Solo 2-3Follow

Anyone ever done it? What frame did you use? What sub?

I can think of a couple strategies I'd like to try.

Full out DPS with Sharpshot. Lots of Potions, possibly /SCH for some cures and use a Yag. Drink.
Heal-bot mode with Stormwaker. Would need backup curing (again /SCH) probably because I don't see Cure II every 27 seconds being enough. (Cure III is level 26 PUP sadly :()

/DNC is out due to lack of Curing Waltz.

Maybe VE frame, again full out DPS, Provoke, Flash and Stoneskin attachments. Maybe even try for Eva instead of def?

In all three options I can see pretty good potential, be it Pure DPS from SS, a "co-tank" from VE or some extra healing from SW. SS and SW feel like a /SCH kind of thing, whereas VE might be a /NIN thing possibly?

So, anyone have any experience or thoughts on the matter? If I go SW, should trying to enfeeble (Slow, Para, Blind, w/e) be a priority in the beginning, at least on the Dragon?

Oh, I don't even have PUP unlocked. Had it as my main on an old character but didn't get it past 20-something before I gave up FFXI for awhile.

I just think soloing it once I get PUP to 25 will be quite a fun thing to try, if not utterly terrifying. My pulse will skyrocket when I get in there.

I KNOW I could do it as the DNC I'm leveling to 24 before getting WAR to 49, but PUP sounds more challenging.

I believe I'll try it with the SW Body/Head, just for the added security, but I am REALLY tempted to try it with SS...

VE...I dunno, I just don't see the VE Frame having enough HP/Def/Atk/etc. to help me pump out the necessary damage while taking as little as possible in order to survive long enough. I'm probably underestimating VE a bit here though...

Honestly, with VE, Stoneskin, Flash, Oils and maybe even as much Eva as I can get going on him, I think he'd do fine, and if he died, it wouldn't be until the Dragon was at pretty low HP in my estimate.

Probably go with an Icarus Wing to kill the Seeker as fast as possible with any frame. If I use SW, I'd at least try to squeeze out a Paralyze on the Dragon early in the fight, possibly even a Silence on the Seeker too before I'll need a lot of curing...

Going to have to give this a lot more thought as well obviously. VE is starting to feel better, but Cure-botting is a common fall-back.

I can certainly try for a pretty big EVA build. I won't have /NIN leveled for this fight though, so I'm not sure if an EVA build serves a purpose w/o Shadows (I'm sure it does...). Probably going in /SCH for backup heals or...dunno, that's about the only beneficial sub I can think of that I'll have available. With a Yagudo Drink and a couple Ethers, I have a feeling I'll have enough Cure IIs of my own on top of my Auto's Cure IIs to keep me alive long enough to kill them both. The only problem with /SCH is keeping the hate initially so my Auto doesn't get killed leaving me helpless.

Edit: SCH doesn't get Cure II until level 17, so I won't have it subbed :(
/NIN is feeling more and more necessary.

Edited, May 8th 2010 4:31pm by Roller

Seeing as how I can't picture any other sub offering anything better than Ancient Circle and Jump.../DRG might win out, and I think you're right about SW...the healing support is just too good to pass up. I was thinking VE with Overdrive might be cool though.

P.S. Did they take out XP loss on ALL deaths in BCNM type battles? Or just a few? I guess I'm really asking because trying to solo this is going to be fun, but getting the XP penalty if I fail wouldn't be.

Sweet!

Well then, I shall give it a try (when I have jobs/subs appropriately leveled) and let you know my strat. and how well it worked/didn't work.

Seeing that I won't lose XP, I think I'll try it with the SS frame first (least chance of success), then VE frame, then SW, all three with /DRG most likely.