I hate NMs.

So lets see. The last time I actually pursued an NM, was back when I tried to get a pair of these:

Unfortunately, after spending an entire day in Castle Oztroja running around in circles for hours, getting a couple of claims (I think I lost one or two) and never getting the drop, I decided I would never go after an NM for myself because I couldn't stand wasting hours for a chance at getting something.

However, a time finally came when I would have to suck it up and go back on this decision. ~_~

Summoner 70!!!!!!

I mentioned in my last post that I actually had managed to get Shikigami Weapon right before maintenance, in an epic 8 minute fight with some LS members that were able to run out to Ro'Maeve at the last minute and help me and Xean kill this. We didn't get the drop that time. We logged in after maintenance hoping that we'd see the NM again, but wikipedia turned out to be right. It doesn't spawn until 21hrs AFTER maintenance (and even also has a chance to spawn 30 minutes earlier than when its window should be up)

So the next morning, Xean, Athoz, Sabene, Falk, Darce and Standpoint came to help me (Vepion and Lyea had also made their way out on the previous day). As I should have expected, there were a number of groups in zone also trying to get this, and unfortunately we didn't end up getting claim.

Knowing that if I kept up with the ToDs, i'd eventually get another shot, I made myself wake up at 5am the next morning for the next window. It was really difficult too because I had gone to sleep after 1am that same morning due to Dynamis ><

So I woke up, logged in, and invited my crew that had generously given their time to help me out (poor Xean and Darce also had so little sleep due to also being in my Dynamis shell) and we waited. Lucky for me, there was only one other group in zone so the chances were a little better this time around.

And finally, my efforts were paid off! Our little RMTFalk who had gone WHM/RNG managed to get claim on Shikigami, and near died waiting for Darce to voke it off him. I think he went down to 51HP before I saw his HP go up as I raced to where he was to help with the fight. And from there, it was a piece of cake. We had two THFs (this time Xean had brought his THF), a WHM, a BRD, a WAR and myself on RDM. And as soon as the mob's health went to 0 and I saw that little treasure chest icon above the party information I held my breath as I checked the treasure pool hoping that the NM couldn't drop any crystals or other crap and that I would see the Ying Yang Robe.

I guess I could of paid attention to the party chat in those seconds to see all the congratulations being shouted to know that I had gotten the drop, but I was too focused on trying not to get my hopes up as I opened the treasure pool, that I didn't read the chat log at all. And there it was... my YYR!

I was pretty estatic because this meant that I was 1/2, and that I wouldn't have to invest any extra time on this NM (at least for myself - i'll probably end up helping 2 other LS members that are currently lvling SMN get this in the future) or ask for extra help! Of course though, later in the day I realized that it was going to be more than a week before i'd be able to see the item on my character because:

1)I was only lvl 70 and the YYR is a lvl 71 piece
2)I was going to be out all day this coming Sunday, which is when my static would be meeting up next

Oh well! I guess I can always try and motivate myself to do some campaign this week and get it to 71. But then again, I don't really like campaign all that much and last time I tried playing SMN for a little experience points in campaign, it really killed my brain @_@ I like the concept of the SMN class, especially because its always been one of my favorite jobs in other FF games... but, playing the job in FFXI hasn't really been something I enjoy. Lately i've had some really smooth parties where I haven't felt like i'm gimping my static too much because i'm not a super DD, nor am I a BRD... and lets not even get started on how slow I am with being a healer... my gawd is it frustrating going from RDM with fastcast or WHM with merits and haste gear, to a reaaaaaaaaaaaaally slow SMN!

Needless to say I can't wait to get this job to 75 and be able to bring it to events where it'll make much better use. SMN just is not a great job for merits or experience point parties! But, if I can do some SMN burns with avatar fights, or even CoP fights to help LS members... it'll be worth the 75 levels of pain I have endured getting it there! XD

And so now I go to camp Charybdis #1000897654.


Well, thats an exaggeration obviously. But I spent all yesterday helping camp him for Darce's PLD after we killed Shikigami. Apparently we had missed one of his ToDs because we were there all day. Eventually I had to leave for Salvage, and when that was done, Darce's group was still in SSG. I was so tired from the lack of sleep that I just took a nap and by the time it was late into the night, they had already gotten the kill. And now I'm staring at two Devil Manta's... Just waiting for the window to open for what will likely be another grueling wait for Charybdis to actually spawn. I just hope there isn't too much CC, thats the one thing that kills me when I camp an NM.

Its one thing to go after an NM and not get the drop, but to spend all that time in one place, doing nothing but waiting for the NM to spawn, and then to lose the chance at the drop to another group! GAH! Guess the one bonus with Charbydis is that Joyeuse is 100% drop. I can't imagine how painful this would be if it wasn't. I can't wait to be done with NMs for a little bit after all this... i'm gonna spend some time meriting and doing some KSNMs or something. Need to get this whole NM camping thing out of my system ><