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Ninian's Guide to Chocobo Raising v2
Cerberus.Dekar
Server: Cerberus
Game: FFXI
Posts: 349
By Cerberus.Dekar 2026-04-02 09:34:37
Pardon my ingorance, but I'm having issues getting this one working. It states in the lua that I need logger and coroutine to run this. I have logger, but to be honest, I'm not really sure what it means by coroutine.sleep. I did a brief google search and found some posts on the windower forum but I'm left confused as to what I'm looking at.
Bahamut.Zedoma
Server: Bahamut
Game: FFXI
Posts: 146
By Bahamut.Zedoma 2026-04-02 11:01:31
Is this just with fast cutscene blazing through all the menus or...? 32 races in 4 minutes is way too fast. Is this version on your github the one you beta tested? or something else entirely. I wouldn't mind waiting for the full release if its going to be cleaned up and less troublesome on the backend for example. Maybe you could explain how it possibly does so many in such a short time as Ranoutofspace was suggesting, that sounds a bit crazy Freeruns uses packets to skip the menus and npc dialogue/cut scenes and does not function like ChocoRace with is more like a script for automating the menus prompts. Sorry Dekar can't assist as I never used the addon.
I guess I'm half way. At what point would you suggest starting the races? I would suggest switching to Delivering Messages already until STR is capped, typically occurs around day 50-55 then switch to Digging for Treasure on the remaining days before 65, you can start racing once STR is in the ~150 range.
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Asura.Nolano
Server: Asura
Game: FFXI
Posts: 39
By Asura.Nolano 2026-04-02 11:04:19
Freeruns uses packets to skip the menus and npc dialogue/cut scenes and does not function like ChocoRace with is more like a script for automating the menus prompts. Sorry Dekar can't assist as I never used the addon.
this hype train is getting to never before seen levels
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Cerberus.Dekar
Server: Cerberus
Game: FFXI
Posts: 349
By Cerberus.Dekar 2026-04-02 12:17:14
Your win rate for Free Races really shows me how far behind my Chocobo is. I had no idea you could get First place that many times in a row. I might just rush my next Chocobo so I can start building up Chocobucks as fast as that.
By Kayte 2026-04-02 13:07:51
Sorry guys, I know you're looking forward to my addon, and I'd love to get it out, but I'm still waiting on the Windower team to merge dev to live to get the changes in. To answer a few questions:
Essentially, the addon recreates the menu event VM packet flow that a player generates when going through the free runs menu series. This lets you avoid the client delays when selecting options and pretty much just march through all the packet series in order. The game already gives you the option to skip the race cutscene, and that is used.
It takes roughly about 5-10 seconds to complete one "run" this way, depending on if you use things like PacketFlow and whether or not you want to use an item (which needs to be selected before each run, adding two more menu options). The addon currently runs them in sets of 8, so about a minute or so on average for me.
For those unaware of how free run cycles work, there's basically a repeating cycle of 8 sets of birds that show up on your run. There's three "super birds", one from each nation, who actually have capped stats and Gallop + Canter, and are generally the only challenge for a properly statted racing bird.
For five races, you will have one of these super birds, and six NPCs of varying weakness levels as your opponents. For the next two, you'll have six weak birds with no super birds at all. And for the last one, you'll get all three super birds in the same race. Everyone seems to start at a different "offset" into this cycle, so your first free run ever might be one of the weak races, or the one with all three super birds, etc. You can really only figure out where you are in the cycle by checking your opponents manually before a race.
Without using speed apples, you generally will beat a super bird about 50% of the time. So that means for five races you'll either be 1st or 2nd, two races you'll always be first, and the last you can be somewhere between 1st and 4th. Using a speed apple, the odds of beating them is upped to maybe 75-80% or so? But it's up to you to measure the gil cost vs the chocobucks earned.
My addon allows you to specify if you want to use speed apples on specific races in the series, so you can decide if you want to never use them, use them only on the hard race, on all races with super birds, etc. But you'll have to determine which races are which, or run single runs to align it however you want.
I don't really do free runs any more, but when I did, I usually only used apples on the hard race, and I'd get between 26 and 40 chocobucks per set of 8. I'd usually do 2-3 sets per day, depending how desperately I needed trains. Once you pass 3 sets you're spending more than the AH cost for trains tend to be (assuming they're around 100k).
Example time from me:
Server: Asura
Game: FFXI
Posts: 848
By Asura.Dexprozius 2026-04-02 17:08:37
Quote: Asura.Dexprozius said: »
I guess I'm half way. At what point would you suggest starting the races? I would suggest switching to Delivering Messages already until STR is capped, typically occurs around day 50-55 then switch to Digging for Treasure on the remaining days before 65, you can start racing once STR is in the ~150 range.
I'm assuming this is just to get racing sooner. Should I start jamming STR Chocotrains too while i'm delivering?
My understanding is that prior to day 64 you get the full benefit, and after its only +2(?)
By Kayte 2026-04-02 18:08:54
That's incorrect. "Race Chocotrains" will always give you +5 to a stat but can only be used pre-retirement. For the first three stats that align to 2s, you'll either get +4 or +6 per use. RCP will get a flat +5. Technically, you should just buy the stat training directly from the NPC, it's 10 bucks cheaper each if you do.
It's the "Chocotrain" ones that will only get +2 to a stat, but those are only usable once you've retired the bird. You can do that as soon as day 30, but as late as day 128 (when it happens automatically). Day 64 is just when you stop getting stat gains from daily plans and such.
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Server: Asura
Game: FFXI
Posts: 848
By Asura.Dexprozius 2026-04-02 22:06:31
That's incorrect. "Race Chocotrains" will always give you +5 to a stat but can only be used pre-retirement. For the first three stats that align to 2s, you'll either get +4 or +6 per use. RCP will get a flat +5. Technically, you should just buy the stat training directly from the NPC, it's 10 bucks cheaper each if you do.
It's the "Chocotrain" ones that will only get +2 to a stat, but those are only usable once you've retired the bird. You can do that as soon as day 30, but as late as day 128 (when it happens automatically). Day 64 is just when you stop getting stat gains from daily plans and such.
Ahh ok. So dont bother with Chocotrains until after 64 and just focus on daily plans for maximum benefit.
Do you agree with Zedoma that I should pivot to STR now that i'm A DSC? I'm guessing that's advice simply to get racing sooner, which makes total sense.
I was planning to get DSC to 224/226 then pivot to STR chocotrains and carrying messages, but ultimately it's the same thing just different chocotrains to achieve the final end result right?
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Rereading all my notes and stuff, i simply got mixxed up and thought retirement was day 64. So knowing all this now, Retirmenet means it's done done, no more new stats. Basically my LAST few days will be wiggling the stats up and down to my final desired #'s and then retiring it to snapshot it in place.
I'm still aiming for the 254/32/226/128 that you had suggested to me a month or so ago so I can be SS/D/S/B with the saddle
Bahamut.Zedoma
Server: Bahamut
Game: FFXI
Posts: 146
By Bahamut.Zedoma 2026-04-02 23:11:00
If you have Race tokens or bucks for chocotrains from the npc use them. That's how you go about power level raising a bird quickly. Feed all the Race:tokens you can except for END. Non race tokens are used to tweak stats once a chocobo is retired.
Kayte agrees with me, as she raised the majority of her birds based on my findings. Kayte and I have raised perfect DNA birds of each color on Bahamut.
You want to go STR plans on day 31 so you can start Free Racing as soon as possible to farm chocobucks. Around 150 STR you can start to win some races or 2nd place the bulk of them.
Plans ability to alter stats ends on day 64 not retirement. Retirement is when you select the option or day 120. Non race tokens will then function to modify stats +2 per token. This is where you "wiggle the stats" as you put it.
By Ranoutofspace 2026-04-03 03:09:15
Also as long as you don't talk to the NPC for raising, it won't auto retire, so you can continue to use the better chocotrains.
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By Felgarr 2026-04-03 12:55:05
I have a question about Racing progression. What's the difference between the C4/C3/etc races and the "Official Races" called: Novice Race 1/2/3, Challenge/International Races?
Which ones do I need to complete title for the Vorseal?
Edit: I signed up for a C4 race for the first time, and I can see my bird's stats here, if you don't use the Windower addon. Anyway, it's kind of funny you have to go to this length to see your bird's stats ...and not from the NPC helping you raise it?
Edit again: I found the page with the answer: https://ffxiclopedia.fandom.com/wiki/Chocobo_Racing_Guide#Official_Race ..I was so caught up in Raising guides, that I didn't think to check old wiki for racing guide.
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By Felgarr 2026-04-04 20:49:30
When my bird automatically retires at day 129, can I no longer do Free Runs to earn chocobucks? do I have to build a new choco at that point?
By lildheyose 2026-04-04 21:25:29
if by free run do u mean the one that costs 100 200 300 etc no u can keep doing them mine retired @ day 70 and i do those daily
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By Felgarr 2026-04-04 23:47:57
if by free run do u mean the one that costs 100 200 300 etc no u can keep doing them mine retired @ day 70 and i do those daily
Much appreciated! Thank you!
Cerberus.Echohawk
Server: Cerberus
Game: FFXI
Posts: 136
By Cerberus.Echohawk 2026-04-05 10:34:03
I'm on day 54 and havent encountered Brutus enough to get the Canter chocobo story (curious chocobo). Its my understanding that receptivity may affect npc encounters and that abilities are harder to learn later on. Is there a point pre-retirement where I get locked out of learning abilities? My RCP is falling but likely wont get floored before capping str or hitting day 62. Would it be worth starting RCP early to increase the encounter rate or is this bad info? DSC is better than average so it shouldnt be a barrier
Bahamut.Zedoma
Server: Bahamut
Game: FFXI
Posts: 146
By Bahamut.Zedoma 2026-04-05 12:36:10
Cerberus.Echohawk said: »Is there a point pre-retirement where I get locked out of learning abilities? Nope, just recently confirmed by Kayte in fact.
Do you have access to Hi-elixirs? Can feed up to 3 per day on empty stomach which really helps in running into Brutus.
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Cerberus.Echohawk
Server: Cerberus
Game: FFXI
Posts: 136
By Cerberus.Echohawk 2026-04-05 12:52:08
Cool I can be patient. Ive been campimg the checking the ah for those things to fix my affection on some of my birds (I forgot to check on them). But I'll keep doing it to spam walk. The dumb leaf is not something I want to grow
By LightningHelix 2026-04-06 07:28:21
Fellow sickos: I'm real bad at packets. Could anyone take a crack at modifying Ivaar's chococard so that you can get the stats from checking on your chocobo while you're raising it?
That way you can see exact numbers before it's old enough to get a card! It's not completely useless.
(The real underlying purpose here is that you'd also be able to see its genetics, and therefore its color, when it's still young enough to Parasite Worm them... which I believe works based on some offhanded references on ffxiclopedia?)
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Server: Asura
Game: FFXI
Posts: 848
By Asura.Dexprozius 2026-04-06 23:02:33
So question:
I have to leave on a trip in a couple days.
I believe I'll miss days 43-49 of care for my chocobo, mainly observing/walking/Feeding
Am I screwed?
Obviously it'll follow my laid out care plan... but I'm skeptical things will go well
Asura.Nolano
Server: Asura
Game: FFXI
Posts: 39
By Asura.Nolano 2026-04-07 09:15:36
Do you have access to Hi-elixirs? Can feed up to 3 per day on empty stomach which really helps in running into Brutus.
is this true? trying to trade hi-elixer to Hantileon and he acts like nothing happened.
Valefor.Philemon
Server: Valefor
Game: FFXI
Posts: 687
By Valefor.Philemon 2026-04-07 09:36:58
Fellow sickos: I'm real bad at packets. Could anyone take a crack at modifying Ivaar's chococard so that you can get the stats from checking on your chocobo while you're raising it?
That way you can see exact numbers before it's old enough to get a card! It's not completely useless.
(The real underlying purpose here is that you'd also be able to see its genetics, and therefore its color, when it's still young enough to Parasite Worm them... which I believe works based on some offhanded references on ffxiclopedia?) So chococard works on eggs, provided that they are bred and not an egg you bought. Obviously the egg won't have any stats, but it'll tell you what ability it has plus the color genetics. If you're already raising your bird then that's not going to help you though.
Bahamut.Zedoma
Server: Bahamut
Game: FFXI
Posts: 146
By Bahamut.Zedoma 2026-04-07 09:38:44
Sorry I meant these: hi-chocolixir
Dex I would recommend switching to Basic Care on those 6 days you will be unable to check in. The adult plans hit affection pretty hard and a full week without feeding to counter could cause a run away.
By LightningHelix 2026-04-07 10:13:02
Fellow sickos: I'm real bad at packets. Could anyone take a crack at modifying Ivaar's chococard so that you can get the stats from checking on your chocobo while you're raising it?
That way you can see exact numbers before it's old enough to get a card! It's not completely useless.
(The real underlying purpose here is that you'd also be able to see its genetics, and therefore its color, when it's still young enough to Parasite Worm them... which I believe works based on some offhanded references on ffxiclopedia?) So chococard works on eggs, provided that they are bred and not an egg you bought. Obviously the egg won't have any stats, but it'll tell you what ability it has plus the color genetics. If you're already raising your bird then that's not going to help you though. And I am already raising my bird, so uh... yeah.
By Phex 2026-04-07 10:18:19
Thank you, for sharing the lua! May i ask about the readme? I cant see it at:
https://github.com/Manque596/FFXI/blob/main/ChocoRace.lua
Thank you in advance.
Server: Phoenix
Game: FFXI
Posts: 300
By Phoenix.Gavroches 2026-04-08 17:24:47
Like many making my bird. Like dex, I’m going away for 10 days, days 42 to 52, so pretty much screw. If I understand correctly, it stop leveling up stat at day 64, so far each message delivered give my bird 4 STR, a lucky kamp kweh is 2. So gonna need a lot of Choco card…. But I am gonna play lottery with keeping delivering message, because day 52 is just too late to reconvene. Even with a bird not running away, it can’t make it by day 64 to cap, not sure I understand the better way
Bismarck.Johnb
Server: Bismarck
Game: FFXI
Posts: 260
By Bismarck.Johnb 2026-04-08 23:13:20
Any idea why Mythril Saddle is not showing up for me on C4 signup? It used to before the update, but even though San D'Oria is Dominant and in first-place, not showing. Is it a bug or something?
Bahamut.Zedoma
Server: Bahamut
Game: FFXI
Posts: 146
By Bahamut.Zedoma 2026-04-08 23:35:57
Means Sandy's racing team was not in first place last Sunday on tally.
Bismarck.Johnb
Server: Bismarck
Game: FFXI
Posts: 260
By Bismarck.Johnb 2026-04-08 23:44:57
Means Sandy's racing team was not in first place last Sunday on tally.
Maintenance resets it? So I have to wait until Sunday for it to update?
Bahamut.Zedoma
Server: Bahamut
Game: FFXI
Posts: 146
By Bahamut.Zedoma 2026-04-09 00:26:39
Not maintenance but Sunday tally. Access to 1st place saddles and 1st place chocobuck items are based on race team rankings from the previous week and not the current week.
By Phex 2026-04-09 15:48:39
Is there a secret or key for Brutus to show up? Trying for many days now (including using multiple Chocolixirs each day) but nothing. I have the choco-whistle so no more cs looking for something on the bridge (long walk).
Advice would be appreciated.
This guide is a compilation of things I've learned over the course of researching Chocobos. Many insights were gained through FFXIclopedia, JPWiki, and my own personal experiences. This guide is a work in progress, and should be treated as such. I will do my best to update the sections regularly.
Since this guide is a remake, you may view the old thread here.
Last Major Update: 8/24/2012
Last Minor Update: 7/22/2025
There’s a lot of new discoveries and I haven’t learned it all yet. Also all of the images I posted in the before times are broken, and probably not worth replacing because they’ll just break again in another 10 years. I’ll try to think of an alternative.
What kind of Chocobo?
Before you continue reading this guide, you must ask yourself what kind of chocobo do you want?
Racer
A Racing Chocobo is what's going to net you the coveted chocobo pullus torque and Crystal Stakes gold cup. It also has the potential to earn you ~100k a day, and more if you place successful bets on your bird. However, I must warn you that these chocobos are very expensive to raise properly, and require a lot of care.
Digger
These chocobos are adept at finding things in the ground all over Vana'diel. It's classified as a craft, and as thus must be treated as such. It will cost a decent chunk of gil to raise your digging skill to max level, and there's a cap to how much you can dig per RL day(and how much you can dig in an area per game day) making the process very tedious. You can have the greatest digger in the world, but if you don't have the digging skill to back it up, you're not going to get very far.
Summonable Mount
These chocobos sole purpose in life is to make it easier for you to get around. Because they don't require much in the way of expenses, they're very easy to raise. Note that you can use any of the aforementioned chocobos as a suitable mount, but their top speed and riding duration depends on STR and END stats, and the abilities Gallop and Canter. Keep in mind your chocobo will only be as fast as a rental, unfortunately, never faster.
Breeder
These chocobos are created with the intent to have parents to create a whole generation of chocobos. They will be the color you desire, and have very high receptivity to pass on the traits you wish for your future chocobos. I find these useful only if you're having a hard time finding people on your server with C+ Receptivity, with the Color/Abilities you wish your future chocobos to possess.
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