[LadyKiKi]

So no doubt most communities/job forums will have been arguing which 2 stats to put on the body piece:





I have discussed this over at my server's forums and decided to bring it up here as no one has yet.

It began with someone asking what stats to actually add onto the piece, or whether to get this piece for BST or the other piece for SMN, to which I responded with:

No.




General jug pets are useless and you won't bring that much more to the table. Until they fix the utility of jug pets the boosts will never be much better than what a PUP/SMN can do.

If they give us Hecteye (Hakutaku style) jug pets then that might be up for debate if they don't cast retarded spells. But seriously? Nah...

Then someone replied with:

I'm a little confused at why you'd be focussing on jugs for assessing the Crystalline gear.

I'm not seeing the advantages for my RDM, BLU or WHM, but it looks pretty sweet for my BST. 5STR, 5DEX, 5AGI, + 2 of (15 pet Acc, 10 Accuracy, Pet DA and Crit,) makes a pretty nice looking body for BST. The pet Accuracy alone is nearly unique, and is something we usually struggle with...

To which I put:

The reason being is since when is/was there a situation where we can use local pets to square up with anything we need to do except EXP, and at 75.

This includes Kirin (Sky), Limbus, Sea, BCNM, KSNM, ISNM, [s]NM, Besieged, Assault (some assaults do but lets not count that), HNM, Campaign. And everywhere else for EXP it is simple to earn, we have proven even without those bonuses we are able to cope.

5 AGI means nothing.

Then there's the question of Herder's Subligar, which provides an unknown amount of Pet Accuracy.

If I was the only BST in X shell, this will bring little to nothing to the table, unlike a PUP's nuke or a SMN's bloodpact. Otherwise, for a PET shell like MonstersInc, they will benefit a lot more because it's in mass.

However, although I probably will not get this piece in favour of BST, I will say that if the stats are able to be swapped "on the fly" I will of course put those stats in. Similar to BLU spells.

But otherwise, if it proves Divine Might-ish or Apoc-Nigh-ish to reobtain this piece AND put 2 stats on, then I simply will not bother. However, if I can swap on the fly, then I will use these stats to my advantage.

Key Points:

• I agree that Pet Accuracy is infact hard to come by, but Herder's Subligar is still an unknown amount of accuracy boost at this point
• I am not saying this piece/stats is bad for BST, but perhaps for someone with multiple jobs where BST isn't the one being requested to be used the most this will not be as useful
• In solo situations (normally for EXP/merits and NMs) it will help of course but we have proven we do not need the accuracy to accomplish what we have done already. These stats are somewhat like icing on a cake
• A person who loves BST and plays ONLY (or nearly full time) BST should get it, no doubt
• If stats can be swapped on the fly similar to BLU spells, then I will fully use this to my advantage. If stats require a Divine Might-ish or Apoc-Nigh-ish series of quests to reobtain the right to change the stats, then I will not. To reobtain 1 of the 3 pieces is OK though
• In an all pet linkshell perhaps the bonuses added up altogether will actually see some difference as these linkshells depend on their (jug) pets much more than 1 BST and 17 none pet jobs in a given alliance
• PUPs/SMNs make use of these pieces better because they're able to provide spike damage, something jug pets cannot do. Automatons/Avatars can also be relied on to do many in a given time (Nukes/Bloodpacts) whereas jug pets cannot

Also remember, the "joy" of these pieces is being able to cater them to your own wants/needs to make the game more fun. I am only providing my opinion I have with pet playing.

And if I was anal I'd put Magic Attack Bonus on it so I can make my Primal Rends hit harder.
(^ but would it outdo Osode's 10 CHR?)

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

This is going to be a more accessable piece than Herder's Subligar, which is a chance Assault drop. Not to mention a BST could wear this plus Herder's for even more accuracy.

Also to change the stats on the piece, you'll have to toss and re-quest it (confirmed on JP Button).

Given the mage body and stats offered are useless to SCH in general, I'll be getting this for BST. I have no other melees I'm interested in levelling save for BLU, which can get by on accuracy and STR by other means.

[LadyKiKi]

This is going to be a more accessable piece than Herder's Subligar, which is a chance Assault drop. Not to mention a BST could wear this plus Herder's for even more accuracy.

Herder's come from the treasure caskets in S.Champagne (easy to farm but random/rare drop).

However, I haven't read JP Button for the last 1 and a half or so...

Also to change the stats on the piece, you'll have to toss and re-quest it

afk killing myself

Now it depends on the quest.Thanks so much for that info, I really wasn't aware haha. I'll need a slightly more serious rethink.

[Malacite]

Originally Posted by LadyKiKi

No.




General jug pets are useless and you won't bring that much more to the table. Until they fix the utility of jug pets the boosts will never be much better than what a PUP/SMN can do.

If they give us Hecteye (Hakutaku style) jug pets then that might be up for debate if they don't cast retarded spells. But seriously? Nah...

'


Bullshit. OK sure BST isn't the most spectacular job for endgame but Lars is still a fairly sick pet. We have a BST in Dynacore who uses him a fair bit (along with CC) and he has the Guttler. I'm sure he'd love to get his hands on some of those pet mods.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

I'd think Mirke with some combination of Pet Acc/Pet Atk/Pet DA+Crit would make an interesting TP piece. TP in Mirke to help your pet build hate, and use Hauby for WS.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Originally Posted by LadyKiKi

Herder's come from the treasure caskets in S.Champagne (easy to farm but random/rare drop).

Maybe I got it confused with something else from Assault. That's not so bad, was planning to farm coreul meat out there today to make tons of PFZ Biscuts anyway, guess I'll make a night of it.

Originally Posted by LyonheartLakshmi

I'd think Mirke with some combination of Pet Acc/Pet Atk/Pet DA+Crit would make an interesting TP piece. TP in Mirke to help your pet build hate, and use Hauby for WS.

I did think about that while I was at work today, it would just mean making a macro to switch out to Hauberk/Hauby if TPing in Mirke didn't work out for a certain situation and then use haub for WS regardless.

[LadyKiKi]

Originally Posted by Malacite

'


Bullshit. OK sure BST isn't the most spectacular job for endgame but Lars is still a fairly sick pet. We have a BST in Dynacore who uses him a fair bit (along with CC) and he has the Guttler. I'm sure he'd love to get his hands on some of those pet mods.

He has a Guttler. He does not apply to everyone else who may have multiple jobs. I am sure because he has a Guttler he would want to be BST most if not all the time. My arguments do not apply to a career BST, but for a person with BST levelled along with other jobs. I'm sure every career BST PUP SMN will love to get their hands on these modifiers. I am also sure that a person with BST levelled but does not get asked to bring it to events will probably want to evaluate one of the many options available.

I know lars is a good pet. But compared to a playable character who gets buffs from food, gear, spells, abilities, do you really think a mere (Pet) 2% Critical, 2% Double Attack/Attack +15/Accuracy +15 will make that huge of a difference compared to what we have currently? On a pet with no form of spike damage except for continous damage over time, it is extremely overshadowed by SMN. Sure, these stats are better than nothing, and as I said, the joy of these pieces is to be able to choose

With the exception of Beast Affinity merits, look at how random/unknown Lion Tamer, Pallas Shield, Askar Legs and Herder's Subligar are. Sure they enhance the pet, but if they were that"awesome" then everyone would be raving about it by now (the idea of a pet tank via Snarl). Due to how we cannot see a pet's stats, I really don't think the performance increase for jug pets will be as large as the increase for Avatars/Automatons.

Omgwtfbbqkitten, regarding the assault confusion, you probably meant the Breeder's Set, which is extremely rare to come by.
And no one to my knowledge has the 2 pieces of the "Breeder's" set yet.

I am not telling people NOT to get it, but to re-evaluate whether the slight extra stats are REALLY necessary to your day to day play before you all jump on "omg must give pet accuracy/attack/double attack!". And you need to keep it on for the stats to take in effect.

I do feel BST gets shafted by these features. It's nearly like:

Attractive, single, mentally stable: choose two

You have these choices (assuming to replace NQ Haubergeon):

Gimp yourself slightly of 10 attack for 10 accuracy and 15 Pet Accuracy

Gimp yourself of 10 attack 10 accuracy to give your pet (which will die when zoned, you have to spend gil on, and still lack the usefulness to hit anything big constantly) 2% Double Attack/Critical and/or 15 Accuracy/15 Attack

Have a pet that can land hits slightly better with 15 somewhat invisible/random attack on top, or slightly better with that 2% Double Attack/Critical being un-noticed, or the same accuracy as it was before, but 15 attack on top and the 2% Double Attack/Critical on top?

^ I would like to point out that if you depend mostly on CC due to it being cheap then the 15 Accuracy/15 Attack would be better. But for others who use a fully merited Funguar/Lars/HQ Tiger then 15 Accuracy and 2% Double Attack/Critical being better, to compliment their double attacking nature already.

However, for pet shells, as I have mentioned already, which rely solely on jug pets/avatars/automatons then the armor will really shine for a group when massed together, and because you won't be meleeing anyway (i.e. Kirin or eat StonegaIV/TP attacks)

That all said, this can be requested as Omgwtfbbqkitten pointed out. So it can be changed, but I am one to not like redoing things, I would want to make the best possible choice with little to no regrets. And we don't know how hard it will be. If it's something similar to CoP rings then WOOOLALALA

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Well, what we don't know yet is if this is the ultimate reward of the new expansion chapter or not. It would be kinda weird to flash around the final reward when the storyline isn't even released yet, so I'm skeptical that this is all there is to ACP's reward scheme. There will likely be some quests related to that storyarch as well.

The only real downside for BST would be is that you'd probably still want to keep the Hauby to get the other stats as a TP piece. There are downsides if there were stats great for your other jobs, but since I have to choose between, BST, SCH or BRD on Foobar otherwise, BST looks to have gotten the better deal here. Helps my decision quite a bit that my BRD bas been rubbed out.

Had SE put some stats beneficial to main healing or buffing on the mage piece, I would have favored SCH instead, but they favored other mage stats that would be an downgrade from my Scholar's Gown

[LyonheartLakshmi]

Originally Posted by LadyKiKi

I do feel BST gets shafted by these features.

So because SE didn't give us the ability to have our cake and eat it too, we got "shafted"?

[Esoa]

As I've said on other forums, where is this "I PT/run events/do missions/etc. on BST" mentality coming from? You guys go on and on and on and on and on about how BST is the awesome solo job yet this ridiculously uber BST solo chestpiece comes along and suddenly you're deciding whether it's any good based on party play!?

I also don't get the "we can already do stuff fine solo" point of view. A DD can do "just fine" with mediocre gear, but they go the extra mile to upgrade because it's part of their job. How can you play BST, have this chestpiece come along, and just brush it off like it's irrelevant? You will solo better. Your NM kills will be faster and smoother. Your farming will be faster. You will require less pet swaps. BST solo meriting will be faster.

If you think it's better for another job (which I don't agree with) that you care more about, how is that even remotely relevant to the BST forums? Assume we care about this job just as much as any other.

[Esoa]

As I've said on other forums, where is this "I PT/run events/do missions/etc. on BST" mentality coming from? You guys go on and on and on and on and on about how BST is the awesome solo job yet this ridiculously uber BST solo chestpiece comes along and suddenly you're deciding whether it's any good based on party play!?

I also don't get the "we can already do stuff fine solo" point of view. A DD can do "just fine" with mediocre gear, but they go the extra mile to upgrade because it's part of their job. How can you play BST, have this chestpiece come along, and just brush it off like it's irrelevant? You will solo better. Your NM kills will be faster and smoother. Your farming will be faster. You will require less pet swaps. BST solo meriting will be faster.

If you think it's better for another job (which I don't agree with) that you care more about, how is that even remotely relevant to the BST forums? Assume we care about this job just as much as any other.

[LadyKiKi]

Originally Posted by Esoa

As I've said on other forums, where is this "I PT/run events/do missions/etc. on BST" mentality coming from? You guys go on and on and on and on and on about how BST is the awesome solo job yet this ridiculously uber BST solo chestpiece comes along and suddenly you're deciding whether it's any good based on party play!?

I also don't get the "we can already do stuff fine solo" point of view. A DD can do "just fine" with mediocre gear, but they go the extra mile to upgrade because it's part of their job. How can you play BST, have this chestpiece come along, and just brush it off like it's irrelevant? You will solo better. Your NM kills will be faster and smoother. Your farming will be faster. You will require less pet swaps. BST solo meriting will be faster.

If you think it's better for another job (which I don't agree with) that you care more about, how is that even remotely relevant to the BST forums? Assume we care about this job just as much as any other.

I predict that you will not solo that much faster, or require less pet swaps. At most you'll most likely save yourself 1 or 2 pet swaps. Your pet will still die just as fast.

The point now is the amount of gear that players (DDs), DRGs, SMNs, PUPs have to update themselves and their respective pet is quite large, with meaningful buffs as well. PUPs get additional updates via their attachments. The body piece and the available stats complement and stack with those jobs' other gear. BST gets ... nothing but the recent Herder's Subligar and a load of "Defence+10" gears (Askar Legs, Lion Tamer, Pallas Shield)

I wanted to evaluate whether I would want to put the pet stats on these body pieces, so I opened up discussion here providing an insight to how I see things. At the end of the day no one will care what everyone else puts on it, which is the good thing about these pieces. You can do as you want. I do not expect people to agree.

Similar to haste, or why people say to not put on +haste gear unless you put on all of it. Although BST, especially BST, should get what they can. It's just that this is the first time we (yes, we. I'm BST at heart) get a meaningful buff for our pet. Not including the Mythic Axe here at this point because we do not know what "Enhances Sic" does yet.

What I do aim to do however is to test these pieces dependant on how hard/difficult it might be to reobtain this item (in favour for another job or other buffs). For example, lets see how many Robber Crabs (or Korrigans, maybe Steelshells, a Korrigan's counterattack(s) might skew the results) I need to throw at Aquarius with the body piece on and without.



I am not basing it on party play. I do a lot of things solo, as THF/BST (farming), PLD/BST or NIN/BST (solo merits or buffer), RDM/BST (big NMs where a jug pet is not required) and BST (misc. or where jug pets/local pets can take over and I don't need to worry about anything). I am basing it whether a single buff on top of no buffs for a solo BST pets is that worthwhile or will it actually help as much as people think it would. In a pet shell situation this is completely different.

Someone has made an interesting note to me however, whether the other expansions/rewards we can potentially get will allow us to add more (but maybe not as powerful, as this is the body piece) of the same stats to customise the armor with. We will need to wait and see . . .

Otherwise, this is all just pure speculation on my part. Other jobs know how good these pieces will work for them because it's been all tried and tested, the buffs exist on other gears and has been calculated to death. As BSTs we can only see it on a shallow level at the moment based on the pure stats shown by the piece of gear. Sure it seems quite a hefty boost, 15 accuracy/attack, but is it enough on top of their current performance? Without applying the "we need what we can get".

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

I think you're riding the solo angle a little too hard. Yeah, things like +accuracy or +attack wouldn't mean much more from the solo standpoint, but honestly, I don't think there's a lot more they can do to improve BST's solo situation. We can use more jug pets and we can use more party-worthy Traits, Abillities, gear and I think there are a few mob types SE should be letting us be able to charm, but I dont' think there's much left to make soloing better for us. We have all gotten along fine solo with the updates given in the last couple of updates

I think the pet buffs on this gear were pointing in more of a party direction. Whether you choose to use it that way or not is completely up to you. If you're going to party at times +10 Accuracy for you and +15 Pet Accuracy would be the best way to go about it. If you prefer to go solo, then your choice of any of the two pet bonuses would depend on what you like.

[LadyKiKi]

Yeh, you're right...

Oh well, sit back and wait it is. Re-reading JP Button's interviews stated hardcore players might be able to complete within 2 weeks, and casual players 2 months, assuming this is a reward towards the end of the mini expansion pack. So this either will be easy or you have to wait for conquest update to progress, or it's challenging.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

I wouldn't put it past SE to force players to pace it out with JP midnight requirements in spaces. I would hope it would be challenging, but given this is mainland content, I wouldn't expect anything challenging until near the end since they'd want to keep some of this accessable to lower level players.

Though I could hope for capped fights, I doubt they'll happen.