Ode to Crystals

With the new Abyssea add-on's many fantastic (and sometimes hotly debated) additions to FFXI, one item series fell to the wayside. It has had a resurgence after many changes to external content, but inside is still an issue. I have a content-appropriate solution though!

As it stands now, parties of less than 6 well-balanced jobs or 12 mixed jobs have a difficult time building enough lights to both get Time Extensions and experience points or golden pyxides for their wonderful rewards. As the crystal slot in the drops is used, but inaccessible, and the whole of Abyssea follows a very cool and unique system revolving around how everything has been corrupted, my idea is this: Abyssea Light Crystals.

Azure Crystal (Ex, Stacks to 12): A deep blue crystal tainted by Abyssean Fiends. When broken, it grants weak azure light [+5].
Ruby Crystal (Ex, Stacks to 12): A dark red crystal tainted by Abyssean Fiends. When broken, it grants weak ruby light [+5].
Amber Crystal (Ex, Stacks to 12): A dark yellow crystal tainted by Abyssean Fiends. When broken, it grants weak amber light [+5].
Pearl. Crystal (Ex, Stacks to 12): A shadowy crystal tainted by Abyssean Fiends. When broken, it grants weak pearlescent light [+5].

These crystals drop from any regular monster, no monster favors any one variety. The (Ex) tag insures that they don't become grossly overpriced in player markets, but it can be optional. The crystal checks for Visitant Status, and if it isn't there, it has no effect. The brackets are the value of the light. Visitant status also serves as the "Signet" of Abyssea, but since it is required to be in the area, a hard cap of 4 crystals per monster will be put in place to lessen clogging of the treasure pool. In addition:

Azure Cluster (Ex): A cluster of azure crystals. It was found on a powerful Abyssean foe [+50].
Ruby Cluster (Ex): A cluster of ruby crystals. It was found on a powerful Abyssean foe [+50].
Amber Cluster (Ex): A cluster of amber crystals. It was found on a powerful Abyssean foe [+50].
Pearl. Cluster (Ex): A cluster of pearlescent crystals. It was found on a powerful Abyssean foe [+50].

Clusters are found on any NM, as well as dual-elementals and ephemeral monsters. Like crystals, any one of the 4 can drop from them, with up to 2 dropping per monster. Additionally, they can be purchased for 20,000cruor as items from Cruor Prospectors. The high cost serves as a deterrent from abuse of them, but does not eliminate the ability to purchase if needed. Also like the crystals, they have no effect and are used up outside of Abyssea areas.

I haven't represented Ebon, Golden, or Silver lights here because Ruby is available and they cannot be acquired without ruby pyxides (with the exception of NM kills adding 1 Ebon).

Any thoughts?

The idea is nice.

The only correction I'd like to make is that i can easily duo/trio All lights and maintain time extensions. In fact after building lights my gimp BLM Friend can maintain TE's above 120 mark just by himself. So its not really that hard by any stretch of the imagination...

Still, The idea is quite interesting, and at least makes a good read.

Edit: I should mention i understand your average gimp-as-sin pick-up party has more trouble with lights than a 2004 Party had with HNMs, So i can see where this might come in handy for those types of players.

I'd love this.

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Originally Posted by Karbuncle

While the idea is nice.

The only correction I'd like to make is that i can easily duo/trio All lights and maintain time extensions. In fact after building lights my gimp BLM Friend can maintain TE's above 120 mark just by himself. So its not really that hard by any stretch of the imagination...

Still, The idea is quite interesting.

Edit: I should mention i understand your average gimp-as-sin pick-up party has more trouble with lights than a 2004 Party had with HNMs, So i can see where this might come in handy for those types of players.

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I solo a lot in Abyssea, and I always get down to <15min on my DNC or SMN. I'd like the option to keep some of my lights, (lol), and this was the best idea I came up with that wasn't "you don't lose lights". When I do NMs though, it is normally a trio, and even with a BLM we have trouble getting TEs because we just don't kill fast enough. That's why I said "had trouble". I've seen it done, and wish I could. Perhaps if we didn't spam the actual NM and farmed TEs it might get better though, I'll have to take it up with my BLM buddy who likes to Bliz5 and kill any mob I'm fighting for pearl. xD

Good idea!

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Originally Posted by InfamousDS

I solo a lot in Abyssea, and I always get down to <15min on my DNC or SMN. I'd like the option to keep some of my lights, (lol), and this was the best idea I came up with that wasn't "you don't lose lights". When I do NMs though, it is normally a trio, and even with a BLM we have trouble getting TEs because we just don't kill fast enough. That's why I said "had trouble". I've seen it done, and wish I could. Perhaps if we didn't spam the actual NM and farmed TEs it might get better though, I'll have to take it up with my BLM buddy who likes to Bliz5 and kill any mob I'm fighting for pearl. xD

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Well for Solo player Could actually be quite a godsend, because a lot of jobs can't steadily build all three lights.

I was only correcting the part where you implied if you had less than 12+ people it would be hard/impossible to build lights or TE's >.O

I know I've been in a Cruor burn party with 1 MNK and 1 WAR(me!) DD, capped ruby and still i left with like 300+ Minutes on my timer after only a few hours of partying XD.

But as i said, The Idea is sound(That means good!) if only because it would help the Solo player (maybe doing a Magian Trial? Or skilling up?) build Azure or Pearl to keep himself in the zone at least a little longer.

So yah, I liked your post, you have my vote >_> was just correcting something D:

This would be nice.

Another option would be letting Cruor Prospectors add/clear specific lights for a fee.

I believe my reply left the wrong impression. I understood the correction you made, and like the input. Thanks all who have agreed so far! Maybe we can get a Dev in here to say something!

grate idea TC hope the devs see it!

I like the idea behind this one. Personally it's an interesting concept to help with lights, and I know that while I can solo all my lights on a couple of jobs (NIN and BLU come to mind), the majority of my other solos (BST, SMN, DRG, THF sometimes) have a hard time doing so and end up putting a drain on my stones. Not like we don't have a bunch of them but it does save a headache to just be able to solo lights etc. I feel it might be a bit overpowered though... you'd be able to get capped lights in minutes at worst using just stones. Normally one good BLM for azure and a bunch of moderately-good DDs wailing on mobs for pearl lights can get most of the lights done in roughly 15-30 minutes depending on quality, but most pickups don't tend to show that quality and this would be an absolute blessing.

As a suggestion, maybe make it like KC/HKC drop rates, but maybe a bit lower? You'd get plenty but not enough to like drown you.

Great potential possibility though.

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Originally Posted by Aliekber

This would be nice.

Another option would be letting Cruor Prospectors add/clear specific lights for a fee.

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Yeah, I disagree with this part though. Clearing would be okay, especially when it comes to ruby when you're not EXPing (though I tend to get a lot of amber from red chests when I'm farming for KIs/items so I'm so-so about that), but adding wouldn't help people new to Abyssea to learn anything, and would teach them that the millions of cruor they have from flopping around through EXP parties can be used to instantly light them up. Sure, it'd be faster, but then that ruins the point of already having an existing system in place. We already have God Mode and such as it is; we don't need to make it any easier. xD

Something I considered but didn't put in my idea is that the item wouldn't work like typical lights. It only enhances the specific player. I didn't know how that would be received though.

That would simply cause lootwars to break out initially in parties, honestly. I can see it being useful for those new individuals to a party that's been going, to get them up to snuff faster so their killshots aren't giving you gimped-up chests, but overall I think it would cause conflict in the long run.

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Originally Posted by Kensagaku

That would simply cause lootwars to break out initially in parties, honestly. I can see it being useful for those new individuals to a party that's been going, to get them up to snuff faster so their killshots aren't giving you gimped-up chests, but overall I think it would cause conflict in the long run.

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Yea, I thought that too. I also thought that if they weren't EX that people would sell clusters for like 150k/each on AH, and crystals like 200k/stack. Any other suggestions are welcome guys, think you have to be in the 50+ post range for Devs to take it seriously!

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As it stands now, parties of less than 6 well-balanced jobs

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BS, you can do this with 2-3 people, of many job combinations.

Blu can do it solo. just have to know which zone the emp. mobs are worth what. Like in misx. coast they capped your blu in 2kill other zones give only few more per kill then reg mobs. If you are on a melee job and not Gold box farming you could build a little red and get azure from them outside of heros zones. In heros they drop a fair amount of the time silver and golden so red in heros is still not good if your a melee soloing.

Abyssea is already easy. Being able to pop a bunch of crystals to cap out your lights with no effort would be just silly.

I don't have BLU. I'm interested in it, but not enough to actually level it. And while capping is possible, it takes 120,000 cruor (6 clusters for 255) or 4.25 stacks of crystals that cannot be traded among players. In other words, it's inefficient, unless you cap them just before a VERY long exp party, where you will get the crystals and cruor back. And all that is just for 1 light, you need 2 capped to get anything worthwhile quickly from pyxides in Abyssea. The checks are in place to prevent some abuse, but some abuse is also unavoidable due to the way the system works (and has to work). Nothing will ever be perfect, but I would like the option of building lights with more specialized groups or even solo. BLU NIN BLM(with great staff) SCH(with great staff) RDM WHM PLD DRK are the only jobs that immediately come to mind who can solo Pearl and Azure. That is 12 other jobs who have different strengths who are forced to rely on mages in some way to do anything in abyssea for longer than 120min. And of those 8, some are not even expected to help build azure even in small groups. I like my 2 current jobs, I don't want to be forced into leveling another job and getting gear for it when I have trouble enough finding the time and people to gear those 2. I spent 21 stones farming King Hides to pop Amarok, I bet I could have cut that in half if I could easily get Azure, which is what led to the brainstorm that led to this idea.

The cruor cost looks a little high for something like that... lol

Otherwise pretty good idea. I mean it's already easy to build lights, but some jobs DO have a difficult time doing this alone, so the crystals would facilitate their light gain.

Though looking at the title I thought that we were having normal crystals drop here, since no one exps anywhere else anymore :(