Melkire

...oh lord, NSider. I was one of the Legend of Zelda timeline fanatics. God help you if you ever said the word "split" in front of me. A fellow former Lominsan criminal! Woot! Welcome to Balmung! :moogle:

...damn. Damn. You're getting a PM from me soon. Because damn.

Who is this Ryahl, and why haven't I met him yet? Hmmm... I have no idea, I'm at work with no screens of my own to reference atm, so I grabbed the first image of the party list that Google spat out at me. /shrug

I can't speak to how Paladin plays (I've only ever leveled it up to 31), but as Warrior I've found that, after 'hawking, two to three Overpowers into tab-targeting the enmity combo with perhaps another Overpower or Flash thrown in for good measure is almost always sufficient to hold hate on everything and anything in low level content. It doesn't have the snap of an AoE taunt, but it secures the top spot on the aggro chart for group pulls, and tab-targeting maintains that lead. Sure, the DPS can't just Set Target you and kill whatever you're killing since you're bouncing around, but at that point the onus is on the tank to cycle through the enemy list and keep these bars... ...nice and low. I can understand marking targets so your DPS focus fire and burn down one target at a time (mind you, Focus Target is better suited for this). I encourage marking things like Caduceus so that the party can easily identify which snake is which after the split. I agree marking identical-looking mobs so that your four damage dealers kill them ASAP to relieve pressure on the tanks and healers (please don't ever solo tank Turn 5 without marking the Scourges, Garry, the thought scares me >_> )) And someone (ONE, not A BUNCH of people) had better be marking the doors in Lost City in case they're awful at Memory. What I can't understand and don't agree with is the mentality that most, let alone every, trash pull between bosses in low level (read: not endgame) content needs to be marked. The only trouble I've ever had with aggro in said content is pre-26 pre-RoH Gladiator in Totorak with synced-from-50 damage dealers in my party... and that has absolutely nothing to do with marking so much as tunnel-vision from the DPS. If I can't keep up with Savage Blade combo and Flash, please spread your DPS around the mobs instead of focusing. :dazed: Focus Target solves the problem of DDs not coordinating. Mark is useful... but asking, or expecting, the majority of pulls to be marked is... excessive. And unnecessary. Is it helpful? Yes. But it's helpful in the same way that a red signal at the crosswalk telling you not to step into heavy traffic traveling at speeds of 50mph and up is helpful. "Do this, not this," etc. EDIT: Was typing this up when TheLastCandle posted, and I agree. Mark for DPS efficiency... but even then, I'd say Focus Target serves that purpose better in most cases pre-endgame.

I came to XIV from TOR back in December. I came from a PvE background on a PvP server. People there would mark targets in a few boss fights, simply to keep things organized. Otherwise? If you marked trash, people would laugh at you, and this is why: In TOR, according to my experience, it is commonly understood... 1. that the tank is responsible for grabbing aggro (snap or otherwise), holding aggro, and mitigating as much damage as possible; 2. that the healer is responsible for health upkeep and the prevention of deaths due to inbound damage; 3. and that DPS are responsible for knowing what needs to die first and in what order, and then burning the targets down in that order as fast as possible without pulling aggro. If a DPS was new, and made it known? The party would inform them in chat or VoIP what the order of priority was, and that was that. There were (still are?) a lot of factors that contributed to this prevalent attitude: tanks there have a more robust toolset for controlling pulls, DPS specs all have aggro dump skills, marking targets is more often than not a pain in the ass compared to marking in XIV due to respective UI implementations, and the existence of official designations for PvE, PvP, and RP servers that resulted in a "hardcore", "elitist" approach to PvE on most servers. In short: in TOR, target-marking outside of endgame boss encounters is considered unnecessary and serves only as handholding for DPS players. I remember first coming to XIV and tanking. People would complain that I wasn't marking at each pull. My instinctive reaction was, "are you f#&%ing kidding me?" To sum this up in a way that might make sense: if a DPS in XIV needs to be told to kill the Tonberries first on pulls prior to the first boss of Wanderer's Palace, and/or they need that marked, then they're either new, aren't paying attention, or are "bad".

Disclaimer: I started off leveling a WAR on a different server. Reached and cleared Binding Coil Turn 1 and Garuda EX on it before swapping to a new toon on Balmung and re-leveling WAR. I haven't played a healer class past level 30 content yet. It all comes down to the overall DPS race. By which I mean, per each pull/encounter/boss, will your party be able to soak inbound damage and deal enough outbound damage to clear the room before you wipe, or will they not be able to? Case in point, was running Darkhold at roughly midnight last night when we reached Taulurd. Our healer was new to the instance, had asked for advice, and we'd given it (to paraphrase, "most important thing here is to dodge everything and for healer to keep everyone topped off"). NATURALLY, the healer was the first to die - God knows how - within the first minute or two. Our BLM took over healing, and we managed to stretch it out. We were nearly there when first our other DPS went down, then our BLM... leaving me as Warrior with a rather significant chunk of the boss' HP to burn through. Not bragging, just making a point: good use of offensive and defensive cooldowns resulted in enough mitigation at the right times, enough self-healing, and enough damage output to eke out a clear. I've seen the inverse happen, as well: for instance, I've seen tanks wipe (and been one!) on T1 only for the healers to successfully kite Caduceus alongside ranged DPS to, again, eke out a clear. Good tanks and good healers are both valuable. It just so happens that due to the nature of low level instances, good tanks are not a requisite for clearing most content, whereas healers are universally valuable regardless of the level of content. That said, I will take a good tank over a good healer any day because ultimately the tank brings the most control to the table (see: enmity), and that control is invaluable for smooth runs. As always, the enemy in Final Fantasy is Chaos. :tonberry:

There is one sure-fire way to earn my commendation, and that is this: If you're new to an instance, or a particular encounter, or to your class, or to your role, that you speak up, let everyone know where and how you're lacking in experience, and politely ask for advice/input/feedback... and then for you to FOLLOW UP AND PERFORM TO EXPECTATIONS. It is a major pet peeve of mine when time is wasted on a wipe that could have been avoided had _____ spoken up EARLIER instead of AFTER wiping the party. I give other folks in Duty Finder the above courtesy, and I greatly appreciate when others give me the same. The only other thing that comes even remotely close is when someone performs in their role so admirably under pressure that they very clearly save the party from a wipe, i.e. a single tank or DPS eking out enough mitigation and damage to down a boss long after everyone else, included the healers, are dead. Otherwise, my commendation goes to whomever I felt had a positive outgoing personality and/or performed best. tl;dr: I value my time. If you save me the frustration of a wipe or an incomplete run, I will shower you with teh comms.

Individually? Superior? ...someone explain sandwiches to Hornet.

...what if the walk-up kicks you in the 'nads?

FTFY. Little difficult to be "upstanding" when people filch your pants. Yeah. That happens, apparently.

THIS IS TOO SILLY.

...my name's popped up one too many times in this thread, to the point where it'd be rude not to reciprocate. I generally avoid threads like these, because (to be blunt, please excuse my bluntness) more often than not they're circlejerks meant to congratulate those who should already know and understand that they're freakin' awesome. Also, I'm always afraid that I'll forget someone and leave them out, which would make me feel awful. THAT SAID. ShayRei & Enteris: Thank you for taking me in. Thank you for putting up with all of my shit. Thank you for taking the time out of your lives to take a new player through the ropes. I applied to Path originally because the tag said "RP and PvE". I stayed for the friends. \o/ Path of Oschon & Heaven's Gate as a whole: You guys are awesome. Names that come to mind right now... Kiest, Hunfrid, Picket, Em. Misters Corvus and Xenocides, as well. The laughs don't stop coming, and neither do the fun times. Maybe next time, I'll be able to stick around for Hydaelyn Hold 'Em. Stupid scheduling conflicts, GAH. Erik Mynhier: If you're reading this... I was utterly terrified of attending one of your events, because I knew absolutely no one outside of my FC. You threw a gala, and now a couple of months later it feels like I know everyone (which can be a pain in the ass at times, but hey, I'm having fun and so is everyone else). Thank you for the insane effort it must have taken to organize such a thing. Kiht and Xydane: I spied on you IC, and you two were kind enough to not only take it in stride but to reach out and drag me into the insanity that was the conflict with the Faces of Mercy. Also opened up a lot of roleplaying opportunity for me in Gridania and Coerthas that otherwise wouldn't exist... and a chance to get to know the Exile folks eventually (still need to get on that). Thanks for understanding when scheduling conflicts dragged me away from the finale. Kiht, looking forward to... current events, heehee. Xydane: QUIT TRYING TO GET ME INTO MORE TROUBLE, LOL. Kahn'a: Looking back, I can't believe we met over something as stupid as tea and whether or not it's worth drinking. Spoilers: OoC, I effing LOVE tea. I just love pina coladas that much more. You've been great, to the point where my only recourse in explaining how great is to quote Top Gun: "you can be my wingman anytime." Askier: I blame you. I blame your event. I blame your raid boss hacks. I blame your willingness to "roll with it". I blame your stupid sexy voice. I blame every joke and laugh and every roleplay session and PvE instance. I blame it all for your being such an awesome person to hang out with. Stupid bomb kitty. I blame you. Zhavi: If you think sending such a PM was awkward, imagine how things must've been on my end! I'd been watching your thread with Lolo for weeks and receiving that PM was like being asked to sit down with a celebrity. A celebrity known for ridiculously good forum RP. Remind me sometime to swat some of those rubber balls your way. Kanaria: I shouldn't need to say anything... so I'm not going to! :cactuar: Leilani: I need to say something... so I am going to. WAR is best tank. 8-) ...also Mr. Scoopers still scares me. Sizha'to/Garret/Cedric/Mr.-Too-Many-Alts: TELL ME WHY, STEAK'S SITTIN' MARINATIN', TELL ME WHY, OVEN'S HEATED, STILL AIN'T COOKIN', TELL ME WHY, YOU WON'T LET ME HAVE IT RARE TODAY, I WANT IT THAT WAY. Garret's Rag-tag Accomplices in Crime: You know who you are. Thieves and been-thieved. Thanks for all the fun and impromptu PvE runs. \o/ Jameson: You are by far my favorite fop, and you make for the best characters. Swear to God, I'm ear-to-ear every time I run into you. I've told Roen this already, but you need a protag, even if it's a side character thing. You're THAT entertaining as an antag that I want to see you play both sides of the fence. <3 Jajara/Delial: You're amazing and I think you know it. What's impressive (MOST IMPRESSIVE) is how it doesn't go to your head like it does with some of us (*coughguiltyImguiltycough*). You keep churnin' out great stuff. Please don't stop. I will break down and cry if you do, and nobody wants that. Roen: You've been hiding your light under the covers! Get the hell out here and GM/DM more often, damn it! We'll help! ...andIpromisetotryandnotderailbyrecruitingeveryallyIpossiblycaneverragain. I swear. Gharen: Quit scaring the shite outta me! Holy hells! D'lyhhia: Dear Dodo Lady, buffaloes can go SUCK IT. You're a great person. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. And, pardon my French, but F#&% your output is ridonkulous. Love watching your streams. You should advertise them here! Xieveral: I... feel like an @$$ for the way things went with Del. Here's to not screwing things up with Tahl and Seiko! Also to Super Happy Fun Times in stream, in game, and over Skype. Merri: You beautiful bastard, you. Lanza and Liliana: Your characters are inseparable in my mind (by which I mean inevitably associated), so here it goes. Lanza, you adorable lug, I want you to hold me tight, sing to me, and whisper sweet nothings in my ear in direct contrast to every "oi" and "eh" that comes out of your mouth. Lili... you can't have him back, but I'll share. And in the meantime, please don't gut my 'sworn/ex-sworn friends. No, seriously, roleplaying with you guys is a blast. Arky and Keroa: :love: Nat and Kage: Another two peeps who are inevitably associated with one another in my head. KAGE! You can be a Lalafell and eat your cake too. Also, character development, avast! NAT! Don't take this the wrong way, but you bring so much more color to the table as a Blade, imo, than you did as a Sultansworn. The new role lets you play more to your strengths. Aya: Osric is whipped now. Poor man won't drown himself in drink... but I promise to make him swing by more often for food and company! C'kayah: Every time your character and mine meet face to face, it's like the Cuban Missile Crisis, with Cold War era U.S.A and Russia standing off, nuclear warheads at the ready. Talk about TENSE. Kudos. Ragnar/Alexei: You take Russian sociopath from cliché to art form. You have no idea how much some of us are enjoying it. No idea. :thumbsup: Coatleque: Hang in there. The craziness never really ends; you just get used to it. Gus Pumpkinweed: Same goes to you, see above. And don't beat yourself up so much as learn from an experience... not that I need to tell you that, you're on your way already. Chuchukepa: I will hug you. I will hug you to DEATH. Garryson Shipkeeper & The Lovelies of XI:7 : Thank you for taking a fresh MNK and teaching him the Binding Coil painlessly with your ridiculously overgeared toons. Oh, and thanks for putting up with my loud mouth. Garry, thank you for the open invitation and for keeping me on the up and up. Thorin, one day the fireballs and conflags will let up and stop targeting you. One day soon. Rest of you: <3 . Keru gets double the love. Dem WHM heals on Garuda EX. To Everyone I Missed Because This Post is Leviathan, Leviathan: I love you all. You know who you are.

This. I'll share a little story with you guys: Was seated at one of the tables in the Quicksand once, engaged in a RP session with some fellow FC members. Out of nowhere, a male Lalafell (who shall go unnamed, despite the fact that I think he's awesome and despite the fact that he's since fantasia'd) came out of nowhere, poked Osric in the shoulder, started crying, and hopped into his lap. Spontaneous as could possibly be. So I rolled with it, and after some encouragement over Vent my fellow FC members did, too. Reaction: "Uh, hello, little guy... we're, uh, kind of in the middle of a meeting... could you please move?" Cue more tearing up. Cue hug. Cue Lalafell falling asleep in Osric's lap. Queue Osric slipping out from under him and leaving him asleep on the chair like a toddler/cat. Cue Lalafell waking up, tearing up AGAIN, and following Osric to his latest chair. Cue Osric pointing him towards a FC member. Cue FC member threatening to kick him all the way to Vesper Bay should the Lala even THINK about lapsitting them. Cue Lalafell hopping back into Osric's lap. When we finally concluded business and made to leave, the Lala followed us to the door and hugged Osric's leg. It was clearly trolling. But a little bit of sugar in response to the vinegar resulted in an experience that was amazingly hilarious, and hilariously amazing. (Doubly so considering that that was the meeting where Osric agreed to work as a manwhore for a while) So yeah.

Chief Flame Sergeant Osric Melkire sat at his desk in his quarters. He leaned back in his chair and held up the vial to the light once more, turning it this way and that between his fingers as he stared at the green fluid within. What is it? What's it for? Why does she need it mass-produced, if it's not meant for the masses? What does he expect me to do with this? Why didn't I just ask him? He knew why he hadn't asked. Asking would have meant knowing. Without knowing, he wasn't obligated to follow any particular course of action. Without obligation, he was free. Ignorance could be a wonderful thing, at times. He couldn't help but be unnerved, however, at the unexpected reveal of yet another vial, yet another concoction. Garleans... he shook his head. Clearly, Garlemald had no shortage of ingenuity when it came to death-dealing. First, there'd been the Blue Blood.... He grimaced, remembering the sight of her hand a few suns ago, her palm sliced open down the middle, blood oozing out... red and blue. First, there'd been the Blue Blood. The refugees outside the Gates had been hit first, and hit hardest. Then Jin'li had come to him, bearing his latest master's "gift". Three vials of black fluid. Three lifelines. In the spirit of fair play. He remembered wondering whether Rema knew how to count. Kahn'a, Kanaria, Askier, and himself. That made four. Not one or two or three, but four. Four vials, for four individuals. Instead? Three. That bitch, making him choose. As if there'd been any choice at all; he'd given the others theirs, and he'd gone without. Trusted the alchemist closest to his heart to come through, to make more. Trusted her to not fail. She hadn't. The "cure", if that's what it was, had been replicated. He'd passed off one of the new vials to the Hall. The Flames were still struggling with mass production and circulation; apparently, synthesizing the damned thing wasn't easy. Meanwhile, people kept falling dead on the streets. Meanwhile... He grit his teeth and sat up, the front legs of his chair slamming down on the cold stone floor with a loud thud. Garleans. This all came back around to Garleans. First, there'd been Askier... but Askier'd been nothing but a pawn under Jin'li. Jin'li, who worked for Adin. Adin, who had died on Pearl Lane alongside his precious slave-servant. Adin had perished... but Jin'li had survived having a sword thrust through his chest. Had somehow survived what should have been an irrefutably fatal and mortal blow, just as he'd somehow survived having his throat slit back in La Noscea. Jin'li had gone on to serve Rema, one of Adin's subordinates. Rema had become his new master... and Rema was "kind". Kind enough to opt for a different kind of warfare, the kind that left men, women, and children gasping for air. Kind enough to leave him and his friends for last. Matters had been bad enough, but then Jin'l... the servant, the slave, the tool... Jin'li turned in Rema's hand. He delivered her head to Kanaria. In a jar. As a "gift". Because he was "kind". He had access to and control over Rema's resources, now. And if the latest news on that front was any indication, he'd gone mad. Thought he was yet serving both his former masters, that they spoke to him from beyond the grave, from Thal's domain. A few nights ago, the albino had held a gun to Kanaria's head. In Osric's mind, the Miqo'te known as Jin'li Epinoch wasn't long for this world. That was just the one front, though. The other was Taeros. Jameson Taeros was an inspector and the go-to lackey for the Monetarist faction. He'd been working with Delial... and if Delial was to be believed, he worked for a woman named Banurein. Banurein, who was hiding amongst the Exiles. Garleans. Garleans everywhere he turned. Weeds, most of them, in need of uprooting. Delial.... "Delial... is a rotting apple. But mayhap at times you'll find one what with parts that can be salvaged." "But how do you distinguish something salvagable from something that's not?" The sergeant smirked at the man seated across from him. "You cut into it and take a look, of course." "Come on, Osric", the other said with a smirk of his own. "The metaphor breaks down. I know a man who could cut into you in such a way that you'd tell us your own mother was a Garlean. I need something more than that..." "And you'll have it, if there's something to be had. That, and the proof." C'kayah Tia looked at him with a smug smile and a satisfied glint in his eye, then he nodded. He slid the vial back into the wooden rack on his desk and stood up. He turned to stare at the chalkboard hanging on the far wall and at the notes he'd written down on it earlier this sun. Delial... who worked for Banurein and wanted out. Banurein... underneath whom squirmed the lives of three Brass Blades and a hero of the Ala Mhigan Resistance. Natalie, who had hired Askier to kidnap Roen as leverage against Gharen. Kage, who'd yet again chosen to follow the wrong role model like a lovestruck pup. Roen, who'd been taken by Askier... and by Crimson Mountain. Gharen, who'd been rescued mere bells ago from the harshest pit the Blades had. The only reason that he, Melkire, had managed to stay ahead was something he truly believed Natalie didn't understand. Trust. He'd built himself a network on the theory that a group of competent professionals could be trusted as informants given the right incentive. Each individual had their price: purpose... redemption... opportunity.... He'd handed out pearls as if they'd been as hot as somnus, but only to those he had vetted personally and deemed worth the risk. That was how he'd known that Natalie and Taeros had met earlier that sun on Pearl Lane. How he'd known that the former 'sworn were on the move. How he'd known that Kiryuu was looking for him. Aldyet, Alexei, and Ser Crofte had been invaluable that night. Ser Crofte... he frowned at the white marks upon the black field. Osric Melkire reached up to his ear as he left Wolfsong behind with the two Miqo'te, as he hit the road that led towards Scorpion's Crossing, as the 'sworn lady fell into step behind him. "We're leavin' the site." "Da," came Volkov's voice over the linkshell. "Vill deal vith guards vhen are far enough avay." He let his hand drop from the small green linkpearl lodged in his ear canal, let his hand drop to his side as they walked in silence through the Crossing. He only spoke up once they neared the Gate of the Sultana. "So... apologies, but you needed to see." "See what, exactly?" "Her. How she is, lately." There was a moment of silence as they ascended the Eighty Sins of Sasamo. "Did she murder those guards?" "...no. She had Kage do it. Because she slipped and spoke his name." "...and he just fell right in line. No better than the one who gave the order. Though at least he had the courage to carry through." He hesitated... then nodded. The disturbing similarity between their positions... his and Nat's... hadn't escaped him. Had it escaped Ser Crofte? "Y'understand, then," he asked. "Aye." Clearly, it had. He was starting to grow sick and tired of dealing with incompetent Sultansworn. Then again... maybe she was just green. Maybe she was still growing into it. Suddenly, Tabitha's face in his mind's eye, her voice in his ear as she read to him. Stories of knights and princesses and dragons.... He turned to face Crofte as they passed through the Gate of the Sultana. "Well. I'm accountable now. You heard what I told Alexei to do." She just stood there. Crossed her arms. Stared at him. Spoke. "I heard many things tonight, Ser. Of course, sometimes the wind does blow into my ear." He sighed in relief. At least with this one, he'd started off on the right foot. Mayhap things would be different, this time around. He'd be hedging his bets regardless. "Thank you, Ser." He gave her the standard salute, which she returned promptly. "Just let me know when we sail." "Will do." He turned left, headed towards the Hall. She turned right, headed for the Palace. He shook his head, here, now. Turned on his heel and walked out of his quarters. He needed to speak with Od'hilkas. Osric Melkire was done with training recruits. He'd found something better to do.

Thanks, Kage!

...you did this on purpose. No. Just no.

Screens under Clover's "cut" are still a thousand times prettier than anything I can take with my laptop. :

I knew about this, but I lost/forgot the URL when I switched over to Chrome from Firefox. Ty so much. :love:

...

...(EDIT: No longer) officially on my sh!t list. Please. Mister Kiryuu. Tear down this wall picture. EDIT: Thank you kindly, Kage. <3

What I took away from this: Kiht is short. SHOOOOOOOOOORT.

That reminds me. Pugilist Courses are hereby cancelled indefinitely due to a lack of interest/attendance/whatever, which has been waning ever since the first week. Instead, Sgt. Melkire will be offering weekly one-on-one pugilist lessons to anyone who remains interested in learning the ins and outs of beating the everlasting shite out of-- I mean, the ins and outs of unarmed close quarters combat. Yeah, that. I can be reached via /tell in-game or a PM here on RPC. Toodles! (Doodles. Heh.)

...Zachary?

The little Lalafell woman kept right on smiling as the Blade, then the Roegadyn, left. Package delivered. Humming to herself, she turned, took up her skirt with both hands, and skipped her way down Ruby onto Emerald, then turned right, headed for Sapphire and that which was beyond: the residential district that was The Goblet. She sang a sea shanty as she went, garnering attention left and right as onlookers wondered at her. A few glanced over only to double-take mere seconds later: the shanty would've been familiar to more recent recruits of the Immortal Flames, and the voice which sang it even more so. Not one of those few breached protocol, though; not one gave any indication past a second glance that they recognized her. They knew better than to get their ears boxed good and proper. The lass had very nearly cussed out her sergeant when he'd called her on her day off. The tone of his voice had permitted no dissent, however, and as he went on to explain, she had quieted down and followed his instructions. No time to lose. "No uniform," he'd told her. "Wear something nice, let your hair down. They're so used t'you wearin' that helm that I doubt anyone remembers your hair color anymore. Sweets. Take some sweets. Buy some from Sapphire Exchange if y'don't have any. Now, listen very carefully, because y'won't have this pearl for me t'coach you through it later." She had listened as she dressed in a rush, as she ran to the market, as she purchased half a dozen fruit tarts from an enthusiastic Elezen merchant, as he drilled the knowledge through her ear into her head over and over and over and over 'til there had been no chance that she wouldn't remember. Crescent Cove. The Roegadyn woman with Wolfsong and Deneith. Wolfsong and Grimsong. The linkpearl in the third tart. Corporal Haruko Kokojo made her way home now, and no one stopped her.

The Lalafell huffed a breath, placed the box on the bench, then made to scramble up next to the Roegadyn, carefully holding her skirt to one side so as to protect her modesty. "He knows who you love and he knows who loves you, miss, so he sends sweets, so he does, to bless you on your way, Menphina be willing and Oschon be kind. We've missed you at the Cove, so we have. Haven't seen you there since you came and visited with those two friends of yours!" Finally standing atop the bench, she reached over to pick up the box and turned back with another smile. She lifted the lid of the box, revealing a half dozen fruit tarts, and stood up on her tip-toes, one hand shielding her mouth, to whisper to Hornet... "Chew carefully, miss. Take your time. We love feedback, so we do, and we'd love to hear from you. Helps improves our recipes, so it does."