Vagary

What is Vagary you might ask; from the official FFXI website:

Vagary is all-new content that pits Vana’diel’s bravest adventurers against the Xol Triumvirate, with victors receiving hitherto unforeseen spoils and rewards.Winding passage found in the depths of Outer Ra'Kaznar lead adventurers to confrontations with all three members of the triumvirate: Balamor the Deathborne, Dhokmak the Brash, and Ashrakk the Duskbrood.

Brash Gate

Brash gate is located at (N-7) Outer Ra'Kaznar. Upon entering, 6 pillars will spawn numbered 1-6. Each pillar will randomly spawn 2-6 waves of leeches, fistues, slimes, or a combination of any of these. Each pillar also has the possibility of spawning a boss. Upon defeating the spawned boss and the wave it spawns with, all pillars will reset. Once again each pillar will spawn a random enemy wave, with the possibility of a second and third zone boss.

Boss #1. Murkcrawler

Murkcrawler is a pink acuex NM. He takes reduced physical damage, and is relatively easy to kill as long as you do not put too many melee on him. 

TP Moves

• Hemorrhaze - AOE magic damage.
• Foul Waters - Magic Damage (AOE?).
• Pestilent Plume - Magic Damage (AOE?).
• Soul Enslavement - Drains target TP each swing.
• Venomous Vapor - AOE Magic Damage (Poison?).

Spells

• Tier 5 single target nukes.
• Tier 4 AOE nukes.
• Addle
• Dispelga

Boss #2. Brimboil

Brimboil is a giant fistule type NM. He will split (create weaker copies of itself) after taking more than 3k of any damage. Usage if weaponskills is discouraged. Only tier 2 magic and below is adviced.

TP Moves

• Fluid Toss - Single target magic damage.
• Fluid Spread - High AOE magic damage.
• Dissolve - Self buff?

Spells

• Tier 5 single target nukes.
• Comet
• Addle
• Meteor

Boss #3.  Rancibus 

Orobon family type zone boss. Rancibus can spawn at the end of a pillar wave instead of at the beginning. 

TP Moves

• Nullifying Rain - AOE magic attack
• Cesspool - AOE magic attack
• Noyade - Single target (magic attack?)
• Manafont -
• Fetid Eddies - Single target (?) magic damage.
• Clobbering Wave - Single target (?) magic damage.

Spells

• Tier 4 AOE nukes
• AOE-ja nukes
• Tier 1/2 Ancient magic
• Graviga
• Bindga

In addition, the following mobs take double damage by the listed elements:

• Ravaging Acuex - Fire
• Unabated Mush - Ice
• Jaundiced Slime - Wind
• Gangrenous Leech - Thunder
• Dreary Obdella - Water

Bonus Brash Gate Videos

1. Full Clear - SCH P.O.V
2. Perfidien + Full Clear

Duskbrood Gate

Duskbrood gate is located at (N-6) Outer Ra'Kaznar. This area of Vagary is very similar in style to Delve; it is a dungeon type zone with elementals for trash mobs, and three rooms containing a boss plus elementals.

Boss #1. Blightslither 

Blightslither is an Umbril type NM. It is weak to fire, and gains AOE doom below 50% health. It is interesting to note that this NM will take increased magic damage, and is less magically evasive if none of the elementals in his room are killed. 


Boss #2. Insidivo

Insidivo is a Dark Pixie type NM. She appears to be weak to ice over other elements. She is naturally evasive/resistant to magic unless the elementals in her room are killed (unconfirmed).

Boss #3. Putraxia 

Putraxia is a Demon type NM. He will absorb any element of the type of elementals you did not kill in the zone. Highly adviced to kill either all light (thunder/light/wind/fire), or darkness (dark/water/ice/earth) type elementals. This way you can skillchain and magic burst whatever type of elementals you killed without risking him absorbing the skillchain/magic damage.

Zone Tips

• The only aggressive things to sound/sight are hybrid elemental groups around the NMs, the NMs, and the mega boss. Mages should avoid casting near elementals you do not intend to kill, and can simply run through without aggro. 
• Mages should cast bar-element corresponding to the type of mob you are fighting to reduce AOE damage (eg. barblizzara for ice elementals + barparalyze). Indi-Fade also helps greatly, not to mention Shell 5.
• Elementals can be silenced unless they are naturally resistant to the spell (wind elementals). BLM/BRDs can weave sleepga1/2, and horde lullaby in order to keep elementals from getting off too many AOEs while fighting them.
• PLD can use abilities such as Sentinel/Rapart and generate full enmity on all enemies being fought, as long as some enmity has already been generated on them by someone. This makes dealing with large numbers of elementals easier.
• Any spell/ability that can be used to gain magic accuracy and intelligence should be used by nukers when fighting a boss. Likewise any spell/ability that reduces a mobs magic evasion/def/intelligence should be used in order to increase accuracy/potency. Some examples are:

1. A Summoner's Ifrit Conflag Strike (reduces a mobs INT by 63 for 1 minute).
2. A Scholar's Focalization, Tier1/2 Weather spells, and Klimaform.
3. A Geomancer's Geo-Languor, Geo-Malaise, Indi-Acumen, & Indi-INT.
4. A Bard's Threnody.

Image credit: Tile

Deathborne Gate

Deathborne Gate is located at (M-7)  Outer Ra'Kaznar. Like Brash Gate, this Vagary takes place in one large room of Ra'Kaznar. 

Wave #1

Upon entering, the room will spawn a set of 6-8 Fomors. Once these fomors are aggroed more Fomors will continue to spawn until a total of 20 have been defeated. This is considered the first wave.

Wave #2

The second wave will consist of 6-8 Corses and a Dullahan type NM called Lightreaper. The corses can all charm so care should be taken when fighting these, if melees are being used to kill them.

Boss #1. Lightreaper

• Villainous Rebuke - Small Damage + Knockback
• Atramentous Libations - Dark based magic AOE damage, can do severe damage to squishies.
• Stygian Release - Single Target medium/big (magic?) damage.

Wave #3

The third wave will consist of four parties of Fomors, each consisting of 3 Fomors. Aggroing one member of their Fomor PT will link the rest, but they will not link with other Fomor parties, unless they get too close. These fomor are far more dangerous than the previous wave of Fomors; they all have special 1hr abilities corresponding to their job, including weaponskills. The Warrior fomors are especially dangerous to melees, since they can use Fell Cleave, killing any squishy melee within range.

Wave #4

The fourth wave consists of a large number of Fomors (8-10), and the zone boss Palloritus. 


Boss #2. Palloritus

• This boss is very similar if not identical to the Skirmish Alluvion boss in Cirdas/Rala/Yorcia fractures. It gains AOE doom below 50%, bring plenty of Holy Waters.

Perfidien

"Pitiful. You pitiful lot will never learn."

Spawning Perfidien

Perfidien is the fourth "secret" boss in Vagary. A "Prototype pearl of ashen wings" (obtained in CS after clearing all 3 lvl 128 chambers) is necessary to start the process of spawning Perfidien. The conditions to spawn him are as follows:

1. Kill 5~6 enemies with the element they are weakest to (fire elementals killed with water).
2. 5~6 Magic Burst Kills.
3. Perform a four step skillchain.

Whoever used their KI to take the group inside Vagary will receive the following messages as the objectives are met:

1. Your prototype pearl of ashen wings takes on an umbral hue. 
2. Your prototype pearl of ashen wings grows an even deeper shade of black.
3. Your prototype pearl of ashen wings is indistinguishable from the dead of night! 

The messages will appear in order as you complete the objectives. Once the third objective is met, the person who was upgrading the KI will immediately lose their Prototype pearl of ashen wings, and Perfidien will spawn beside them.

It is important to note that should anyone die in the process of upgrading the KI, this may impair or inhibit the process entirely (unconfirmed). Perfidien will warp out if any of the following two things happen; if anyone dies whilst Perfidien is still alive, or no one engages him in battle for prolonged periods of time (7min?). 

Battle Mechanics

Perfidien will start the battle taking regular damage for the first 11% of his health (100-89%), and then become immune to or absorb all but one type of elemental magic. It is suggested to rotate the tier 1 elemental wheel in order to determine which element he does not absorb. Once this element is found, you will be greeted with the following message:

"Hoho! Poked at a sore spot, didn't you? Earth is the key to victory!"

He will literally tell you what element he is weak to. Isn't that nice of him? Anyway, once the element is found, you may skillchain this element and magic burst properly. If you nuke the wrong element you will be encumbered for a certain amount of time.

The majority of Perfidien's attacks are magical. Using an Aegis tank is highly recomended, since it will reduce the damage taken by a considerable amount. 

TP moves

• Icy Grasp - Single target magic attack.
• Flash Flood - Magic AOE
• Eroding Flesh - Magic AOE
• Flaming Kick - Single target magic attack.
• Fulminous Smash - Magic attack.

Regular attacks appear to have enstun/dispel after a certain a certain HP threshold (50% or so), making keeping up buffs on the tank a difficult task.

Upon defeating Perfidien the original KI holder will receive the key item: Fabricated pearl of ashen wings. 

"Defeat is a mere glitch in time. I must wait for the clock to rewind...endlessly rewind..."

Plouton

"Return...the void calls...."

Spawning Plouton

Plouton is the fifth and last "secret" boss in Vagary. A "Prototype pearl of the false king" (obtained in CS at the Odyssean Passage in Leafalia after defeating Perfidien), is necessary to start the process of spawning Plouton. The conditions to spawn him are as follows:

1. Kill 11~12 enemies with the element they are weakest to (fire elementals killed with water).
2. 11~12 Magic Burst Kills.
3. Perform a 6 step skillchain

Whoever used their KI to take the group inside Vagary will receive the following messages as the objectives are met:

1. Your prototype pearl of the false king takes of a crimson hue. 
2. Your prototype pearl of the false king grows an even deeper shade of red.
3. Your prototype pearl of the false king is indistinguishable from a pool of blood!

The messages will appear in order as you complete the objectives. Once the third objective is met, the person who was upgrading the KI will immediately lose their Prototype Pearl of the False King, and Plouton will spawn beside them.

It is important to note that should anyone die in the process of upgrading the KI, this may impair or inhibit the process entirely (unconfirmed). Plouton will warp out if any of the following two things happen; if anyone dies whilst Plouton is still alive, or no one engages him in battle for prolonged periods of time (7min?). 

"The past...the future...are the same before the heavens..."

Battle Mechanics 

The battle mechanics for Plouton are nearly identical to those of Perfidien. He will take regular damage for the first 11% of his health (100-89%), and then become immune to or absorb all but one type of elemental magic. The same strategy should be used for dealing damage to Plouton, as was used for Perfidien.

TP moves:

• Impudence - Magic damage, curse applied.
• Incessant Void - Magic damage (possible curse)
• Demon Fire - High damage AOE Magic damage, burn applied.
• Blast of Reticence - Magic damage, silence.
• Torrential Pain - AOE Magic attack/dispel.
• Ensepulcher - Magic damage, possible petrify.
• Frozen Blood - Magic attack, possibly paralyze.
• Tenebrous Grip - Magic attack, possible blind.
• Bane of Tartarus - Weakness, full Dispel.
• Crippling Agony - Severe AOE magic attack, applies bind.
• Ceaseless Surge - Severe AOE magic attack, possible stun.
• Eternal Misery - Magic attack, possible curse applied. Holy waters remove it.

Normal attacks are almost certainly magical.

"Come to...my salvation..."

Salvage

Salvage, top floor.

FFXI - Windurst

The Heart Tree.

The Cooking Guild.

Guardian's End Game Tanking Guide

This guide will focus on the Guardian's end game, tier 1/2/CM raid tanking aspect. While the methods described here work best for me, they may not work best for everyone. Ultimately the way the Guardian is played is up to the individual, and the way they feel works best for them. This guide is a work in progress.

The Traits

For the majority of end game content in this game I feel traiting 5 Defender of the Free (with legendary capstone) is a must, simply because it strengthens one of the Guardian's weaknesses; AOE threat. Even when I've a single boss to focus on, I have no trouble keeping high threat as long as I am using Engage and Challenge properly (see bottom section for skill rotation). 

The Defender of the Free

•  Grim Challenge 
•  Harasser
•  Threatening Presence
•  Litany of Challenge
•  Shield of Fire

The Fighter of Shadow

•  Brave Heart
•  Controlled Breathing

These last two are completely optional. I often switch them around depending on what I think I may need for a particular run. I like the lower cool down and reactives proc on Brave Heart for making initial pulls on multiple mobs etc. I also really like controlled breathing along with the LI belt legacy because it allows me to continuously generate threat without ever worrying about power (self sufficient).


Legendary Traits

 Challenge the Darkness
 Litany Master
 Guardian's Threat

Even if you do not have incredibly high crit rate you will still benefit from Litany Master since it gives you +5 Litany of Defiance targets. Challenge the Darkness is useful not only because it gives you a rather large defensive boost when you use it, but because it is a threat mirror, and forced taunt on as many as 10 targets. 

Non AOE Traited/Geared

In the above image you will notice how each skill has a base number of maximum targets. Vexing blow is  most noticeable since it becomes a single target skill.

AOE Traited/Geared

In this image you will see that when you trait/gear for AOE, the maximum number of targets for your skills will increase greatly. Again, Vexing Blow gets a huge boost and now targets 8 enemies.

Notice the two debuffs which can be applied full time on a target, or multiple targets.

The Gear

While it is important to properly gear any class for a raid, the different between a properly geared, and poorly geared tank is extremely obvious in their performance in a raid. It does not matter how skilled everyone in the raid including the tank are, if they cannot properly mitigate the damage they are taking the raid will fail. 

It is important to focus on capping both tactical and physical mitigations on a tank (70% cap on both). However, block and parry should not be overlooked and must also be close to if not capped (25% cap on both, 10% cap on partial B/P/E). Finally, critical defense and incoming healing also play an important role while tanking. A good starting point for critical defense is 35% (there is no cap), and 15% for incoming healing (25% cap, 30% for the race of man). You can go over the cap on any of these by using items/gear/trait that directly increase the % instead of the rating.

Image credit to Alad.

Image credit to Alad.

Legendary items will often define how you play your class.

Skill Rotation and Positioning

Ultimately, even with the best gear, capped mitigations, etc, if you do not actually practice proper Guardian skill rotation/positioning, it will all amount to nothing, because you will be unable to hold solid threat on a target/targets.

Positioning

The majority of mobs in a raid will usually have some form of AOE (180 frontal, or 360). As a tank, it is your duty to drag the mobs you are assigned to tank and face them away from the raid. Failing to position/face the mobs properly will result in dead Minstrels/Hunters/Champs etc. The following diagram will help to visualize proper positioning in a raid (the red x represent mobs).

A good example of how to position your self in respect to the rest of your team.

Skill Rotation

If you will only focus on one mob as a tank, or if you there are multiple mobs to tank and you do not need to split them up, the best way to open up your skill rotation is to either use Ignore the Pain, or Warrior's Heart (requires a trait) in order to proc a shield block event as you are running in. Once you have the block event and you are in range of the mob/mobs, you will use Litany of Defiance immediately, followed by Shield Taunt. You then position yourself so that the mob/mobs are facing away from the raid, and use Guardians Ward to increase your mitigations.

After applying Guardian's Ward you can use Vexing Blow and Fray the Edge if you do not have any block/parry events, or if you do use Whirling Retaliation, Litany+Shield Taunt, and repeat the process. In between block/parry events you may use Challenge/Engage if you feel the need to secure aggro against heavy DPS, always remembering to reapply Guardians Ward as necessary. 

If you all of the previously mentioned skills are on cooldown, and you have not trying to conserve power, you can use other skills such as Shield Swipe and Shield Bash, although I give them low priority since they generate weak threat. Do note that two pieces of the Erebor Defender set from the skirmish camps will allow Shield Bash to apply a threat over time effect, which you can sustain for an indefinite amount of time as long as you reapply it, in which case using Shield Bash is high priority.

Actual threat numbers etc will be posted later.


More to come....comments and suggestions are welcome!

Battle for Erebor - Tier One

In this guide we will focus strictly on the tier one Inferno & Catapults mode. 

It is possible to do this particular mode with a variety of classes, however the most efficient way is to focus heavily on either Melee DPS, or Ranged/Tactical DPS.

Fires of Smaug - Tier One (Revised)

The following is a tier one, no challenge mode Fires of Smaug guide. This guide will address most mechanics in this instance. However, there are certain mechanics which I have been unable to confirm. These mechanics will be addressed once I have a full understanding of their workings. This guide is very much a work in progress.

Prefered raid setup:

Flight To The Lonely Mountain - Tier One

The Flight to the Lonely Mountain raid is a survival type raid, where the goal is to survive incoming waves of enemies for ten minutes. This guide will focus on one particular method of completing this instance. While there are a variety of methods to go about completing this raid successfully, we will only focus on one. This guide is a work in progress, it is not meant to be and will never be the ultimate guide to this raid.