Pimp My Monk

Posted on June 27, 2008 by | 3 comments

Before I went to bed last night, I checked out the latest TTTO postings and came across this post in Ringthree’s Blog (Odin Server). It got me thinking more about what I was already thinking about — changing my gear choices around to get a better result.

It also convinced me that your gear choices are about 10% having the gear, 90% knowing how to use it correctly.

Well I’ve got a lot of the gear, and I’ve been swapping pieces around every couple runs to try out some different things. Its helping in some places, and hurting in others. What I’m going to ask for is some suggestions for 1) Relatively easy to obtain upgrades and 2) Ways to use existing items better or more efficiently. I find that making a list of things to improve benefits me more than just buying random things and putting it all together. This list format worked very well for my monk chi blast gear and thief dynamis pulling evasion gear, so I’m trying it again.

Current TP gear/what I have available in mog or on a mule:

Main: Destroyers
Head: Wally Turban/Optical Hat

    Available: Genbu’s Kabutto, AFv1+1, AFv2. None of these are real options

Neck: Chiv Chain

    I don’t have much else available, saving up for a PCC. Trying to get a Sea group together for Faith Torque

Ears: Brutal and Merman’s

    Have a second Merman’s on a mule. Should have Ethereal this weekend.

Body: I’ve been trying out a Kirin’s Osode recently

    As much as I like the Osode, something has felt a bit off since the ‘zomg I’m in an osode’ feeling wore off. I can hit higher max damage on WS though. Genome swears by the osode, Ringthree prefers the shura togi. I’m becoming curious as to how the togi performs and starting to wish I hadn’t passed on it to try to get an osode. Other than osode, I have scorp harness and the P Body from assault available.

Rings: I keep Rajas and Ulthiums on full time.

    I do have a sniper’s ring, but I like my rajas a lot. I guess I’ll have to try it and see if I like it. Worked so hard for the Rajas that I don’t want to just replace it. It is something to think about I guess.

Back: Amemet Mantle +1

    For special times I also have a Melee Cape. I don’t see the benefit a Forager’s would give me to justify the price.

Waist: Brown Belt

    Have a Life Belt available though.

Hands: AFv2

    Hoping to get AFv2+1 sometime, otherwise the only upgrade I would go for would be the kote Tiamat drops.

Legs: Byakko’s Haidate
Feet: Dune boots

WS (Asuran)

Main: Destroyers
Ranged: Shut up, I know… need me a smert garnede.
Head: Optical Hat
Neck: Chiv Chain
Earrings: Merman’s x2
Body: Osode
Rings: Rajas and Ulthiums
Waist: Brown Belt
Back: Amemet +1
Hands: AFv2
Legs: Haidate
Feet: Dune for DK, Otherwise AFv2 (dex +4 better than nothing)

I know there is room for improvement, there is not much in the way of gear swaps at all. This is just what I’m currently using, so it presents itself as a starting point.

What I’m not including is special sets — like my chi blast gear (see my page on the side) and my ‘decent enough so you don’t blink and die to Dynamis Lord’ set.

As I said in the beginning, 10% obtaining, 90% knowing how to use it all. I’ve got a decent selection of gears, I just need to use it all more effectively.

Also, I’m stuck at work for at least another hour or two. Its 7pm on a Friday. And I’m already well over my 40 hours for the week. Kill. Me. Now.

3 Comments

Posted in FFXI

Tagged , ,

Blizzard’s Idea of Account Security

Posted on June 27, 2008 by | Leave a comment

And it blows away SE’s.

See here: http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?articleId=24660&rhtml=true

It is a small token you carry with a number that changes every 60 seconds. It has a code which is required to log-on.

Since the number is not predictable, and it changes every 60 seconds, a keylogger is useless (unless the data is transmitted, then used very quickly). Even if you get key logged, the number is not valid long enough to be useful. And this too can be prevented by simply not allowing a number to be used twice (common with the RSA keychain device).

For a 1-time fee to ensure your account is safe and cannot be hijacked, I say its a fantastic idea. SE should take note and then implement something like this. I would pay the $6.50 in a second for one.

edit: I read this wrong (Lurn 2 reed) — the number doesn’t change every 60 seconds, it just generates a new number when you press a button on the device. And each number is only good once (very good!). Still, unless the next number becomes predictable, it adds a new layer of security. On the surface, this looks more like the keychains that unlock your car. Every time you hit a button on your keychain, it sends a command with a unique encryption key which is never used again. The car has already figured out what the next 50-100 keys will be, and expects one of them. The reason it guesses more is because people will press the button looking for the car or a button gets pressed in your pocket. The car only needs to see one of the 50-100 (maybe more now) to keep the keychain authenticated.

For those who don’t know, there are 3 forms of identification. The more you have, the more secure (in theory) something is. They are, something you know (a password), something you have (a token like this), and something you are (fingerprint/iris scanner). The theory is, that even if you have your password stolen, it is useless without the token. And if you just lose the token, the account is useless without the password too.

Leave a comment

Posted in Administrative, FFXI

Tagged , ,

Today’s Ethical Questions

Posted on June 25, 2008 by | 4 comments

My neighbor is out for a couple weeks and has asked me to pick up his mail.

He received a movie from NetFlix.  Would it be unethical for me to look at the title of the movie?

What about to watch it if it is a movie I would like to see?

The movie is “Dan in Reel Life”.  Does this change your feelings about either of your answers?

 

In other news, a supermarket near where I like to have lunch decided to tow people who park there and do not go inside.  It was done out of spite because they told the place next door that their parking lot would not be large enough.

The supermarket’s parking lot is never even close to half full, so parking there does not block an actual customer.  Also, those parking there for lunch park in the spaces furthest from the supermarket itself.  The few times I have actually gone inside (mostly because it was close to where I went for lunch) the store was empty.

Today, they were threatening to tow everyone.  So, I went inside and found the cheapest item I could possibly use.  It was a container of Tic Tacs, 85cents plus 2cents tax.  I charged an 87cent item for spite.  Credit cards take 25cents per transaction plus 5% of the overall sales, meaning they would take 29cents out of the sale, leaving the supermarket with a sale of 56cents to cover cost of the item, plus keeping it there, plus expenses.  Was that wrong?

If I say it was a Safeway supermarket, does that change your feelings?

4 Comments

Posted in Random Thoughts, Real Life

Tagged , ,

Odd Gear Choices (edited)

Posted on June 24, 2008 by | Leave a comment

So I’m not normally one to give people a hard time about the gear they choose to wear.

I’m sure I’ve worn some absolute crap over the years, either because I thought it was good or just didn’t know any better.  But these people should know better.  Then I saw a thread on BG and couldn’t stop laughing.  So I’ve decided to share my pictures of ‘odd’ gear choices.

This first is from a while ago, and while I can respect that they probably sold everything they had to buy the drops, this just makes me sad every time I see it.

(names and linkshell names have been removed, as have references to which server it was)

mnk

A black belt, and a NQ Amemet, NQ Vendor’s Slops, and a Pixie Earring.  The second ring was a sun ring.  Their title was “Black Belt”, so I have to assume its new.

<edit removed>

<edit removed>

And finally, my favorite ‘odd’ choice for gear of all time.

drg

Its a flame ri… oh wow.  Why would anyone actually use one of those for (of all things) sky farming.  At level 70, you need all the advantages you can get, and he is wasting both ring slots with two of these rings that I had never seen before.

The lack of a strap is expected, this screenshot predates straps by about 5 months.

And its time for sleep.  Way too tired, but dying laughing.

(This is an edited version of its former self.  I took off two of the pictures because it was the right thing to do.  The two that remain are well over a year old and those people have presumably learned by now).

Leave a comment

Posted in FFXI, Random Thoughts

Tagged ,

This New Found Popularity is a Bit Perplexing

Posted on June 18, 2008 by | 2 comments

I went to view my stats page today and I saw this.

blog_stats

I’ve added the value to the two peaks just to show why I’m confused.

If you look at the long running trends, I rarely break 50 views in a day.  But for some reason wholly unknown to me, I have this new found popularity.  I’m not really sure why, I’m not that great of a writer and there has to be more exciting writers out there.

The big peak is on 6/10, the day of the big patch (WordPress stats start at midnight GMT, and I made a post around 6pm EST, or 11pm GMT).  I listed some of the equipment from the patch on a page, and traffic just spiked.

Ok cool, I can deal, and I can understand this one.

Including 6/9 (day before), my hits per day go 52, 254, 72, 33, 24, 23, 25, 38, 69, 179, bringing us to midnight GMT today.  Considering that before 6/9 my highest hits per day was 54, I’m sure you can see why I find this odd.  4 days in the last 10 days are my highest 4 days since I started this blog April 2007, with one more day being nearly my highest.  Looking at what was clicked on, some of these visitors went as far back as last September.  Many of my search hit terms are not even related to the current items (in reality, most of the hits are related to people trying to figure out how campaign exp is calculated towards your rank up.  The answer here is that no one really knows).

So I’m going to ask, what did I do to deserve this?  A math and computer science major from a small liberal arts college in Pennsylvania (Ursinus College) working as a systems admin does not make a good writer.

Oh well, time for Limbus.

2 Comments

Posted in FFXI, Random Thoughts

Tagged ,

I Guess This is Maturity or Something

Posted on June 17, 2008 by | 3 comments

Its an odd thing really.  Aside from the storyline, I find I enjoy thinking about playing FF much more than I enjoy actually playing it.  It might be time for a break from the game.  Its becoming more frustrating than rewarding in many ways.  Maybe I should just take July off.  That actually just sounds really nice.  Maybe stay away from the game except for Limbus and Dynamis.  Sounds so nice.

3 Comments

Posted in FFXI, Random Thoughts

Tagged ,

New Missions — Gay Dancers and Half Breeds

Posted on June 17, 2008 by | 3 comments

I’m all about trying to keep up with the missions for this expansion.  In the past, I always fell behind quickly.  Now, after 7 months, I’m still caught up, which isn’t too bad.

Anyways…

New Mission!

Apparently you have to go into the present to get a ticket for the past.

But I got a golden ticket….

golden_ticket

Then you hand it to the new CS NPC, who is a flaming dancer.

gay_dnc

Who doesn’t accept it.  Then you get saved by that elf again.  I like him, but, he’s an elf, and elves are just gross.

saved_by_elf

So anyways, there is this performing group.  The lead is this half-elf, half-hume.

jp_dance

And she couldn’t be any more JP in her movements.

jp_dance2

On the upside, whoever is scripting the movements has gained a lot of skill since the original game was released.  The movements are much better, on par with the rest of the WotG CSs.

So the elf who saves you has to go rally the troupes.  I know this because they all hold their swords high, like they are about to do something.

killin_stuff

But they are elves, so they don’t end up doing much more than this…

The half elf looks like she wanted to go.

pouting

smirk

iwannago

Look at that pout.  Reminds me of my younger siblings when they were 8.

So you run off to whatever Davoi is called in the past.  But someone left the oven on.

someoneleftthestoveon

And stuff is burning.

fire

Then, for some reason, you fight a dragon.

dragon

It is a very easy fight.  Only took me 8 1/2 minutes, and was followed by a 10 minute CS.

Which has some fomor-type elves in red mage AF recolored blue.

blueredmage

They give the half elf a lesson in possible futures.

 history

burnsandy

In which sandy burns.

The oddest part about this is that I was just watching Farscape, season 4, which covers a lot of the theory of possible futures and possible realities.

Then she wakes up.

wokeup

Anyways, that’s it for the storyline.  It ends with this CS.  See you again in 4 months story.

As to this elf–

She is so creepy.  It is the most realistic character that has been added, so while she takes advantage of the last 6 years of technology, she doesn’t quite fit in the lower-polygon count world we all love and waste our lives in.

Once again

CR

creapy1

EE

creapy2

PY

creapy3

Creepy!

Oh, and for another reason yet to be shown, there is more than on Cait Sith.

multicat

multicat2

Its like herding cats.

Since I call CoP, CSoP, I’m hereby coining the name — Wings of the Cut Scene.  It fits, since 90% of what there is is Cut Scenes.  Don’t get me wrong, I like CSs and story, but I like making fun of things even more.

-pyra

3 Comments

Posted in FFXI, Missions

Tagged , ,

Playing around with Footwork

Posted on June 16, 2008 by | 2 comments

  As many of those who read know, I usually go as a monk to the Dynamis Lord fight.

At the last run, one of the leaders said to try footwork.

footwork2

The first one is at 300% tp, the second around 120% tp.  I’m impressed.  Especially considering that a Soul Eater-ed Dragon Kick only gets me about 650 damage (at full health).

For normal dynamis and limbus, I wouldn’t use footwork much.  The slow delay means I get 1 or maybe 2 hits in per monster.  In city dyanmis, I only get 3-5 hits per normal monster as it is, footwork would lower that too much.  But for a big WS every so often, or the start of a fight like DL (or any HNM for that matter), footwork is a nice boost in damage without soul eater.

I do agree though, stacking footwork with hundred fists would be completely broken.  Footwork kicks do more damage than a normal kick (even with dune boots) by about 40-50%.  It would be so broken it wouldn’t even be funny.

2 Comments

Posted in Dynamis, FFXI, KillerInstinct

Tagged , , ,

Fix for the High Speed Glitch

Posted on June 11, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Really quickly because I’m about to pass out.  If you suffer from the double speed glitch, here’s how to fix it.

Open task manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC).
Go to the Processes Tab.
While running Playonline, find pol.exe.
Right click, choose the bottom option “Set Affinity…”.
Uncheck all but one CPU.
This worked for me, it returned my game to normal speed. I’m on an AMD Athlon 64 X2, 4400+. Hope it helps someone.

 

pol_fix

-pyra

Leave a comment

Posted in FFXI

Tagged ,

Go Here

Posted on June 10, 2008 by | Leave a comment

This will answer the questions about the new NM system.

http://www.bluegartrls.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=34658&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

I read teh google hits. This is all that is known, but it looks like a tiered system (again) with everything being a popped NM. When you pop a first tier NM, there is a 100% drop which you trade back to the main NPC for all of this. When you trade it, you get a key item that lets you buy a pop item for a second tier, etc.

I’m going to stay cautiously optimistic about these being an ‘obtainable’ series of gear items. Unlike, oh, say limbo, where Omega has decided to drop 1 Body in the past year….

Leave a comment

Posted in FFXI

Tagged ,