Counting Shadows

[Spoken Word]

-I've been looking for an answer on many threads, but haven't found it. If this goes somewhere else, please move it and if it's been answered already, please show me link. Thanks-

Ok. I've noticed it since my first PT.
I've tried to figure it out since then but it's hard for me cause I've never lvld nin. I haven't even started the adv quest.. But I plan on lvling thf, mnk and war to 37 so when I start my adv jobs i can just level them as I see fit. At least, that's my plan. Also because I need a lot of gil to uprgade my war and mnk gear(29war/27mnk), so I decided to lvl thf, use the gear I have and profit from the better drops thf gets.... does that make sense?

Anyways, back to the topic..... I know when I lvl nin, I'll understand utsemi(sp?) better and I'll be able to count shadows and voke fast so nin can cast and tank again......
Ppl tell me not to sweat it but I like to be the most productive I can.
So I'd like to know, if they're is a specific way to count shadows or what to look for so I know when shadows are down.
and if its better(and/or faster) to voke on first shadow.. or wait til shadows down..


Just figuring our how to serve pt's better in the future. Any help is appreciated.

[Feba]

Re: Counting Shadows

read the chatlog...

[Nazo]

Re: Counting Shadows

You're talking about when someone else is blink tanking and you're secondary tank right? I wouldn't worry too much about counting someone else shadows, often they will have a macro that tells you in party chat when their shadows are down. If not, when they get hit you know they're down.

[Sevv]

Re: Counting Shadows

When you are tanking Filter everything but /p and /l. Then make sure you have attacks you evade, damage you take w/o filters on it will be easy to coutn shadows. Ichi is 3 shadows and Ni is 4 when you war main job nin (all other jobs 3 shadows for both). For when you are on your war and voking for cast timer its best used when you see the nin get hit, (imo i couldnt stand counting someone elses shadows.) And after lvl 37 Ninja's will have Ni and you would only voke when they ask/need it.

[Spoken Word]

Re: Counting Shadows

Read the chatlog??. lemme guess, I can turn the game off too. Or maybe "Change jobs, newb"

And thank you sevifrit and nazo, that's what I've been doing.
But after being called a noob and being yelled at cause nin gets hit once, and usually doesn't have a macro.... I've accuired the need to know when the freakin shadows are low so no one has to call me out and piss me off..
But most importantly to speed up the xp rate and just be productive..

But like I said, a lot of the people I've met and befriended tell me that it isn't really improtant cause the nin will just ask.. I've also noticed that every nin "absorbs damage with shadow" three times then starts getting hurt..

thanks anyway, I was just wondering if there were other ways to know or a general way of knowing that I was missing.

Hopefully, later on I'll have more meaningful inquiries that won't attract the typical, I-net humor.

[neokaril]

Re: Counting Shadows

That's what he means by read the chat log, three shadows then damage so you use that for timing purposes.

[Sevv]

Re: Counting Shadows

its not the responsiblity of alerting the party the ninja has no shadows, usually just be ready about the 3rd round of attacks for the need to voke, - mandys they will hit a nin on the second round. the lower levels are annoying ethier way just keep on going and gl (^.^)b

[Spoken Word]

Re: Counting Shadows

Ok, maybe I misunderstood him. I read the chatlog everyday lol

Honestly, I was just looking for the exact number of shadows that the spell gives you.

Thanks to everyone.

[Macht]

Re: Counting Shadows

Well like it was stated:

NIN main: Ichi = 3 shadows and Ni =4 shadows
NIN sub: Ichi = 3 shadows and Ni = 3 shadows

Don't get a message saying it's down, the only other way of knowing would probably be to cheat. Though with SE's recent efforts may not be the best idea. I'm not one to support cheating so I won't mention the details of how.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Counting Shadows

Font Color >> For Self >> Actions you evade >> whatever color that stands out to you, i use hot pink

I found this extremely useful for counting shadows as NIN and /NIN.

Font Color >> For Others >> Ally gains beneficial effect >> whatever color stands out to you, I use bright orange.

I know this says "ally" but this alteration also lets you spot enemy status boosts.

This is useful for spotting those annoying Defense Boosts monsters do, when that happens use a dispel or plant an acid bolt in it.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

Re: Counting Shadows

If you see blood spurting out of your "blink tank", that's a healthy sign that they need a backup voke.

Don't wait for them to spam a macro to /p chat that says, "{Provoke} {Please} {Help me out!} <call1>". Relying on that would just be encouraging use of such macros. And we want to discourage that.

[Sevv]

Re: Counting Shadows

Don't get a message saying it's down, the only other way of knowing would probably be to cheat.

depending on how your shadows are taken away sometime you do get a message they are gone.

to the op again just watch for the 3rd round on everything but monk mobs at the low level, or for -ga spells

[Theyaden]

Re: Counting Shadows

If you see blood spurting out of your "blink tank", that's a healthy sign that they need a backup voke.

Don't wait for them to spam a macro to /p chat that says, "{Provoke} {Please} {Help me out!} <call1>". Relying on that would just be encouraging use of such macros. And we want to discourage that.

Personally I consider it lazy for a ninja not to have a macro for shadows down in lower level parties. (I've never run into one adding a <call> to it thankfully that would get annoying) If your partner is catching it without being told thats great, but otherwise it's just like anouncing tp to time a skillchain nothing wrong wiht /p chat designed to keep things running smoothly.

[Aeolus]

Re: Counting Shadows

Theres no need to filter everything. I only have filtered others atks etc so I only see PT and alliance dmg spells etc. Turning the colour of the Shadows text to really bright red helps alot. I still talk away like normal while tanking and havnt died yet so Id say not to sweat it.

[Feba]

Re: Counting Shadows

I wouldn't worry too much about counting someone else shadows,

Yes, just what FFXI PTs need, more annoying macro spam, more ear damaging calls, just because people can't be bothered to count to three.

And yes, I was very serious in my suggestion. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to voke off immediately after the third hit if you're paying attention to the chatlog. Worst case scenario, you miss a message, you still probably voke out of instinct, or the ninja takes a single hit. Usually not that bad.