Any Good Non-Magian Swords For BLU Out There?

OP totally have enough time to make a STR sword though, he has 6 hour of play time a week.

The main problem is he has too many jobs and doesn't want to spend his 6 hour on grinding sword, would rather spend his 6hr on abyssea/VW.

And WoW isn't any better. It can be pretty hardcore and eat your time also.

That's a terrible suggestion. Not the WoW part exactly, suggesting someone quit this game just because they don't have a massive amount of time.

Never understood why people even do that. Not as if he just started playing yesterday and doesn't understand the timesink nature of the game. I just hate seeing people suggesting that someone quit the game, as if they know the person's situation better.
Plenty of reasons to not play this right now. Not having a Str Shikigar isn't one of them.

The fire path, for every weapon, is just awful. Planning my time around Firedays was possibly the least fun thing I've ever done here.
If you decide to work on that OP I really hope it works well for you and you can get it done in a decent amount of time.
There's nothing wrong with having Placeholder swords though you know. You obviously have to use something until you can get whatever is better. I don't see anything wrong with using Isador/Mageblade etc until you make some progress on magians. Because of a stupid mistake, I have to do that same thing.

Edit: How is 6 hours of playtime a week time enough to make a Str Shikigar, while actually doing anything else in the game? Having other jobs doesn't even seem to be to much of problem, you just could not do a thing but work on that sword all week.
Doesn't seem fun. 1,275 or so mobs to kill on Day alone, a max of 6 firedays to attempt it on.

lol...i'm just kidding...i'm not actually suggesting that the op should quit the game and i'm not going to tell some1 else how to enjoy themselves in the game...but i do think it's worth it to go out and work on a trial...like i said you dont need to do it all in a weekend.

Either do STR slowly while doing other stuff in game, or don't do other stuff in game for awhile and rush on finishing STR. It's not like other stuff in game is zomg fun, Aby/VW all killing same easy NM over and over with almost 0 variety and challenge, which is essentially the same as doing magian.


Having other job isn't the problem, but when you want to gear 10+ jobs, it's really hard to have enough time. You either have to half-*** 10+ jobs or pick one and work on it.

Because each day only lasts for 1 hour.
6 - 1 = 5.

So he's got 5 hours a week to do other stuff if he only dedicates to one firesday per week.

He'll be done in a month, maybe 2 if he had trouble with scheduling or can't get any help with flans.

Of course, if he doesn't know how to Charged Whisker, it might take him a year lol.

For reference, I started a fire dagger trial last week. I couldn't CW burn my way through the trials, so it took a lot longer, but I still got it done in 8 fire days, plus the 20-30 minutes that it takes to do the first 2 weather trials.

So say you're BLU is really bad and it takes you as long as it took my dancer to do fire dagger. And you only do one firesday per week. You're looking at about 2 months of INCREDIBLY casual time to get a Shamshir +1. Add 15 geodes for a Shamshir +2. Now you got yourself a weapon that's better than Isador and you can upgrade it as you get the money.

I actually find fire day trials to be pretty fun if I'm helping someone else because it gives me a chance to play with AoE which I don't do very often anymore. I'm not sure why it was such a pain for you. Perhaps you weren't using that calendar that I linked on the first page?

I mean, it's as simple as looking at the next 25 Firesdays and what time they actually start IRL. Then see if any of those times actually fit with your play schedule. One of them will (hopefully). So set yourself a little alarm.

Let's say you play between 6pm and 8pm EST. Well let's take a look here...

The next Firesday that fits that time frame is November 10th, 6:38pm to 7:36pm. Set an alarm about half an hour before that to give you time to swap jobs, swap gear, and get out to the right zone, and be ready to rock. Then have that alarm set to repeat on November 18th because that will be the next available time you can do it.

Yo' friend.

http://www.pyogenes.com/ffxi/timer/v2.html

Yeah...I always laugh when people use that argument these days considering it takes way less investment these days to get a decently geared character in XI than it does in WoW. WoW just feels less tedious because you're not restricted to just one corner of a small handful of areas in the entire game to upgrade your character.

Well, unless the only thing you ever do is your weekly dungeons.

And, just as a general statement and not necessarily for this case specifically, if someone has limited time to play the game, I'm not really going to expect them to actually schedule a specific playtime to grind a Firesday, even if it conveniently falls into his regular playtime. Well, depends on what kind of player they are I guess. I think a lot of veteran players tend to forget how all this stuff which is really routine to us just seems like a lot of work just to play a game.

I don't understand how WoW came into the conversation here, but to that suggestion: NO WAY IN HELL. Tried it once and after 30 mins I couldn't take it anymore.

Back to topic, my playing time is not that limited, lets say I can fairly play 2 hrs (sometimes more) a day and if I am lucky more during the weekends depending on the wife's agenda and kids events. The issue here is not that much about the time, but the usage I will give to it, based on my activities in the game. Contrary to some people here, I don't think the gear/weapons define a player, but how you play the job does it. Of course, there will be a difference in how much damage you can inflict and how durable you will be in battle, but again it depends on what you do in-game.

All that being said, it is clear to me now that there is no equivalent swords I can get from AH or NM drops, which was the answer I needed. In fact, since Friday I was able to get to trial 168 doing firesday kills. So, I guess I will get there slowly, because I am not chasing weather and will only do if I happen to be online at the right time.

Btw, is the wind (eva/agi) path/sword worth it? Just curious.

That statement couldn't be more incorrect. Almace completely changes the way the job is played, and it certainly defines the player. Changes you from a spell spam tp feeding trigger *** to a highly capable DD.

You wouldn't believe how many Almace BLUs I see spamming spells. The player makes the decision to change play styles not the gear. Also even without Almace the damage dealt from sword/ws can outweigh spell spam damage, it all depends on the target and the strategy being employed.

It's a fairly efficient choice if you evasion tank/solo things and doesn't take long to make since wind weather is (seasonally) plentiful.

I don't want to get into this argument here... To say that weapon changes how you play a job and defines a player is a little extreme to me and again, depends of what you do in-game. I am not saying your statement is BS, but I guess depends on how you look at things.

Using the two events you say you do.

chatoyant staff

Ideal weapon for charged whisker(only reason to play blu in abyssea) and for what people expect blu to do in VW.

/thread

Already have it :). As far as burns, I am still missing a couple of spells, gear and atmas which is why I was questioning taking time away from those activities to put it on trials.

Semi-related question, do you have to progress through all of the Voidwatch storyline quests to be able to fight Provenance Watcher, or can you just get the 3 key items and do it?

you need city clears
and jeuno clears to have access to enter the PW area.

Lol you made a couple of post telling everyone how you hate trials, then you ask about evasion sword? >.>

Eva sword is even less useful than STR. Most of the things I do on lv 99 BLU I can cap evasion without one. Maybe, if you want to eva tank meeble bosses you'd need one. Everything else it isn't really all that useful. It's faster to make than STR, but if you hate trials so much why bother?




I love it whenever player telling ppl that gear/weapons doesn't define the player, but only how you play does.

There are no such thing as play style in this game, FFXI is not art, if you want to mess with different style be an artist. Most of the things in this game is either better, or worse choice. And better choice always means more efficient, more successful, and vice versa. So whatever gives more efficient/successful result, that is better choice. It's a straight path, and that's just what FFXI is.

Everything in this game defines a player, including gear and how you play the job. You either get better gear, or get worse gear. And you either play the job better in given situations, or play the job worse. Having better or worse gear/play style is what defines the player. So it all come down on who is closer to the end on that straight path.

You can argue that it depend on what you do in game, sure. You can just fulltime a staff in VW/Abyssea and only proc, and completely ignore your output, and still get it done. But lacking options for more output or be more durable, is worse than having both options when those options are necessary, if that's what you mean by defining a player.



A lot of the weapons does change how job is played, by giving out more option to do other things you can't do previously. For example, Apoc gives DRK more self-sustain ability, Arma allows COR and RNG to deal huge chunk of magic dmg. Anni gives RNG option to deal dmg without pulling hate, and KC allow RNG to melee for TP really fast and an option to deal faster dmg in haste capped situations and so on. And it has effect on any event you do since you can use those option in every event(it's not like X event or Y event has a rule to stop you from using the weapon), it's not really just "I don't do this so it doesn't affect me" thing.

Does it define the player? It probably depends on how you look at things. Personally I think a player is defined by their performance in event, and having access to more options, and able to use those options wisely is a better player.

That's a lot of work, why would anyone suggest Sanus Ensis as an easily obtainable sword until you finish magian trials/Almace?

sanus ensis isn't remotely worth the trouble if you haven't already got PW access

Little late here I guess, but it was just rarely Fireday during my playtime.
While I was working on the sword(Before I dropped it...) Firedays were around 3pm/11pm/7am or something. Always after I logged on or right when I needed to log, or at a time I'd never actually play. Even knowing the days ahead of time wouldn't help much when I definitely couldn't play at the time.

Don't want to touch on that "Defines a player" part, but Almace really does completely change the way Blu is played. I didn't really believe that line before I finished mine, but I'm clearly seeing it now. Had little interaction with good Blu's that properly used the sword before(Pretty much just Tidis), but using it for myself, I can see that spell spamming just isn't an option compared to sword damage anymore.
Doesn't really depend on what you do in game. If you are ever meleeing during any of these events, Almace is a huge change.

Well, first of all sorry for the mini necro bump.

After all that was said here and with a week off from work, I was able to put some time into the STR Shikargar and a few days ago finished it. I have to say it was kinda fun to do it being honest. I had to spend some gil in geodes, but at the end it was worth it. The difference is too big compared to anything from AH, augmented firmaments or any other swords.

I also got Isador which I am using temporarily while I finish the second STR Shikargar. I was pretty lucky actually with Isador because it dropped at the first kill along with triplus dagger that I wanted too :)

I think 2 STR Shikargars will be the best I can do for now. Getting the items for Almace is just out of my possibilities time and gil wise.

Congrats Tamian, a wise decision

what you have to ask yourself is, how important is blu for you?
If it's one of your main jobs you must finish the Almace, because as people said it does change the way you play the job by a lot, and you need it to be decent on anything worthwhile.
If this is your case, making a second STR Shikargar it's pointless since it will be useless the day you finish your Almace.
If blu is a secondary job for you, honestly i'd stick with whatever off hand you got, in your case isador?, until i casualy get anything better. But i wouldn't do a second STR shikargar for a secondary job for the minimal improve it will provide to a job that will be subpar anyways, it's a waste of time/gil.

Also, depending on your playtime/mules/luck with firedays/help from people, etc... you could probably finish an Almace before or in a similar time of what it would take you to finish the other Shirkargar.

Anyways, if you finally decide to work in the Shikargar, i would go for the evasion one, at least it would still be usefull in some situations if you ever finish the Almace.

I agree, don't double up on the same magian if you can avoid it, make a wind and a str one as both will still be useful once you do aquire Almace. Making a second fire path sword means you will have a sword that has no use whatsoever once you get Almace.

I did double up on wind swords, but only because I was farming the rest of my geodes and those trials take no time while AoE burning in Waj. Woodlands for geodes. I left the second one as a shamshir +2 though.

If you insist on doubling up the str path, then just leave it as shamshir +2. the 4,400,000 you would spend on geodes could buy you 20 bri pops.

Heres a handy page I used to make weather hunting alot easier if you don't already have one:
http://ff11info.com/bazaar/en/weather.php

Isador (Aby NM)
Swiftwing (VW Aello)
Dhampyr (VW Ig Alima)
Mageblade (Aby NM)
Tryfing (Aby NM + some fishing)
Hofud (Odin. has MP/HP Drain and gives u HP5% w/ is "situational")

several ToM Sticks (ep burning)

Just to name a few i used pre Almace.

And yes, Almace is changing ur style if you want to maximize your output.

All good points... The gil situation alone would prevent me to get the Shikargar right now without spending some seriuos time farming and/or crafting. I thought about doing an Evasion one but I was following the suggestion made in the guide "The Beast Within – A Guide to Blue Mage" about the Fire path Shikargar:


Is this wrong?

Right now I don't do much besides abyssea. I haven't got the chance to clear all VW zones and I don't do any other 'endgame' stuff. As far as main jobs or how important they are, I would say that BLU is the one I have more fun with, but again this is mostly inside abyssea right now.

It isn't wrong, it's the best damage choice, but IF you ever do make an almace, then you wasted your time and gil making an offhand you'll likely never use again unless you are doing nothing but casting physical spells. As long as you're okay with that, then go for it.

I will suggest that you stay with your current swords then. But I would also suggest that you can SLOWLY build toward a future Almace as a long-term goal. Like maybe just try to kill one trial NM every other time you log in or something. I was in a very similar situation to you a couple years ago when Monk was the job I cared about the most. I thought to myself that Verethragna was an impossibility for me so I worked on a STR Magian H2H weapon and was finally able to complete it over the course of several weeks.
After a period of time, I was finally convinced that Verethragna was a possibility for me, so I decided to spend a little time on it here and there when I could.

I was working 12 hour shifts 4-5 days a week and so I must say that most of the initial trials objectives were completed while I was either asleep or at work. I would run out to do a trial before I went to sleep, usually find someone, or a group, who was camping the same NM and join their party. Then I would go to sleep, wake up, and check my trial status. If I wasn't finished with the trial, I would join the person(s) that was currently there and then leave for work. If I was finished, I would warp back, get the next trial, and try to join the person/party there before I left for work.

I spent most of my actual play time in Abyssea as well, and most of my afk time camping those NMs. Eventually I got to the Voidwalker trials and I was able to get my Linkshell/friends to help me complete those very quickly. I then did some research on Chloris and for a time, I actually decided to give up on an Empyrean. That trial is much much more time consuming than the Briareus trial. However, after a few months I was actually able to finally complete it. During that time, I was able to gather a lot of Ulhuadshi fangs as well through farming Coins of Vision for myself and several different friends. So eventually I was able to complete my first Empyrean. Overall it took me about 5 or 6 months and I can honestly say it was one of my biggest in-game accomplishments.

P.S. Eventually quit that real life job. I do NOT suggest 12-hour shift work to anyone lol.

*edit* TL;DR - stay with your current swords until you get an Almace.

Basically what sekundes said was my point.

Also, there are alternative ways to do things, you just need patience and find the most efficient way to do it based on your time schedule, but basically, on this game almost everything is buyable.
With just 2 hours of playtime a day you can do dynamis and get at least 1M per day, you should be able to get way more than this once you get better. In 25 days doing this you would have 25M+, and with that you can buy your 50 briareus helms and your 50 sobek skins for 250k each one. Even if you play less than 2 hours a day or you have to pay more than 250k each piece, just add more days to the ecuation, but as you can see it's at your reach if you really want to go for it.

Now the question again is, how important is blu for you? Are you willing to do the sacrifice? :p

Edit: Also, abyssea is a fun place to enjoy zorroing stuff