Once again, I am quitting FFXI due to real-life issues, and to avoid regret, I have decided to finish a few outstanding goals and my preparations to forge a Guttler someday.
First off, I never thought I could attain the rank of Captain without an Assault static, but the day is finally here! Although I arrived on Asura as a Lance Corporal, determined shouts and teamwork with other enthusiasts have finally brought me to the top.
To anyone else who is also aiming for the rank of Captain, do not give up, and keep track of everyone you have worked with. In my case, there were many times where I repeated a mission due to a lack of members, ideal jobs, or luck in general -- especially for the FL Assaults.
In addition, do not be afraid to low-man Assault missions. For example, I once gambled on beating "Azure Experiments" with a three-man team, and as a BST, SMN, and MNK trio, we managed to clear the mission (with three minutes to spare) thanks to our 2 hrs, pet pulls, and team coordination. A BST is also excellent for low-manning "Azure Ailments"; one can "Charm" disposable pets to easily gather AoE status effects.
The perks for being a Captain are not too overwhelming, but they are useful to have around. Essentially, you get:
- Free Runic Portals - the cost of runic portal permits drops to zero, but you will still need to purchase them manually. This is probably the best part of becoming a Captain.
- Free access to the Alzadaal Undersea Ruins - I rarely travel to the ruins myself, but this can be a lifesaver if I ever need to zone without Imperial Silver Pieces.
- An extra I.D. tag - only useful if you are not actively partaking in Assault.
A piece strictly for my hMP and MND set. Although some players might nuke using this piece, I still prefer using my BLM AF hat over the Yigit Turban.
Again, another piece for my hMP set rather than my MAB gear. The Yigit body also serves as a cheap Sha'ir Manteel substitute should I ever level BRD.
These gloves definitely improve my nuking set, and although my Igqira Manillas have Elemental Skill, the INT on these gages also provides Magic Accuracy while retaining the same MAB. As an Elvaan, I was looking forward to nuking with more INT, so this piece definitely stood out from the rest.
Another not-so-useful piece that will be integrated into my hMP set. By doing so, I will lose less MP when converting between my nuking and hMP set (the former has much more MP than the latter).
The other useful piece. Essentially, it is very similar to my Cobra Crackows, but I will trade "Conserve MP" and MP for more MAB and INT any day.
One of two KS30 runs I did a while back. Neither of them yielded anything spectacular, but I did get a bunch of weapons to sell as a consolation prize.
Just kidding! My ODS run yielded a Damascus Ingot, so I have finally broken my streak of twenty bad KS30 runs! As Ennayram -- another BST blogger -- would say, "moar gil!"
Nowadays, most of my KSNM drops are sold directly to the shops, and thanks to selling all that junk, I think I have earned an extra 15k gil.
Finally, I decided to buy a pair of Cursed Gloves -1 with the money leftover from selling my Mercurial Kris. Although I could have bought three ridiculously-priced M. Silverpieces, it would not have been enough for a Stage 3 Axe, and as such, I decided to invest the gil into something on my HQ wishlist.
Technically speaking, the gloves are only a slight improvement over my Pallas's Bracelets, but I wanted something for my BST before leaving the game.
In closing, I would like to thank everyone for reading my blog(s): it has been great fun detailing the adventures of a virtual trio for over a year now. Someday, I know I will return for my Ebisu Fishing Rod and Guttler, but for now, these items will be left as goals for another day.
