Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

[Feba]

Why does FFXI have so many items that serve almost no, or very little, purpose?

Items such as Stumbling Sandles, Spelunker's Hat, Octave Club, Cactuar Needle, and Doll Gizmo? Items that seem to not be ingredients in a reciepe, give anywhere near useful stats, or even equipment that does nothing but give the user negative stats?

Also, why is the NM Black Triple Stars (from Rolanberry Fields) in game?

Are these supposed to be in-jokes, or even pranks against players? Or do they have purposes that haven't been discovered yet, despite numerous tests by players?

SE has stated in the past that they occasionally add in things, so they have room to expand, even if they don't know exactly what they will use it for. This can be seen in the Webs in Promyvions, the Large Apparatus on the right of the Hall of Transference, and the infamous Green Teleporters in sky. This can also be seen in places such as Gusgen mines, before COP release, where there was a group of rocks blocking off an obvious zone line, or even areas still existing as apperent future zonelines, in I believe Batallia and La Theine.

While this makes sense for areas, which require more modification to make useful, why are items and monsters such as this added? Things like the Strange Apparatus and Scrawled Writings had a use when they were added, although it was not apparent *how* to use it it was known that they *could* be used.

[Gobo]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Spelunkers Hat and Taisaijin (its NM) are a pure joke by S-E. Think of it as a fan service from S-E. If you don't know the story, when Refresh was first introduced in to the game (Same patch RDMs got a complete overhaul I think) there was a rumor that Refresh was dropped by Taisai in Ranguemont Pass. Thus, Taisai were farmed to death, though obviously it was a lie. As a nod to this a few years later, S-E created Taisaijin who drops a scroll of Refresh nearly 100% of the time and occasionally drops the Spelunker's Hat. The hat is pretty much the Anti-O. Hat, also dropped from a Hecteyes NM and a trophy more or less for all the time wasted on camping Taisaijin (like the time wasted farming Taisai for Refresh).

(Shikigami Weapon is believed to be similar, as a fan service NM, although it actually has a good drop. Its based off the fake NM Fazasher Death Weapon, who spawned every 150-180 days, invisible and roaming Ro'Maeve)

Got me for the other 4 items, might as well add Nidhogg Scales to that list, as they have no use either.

[Feba]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

I know the story of refresh, but it still doesn't explain why 1: the NM spawns from NOT killing taisai 2: the hat isn't a 100% drop and 3; why the hat has NEGATIVE stats.

And i've heard of Death Weapon too, although I don't think Shikigami was directly based on it (names are too different). Wonder if they'll ever actually put an Elemental HNM in Movalpolos =p

I like trophies as much as the next guy (most of my mogsafe is taken up by random ra/exNM drops), but they're usually at least somewhat useful, like those new lowbie NMs such as Gassan, Katamari Ichimona-na-na-nanana-ji- even if they're not uber, they can serve some pactical purpose

[Feba]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

I can understand armor that's only practical purpose is to look good, but I don't see the point in INTENTIONALLY making items poor, especially when they take effort to make.

Even besides those, that still doesn't explain the Black Triple Stars not having a drop, or the Cactuar Needle and Doll Gizmo (or Nidhogg Scales according to the above poster), which can not be equiped

[eticket109]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

It spawns from not killing the Taisai because people used to farm the hell out of the Taisai. So, in order to get the NM to spawn you have to leave them alone. It's irony.

Black Triple Stars is believed to be a pop culture reference more then anything else.

Value is subjective, I'd love a Spelunkers Hat just for the rarity. Supposedly though the hat and sandals are decent for skill-up.

[Feba]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

Again, I know why Taisaijin and Black Triple Stars EXIST, i'm saying that the fact that 1: Taisai is incredibly hard to spawn and the fact that a single person could mess it up is insane for an item with no use and 2: Black Triple Stars don't drop ANYTHING (rng gun called "Bazooka" anyone?), let alone anything of use, which is odd.

[eticket109]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

meh, I killed Taisaijin for the title. lol

regardless, I can see your point, I just don't view it the same way. not everything has to have a 'purpose' imo. then again, for some of them we may just not have found any use for them yet. people screwed around with the goblin drink recipe for over a year before SE finally force fed it to us.

[Legal Fish]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

Good lord, Feba, Spelunker's Hat is something of a trophy. Not too hard to understand. Just like Maat's Cap is.
Now the rest, I see what you mean. Sometimes, SE creates stuff for this in future expansions. I'm more concerned that there are entire armor sets and weapons not being used... like Enchantment items.

[Feba]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

Again, I can understand the trophy aspect, although as i've stated before the fact that it's HARMFUL makes no sense, except as I asked above, as an injoke. Maat's cap might not be THE best hat for all situations, but it doesn't HURT YOU when you wear it.

As I also stated above, I know that SE occasionally creates things for future use, in fact I just walked past something with no use except to tell you you can't go in, but these are in areas, not items or monsters, and especially not items or monsters that have been around longer than an update or two (like chocobo eggs)

While unused armors and armor sets are a bit of a concern, they're nowhere near as odd as items without a use at all.

[Ghostraven]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

Maybe the Black Triple stars has a rare drop, but noone bothers to farm it because noone has gotten the drop yet?

I wonder these things too, but with a game as big as FFXI, there are bound to be some loose threads laying around.

[Feba]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

as long as those bats have been around, someone would've gotten the drop, OR noticed an item that should be dropped but isn't.

[Lunaryn]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

As briefly alluded to above, Stumbling Sandals are considered good because they lower your Evasion, which helps Parry and Shield to kick in; good evasion makes these skills in particular a pain to skill up.

[Sevv]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

there are hundreds of items with no use. And on try get rose garden to pop there are people who kill the ph out of spite that they wont ever get the item so why should anyone else.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

... like those new lowbie NMs such as ... Katamari Ichimona-na-na-nanana-ji- ...

Does that NM grow in strength and size as it rolls up nearby mobs? ;-)

[Feba]

Re: Why does FFXI have so many pointless items?

No, it's a sheep.