A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

[Lilani]

Okay, I've been after RDM Maat for a while now and I've been asking around for ideas. I was talking to one of my friends and he suggested that I delevel to 69 before battling him. At first I thought he was out of his mind, but then he explained:

He said he heard about a RDM who went into the battle at level 69, and when he ran out of MP, he used the testimony to level himself up to 70, thus refueling his MP and HP to full.

I was thinking about doing this to avoid the danger of converting, but first I want to be sure it's going to work. So, does this in fact work?

[silentsteel]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

I've heard it being used many times, although I personally didn't use it.

[LoneGamer]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

It's been done.

[KingOfZeal]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

Unless your Red Mage's Testimony has a strange usable effect of gaining XP, you heard wrong.

Testimonies I don't believe can be used in that sense. If you could use it, it wouldn't do anything -- certainly not level you up to 70. You are thinking of one of the various XP scrolls, a list of which can be found here.

The concept itself is very real and possible, and I have also heard it used. However, I don't know what the activation time on the scrolls are, so more than likely can't be used in any situation where Convert can't be used. However, if Maat is slept and can't get to you, then you would have the option of either the XP scroll or converting/curing.

[LoneGamer]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

Bleh. I read XP scroll in the OP.

[Vyuru]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

Yeah, it's an exp scroll you want. They give a certain amount of exp and it differs by scroll, so just make sure that the exp you need to level up is below the minimum exp that the scroll gives you.

As far as the activation timer on it, I'm not sure. I *think* it's either about the same length of time to use a High Potion, or slightly longer, not entirely sure though.

I'd suggest doing some, oh, what's it called when you defend the outposts, Garrison? Yeah, I'd do one or two of those for the exp scrolls, you should get two of them if you win, although it might be dependant on how many NPCs survive.

I don't know the Rdm Maat strategy, but I think the safest way to use it, would be after using Chainspell, use the last, or close to it, of your MP to cast Stoneskin, Phalanx, and Blink as if you were going to Convert, then use the exp scroll. I don't know if you can be interrupted while using an item, hence why I suggest acting like you are about to Convert before using it.

Or if you do a couple of Garrisons you could use a exp scroll and find out the exact activation time for it and figure out how best to work it in.

EDIT:

And it does work, I have a bunch of Pld friends who did this with Maat, various missions, some HNM events, and I think a few other things.

[Lilani]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

Thanks everyone I might try what Vyuru said and testing it out before actually going after the real battle. Either that, or just plain going into the battle and using the item to see if it works.

Get ready to die, old man D:<

[Draconi]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

The easiest xp item to get is dragon chronicles, by doing the choco race. I get one every week (and in fact leveled my whm from 40 to 41 solely with xp scrolls) LOL

I was going to use one during my Maat fight, but I never did.

I would recommend using it during one of the times you have Maat sleeping.

[hongman]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

I have heard of this, definately do-able.

Do the standard sleep nuke strat, and you wont even need to Convert to finish him off. Although if something goes terribly wrong, convert is still an option.


Kindadarii - where you been? I cant say my leg has missed you but its seems quiet without some strange taru sexually gratifying himself on said leg.

[Callisto]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

Is it possible? Yes. Keep in mind that XP scrolls can give a random amount of XP though. I've seen two people use the same scroll at the same time, one getting 500xp, and one getting 120xp. You'd need to make sure you were less than 100 tnl to be safe.

Honestly, you don't need to really do something like this to beat Maat, the fight is more straightforward than people make it out to be. I've never known someone to fail using this strategy:

1) Make sure you have a good INT & MP build. I recommend Rolanberry Pie +1 for food.
2) Make sure you have Wind, Ice, and Dark Staves macrod.
3) *Important*Upon entering the BC, immediately run straight up to Maat and fire off a Sleep 2, make sure your Dark Staff is equipped when casting Sleep. Many people make the mistake of buffing first and then trying to sleep him. This allows him to buff too. If you run straight in and sleep right away, he's going to get a maximum of 1 spell off. Worst case scenario is he uses Blink, and it will eat your Sleep 2 cast, in which case follow up with Sleep 1, it's not likely to eat both casts.
4) Dispel any buffs Maat has, buff yourself. Use Barparalyze and Barblizzard.
5) Swap in Ice Staff and move to where you can just cast on Maat. Cast Bind on him. If you're lucky the Bind will hold through a whole nuke. At worst it will delay him an extra second after you wake him, this will keep you from eating Asuran Fists.
6) Swap in Wind Staff, cast Aero III.
7) Immediately swap in Dark Staff and cast Sleep 2.
8) Move to just within casting range and Bind again.
9) Rinse and repeat.
10) When he uses Chainspell, use yours and sleep him. I personally like to play it safe and just sleep him until CS wears off, then go back to what you were doing.

That's pretty much it. I went 1/1 like this, Maat was able to get off one spell when he used Chainspell, it was Paralyze and I resisted it. Anyone I know who could not beat Maat previously and changed to this strategy also went 1/1. It's not fast or sexy, but it's safe and effective. It doesn't hurt to have a couple of yag drinks or hi ethers for extra MP, it's worth the investment.

[Draconi]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

I've seen two people use the same scroll at the same time, one getting 500xp, and one getting 120xp. You'd need to make sure you were less than 100 tnl to be safe.

Dragon Chronicles gives 500-1000 exp, and Miratete's Memoirs gives 750-1500, so just need to be under 500. (The scrolls from Dynamis can give less than 500 though).

1) Make sure you have a good INT & MP build. I recommend Rolanberry Pie +1 for food.

Or Melon Pie+1, which gives +5 int & 30MP(Rolanberry+1 gives +3 int and 60MP).

) Use Barparalyze and Barblizzard.

Take a Remedy with you too, just to be safe in case you're paralyzed.

Cast Bind on him. If you're lucky the Bind will hold through a whole nuke. At worst it will delay him an extra second after you wake him, this will keep you from eating Asuran Fists.

Due to a change a while back, Bind will be canceled as soon as you start casting a nuke on him. It's good to Bind him while you're buffing and such, but rely on Gravity to keep him from getting too close to you.

*Important*Upon entering the BC, immediately run straight up to Maat and fire off a Sleep 2. Many people make the mistake of buffing first and then trying to sleep him.

I don't totally agree with this, but that's just me. I preferred casting Stoneskin first, then sleeping him, because if you run straight in and he resists your first Sleep 2, you're screwed.. He only get's one buff off during the time it takes to cast Stoneskin.

[hongman]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

Bind doesnt wear when you start casting, only when the spell goes off.

[Callisto]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

It depends on the strength of the Bind actually. If your Bind lands full on it may hold through more than one nuke, but usually it won't. BLM's Binds usually seem to hold a bit better, although I've occasionally had my RDM binds hold on mobs through T4 or AM2 nukes, and not wear until a 2nd nuke landed.

[hongman]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

Iv never seen my Bind last more than 1 nuke >.>

My Bind must be weak. Better get that Aquilo's!

[Lilani]

Re: A Strange Maat Strategy--Can it be Done?

Thanks for the step by step Callisto ^^ So, does sleep stack? I've read a lot of guides that say sleep at specific times, and I'm beginning to wonder if they say that just to make you alert, or if it actually does stack :\

I did lose yesterday, but I was closer than before! I had my macros set with <stnpc> instead of <t> so that really threw me off when I was trying to do things facing the other way. I also figured out that if I turned off the in game music, it's much less nerve wracking. That Tough Battle #2 song is intense o-O

Luckily I was too busy trying to get used to <stnpc> to use any items, so I'm still good to go :D Just gotta recruit another friend to get a testimony, heh.

And in case you find it funny, just as I was trying to warp to Whitegate to delevel myself (I managed to get level 69 with 2 TNL!) I hit where warp was on my Teletaxiing macro set, which was exactly where chainspell was on my Maat macros. Of course, I was on my Maat macros, and I 2hr'd. But in Whitegate I managed to hire a COR and reset my 2hr so I wouldn't have to wait til the next Darkday