FFXI: The AH has finally stopped peeing in my Wheaties, at least for one day. I've been camping several items and managed to pick them all up for a price I was willing to pay >.>v I got 2 Shell V scrolls for 30k each, Aisha: Ichi for 20k, ugly pink hat for 30k, matching ugly pink brais for 30k (I'm not sure I actually need these, but I have 3 jobs who could potentially use them), Perle footies for 35k, and Alky Bracelets for 400k. The Bracelets weren't really a *need* either, but I was kinda tweaked that I saved up a lot of gil for the update and then didn't spend any of it except on consumables >.>; Thew Bomblet is down to 1.4mil, which makes me :Q, but I'm gonna wait on buying one until I can actually equip it. At the rate I'm exping, it might be a few hundred thousand by then >.>;
[drags out soapbox]
Fellow RNG, I'm going to scream bloody murder if I see even one more of you wearing full Aurore armor. Did your Moogle dress you this morning? Have you even looked at the stats? Do you know what stats help RNG? Have you looked at your *AF* stats, for that matter? In short, what in the hell is wrong with you? Let's take this slot by slot.
Head: Aurore Beret: DEX+4, AGI+4, Haste+4%, Enhances Snapshot.
This is the best piece of the set for *RNG* IMO. Though, it's mostly due to Snapshot and that's available on three other head pieces (Anwig augment, Ebon Visor and Zha'Gho's Barbut). In the case of the Anwig there are other augments I'd recommend over Snapshot, oddly enough. So that leaves Ebon and Zha'Gho, and to be fair that's not as easy as moseying over to the AH and slapping down some gil. Hey waitaminute... More seriously, though, this is an okay piece for TP building due to the Snapshot, though the very same argument could be made for Hunter's Beret and it's Enhanced Rapid Shot ^^; If you're looking for a WS piece (looking at the AGI), I'd tell you to go with Anwig or Wyvern Helm instead. Haste and DEX are non-starters for RNG unless you're being a Kraken/M.Kris TP feeder. If that's the case, use a blasted Walahra Turban :E
Body: Aurore Doublet: STR+4, DEX+4, AGI+4, Acc+8, Racc+8, Eva+8, Double Attack+2%
Why on God's green earth are you subjecting our eyeballs to this for *these* stats? Not to sound elitist, but you can do better than this with even a little work (like getting your AF out of the coffer...) You can do *a lot* better than this with a bit more work than that. Let's take this stat by stat...
If you did ACP you'd get a body piece with STR, DEX, and AGI+5 before any augmenting. Though, with how prices have come down and the joke's on Kirin with the level cap going up, I'll go ahead and encourage you RNG out there not to settle for anything less than +10 for a WS piece. Even if that's outside your means, as I just pointed out ACP hands out +5 just for showing up, and RNG has a huge advantage in ACP. If you're a RNG you've prolly done the final fight at least a dozen times by now >.>; Trust me, just open up Wiki and look at body armors RNG can wear. You can do better.
My next bone to pick would be with the Acc and Racc. I have two points to make about this. The first is a not so gentle reminder that RNG gets Accuracy Bonus IV. That's +48 Acc / Racc. In other words, when doing your Racc load out you should keep in mind not to over Racc :x It caps at 95% and RNG gets a silly amount of cheap Racc gear. The other point I'd like to make is that if you got your AF out of the coffer you'd notice it has Racc+10 on it. And it's stylist IMO. There are a lot of Acc / Racc options on this slot including but not limited to: Pahluwan body, Kyudogi, and Mirke if you got those augments. In other words, stop blinding us FFS.
Evasion+8, unless you have a Kyudogi+1, this is the most Evasion on this slot. Though I'd also point out that you're a RNG, FFS. You have E evasion skill and the DEF of a wet paperbag. And Kyudogi has Evasion+7 >.> And looks sexier.
Double Attack+2%, unless you are one of the aforementioned Kraken/M.Kris RNGs, this stat shouldn't even enter the picture. It might be helpful when skilling up Axe or Dagger, but my eyes won't thank you D:
So, since I'm being an opinionated SOB, what would I recommend for this slot? It actually lends itself very well to macroing. I'd get the aforementioned Mirke with Snapshot and either Ratk or Racc as the second augment. That should be your TP building piece. Again, you could insert Scout's Jerkin here for the Rapid Shot bonus and make much the same justification as you could for Snapshot. Not that Snapshot and Rapid Shot are the same thing. (I'd rather have Snapshot personally.) But I'm trying to be equal opportunity delay/recast reduction here >.>; I'm usually carrying an Racc+10 body piece on me just in case (there are several, as I mentioned). I'd also recommend as WS body piece with emphasis on either AGI or STR. Preferably both. Thankfully, again, there are already several options.
Hands: Aurore Gloves: STR+4, AGI+4, Haste+2%
I suppose these are okay as a WS piece if you have access to absolutely nothing else. But let's pretend for a moment that Suzaku and Seiryu were like Kirin and missed the increase level cap memo >.> Scout's Bracers have AGI+5. Barbarossa's Moufles have Racc / Ratk +7, but dammit, everything I've listed is Rare/EX. What can you pick up off the AH? There's Deadeye Gloves for Racc+6. Sadly, this slot is a bit weaker in buyables, but totally worth the effort for Rare/EX. Just don't wear your AF gloves full time >.>; And get the +1 if you can for Enhanced Barrage :E
Legs: Aurore Brais: Acc+9, Racc+9, Haste+3%
This is another "It's okay, I guess" slot. RNG can get Racc +10 from Dusk, or Racc+7 from Scout's Braccae. If you desperately need Racc on the leg slot, this is a good place to get it. Buuuuuut, there are other, better, things you can get on the leg slot >.>; Desultor is a so-so starting point with AGI+2, but the augments are where it's at. You can pick up more Ratk or (even better) Barrage+1.
[brief off topic] Since Barrage is 6 projectiles @75. You can bounce that up to 8 with this augment and the Hunter's Bracers+1. Keep in mind that in any Barrage, if it doesn't tick you off and outright miss, you can fairly expect to lose 2 hits of it at any given time. With 8 potential hits and a 5-hit build you can do some RNG Meditate :3
The leg (and foot) slots with the use of Cobra / Enkidu's Subligar and footies, is where a lion's share of the Store TP will come from for a 5-hit build. But, Beanie, if I'm gonna talk Store TP, why not wear the entire Aurore set? Two reasons: 1, It's not enough (well, it is for Store TP since you need 8 if you're using the Store TP strap, Rajas, and /SAM, but go to point 2). 2, You're making some very hefty sacrifices in terms of STR, AGI, and Ratk to make that happen. What good is a 5-hit build if you hit like a kitten? In most situations, IMO, RNG has a greater need for fleshing out Ratk / STR than Racc / AGI. That's over-simplifying since AGI is a WS modifier, but there are much better places to dig up Store TP for a 5-hit build that won't gut your damage.[/off topic]
Anyhow, there are plenty of nice non-Racc leg options. A lot of RNG seem to like the Scout's Braccae, though I have yet to figure out why >.>; Pahluwan would give you STR+3, Acc+4, Racc+4 and would make a nice general / WS piece. (I use Barbarossa's Zerehs for that due to the STR+4, but that's not exactly reasonable.) Also on the unreasonable, but nice, list are Hachiryu Haidate for STR+10. Denali pants are AGI+3 and have Acc, Racc, Eva +3. If you were limited to AH only I'd tell you to look at War Brais (AGI+4/5), or reaching back to level 55 and look at the Salvars for the Racc, Ratk, Eva (+3/4). The really nice stuff does require effort, but it makes me die a little on the inside to devote this slot to Racc unless it's absolutely necessary.
Feet: Aurore Gaiters: DEX+5, Evasion+5, Haste+2%
Okay, this is the slot that makes me rage the most. Go look at your Hunter's Socks. Yes, I'm serious. Look familiar? Only with AGI (which is useful to RNG) instead of DEX and Haste (which aren't). Mmmmkay. Unless you're going for a Haste build to skill a melee weapon don't wear these freaking gaiters or I'll slap you, fool >:o This is your AF, only pink. PINK! /froths You people are killing me Dx
Now that I have that off my chest, AF is hardly the best piece for the slot. Beg your way into a Dynamis shell if you must, but get a pair of Scout's Socks. If that's unreasonable you can get some Gules Leggings off the AH. They're Ratk +8/9, Eva+5/6, Store TP+3/4, but Racc -5/6. As I've emphasized, that shouldn't be much of a deterrent considering all you're getting in return. Lithe boots have AGI+6 on them. Hachiryu have AGI+10, Eva+5, and I've seen them in bazaars for prices even I could afford (much like an Osode, floating between 1-2mil).
If you're a Mithra or Taru, go dig out your RSE 1 feet and use those. The STR on them is an upgrade for WS, trust me. I freely admit WTFing at Mithra RNG who get all excited at Rutter Sabotons (STR+3) at 67 when our RSE feet give us STR+3 at 29. Yes, Mithra get a really nice STR boost on that slot at 29. Don't knock it just because it's low level. If you're a Taru, Hume, or Elvaan look at your RSE 2 feet. Galka get no love here.
In a nutshell, I could go blue in the face pointing out all the *better* options for footwear on this slot. That's because Aurore Gaiters for RNG is such poop D: I didn't even point out Leaping / Bounding or anything dropped from Zilart this time! >.>
[/soapbox]
P3P: Wow, it's not the meat of the post this time >.>; I'm like a few days from getting Fuuka. I'm skilled at spoiling S.Links. Both Junpei and Rio are >:| at me right now =.= Just because I told Rio to grow a spine and Junpei to get his hand off my leg. Okay, not really, but that's what I was thinking >.>
Anoat > I wouldn't bother dropping any money on a Thew Bomblet, as the NM that drops it is pretty easy stuff for a group of 6-8 folks to handle, and his pop item is a very common drop from the nearby mandies. You'll definitely want to bring some TH4 action for the NM if you can, though. The first night we went out to kill it, our THF disconnected and we went 1/9 on drops :( Went back the other night with TH4 and we went 6/10 iirc. (10/07/20 10:56)
Beanie > If my tail actually went to Abyssea once in a while your advice might be reasonable. As it is, every Abyssea group I've looked at convienent meets while west coast folks are at work. Isn't that a kick in the shorts? And the Thew is down to under 800k last I looked. I suspect it'll continue to sink like a rock and I can pick one up at a later date. (10/07/27 02:13)
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