Warrior Trouble

[Kiryn]

I can not hit worth anything at all. I barely even hit with a Mithrkabob (sp?).
I am a taru. I know thats have something to do with it. I picked WAR cause i got tired of healing and nuking. But ill do that later on. So what can I do about it?

[Armando]

What's your level and what were you fighting? IF you're using an axe/great axe (like you should be, preferrably great axe as I'm assuming you're in the lower levels) and your skill is capped, then 95% of the time the problem is that your party was fighting something too high for them (i.e. overhunting) or you were too low level for the rest of the party. Also, Shield Break can work miracles for everyone's hit rate. Unless something else is needed to make a powerful Skillchain and Magic Burst, it's the WS you should be using in almost all situations 'til the higher levels.

[Kiryn]

Theres the problem.

I just started a whole new character from the beginning and either the GAxes are sold out or too high to use. So I am using a sword.

And I have the sword level at 28.

[Armando]

The fact that you're using a sword shouldn't be the problem, since the cap for sword skill at low levels is so close to the cap for axes and great axes that if you have it maxed out, your hit rate should be almost the same (ignoring Shield Break, of course.)

[Kiryn]

So then what should I do?

[Armando]

Well, like I said, is your skill maxed out? If not, max it out and make do with that until you can get your hands on a Great Axe (of course, you'll have to get that one close to the cap before taking it out in parties, but Shield Break will make that fairly easy.) Once your skill is maxed out, it mostly comes down to how high the mob is compared to you. Ideally you should be getting under but close to 200 EXP per kill. Usually when you're getting consistent 200 EXP per kill the mobs are higher than the ideal levels. Basically, you should be able to get a good hitting rate with meat if the mob isn't too high.

[Celeal]

Your Great Axe skill has a huge impact of your accuracy. Is your Great Axe skill capped? If not, try to skill up. What is your current Great Axe skill ^^?

[Sevv]

psh skilling up... your a taru you need to get to the gym and workout so then you can become all buff and hit the mob for 1 point of damage =P. Also if you do have skill level capped you can try to find a lower level att gear.

[raidenn]

Battle Gloves is usable by WAR right? Thats like accuracy +3.
Some food might help. http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/food.php#Food_Overview

What level are you now and what food are you taking?
Also are you fighting crabs and pugils? Crabs have this bubble shower that saps your strength temporarily, pugils are hi -evasion mobs.

What sub are you using? /monk may give you an edge with the Boost ability.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

To raise your GAxe skill (or any weapon skill for that matter), start by soloing Too Weak mobs that still /check as High Defense while you have your new weapon type equipped. The three low level Beastmen strongholds are good places to start (Giddeus, Palborough, Ghelsba). When the mobs you are beating up on stop showing up as High Defense, move onto stronger mobs.

When you start getting close to Easy Prey mobs, you'll probably find that it's getting too dangerous to solo them. At this point, you could try finding a friend to duo with for skill ups.

If you do not at least solo a bunch of Too Weak mobs to raise your skill as high as you can on your own, I don't suggest going into an exp party with that weapon. I remember one WAR in Kazham who asked if he could skill up his GSword in the party. I thought he meant he was close, and just needed some levels to cap off his skill. But when we started setting up Skillchains, he said had absolutely no weapon skills. His skill was at 0. That's just not acceptable.

PS. Battle Gloves is not useable by WARs

[Ziero]

Seeing as you haven't answered what job level you are, it's hard to give you gear advice. But from lvls 1-10, you shouldn't be fighting anything higher then a T mob and seeing as your skill is only 28 and sword caps at 31 for war, I can't imagine you being that much higher. The first Gaxe you can use is lvl 5 and purchased from NPCs, as is the next best Gaxe at 12. Your first 'AH only' Gaxe is the Moth Axe at 16 which can also be found in a iner/outer Horrotto(sp) treasure chest, so windy would be the best place to get it. And at 20 you can get the ever wonderful Neckchopper with it's decent Dmg, Delay and a bonus +5 acc, which could easily last till 30.

As a taru taru melee you will want to get *the* best equips possible. Your racial deficiancies can only be overcome by superb gear, so you will have to put some effort in if you want to keep up.

Best advice I could give for you is the best def body, head and legs you can get, the lvl 10/15 gloves with +3 att, the best Gaxe you can buy, mighty/vision rings till mid 30s/40s whe you get access to acc rings and make sure to pile on any acc/att/str gear you can. As you get higher you'll want two different sets of gear, one to tank and one to DD, as offensive gear usually lowers defensive stats and vice versa.

Also, meat, eat it. Jerky in the early lvls, rice dumplings at 20-40 and meat kabobs past that. Eventually you should be able to figure out which food is best for you on your own, just don't eat sushi pre 60 and you should be ok.

[Minimee]

1st of all taru has nothing to do with your accuracy. it does have a small effect on your damage. posting level would help with answers. use a grt axe. you say you cant afford them? low level axes are sold by an npc in bastok really cheap. less tha 700g, these are commonly purchased and sold on ahs in all cities for 3k to 5k. learn to shop, its a great way to save gil and make gil from non shoppers. using mithkabos lower than level 25 is probaly a waste. gear you should use dex rings or acc rings if your having trouble hitting. strength rings to do more damage per hit. i suggest doing research on job specific forums. dont let the elvann try and tell you taru cant be melee. just point and laugh when they miss more than you. all their strength is wasted on whiffs. higher levels things even out with gear and skills and food. ima 75 drk btw and now working on drg. being a mage did nothing for me either. good luck and enjoy being a taru melee. tarutaru - impossible to guage!!!

[Celeal]

And open the battle with Shield Break is wonderful at early levels ^^b

[Kiryn]

I just started this character.
I have no sub job.
My GAxe skill is 0.
My sword skill is 36(capped) in the dunes.
I'm a WAR12.

I can get pretty good damage with no food but I still miss a little bit.

[IfritnoItazura]

I would advice getting a two-handed axe, then go back to farm Easy Prey or lower monsters for drops you can sell while you skill up on the Great Axe. (You'll need the gil anyway, while Great Axe is fun to use.)

As for food in Valkum Dunes levels, Meat Jerky (less than 125 gil form NPC, I think, and lasts for 30 minutes each) is about right. (Here's a basic food guide: http://ffxi.somepage.com/itemdb/food.php )

[bikkebakke]

At level 12 hopefully you are still fighting lizards if partying in the dunes... unless you are low end of party and fighting clippers. Mithkabobs are a waste at your level... I'd use Meat Jerky which can be bought from the inns at the nations for pretty cheap. You're missing alot because well... you're in the dunes. The dunes is a rough place to get through and really you won't be getting great hit rates no matter what you do. Just stick it out and get your sj unlocked. With the additional stats from a sj you should be able to hit semi-decent, but still not great.

[Freyr]

Weapon Choice: Great Axe
Buy one in bastok or selbina. Which ever is closest. And go back to a starting area and cap your greataxe skill. It should last you to level 20.
http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/Greataxe

Food Choice:Meat Jerky
This is your best bet for food in the Dunes. It's cheap and the best att food for your level. You can buy it off npc in any of the starting cities. Grab a stack or two while you cap your G.Axe skill for use in parties.
http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/Meat_Jerky

Weapon Skill: Shield Break
Try to start every battle with this. It will help the hole party alot. It's like giving everybody in your party +40acc.
http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/Shield_Break

[Kiryn]

Now its not so bad, just i can't do jack against any IT++ mobs. And my GAxe skill is 38-40 now.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

Now its not so bad, just i can't do jack against any IT++ mobs. And my GAxe skill is 38-40 now.
If your character info is up-to-date (that you're a level 13 WAR), then your GAxe skill is pretty close to cap. The cap for GAxe at lvl 13 is 42. If you "can't do jack against any IT++ mobs", then rest assured, most other players are experiencing the same problem, and your party is probably overhunting.

Just keep plugging away, and don't give up!

[Freyr]

Now its not so bad, just i can't do jack against any IT++ mobs. And my GAxe skill is 38-40 now.

When you check a mob does it say high Defense and/or High Evasion if it does generaly that means that you are fighting mobs that are too high for your level. Get your party to fight weaker mobs. You should try fighting Hill Lizards or Sand Hare at 13. At around 17ish Goblin Gambler and Goblin Leechers are easy pickings if your white mage is good at silencing them.

[Malacite]

-.- meat jerky is ass. stop praising it.


Go with Roast Mutton if you can, as it gives a higher attack boost (27% vs 22) and failing that, grilled black hare if you can find it. It costs a bit more for the Hare (it's an HQ synth, normal is grilled hare) but it also lasts 6 hours and gives +30% attack with a cap of 20 @60 attack. and in the dunes, your skill won't exceed that by too much.


And yeah, use Great Axe ASAP

[IfritnoItazura]

-.- meat jerky is ass. stop praising it.


Go with Roast Mutton if you can, as it gives a higher attack boost (27% vs 22) and failing that, grilled black hare if you can find it. It costs a bit more for the Hare (it's an HQ synth, normal is grilled hare) but it also lasts 6 hours and gives +30% attack with a cap of 20 @60 attack. and in the dunes, your skill won't exceed that by too much.

... If grilled glack hare isn't that bad because "your skill [or attack] won't exceed that by too much," how is it that meat jerky compare so unfavably to roast mutton, when it only has slightly less attack boost?

The reason why meat jerky is more recommended is that parties in Valkrum Dunes do not last all that long, especially when invited as replacement. Besides, death is also fairly frequent, making half-an-hour food a even better bet.

It doesn't seem very nice to demand inexperience players in probably pick-up groups to use a three hour food, in my opinion, much less a four hour food. Meat jerky, at 30 min duration, is much more reasonable.

* * *
Edit:
Yes, grilled black hare is four hours, not six. I also made that mistake.... >_>;

[Malacite]

I'm aware that the jerky is more convenient for newbies ^^; but if you want to get the most out of things go with the mutton or hare, especially if you're going to solo outside of exp.

[Armando]

That's strange, I had read everywhere that Meat Jerky was 27%, even somepage. In any case it's the dunes, so yeah.

[Malacite]

Nope, somepage lists it as 22%. see for yourself

[Kiryn]

Well I got level 17. Waiting for 18. I have GAxe at 52. And I hit easy and tough about 35-50 pts. easy 60-80.

[IfritnoItazura]

Not bad; Great Axe caps at 54 for WAR17, so you're right on track.