Taodyn's Garrison Guide

[Taodyn]

Section 1 - What is Garrison?

So you’ve heard about Garrison. All the cool people are doing it. Awe-inspiring massacres are becoming commonplace in zones just outside your door. But you are left in the dark. What is this Garrison?

Garrison: (noun) the troops who maintain and guard a fortified place.

The basic Garrison event involves some number of players (from 1 individual to a full alliance of 18) defending an outpost from an attacking force.



The attacking force comes in 4 distinct waves, each of which involves high tier mobs with a variety of jobs. Each wave will usually include melee mobs (ex. Orcish Fighters and Serjeants), casters (ex. Orcish Cursemakers), and archers (ex. Orcish Chasseurs). The fourth and final wave will also include some form of boss mob or mobs that must be taken down quickly.

The number of enemies encountered during each wave depends directly on the number of parties in your alliance.

Now, although an individual is able to participate on their own, I would not recommend doing so. As a matter of fact, I do not recommend attempting this with less than 15 people (and for any real chance at success, a full alliance should be used). To get an idea of this, try taking an Orcish Fighter in Ghelsba at level 20. Though not impossible, your chances of success are fairly low.

This is not to say you should not try a Garrison run with fewer people. Indeed several people I have talked with have said that it is entirely possible to be successful with just six people. I, personally, have found it extremely difficult to complete a Garrison with just one party. I suggest trying it with different jobs and group sizes and figure out what works for you.

[Taskmage]

Section 2 - Garrison Locations by Level Cap

Level 20 Capped[CODE] Location Trade Item Enemies Encountered Boss Enemy
(Job Class) (Job Class)
.----------------------------------------------------------------------.
| West | Red Cryptex | Orcish Serjeant (PLD) | Orcish |
| Ronfaure | | Orcish Fighter (WAR) | Fighterchief |
| | | Orcish Cursemaker (BLM) | (MNK) |
| | | Orcish Chausseur (RNG) | |
|--------------+-------------+-------------------------+---------------|
| West | Seven-Knot | Yagudo Votary (MNK) | Yagudo |
| Sarutabaruta | Quipus | Yagudo Theologist (BLM) | Condottiere |
| | | Yagudo Priest (WHM) | (NIN) |
| | | Yagudo Follower (SAM) | |
|--------------+-------------+-------------------------+---------------|
| North | Darksteel | Old Quadav (WAR) | Lead Quadav |
| Gustaberg | Engraving | Heliodor Quadav (BLM) | (PLD) |
| | | Brass Quadav (DRK) | |
| | | Sapphirine Quadav (WHM) | |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------'[/CODE]Level 30 Capped[CODE] Location Trade Item Enemies Encountered Boss Enemy
(Job Class) (Job Class)
.----------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Buburimu | Mithra | Goblin Swordmaker (WAR) | Goblin Guide |
| Peninsula | Fang Sack | Goblin Thespian (RDM) | (DRK) |
| | | Goblin Furrier (RNG) | |
| | | Goblin Shaman (BLM) | |
|--------------+-------------+-------------------------+---------------|
| Jugner | Jade | Orcish Chausseur (RNG) | Orcish |
| Forest | Cryptex | Orcish Cursemaker (BLM) | Colonel |
| | | Orcish Fighter (WAR) | (MNK) |
| | | Orcish Serjeant (PLD) | |
|--------------+-------------+-------------------------+---------------|
| Meriphitaud | 13-Knot | Yagudo Votary (MNK) | Yagudo |
| Mountains | Quipus | Yagudo Follower (SAM) | Missionary |
| | | Yagudo Priest (WHM) | (NIN) |
| | | Yagudo Theologist (BLM) | |
|--------------+-------------+-------------------------+---------------|
| Pashhow | Silver | Brass Quadav (DRK) | Cobalt Quadav |
| Marshlands | Engraving | Heliodor Quadav (BLM) | (PLD) |
| | | Old Quadav (WAR) | |
| | | Sapphirine Quadav (WHM) | |
|--------------+-------------+-------------------------+---------------|
| Qufim Island | Ram Leather | Giant Hunter (RNG) | Hunting Chief |
| | Missive | Giant Ranger (WAR) | (MNK) |
|--------------+-------------+-------------------------+---------------|
| Valkurm | Galka | Goblin Swordmaker (WAR) | Goblin |
| Dunes | Fang Sack | Goblin Gaoler (DRK) | Swindler |
| | | Goblin Leecher (WAR) | (THF) |
| | | Goblin Gambler (BLM) | |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------'[/CODE]Level 40 Capped[CODE] Location Trade Item Enemies Encountered Boss Enemy
(Job Class) (Job Class)
.------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Beaucedine | Tiger Leather | Gigas Clearcutter (RNG) | GigasOverseer |
| Glacier | Missive | Gigas Hillrazer (WAR) | (WAR) |
|--------------+---------------+-------------------------+---------------|
| Sanctuary | Hound | Goblin Enchanter (RDM) | Goblin Goyen |
| of Zi’tah | Fang Sack | Goblin Poacher (RNG) | (BLM) |
| | | Goblin Bouncer (WAR) | |
| | | Goblin Reaper (DRK) | |
|--------------+---------------+-------------------------+---------------|
| Yuhtunga | Sheep Leather | Brook Sahagin (DRG) | Sahagin |
| Jungle | Missive | Lake Sahagin (BRD) | Patriarch |
| | | Rivulet Sahagin (WHM) | (BRD) |
'------------------------------------------------------------------------'[/CODE]Level 50 Capped[CODE] Location Trade Item Enemies Encountered Boss Enemy
(Job Class) (Job Class)
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Eastern | Dhalmel Leather | Decurio XIII-LV (BLM) | Centurio XIII-V |
| Altepa Desert | Missive | Hastatus XIII-CXXVIII (WAR) | (PLD) |
| | | Hastatus XIII-LXXV (WAR) | |
| | | Hastatus XIII-XCVI (WAR) | |
| | | Hastatus XIII-XXV (WAR) | |
| | | Princeps XIII-LXXXIX (RNG) | |
| | | Sagittarius XIII-XXVI (RNG) | |
| | | Triarius XIII-LIX (BLM) | |
|---------------+-----------------+-----------------------------+------------------|
| Xarcabard | Behemoth | Demon Knight (DRK) | Demon Aristocrat |
| | Leather Missive | Demon Wizard (BLM) | (WAR) |
|---------------+-----------------+-----------------------------+------------------|
| Yhoator | Coeurl Leather | Tonberry Creeper (THF) | Tonberry |
| Jungle | Missive | Tonberry Hexer (BLM) | Decimator |
| | | | (NIN) |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------------'[/CODE]Level 75 Capped[CODE] Location Trade Item Enemies Encountered Boss Enemy
(Job Class) (Job Class)
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Cape Terrigan | Bunny Fang Sack | Goblin Doctor (WHM) | Goblin Boss |
| | | Goblin Duelist (RDM) | (WAR) |
| | | Goblin Pirate (THF) | |
| | | Goblin Professor (BLM) | |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'[/CODE]

Garrison Trader Tips

- One trade item is required for each round of Garrison

- Only the trader must have the item

- Player who is acting as trader must be from the nation that controls the outpost

- Items are Rare/Ex, so in order to run multiple rounds of Garrison, other players must also farm the trade item

- When the trader speaks with the Outpost guard, all party/alliance members will automatically receive level cap status

- Once the enemies are defeated, the trader must speak with the Outpost guard again to end the event

- At this point, all rewards will drop into the treasure pool

- The player acting as the trader should warn all party/alliance members before they begin or end the event, so that each member can be prepared for battle or to lot on reward items

Garrison Trade Items

When farming for Garrison trade items, it is important to understand which item corresponds with each
Garrison location and which mobs drop these items. All items are Rare/Ex, so a prospective trader must
farm the item themselves.

Level 20 Capped[CODE] Outpost Trade Item Dropped by
.--------------------------------------------------.
| West | Red Cryptex | Orcish Fighter |
| Ronfaure | | (Yughott Grotto) |
|--------------+-------------+---------------------|
| West | Seven-Knot | Yagudo Votary |
| Sarutabaruta | Quipus | (Giddeus) |
|--------------+-------------+---------------------|
| North | Darksteel | Copper Quadav |
| Gustaberg | Engraving | (Palborough Mines) |
'--------------------------------------------------'
[/CODE]Note: The above mobs also drop items that are required for multiple quests (such as keys for the Kazham Airship Pass
quest), so you may have to compete for targets.

Level 30 Capped[CODE] Outpost Trade Item Dropped by
.--------------------------------------------------.
| Buburimu | Mithra | Goblin Shaman |
| Peninsula | Fang Sack | Goblin Smithy |
| | | (Maze of Shakhrami) |
|--------------+-------------+---------------------|
| Jugner | Jade | Orcish Beastrider |
| Forest | Cryptex | Orcish Bowshooter |
| | | Orcish Brawler |
| | | Orcish Impaler |
| | | (Davoi) |
|--------------+-------------+---------------------|
| Meriphitaud | 13-Knot | Yagudo Drummer |
| Mountains | Quipus | Yagudo Herald |
| | | Yagudo Interrogator |
| | | (Castle Oztroga) |
|--------------+-------------+---------------------|
| Pashhow | Silver | Brzone Quadav |
| Marshlands | Engraving | Zircon Quadav |
| | | (Beadeaux) |
|--------------+-------------+---------------------|
| Qufim Island | Ram Leather | All Gigas |
| | Missive | (Qufim, Delkfutt’s) |
|--------------+-------------+---------------------|
| Valkurm | Galka | Goblin Furrier |
| Dunes | Fang Sack | Goblin Smithy |
| | | (Ordelle’s Caves) |
'--------------------------------------------------'
[/CODE]Level 40 Capped[CODE] Outpost Trade Item Dropped by
.-----------------------------------------------------.
| Beaucedine | Tiger Leather | Rime Gigas |
| Glacier | Missive | Cold Gigas |
| | | (Beaucedine Glacier) |
|--------------+---------------+-----------------------|
| Sanctuary | Hound | Goblin Poacher |
| of Zi’tah | Fang Sack | Goblin Robber |
| | | Goblin Trader |
| | | (Sanctuary of Zi’tah) |
|--------------+---------------+-----------------------|
| Yuhtunga | Sheep Leather | Brook Sahagin |
| Jungle | Missive | Riparian Sahagin |
| | | (Sea Serpent Grotto) |
'------------------------------------------------------'
[/CODE]Level 50 Capped[CODE] Outpost Trade Item Dropped by
.----------------------------------------------------------.
| Eastern | Dhalmel Leather | Antican Princeps |
| Altepa Desert | Missive | Antican Hastatus |
| | | Antican Veles |
| | | Antican Secutor |
| | | (Quicksands, Altepa) |
|---------------+-----------------+------------------------|
| Xarcabard | Behemoth | Demon Knight |
| | Leather Missive | Demon Pawn |
| | | (Castle Zvahl Baileys) |
|---------------+-----------------+------------------------|
| Yhoator | Coeurl Leather | Tonberry Stalker |
| Jungle | Missive | Tonberry Cutter |
| | | (Temple of Uggalepih) |
'----------------------------------------------------------'[/CODE]Level 75 Capped[CODE] Outpost Trade Item Dropped by
.---------------------------------------------------.
| Cape Terrigan | Bunny Fang Sack | Goblin Tamer |
| | | (Kuftal Tunnel) |
'---------------------------------------------------'[/CODE]

[Taodyn]

Section 3 - What occurs during a Garrison raid?

Explaining each Garrison would prove difficult, so I will use the West Ronfaure Garrison as an example. When you trade a Red Cryptex to the outpost guard in West Ronfaure, he will explain that the color of the rock and the number of nails in it is actually a coded message explaining that an attack is impending on the outpost. He will then ask that you help defend the outpost against the onslaught. At this point, all members of your group will be automatically capped at a specific level and a group of friendly NPCs will spawn. The number of NPCs that spawn is exactly equal to the number of people in your group (ie. a full alliance of 18 would have 18 NPCs to protect). This is followed shortly by a wave of Orcs. This continues for three more waves of orcs until all, including an Orc MNK boss, are defeated.

You will see similar relationships between enemy mob types and the given area. The North Gustaberg outpost will involve Quadav type enemies. The West Sarutabaruta outpost will involve Yagudo type enemies. Other outposts (depending upon their location) can involve other enemy types such as Goblins for the level 30 Garrisons and Demons for the level 50 cap Garrisons.

The specific level of the enemy is directly proportional to the level cap of the event. The West Ronfaure Garrison is a level 20 cap and the Orc mobs include level appropriate Orcs, such as Orcish Fighters, Orcish Cursemakers, and Orcish Chasseurs.

These mobs spawn in four distinct waves with approximately 20 seconds between one wave being defeated and the next wave spawning. Each wave includes a number of mobs of each job class (melee, caster, archer). The number of enemies that spawn in each wave is directly related to the number of parties in your group.


Number of Enemies Per Wave Based on Number of Parties
[CODE] Wave 1 Wave 2 Wave 3 Wave 4
1 Party 2 4 6 7
2 Parties 4 6 8 9
3 Parties 6 8 10 11[/CODE]

During the fourth and final wave, a boss mob will also spawn. This boss will use a 2 hour ability, so make sure you study what job class you can expect and have an appropriate tank ready. A Monk boss will use Hundred Fists, so you'll want a Paladin ready with Invincible or a Thief ready with Perfect Dodge. (Please refer to Section 2 to determine the job class of the Boss NM for the Garrison you are organizing)

You job is to keep as many friendly NPCs alive as possible. The event ends when one group dies: your party, your NPCs, or the enemies.

This is a fast paced, incredibly hectic event. Be ready for a flurry of activity.



If all mobs are defeated and at least one NPC remains standing, a number of items will drop into the collective treasure pool. These items are usually some mix of Exp Scrolls (Page from the Dragon Chronicles) and Garrison equipment. A good group can get 5 items per successful Garrison, but this directly relates to the number of NPCs that survive. A great group that saves 16 of 18 NPCs (one spawns for each player involved) can get six items per successful round (two scrolls and four pieces of equipment). The armor obtained from the level 20 cap Garrison events is among the best for level 20 players as each has defense similar to other armor of that level, but also includes specific stat boosts.

[Taskmage]

Section 4 - Preparation for Garrison

Unlike Eco-warrior events where each person is guaranteed a reward if successful and preparation is minimal, Garrison requires a great deal of planning and organization to run smoothly.

Below, you will find a list of key things that should be done in order to ensure a smooth, clean Garrison event. If you are responsible for organizing such an event, you should take the time to explain each point to your party/alliance.

1) Organizing Treasure Distribution

Because a maximum of only 5-6 items drop per successful round, I suggest setting up strict lotting rules before the event even begins. This may become difficult to control as having 18 people lot on six items using a ruleset is fairly hectic. With practice and a good group though, it should run fairly smoothly. Section 7 of this guide gives a more detailed review of setting up a treasure lotting system.

As well, since there will usually be 18 players involved, it may be a good idea to run several rounds in a row so that each person may receive an item. This is the best way to be fair, but will require more planning. Each round of Garrison will require one item, so you must ensure you have an adequate number of traders. Also, each round takes about 8-10 minutes, but a 30 minute wait period exists between Garrison rounds. This gives ample time to rest up and build tp between raids, but can make multiple runs very time consuming.

2) Organizing Traders

Before even planning this event, it is important to obtain at least one trade item. In order to initiate a round of Garrison, you need to acquire a specific item that corresponds with the outpost/region you have chosen.

To run multiple rounds in the same day/night, your group must include a number of participants who have the appropriate trade item and belong to the nation that currently controls the outpost. Take the time to organize your traders and the order in which they will trade.

3) Equipment

Make sure your gear is appropriate for the level cap. There is literally no time for you to change gear after you are capped. The mobs spawn almost immediately and will instantly aggro the NPCs you are supposed to protect. You have to be ready to go the second Garrison starts.

4) Building TP

The level cap status effect does not reduce your TP to 0%, so long as your weapon is not automatically unequipped. To take advantage of this, all melee participants should equip a weapon appropriate for the specific level cap and begin killing enemies in the area to build up TP.
This TP will enable the melee damage dealers to open with several weaponskills, greatly speeding up the first wave. This will save them from taking damage and save the mages from having to expend MP to heal them.

Gaining TP can be difficult. If your chosen job is much higher in level than the area the event is to take place in, it may take 20-30 enemies to build 300% TP. Also, in higher level areas, it can be very difficult to build full TP without endangering yourself. This difficulty is well worth it though as it will make the entire Garrison event run much more smoothly.

As there is a 30 minute wait between initiating rounds of Garrison, there is plenty of time to build full TP between multiple Garrison events.

5) Warning Surrounding Area

Because one of the most interesting aspects of this game is observing events and battles, it is entirely possible that your Garrison event may draw spectators. Also, it is entirely possible that a player outside your party/alliance may not be aware a Garrison is taking place and may wander into the fray.

While spectators and bystanders are not a bad thing in and of themselves, their presence can lead to some frustration. People who are not familiar with Garrison may start asking questions which can make it difficult to follow the instructions of the group leader.

As a note, I find it always polite to shout a warning to the entire area before beginning any Garrison. Something along the lines of “Warning! Garrison at outpost! Stay clear for safety.” This warning has a three-pronged effect:

1. people who are either unaware or unprepared can stay clear of the immediate area and keep themselves safe from AoE attacks
2. people who are aware, prepared, and of sufficient level can come by and spectate
3. several bad players who are not prepared will run to the outpost and will be killed by random AoE attacks. We call this Darwinism.

Okay, the third was a joke, but you get my point. You will find that when doing Garrison, many people will show up to watch. You will see random shouts of panic and even see people walk right into the middle of the battle. Most of these mobs have some form of AoE attack and you will see many people outside your alliance die. In general, it is always good to shout a warning for everyone’s sake.

6) Food and Buffs

Just before starting a Garrison raid, each member of your group should use any food that best suits their role. Suggestions for food are covered below in the Job Class Strategy section. Also, all members should receive the highest enhancing spells available from the WHMs. Enhancing spells will remain after the automatic cap is placed on your level, so having the WHMs cast Protect III and Shell III on tanks is very important. These mobs hit hard and fast, and you will need all the buffs you can get.

If you are fortunate enough to have a higher level Summoner among your group with Garuda and Titan, group Blink and Stoneskin can also prove an asset.

Only once everyone is prepared, the designated leader should signal the trader to start and everyone should prepare for War.

Quick Preparation Checklist

Have you:

1. Discussed and agreed upon a treasure distribution system?
2. Explained the order of item traders?
3. Prepared and equipped all level appropriate gear?
4. Taken the time to build full TP?
5. Shouted a warning to the surrounding area?
6. Set up all available buff spells and job specific foods?

WARNING!

The number of models on screen during Garrison will cause tremendous lag. Before starting, you should turn off all battle and weather effects, and turn on all chat filters.

You should also avoid using macros if possible. A momentary lag could cause a macro to misfire and pose a serious threat.

[Taodyn]

Section 5 – Garrison Rewards

Level 20 Cap Garrison[code] Reward Stats Equipable Jobs
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Garrison Sallet | Level 19 Def 5 MND +1, CHR +1 | All Jobs |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Garrison Tunica | Level 18 Def 15 DEX +1, CHR +1 | All Jobs |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Garrison Gloves | Level 20 Def 4 VIT +1, INT +1 | All Jobs |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Garrison Hose | Level 21 Def 9 STR +1, DEX +1 | All Jobs |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Garrison Boots | Level 18 Def 4 INT +1, MND +1 | All Jobs |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Dragon Chronicles | Level 4, Gives 500-1000 experience points(Used) | All Jobs |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'[/code]Level 30 Cap Garrison[code] Reward Stats Equipable Jobs
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Military Axe | Level 28, DMG 46, Delay 474, AGI +1 | WAR/DRK |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Military Gun | Level 30, DMG 23, Delay 548, Ranged Attack +7 | THF/RNG/NIN |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Military Harp |Level 33, “Finale” +2 | BRD |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Military Pick |Level 28, DMG 24, Delay 260, Accuracy +1 | WAR/DRK/BST/RNG |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Military Pole |Level 33, DMG 29, Delay 378, INT +1 | MNK/WHM/BLM/RDM/ |
| | | PLD/BRD/RNG/SMN |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Military Spear |Level 28, DMG 36, Delay 374, STR +1 | WAR/PLD/SAM/DRG |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Dragon Chronicles | Level 4, Gives 500-1000 experience points(Used) | All Jobs |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'[/code]Level 40 Cap Garrison[code] Reward Stats Equipable Jobs
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Mercurial Earring | Level 20, Def 1, Garrison: Evasion +1 | All Jobs |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Protean Ring | Level 20, Garrison: Attack +3, Ranged Attack +3 | All Jobs |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Variable Cape | Level 20, Def 2, MP +3 | WHM/BLM/RDM/BRD/ |
| | | SMN |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Variable Mantle | Level 20, Def 3 | WAR/MNK/RDM/THF/ |
| | | PLD/DRK/BST/BRD/ |
| | | RNG/SAM/NIN/DRG |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Variable Ring | Level 20 | All Jobs |
| | Garrison: MP+ 28, MP recovered while healing +1 | |
|-------------------+-------------------------------------------------+------------------|
| Dragon Chronicles | Level 4, Gives 500-1000 experience points(Used) | All Jobs |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'[/code]Level 50 Cap Garrison[code] Reward Stats Equipable Jobs
.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Accurate Earring | Level 52, Accuracy +2 | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Amorph Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Amorph Killer”, Enhances “Bird Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Aquan Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Aquan Killer”, Enhances “Amorph Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Arcana Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Arcana Killer”, Enhances “Undead Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Beast Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Beast Killer”, Enhances “Lizard Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Bird Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Bird Killer”, Enhances “Aquan Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Demon Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Demon Killer”, Enhances “Dragon Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Dragon Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Dragon Killer”, Enhances “Demon Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Lizard Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Lizard Killer”, Enhances “Vermin Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Plantoid Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Plantoid Killer”, Enhances “Beast Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Refresh Earring | Level 50, Garrison: Adds “Refresh” Effect | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Undead Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Undead Killer”, Enhances “Arcana Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Vermin Earring | Level 50, Weakens “Vermin Killer”, Enhances “Plantoid Killer” | All |
|--------------------+---------------------------------------------------------------+-----|
| Miratete’s Memoirs | Level 20, Gives between 750-1500 experience points (Used) | All |
'------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'[/code]Other Rewards

1. Mannequin Pieces
   
   When the relatively new mannequin quest was introduced to the game, Garrison mobs became the source of two pieces of the mannequin required for this quest: the mannequin legs and mannequin feet. These drop mid-battle as regular drops from the Garrison mobs.
   
   Mannequin Legs (Rare) – The wooden legs of a display mannequin
   Mannequin Feet (Rare) – The wooden feet of a display mannequin
   
   
2. Gil
   
   At the end of a successful Garrison event, each participant will receive an amount of gil. The amount received depends directly on the level of the Garrison event and the number of friendly NPCs that survive.

Level 75 Uncapped Garrison[code] Reward Stats Equipable Jobs
.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| Mighty Axe | Level 73, DMG 88, Delay 504, VIT +1, AGI +1 | WAR/DRK |
| | Firesday: DMG 98, [FIRE +15] | |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Bow | Level 70, DMG 53, Delay 450, Rng ACC +5 | WAR/RDM/THF/PLD/ |
| | Windsday: DMG 63, [WIND +15] | DRK/BST/RNG/SAM/NIN|
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Cudgel | Level 70, DMG 30, Delay 288, INT +1, MND +1 | WAR/MNK/WHM/BLM/ |
| | Firesday: INT +9, MND +9, [FIRE +15] | PLD/SMN |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Knife | Level 73, DMG 24, Delay 200, AGI +1, CHR +1 | WAR/RDM/THF/BST/ |
| | Windsday: DMG 31, [WIND +15] | BRD/RNG/RNG/NIN |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Lance | Level 73, DMG 87, Delay 507, VIT +2 | DRG |
| | Firesday: DMG 99, [FIRE +15] | |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Patas | Level 72, DMG +17, Delay +96, Evasion +5 | MNK |
| | Firesday: DMG +22, [FIRE +15] | |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Pick | Level 73, DMG 47, Delay 312, VIT +1, CHR +1 | WAR/DRK/BST/RNG |
| | Windsday: DMG 52, [WIND +15] | |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Pole | Level 72, DMG 56, Delay 402 | WAR/MNK/WHM/BLM/ |
| | Windsday: Elemental, Divine Magic +13, [WIND +15] | PLD/BRD/DRG/SMN |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Sword | Level 72, DMG 75, Delay 444, STR +1, DEX +1 | WAR/PLD/DRK |
| | Firesday: DMG 84, [FIRE +15] | |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Talwar | Level 72, DMG 40, Delay 240, DEX +2 | WAR/RDM/PLD/DRK |
| | Windsday: DMG 48, [WIND +15] | |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Mighty Zaghnal | Level 72, DMG 86, Delay 494, INT +2 | WAR/DRK/BST |
| | Windsday: DMG 94, [WIND +15] | |[/code][code]|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Nukemaru | Level 73, DMG 77, Delay 450, STR +2 | SAM |
| | Firesday: DMG 87, [FIRE +15] | |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Rai Kunimitsu | Level 74, DMG 34, Delay 227, Crit Hit Rate +5% | NIN |
| | Firesday: DMG 41, [FIRE +15] | |
|----------------+---------------------------------------------------+--------------------|
| Miratete’s | Level 20, | All Jobs |
| Memoirs | Gives between 750-1500 experience points (Used) | |
'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------'[/code]

[Taskmage]

Section 6 - Forming a Garrison Group

Garrison can be an incredibly fun, incredibly entertaining event. Unfortunately, ‘can be’ does not always translate into ‘will be’.

In order to make this a worthwhile and effective event, it is important to form a good group to participate with. Ideally, this should be a group of people you fell comfortable with and that you trust to do their job. The hectic nature of these battles does not allow time for you to make sure everyone is doing their job. You need to concentrate on the target at hand and be confident that everyone is functioning efficiently and effectively.

I do not recommend doing this with pick up groups. Quite often, a group gathered at random will not have adequate preparation or education to make the event worthwhile. Even if they should be successful, it will come at the cost of a great deal of frustration. Also, it is rather difficult to get 18 random people to agree on a standard lotting system, and that can cause serious problems.

As for job specifications, this is one of the factors that makes Garrison so appealing. There is no “required” set up to run a successful Garrison. Indeed, almost any selection of jobs (within reason, of course) can stand a good chance of winning the event. There are, however, a few rules of thumb that can make the experience much easier and much more rewardable.

1. You will need at least one White Mage (or Main Healer) for each party in your group. If you run the event with 2 or 3 full parties, it is also advisable to have an extra healer assigned to healing the friendly NPCs. Remember, the more NPCs that survive, the greater the rewards.
2. You will need at least one tank assigned to handling and controlling the boss NM that will spawn during the fourth wave. The job class of the assigned tank should be chosen to counter the specific 2 hour of the NM.
3. Damage dealers are incredibly important in this event. Each party should have 2-3 damage dealers at minimum.
4. All melee damage dealers should choose WAR as their sub job for Provoke. This will enable them to concentrate enemy attention on them and save friendly NPCs from damage.

[Taodyn]

Section 7 - Setting Up a Treasure Lotting System

A successful Garrison run will result in a number of items dropping into the treasure pool. The number of item drops depends on how many NPCs survive the onslaught. Usually, a successful run of the lower level cap Garrison events will result in 5 drops with an exceptional run capping out at 6. This will include 2 experience points scrolls (Dragon Chronicles or Miratete’s Memoirs) and 3-4 equipment drops (Please refer to the Rewards section for more information on equipment drops).



One of the major drawbacks of the Garrison reward system is that all item rewards become part of the communal treasure pool. Each and every person in your party/alliance can free lot on all the reward items.

Now this can cause problems. Obviously, if a large group of people participate in an event, each one of them would like some reward. Also, the Garrison equipment rewards are highly sought after and some can be extremely valuable. Because of this, problems may arise during lotting.

In order to avoid this frustration, it is in your best interest to design and agree upon a specific system for handling lotting. Players should be made aware of the system well before hand so any difficulties can be worked out.

There are two mainly accepted Lotting Systems for any type of shared reward event:

1. Have a single participant designated to sell all items and then distribute all profits equally among participants
2. Participants cast lots on each item and those who win a lot are ineligible to lot on other items

Both systems have their strengths and weaknesses, and will depend greatly upon the group you are doing the event with.

Key Points to Setting Up a Lotting System

- The lotting system must be very clear and easy to follow

- organizing lots for a large group can be time consuming and must be completed before the items are distributed automatically

- In order to ensure all members of your party/alliance are satisfied, it may be necessary to do multiple rounds

- with a maximum of 6 item drops per successful round, it is necessary to complete three full rounds for each player to receive an item

- To encourage participants to obtain the trade items, it is a good idea to let the trader choose their reward from the items obtained for their trading round before lotting begins

- required trade items can take time to farm, so this provides incentive to make that effort

[Taskmage]

Section 8 - Job Specific Strategy Guides

As in any event, there is no single strategy that will work for all jobs. Instead, each job must consider their strengths and weaknesses, their traits and abilities at each level cap, and their role as part of a party/alliance, in order to be an effective participant.

The following guides include information from experienced players of each job class and how that job class functions in Garrison. They include recommendations for optimal equipment, food, and preparation, as well as important strategies.

These guides are currently in progress and will be added as they are completed.[code].-------------------------------------------.
| Bard BRD | Omnifarius |
| Beast Master BST | Sindjinn |
| Black Mage BLM | Phillipio |
| Dark Knight DRK | Tokaki |
| Dragoon DRG | Taodyn |
| Monk MNK | Ainyan, Ayasu |
| Ninja NIN | Colm, Phillipio |
| Paladin PLD | Rathanel |
| Ranger RNG | Cirdan |
| Red Mage RDM | Koriandr, Ishianti |
| Samurai SAM | Kaeli |
| Summoner SMN | Alger, Keyln |
| Thief THF | Alger, Keyln |
| Warrior WAR | Ayasu |
| White Mage WHM | Koriandr, Trynn |
'-------------------------------------------'[/code]

Section 9 - Battlefield Layout

Rather than stepping blindly into the event and attempting to find targets on the fly, the diagram below gives a rough approximation of the battle layout. Also included are some recommended areas to place your melee damage dealers and mages.

Once an item is traded to the guard, a number of friendly NPCs will spawn (all participants will then receive a level cap status effect). There is one NPC for each person in your party/alliance. They will spawn in three straight lines just in front of the Outpost.



Just a few seconds after the NPCs appear, the first wave of enemy attackers will spawn. These enemies spawn a small distance beyond the NPC lines. Caster and ranged attacker type enemies will remain in this area using distance attacks, while melee type enemies will charge toward the NPCs.

For maximum effectiveness, you should organize your melee damage dealers/provokers in front of the NPC spawn points. This way, you form a barrier between the attackers and the people you are attempting to defend. All provokers should focus on melee type enemies first, but be careful of caster type mobs. Several Garrison enemies can cast some serious spells that can dangerously hinder your group.

Mages should stay near the outpost if at all possible. You will most likely draw agro and this distance gives provokers a chance to assist you. Three White Mages should focus on healing their parties, with an extra White Mage dedicated to cycling through friendly NPC targets and healing any who are damaged.

[Taodyn]

Section 10 - Special Garrison Strategies

1. Stopping the Boss NM 2 hour ability
   
   During the fourth and final wave of any Garrison event, a boss NM will spawn. This boss NM is much stronger than the other Garrison enemies and is also capable of using specific 2 hour abilities.
   
   Because of this, it is highly recommended that you have a tank assigned to handle this boss NM and that they be capable of handling devastating 2 hour abilities. If your group is planning on running multiple rounds, you will need a tank assigned for each round.
   
   Paladins and Thieves are great in this role as their 2 hour abilities protect them from taking any damage. Using their 2 hour ability, however, will mean they are unable to tank the boss NM in subsequent rounds until the ability timer is reset.
   
   
2. The Kiting Method
   
   The enemies in Garrison spawn in timed waves, each wave appearing approximately 20 seconds after the previous wave was completely defeated. The next wave will not spawn until all enemies in the previous wave have been killed.
   
   To increase your chances of running a successful Garrison round and obtaining an optimal reward, it is often recommended to delay the beginning of the next wave of attackers until all participants and NPCs are fully healed. Each person will then begin the next round with full HP and MP.
   
   In order to delay the next wave, a player can pull one of the weaker mobs away from the main group and either sleep the enemy or kite it until their group is ready to continue. They would then bring the enemy back to the main group to be killed and subsequently begin the next wave.
   
   Note: The kited mob must be pulled a fair distance from the main group as the friendly NPCs are designed to automatically attack any remaining targets in the area. If the chosen enemy is within their range, the entire group of NPCs will attack it and end the wave.
   
   
3. Outside Protection
   
   Enemy monsters outside the Garrison event can still aggro participants during the event. This can be especially hazardous during higher level Garrisons as enemies in the surrounding area can be exceptionally strong.
   
   Because of this, it is often helpful to have higher level assistance outside your party/alliance to handle any aggro.

[Taskmage]

Section 11 - Target Priority

The sheer number of targets will make it almost impossible to designate specific players to specific mobs. Rather, it is better to have people organize around certain areas so that they are near the mob spawn points. This will take practice. There are, however, some basic strategies and priorities that can be suggested to your group.

Though it is the melee mobs that will do the most damage in a strict sense, the caster mobs are more dangerous. They attack from a distance and often bind players, which is very bad. Caster mobs should be high priority for attack.

Ranger type mobs do very little damage. They will remain in one spot using fairly weak ranged attacks. It is much more beneficial to focus on the melee and caster type mobs, and save these mobs for last.

Players should provoke as often as is possible. There will be lots of damage and hate flying, so each player should do their utmost to help the group.

The boss mob(s) should be killed as quickly as possible, but must be tanked very carefully. To this end, it is vital to designate one player as the tank for the boss mob. During the fourth wave, this player should stay out of the battle until the boss mob spawns so that they are prepared to provoke him. The tank should usually be a PLD or a THF as their two-hour abilities will enable them to tank extremely damaging attacks without losing hp. Remember that mobs have 2 hour abilities, too. A MNK type boss will use Hundred Fists, which will tear apart any tank not using an appropriate 2 hour. The tank should be prepared to possibly die if a mistake occurs.

[Taodyn]

Section 12 - Additional Tips

1. Have all members of your group stand near the outpost guard, but facing in the other direction. This is the direction from which the mob waves will spawn. The waves will spawn in lines just beyond the outpost.
   
   
2. Avoid using macros. It is quite easy for macros to fail given the amount of action.
   
   
3. Turn off all effects. Even some of the better systems will experience lag with the sheer amount of models involved. It is even recommended that you turn on all chat filters to cut down on lag.
   
   
4. Don't be angry if you die. It happens. If you are raised, you can still receive gil and lot for items.
   
   
5. Once the round is done, the person who traded the item should NOT speak with the outpost guard until everyone is ready. All defeated players should be raised and all discussion should cease as there is limited time for 18 players to lot on five items fairly.
   
   
6. Making strategies and plans is often a mistake. Garrison is exceedingly hectic and laggy which makes even the simplest organization difficult. Your best bet is to simply target the nearest character and handle them as the situation requires. Melee should voke and attack any mob they target, mages should heal any friendly NPCs they come across.

Note: This is a level cap battle meaning that any and all players who do not have the cap are unable to interact with either players or mobs. Therefore, it is impossible to get help curing from people outside your alliance.

[Taskmage]

Section 13 - Credits

I wish I could take full credit for this guide, but I can’t. I had a lot of help from some of the most amazing players and people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. I need to acknowledge and thank my linkshell, the Shirtninjas, for the countless Garrisons we ran together and for giving me the experience to share in this guide.

I owe so much to Ainyan, Alger, Ayasu, Cirdan, Colm, Gage, Elfiwolfe, Ishianti, Kaeli, Keyln, Koriandr, Omnifarius, Phillipio, Rathanel, Scionith, Sindjinn, Tokaki, and Trynn who all volunteered to help me with this guide.

Some details were collected from Mysterytour, an amazing resource site that no FFXI player should be without.

Countless posters on the Allakhazam forums who helped me flesh out this guide.

And Taskmage at the Dreams in Vana’diel forums for formatting this for website presentation.


All images are copyright Square Enix, 2002-2006.

[Taodyn]

Section 14 - One Last Note

I'd like to thank Taskmage who went out of his way to reformat my guide for vB. The tables and charts would have looked damned ugly if I'd done it myself.

Also, I have no idea how to do it.

Thanks, man.

And, if you'd like to have a copy of the guide you can download the PDF file here:

http://shirtninjas.deadgamers.org/Taodyn/garrison.pdf

Thanks for reading. I hope you like the guide and I hope it helps you.


Taskmage: Please make comments, suggestions, and additions to this guide in the thread here.