Can You Solo/Duo in Order to Get Your NPC Partner/Fellow?

[misskitten]

Re: Can You Solo/Duo in Order to Get Your NPC Partner/Fellow?

What duo should we start with?

You could substitute RDM for WHM if you plan to play RDM past Lv30. Also ??? should probably be a magic user unless Character A is leveling a magic user at that time. You could even both go to Lv30 as WAR/WHM by fighting EP enemies and resting between fights.

My friend intends to stick with either WHM or RDM as his main job almost indefinitely from what he told me; he wouldn't be changing until a much higher level if he does at all. If he chooses WHM, would RDM or BLM make a better subjob? For the WAR, what would make a viable subjob and after taking NIN as a main, should that subjob be changed?

What is your preferred play style?
Could you help me understand your preferred playing style once you have access to the advanced jobs and subjobs? Do you both want to contribute to the damage? Does one of you prefer to only play a support role? Would you prefer to do damage slowly over time or in large spikes? Would both you and your duo partner prefer to do spikes of damage followed by resting for MP?

I really don't feel that my friend minds resting too much; he really wants to play a support role mainly, but I don't think that he would mind tossing a bit of DPS into the fray either. In my case, I would like to mainly tank, although I could see where having some healing abilities might help as well. I would prefer it if the majority of the downtime was relegated to one character and not both, which is why I probably wouldn't play a BLU-BLU or DRG-DRG combo.

After we unlock the advanced jobs, we would prefer to continue with the healer/tank roles. Still, if a DPS type of subjob would help out a little more, we would gladly take it--nothing is set in stone in our minds as far as what we want to play goes.

I appreciate your advice.

[Ryoii/Nonomii]

Re: Can You Solo/Duo in Order to Get Your NPC Partner/Fellow?

Answers to your Questions

Most people use BLM as a subjob for WHM since it has the ability to enhance elemental spells such as Sleep once every 10 minutes, which is very helpful for sleeping an enemy during a link. Along with Sleep and Sleepga, BLM provides Tractor which can help move a dead body out of danger for Raise. Additionally you will get Drain (drain enemy's HP) and Aspir (drain enemy's MP). RDM subjob mostly provides Sleep, decreased recast and casting time on spells, Dispel after Lv64, and a minor increase in DoT with enspells.

Really any support job will want to do more than support in a duo with a NIN. They should also either do damage through melee (WHM, RDM, BLU) or magic (BLM, RDM, BLU). BLU however is not thought of as a support job during normal party and endgame play. People usually want BRD, RDM, or COR as the support job in normal party play and endgame play. WAR is usually the job for enhancing meleeing, but THF could be used with BLU and DRK could be used with RDM.

My Suggestion

I had a little time while writing this and working to think about what you two might really truly enjoy. I know your friend is interested in a support job, but I’m not sure how interested. NIN/WAR and BLU/WHM might make a really good pair for you. I highly suggest having your friend read the Blue Mage wiki page and look at all the spells.

Pros:
Many XP sessions could turn into quests to obtain BLU spells, which will take you all over the world and potentially make the game far more interesting. WHM subjob will provide Sneak, Invisible, –na spells, weak Bar– spells, Clear Mind, Divine Seal, Erase, and teleports late in the game. BLU can stun enemies when shadows are down and being recasted. BLU gets access to spells which remove beneficial effects from enemies, enfeeble enemies, enhance the party, and absorb some damage such as Zephyr Mantle and Diamondhide. BLU does great damage while providing the support a NIN needs. You should be able to surpass my SAM + RDM duo when it comes to variety of viable enemies to fight against and possibly even get more XP per hour on ideal enemies such as crabs which would be a joke for a NIN + BLU duo.

Cons:
It could be difficult to hold hate off of your BLU friend, but this can be overcome with the use of +enmity and –enmity gear such as the High Breath Mantle, Crow Armor Set, Nemesis Earrings, and the Arhat’s Armor Set. BLU isn’t as true a support job as WHM, BRD, COR, or RDM, but it would play much more like a support job in a duo with a NIN than a regular party. Unfortunately you would lack the Haste spell from WHM or RDM which can make keeping shadows up as a NIN much easier since it lowers spell recast timers.


My Original Response

The Which Job Should I Play? guide and FFXI Wiki while not duo specific will help you understand a little more about all of the jobs: Which Job Should I Play?, FFXI Wiki.

NIN/WAR is by far the most versatile duo job, but it can be very costly. You will need to obtain Gil to fund your purchasing of scrolls to learn the ninjitsu and then fund the expendable tools which allow you to use your ninjitsu. Your ninjitsu however are extremely useful and allow you to enfeeble your enemy (blind, slow, paralyze) and evade taking damage (shadows). There is a Lv40 BCNM (instanced boss battle with a time limit that drops valuable items if defeated) called Under Observation which only requires 2 NIN and a RDM to complete successfully every time. This one also drops very valuable items (Utsusemi: Ni, Peacock Charm). However, you will need to have already learned all of your ninjitsu before participating. Another Lv40 BCNM called Royal Jelly is also very easy.

Alternatively you could play PLD and not have to work at obtaining the Gil to properly play your job. PLD is able to mitigate a fair amount of damage through the use of Flash and shield blocks. The rest can be healed without too much MP. PLD is a little less cookie cutter than NIN, which can make it fun. PLD/WAR is the normal job combination, but you can also use PLD/BLU in the lower levels, PLD/RDM in the mid-high levels, and PLD/NIN or PLD/SAM at the very high levels. Also PLD has access to great sword, staff, club, and polearm, where NIN is pretty much stuck with katanas.

Now your duo partner will probably want to play RDM if you choose PLD. RDM/DRK or RDM/WAR makes a nice duo partner of they want to play support and melee. Otherwise RDM/WHM would probably be the best for more of a pure support and magic damage role. If your friend likes the Tarutaru race, they make great RDM because they can very easily get a 1:1 HP/MP ratio for Convert. If you play NIN, your duo partner could play just about any job that could help out with the occasional healing since you will be able to do the enfeebling and take very little damage. WHM, RDM, BLM/WHM, BLU, SMN/WHM, BRD/WHM, DRK/WHM, or PLD could all provide that help. However, your friend wanted to play more of a support job, so I see WHM, RDM, or BLU being his most likely choices.

Subjob options for a support job are very much dependent on player preference, their level, and what you are fighting. For instance, crabs are extremely easy enemies for a duo, but they have an ability which greatly increases their defense. If you fight them, you want to have either Acid bolts (Lv15 DRK), Dispel (Lv32 RDM), Magic Finale (Lv33 BRD), or Blank Gaze (Lv38 BLU) which all remove defense boost from enemies. This is one reason that WHM, BLM, SMN (Fenrir’s ability to remove beneficial effects isn’t sufficient), and PLD don’t make the best duo partners for NIN. WAR, NIN, DRK, and THF are good subjobs for making a support job more melee oriented.

I'm trying to not write too much, so please ask any additional questions you might have. You're welcome to join my server, Lakshmi, but I'm long past the days when I play often. I'd happily help you with quests or missions though if you could provide a date and time. There appears to be a nice community of helpful players who frequent these forums and play on Kujata, so that would be my other suggestion.

P.S. - I know I didn't talk about or suggest playing SAM. I rarely do damge with my RDM, so here is a duo where you have more of a pure DD/tank job paired with a pure support job. SAM is my job of choice because it can do more damage than PLD or NIN while mitigating a fair amount of damage with Seigan and Third Eye. However, it takes enough damage that it really needs a good support healer such as WHM or RDM. I find my duo can take down any very tough (VT) enemy I want and even some incredibly tough (IT) enemies with only a few exceptions. I target enemies anywhere from 1 to 7 levels higher for XP.

[misskitten]

Re: Can You Solo/Duo in Order to Get Your NPC Partner/Fellow?

My Suggestion

I had a little time while writing this and working to think about what you two might really truly enjoy. I know your friend is interested in a support job, but I’m not sure how interested. NIN/WAR and BLU/WHM might make a really good pair for you. I highly suggest having your friend read the Blue Mage wiki page and look at all the spells.

I think my friend will really like the above suggestion since it sounds as if it might be just a tad bit more fun for him in the end. Also, it sounds as if we'll still have a great deal of utility with this combo, which I like. WHM/BLM didn't sound too bad, either, but I'll let him choose ultimately as it's his character.

I've been reading some various guides and of course the Wiki page. Later today I intend to show my friend some of these guides before we seriously start playing the game.

Unfortunately, I already made a character on Midgardsormr and purchased a Gold World Pass before I saw your post, but thanks just the same for the assistance offer. I know Midgard is a low-population server, but we are looking to lead a rather quiet existence anyway since we plan on primarily duoing and perhaps working as a trio from time to time.

Your advice has been a great help!

[Radiuz]

Re: Can You Solo/Duo in Order to Get Your NPC Partner/Fellow?

I used to play FFXI but i quit oct 31st. i was in seraph server. about the npc quest...

the skeleton fight I believe if you are level 50 and below you might need 1 or couple people who are 65+ to kill it.

as for the next fight which is a BCNM in ghel. outpost I soloed it in a level 40 cap as
whm/blm
lol I wanted to try it by myself and I pulled it off, had to do some curing to my npc