After what seems like an endless wait, the September version update for Final Fantasy XI has finally arrived. Marked by several significant gameplay changes such as the first half of the final missions for the Wings of the Goddess expansion and the level cap increase to 85, this update is also seeing several job changes and adjustments, new equipment, new crafts, and the introduction of the second add-on battlefield scenario in the Abyssea line, "Scars of Abyssea".

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From Playonline.com:

The September version update has arrived, featuring "Scars of Abyssea," the long-awaited second installment in the Abyssea series of battle area add-ons!

This update will also unveil a host of exciting additions, including the second stage of the level cap increase, a wide assortment of job adjustments, the first half of the conclusion to the Wings of the Goddess missions, armor upgrade trials for Trial of the Magians, and much, much more.

Installing this version update will unlock the content of the battle area add-on "Scars of Abyssea" for purchasing users.
*"Scars of Abyssea" requires the "Rise of the Zilart" and "Wings of the Goddess" expansions to be installed and registered.
*Some time may be required after purchasing the add-on before your registration data is reflected in-game. If the "Scars of Abyssea" logo remains faded even after purchase, please return to the FINAL FANTASY XI top page and wait a few minutes before logging into the game again.

Further details on "Scars of Abyssea" are available here.

Event-related

New Wings of the Goddess missions have been added.

The following changes and additions have been made to Trial of the Magians:

• Several new trials have been added.
• The Trial Log summoned forth by the Magian Specs item now offers a two-day (Vana'diel time) weather forecast for your area.
• The objectives of certain trials, including monster types, weather/weekday conditions and finishing blows have been adjusted. These adjustments are applicable to trials in progress.

Maze Monger clients can now confirm the time remaining until they can next order a maze by examining the Maze Mongers Shopfront, located within the Chocobo Stables (G-11) in Lower Jeuno.

The following changes have been made to the Walk of Echoes:

• The battlefield time limit has been increased from 30 to 45 minutes.
• The conditions for receiving the right to cast lots on victory spoils have been alleviated.
• The method of performance evaluation has been revised, allowing participants to be better rewarded for their efforts.
• Monster behavior has been adjusted.

The variety of fishes applicable to the quest "Inside the Belly" has been expanded.

The quest "Hat in Hand" is no longer repeatable.

The CRA racing center NPCs listed below have been removed. Registration for chocobo racing is now conducted at service counters located within the Chocobo Circuit.
- Monteverle (Northern San d'Oria, J-9)
- Ramiene (Port San d'Oria, H-8)
- Galienne (Bastok Markets, G-8)
- Salvador (Port Bastok, L-8)
- Lhimo Keanyohn (Port Windurst, E-6)
- Turumi-Byrumi (Windurst Waters, K-11)

The following NPCs have been relocated to service counters within the Chocobo Circuit:
- Alangriche (Southern San d'Oria, H-11)
- Lafaurelle (Southern San d'Oria, I-11)
- Jazgeh (Bastok Mines, J-9)
- Zagied (Bastok Mines, J-9)
- Rungaga (Port Windurst, K-12)
- Chualulu (Windurst Waters, K-12)

The following additions and refinements have been made to Abyssea:

• The "add to lottable spoils" option has been added for items obtained from gold pyxides, with the exception of augmented items, temporary items and key items.
• Enemies defeated will now yield greater amounts of cruor.
• System messages have been added to indicate successful strikes against an enemy's weak point.
• Defeating an enemy by attacking its weak point will now yield a greater variety of spoils.
• Your remaining Visitant duration will now be shown in the message window when resting.
• Remaining Visitant time will no longer be lost upon exiting Abyssea without receiving Visitant status.
• You may now obtain multiple "forbidden keys" in one transaction from the Cruor Prospector NPC.
• An option has been added to obtain all status enhancements from the Cruor Prospector NPC. This option will only be displayed when you are not currently receiving any enhancements.
• The NPC Joachim will now inform adventurers of the quantity of traverser stones he currently has in stock. When he has no stones in stock, he will reveal the remaining time before a stone next becomes available.
• The NPC Horst, newly added to Port Jeuno, can transport adventurers to any cavernous maw leading to a previously visited Abyssea area in exchange for cruor. Adventurers may also confirm with him the amount of cruor currently in their possession.

Battle-related

The maximum job level has been increased to 85.
To advance beyond level 80, you must first complete the new quest "Expanding Horizons" offered by the Nomad Moogle in Ru'Lude Gardens.

The following new job abilities have been added:

• Divine Caress (WHM Lv.83 Ability Delay: 1 min. Effect Duration: 1 min.)
  If the next spell you cast cures a status ailment, your target will gain enhanced resistance to that ailment.
• Saboteur (RDM Lv.83 Ability Delay: 5 min. Effect Duration: 1 min.)
  If the next spell you cast is enfeebling magic, its effect and duration will be enhanced.
• Spur (BST Lv.83 Ability Delay: 3 min. Effect Duration: 90 sec.)
  Grants "Store TP" effect to pets.
• Tenuto (BRD Lv.83 Ability Delay: 15 sec. Effect Duration: 1 min.)
  If the next song you cast affects yourself, it will not subsequently be overwritten by other songs.
• Soul Jump (DRG Lv.85 Effect Duration: 3 min.)
  Delivers a high jumping attack on a targeted enemy which suppresses enmity. Effect enhanced when wyvern is present.
  *The recast timer for Soul Jump is shared with High Jump.
• Blood Pact: Ward "Earthen Armor" (SMN Lv.82 Ability Delay: 1 min.)
  Mitigates the impact of severely damaging attacks for party members within area of effect.
• Blood Pact: Ward "Tidal Roar" (SMN Lv.84 Ability Delay: 1 min.)
  Lowers attack for enemies within area of effect.
• Efflux (BLU Lv.83 Ability Delay: 3 min. Effect Duration: 1 min.)
  If the next spell you cast is a "physical" blue magic spell, a TP bonus will be granted.
• Courser's Roll (COR Lv.81)
  Enhances "Snapshot" effect for party members within area of effect. Lucky number: 3. Unlucky number: 9.
• Blitzer's Roll (COR Lv.83)
  Reduces melee attack delay for party members within area of effect. Lucky number: 4. Unlucky number: 9.
• Deus Ex Automata (PUP Lv.5 Ability Delay: 1 min.)
  Calls forth your automaton in an unsound state.
• Feather Step (DNC Lv.83 Ability Delay: 15 sec.)
  Lowers a target's critical hit evasion. If successful, will earn you a finishing move.
  *The recast timer for Feather Step is shared with Steps.

The following job abilities have undergone adjustments:

• The warrior ability "Restraint" no longer prevents the user from dealing critical hits.
• The thief ability "Despoil" now has an increased success rate, and the status ailment inflicted upon the enemy will be displayed in the message log.
• The beastmaster ability "Call Beast" has received four new jugs:
  Curdled Plasma Broth / Goblin Bug Broth / Bubbling Carrion Broth / Chirping Grasshopper Broth
• The beastmaster ability "Reward" has had minimum level requirements placed on pet food as follows, and the healing effect has been increased accordingly for food of higher levels:
  - Pet Food Alpha (Level 12)
  - Pet Food Beta (Level 24)
  - Pet Food Gamma (Level 36)
  - Pet Food Delta (Level 48)
  - Pet Food Epsilon (Level 60)
  - Pet Food Zeta (Level 72)
• The bard songs "Chocobo Mazurka" and "Raptor Mazurka" are now effective in non-field areas.
• Elemental ninjutsu have received a damage increase.
• The dragoon ability "Spirit Jump" is now affected by the "Jump Recast" merit point skill.
• The enhanced effect of the dragoon ability "Spirit Jump" when your wyvern is present has been increased further.
• Wyverns summoned with the dragoon ability "Call Wyvern" can now level up with experience gained in Abyssea.
• The amount of MP required to sustain avatars has been decreased for summoners level 76 and above.
• The following blood pacts have had their effect duration lengthened:
  Hastega / Crimson Howl / Frost Armor / Rolling Thunder / Lightning Armor
• The following blood pacts have had their effect duration lengthened commensurate with summoning magic skill, regardless of whether or not the skill has been increased to its maximum:
  Shining Ruby / Glittering Ruby / Hastega / Crimson Howl / Frost Armor / Rolling Thunder / Lightning Armor / Ecliptic Growl / Ecliptic Howl / Noctoshield / Dream Shroud
• The effect of the summoner ability "Avatar's Favor" has been increased proportionally to the caster's summoning magic skill.
• The maximum amount of MP drainable using the summoner ability "Elemental Siphon" has been increased.
• The maximum amount of MP restorable with the blue magic spell "Battery Charge" has been increased. (The rate of MP restoration has been slightly reduced, but the total duration of the spell effect has been increased.)
• Assigned sets of blue magic will remain stored even after changing jobs.
• It will now be possible to accumulate TP and increase marksmanship skill using the corsair ability "Quick Draw."
• The duration of the corsair ability "Double Up" upon a roll of 11 has been reduced to five minutes.
• When level restriction results in a puppetmaster's automaton being deactivated in a state of full or nearly full health, the ability "Activate" will now be usable immediately.
• The items below usable with the puppetmaster ability "Repair" will now provide immediate HP restoration in addition to their existing Regen effect. Their purchase price will also be reduced.
  Automaton Oil / Automaton Oil +1 / Automaton Oil +2
• The ability delay for the dancer ability "Presto" has been changed to thirty seconds, and will no longer share its recast timer with Steps.
• The dancer ability "Presto" will now also provide an accuracy bonus to the next Step used.
• The amount of TP obtainable by the Job Trait "Occult Acumen" has been increased.

New job traits have been added to certain jobs.
The jobs listed below will each welcome an existing trait to their arsenal upon reaching the specified level, beyond which the degree of mastery will increase in stages.

The following magic spells have been added:

• White Magic
  - Enlight: PLD Lv.85
  - Addle: RDM Lv.83
  - Refresh II: RDM Lv.82
  - Cura II: WHM Lv.83
  - Gain-VIT: RDM Lv.81
  - Gain-MND: RDM Lv.84
  - Boost-VIT: WHM Lv.81
  - Boost-MND: WHM Lv.84
  - Animus Augeo: SCH Lv.85
  - Animus Minuo: SCH Lv.85

• Black Magic
  - Endark: DRK Lv.85
  - Aero V: BLM Lv.83
  - Break: BLM Lv.85
  - Stoneja: BLM Lv.81
  - Waterja: BLM Lv.84
• Songs
  - Mage's Ballad III: BRD Lv.85
  - Earth Carol II: BRD Lv.81
  - Water Carol II: BRD Lv.84
  - Sentinel's Scherzo: BRD Lv.82
  - Foe Lullaby II: BRD Lv.83
• Ninjutsu
  - Myoshu: Ichi: NIN Lv.85
  *Uses the ninja tool, "kabenro."
  - Yurin: Ichi: NIN Lv.83
  *Uses the ninja tool, "jinko."

The following magic spells will now be learnable by new jobs.

• White Magic
  - Regen III: SCH Lv.83
• Black Magic
  - Aero III: DRK Lv.84
  - Aero IV: RDM Lv.83
  - Water V: SCH Lv.83 (Addendum: Black)
  - Aspir II: BLM Lv.83

Many new blue magic spells have been added.

Maximum values have been increased for certain enhancing magic, dark magic, and blue magic spells whose potency is commensurate with casting skill.

New weapon skills have been added.

The exclusive weapon skills for relic and mythic weapons may now be used by level 75 or higher characters even when they are being subjected to a level restriction.

The following weapon skills have had their attributes adjusted:
Aeolian Edge / Sanguine Blade / Herculean Slash / Bora Axe / Fell Cleave / Infernal Scythe / Flash Nova / Cataclysm / Blade: Yu / Tachi: Ageha

A change to the algorithm used to calculate status effects for player characters and automatons has been implemented.

Manual removal of the following status icons has been temporarily disabled:
STR Boost / DEX Boost / VIT Boost / AGI Boost / INT Boost / MND Boost / CHR Boost

Level and/or placement of certain monsters have been adjusted in the following areas:
Mount Zhayolm / Aydeewa Subterrane / Caedarva Mire / Arrapago Reef

Item-related

New toolbags have been added for the following ninjutsu tools:
Jinko / Kabenro

The following equipment and furnishings may now be entrusted to the storage NPC:
San d'Orian Flag / Bastokan Flag / Windurstian Flag / Carillon Vermeil / Aeolsglocke / Leafbell

Many new pieces of equipment have been added.

New synthesis recipes have been added.

New synergy recipes have been added.

New furnishings have been added.

The stackable quantity of the "Forbidden Key" item has been increased from 12 to 99.

The stackable quantity of the "Plateau Chestnut" item has been increased from 1 to 12.

The icons for the following items have been adjusted:
Carnelian / Fulmenite / Heliodor / Aventurine / Clarite / Larimar / Selenite / Tenebrite / Flame Earring / Thunder Earring / Soil Earring / Breeze Earring / Snow Earring / Aqua Earring / Light Earring / Darkness Earring / Vulcan's Earring / Jupiter's Earring / Terra's Earring / Auster's Earring / Aquilo's Earring / Pluto's Earring / Vulcan's Ring / Neptune's Ring / Terra's Ring / Auster's Ring / Jupiter's Ring / Aquilo's Ring / Apollo's Ring / Pluto's Ring

The rare designation has been removed from the "Whistle Coupon" item.

System-related

A new search comment category has been added for Trial of the Magians.

Resolved Issues

An issue in MMM Revitalization Team mazes wherein consumed temporary items could be reobtained has been addressed.

An issue with the quest "Catch It If You Can!" wherein speaking to the NPC even with the necessary conditions fulfilled would not advance the quest has been resolved.

An issue wherein the Monk ability "Perfect Counter" would sometimes fail to counter has been addressed. This counter, however, may still miss on occasion.

An issue wherein weapon skills obtained while a character's skill value was enhanced by equipment or merit points would not immediately appear in the menu has been resolved.

An issue wherein the NMs Ovni and Turul would freeze in motion has been addressed.

An issue wherein the evolith providing "Magic Attack Bonus" against specific monster families was not functioning as intended has been resolved.

An issue wherein simultaneously equipping Vampiric Mitts and Vampiric Boots would not produce the intended set effect has been resolved.

The following item name has been changed to alleviate confusion:
Aqua Earring -> Aquamarine Earring

Known Issues

The help text for the "Carol II" series of bard songs omits the following information:
"...and sometimes nullifies (element) attacks."