ANNM Grinding April 22, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in FF11, Games.Tags: ANNM
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I’ve never been a fan of Campaign, I find it is a great way to recap buffer on most of job but that’s it. I don’t spend hours to do campaign, I find it very boring fighting same monster over and over and most of the time nobody bother to work with others (read: cure) if you are melee job you are obliged to sub WHM for Reraise or you are fucked when you died because nobody give a shit about you, it was pretty frustrated to me. I have about 120K Allied Note since Campaign was released a year ago and barely maintain current rank.
With addition of ANNM in latest version update I will need to participate in Campaign a lot more, basically I need to get at least 7,500 Allied Note every day if I want to do ANNM every day. I would love to do ANNM every day because it is decent way to make money but I realize my Allied Note won’t keep up after few weeks or so and I can’t imagine myself doing Campaign every moment I online either, so twice a week as my current schedule is good enough for me.
If you are not familiar with ANNM, ANNM is just another BCNM style battle. It requires key item called XXX-Labeled Crate while XXX depends on nation of key item, this mean you can do up to 3 battles (one each nation) per real life day. Key item cost 1,500 Allied Note for nation you are allied with and 3,000 Allied Note for other nation key item, basically 7,500 if you want to do 3 nations. Everyone in your party need this key item to participate in battlefield, but don’t worry if someone in your party don’t have key item the game won’t let you initiate the fight until everyone have key item (not like some other events that game just won’t allow that guy who doesn’t have key item enter and your party is pretty much screwed because of that). You can buff and get TP before start battle.
One little important note is you can’t wander far away from where Shredded Label is originally located because if you do you will be rejected from the battle (similar to other of your party member has /blocked aid on, or when you died in Garrison) and can’t get back in, but again don’t worry because the game will tell you when you are about to go outside battlefield perimeter in red text colored. You don’t have to move back in right away but text will continue to show up until you do, just move in when it comforts you and don’t go further.
Let’s start with Batallia Downs (S), Sandorian area level 75 capped battlefield. Shredded Label is located in a small cave close to fortification at K-7.
Courtesy of http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Batallia_Downs/Maps
You will encounter
- Scythefang Liger (Tiger) x 1
- Tusked Tigon (Tiger) x 6
I consider this is the easiest ANNM battlefield so far. Party doesn’t require any fancy setup other than tank/DD/sleeper combination, here is my usual set up.
- PLD/NIN
- DRK/NIN
- WAR/NIN or RNG/SAM
- BLM/WHM
- RDM/WHM
- WHM/SCH
Strategy is simple, keep all Tusked Tigons slept and take them down one by one while tank hold boss and take it down after all add die. Tusked Tigon takes normal damage from both physical or magical type of damage and don’t have any resistance to sleep from what I can tell. I always pop them to buy more time for BLM to land Sleepga 2. I usually pop > flash boss then use Sentinel and pull boss a bit away and tank it there, toss cure on BLM so I ‘m on all add hate list. Being on all add hate list is useful when your BLM Sleepga 2 get interrupted most of the time mob will go after me instead of BLM, give him more room to cast Sleepga 2 again.
Scythefang Liger has 2 stances, one is it normal another is spam roar over and over. It will switch stance around entire course of fight, roar stance is pretty much break time because you can just run away and it won’t chase you but stand there spam roar over and over (which hit nobody). If you have dedicated healer that willing to spam Paralyna on you then you might want to just melee it and speed a fight up a little, I used to do that but rather stay out of roar range instead so mages can get some MP or focus on other DD that taking down adds.
After all add die the fight turn to Paralyna spam 
I have dedicated healer to cure paralyze each melee and it works well, try to stun Disorienting Wail (AoE anmesia) if you can too! and enjoy your loots after, I have yet to get any good augmented gears from treasure chest though 
Next up, Garlaige Citadel (S).
Compilation of Thoughts on April Version Update April 20, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in FF11, Games.Tags: Version Update
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So it has been couple weeks since April version update is out. This update quite impress me so far.
Augmented System – UH
When I heard about it in news couple weeks back I was excited, this is basically Diablo 2 magical/rare/imbued item but in FF11 version and I like it. Because Blizzard did really good job at imbued item so I have high hope on this one and SE actually did it decent.
Augmented item from Elite Training Regimes is rather weak since now equipment that can be traded is capped at level 50. I rather save low level equipment I use for sell in the future than augment it for minor status improvement, for now.
Augmented item from ANNM treasure chest is much better, although status given is very random but some of them are proved to be useful (like this or this). I like to do ANNM because it is (somewhat) fun and decent money, I consider augmented item is a great bonus to it
Augmented item from chest in Tenshodo HQ is probably the best one for now because it gives a lot of nice high level accessories but have to grind BC every day for small chance of getting good item (high chance of getting nothing, like the rest of FF11 content?) is lame.
Red Mage Updates – YAY
Composure, even I’m not a solo-er kind I this ability is really impress me. Apparently what it does is triple duration of enhancing magic that you cast on yourself (except one with long duration already like Protect, Shell and Reraise) and increase recast time of those spell by 25%
Awesome ability. I can buff myself every 7 minutes and 30 seconds instead since refresh last 3 times longer now, less hassle and less MP spend for buff always handy. I think I’ll make whole new macro just for self buffing while composure in effect, maybe something like activating Composure>Haste>Refresh>Phalanx>Aquaveil (for sake of buffing -_-) then manually cancel Composure before start buffing other member in party.
Enspell II, I don’t care much about this one because I don’t solo on my RDM let alone melee. I’ll eventually farm all of them thought just not my priority. I’ll wait a week maybe two until competition on mob has been died down, I don’t like compete for farming mob.
New Gobbiebag – UH
More inventory space is always welcome might not apply to last 2 gobbiebag quest because it comes with high price tag even after couple weeks later -_-
ANNM – YAY
The best content in version update for me, fun fight , good money, chance of obtaining good augmented item and reasonable easy to get flagged. Only downside is it pretty much requires at least full party to guarantee win and my friends is either already in a static party or live 12 hour apart, so I get chance to do it on weekend only.
Mannequin storage capacity has been adjusted – DUCK
I’m not sure about how exactly I feel about this one. This is good because now on my character I put 3 mannequins in my Moghouse and still maintain Moglification: Woodworking, free my inventory up to 6 spaces. But now my Moghouse look shitty than ever with 3 mannequins, 2 guild furniture, Bastokan flag and that’s it. I don’t need Bastokan flag thought but not brave enough to toss it since I can’t it back if SE somehow make it useful.
MMM Updates – UH
This should be an awesome update only if I can get anyone to do MMM with me ._. weekday is out of question and weekend is packed with normal events (Ouryu/Bahamut/ENM/etc.) and ANNM on top of it, damn
I don’t want to hurt people, but my orders are to restore the peace. April 16, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in RL, Thoughts.add a comment
This entry is inspired by topic number A7747741 on www.pantip.com
Last week was a tough week for Thai people, mostly people who live in Bangkok like me. There was a protesters gathering in every major junctions which cause traffic in Bangkok pretty much paralyzed, government declare state of emergency and extra public holidays on last Friday afterward. 4-11 April supposed to be a wonderful Songkran festival but instead we have riot and extensive state of emergency in Bangkok. Instead of hanging out with my high school friends and have good time in Songkran festival, I had to stay at home because there is protesters everywhere. At least that allows me to play more FF11 and make good money off ANNM I guess, oh well. The situation ends on 14, April and government announce extra public holidays on 16-17 April, too bad this isn’t affected my company and I still have to go to work on that day anyway.
At very least one good thing that came out of this is zero casualty. Protesters were dispersed by troops, bus wrecks are removed, street has been cleared and now peace in Bangkok is starting to be restored. I’m not going to point any figure here, I’m not a political type and I don’t like to talk about it, I’m just happy because finally I can live my life again.
Lastly, I found this picture in topic I mention above and really like it, pretty much self explanatory.
picture from topic number A7747741 on www.pantip.com
Timetable of a Loser April 10, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in FF11, Games.Tags: event, Schedule
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After being LS-less for 4 months I finally got my play schedule settled, I think.
Monday – Einherjar 9.00PM
Tuesday - Limbus 10.30PM
Wednesday - Free day
Thursday - Einherjar 9.00PM
Friday - Free day
Saturday - Limbus 9AM, ZNM/Ouryu/B2 11.00AM
Sunday – Dynamis 8.30AM, ENM 1.00PM
Only one event that I wish I can move it around is Limbus at 10.30PM on Tuesday because it always finish around midnight or so and I have to work on the next day sometimes even more late because it seem JP players usually do Limbus around this time too so have to wait for them sometimes. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do about it because other half of my Limbus group have Einherjar at 9.00-10.00PM but they always finish around 10.30PM or so because their Einherjar LS took forever to get ready >.>
Other than that I’m pretty happy with my current timetable for weekday. On day that I have event I still have couple hours before they start to do my own stuff or able to get home late.
On Saturday and Friday after Limbus/Dynamis run me and my friend usually try to do Ouryu/Bahamut 2 or ZNM run but that barely happen because we don’t have enough people for it. We usually end up with 4-5 people after Limbus/Dynamis done and try to get more people coming for other events but couldn’t and eventually log off instead. I think it is hard to get people on around those time because although it is late morning or noon for me but for other people who live in EST timezone it is pretty late for them, suck that our group has so much different in time.
This is the first thing I want to fix, need to start with Saturday schedule because Sunday is Dynamis day and pretty much can’t work around it. How? I’m thinking about push Limbus earlier to 8AM (9PM EST) for start, this shouldn’t be a problem with HK people thought since they are ahead of me so they are still in late morning, give more time to do stuff before bed time for EST people. Problem now is people never show up on time, and we can’t do stuff without them either because even with them we have low numbered already (8-9 people) so we have to wait for them and waste more time ._.
Cell Phone Battery Explodes, Kills a Salaryman April 7, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in RL, Thoughts.Tags: Cellphone Battery
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Not really, I lie. I have read and seen some report about cellphone battery explodes and did severe damage to people, at first it will start expanding and followed by exploding. This never been my concern because all of case I heard about are related to using fake/cheap/unofficial battery, I’m using official one that comes with the phone when I bought it couple years ago so I always thought I’m off the hook.
Last Friday I notice there is new strange icon appears on my cellphone screen, I never come across that icon before and don’t know what it for so I’m worried because I’m using company SIM card on my cellphone so if I happen to register some stupid service or ads. I’m not aware of I’ll be charge by my company for the service fee. I ask around and no one happen to know what the icon is so I borrow my co-worker cellphone and try to put my SIM card in and see if the icon appear on his cellphone too or not.
I remove a cover in the back of cellphone and notice that my battery look much like a Dorayaki, yeah my batter is bloated and give a feeling of it can explode at any minute. If you aren’t familiar with Dorayaki hopefully this gives you an idea.
a Dorayaki
Scary huh? I basically never remove my SIM card nor battery since I put them in when I bought it, if I did I probably notice this earlier and less panic. I took a battery off immediately and ask a co-worker if he ever saw something like this before, surprisingly enough he said he did -_- He told me that one of his friend on other floor have exact same battery like mine and recommended me buy new now as soon as possible. So I went to another floor and ask that his friend and she was like wow why you keep it this bloated, I told him I never check it before and it was like 2 years or so? she laughed ._.
I went to mall on Sunday to buy new battery. Official Nokia shop told me new battery cost 1,950 Baht (roughly $56) wow seriously?, that cost like 1/3 of what I paid my cellphone for. Well I flee the scene quickly before he goes get one from warehouse for me. My GF said if you are going to buy that overpriced battery you better buy a new phone, 2,000 Baht for a battery is insane. I decide to take a look at local made version and found one for my model which cost 450 Baht (roughly $13) plus 6 month guarantee and 100,000 Baht (roughly $2,860) compensation if it happen to explodes ._.
I was like what the hell, local made is 4X cheaper and my current battery last about 2 years even if this new battery happen to breaks or something I still can buy up to 4 in 2 years with less than I pay for official battery, just hope it doesn’t explode even it does I still get a compensation, well hope it explodes but I’m not around is the best.
Morale of story would be check your cellphone battery once in a while or it might explodes out of no where!
Salaryman Evolved into Administrator April 2, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in RL.add a comment
Last month was one of the most busiest period in my work life. I implement Active Directory for my company, head office and both of factory sites. Join computers to domain doesn’t take much time but I can do it only when users are not at their work station so either lunch break or after work, well of course I pick first choice, me an my co-worker spend 5 days to finally join all computers in head office and 2 days for 2 factory sites.
We still let users use local account until everything on domain is prepared for them which will be done in couple days from now, this allows me to find out that our users have less knowledge about computers and observation than I think ._. The very next day after I join their computer to domain they will call my department and scream why they are unable to use their computer or some go as far as I break their computer, yeah IT always one to be blamed when something relates to computer is happening anyway. What make it worst is ALL of those case users scream at me is they didn’t bother to look at their username or where they log on to (domain versus local computer) thus they can’t log on, seem everything I told them that they need to look carefully before log on or have to make sure their screen will look exactly like what I show them (I show them where their username will be put on and pick local computer instead of domain) doesn’t get into their head, not one bit -_-
I spend this week and half of next week (likely) installing application for users (almost all of thier daily used application such like ERP system are installed per user, so when switch to domain account I need to install for those user account again ._.) migrate user profiles and working on GPO. We will make users start using their domain account next week, I expect to get a lot of angry call this time.
A revamp of red mage’s macro April 2, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in FF11, Games.Tags: Red Mage
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Maybe this post isn’t not exactly about macro since most of them are about gear set I’m going to use and fix them according to new gears I obtain, maybe some tweak here and there too. I don’t think I touch my RDM macro much and from the fact that I still include some of equipments I don’t even have now (say hello to Tamas Ring for example) in a lot of my macro I’m pretty sure I’m going to fall to category of “have a lot of good items but never use them to their full potential” or whatever like that I read so many times on BG forum but that is going to change.
I manage to lot 900 on Duelist’s Tabard last Sunday in Dynamis-Beacudeine, also I piss at least 1 person off in the process as far as I can tell. I almost set my comment for BLU AF because my BLU could use other TP body than Scorpion Harness but I figure I should give a shot at RDM AF instead since there was only one person that put BLU AF in his lotting comment so if more than one drop I can get chance at free lot BLU AF as well, never regret the decision. Getting RDM AF2 body is like a wake up call to me to put stuff together and fix my macro.
Okay I’m exaggerating, I just want to fix my macro and have something to blog about that’s about it.
First item to pick up? February 20, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in FF11, Games.Tags: Einherjar, Red Mage
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I never pick up any item from Kilusha since I started Einherjar almost 2 years ago because back then obtaining Therion Ichor is hard, get somewhat 500-800 for wing1-3 chambers, 1250 from Odin and nothing if fail. This forces me to think again and again before get any item which cost 15,000 Ichor and eventually decide not to pick any of them up because benefit from them are so minimal while it took great effort to get Ichor, I figured I should store my precious Ichor until SE add more item that actually worth it to pick up later. Well I somewhat right, SE did add new item that can purchase with Ichor but it was item for Mythic Weapon quest and cost 100K Ichor. At that time I have 70K or so Ichor stored already so I decide to save up for 100K before spend them just in case I want to do Mythic Weapon later.
Enough for preface, now I have 118,300 Ichor and want to spend them. Oh enough for hoping for SE to add new item that can be purchased with Ichor as well. There are only 4 items that catch my eyes, here.
I plan to get all of them but what is priority here? I’m deciding which item I should pick first, next one is going to be a month and a half away. Ritter Gorget is decent but it serves no purpose for me, I idle in Peacock Charm or Parade Gorget and already have Harmonia’s Torque when I need enmity. Since enmity gear will be swapped in when cast/action only so status (+25 HP and +5 Evasion) Ritter Gorget offer is obsoleted, I’ll get 5K from replace Harmonia’s Torque with Ritter Gorget thought. As for Gleeman’s Cape it serves literally no purpose as well but it gives me 450-500K from selling Prism Cape after I got both Gleeman’s and Aslan so I figure I’ll get Gleeman’s Cape before Rittger Gorget.
So I’m down to Aslan Cape or Morgana’s Choker, which one will be the first.
Aslan Cape
- HP -20
- MP +20
- MND +5
- CHR -5
I can replace Prism Cape with this, 1 extra MND and better HP/MP ratio on my convert gear is good deal and when I get Gleeman’s Cape I can sell Prism Cape for extra 450-500K gil.
Morgana’s Choker
- MND +5
- STR -2
- DEX -2
- Convert 40 HP to MP
I don’t have any item that give MND in neck slot at the moment so it is good for higher MND build and it will gives me opportunity to play with my convert gear such like replace Serket Ring in my convert macro, keep it but use another HP ring for higher HP and MP (currently I have 1058/1001 HP/MP so Morgana’s Choker alone won’t improve it) or switch other piece of gear around and get better or same HP/MP ratio.
I think I’ll get Morgana’s Choker first because it has the most utility out of four then Aslan, Gleeman’s and Rittger Gorget for the last piece. Any thoughts?
Life goes on February 12, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in RL, Thoughts.Tags: Decision
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The recent event is forcing me to make an adjustment to my plan once again. First I don’t have a Nyzul Isle assault static party anymore, I’m still deciding what should I do next. I still want some piece of armor from Nyzul assault but giving my circumstance I don’t think I’ll able to join or keep up with another Nyzul set party anymore, this leaves me with one choice which is join random shouting run. I’m not comfortable with shouting run for one simple reason, I pretty much live in JST time and can’t speak fluent Japanease is cockblocking me from join 90% of shouting run in my time because they are Japanese and they don’t want gaijin in their party. Although I somewhat understand them, I figure because Nyzul requires decent communication in lamps objective floor so they don’t want to rely on auto-translate function to give coordination in party and risk the chance of fail the run because this gaijin couldn’t understand what they told him to do. But hey I manage to join few of Japanese shouting run before and thing wasn’t that bad.
Now without Nyzul assault static party I’ll have 4 more assault tags each week and can work on getting Captain rank (a little) easier. I used to have to 4 tags saved for weekend for Nyzul run and can’t spend them during weekend because it won’t recharge fast enough or at best if I time it right I can spend 1 during weekend and have another one ready for Sunday run. Now I can spend them freely in weekend, weekend is matter because it is only time of the week I meet almost all of my friends and can ask/beg/force/harass them to help with some assault run. Sadly this helps only just a little because the bigger problem is finding people for assault run, anyway this give me more opportunity at least.
I think I’ll try to get into shouting Nyzul run on weekday and spend couples of tags to do Lamia 13 run on Thursday or Friday if I can’t get any Nyzul run on Monday to Wednesday so I won’t waste those tag. Also try to work on assault I need on weekend with left over tag, at worst I’ll have 4 tags left on Sunday and have to do 4 run Lamia 13 >.>
Second my little static party for duo NM in MMM daily is finished as well. Our daily MMM run has been slowed down since early of February so this might due without the recent event anyway. I don’t think I’ll bother with dual box for NM fight because obviously I can duo only weak NM and to do so I have to remove a lot of rune out of my maze set up and that (theorically) will decrease drop rate of weapon/armor so I don’t think it will worth my time and effort. As for marble farming run I won’t bother with them anymore as well, I have pretty much all rune sans couples job and crafting rune which I could careless about them and I don’t need more marble since other buyable runes seem don’t have any effect on drop at all. Hurray for more free time each day I suppose ._. Hopefully I still can do NM fight in weekend thought since I want couple pieces from MMM still, let’s see this how it is this weekend!
The most exciting Odin fight, so far. January 30, 2009
Posted by justafatcat in FF11, Games.Tags: Einherjar
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I have fought Odin numerous time before but yesterday one was the most exciting fight so far, even more exciting than my first Odin. Maybe exciting isn’t the most appropriated word for it, it was mixed of worry and exciting feeling. I was worried because this is first Odin of linkshell I’m in and I can’t positively say our group is well geared and skilled, loots never came to my mind at the time just win the fight is already a big accomplishment. Oh another thing that make me could careless about loot is they stated that they don’t let me lot anything, however I set comment to lot anyway plus somewhat cute face hoping for they might change their mind!
We have total of 33 members for the fight, consist of the following jobs.
- 1 BLU/THF
- 3 BRD/WHM
- 1 COR/RNG
- 1 MNK/NIN
- 4 PLD/NIN
- 3 RDM/NIN
- 2 RNG/NIN
- 1 RNG/SAM
- 1 RNG/WAR
- 4 SAM/THF
- 2 SCH/RDM
- 5 SMN/WHM
- 2 WHM/BLM
- 1 WHM/SMN
Party setup is different than what I used to do with, mainly is they use SMN for DD and healing power is rather lacking. They did good job on preparing thought, the leader make everyone who can use Spirit Within (even a BRD and RDM) sleeping for 300% TP before enter but an asshole like me who believe this is overkill doesn’t do it. They use 3 PLD/NIN tank Odin and have another PLD/NIN as backup tank and helping RDM/NIN with adds, alliance I’m in consist of tank party, RNG party and SMN party. SMN party is absolute nightmare for me, a RDM, I need to refresh everyone and keep them alive. Keep myself and other 5 people in my party refreshed is enough to make me occupied let alone curing SMNs that get hit by an unnecessary AoEs ._.
The fight went fast and smoothly at first, army of Spirit Within ditch about 10% of Odin’s HP just about instantly after we engaged and we got Odin down to 80% few minutes later. Thing went well until first set of adds pop, RDM/NIN tag them way too slow and after they kill one of PLD and another SAM one of them come after me for and beat me to death then proceed to kill another SMN in my party before RDM tag it also other loosing add killed one of WHMs too. The fight get more messy after that, SMN and RNG still damage Odin while melee and tank are struggle to survive because we lack healing, one of WHM is weakened and other 2 is just not enough to keep 3 tanks and 5 melees healed. So our melee starting to drop down and at one point Odin start come after WHM and killed one then went after RNG instead. I feel like they got the fight tempo wrong, IMO it is much better to slow down a bit and heal people up before continue damage or using BP because most of annoying/dangerous move of Odin is predictable since it is HP based move.
Anyway we manage to get it down to 10% when 10 minutes mark show up and surprisingly all tanks and melee but one avoid Zantetsuken and RDM get pops off them quickly, one of RDM/NIN die after kite pop for awhile thought so I took over by bind it few times before it start losing agro. We win with about 5 minutes left on lamp and got pretty ugly drops, here.
Oh I forgot to mention that they don’t have THF present for Odin. Personally I think TH affact Odin drops because item is actually drop from him not from chest like in other chamber in Einherjar but when I sent leader a tell to ask if we could have THF for Odin before we enter he didn’t respond me but say something shi-fu (which is THF in japanese, only word that I recognize entire paragraph ._.) in linkshell channal so I assume (again) they either not believe in TH affects drop or figure it isn’t worth it to change party setup around, but whatever at least they have some sort of JP-button things and make 4 drops instead of 3, too bad all of them pretty suck.
