BST an option for a semi-casual player?

[Hitokami]

I have been playing FFXI since NA releace way back when and I have been job-jumping ever since. I have all job at least level 10 with warrior 30, monk 40 and others 15-18. I really enjoy the community here at Dreams in Vanadiel and the bst community especially. I want to know if BST is a vaiable job for some one who plays in 2hr periods. I can and have played in long 5 hours spirts but that is only possible when Im on vacation and dont have work.

Monk is fun for me but the incredibly long wait for parties is demoralizing. I have 2 hours to play, I wait 1 1/2 hours for a party to form then I have 30 min to play. I want to know if I can level bst in 2hr spirts effeciently. Is BST good at this or should I look elsewhere to jobs such as RDM or RNG where the party wait isnt as long?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[neighbortaru]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

oh most definately. that's what I do, well, when i get the time to play at all that is...

[RunningDemon]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

Yup, BST was the job I took up when my work schedule was goofy and didn't allow extended playtime that other jobs demand. BST can log in, kill an hour and log out no problem, which is why I grew to love it. (Not to mention the best DoT at endgame that I found out later) :p

[AngryUndead]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

I suck at BST, so I stopped leveling it at 4. I literaly couldn't figure it out and was just meleeing.

Of course, I did that with /WAR on BLM, WHM, BLU and the rest. I'm not quite sure when I'm suposed to start "Charming" and "Hunting".

I'd love to not have to wait for parties, though I can tell you I'll only do "Shattering Stars" with my MNK and that will be my first 75 job, no matter what.

BST seems like the perfect job for my schedule.

[Harrison]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

I didn't start charming pets til level 13. I wouldn't bother til at least level 10 and just level it as you would any other melee job til then.

[AngryUndead]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

Thats the feel I'd been getting from my LSmates. I also have no MP, period. Stupid tiny galka brain...

Anyway, maybe I'll take that up soon. Invites are slowing down again.

[avhmia]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

I didn't start charming pets til level 13. I wouldn't bother til at least level 10 and just level it as you would any other melee job til then.

I charmed from level 1, though I would charm an EM and mass-slaughter EPs, so it's not quite the same.

As for the originator, I play BST for a few hours here and there, when I have the time and it's great. One of the best things about BST is you can easily combine your farming and exping time. Slaughtering EPs for drops, seals, and a painless 1k exp/hour canbe very profitable.

[--e]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

back to the OP, yes. In fact, your situation is exactly where I found myself. I'd taken Monk to the low 50s and getting invites was absurd. I was pimped and damn good at my job, but still I sat for hours trying to start or get parties.

Pissed, I moved to BST as my job to escape the masses. Immediately I fell in love. I died a lot, and that made me laugh. My success was my own, and that made me proud. I learned a lot about parts of game mechanics I'd never otherwise see, and parts of zones almost nobody investigates. That made me better at everything I do in ffxi.

In fact, you'll benefit greatly from the experience rings. A massive amount of your playtime will be spent getting 150% exp.

BST isn't for everyone, but give it a shot. FFXI isn't designed for people who have lives and can play in very limited shots, but I love this game too much to quit just because my wife and job and family get in the way ~_^

[Omni]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

great stuff guys. bst IS the job for the semi-casual player. i work full time and frequently get gf aggro and this is the only job that ive found that can let me get stuff done in small amounts of time and step on no ones toes.

melee like you would any other job up to 10-12 is probably the best. i will warn you, everything pre 35 is really a pain. i quit, sold bst gear, bought it back probably around 8 times on my way to lv. 35. it took me around 6 months of on and off playing to get there. bst tries your patience like no other job.

but, what you get in return is amazing. what other job can get you up to 1200 xp in 10 minutes? what other job allows you to come with an underleveled subjob, outdated equipment and still have no adverse affects on your performance? I am truly enjoying this job now since im just getting into the meaty party of grinding. great stuff.

[Mikb]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

The exp ring makes your short lvl'n sesions even more productive. Having only 2-3 hrs I alway try to be logged out in my exp spot. When I log in I just use my exp ring and go at it. By the next day the ring is reset and I hit it again. Nonstop fun

I'll stay in the wilderness for over a week at a time before heading back for suppies and putting my goddies on the AH. then it's back to the forest. Hell I had so much fun I never stopped to do mission and stuff except the limits of course.

Gotta love this job!!!

[Puppypizzle]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

Beastmaster is the best job for a semi-casual player.

Since used to play for long periods of time, but I got engauged and moved in with my fiance, my playing time has droped quite a bit.

With BST you can go to wherever you want to level, grind out an hour or two and then log out. When you get some more time, you can log back in, and you are right there, ready to start again, without need to wait for invites.

The only draw backs are, CoP (I still need to do the promys) missions and many others (some limitbreaks) cannot be done with out waiting to get help, and can take hours to complete.


But Beastmaster is the most enjoyable job in the game to play. Good Luck.

[Pimphand]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

I've been playing since ps2 release and till I leveled bst i never had a job above 45 (currently stuck at 55 due to stupid cap quest). Not only is bst cheap to level you actually make money leveling. Beastmaster is the job for the casual gamer hands down.

[Xenthan]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

BST is pretty much the only job you can level on casually and get to 75 fairly quickly. Other jobs have huge downtime in looking for parties, whereas BST can log at a camp and keep steady XP comin in constantly.

[Kittyneko]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

I think BST is deffinately good for someone with 2 hour periods. Log off at your camp, and log back in at your camp. ^^

Double Post Edited:

BST is pretty much the only job you can level on casually and get to 75 fairly quickly. Other jobs have huge downtime in looking for parties, whereas BST can log at a camp and keep steady XP comin in constantly.

With just as much exp per hour as partys? I heard about 2k exp per hour if you have a good pace at level 20+. Blergh!

[Aeni]

Re: BST an option for a semi-casual player?

With just as much exp per hour as partys? I heard about 2k exp per hour if you have a good pace at level 20+. Blergh!

Why would it even matter? It's better to get to do something instead of waiting hours LFP and doing nothing. If every melee out there (You're a THF, so you should understand this) add in the time it takes to LFP (or form your own party) + getting ready (buying food, medicine) + traveling + getting to camp + time spent exp'ing and then average out the net exp with the total time, you'll get the same as any BST out there...