This idea ignores the popular fad of "Ninja vs. Pirate" lore. Considering in FFXI, most of the "pirates" are Ninjas and Samurai-types, I think that explains Square-Enix's position on the matter.
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Thanks to Wintaru for bringing this back from the dead! XD I noticed it linked in a topic on the main forums, so I figured now was as good a time as ever to come back and tweak a few things that I felt didn't convey the intent I was originally seeking. Oh, and in order to distinguish the job from the "cliche" of Pirate (and to remove the connections to the Norg pirate/necromancer group) I've decided to rename the job as Corsair!
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*** NEWLY UPDATED AS OF: NOVEMBER 18TH 2005 ***
*** BE WARNED!!! This is a long and in-depth read. ***
These my own conjectures, but I tried to be as realistic as possible.
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Advanced Job: Corsair (COR)
- Job Description -
The idea behind the Corsair job is a frontline, melee player that uses their TP to enfeeble the enemy through a wide range of TP-based abilities. While a decent melee and ranged attacker on their own, through the use of their abilities, they allow the rest of the party to fight at maximum capacity, all the while lightening the burden of party upkeep for the mages.
Required Level: 30+
Access to the new Treasures of Aht Urghan content!
Windurst Quests: Lost at Sea, In a Stew
Kazham Airship Pass acquired, Tenshodo membership.
Quest: A Pirate's Life
You must have completed the Lost at Sea quest given by Paytah at (I-7) in Port Windurst before he will give you the quest. It seems the reason that Paytah and Odilia's father is never around is because he's a member of the Tenshodo, and piratism runs in the family. The two children recently received a letter from their father regarding the health of their pirate grandfather. He has recently contracted an unknown disease, and is currently confined to bed; every day is one day closer to his demise. In a panic over the possible death of their grandfather, the children ask you to speak to Ranpi-Monpi in Windurst Waters (E-8), since they have heard by word-of-mouth that he has made certain medicinal concoctions to help other people (and chocobos, if you've done the quest In a Stew.) The children give you a Child's Symptom Description (key item) based off the information their father gave them in his letter. When you approach Ranpi, he warns you of his lack of expertise in the field of medicine, but that he would do his best to decipher the symptoms listed. He quickly reads over it, and even with his low skill, concludes that the children’s grandfather has contracted a bizarre strain of scurvy. Ranpi tells you that even though he wishes he could help, he lacks the ability to create a medicine to counteract the disease. He tells you to visit Monberaux at (G-10) in Upper Jeuno, who will most likely be able to help the children. When you speak to Monberaux, he agrees to help the children, but in compensation for payment, he asks you to do a favor for him so he can create the scurvy elixir with little trouble. The doctor mentions a rumor among the medical community that flora of exotic nature within the newly explored regions of Aht Urghan contain incredible medicinal properties. More specifically, an old flytrap can be found in *New ToAU Location* is said to drop the rare roots that can be used to create the elixer. Go to the *New ToAU Location*, and find the ??? located at (X-X) to spawn the NM Mouth Trap. Defeating it will drop the Scurvy Roots (Ra/Ex), so make sure to have inventory space to lot on the item and obtain it. Trade the roots to Monberaux, who will create the Scurvy Elixir (key item). Return to the children in Port Windurst, who upon speaking to, will tell you that their father has brought their grandfather to Windurst, so that he can die peacefully in his favorite city. The children bring you to their grandfather, Bartholomew, who is lying in bed. Odilia takes the elixir from you so she can heat it up in the next room for easy drinking. Bartholomew takes your hand and motions you to kneel next to his bed. In a gruff voice, he goes on about being the greatest buccaneer Vana'diel had ever seen. He wishes a sturdy adventurer like you to go find his vast fortune in gil, and bring it to him, as he wishes to gaze upon it one last time before giving it to his grandchildren as his dying gift to them. He pulls an old torn map (key item) from underneath a pile of books on his lamp stand, hands it to you, and takes his last breath. Odilia walks in the room with medicine in hand, and weeps for her dead grandfather. She hands back to you the medicine, as it serves her no purpose and asks you to fulfill his dying wishes. Paytah asks you to search out their father in order to give him the sad news through Paytah and Odilia’s Note (key item). Since they know their father is at sea all the time, they innocently suggest taking the Mhaura-Selbina ferry in hopes of seeing him onboard. Wait until pirates attack and you will be brought aboard their ship as captive. Through a cutscene, you're introduced to some of the crew that has taken you as a prisoner aboard their vessel, and you find out that the captain is deathly ill. When brought before the captain, you pull out the elixir given to you earlier, and are taken to the captains quarters. Upon handing the elixir and note, you come to learn that the captain is the father of Paytah and Odilia. For saving the captain's life, yours is spared, and as they drop you off at the Tenshodo guild hidden in the Neptune’s Spire in Lower Jeuno, you are given the opportunity to learn the ways of the Corsair!
- Starting Stat Bonuses -
HP +1
MP (n/a)
STR +1
DEX +1
VIT +1
AGI -1
INT -1
MND -2
CHR -1
- Combat Skills -
Hand-to-Hand: C+
Dagger: A-
Sword: A-
Axe: B+
Polearm: C-
Throwing: D+
Marksmanship: B+
Parrying: C+
Evasion: C
Shield: F
Swords useable would be of the Scimitar/Cutlass/Falchion/Foil types.
Armor types available for wear are mostly cloth-based, with the occasional chain. Most Eastern garb (the MNK/NIN/SAM gear) is available to COR.
- Job Abilities -
Pillage
Lv 1
Interval: 2 hours
Duration: 45 seconds
Description: Ignores target defense while cutting weapon attack delay in half. (Attacking 2x as fast) Counts for melee & ranged.
Blade Breach
Lv 3
Interval: 30 seconds
Duration: Instant
Description: The next melee attack uses 20 TP to lower the defense of the target.
Crippling Charge
Lv 5
Interval: 30 seconds
Duration: Instant
Description: The next melee attack uses 20 TP to inflict paralysis on the target.
Steel Veil
Lv 7
Interval: 30 seconds
Duration: Instant
Description: The next melee attack uses 25 TP to inflict blindness on the target.
Gutslash
Lv 10
Interval: 2 minutes
Duration: Instant
Description: Next melee attack scores a normal critical hit.
Entangling Strike
Lv 15
Interval: 45 seconds
Duration: Instant
Description: The next melee attack uses 30 TP to inflict slow on the target.
Leaden Crash
Lv 20
Interval: 45 seconds
Duration: Instant
Description: The next melee attack uses 40 TP to lower the evasion of the target.
Strangle
Lv 25
Interval: 2 minutes
Duration: Instant
Description: The next melee attack uses 50 TP to temporarily remove the targets ability to use MP or TP.
Frenzy
Lv 30
Interval: 5 minutes
Duration: 2 minutes
Description: Decreased delay of successive melee attacks following a critical hit, at the cost of lowered defense per hit. (Up to 5 total consecutive hits)
The activation of this ability draws hate equivalent of a Warcry.
Note that the duration is two minutes, so it is not a one-time thing. Let's say your sword has a delay of 200: you activate the ability and score a critical hit soon after, your next attack swings with a delay of 200, next swing 150, 100, 50, and finally a delay of essentially 0 on the last one. There is always a chance that you could score a critical hit during that time, and start another frenzy. At the same time, after each hit, you lose 5% defense per strike, so that if you landed all five Frenzy hits, your total defense would be about (77.4%). The lowest margin that your defense can drop is down to 10%. Normal strikes while Frenzy is active do not subtract from defense. When the effect wears off, defense is returned to normal. Weaponskills are unavailable for use while the effect of Frenzy is active, even if you reach TP 100%. In order to use them, either wait for the effect to wear off, or manually cancel the effect.
If the Corsair job is subbed, the total number of consecutive hits is reduced to 3.
Monster Buster
Lv 35
Interval: 30 seconds
Duration: Instant
Description: The next melee attack uses 60 TP to remove a single, positive status from the target.
Gluttonous Smash
Lv 40
Interval: 1 minutes
Duration: Instant
Description: The next melee attack uses 50 TP to weigh down the target.
Numbing Brand
Lv 65
Interval: 10 minutes
Duration: Instant
Description: The next melee attack uses 200 TP to petrify target.
- Job Traits -
Plunder
Lv 1
Description: Beastmen drop more gil for the entire party.
Resist Water
Lv 5
Description: Gives you a slight resistance against water.
Plunder II
Lv 10
Description: Beastmen drop more gil for the entire party.
Swashbuckler
Lv 15
Description: Allows you to duel wield a gun and one-handed weapon at the same time. When making a ranged attack within melee range, melee attacks continue as normal, uninterrupted. Only works while equipping a single, one-handed weapon.
Seadog
Lv 20
Description: Increases damage against water-based creatures.
Subtle Blow
Lv 25
Description: Reduces the amount of TP gained by enemies when striking them.
Buccaneer
Lv 30
Description: Decreases delay for guns slightly. (-15%)
Resist Water
Lv 40
Description: Gives you a slight resistance against water.
Gutslice
Lv 40
Description: Reduces Gutslash interval to 1 minute.
Plunder III
Lv 55
Description: Beastmen drop more gil for the entire party.
- Job Combinations -
As a Main Job:
COR/WAR
Standard fare, more damage-oriented combination. At Lv50, Double Attack kicks in, which is nice for the extra occasional swing, and more importantly, TP gain.
COR/MNK
Specifically focused on the Hand-To-Hand capabilities of COR, subbing MNK proves worthwhile for most of the job's early lifespan, due to relatively fast TP gain. However, the lower skill cap for COR Hand-To-Hand eventually rears its ugly head in this combination.
COR/THF
Using Sneak Attack to increase Frenzy output (since SA is a type of critical hit) is nice, and at Lv60 you can be a fairly good backup hate-manager, although the inability to use WS while Frenzy is active won't allow you to end a high-damage skillchain when using Sneak & Trick in tandem. The damage will be very good, but the long timer on Frenzy makes it a mediocre choice as a true hate management combo.
COR/SAM
The TP Store abilities greatly enhance the performance of COR enfeebling abilities. Coupled with Mediate at Lv60, this combination is very potent, although its true power is unleashed late in the career of COR.
COR/RNG
Loading up on Ranged Accuracy gear, this combo is pretty good when used in the front lines (within melee range). The quick TP gain from ranged attacks allows the job to function at a higher level of enfeebling capabilities.
COR/NIN
Dual Wield allows for relatively fast TP gain, especially at Lv50, once the second Dual Wield trait is unlocked from NIN. However, using two melee weapons in tandem negates the usefulness of the Swashbuckler trait.
As a Sub Job:
*** Still working on it, although because of the specialized nature of the job, I suspect ***/COR would lack much benefit. ***
- Artifact Armor Quests and Stats -
Buccaneer’s cuffs (Ra/Ex)
[Hands] All Races
DEF:12 HP+10 STR+4
Enhances “Frenzy†effect
Enmity+2
Lv.52 COR
(Enhances “Frenzy†effect = Adds an additional strike to the ability, allowing up to six (6) total hits)
Obtained by completing the quest “Scoot and Loot†within the main city released in Treasures of Aht Urghan.
Buccaneer’s waders (Ra/Ex)
[Feet] All Races
DEF:16 HP+15 DEX+3
Evasion Skill+5
Lv.54 COR
Obtained from a Treasure Coffer found in a Treasures of Aht Urghan dungeon.
Buccaneer’s breeches (Ra/Ex)
[Legs] All Races
DEF:32 HP+18 AGI+3
Enhances “Swashbuckler†trait
Lv.56 COR
(Enhances “Swashbuckler†effect = A 5% chance to fire an additional, consecutive ranged attack)
Obtained from a Treasure Coffer found in a Treasures of Aht Urghan dungeon.
Buccaneer’s collar (Ra/Ex)
[Body] All Races
DEF:44 HP+24 VIT+7
Increases “Gutslash†damage
Attack+8 Enmity+3
Lv.58 COR
(Increases “Gutslash†damage = Adds an additional +25% damage to Gutslash critical hits)
Obtained from a Treasure Coffer found in a Treasures of Aht Urghan dungeon.
Buccaneer’s plume (Ra/Ex)
[Head] All Races
DEF:20 HP+12 CHR+3 INT+2
Accuracy+6 Ranged Accuracy+6
Lv.60 COR
Obtained by completing the quest “Come Hell or High Water†within the main city released in Treasures of Aht Urghan.
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AF2 or AF+1 . . . Don’t get me started! XD
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Thanks for reading everyone! Your input and comments do not go unheard. I do appreciate the critiques and support!
Edited, Sun Nov 20 06:08:22 2005 by LegionaireJoe