I read the official POL guide for Ballista and didn't understand crap. It's utter shit in my opinion. Here's a detailed guide from my experience.
First thing you need before you can enter into Ballista is the license which is an Important Item.
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Obtaining a License
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Requirements: Rank3, Level 30
1. Go talk to the Ballista NPC in your home nation and you get a cutscene that shows all the nation leaders in a conference room. After that the NPC will ask you to perform a task so choose "Yes" and then received 2 Important Items.
Sandoria = Elvaan near the North Sandoria exit to Ronfaure
Excenmille D-9
Windurst = Mithra standing next to the door in the reception office in the Heaven's Tower.
Mhabi Molkot
Bastok = Galka standing outside Cid's Workshop in the Metal Works 2nd floor.
Invincible Shield G-8
2. Go to the other 2 nations and first talk to their Leader and get a cutscene then talk to the Ballista NPC of that nation to get an Important Item.
Note: Windurst leader can only be accessed by talking to the left taru at the reception desk (as I recall). Nothing will happen if you try to open the glowing door.
Sandoria = Destin
Windurst = Star Sibyl
Bastok = Karst
3. After you have got the 2 Important Items from their relevant nations, go to talk to your own nation leader. You should get another cutscene. After that ends, talk your nation's Ballista NPC to receive the license!
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Entering/Ending Ballista Matches
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Ballista matches are only fought in 3 areas: Meriphataud Mountains, Pashhow Marshlands, Jugner Forest.
To enter a match, go to each area's Outpost and there will be a Moogle near it. Talk to that moogle to find the next match details. I am not sure if there are matches happening all the time but follow this link to see the schedule in real Earth time.
http://www.playonline.com/ff11us/polnews/news1842.shtml
also use this site
http://www3.big.or.jp/~wanpaku/FFXI/index.cgi
and go to the 月齢カレンダー section for Japanese real times
The entrance application period last for 30 mins real time and that time starts at 12:00PM Vanadiel time until 12:00AM Vanadiel time.
Next match details can be view by talking to the moogle once the previous match is already underway (unconfirmed).
Entrance application includes talking to the moogle once the period begin and then you will be presented with 3 option. I can't remember the exact order but I think it's
1. Rules
2. Entrance/Exit
3. Nothing
You select the 2nd option to enter and it will ask you to confirm with the fee shown. You cancel your application by selecting the option again after you have entered (I'm not sure if you get a refund or not).
Once the period ends and you are entered, the NPC "Herald" will spawn. Then you will automatically be placed on opposing sides facing the other team. Herald will say some shit (which I didn't understand cos it was Japanese) and then after you will automatically received a sneak and invis. The match starts when you see Laisser aller! on your screen. It look like when you receive a rank up.
Matches last 1 hour.
End of the match happens automatically with the words Victoire! or Echec depending if you win or lose. After you see that you will spawn back at the outpost. Remember to talk to moogle again if you win to collect your reward gil.
Tips: It's safer to enter into a group before the match starts, running around solo is pretty brave but stupid. Just ask a leader you see of your nation if you can join their group.
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Ballista Objective
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The gameplay of Ballista simply involve finding an item called a Petra and simply throwing them into a castle-like NPC called a Rook.
You can find these Petra by using the Ballista command ingame /quarry.
Using the /quarry command makes your character temporarily crouch and search the ground. If you find a Petra your game interface will show a ( O x 1). Means you have 1 Petra. You can hold multiple Petras and even steal or mug your opponents if they are holding some (THF abilities only).
After you have the Petra simply find a Rook and throw it in to score by simply examining the Rook. Your character will do a throw animation and the Rook will light up. You have to wait 5 seconds before you can score again.
You can only throw your Petra in if you defeat an opposing player and achieve a status called "Gate Breach" or some shit like that. The POL website says that if the Rook is unguarded and left with few people nearby, you can score without having to defeat an opposing player. Gate breach status is shown with a * next to the number of Petras you have.
Rooks will change positions around the Ballista Area every so often by there will be system notices of that.
Of course you can forget these rooks and petras altogether and just slaughter anyone you see.
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Ballista Commands
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/Quarry
This command simply searches the ground around you for Petras. But you can also find other useful items like Elixirs and Poison Potions and others. Items found are automatically used.
/Sprint
If you are not holding any Petras, you can use this command for a temporary Flee (Tonzura) effect. There is a recharge time but I have no idea what that is.
/Scout
use this command to locate a Rook. I don't know quite how it works but I think it has something to do with coordinates on the map.
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K.O.s
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Usually you will get smacked up at least once (more if you are blood thirsty and toooo brave).
If you die, you will fall to the ground as usual and you will see a timer (I remember 40 seconds which increase the more you die). When you are dead you can:-
- Choose to be raised (simply not worth it at all)
- Wait for the timer to end then automatically be raised
- Return to camp (like returning to HP) which are points on the outer sides of the area (takes awhile to walk back)
Also look at the POL website for further details of the effects of the options you choose (
http://www.playonline.com/comnewsus/200404225213.html).
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Tips
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- If you have a good bow skill and am really wanting to kill your friends, buy Sleep Arrows. They are extremely powerful and effective. Very good for stopping the people who try to get away
- If you are a mage and are being charged at by a Ninja or Ninja-sub, REMEMBER TO USE G-MAGIC first.
- 1 person CANNOT win 2 people. If you want to ensure a win over another person, gang up. Nothing can save you from mages and melees working together, not sprint, tonzura, 2H, anything.
- If someone tries to run away use Stun, Sleep, or Bind.
- Stick with your teammates. Going solo is suicide sometimes.
- NIN sub is a good idea if you can for melees. Mages might want to do RDM for sub. RDM might want BLM sub for higher INT since all resistances are up. The only status' I saw really used are silence, gravity, and sleep. Rest are more or less unused.
- Strider boots are wonderful to chase someone down.
- Yes, you can run after someone and attack them at the same time. As long as you are in range, your character will attack.
The above information maybe inaccurate, it's a guide so don't flame me if it's incorrect.
Linear Mode
