an MMORPG (strange, I know) I decided to try it again.

That and I bought a second account that I control with my laptop, so basically I have two characters so I can play with myself on FFXI.  Creepy...

Anyways, following what TM did, I figure I'll throw out my current job levels as well.

Warrior: 12
Monk: 16
Thief: 15
Red Mage: 41
White Mage: 24
Black Mage: 17

Bard: 10
Beastmaster: 17
Blue Mage: 21
Corsair: 10
Dancer: 35
Dark Knight: 14
Dragoon: 11
Ninja: 17
Paladin: 19
Puppetmaster: 10
Ranger: 10
Samurai: 10
Scholar: 11
Summoner: 10

Yeah, I no longer have a job under level 10...  Shows how much I like soloing, as anyone that's played FFXI would probably understand based on those levels, lol.

EDIT:  Lol, I can't believe I forgot about my little Tarutaru character.

His jobs are currently
Warrior: 1
Monk: 18
Thief: 31
Red Mage: 1
White Mage: 1
Black Mage: 1

[Taylor-MadeAK]

You know, Fox, I really need to level DNC some more.  I had one of those situations last night where a party shattered almost immediately after I joined it, leaving just me and my buddy Blizzy suddenly party-less with food and Dedication active.  Not wanting to waste that, I popped into Kazham and changed from SAM/WAR to SAM/DNC.

The resulting duo situation worked ridiculously well.  I'm gonna have to ungimp that sub sometime and see if it gets any better.

[Goman Fox]

Yeah, Dancers are awesome.   And I imagine SAM/DNC can be pretty crazy as long as the damage coming in isn't too much for Curing Waltz 1 to handle.  While leveling Rhial while he was still 29, I realized fighting some T mobs that Curing Waltz doesn't really cut it as well against mobs around that level, at least not compared to Curing Waltz 2.

If you want to level Dancer sometime, I'm up for it.  I don't think there'd be a problem with two DNC in a party, although the damage wouldn't be quite as good as when you're DRG or SAM, lol.  I figure with two Dancers in a party though, we could easily take on tougher fights if we alternate main healing so while one heals, the other stores TP for the next tough fight.  Maybe even get some pretty nice chains going.

Either that or I could pick up another job to level instead, I've got plenty of options, lol.

[Taylor-MadeAK]

I was thinking that it would be something we could trio with c@, actually.  Provided he actually gets started levelling a character sometime this year....

[Taylor-MadeAK]

#%^@$

Missed claim on Quu Domi the Gallant due to diaper aggro.  #$@#$%$%^#$!@#$@#$%#!!!!

[Oni]

No god damnit *fights body kicking and screaming* I will not get sucked into this hell hole of a game again *says as other monitor has FFXI up and runnning*

I'm doing it for the beer I keep telling myself, but my body says I am doing it for joy of killing those damn rahab's

[Goman Fox]

So I hear from a ranting-meowing source, that TM is trying to set up a regular static party in FFXI?  Well if this actually happens, I figure I should put in my options for it to start any planning that happens.

Since I have two characters available to me, I have a few restrictions on what roles I will play (unless of course I decide to play just one character, but I'd prefer that to be a last resort, at least at first).  Basically I'll play a healing or tanking role only if the other character is a very simple melee job.  Support jobs like Bard and Corsair, as well as busy jobs like Red Mage and Black Mage, I prefer to avoid, however.

Ideally, I could play two non-Thief DD jobs, from the following list: Monk, Warrior (not tanking), Dragoon, Samurai or Dark Knight.  Thief I could probably manage if I'm also playing a pretty simple DD job like Monk or Warrior, that only really uses Weaponskills and the occasional JA.

But I'm also willing to play either Healer (White Mage or Dancer) or Tank (Paladin or Warrior), as well as a simple DD job (basically the above list, not including Thief or Dark Knight) depending on how the setup is.  I just will not play Tank -and- Healer, I don't think I could handle that much.

Although like I said, I could also just play one character and not have to worry about restrictions at all, except I still don't want to play Ninja or Summoner (I hate blink tanking and don't have any avatars other than Carbuncle, lol).

Oh, and if we're not going to be incredibly serious, I'm open for more fun suggestions.  If you want me to tank as a Monk or Samurai, I'm all for it.

[Taylor-MadeAK]

I talked Eternimus into downloading the FFXI 2 week trial, and he's willing to tank for us.    As far as roles go, I can fill in whatever slot.  I'd like to play Corsair because that job interests me and I can double as puller with it starting at level 16.  However, I'm also willing to gay it up as Dancer to fill the healer slot if needed.

So, let's hash out a time and day that works for all of us.  I'm generally available in the evenings after 19:00, except for Tuesdays because I have Dynamis.  I tend to unplug on weekends to spend time with my family, but that also is flexible if necessary.

[Oni]

It would be more up to Fox as to what Day would work out best for him. I could promise at least a couple of hours of killing and hunting a week for set time. Just beyond that ferret shock tends to set in

[Taylor-MadeAK]

Well, here's what I have in mind:

First: Fox, I want you to really consider not playing two accounts at once.  Especially if you're going to be acting as the party's healer.  Yes, I know we are now only a 4 person party, but keep in mind that you and I both have Fellowship NPCs that we can have around at least part of the time.  There is also the possibility of picking up fill-ins for the other two slots when needed...or even getting some of our other friends around here to join us.

Second: Progression.  There are four positions to be filled in a FFXI exp party, listed here in descending order of importance: Tank, Healer, Support, and Damage Dealing (DD).  If you have the first two positions filled, you have a party.

I have a couple ideas on how we can satisfy the required roles as players while keeping within our preferred playing styles. 

I like to keep levelling on my main character (Ecator), so as to be flexible in as many roles as possible.  I have thus far levelled in two of the four roles: Healer (RDM75, WHM48, SMN27) and DD (DRG75, SAM44, BLM37, etc. ad nauseum).  I started to level COR back when it was first added, and the job interests me, so I'd like to take it back up again - thus filling the Support role in our little party and taking care of the pulling as well once I hit 15 and can finally equip a gun.  Levelling COR, however, would most likely require that I first level RNG to 37...unless you guys want me to sub WHM or RDM and act as a backup healer.

Another option for me to follow is to play as one of my two mules, but I would only do that to keep from bruising Oni's ego too much with Eca's überness.   Seriously, it's an option, but one I will only use if all of you ask me to.

Eternimus likes to tank, and I can already picture him as a Galka Paladin, so I say we have him fill that role.  That's going to require him to change jobs three times, however.  Suggested progression is MNK or THF to 18 (complete the SJ quest), then WAR/MNK or WAR/THF to 30-37 (complete the PLD quest, WAR 37 is eventually required for PLD75), then start over again in PLD.  It sounds like a pain, but believe me when I tell you that once you get that first level 30+ job taken care of (and all the little quests and missions like Chocobo License and Rank 5 out of the way), you can easily roll any other job to 30+ very quickly, and make a bunch of new friends while you're at it.

Oni's preference is damage dealing.  Even after seeing my performance as DRG/RDM, he still expresses a severe phobia regarding any job that has a MP pool.  His brand of kamikaze pound-stuff-til-it's-dead gameplay is best suited to pure DD jobs like MNK, WAR, SAM, RNG, etc.  He says he likes THF and NIN, but playing as THF requires quite a bit more finesse than his usual gameplay demonstrates, especially so since the THF is usually the one cast in the role of puller because of their high evasion, ranged attack skill, and speed.  Admittedly, it would be useful to have a THF in the party for hate control, but that would require that Oni learn how to use SATA properly and not just throw himself at the target mob with dagger(s) swinging wildly....

Again, this would require at least three levelling trips: he's already on MNK, so MNK to 18, then WAR/MNK or THF/MNK to 30, very likely followed by NIN/THF to 37 before returning to THF.  Sound good to you, Oni?

Fox, I left you for last not because I think you're the least of us, but because you're nowhere near as inflexible as your other half.   You'd be filling the primary healer role, but the job you choose to do so with is entirely up to you.  It'd be cool to see you as a SCH, but that's just because I think it would be funny to see Ichibankitsune in the nerdy Scholar Artifact set. 

Guys, I don't intend for this to only be a levelling static.  The mission story lines in this game and the rewards for completing them are fantastic, especially the expansions like Rise of the Zilart and Chains of Promathia.  They're also challenging, so learning how to work together as a team in a static experience party is vital to the success of many of those missions.  The Aht Urhgan Assault missions are also a lot of fun once you reach the higher levels.  It's also helpful to have a group of friends who are dedicated to helping each other out when it comes to important quests like Racial Gear and Job Artifact.

What I'm saying is that there's a lot to be enjoyed in this game, but my ability to sit down and enjoy playing it often is severely curtailed by my responsibilities as a full-time dad and dedicated husband.  That's why I like to schedule things into static party sessions that meet and disband at specific times and days.  I'm looking to meet once or twice a week, the times of which are somewhat flexible.  Tuesdays and Thursdays are out, however, due to standing commitments (to Dynamis and my wife, respectively).

I've also spoken to my close friend Fieryblizzard about joining us, possibly with his roommate Jdexhooper, to fill in the remaining two slots.  Blizzy (as I call him) may even chime in on this forum with his thoughts on the matter.

Edit:  Oh yeah, I neglected to mention that I have Teamspeak installed on my server for us to use for vocal hijinks and coordinated efforts while playing FFXI.

[Oni]

That team speak thing might keep my attention a bit more. Especially with a audable command verse a text one.

[Taylor-MadeAK]

I went ahead and fired it back up.  I'm not going to publicly post the information here because every search engine on the 'net will see it and I'll start getting random tards showing up on my VOIP server.  So, I'll give out the information privately over MSN or in-game as needed.  Kosher?

[Oni]

No peper please.