General: Update Notes

I might get a bit whiney in this post today, so please bear with me.

Yesterday we got our first big update since the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion came out this spring. Highest on the buzz list were all the new spells, abilities and traits that the level 75s could use Merit Points to obtain. I was really hoping for something that would improve PLD and help get rid of the stigma that we're nearly useless for exp post-70 (and even lower now that even the 66s are having Imp-Burning parties). I was quite disappointed with the two new traits and abilities that PLD can get, and don't see that they're worth the Merits.

Chivalry: This job ability can be used once every 20 minutes (with 2.5 minute recast reductions with each additional upgrade, down to 15 minutes). It will instantly convert whatever TP you have at that time into MP, reportedly at a 1:1.5 ratio. I just don't see that this would be useful for me. So once every 20 minutes I could instantly get a good chunk of MP back, assuming I saved up all my TP. With autorefresh, double ballad, and juice, I usually don't have trouble maintaining a decent MP level. And in other situations where I like getting more MP, I'll use a staff and Spirit Taker and get 300 MP for 100 TP and do 200 damage at the same time.

Fealty: This job ability is also on a 20 minute recast timer, with the same upgrades as Chivalry. It will give the PLD enhanced reduction to status effects. I don't know how long it's active, but as an ability, it simply doesn't seem worthwhile. If it were a Job Trait, and always active, that would be different.

Iron Will: This is a job trait that imparts a spell interruption rate while using Rampart. Again, this just doesn't seem worth it. I usually use Rampart, which gives a defense boost to the party members within range, when I've lost hate, since it helps protect the person with hate. More often than not, just using Rampart will pull enough hate to get the mob back on me, and I can merit spell interruption rate separately, which benefits all my jobs. Plus the people usually pulling hate off of me are two MNK/WARs, and they don't cast any spells.

Sentinel: This is a job trait that slows the enmity decay while using Sentinel, which is a job ability that boosts my defense. Again, I just don't see much use to this, unless it pretty much means I really don't lose any accumulated hate for the 30 seconds it's active.

A few of the people in the LS, none of whom have PLD leveled, think these are awesome enhancements for PLD, but haven't actually explained why. The level 75 PLDs aren't so thrilled. My suspicion is that that NIN75 thinks they're "awesome" because it keeps NINs in their place as everyone's prefered tank (grump, grump, grump). He says the new abilities/traits are great for end-game, and he never even considers exp any more.

Seriously though, since I know nothing about HNMs, Gods, or even Dynamis, can someone please explain to me how these would help at endgame? It's my understanding that PLDs tend to die before they (a) get an appreciable amount of TP and (b) get a chance to use up much MP (unless they're on curing duty, and then they're not getting TP). So that rules out the usefulness of Chivalry in endgame. I can't really see much use in the others either, but I'm willing to be instructed.

So I guess I'll continue to spend my merits on things that help my other jobs rather than "wasting" them on PLD-specific things that don't seem all that great to me. Maybe they'd appeal to someone who's done all the Merit upgrades they can do and gives them a new bunch to put more towards.

Some of the other jobs got what seem to be very good boosts in the upgrade. THFs and DRKs especially, and not only merit related, with damage increases on the high level daggers, and a new absorb-TP spell for DRKs at level 45. Even Grym seems to think the THF traits/abilities are decent, but unless they are still active in level-capped areas, he doesn't see any use in getting the limit points he'd need to get them, since it's not the level 75 stuff that he cares about.

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After grousing in my moghouse about my crummy new merit categories, I ran over to the Chocobo Stables in Al Zahbi and went out for a ride. It was odd being on Chocobo in Wajaom and Bhaflau, but it will be fun to do some thorough exploration over the next few days/weeks.

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As soon as the server was up and running, the beastmen forces started in on amassing their forces. We were all eager to see the changes to Besieged, and a bit worried we were going to finally lose, marring our pre-update Besieged record of 155 wins and 0 losses. The Undead Swarm was the first to arrive. I decided to try this one as my PLD75, and teamed up with Grym (WHM43), Elbo (BRD75), Ranzz (BRD75), and Ryken (PLD75). After the cutscene scattered us, we all gathered together and started attacking a Qutrub. He seemed determined to head to the Hall of Binding, so we kept running after him, fighting and fighting and fighting. Other people joined in with us, but I swear it was 30 minutes before we finally killed him and were able to move on to other mobs, like Lamia No. 9.

Some of the changes are pretty funny. Some mob was doing something that kept removing all of our equipment, leaving me punching the Qutrub with my bare hands, in my pyjamas. No sooner I'd get my gear back on, and off it'd come again. The Lamias were also busy charming as many of us as possible, which was pretty amusing. Fortunately, the Lamia wasn't so good at telling us what to do, and she'd drag us over to the door of the Hall of Binding and we'd stand there guarding her, without actually fighting anyone.

The Besieged seemed to go on longer than previous ones, but with 700+ people in the zone, we were successful at forcing their retreat. They managed to kill 2 of our Generals, and took a total of 10 prisoners.

A short while later, the Mamool Ja invaded. We died a lot more often with the Mamool Ja, Elboron especially seemed to get killed as quickly as he could reraise. There wasn't as much different about the Mamool Ja forces, but the new NM, who's name I cannot recall at the moment, had something like 4 wyverns hovering about him. He (and his wyverns) were probably responsible for most of our deaths. Again we won, and the Trolls were preparing to attack, but it was past my bedtime, and they wouldn't arrive for at least another hour. Hopefully the Lakshmites were able to keep our record loss-free.

I ended up getting 1400 exp/isp for the two besieged, which is always nice. Grym's WHM leveled to 44, so she can read the Regen II scroll she's been hanging on to, and then try to decide which job to use in future Besiegeds.

I've been building up my IS points, and am getting close to being able to get one of those turbans all the cool kids have had already for months. Mog locker expansion and accessibilty take priority though. I forgot to talk to the Mog Locker guy last night, so I'll have to do that tonight.