[Akashimo]

≪Sep. 9, 2008 (JST) Update Details≫
*Japan Standard Time


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Event Related

New quests have been added focusing on areas introduced in the Wings of the Goddess expansion pack.


An introductory tutorial NPC teaching players the fundamentals of game-play has been added to each of the three nations.
* The tutorial feature will only be available to characters created after the release of the September 2008 version update.

The artifact quests for the following jobs can now be undertaken multiple times. This allows players to reacquire pieces of artifact armor as they see fit:
Blue Mage / Corsair / Puppetmaster

New quests leading to the acquisition of new job-specific weapon skills have been added.
* Please note, however, that giving job-specific weapons to the care of storage NPC Ghanraam in Aht Urhgan Whitegate will cause all data associated with the quest to be reset.

Chocobos are now available for rental in the following areas of past Vana'diel:
South San d'Oria (S) / Bastok Markets (S) / Windurst Waters (S) / Jugner Forest (S) / Pashhow Marshlands (S) / Meriphataud Mountains (S)
* Players must be a minimum of level 20, in possession of a "Chocobo License" key item, and be affiliated with one of the armies of the three nations to be eligible to rent a chocobo. Rental fees will be charged in Allied Notes rather than gil.
* Neither chocobo whistles nor the chocobo digging feature can be used in past Vana'diel.

The following changes have been made to fellows:
The below fellow styles can now use the Provoke ability once meeting certain prerequisites:
Attacker Style / Healer Style / Fierce Attacker Style / Soothing Healer Style
The requirements for fellow equipment changes have been eased.
The types of armor worn by fellows have been increased.
The food effects of meals obtainable after completion of the quest, "Mixed Signals," have been changed.
These food items will now become available when a player conducts an Emptiness investigation up to at least Level 2 in any Promyvion area following successful completion of the "Mixed Signals" quest.


The following additions and adjustments have been made to mythic weapons (Arms of Balrahn):
A battlefield marking the end of the mythic weapon questline has been added.
The number of pieces of alexandrite required to complete the quest "Duties, Tasks, and Deeds" has been reduced. Consequently, the quantity and rate of alexandrite drops has also been adjusted.


The locations of the following NPCs have been changed:
Port San d'Oria: Teilsa / Bastok Mines: Arva / Port Bastok: Dulsie / Windurst Waters: Jack of Hearts / Windurst Woods: Jack of Spades / Port Windurst: Jack of Clubs
Battle Related

The new "Level Sync" system has been implemented.
Through this system, players are now able to receive equivalent experience points while in the same party regardless of any disparity in levels between them.

Click here for details.

≪Sep. 9, 2008 Level Sync≫
*Japan Standard Time

What is Level Sync?

Level Sync is a party leader-activated system whereby the level of all party members is restricted to that of a designated player. When this feature is activated, all members of the party will be able to receive an amount of experience points corresponding to the level of the designee, regardless of any initial disparity between them.

The following conditions apply to the Level Sync system:
Level Sync will remain in effect only within the area in which it is activated, and will automatically be deactivated for all members should either the party leader or the designee leave the area. For all other players jumping to new areas, synchronization will be deactivated only for themselves.
Activating Level Sync will cause the status enhancement effects of all party members to be nullified.


Since status effects such as Invisibility, Sneak, Protect, and Shell are canceled, please exercise caution when activating Level Sync, or when joining a party where the feature is presently active.

The details of the system are outlined as follows:

How to Activate Level Sync

Only the party leader can activate and deactivate Level Sync. Other players wishing to cancel their own synchronization can do so simply by leaving the party.

1) Form a party.

2) From the main menu, select "Party," and then "Level Sync."


Level Sync cannot be activated under the following circumstances:
The designee's level is below 10.
The designee is unable to gain further experience points.
The designee is in a different area than the party leader.
One or more party members currently have other level restrictions in place.
One or more party members are participating in activities such as Ballista, Brenner, Besieged, or Campaign.


3) Select synchronization designee.
Doing so will cause all other party members' levels to be restricted to that of the designee. Players whose levels are lower than the designee will receive no adjustments. A red marker within the party status window identifies the player to whom the party's level is being synchronized.


The Level Sync status icon will then appear on each individual party member's screen, along with a status icon being displayed on the left side of each PC's name.


Please be aware of the following when engaging Level Sync:
Skills cannot be increased beyond the maximum value for the player's restricted level while Level Sync is in effect.
The "/anon" console command cannot be used while Level Sync is in effect. If the player is already anonymous at the time Level Sync is engaged, it will be deactivated.
All pets other than wyverns will vanish when Level Sync is activated. Any monsters charmed by a beastmaster will be released with enmity intact, so care should be taken to ask them to "Leave" before activating Level Sync.
Level Sync affects only party members. It has no effect on alliance members, nor can an alliance member be appointed as a Level Sync designee.
The ability to ride chocobos is determined by the player's original level and unaffected by Level Sync.
Unlike other forms of level restriction, the effects of abilities such as"Level 5 Petrify" are also based on the player's original level.


Joining a Level Sync Party

Level Sync will activate immediately for players in the same area as the party leader upon joining. Players in different areas will not undergo synchronization until they enter the area of the party leader.
Provided all conditions are met, Level Sync will go into effect instantly and automatically, so players seeking to join a Level Sync party should be aware of the party leader's location and the situation around them.

Deactivating Level Sync

Only the party leader can deactivate Level Sync. From the main menu, select "Party," then "Lvl. Sync Off." There will be a countdown period of thirty seconds, after which Level Sync will be deactivated for all party members simultaneously.

The following conditions will cause Level Sync to disengage automatically, for either all or individual party members.
The party leader disbands the party.
The designee leaves the party.
The party leader or designee leaves the area.
You leave the Level Sync party.
You change areas (your level will be readjusted should you return to the party's area while Level Sync is still in place).
The designee's level falls below level 10.
Either the party leader or designee is the target of the spell "Tractor."
Any member of the party takes on another level restriction, or partakes in an event such as Besieged or Campaign.


Experience

While Level Sync is active, players will receive 100% of the experience points they are eligible to obtain at their reduced level. Experience will not be gained, however, should any of the following occur:
The designee is unconscious when an enemy is defeated.
The designee is too far from the battle to receive experience.
The designee has not completed their limit break quest and is unable to gain further experience.


The amount of experience lost when rendered unconscious will be based upon the player's level after Level Sync is in place.

*If the designee levels up or down while Level Sync is in effect, the synchronized level will automatically be updated for all party members.
Level Display

Whenever a Level Sync or any other level restriction is in effect, the player's actual level and experience point values can still be viewed via the "Status" option under the main menu.

Regarding Equipment

The new changes will also allow players to equip gear beyond that allowed under previous level restrictions. This applies not only to the new Level Sync system, but also to level restrictions brought about by entry into battlefields, assaults, Ballista, areas such as Riverne, and so on. Though the level of gear will no longer play a role in determining whether or not it may be equipped, level restrictions will cause statistics and effects to be adjusted.
Further, gear changes may be made as normal while the level restriction is in place, given that the player is able to equip that gear on their actual level.

Items consumed through usage of the beastmaster ability "Call Beast" are determined by the character's level after the level restriction is in place.

[Attributes affected by level restrictions]
Damage / Defense / HP / MP / Status / Accuracy / Attack / Ranged Accuracy / Ranged Attack / Magic Accuracy / Magic Attack

The above attributes will be adjusted to the level of the character after the level restriction is in place, while all other attributes will become invalid. Also, negative attributes will not be adjusted, but will retain the same value.

Latent effects on items affecting damage, defense, or any of the other attributes listed above, will also be adjusted to the character's level after the level restriction is in place.

*Certain statistics for specific equipment slots may be totally negated, regardless of level.
*Damage ratings of weapons will be indirectly affected by attack speed ratings, while defense values will be indirectly affected by the character's main job.
*Item text will not reflect changes to attributes imposed by level restrictions.
*Further equipment attribute-related adjustments in the Level Sync system are scheduled to take place in future version updates.

Examples of items adjusted by level restrictions:


Red text: Attributes will be scaled down based on the character's level after level restriction is in place.
Blue text: Attributes will not be scaled down, and will take effect as normal.
Gray highlighted text: Attributes will be negated entirely.
≪Sep. 9, 2008 Level Sync≫

Level restrictions no longer prevent players from equipping gear of a level beyond that restriction.

Click here for details.

Enemies which check as "easy prey" and "decent challenge" now yield more experience points when defeated.

The combat skill required to learn the first weapon skill for each weapon type has been lowered from 10 to 5.

The HP of the following monsters in areas introduced since the release of the Treasures of Aht Uhrgan expansion have been adjusted:
Mamool Ja's Lizard / Mamool Ja's Raptor / Fomor's Bats / Goblin's Bat / Goblin's Bee / Goblin's Beetle / Goblin's Crawler / Goblin's Rarab / Goblin's Dragonfly / Goblin's Ladybug / Gigas's Tiger

The levels of certain monsters in the following areas have been adjusted:
West Ronfaure / East Ronfaure / La Theine Plateau / Valkurm Dunes / Jugner Forest / Batallia Downs / North Gustaberg / South Gustaberg / Konschtat Highlands / Pashhow Marshlands / Rolanberry Fields / West Sarutabaruta / East Sarutabaruta / Tahrongi Canyon / Buburimu Peninsula / Meriphataud Mountains / Sauromugue Champaign / Qufim Island / Behemoth's Dominion

The potency and frequency of special attacks for certain monsters in the following families has been adjusted using a low-level standard. PCs at lower levels will now find these monsters easier to fight:
Mandragora / Funguars / Crawlers / Lizards

The following additions and adjustments have been made to Campaign:
The rate of Campaign battles occurring in the following areas has been reduced:
Southern San d'Oria (S) / Bastok Markets (S) / Windurst Waters (S)
The requirements for acquiring and maintaining medals have been eased.
Rewards presented to PCs for successful completion of Campaign Ops have been adjusted.
The evaluation method and maximum points allocated for certain actions taken during Campaign battles have been adjusted.
The following NPCs no longer disappear at the onset of Campaign battles:
Souhern San d'Oria (S) Scarlette, C.A. / Miliart, T.K.
Bastok Markets (S) Narkissa, C.A. / Millard, I.M.
Windurst Waters (S) Wenonah, C.A. / Mindala-Andola, C.C.
New Campaign Ops have been added.
New freelances have been added.
New stronghold Notorious Monsters have been added to the Beastman Confederate.
Defeating these NMs will lower the defensive capabilities of strongholds under beastman control.
The fluctuations of influence over areas are now calculated based on the current standing of each faction. This change makes it easier for weaker factions to regain a foothold in the struggle for influence.
The following special abilities and items now activate based on a timer:
Abilities: Mine Blast / Paralyzing Blast / Silencing Blast / Binding Blast
Items: Black Mine / Paralyzing Tube / Silencing Tube / Binding Tube


The following adjustments have been made to the "Nyzul Isle Investigation" Assault:
Progress data within Nyzul Isle will no longer be erased following the completion of the 100th floor objective. As a trade-off for this change, however, the drop rate for armor has been reduced and is no longer 100%.
Players in possession of the "Runic Key" key item can now select any floor between 1 ~ 96 (in increments of 5) to begin a new investigation.
Floor data will now be recorded for all players rather than only the player who activated the "Rune of Transfer." For their progress data to be updated, players must begin the mission on a floor equal to or lesser than the maximum level currently recorded on their disc. Provided this condition is met, progress data will automatically be updated each time a previously uncharted level is completed.
Certain weapons previously obtainable only from monsters on the 100th floor will now be dropped by other monsters in Nyzul Isle as well. Also, defeating the monsters on the 100th floor will now result in two weapons being dropped. One weapon will be randomly determined, while the other will match the job of the player who activated the Rune of Transfer (regardless of whether this is the player in possession of the Runic Key or not).


The status effect icon associated with the Monk job ability "Footwork" has been changed.

The Scholar job ability "Modus Veritas" can no longer be used on monsters without a helix status in effect.

The dancer and scholar jobs have each received a new job-specific merit point category.Dancer Scholar
Step Accuracy Grimoire Recast
Haste Samba Effect Modus Veritas Duration
Reverse Flourish Effect Helix Magic Acc./Atk.
Building Flourish Effect Max Sublimation


The following adjustments have been made to Dynamis and Limbus:
The prices for entry items have been changed as follows.
Timeless Hourglass: 1,000,000 gil -> 500,000 gil
Cosmo-Cleanse: 30,000 gil -> 15,000 gil
Items and equipment specific to the Blue Mage, Corsair, and Puppetmaster jobs have been added.
The drop rate of relic armor in Dynamis has been adjusted. Rates for the following areas in particular have been increased:
Dynamis – Beaucedine / Dynamis – Xarcabard / Dynamis – Valkurm / Dynamis – Buburimu / Dynamis – Qufim / Dynamis - Tavnazia


Adjustments have been made to Jailer of Love, Absolute Virtue (and pets), and Pandemonium Warden (and pets) in areas such as HP value and behavior. Absolute Virtue and Pandemonium Warden will now vanish two hours after their appearance, automatically ending the battle. In addition, the spawn rate for Absolute Virtue has been increased to 100%.

The strength of Luaith, the NM appearing in the Tavnazian Archipelago's Sacrarium, has been adjusted.

The strength of Zeni NMs will now gradually be adjusted after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed following their being claimed.
Item Related

Players can now trade the NPC Shami any number of "Beastmen's Seals" or "Kindred's Seals" at any time.
Seals will be kept by Shami, and players may elect to exchange them for orbs once enough seals have been traded.

Several new pieces of equipment have been added.

Several new synthesis recipes have been added.

A payment of one Imperial bronze piece is now required to leave job-specific weapons in the care of the storage NPC Ghanraam in Aht Urhgan Whitegate.
* Please be reminded that doing so will cause all data associated with the new weaponskill quest to be reset.

Artifact and relic armor for the following jobs can now be enhanced through dealings with the Port Jeuno NPC, Sagheera:
Blue Mage / Corsair / Puppetmaster

The sale prices of the following items have been changed:
Remedy / Crab Sushi / Crab Sushi +1

The following item was relocated to the auction house category "Alchemy" under "Ingredients":
Goshikitenge

The effects of certain items used during chocobo races have been adjusted.

New items available via harvesting have been added.

The following 5-piece set items (4-piece where applicable) can now be traded to the item storage NPC in exchange for a key item voucher:
Mirage Jubbah / Commodore Frac / Pantin Tobe / Mirage Charuqs / Commodore Bottes / Pantin Babouches / Mirage Keffiyeh / Commodore Tricorne / Pantin Taj / Mirage Bazubands / Commodore Gants / Pantin Dastanas / Mirage Shalwar / Commodore Culottes / Pantin Churidars

The additional effects of relic and mythic weapons are now designated by a status effect icon.

Additional effects other than those affecting damage and attack speed ratings of relic and mythic weapons do not trigger when those weapons are equipped in the offhand slot.

The following special items and furniture can now be stored with the relevant NPC:
Harpsichord / Custom Gilet / Custom Top / Magna Gilet / Magna Top / Wonder Maillot / Wonder Top / Savage Top / Elder Gilet / Custom Gilet +1 / Custom Top +1 / Magna Gilet +1 / Magna Top +1 / Wonder Maillot +1 / Wonder Top +1 / Savage Top +1 / Elder Gilet +1 / Custom Trunks / Custom Shorts / Magna Trunks / Magna Shorts / Wonder Trunks / Wonder Shorts / Savage Shorts / Elder Trunks / Custom Trunks +1 / Custom Shorts +1 / Magna Trunks +1 / Magna Shorts +1 / Wonder Trunks +1 / Wonder Shorts +1 / Savage Shorts +1 / Elder Trunks +1

The icon graphic for the following items has been changed:
Cerberus Mantle / Cerberus Mantle +1
System Related

The following additions and adjustments have been made to the Adventurer Recruitment Program:
The number of special items obtainable following the 40th day after character creation has been increased.
Further special items will now be obtainable from the 70th day after character creation.
* 70th day special items are available even to those who had already received their 100th and 365th day items.
The list of special items now includes the following:
Dream Boots / Dream Boots +1 / Detonator Belt / Egg Helm / Ibushi Shinai / Ibushi Shinai +1 / Miracle Wand / Miracle Wand +1
The choice of items available on the 40th, 100th, and 365th days has been adjusted.

Click here for details.


The following terms have been added to the auto-translate dictionary:Category Term
Game Terms Level Sync
Game Terms Fellow
Game Terms 2 Cut and Cauterize

Other Adjustments

The help text for the following items has been adjusted to reflect their correct attributes:
Hakke Habaki / Junkenshi Habaki / Seikenshi Habaki / Junrenshi Habaki / Seirenshi Habaki / Junhanshi Habaki / Seihanshi Habaki
English Version Only

The help text for the following items has been changed to alleviate confusion:
Beast Jackcoat / Beast Jackcoat +1 / Valor Surcoat / Valor Surcoat +1 / Monster Jackcoat / Monster Jackcoat +1 / Monster Gloves / Monster Gloves +1 / Saotome Haidate / Saotome Haidate +1
* "Augment" refers to the addition of extra effects.
Known Issues

The additional effect status icon does not properly display after executing the weapon skill "Geirskogul" while using the relic weapon "Gungnir."
*The additional effect still operates as intended.
≪Sep. 9, 2008 (JST) Update Details≫

[Gobo]

*In before Malacite bawling how there are no Job adjustments*

SCH merits look nice, just hope they are nice as they sound.

Lol at AV and PW depoping after 2hrs, but they have less HP and new behavior so maybe do able still.

Weird mob level changes to old areas, wonder what that means.

WTF is a Pantin?

EDIT: Nvm its apparently French for Puppet. Silly French.

[Moaku Hyena]

What I am interested in are those sweet sweet dancer merits, especially that "Reverse Flourish" effect. I also want to get some of that sweet sweet BLU armor--whenever I can. Looks like they have AF+1 out and AF2 out too.

[Akashimo]

Still reading, LOL 100% AV spawn. Nice XD!!!!!!

[BurningPanther]

Originally Posted by Gobo

Lol at AV and PW depoping after 2hrs, but they have less HP and new behavior so maybe do able still.

At least they don't RAAAAGE after two hours.

[Armando]

This is EPIC.

In b4 Malacite.

[Gobo]

Originally Posted by BurningPanther

At least they don't RAAAAGE after two hours.

They don't, but the rest of the ZNMs do XD

[eticket109]

Absolute Virtue and Pandemonium Warden will now vanish two hours after their appearance, automatically ending the battle.

[Armando]

Kinda early for facepalms considering you don't even know how AV and PW have been adjusted.

[Malacite]

Yeah yeah I'm sad no job adjusts but I already got my bitching about that out of my system.


WTF did they do to the mobs in older areas? And I can't believe it, I figured they'd save Haste Samba effect for something like category 2 but no! They did it right away ^_^ this makes DNC ossim for Merits nao.


Glad to see they put in a sensible time limit for AV and PW. Now to see if they can actually be taken down XD I wonder if Rukenshin is up for round 2.



EDIT: Is anyone else having problems just logging onto the viewer?

[Cotners]

Holy hell @ the AV nerf!

[Ellipses]

Originally Posted by Akashimo

The combat skill required to learn the first weapon skill for each weapon type has been lowered from 10 to 5.

Okay. Not that I have a problem with this or anything (Yay for useful SAM 2-hour at level 1), but... it's just weird.

Originally Posted by Akashimo

The potency and frequency of special attacks for certain monsters in the following families has been adjusted using a low-level standard. PCs at lower levels will now find these monsters easier to fight:
Mandragora / Funguars / Crawlers / Lizards

That's gotta be nerfing the poison moves. Nice.
______________________________

Originally Posted by Malacite

EDIT: Is anyone else having problems just logging onto the viewer?

Maintenance on PlayOnline is also scheduled for the same day. For more details on this, please refer to the news announcement "PlayOnline Server Maintenance (Sep. 8).

Yeah, I imagine it would be problematic.

[Tripmastermonky]

I kind of don't like the idea that you can't skill up with with the Level Sync system. Not everyone is going to be using a lvl75 with capped skills. What if your main is 40 and gains 10 levels but no skills?

[eticket109]

Originally Posted by Armando

Kinda early for facepalms considering you don't even know how AV and PW have been adjusted.

Imagine a boy of about 6 years old. We'll call him Tommy. Tommy's dad gives him a ball to play with, one of those big red rubber ones kids play kickball with.

Tommy can't really handle the ball well. He can roll it around but that's about it. A bit later his dad checks up on him.

Dad: How's the ball going Tommy?

Tommy: Ok, but I can't really do anything with it.

Dad: Have you tried throwing it?

Tommy: How do you do that?

Dad: Let me show you. *he takes the ball and casually bounces it off the wall back to Tommy*

Tommy: Wow that's cool. *tries throwing the ball but it slips out of his hands*

Dad: No no, not like that, here. *picks up the ball and bounces it again* Do it like I did.

Tommy: Ok *hauls back and throws the ball at the wall as hard as he can, it bounces off at hits him square in the face, knocking him down and bloodying his nose*

Dad: No no, not like that. Here, just play with this instead. *hands Tommy a nerf ball and takes the red one away* Oh, and I'm taking that back in two hours. Have fun!

[Armando]

Originally Posted by eTicket

Stuff

Better than the kid hitting himself in the face until he's goddamned retarded.

Originally Posted by Tripmastermonky

I kind of don't like the idea that you can't skill up with with the Level Sync system. Not everyone is going to be using a lvl75 with capped skills. What if your main is 40 and gains 10 levels but no skills?

Then don't party with lower level people 10 levels straight. Duh.