Summoner Farming

[Shinoe]

Hello fellow summoners!

I've recently had some problems in my quest for that ever elusive gil, and was hoping some of you might be able to help shed some light on the matter.

I'm currently level 43 (or rather, will be tonight), and SMN skill is -3 from cap. My Staff skill is at 80 and my Club skill is at 80, mainly from recent farming, and from parties up until Qufim that had PL's...there's nothing else to do on your WHM sub and SMN but whack away for skillups while downing mithkabobs! I mainly use a Himmel Stock until i use up the bonus 63MP from it, then switch to my AF staff (Kukulcan's Staff) beause it has more DMG on it with the same swing rate. I've been using my Warp Club to melee with when using Club, up until i hit 50 and can use my Lilith's Rod (MP drain, {yes please}).

At any rate, i've been working on farming techniques as a summoner, because i don't want to level THF up just to farm...it's at 15, and it will only go to 25 *maybe* once i hit 50, for flee. I have the following Options for a farming setup...

-SMN/WHM (both at corresponding main/sub levels)
-SMN/BLM17 (warp)
-SMN/THF15 (TH1 + Gilfinder...{Sneak Attack} {Rock Buster} {No Thanks} lol)
-SMN/NIN10 (not going to take it to 12 because i dont plan on playing SMN...and using Utsusemi is counterproductive in my opinion).

I was recently told by a 65THF that he had heard that AoE (area of effect) farming using BLM -ga spells decrease the rate at which mobs dropped items. I'm not certain if this is true, but it certainly seems so. Training 20 Crawlers and Bees, then killing all 40 or so with Stonegax2...and no drops. This was as SMN/BLM17. But, meleeing with my staff, i got 3 Silk Threads off of 8 crawlers, and about 6 beehive Chips in about 10 bees. Have you found this to be true? Does the drop rate increase if the mob is bludgeoned or stabbed to death, via staff, wand, or dagger?

What have you farmed (item wise, nm wise, mob wise, it doesn't matter), and what subjob combinations have you tried? I'm not looking for specific locations, this thread isn't about that. I believe that with all of the various mobs available for farming and item prices available for perusal on the Auction House, it's up to one to identify and farm what one wants to attain their gil.

I'm interested in how you farmed...what weapons have you found useful, what spells/avatars, tactics, etc? Asking Ramuh use Thunderspark to decimate a following of monsters into little piles of steaming goo...and finding nothing of value within.

Again, greetings, and i look forward to shared answers.
I'll post again later tonight after farming strictly with melee only.

[Shirai]

Re: Summoner Farming

Ah the eternal quest for money.

A few words of advise I can give you if you want to take your time, I won't tell you how to become very rich quick because basicly I can't.

#1. BCNMs:
All those beastmen seals you've collected are worth something and there are 2/3 BCNM out there where smn is extremely useful.
BCNMs can drop pretty profitable stuff up to a few hundredthousand, but at the same time they can be very cheap and leave you with only a few thousand gil.
But if you run out of seals, it's done for you until you get a new batch.

#2. H.E.L.M.
Harvesting, Excavating, Logging and mining.
When done long enough and finding the right points can net you with lots of high demand crafting materials.
Safe areas for you to do this at your current level are:
Giddeus, West Saruta (Harvesting)
Yughott Grotto, Palborough mines, Zehrun Mines,Gusgen Mines (Mining)
Tahrongi Canyon, Maze of Shakrami (Excavating)
Ghelsba outpost, Jugner Forest (Logging)
More areas will become safer for you as you level higher.
A lot of info can be found at: http://ffxi.somepage.com/

# 2.1. Crafting:
Things you dig up,log, harvest are crafting items mostly.
You can sell this stuff for gil or try to make more money out of it by crafting it into something.
By collecting stuff yourseld through H.E.L.M. you save a lot of money on the materials, level up craft and make money in the process.

3# Farming:
This option becomes more viable when you hit level 51.
Along with Carbuncle mitts if you have them and a Light staff you will have a free Carbuncle.
At this point it's viable to sub thief and farm monsters.
Try to keep up the staff skill from here on, later on there will be a very useful WS which will let you farm without ever having to /heal MP. (Spirit taker 215 staff skill, converts damage to MP and stacks with sneak attack.)

most of these ways take a while to make decent money but if practiced long enough can provide you with a stable income.
I hope this helps a little.

[Haggai]

Re: Summoner Farming

As a Black Mage, I can attest to -ga farming lowering drop rates. I purposely tested it in Giddeus. I needed the grass thread for clothcraft.

I ran in and did a /sea to make sure who was there and what they were there for. Fortunately, there were only 8 people there and they were all camping Hoo Mjuu. I trained 20 of the tier 2 only Yagudos and -ga'd them to death. I ended up getting like four necklaces.

Then I ran around killing 20 tier 2 Yagudos, one by one, with my Scythe. I ended up with about 12 necklaces.

I repeated this a second time, the next RL day. I got similar results.

I know that it wasn't a very thorough testing, but it was enough to convince me.

[Shinoe]

Re: Summoner Farming

As a Black Mage, I can attest to -ga farming lowering drop rates. I purposely tested it in Giddeus. I needed the grass thread for clothcraft.

I ran in and did a /sea to make sure who was there and what they were there for. Fortunately, there were only 8 people there and they were all camping Hoo Mjuu. I trained 20 of the tier 2 only Yagudos and -ga'd them to death. I ended up getting like four necklaces.

Then I ran around killing 20 tier 2 Yagudos, one by one, with my Scythe. I ended up with about 12 necklaces.

I repeated this a second time, the next RL day. I got similar results.

I know that it wasn't a very thorough testing, but it was enough to convince me.

Yup, that's basically what i found out too
i hate it!

[Omniblast]

Re: Summoner Farming

Keep staff skills up. Level Thief to 37.
You can farm when your bored to hell like I am, and go SMN/THF.

Fenrir + Spirit Taker + Sneak Attack + Sanction (Refresh) = no resting, You'll actually be gaining mp instead of losing, and you can eclipse bite once per mob.

The only problem I have come across is...

Spider Webs prices have dropped to the all time low of 2k. My bad.

[Shinoe]

Re: Summoner Farming

Ah the eternal quest for money..

Thanks for the post Shirai

I've played since japanese release here in japan, but took a year and a half hiatus, and just recently started up again. I know about H.E.L.M, etc. I take cooking slowly because i mainly only level it off of juices, which sell fairly nice even when im out farming or in a party.

I was just curious as to what areas/mobs various summoner's (or WHM, BLM) were farming, or what techniques they have found useful to employ. This is not a synthing or H.E.L.M question, since those are fairly easy to being and stick with (you just have to beat competition).

As far as BCNMs, i thought about doing Shooting Fish, but i didnt want to waste the seals on it as i always see people running around with Mannequin parts...that never sell. That's basically the only useful thing out of that BCNM (@20). I'm not sure of the other BCNM's that SMN can solo, i was planning on trying the one that drops Leaping Boots (wanted a pair for my DRG^^), which i think is 40...not sure on if its soloable with Astral Flow though.

I don't have Carby Mitts...hopefully at 51 i can convince some people on Valefor to help me get them. Been trying since i started! lol!

But yes, let the farming/bcnm comments commence! As far as H.E.L.M. and Synthing, keep that to crafting threads, because it's entirely server dependant on how much money you can make....but farming is always good (since everyone needs supplies!).

I just feel that having carbuncle out draining my mp and me whacking things with a staff and using Poison Nails for 200 dmg just isn't cutting it, even with /THF (using Healing Ruby as my heal).

Spirit Taker is awesome, i had it before i quit! I use Club also, which i'm trying to level, because at 100/125 there are two WS's for club that regain MP.


As for the juicy targets i've been going after...Bees and Crawlers in Saruta, Pashow, and Rolanberry fields, with the occassional Goobooue. I plan on going to Sanctuary of Zi'thai later on...i used to farm there before i quit. Drop rates arent any different in any one zone, as long as i don't blast them with AoE attacks with avatars. It also seems that having my avatar kill the mob kills the drop rate, just as using spells does (not -ga spells, but...normal spells. killed 15 crawlers with Blizzard last night and not one drop, but when i started killing thigs with Rock Crusher...i got 1/4 to drop).

I also ended up farming Couerls, Skinks, and Axe Beaks for meat for cooking. Melee with a staff and carby, and have him use poison nails and Healing Ruby every minute.

[Shirai]

Re: Summoner Farming

Thanks for the post Shirai

Happy to be able to help

I was just curious as to what areas/mobs various summoner's (or WHM, BLM) were farming, or what techniques they have found useful to employ. This is not a synthing or H.E.L.M question, since those are fairly easy to being and stick with (you just have to beat competition).

I used to non stop farm Spider webs when they were worth something and sold as soon as I put them on AH.
Nowadays I farm them more for Beastmen/Kindred seals.

As for money I farm Sprinklers in sky for Thunder III/IV Thundaga III scrolls and when I'm lucky sometimes even a Burst drops.
Next to that I gather the light crystals, pot shards and Mercury.
I always keep a coffer key for when a Coffer decides to spawn nearby for another 13/14k.
This is mainly High level farming though.

As level 40~ whm I used to farm Pots in Delkfutt tower for Mercury and Shards with /thf.
Those are decent money to fund your basic leveling needs.

As far as BCNMs, i thought about doing Shooting Fish, but i didnt want to waste the seals on it as i always see people running around with Mannequin parts...that never sell. That's basically the only useful thing out of that BCNM (@20). I'm not sure of the other BCNM's that SMN can solo, i was planning on trying the one that drops Leaping Boots (wanted a pair for my DRG^^), which i think is 40...not sure on if its soloable with Astral Flow though.

Find 2 ninja friends and try the Under observation BCNM40 on Horlais Peak for a Peacock Charm.
Summoner is one of the best kiters you can get for that BCNM!
It can also drop Erase and Utsusemi: NI.

I just feel that having carbuncle out draining my mp and me whacking things with a staff and using Poison Nails for 200 dmg just isn't cutting it, even with /THF (using Healing Ruby as my heal).

Carby mitts will help you immensely with that, I hope you get those really soon!

Spirit Taker is awesome, i had it before i quit! I use Club also, which i'm trying to level, because at 100/125 there are two WS's for club that regain MP.

Yes those club skills will help you loads on lower levels, however when you reach 70ish get that staff skill going.

Around level 50 you might want to consider buying a Lilith's rod.
When you farm mobs that have MP the drain is seriously awesome.
Doesn't work on undead but if you for example farm lower level pots you can get a lot of MP back because the MP drain effect really kicks in a lot.

[Shinoe]

Re: Summoner Farming

Keep staff skills up. Level Thief to 37.
You can farm when your bored to hell like I am, and go SMN/THF.

Fenrir + Spirit Taker + Sneak Attack + Sanction (Refresh) = no resting, You'll actually be gaining mp instead of losing, and you can eclipse bite once per mob.

The only problem I have come across is...

Spider Webs prices have dropped to the all time low of 2k. My bad.

Just a question, but what is Sanction? Is that the refresh buff from one of the ToAU cities? I've been to Whitegate but haven't really explored anything (except the Hostel...lol).

Sadly, i don't have Fenrir...or Carby mitts.
Fenrir's Perp cost is a little higher than Carby but lower than the other avatars, correct? How are you havinga free "FenFen" out? Pluto Staff + refresh gear, etc? Or is it just that Spirit Taker ends up replenishing the -1 mp/tick that you lose for keeping Fenrir out?

I was highly upset when i realized that RDM Refresh, BRD Ballad, SMN Auto Refresh, and COR Evoker's Roll...wouldn't allow me to have free Avatars. I even drank pineapple juice, then a yagudo drink, just to be sure. SE, you truly are the bastard stepchild of the devil, i swear! But of course, i just hit 45 last night so at 51...perp cost goes down...and if i can bribe enough people to help out with the fight for my Mitts....maybe i can have a free Carbuncle.

[Shinoe]

Re: Summoner Farming

Nowadays I farm them more for Beastmen/Kindred seals.

Which spiders are you talking about? The ones in Bohyada Tree or the Desert? I just assumed all mobs had the same chance to drop seals.

I'll try that BCNM, thanks Shirai.
And i've had a Lilith's Rod in my bazaar since level 25 (it cost me 3000g lol).

Omniblast...what's the point for taking THF to 37 just to farm...You still only have TH1, Gilfinder...you get Flee...but that's not worth a whole lot...although i'm thinking that if you SATA Spirit Taker off of Carbuncle...it could get interesting. lol.

[Shirai]

Re: Summoner Farming

Just a question, but what is Sanction? Is that the refresh buff from one of the ToAU cities? I've been to Whitegate but haven't really explored anything (except the Hostel...lol).

When you reach mid 50's early 60's you'll start gaining experience points in the new Treasures zones.
Aht Urhgan brings it's own signet wth several bonuses you can choose from.
Regen, Refresh and increased food duration.
This also brings it's own "conquest" system where you earn Imperial standing points.

Fenrir's Perp cost is a little higher than Carby but lower than the other avatars, correct? How are you havinga free "FenFen" out? Pluto Staff + refresh gear, etc? Or is it just that Spirit Taker ends up replenishing the -1 mp/tick that you lose for keeping Fenrir out?

Indeed, Fenrir is more costly then Carbuncle but lower then your other avatars.
What omniblast means with a "free fenny" is that the cost for having him out can be gained back by using Spirit taker.
It is even possible to get free fenrir without refresh and the like at level 75 but that would require very high end gear to accomplish.
(@ level 75 Fenrir costs 11MP/tick and can be made free with the following gear under the right circumstances:
Body:Austere Robe/Yinyang Robe -1
Hands: Nashira Gages -1
Ring: Evoker's Ring -1
Weapon: Pluto's staff -3
Feet: Evoker's Pigaches+1 -1
Head: Summoner's Horn -3 (On the specific weather effect.)
Job Trait: Auto-Refresh -1
All this together on Dark weather would give you a free fenrir.)

I was highly upset when i realized that RDM Refresh, BRD Ballad, SMN Auto Refresh, and COR Evoker's Roll...wouldn't allow me to have free Avatars. I even drank pineapple juice, then a yagudo drink, just to be sure.

No you won't get free avatars unless you combine either or.
Regular refresh effects do not stack, so RDM's refresh and drinks will never stack with each other.
A drink will just override a Refresh given by RDMs and vice versa.
However Ballad, Refresh and Evoker's roll are stackable on each other since they all are their own kind of refresh.
On Ballad and Evoker's roll however you can stack an extra drink.

Even with all -perpetuation gear in the world you will never get the auto-refresh back though.
The first MP an avatar takes as perpetuation will always be your Auto-Refresh then your -perpetuation.
External Refresh (Refresh,Ballad,Evoker's Roll, Drinks or sanction) is always last on the list so it is possible to get MP back while you have an avatar out.

Which spiders are you talking about? The ones in Bohyada Tree or the Desert? I just assumed all mobs had the same chance to drop seals.

I used to go to the Boyahda Tree for it but nowadays I farm the around the Aht Urhgan areas since it's so close to an Auction house which Boyahda is not.
Also the Sanction refresh helps a lot, which does not work outside the Aht Urhgan areas.
Yes any mob has the same chance of dropping seals however you need to get experience points from them or they won't drop any seals at all.
So they have to be easy prey or higher.

Omniblast...what's the point for taking THF to 37 just to farm...You still only have TH1, Gilfinder...you get Flee...but that's not worth a whole lot...although i'm thinking that if you SATA Spirit Taker off of Carbuncle...it could get interesting. lol.

There are a few extra stats that come into play by having a fully leveled subjob.
Also when farming it's advisable not to use Carbuncle if you yourself melee as well.
My choice for farming is Fenrir as he has a higher melee damage potential then Carbuncle does and as said before a SA(TA) Spirit taker will get nearly if not all the MP back Fenny uses.
Also Fenrir will have an easier time keeping hate or getting hate back after you SA(TA) WS.
A summoner is made out of paper, so we want to prevent ever getting hit at all.

[Shinoe]

Re: Summoner Farming

Wow great info! I never put much thought into what mp regains took precedence before others...so that was indeed interesting.

I spent the time i had yesterday whacking away at Tigers, Ba, and Stalking Saplings in Batallia Downs for Staff skillups...and realized i made pretty decent cash (not a lot, but decent) off of Tiger Hides, fangs, fruit seeds, bulbs, etc). Of course, i had to go as /whm...i would have died otherwise. I usually land every hit, but it doesnt do a lot of damage...so even these {Too Weak} mobs would eventually kill me, unless i pulled out Carby for a Healing Ruby or Garuda for Whispering Wind. Glittering Ruby helps for skillups, but it's obviously too random to count on. Haha!

I need to get back to leveling...i've been 44 for 5 days now! But i switched from being on mission 4-3 Bastok, and went to Sandoria and did 1-1~5-1, and since me being able to go along with the LS was a freak accident in time, i knew i couldn't do the Shadowlord fight...so i called in some help ^^ It's awesome going from one cutscene...to the cutscene after shadowlord falls...without ever being in the fight. ha!

[Shinoe]

Re: Summoner Farming

My biggest thing when farming is that if i go /THF then my only fall back for healing would be Healing Ruby or Whispering Wind (which eats up mp like crazy). No protect, shell, regen, blink...no silence, paralyze, slow...(i normally paralyze fast attacking mobs, and silence casters..i don't slow often). And most importantly..no healing!

I've come up with something that works a little bit...Have Carby use Poison nails once while whack away at the mob, and tell Carby to Retreat so he just sits there. When the mob turns to hit me, Healing Ruby, Retreat. So carby stands there being hit on while i skill up. But for farming im assuming he'd keep and hold the aggro enough...just resting for mp blows.

At 51 you can have a free Carby with Carbuncle Mitts, Apollo Staff, and Austere Hat/Robe (whichever has -perp) right? I need to farm some cash and then bribe some people...ha!

It just seems that im at the point where you have 2 choices on how you want to make cash...but either way is going to require a lot of downtime (resting for HP if i can't heal, resting for MP if i end up healing too much). Just trying to skill up Wand and Staff now...can't wait for ST. ><

[DJJGKWYA]

Re: Summoner Farming

Personally you have to find an area that works for you IMO, I've farmed in a few diffrent areas in the past, I currently farm in Zi'tah with the Gobbues. Having a free Carby is kind of neccessary though, or else you'd end up resting quite often

Personally I come as SMN/THF and keep my inventory pretty much empty besides what I need to keep Carbuncle free, to keep as much room as possible, though I usually dont fill it up, but eh.

Another thing that comes in handy that I dont think anyone mentioned and really helps me out is keeping my Outpost Warps up to date and bringing a warp scroll/cudgel with me so I can just warp back, keeping my HP in Windy.

At your level you probably couldnt farm successfully in Zi'tah, I think at that level I still farmed in Tahrongi? You can get Silk Thread, Saruta Cotton, Grain Seed and Dhalmel Hides there, if your server economy is anything like mine, its more worthwhile to turn the hides into Dhalmel Leather, but you'll need 17-20 Leathercraft or something like that, and that takes a bit of money to get started on.

Gain a some more levels and you can do the Ilrusi Atoll assault, Ive personally never done it (I do Lebros Cavern every 3 days), Assault is a great way to bring in some money. Every 8 days (for the neckpieces) or 11 days (for the belts/capes).

As far as other methods of making gil go:

I always hated HELM, I know some people like it, so thats just me, I would always end up with a bunch of garbage after several hours and it would be more worthwhile to farm.

Gardening I always liked, I havent done it since I started returning to game, but this isnt for everyone, I always did Tree Saplings, its a great way to have some extra income come in every month IMO, takes some starting money though.

Crafting takes a little bit of starting money, personally I do leathercraft, you can make money pretty fast in this actually, either by farming Sheepskins and crafting them into Sheep Leathers (I've found Beadeaux to be the best spot), or by planting a mule at the Leather Guild and camping it every time the guild opens, then send the skins to your main and crafting them. I used to turn 100k profit a day this way.

There's several quests you could do on all your mules, just for a little something extra, you'll have to build fame and it will take powders/oils. Mea, Holla, Dem, Altep, Aspir, Warp, Warp2 (maybe, I dont like the long walk through the glacier), and by farming bead necklaces on your main and if its worth it on your server, you could buy the kazham pass and do all the ninjutsu scrolls as well.

Well hope this wasnt too long winded for you D:

Oh, you said your big deal with Healing Ruby was losing MP, when Carby is free its no prob using it, 8 MP for a 180-220HP cure is lovely 8)

I used to go to the Boyahda Tree for it but nowadays I farm the around the Aht Urhgan areas since it's so close to an Auction house which Boyahda is not.
Also the Sanction refresh helps a lot, which does not work outside the Aht Urhgan areas.

What exactly do you farm outside Aht Urhgan? most of the stuff doesnt sell that well on my server, unless maybe your high enough clothcraft to go spider web > rainbow thread??

colibri feathers/puk wings are like 500G-1k a stack
unless perhaps you farm the tigers?

[Shirai]

Re: Summoner Farming

What exactly do you farm outside Aht Urhgan? most of the stuff doesnt sell that well on my server, unless maybe your high enough clothcraft to go spider web > rainbow thread??

colibri feathers/puk wings are like 500G-1k a stack
unless perhaps you farm the tigers?

Spider webs, they still sell almost immediately on my server.
However I farm spiders and Colibri more for seals because I can usually keep going on them without having to rest ever.
However the price of webs went down to ~2/3k each so they are hardly worth farming anymore.

For the better gil I head up to Ru'Ann Gardens and farm Sprinklers there for Pot Shards, Mercury, Light crystals and the occasional BLM scrolls. (Thunder III/IV, Thundaga III and very occasionally Burst.)
(Thunder III/IV and Thundaga III NPC for quite nice gil as AH price is quite low.)
And let's not forget the very decent exp as they rate from Decent challenge to Tough.
This mainly became an option to me because I have Sky access through the Teleport crags.
(This isn't recommended below level 70)

[Shinoe]

Re: Summoner Farming

Gain a some more levels and you can do the Ilrusi Atoll assault, Ive personally never done it (I do Lebros Cavern every 3 days), Assault is a great way to bring in some money. Every 8 days (for the neckpieces) or 11 days (for the belts/capes).

I'm interested in Aht Urhgan, since i've unlocked the ship to whitegate and been there maybe twice total. I still havent found out where all the NPC and shops are. But how do you start Assault? And why would that make gil? I'm assuming collecting points via some kind of system and turning in for gear to sell over AH, similiar to Conquest? I hit level 49 last night...almost 50 but my WHM is 24...so i'm at least trying to take WHM to 30 so i can do 50-60 non stop. I hate leveling WHM ><;

When i get 51, i'm going to spend as much gil as needed to bribe people on my server to help get those Carby mitts. I've wanted them since i started for level 20, and here it is 30 levels later. Hah! My point with the healing ruby thing was that yea, Carby isnt free, but i see now that when he is free then my choices are much broader as far as what i take as my SJ. I wonder...with Austere Robe + Light Staff + Carbuncle Mitts making carby free....would Penance Robe + PLuto Staff do the same? Penance of course costs a crapload, but im just curious.

I stopped my skilling in Batallia downs as it was taking forever to get skillups there, but i started on Beetles in Sauramogue Champaigne. Hi Def, Lots of HP, low evasion. I have Earth Shaker now which does pretty good damage for the amount of TP you use (100-300), and i got an invite from a DRG/THF to help farm in Altepa after a party last night when i was SMN/WHM so that worked out fairly well. The spiders were all Easy Prey, but even though they con as TW to me now at 49, it's still fairly deceiving. I just need to work on getting carby free and then the farming and skilling will go easier i guess.

AT 51 Carby is free, but what about later when his perpetuation cost goes up? Will he stay free, or would i need a Vermillion Cloak and other gear to keep him free?