Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

[DWol]

Alright, I've reached the point where I am trying to get my Opo Opo Crown. And it looks like I'm going to hate this quest.

I've gotten the Lucky Egg, that was easy. Just fell ass-first into it during a Boyahda exp party, which was nice. Check.

The rest are going to be a problem. I don't know that many high level friends, and it is highly unlikely I could round up enough of them solely for my sake on Rare/EX items that supposedly can be very good or very fickle. Unlike Genkai I, it's not something many people need either, so I can't just hop on someone's bandwagon. Also unlike Minstrel Coat, none of these seem to be bundled with high valued items that I may just find farmers to do it for me. So I'm probably going to end up having to pay some people for help, mercenary style. Which, I suppose I'm okay with.

First one to knock off would be Wyvern Skull. Considering that this is probably the best drop rate of the four, I don't think I'll have too much trouble. I think I already know of someone or someones who are willing to do this with a certain price, so that's okay. I'll leave this for last, but I think I have the best chance of getting this without too much hassle.

Next would be the Giant Fish Scales. I'm told I could probably handle this with two other 60+s. Would that be sufficient? I've been told that these are easy (being only 51-59 lvl) but they have Throat-something that will knock off a huge chunk of life from anyone and immediately turn to someone else to attack (so long as I have someone else with me). I got the impression that I could feasily solo these if it weren't for that one move. What do you think would be a good price to offer someone to get this for me?

Lastly there's the Ancient Salt. This is what I'm dreading the most. 4-5 pops, 10 min re-pop rate, and a horrible drop rate, it sounds like (or insanely easy, depending on which lucky bum you're asking). First off, Can anyone give me an idea of how to get there? I've read a lot, and almost all accounts give me different answers. Universally, it seems the entrance is off WestAltep, C-11. Incidentally enough, I've heard there are two entrances here, and I've heard from different people that it's this one or that one, and no one seems to be able to make up there minds ><. Anyway, after getting in there's supposed to be weight sensor doors. Okay, but then people say it's the first one, or no it's not the first one, it's the one after that, blah blah blah. Again, lack of consistency. I've no idea which one it is (or are there even two doors?). Then there's the issue of who can open it. I've heard a Galka alone can do it. Three Tarus can do it. Then the combination of hume/elvaan/mithra/taru is where it gets confusing. Some say a Taru and a Elvaan can do it. Some say a Mithra and a Taru can do it. Others say a Hume and a Taru can't. Blah blah blah. Which is it? Well, I'm a hume, so I'd just like to know if a Hume + Taru _can_ do it? Cause if they can open the door, then really any person/s I bring can open it, no biggy.

Also about the Sand Diggers, what will I need to kill them? I've heard they aren't tough, and a 70 Bard can solo them O.o. Naturally, I can't open the door myself anyway, so I'll probably have some form of hired help. But do they take long to kill? If my help gave up once I was past the door, and I wanted to stay alone, could I manage to survive as a 65 BRD alone? Could I even kill a Sand Digger without spending half an hour? Again, what would be a good price to pay someone to get this for me?

Any help is greatly appreciated. And if anyone is on Midgardsormr, and happens to know anyone who is willing to pull mercenary duty, I'd love to hear from you.

/sigh, between this, and the 700-900k Erase I should have already purchased, it's going to be a long haul to 72... Then I get to spend another half mil on Errant's body, alone.... not to mention the wind torque I need to buy once it comes on the AH...

Oh well, all in good fun.

[grunion]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

wyvern skull is pretty good drop rate, usually 1 per every 20 mins.

fish scales might take an hour or so with a couple ppl helping kill.

the salt, sucks. took me 4 hours killing the worms as fast as they spawn. i wouldnt try to solo it because, well its just too much work. take at least 2-3 ppl 70+ for best results, i would think.

to get there, go to c-11 in western altepa,
you'll be 5th map here: http://www.ffxi.blueelephantbrigade....d%20Caves.html

go right in the first hall. open the door at D
you'll be on the 6th map. go in the next door, drop in the hole. there's 4 worms, and a few anticans/scorps, all are 62-65 range i think. dont do it at night or ppl will be going to sleep before you get drop unless you are very lucky.

everything else (besides lucky egg, which you have) you can buy. i'm on midgard, catch me when i'm free and i'll help you get the fish scales

[DWol]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

Ahh maps! That's much easier to understand.

By the way, my in-game name is "Deced". What is yours? I can't imagine a /sea all joe being too useful in locating you ^^. And I would love to take you up on your offer for the Fish Scales. Be glad to pay you for your time as well, I just want my crown.

take at least 2-3 ppl 70+ for best results, i would think.

Yea, getting that many people together for the Salt isn't something I'm likely going to be able to accomplish >< Unlike AF Coffer keys or something, these drops sound like they can be hell if you get unlucky. Curse you SE. I suppose I'll eventually find some help by shouting in Jeuno.

I was busy in Jeuno earlier today trying to hunt down any and everyone with an Opo Crown equipped. Figured I could ask them who helped them with it, then ask those people if they'd help me for a gil reward. Sadly, there's no one wearing it when I want to see it.

[Icemage]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

Of the 4 R/EX items:

Wyvern Skull. Toughest enemies to kill, but made up for by the best drop rate. Main problem is getting people to come to the hellhole that is Ifrit's Cauldron.

Ancient Salt. All I can say is Eewww. Took me about 40 kills in two separate trips to get this. Definitely not fun. 65 Bard "can" solo these, but you'd need fairly good gear, and it would still take a while. They aren't particularly high level, but they do cast a rather painful set of Stonegas. Some people I know got it within a few kills, though, so make of that what you will.

Lucky Egg. You already have this item, but the drop rate on these is pretty darned low.

Giant Fish Bones. Ugh. Tonberries. Bring a fast damage dealer, and be quick on the heal macros or Throat Stab will make hunting these very annoying. They're otherwise quite weak.


Icemage

[grunion]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

i'm grunion on midgardsormr ... after i get 8000 gil here i can change my name to that lol

[ClydeArrowny]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

Throat stab can be dodged as its range-specific. Fight the tonberry not being locked onto it, and the second you see the WS animation run away from it and if its throat stab you should get the "(Your name) is too far away." and it will fail to activate.

[grunion]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

or just 1-shot them with predator claws

[Marvul]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

I have all the items but fish bones, wyvern skull, and ancient salt. I killed worms for 3 hours with TH2 and thf's knife but no drop.....

[DWol]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

Wooo! Okay, I've managed to collect every one of the items ^^
Didn't even take that long. Thanks j0e for stomping Tonberries. /kneel

Now I just need to get the stench, and trade in all the items.

Since I don't really care to clutter the board with more junk, I'll just ask my next question here: How much difference is there between the Darksteel set (the -%physical damage) and the Carapace set in terms of how much damage you take? Which is superior? I probably will end up in carapace simply because it doesn't look as... disturbing as the harness + subligar route, but I'm curious to know, in most situations, which is actually superior.

[Icemage]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

Bards take damage? oO

Seriously speaking, if you're talking about solo, Bard is the worst solo job in the game, bar none. You can survive a lot of fights for a long time, but offensive power is lacking, and defense is weak (I'm a 75 bard with decent gear, including a Joyeuse, and I still can't even tackle half the stuff I can as a WHM, which speaks volumes).

As far as damage reduction goes... eh.. equip a Terra Staff. It'll do more for you than both sets of armor you mentioned above, combined. Still won't make you good in solo, but you can at least pretend.


Icemage

[DWol]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

Got my crown from those Opos ^^. Stupid Nenepp hid behind the house for like 15 minutes... just teasing me as I got so close.

Oh and I know Bard solo sucks. It took a _long_ time earlier today, and quite some doing to kill an already weakened Goblin Smithy in the Yuhtunga Kazham zone earlier (when I was returning from Nectar hunting). I have no illusions about trying to solo. I don't even like fighting mobs in Qufim at lvl.65 (an Element still takes awhile ><). I was referring more towards the Maat Fight than anything else.

The biggest reason I was considering one of the two armor sets was because I'm currently using the Justaucorps, which is far superior than either in exp party... but is ugly as sin. I thought I might want something a bit less... disgusting.

Cause honestly, I won't be getting a better armor until Errant's at 72 and I don't think I can stomach wearing the Justaucorps that long. There are only two armors better than the Justaucorps until then: Minstrel's Coat and Bard AF Body. If there's something else, please let me know, I may have overlooked or just not known about it.

Quite honestly, Minstrel Coat I don't see happening. I don't know anyone strong enough to camp Novv Whiteheart. I've been down to the SSG a few times hoping to find someone camping the Siren's Hair and who wouldn't want the Minstrel's Coat. Most often, someone there wants the Coat (even when they are not Bards, but hey, they're either the one killing or they are personal friends with the one who is killing). Sometimes it's just not being camped by anyone. The one time I did find a RDM who didn't want it, it didn't drop.

And Bard AF... well, personally, I think it would be faster for me to get to 72 and less hassle than to try and put together a party for that.

So at this point, I'm probably stuck with either Justaucorps or Darksteel or Carapace until 72 when I switch to Errants. Now, I have no trouble landing debuffs in battle. The only one that ever gets resisted is Lullaby (not to the point where it's too great a deal), which should change considering I just upgraded my rings, and now the Opo Crown. And even if it doesn't change much, I doubt the Justaucorps is gonna be a big difference with Opo Crown, Melody Earrings, +3 rings, Gleeman's, String or CHR neckpiece and Jester's +1 with Light Staff and Nursemaid's.

So I figure if Carapace is better than DS, I'll get that cause it's not quite as... butt ugly as Justaucorps. If DS is better than Carapace, I may just stick with Justaucorps.

And I do have an Earth's Staff for Elegy and Ltng. Threnody in Manaburn parties. Can't afford Terra Staff though, especially not after dropping 750k on Erase, and another 750k on this Opo Opo Crown. And the final Gob Bag that I still need to do probably takes priority to me over Terra Staff. Since I can get that done rather quickly, but trying to rack up cash for Terra will be painful.

By the way, I've been searching through past threads on multiple forums, and I can't see a concensus on whether for debuffing +3CHR or +7 insrument is better. I know for buffing there's no question, since CHR does nothing in that regard. But I'm guessing there still is no concrete answer or accepted common knowledge on whether 3CHR or 7instrument is better for debuffing is there?

[grunion]

Re: Opo-Opo Crown, and the crap thost monkeys put you through.

it's so god damn amazing how many times i camp something and it falls on the last drop.

my ancient salt was like that - ppl helped me for hours and gradually 1 by 1 went to sleep, and then we had 3 ppl and the other 2 ppl said "5 more" and on the 5th one, salt dropped.

today i did 3-4 run-throughs of temple , killing every stalker from one side to the other. it was about 90 minutes? maybe 2 hours, and i had to get something to eat, so i said "one more trip through, and i swear to go, on the very last stalker at the other end, when i said "last one" his giant fish bones dropped -_- amazing. how do they do that??? he tried to pay me 100k but (No thanks.) i help for free or not at all

anyway about BRD body some thoughts:

1) no one really cares too much what you wear in xp parties. they will just be glad if youre a good bard, you could wear RSE if you want. so just xp to 72 and wear whatever you want, and then get errants.

2) i personally find BRD skill is useless and pointless. some ppl disagree. but i had minstrel coat and tossed it after i put together an all +skill outfit to wear for a while and found that i landed fewer debuffs than with +CHR, and my buffs were maybe 1 point stronger. so i spit on all brd +skill items

3) try the subligar > body JSE quest. that's a decent item, +3 CHR and refresh when you get below 50 MP.

4) if you cant get the people together just to do your AF, youre going to find it hard to do a lot of the endgame stuff, most of which requires 12+ people.