Dearly Belated

We are gathered here today to bid farewell, to this blog, after one year of faithful blogging. Since I am in a relatively good mood, I will even list some of my thoughts in interview format:

What prompted you to create a blog?
During a tough period of my life, a friend suggested that I keep a journal of my thoughts. Although it was about a video game, I felt that my fantasy life was the only subject that I had plenty to talk about.

What kind of difficulties did you encounter?
Blogging is not easy. At first, I had plenty to talk about, but after a while, I started playing less, especially once my classes started. Somehow, I managed to split my time between Final Fantasy XI and my schoolwork, but it was not without much difficulty. In the end, I am glad I blogged for as long as I did. Without a doubt, I have markedly improved my writing skills compared to when I first started. 

How do you feel about your Beastmaster (BST) today?
Although I am constantly on other jobs to accomplish my goals, I am still yearning to perfect my BST's melee gear first and foremost. While this might seem unconventional among other BSTs, I am perfectly fine with being unique on the job I love.

Will there be another blog?
Maybe, maybe not. Personally, I feel like a broken record at this point, and since I expect a heavier course load next year, I definitely will not be blogging a dozen or so posts per month. Either way, I will be taking a nice break from blogging now. If I do come back for an encore, I will post a notice in the Playbox.

How to Hunt NM: Bloodsucker

Now that I finally own a Bloodbead Ring, I have decided to post my research on Bloodsucker for any other would-be hunters. To start, Bloodsucker pops every 3 days (72 hours) after its previous Time of Death (ToD), unless a maintenance occurred the day before. After a maintenance, it will pop 21 to 24 hours afterward, and then continue to pop every 72 hours after its ToD. From experience, I have noticed that this NM usually pops after 23 hours, and judging by the JP competition I have had, if you do not see it within ± 15 minutes of the 23 hour mark, you have probably missed it.















Moving on to locating the NM itself, Bloodsucker is a blue Leech NM with the same name as the nearby red Leeches. Another way to differentiate this NM from its kin is by using "Widescan." Bloodsucker will always appear at the bottom of the list, and normally, this spot is occupied by a red Leech at J-8.

What makes the Bloodbead Ring difficult to acquire is several-fold:

1. It is unlikely you will be alone in your hunt; many players camp this NM right after maintenance periods, and they might bring friends with them.
   
2. The spawn area is infested with EP-DC Leeches that agro and link.
   
3. The NM has an "Endrain" effect that heals itself for 75-150 HP per hit ("Invincible" seems to block this effect however).
4. The difficulty of tracking the NM, noted above.
5. The drop rate -- it is far from 100%.

Could a BST solo this NM?
To be honest, I would say it is unlikely, but it might be possible with a good pull and really heavy melee gear (I am thinking Temperance Axe for sure). On average, you can expect to be drained for 150 HP a hit, and given competition, links, and BST claim abilities, one would be foolish not to ask for help. The NM itself is reported to have around 3600 HP, and the local Leeches just do not do enough damage to counter this NM's special effect. 

Common Techniques for Defeating Bloodsucker:

1. "Chainspell" can be applied to quickly demolish this NM. Five or six "Thunder III"s from a RDM will annihilate Bloodsucker, allowing you to deal with your links shortly after. Remember to keep "Stoneskin" and "Blink" up, and if necessary, "Sleep" the NM to give yourself breathing room. 
2. A BLM can use "Sleepga" and AM IIs instead of the method above. Two or three AM IIs should do the job.
   
3. Evasion can help dodge hits if your job/equipment has copious amounts of it. Usually a NIN or THF/NIN with the right gear can solo this NM, but there might be other jobs capable of winning as well. Do not forget Signet for the Evasion bonus!
   
4. Zerging. Typically, you will need at least another person, and preferably, two to do it safely. Again, everyone should sub NIN for shadows and traversing the maze, but being a DC NM, some tweaking might be possible.

Khaki's drop rate:
1/3 with Treasure Hunter I
0/1 with Treasure Hunter II + Thief's Knife

On My Own

It has been almost a year of blogging, and with deep regret, it is time for me to leave Diabolos and this blog behind. The reasons are several-fold: I no longer have the heart, stamina, or patience to put up with many players on my server, and my friends are slowly disappearing one by one. I have always turned to my friends in times of despair, but many of them have started treating me like a pariah. More specifically, I have been told I am an emotional and bothersome person.

As such, I have decided to stop being a burden on these people, and to do that, I have decided on a fresh start on a new server. As for which server that might be, I will have to keep it a secret for the time being.















To my remaining friends, I have left behind a good chunk of my virtual possessions as thanks for their time, efforts, and, above all, friendship when I truly needed it. There are many that I did not get a chance to speak with, but I have left messages for everyone that mattered. Although my new server might be just as bad, I feel that I need to take a chance; any chance for a better world is good enough for me.

Finally, to my readers, thank you all for visiting the den and breathing life to an otherwise solid world of text and pictures. As much as I would like to finish that Flash animation I promised a while back, I just do not have the motivation to do it anymore. However, I will post the dialogue that I would have used for anyone who might be interested.

Take care BST fans; may pink hearts and small Crabs follow you, wherever you might go.


Khaki's Flash Animation Dialogue

Khaki: Hey everybody! I am sure everyone has given me a voice by now, but today, you will get to hear me in real time!

Snippy: *click, click*

Khaki: What? You mean we could not afford a camera or figure out how to podcast? Whatever shall we work with? No, you do not mean that, do you?

Snippy: *More undecipherable clicks*

Khaki: Okay, so it seems like we are stuck with Macromedia Flash. And... action!

Liabelle enters a room and gazes over a sink filled with water. A playful Crab is seen inside.

Liabelle: Umm, Khaki...?

Khaki: Not now Lia, I have an opening title sequence to do!

The old Batman theme song begins to play, and Khaki grabs his BST helmet and belt from a nearby table before running outside. There, he whistles for a giant Crab and hops onto the Crab when it scuttles over. Khaki then points for the Crab to move forward, but to no avail. He then cleverly casts a Fishing rod, with a fish attached, in front of the Crab. The Crab clicks her claws upon seeing the fish and then moves forward.

The screen flashes to a pair of Hume RNGs who are aiming their guns at a group of wild beasts. A giant shadow suddenly looms over them, and the first RNG flees in terror. The second RNG fires a shot at the now-apparent giant Crab, but his bullet ricochets harmlessly off the Crab's shell. The giant Crab then picks up the RNG, and pounds him headfirst into the ground several times before tossing him, screaming, into the air. 

Khaki and the giant Crab are then seen parading through a forest of animals that are cheering them on. The music slowly begins to end, and so does Khaki's fantasy.

Khaki: *with his eyes closed and throwing punches wildly* WHAM! BAM! KA-BLAMO!

Liabelle: *sighs* Khaki, do you not have something important to say to your readers?

Khaki: *pulling out a monocle and speaking with a distinctly British accent* Ah yes, dear Lia. I was fancying to tell them a heroic tale of gallantry this week.

Khaki pulls out his journal.

Khaki: *clears his throat* Day 384, Crystal Era 1024. 
[Random story goes here]

Khaki: Day 592, Crystal Era 1025.
[Random story number two goes here]

Khaki: Day 912, Crystal Era 1028.

Khaki: I hurried along to the Bostaunieux Oubliette, where I was to track a notorious fiend named "Bloodsucker." Although he put up a marvelous fight, I eventually cleaned his clock and returned home safely with a new ring.

Camera pans to Liabelle.

Liabelle: Hmm...

A harp noise signals a flashback.

Khaki: Dum-dee-dum-dum.

Khaki places a Signal Pearl into his ear and a jug of Fish Oil Broth onto the ground; Snippy and Liabelle suddenly appear alongside Khaki.  

Khaki: Alright ladies, we will split into two teams for this NM. You two head north while I will head to the east. 

Liabelle: You will come find us if we run into Bloodsucker, right? 

Khaki: Yes, yes. Now scamper off you two.

Liabelle and Snippy walk off stage, leaving Khaki by himself. After following Liabelle and Snippy around for a few minutes, the duo is attacked by the NM they were looking for. 

Liabelle: *reaching for her Signal Pearl* Khaki, we found it. Come quick. 

Meanwhile...

Khaki: Boy, this thing sure is itchy.

Khaki takes off his Signal Pearl and places it on top of a rock. A soft groan spooks Khaki as another Bloodsucker appears in front of him.

Khaki: *drawing his Axe and moving away from the rock* At last! Prepare to taste the blade of my...

The camera flashes to the Signal Pearl, where Lia's muffled voice can be heard. Unfortunately, Khaki is too distracted with his NM to notice. After a few quick swipes, Khaki's NM drops to the floor, and a chest appears in its place.

Khaki: *opening the chest and searching the contents inside*

The camera reveals Khaki pulling out a blue sword and an adult magazine entitled "xXx Mithra xXx."

Khaki: What is this? A Ridill?! And the finest literature of all the land? Now, I can be just like Decu. No, wait, occasionally two to three times better than Decu!

Camera flashes back to Snippy and Liabelle. The duo is seen falling to the ground with scratches and bruises after the NM performs the "Sand Breath" animation on them. Just then, the Hume RNGs from the opening title sequence walk in and notice the weakened NM. 

Hume RNG#1: WOAH-HO. Easy pickings!

The RNGs fire a few bullets at the NM, easily defeating it. A ring drops out of the NM's hide and rolls towards the RNGs. The second RNG picks it up, and they both walk off screen. Khaki then shows up immediately after.

Khaki: *glancing at Snippy and Liabelle* Asleep on the job?! What do I pay you two for?

Liabelle's flashback ends; she stares at him with discontent.

Khaki: So I did not get the ring. But just look at what I did find...

Khaki reaches for a Ridill that is resting on top of the adult magazine from earlier. He then picks up the sword only to realize that the sword is painted; a giant streak of blue and black paint now stains his magazine cover, as well as his hand.

Khaki: What?! Noooooo!

Khaki tosses the fake blade aside and notices his stained magazine.  

Khaki: Noooooooooooooooo!

Khaki tears off the cover only to reveal an entirely different cover entitled "xXx Galka xXx."

Khaki: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Khaki tosses the magazine aside and runs for the sink, plummeting his hands into the water.

Khaki: Must. Wash. Away. The sin.

Khaki's face suddenly blushes red as he reveals the Crab from earlier, now clamped onto his hands. He is then seen yelping loudly as he tries to shake the Crab off.

Liabelle: Well, it looks like we did not get much done this week, but you can always look forward to...

Liabelle pauses to watch Khaki flailing hysterically.

Liabelle: ... to me next week! Buh-bye!

Stories Aside...










I did manage to get a Bloodbead Ring, but only after four months of camping in the Bostaunieux Oubliette. I definitely could not have done it without the valiant efforts of my friends, Kearick and Masani, so I would like to thank them both for spending grueling hours in that dark dungeon and for encouraging me to continue until the end.

Menace

Once again, I find myself in yet another endgame LS, but this time, I am finally fighting Wyrms! As an added bonus, Kearick and Ariane are also in the LS, so it feels like everyone is together and tackling big NMs again.

Unfortunately, my new LS prefers using BLMs for firepower, so Snippy will be taking a backseat for the most part. Hopefully, I will be able to work towards my BST goals through my new LS, and to start the week off, we have claimed...














... two Fafnirs! I even saw Nidhogg for the first time, but we did not manage to claim it.

Now you might be wondering how I manage to find time for an endgame LS while juggling my real-life issues, and to be honest, I do not know if I can camp around the clock when my current schedule is like...

• Wake up.
• Study for a daily quiz.
• Catch a bus thirty minutes before class.
• Attend a three hour Greek and Roman history lecture.
• Come back; study for tomorrow's lecture.
• Try to play FFXI.
• Sleep.
• Rinse and repeat.

Personally, I do not know how I will manage things once I have a full course load again. Things will be tough once that rolls around, but If Menace will let me, I can probably make weekend runs with the LS. As for my other goals, I have simply bumped everything down in priority.















On a side note, I have finally solved my BLM exp problems thanks to my new LS. Every time we try and claim Fafnir, I manage to get a few hundred exp from all the Darters we clear, and as they say, little plus little equals a lot.

GUPS 011

So, I have been trying to earn both Albatross and Penguin Rings as of late. Unfortunately, I have not had much luck with either; however, I did manage to win the picture above as a consolation prize.

Other Stuff





Normally, I would have tossed this furnishing, but I decided to keep it after noticing a lack of Moghancement: Desynthesis items in general. With an aura strength of 4, this furnishing is not exactly very strong, but most Desynthesis furnishings have less than that or come at a very expensive price.









Above, I managed to lose my highest Campaign Medal due to inactivity. Thankfully, you do not lose medals until you talk to the Campaign Evaluation NPC, but conversely, you will not be able to partake in Campaign Operations or battles if your medal is expired.



Slowly improving my BLM potential.


















I have also finalized Liabelle's gear choices after judging all her available apparel. In the end, I only switched her gloves and boots; baby blue blends quite well with the rest of her outfit.

Guttler Updates

Currently, I am working on Stage 2 -> 3 of my Guttler.

I have acquired:
[1/1] Leonine Axe
[1/1] Tabar
[1/1] Darksteel Tabar
[1/1] Tabarzin
[7/14] Montiont Silverpieces

Gil towards level 100 Alchemy (subject to change):
[198,000/???] Cantarella/Pro-Ether Materials
Status: N/A


Crafting Status

Khaki
[96/100] Fishing Skill
[16/100] Woodworking Skill
[20/60] Smithing Skill
[13/60] Goldsmithing Skill
[7/60] Bonecraft Skill

Cooking mule

[15/50] Fishing Skill
[15/100] Cooking Skill (+3)

Smithing mule

[11/50] Fishing Skill
[28/100] Smithing Skill
[19/60] Goldsmithing Skill
[35/60] Leathercraft Skill
[7/60] Bonecraft Skill

Alchemy mule

[97/100] Alchemy Skill (+3)
[19/60] Goldsmithing Skill
[34/60] Smithing Skill
[8/60] Bonecraft Skill

Campaign Aids

Those of you who have attempted the "Iron Anvil" Campaign Operations know how annoying reciting recipes can get. To make life simpler for myself (and possibly you), I have decided to list all Crafting recipes encountered thus far.


Iron Anvil II (Cooking)

Black Bread [Fire]
1) Distilled Water
2) Rock Salt
3) Rye Flour

Boiled Crab [Fire]
1) Bay Leaves
2) Rock Salt
3) Land Crab Meat
4) Distilled Water

Boiled Crayfish [Fire]
1) Rock Salt
2) Crayfish
3) Distilled Water

Bug Broth [Water]
1) Lugworm
2) Lugworm
3) Shell Bug
4) Shell Bug

Carrion Broth [Water]
1) Gelatin
2) Hare Meat
3) Hare Meat
4) Rotten Meat

Herbal Broth [Water]
1) Beaugreens
2) Beaugreens
3) Frost Turnip
4) Frost Turnip

Iron Bread [Fire]
1) Distilled Water
2) San d'Orian Flour
3) Rock Salt

Meat Mithkabob [Fire]
1) Kazham Peppers
2) Cockatrice Meat
2) Mhaura Garlic
3) Wild Onion

Mushroom Soup [Fire]
1) Rock Salt
2) Danceshroom
3) Scream Fungus
4) Coral Fungus
5) Distilled Water

Nebimonite Bake [Fire]
1) Selbina Butter
2) Nebimonite
3) Mhaura Garlic

Pet Food Alpha Biscuit [Earth]
1) Bird Egg
2) Hare Meat
3) Horo Flour
4) Distilled Water

Roast Mushroom [Fire]
1) Woozyroom
2) Woozyroom
3) Rock Salt

Roast Mutton [Fire]
1) Dried Marjoram
2) Giant Sheep Meat
3) Mhaura Garlic

Salsa [Water]
1) Gysahl Greens
2) Kazham Peppers
3) Mithran Tomato
4) Rock Salt
5) Wild Onion

Soy Milk [Fire]
1) Blue Pea
2) Blue Pea
3) Distilled Water

Tortilla [Fire] 
1) Millioncorn
2) Olive Oil
3) Rock Salt
4) San d'Orian Flour


Iron Anvil IV (Woodworking)

Battle Bow [Wind]
1) Coeurl Whisker
2) Chestnut Lumber
3) Chestnut Lumber
4) Silk Cloth
5) Scorpion Claw

Beverage Barrel [Earth]
1) Grape Juice
2) Grape Juice
3) Grape Juice
4) Oak Lumber
5) Oak Lumber
6) Water Barrel

Brass Spear [Wind]
1) Ash Lumber
2) Brass Ingot
3) Linen Thread

Bureau [Earth]
1) Darksteel Sheet
2) Rosewood Lumber
3) Rosewood Lumber
4) Mahogany Lumber
5) Mahogany Lumber

Coffer [Earth]
1) Brass Sheet
2) Rosewood Lumber
3) Yew Lumber
4) Yew Lumber
5) Yew Lumber
6) Yew Lumber
7) Yew Lumber

Composite Bow [Wind]
1) Ash Lumber
2) Willow Lumber
3) Linen Cloth
4) Wool Thread

Freshwater Aquarium [Light]
1) Freshwater Fish Set
2) Glass Sheet
3) Oak Lumber
4) Petrified Log
5) Pipira
6) Pipira
7) Pipira
8) Sieglinde Putty

Gimlet Spear [Wind]
1) Lambent Fire Cell
2) Lambent Wind Cell
3) Bronze Spear

Heavy Crossbow [Wind]
1) Ebony Lumber
2) Carbon Fiber
3) Darksteel Ingot
4) Mahogany Lumber
5) Giant Femur

Kaman [Wind]
1) Elm Lumber
2) Bamboo Stick
3) Silk Thread
4) Wool Cloth

Kamayari [Earth]
1) Iron Ingot
2) Oak Lumber
3) Tama-Hagane
4) Silk Thread

Kilo Pump [Earth]
1) Bamboo Stick
2) Chestnut Lumber
3) Coeurl Whisker
4) Coeurl Whisker
5) Carbon Fiber
6) Animal Glue
7) Water Cluster

Lance [Fire]
1) Ash Lumber
2) Ash Lumber
3) Steel Ingot
4) Steel Ingot

Mahogany Bed [Earth]
1) Mahogany Lumber
2) Mahogany Lumber
3) Mahogany Lumber
4) Mahogany Lumber
5) Wool Cloth
6) Wool Cloth
7) Wool Cloth
8) Wool Thread

Mythril Lance [Fire]
1) Mythril Ingot
2) Mythril Ingot
3) Ash Lumber
4) Ash Lumber

Noble's Bed [Earth]
1) Gold Ingot
2) Velvet Cloth
3) Mahogany Lumber
4) Rosewood Lumber
5) Rosewood Lumber
6) Rosewood Lumber
7) Gold Thread
8) Silk Cloth

Oak Bed [Earth]
1) Oak Lumber
2) Oak Lumber
3) Oak Lumber
4) Oak Lumber
5) Linen Thread
6) Linen Cloth
7) Linen Cloth
8) Linen Cloth

Power Bow [Wind]
1) Coeurl Whisker
2) Elm Lumber
3) Elm Lumber
4) Scorpion Claw
5) Wool Cloth

Self Bow [Wind]
1) Willow Lumber
2) Grass Thread
3) Giant Femur
4) Cotton Cloth

Spear [Wind]
1) Iron Ingot
2) Ash Lumber
3) Linen Thread

Spiked Club [Wind]
1) Walnut Lumber
2) Walnut Lumber
3) Bronze Ingot

Tower Shield [Earth]
1) Brass Ingot
2) Brass Sheet3) Oak Lumber
4) Oak Lumber
5) Ebony Lumber
6) Mahogany Lumber

War Bow [Wind]
1) Oak Lumber
2) Oak Lumber
3) Silk Cloth
4) Carbon Fiber
5) Glass Fiber

Royal Jelly

Occasionally, I will try a new BCNM or two, so today's post elaborates on "Royal Jelly," a BC40 in the Waughroon Shrine. Unlike "Treasure & Tribulations," a group of three people is required for this BCNM, and Kearick decided to invite Masani and me for just that.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this battle, eight Princess Jellies (above) will try to reach the center of the BC, where they will merge into the more powerful Queen Jelly. Therefore, the goal is to slay the princesses before they can merge (or to slay the Queen once it appears).

For this BCNM, I decided to go SAM/DNC for curing support (the other two went DRG/BLU), and we decided to tackle the Jellies clockwise from the arena entrance. We ended up getting three Utsusemi: Ni scrolls out of the four orbs we brought and even bested the record time on one of the runs. Since two scrolls dropped on my orb, I decided to give one to Kearick because he was the only one who did not get a scroll.

Kearick












Masani






Khaki

Rising Costs

So I decided to invest in my future Guttler again, but after arriving in Rolanmart to check Montiont Silverpiece prices, I was in utter shock. Two months ago, I was paying...

• 500 - 600k per One Hundred Byne Bill
• 600 - 700k per Lungo-Nango Jadeshell
• 800 - 900k per Montiont Silverpiece

And the new prices are around:

• 700 - 900k per One Hundred Byne Bill
• 900 - 1100k per Lungo-Nango Jadeshell
• 1100 - 1200k per Montiont Silverpiece

The more I think about it, the more I wonder if creating a Guttler is worth it. I could be putting the money towards crafting HQ gear, and I recently noticed a pair of Stout Gamashes at 2M and a pair of Dusk Gloves +1 at 10M. So why do Dynamis coins cost so much more now? Perhaps...

• Dynamis LSs are anticipating the decrease in entry fees that was promised a while ago and have boycotted runs until after the change occurs (supply is decreasing).
• Mog Bonanza winners have decided to build new relic weapons (demand is increasing).
• Some combination of the first two.

Given the new prices, I have very little incentive to finish a Guttler anytime soon; I will probably charge towards level 100 Alchemy instead.

Byproducts

After Mining some fourteen stacks of Iron Ingots from the Zeruhn Mines, I ended up with a ton of byproducts that went towards raising my mules' Goldsmithing skills. However, there were two items that I could not utilize immediately: Darksteel Ores and Snapping Moles. In fact, I decided to save these items in the event that I could someday, and it turns out that the ores would require intermediate-level Smithing to smelt. On the bright side, the moles are used in making Eft familiars, and with a skill requirement of level 58 Cooking, I knew just the person to call.







Of course, all good (BST) things come with a catch. In this case, only HQ jug pets are useful, and Snapping Moles are not stackable. In addition, the Eft recipe requires one Helmet Mole, Lugworm, Shell Bug, and Lump of Loam per two Snapping Moles, and neither the Helmet Moles nor Loam are stackable either! As a further deterrent, the excavation rates for both mole types are low; on average, I harvested 1.5 to 2.5 Snapping Moles per dozen pickaxes while Helmet Moles were as low as 1 to 1.5 moles per dozen.

But wait, it gets worse. For Snapping Moles, you can expect low-level competition since the Gusgen Mines is a popular Mining spot for beginners, but for Helmets Moles, nothing in the Korroloka Tunnel is worth more than 2k gil!










As a level 58 recipe, the maximum HQ rate requires level 109 cooking, and unfortunately for me, I did not know anyone on Diabolos with a Hocho. However, I knew Masani had high-level Cooking, and in total, she made some twenty stacks of NQ Efts and almost five stacks of HQ ones from eighty or so attempts. After spending two weeks collecting ingredients, I would be in utter agony if I was not farming for Iron Ingots primarily, so hurray for byproducts!















I also managed to spot the NM above while Mining ores in the Yughott Grotto. Most of the time, he drops a Hermit's Wand, but for some reason, I got the rarer drop, a Priest's Robe, this time around. Now if only Bloodsucker could be just as kind.

It's a BST's Life!

When I first started playing BST, NMs were my bane. Whether it was because other players were giving me a hard time or because an ogre was on the loose, I shunned NMs for the early part of my BST career.

Later on, they became a challenge, and it felt good to defeat any NMs that I stumbled across. Nowadays, they are an obsession: I have to strike them down -- whether it be alone or in teams -- for both booty and bragging rights.















A few weeks ago, I bumped into the NM above at least four times while hunting Ram Leather for my Alchemy mule. Although his drops are all but worthless market-wise, I needed some sixteen stacks of Ram Leather, and this NM provided a lot. He also happens to be the placeholder for another Ram NM, whom I did not get the chance to meet.















Or so I thought. Originally, I was only inching close to him little by little for a picture, but suddenly, the NM spun around, caught sight of me, and attacked! Although I wanted to run away, Bloodtear Baldurf kept using "Draw In" to effectively trap me in place.

At this point, I decided to "Charm" bind the NM only a few feet away, hoping that Masani could come rescue me before I became Ram food. Luckily, she reached me with about ~200 HP remaining, so the moral of this encounter is do not leave home without your jug pets.















For the time being, this NM is my current bane in terms of both competition and drop rates. With a three day respawn period, the ability to link all nearby Leeches, an "Endrain" effect on its melee hits, and the ability to spawn anywhere on the ground floor of the Bostaunieux Oubliette, one must possess insane patience to earn his or her Bloodbead Ring. 

Currently, my group is 3/12+ on claiming the NM and 0/3 on the drop (twice with TH1 and once with TH3). To make matters worse, the NM has the same name as the nearby Leeches, so the only way to differentiate this NM from its kin is by the NM's blue skin and position on "Widescan."















On a side note, never tackle a NM, when possible, without your trusty Adventuring Fellow. Now that Liabelle can reach level 70, I will be spending more time with her to further customize her gear and improve her effectiveness. That is all for now!

Mog Bonanza 2

The winning numbers are out, and I was a bit surprised at how SE chose different numbers for each tier.















So, Liabelle and I went to check our marbles and...

Khaki

Rank 4 - one case
Rank 5 - one case

Cooking Mule

Rank 5 - two cases

Smithing Mule

Nothing!

Alchemy Mule

Rank 5 - one case

Spare Tire

Rank 5 - one case

Snippy

Rank 1 - ten cases

So after tossing the useless marbles, we all celebrated at having free space again. I suppose I am a loser in this year's lottery; how did everyone else do?







Notes:
a) Spare Tire is an alias for my fifth mule; I only use him for storage purposes.
b) Snippy ate her marbles shortly before the winning numbers were announced, so there was much grieving at how she mistakenly thought they were new Pet Food Biscuits.