Decline of Invites?

[PTT]

Hi all.

Well, I kind of fell into a phase of avoiding Exp parties (I was 73, only two levels from the goal!), and instead doing other things.

So began a break from EXPing lasting a few months, during which ToAU came out. I'd resolved to begin exping again after unlocking the new jobs, and messing around with them.

Finally, after losing my level from various deaths and mishaps, I decided it was time to EXP again, hopefully to get 75 finally. Except...

I can't get an invite to save my life (level).

Early Afternoon, Late Afternoon, Late at Night, waiting in Aht Urghan, waiting in Jeuno, even running around doing Chocobo delivery quests w/flag on. Nobody's biting.

Here's my search comment:

@9000 >> 73! (Nice to meet you!)
(Experience Points) (Party)
HP: (Aht Urghan Whitegate), (Outpost) (Warp): O

(By the by, I'm @7000 now due to duo farming Decent Challenges all day... that's hardly here nor there, but the @9000 was at the times I've been trying for invites)

My comment used to have a lot more flavor text, with the only really useful info being my @TNL number, but as I realized invites weren't coming as they used to, I tried to put relevant info in there.

So anyway, I do go on, so I'll ask what I'm wanting to ask. On your servers (I'm on Shiva,) have you noticed your number of invites taking a sharp decline? Has there been a recent trend that overshadows Paladins as a desired job even more so than 'Ninja take 0 damage, so they're better?' Has the excitement of levelling new jobs still not worn off?

I've seen a good number of Paladins, and even Ninja looking for group nowadays. I realize that's a direct impact on my own invite frequency, but it's the reason I ask... Why are PLDs and tanks in general seeing so little action as of late? If you're on Shiva and know, please tell me, but as for other servers and everyone else, is it the same on your server? Is there any advice you could please share?

Thank you.

[Jei]

Re: Decline of Invites?

From my own experience, levelling in the new zone resembles merit PT a lot. You chain killing not too strong mobs as fast as you can. So I think there's a lot of favour for damage dealer and blink tanker here. I got EXP chain 9 on imps as level 68 PT with nin tank. EXP got close to 11k/hour. It was insane. With PLD tanks you just can't chain like that... not with ease.

I am a BLM. And I'm having hell of a time getting PT invites in the new zone. Most invites I'm getting are going to Bibiki, boyada and sky.

[Caspian]

Re: Decline of Invites?

I've heard some of the new areas are actually good for pld, since a lot of the mobs are supposed to hit frequently, but for lesser damage. (This is hearsay though). I honestly think the lack of invites is mostly due to people still leveling the other jobs. Give it a few more weeks and it should pick up again, mostly because people will be in their 70's on the new jobs. (I know, it scares me too.)

[Jei]

Re: Decline of Invites?

That was an observation people made about Chigoe. No one EXP on those things tho.

[Caspian]

Re: Decline of Invites?

Ah.
Well, then I'll have to stick to the "everyone is still leveling ToA jobs."

[Slip]

Re: Decline of Invites?

I've been working on the Lesser Colibri's and Attercops over the last couple weeks with my static and they seem like prime Paladin fodder. The LCs are some of the faster attackers I've seen (barring whacky things like Chigoes) and the Spiders spam their slow web at least 2 to 3 times as often the ones in the West.

For merit parties and near merit parties the scene may be less appealing but for regular xp parties in the 50+ range working in Aht Urgan Pld tanks work fine still and do seem to have advantages over Nins.

[Kirsteena]

Re: Decline of Invites?

There is a lot of "oh must have a nin" feeling about - its crazy but its true.

Most people go by - pld, safe xp; nin, fast but dangerous xp. And people often go for the fast xp over safe. Their reasoning - 4k an hour or 11k+ an hour...

I personally prefer pld tanking when I am playing whm or blm, as I feel safer, but as rdm, I don't mind - I guess on rdm I have gotten into the merit mindset.

[Davitron3000]

Re: Decline of Invites?

This is not a new thing. It was the same back when I was 73. The invites just stopped.

My advice to you (and this is what I did) is to ask your LS to help you get your levels.
Since you can party with 75s, they can earn merits while helping you. If you can
get a Redmage and a Whitemage to help you, you should be able to fill out the rest
easily because there are probably other jobs that don't fit the "burn" party mold.

You can also make a damage dealer build and ask the Warriors in your LS to take you
along while they do "axe burn" parties. I am not sure if this would work since you
would not have Utsusemi: Ni, but it is worth a try.

Good luck!

[zerofighter777]

Re: Decline of Invites?

Well, on my server I am not getting any invites as a 61 NIN as of late. Seems alot of people are lvling new jobs, meriting, or doing assualts. If there is a time people XP at my lvl, I have to compete with 10 other NIN's all with higher ranks then me . I have a friend thats a lvl 63 PLD and she gets more invites then me =p. I for one like lvling PLD myself. I switced back to my lvl 56 SAM and get more invites then I was NIN. Poeple are keeping busy doing other things right now because of ToA. Should be picking up soon I hope.

[AngryUndead]

Re: Decline of Invites?

Can't you go solo Chigoe and shield bash them to one-hit kill them? I've heard of using The abilities to kill them and chaining them together. Sounds like a stop-gap measure for just going around and gaining XP till the invites pick up.

[Jei]

Re: Decline of Invites?

You won't get any exp if you crit-kill or ability-kill chigoes.

[PTT]

Re: Decline of Invites?

Unfortunately, when you kill Chigoe in this way, you don't get anything. You have to kill them the 'real' way for EXP.

Hitting them with Shield Bash is more of a defensive measure. Like "Ah Snap! Chigoe Aggro! SHIELD BASH!" Basically, it's for preventing them from spawning new Chigoe when you're in a tight spot. (EDIT: By the way, this works with Fleas too, in the Aydeewa Subterrain... or wherever they were. That one area where you drug a rat-person to get a map)

They don't however, have all that much HP to begin with. They're just so hard to deal with because of their 100-fist like attack delay. It makes getting a spell off nigh impossible.

A few weeks ago, helping some LS mates get the Caederva Mire map (Have to fight a "Plague Chigoe"), we experimented fighting the mammoth monsters (Merid?) afterwards. These spawn Chigoes randomly. What went down is that the Ninja who was with us tanked the elephant, and I watched for any Chigoes, provoking them. Then, the final member of our party, a BLM, would one-shot them with some high tier nuke of his choosing.

Depending on how careful you are, it was fairly nice EXP for a casual session... Nevermind that we kept getting Tiger aggro and dying @_@ , but that's our fault for picking a spot near tigers.

But yeah... I hope the invites pick up for our Paladins again soon. I was hoping to get 75 before they release AF for Corsair... yeah, I got a bit of the new job fever too. Thankfully, I stopped myself at 10

[Slip]

Re: Decline of Invites?

There is one other way to pick up some spare xps that a lot of people seem to overlook: the "Pulling String" ENM fight in Movalpolus (technically Mineshaft something-or-other but you get to it from the Moval entrance in North Gust).

It's a level 60 solo battle that's kind of a mini-Maat fight. No subjob, just you as Pld (or whatever) against an opponent and a moblin that tosses out random buffs. I've done it 3 times so far, got unlucky the first go round (Moblin gave up 300% TP + Full health to my Enemy right in a row - and he hit for 400+ with Vorpal Blade on each WS) but the other two time were a piece of cake. Just bring some au Laits, a couple Yag drinks and level 60 gear (nothing special needed really - I went in standard tanking gear with IM Cuirass both times).

It's only 2k xps (+ some possible loot - I picked up a Refresh Musk the 2nd time) and you can only do it once per 5 real days. As a way to regain a level after leveling down or make up for Dynamis losses a bit it doesn't seem too bad. Also if you lose in the ENM battle you don't lose xps so the only cost to it is gambling with then bribing the moblin near the Moval entrance to let you in.