Quests: Shattering Stars (PLD)

FFXI has 5 level caps that you must break by completing quests for Maat, a tough old man who hangs out near the Palace in Ru'Lude Gardens in Jeuno. These are supposedly to test your skill and see if you're worthy to progress in the levels, but really, they mostly seem to be there to slow you down, like so many things in the game. The more time it takes you to do things, the more money Square-Enix gets from you in monthly subscription fees. It's all part of the game. :-)

The level caps are at 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70. The (current) maximum level in the game is 75. Some of the quests can be done with the help of others, but for the final one, Shattering Stars, or Limit Break V, also known as Genkai V, you're completely on your own, facing Maat one-on-one in a closed arena, with only the abilities of your main job, and whatever items you can fit in your gobbiebag.

I had been dreading this fight since the time I created Kiki to be a Tarutaru Paladin, having heard that the fight for Paladin is really tough for a Tarutaru. I had visions of having to level Black Mage, a job more "suited" for a Tarutaru, just to be able to beat Maat and level past 70. As time passed, and I got closer to actually needing to face Maat, I was able to find posts and blog entries of other Tarutaru Paladins who'd beaten Maat just fine. One video I watched was particularly comforting. I wish I had bookmarked it, as I can't even remember the Tarudin's name, and I'd like to give him credit for helping his fellow Tarutaru.

In order to pick up the quest, you must be level 66. Maat needs a testimony from you before he will fight you. These drop off of high level beastmen mobs that have the proper job type, and Kiki had got a Paladin's Testimony in Beadeaux last November while helping Daden get a Warrior Testimony. I had been planning to fight Maat after Kiki got to 70, since she'd have Protect IV, but as Yobun pointed out, so would Maat.

After hitting 69 a couple weeks ago, I worked on capping Kiki's sword skill, mostly in a skillup party with Anastasia, Erock and Elboron in The Boyahda Tree. I also managed to cap evasion, divine and enhancing magic. I wanted to use Carbonara for food, so another "requirement" was to get Grymalkyn's cooking mule, Qiara, the noodle kneading key item so Kiki can have a reliable supply of at-cost Carbonara. We finally got Qiara the Guild Points she needed for that a week ago. The final thing I wanted was an Opo-opo Necklace, and rather than buy one at a recently-inflated price, I got my own while doing ZM5 on Friday night.

Saturday morning, it was time to show the old man what Kiki had learned. I rummaged through Mog Storage, and pulled out the dusty Paladin Testimony I'd got months ago. Qiara whipped up a batch of fresh Spaghetti Carbonara for me, and then Grymalkyn travelled to Jeuno to make some Sleeping Potions.

My approach was to boost attack and accuracy, as I needed to do as much damage to Maat as I could in the ten minute time limit. I was less worried about damage taken than I am when fighting mobs for experience points. I borrowed several items Grymalkyn uses for her Thief, and ended up with this gear:

Espadon +1 (+attack)
Musketeer Commander's Shield (+agility)
Happy Egg (+hp and +vit)
Blink Band (blink! +evasion)
Opo-Opo Necklace -> Royal Guard's Collar (+attack and +accuracy)
Spike Earring (+attack)
Drone Earring/Hospitaler's Earring (+agility / macro'd for enhanced Cures)
Byrnie (+attack +str)
Creek F Mitts (+str +hp)
Venerer Ring (+accuracy)
Jaegar Ring (+accuracy)
Psilos Mantle (+attack +accuracy)
Lifebelt (+accuracy)
Feral Trousers (+attack)
Creek F Clomps (+str +hp)

For items:
Carbonara
Sleeping Potions (need 4 to get 100% TP)
Hi-Potions x10 (used 6)
Pear au Lait x2 (used 1)
Melon Juice x6 (used 3)
Icarus Wing

I had looked at vile elixirs (190K) and vile elixirs +1 (300K) at the auction house, and decided that I really shouldn't have to use those to beat Maat. I set up a separate set of macros just for the fight, leaving out anything I wouldn't or couldn't use. Because of a lack of suitable macro pallets, Kiki's lost all of her Tarutaru dance macros, but I think she can live without them. I subbed BLM, to warp home later, but in retrospect, that shouldn't have been needed, since if you win, Maat gives you a scroll of instant warp, and if you lose, you need to home-point (unlsess someone happens to be there and raise you).

Hands sweating, pulse racing, I checked and re-checked my gear, and headed over to talk to Maat. He teleported Kiki to the Qu'Bai Arena in Fei'Yin, and I traded her testimony to the Burning Circle, tearing it in the process.

Once inside, I ate the carbonara, drank a pear au lait (since the Carbonara added 150 HP), cast Protect III, Shell III, drank a melon juice to recover MP, then took 4 sleeping potions to get over 100% TP from her Opo-Opo Necklace. Ready to go, I drank another melon juice and started running down the long hallway to the arena, where Maat was waiting in the center.

Maat greeted Kiki with "So, you decided to show up. Now it's time to see what you're really made of, heh heh heh."

We both opened with Flash, so I didn't use Vorpal Blade right off the bat. I wanted to wait until I was no longer blinded to reduce the chance of missing and wasting the TP I had spent precious time getting. I had heard Maat hits pretty hard, so I wasn't too surprised to be taking 100-125 damage from each of his punches and kicks. I was a little dismayed that I was only hitting him for 35-50 myself though (critical hits around 90). After Flash wore off, my first vorpal blade hit him for 179, which was encouraging.

Maat opted to use Banish II on Kiki three times. It was just as well, as it has a fairly long cast time, and did only 73 damage. At some point, I realized I hadn't used the blink band, and I still had my Opo-Opo Necklace on, so I decided to use the blink band mid-fight. It saved me a few hits, so I suppose it was worth it. Maat used Maat's Bash twice during the fight, but one missed me. When I got over 100% TP, I used Vorpal Blade again (193 damage), then used my Icarus Wing, just as Maat used invincible. So I had to hold back until his Invincible wore off. I decided to cast Holy on him while his Invincible was up, and did 99 damage for the 100 MP. I don't think that's something a non-Tarutaru PLD would do in a Maat fight, but I thought it'd be funny. Plus every bit of damage would help. When Maat's Invincible wore, my third Vorpal Blade did another 108 damage.

After 4 Cure IVs, a couple Flashes, and the Holy, I was getting pretty low on MP and used Invincible and started chugging hi-potions, trying to time it so I could get a hit or two in between potions. Then suddenly Maat said, "Hm. That was a mighty fine display of skill there, Tsakiki. You've come a long way..."

I couldn't believe it - I had won! He seemed to give up after I had managed to get over 1700 points of damage in on him. The final total for damage had Maat basically kicking my butt for 2663 damage (two and a half times my max HP), but since I had regained 2000 with cures and potions, I was still standing. I did 1768 damage total to Maat. The fight took 7 minutes and 32 seconds.

I was a bit confused to find myself outside the circle with no instant warp scroll, but I checked my title, and sure enough, it was Maat Masher. Then I remembered I had picked up a warp scroll the night before and had it in my mog safe, so I couldn't get another one from Maat. I warped back to Windurst, and hopped the airship to Jeuno and went to talk to Maat again. He raised my level cap to 75, and gave me a long story about how I had to help make sure things stayed OK around Jeuno.

Things I could have done better: I didn't use Rampart, I didn't use a second au lait when the first wore off, I think I could have used Flash more, and I should have remembered my blink band and necklace change before I ran in and started fighting. I have heard that he doesn't use Asuran Fists until after 8 minutes, and that wouldn't have been so good. If not, I got lucky on what he decided to throw at me (banish II, Maat's Bash). However, my only misses on Maat were when I was blinded by Flash (plus 0 damage swings when he used Invincible), so I think my +accuracy gear paid off.

New Titles: Maat Masher, Star Breaker