After months of speculation and anticipation, the February version for Final Fantasy XI is here! In addition to changes to Voidwatch, several job adjustments, the adjustments of Walk of Echoes conflux battlefields, and the addition of the level 99 Trial of the Magian trials for Relic, Mythic, and Empyrean weapons, players can experience the thrill and challenge of the new Nyzul Isle Uncharted Region mission battle!

We've got the full details of the version update below the break, and if you want to discuss the newly implemented changes, feel free to do so on the ZAM forums!

From the official Final Fantasy XI forums:

Event-related

[dev1048] The Assault: Nyzul Isle Uncharted Region mission for level 99 characters has been introduced. View the details here.

[dev1075] Voidwatch Adjustments

• The Jeuno II Voidwatch operation at Fort Karugo-Narugo [S] may also be undertaken at Beaucedine Glacier.
  *Beaucedine Glacier has been added as a destination to Atmacite Refiner teleportation menus.
  *This adjustment is a temporary measure.

• Effect area damage dealt by the following enemies will be reduced for non-targeted characters:
  

  Jurisdiction	Operation Area	Enemy
  San d'Oria	King Ranperre's Tomb	Hahava
  Bastok	Dangruf Wadi	Celaeno
  Windurst	Outer Horutoto Ruins	Voidwrought
  Jeuno	Qufim Island	Kaggen
  	Lower Delkfutt's Tower	Akvan
  	Behemoth's Dominion	Pil
  Zilart	Ru'Aun Gardens	Aello
  	Ve'Lugannon Palace	Uptala
  	Shrine of Ru'Avitau	Qilin
  Jeuno II	Grauberg [S]	Ocythoe
  	Vunkerl Inlet [S]	Gaunab
  	Fort Karugo-Narugo [S] Beaucedine Glacier	Kalasutrax
  	Valkurm Dunes	Ig-Alima
  	Buburimu Peninsula	Botulus Rex

[dev1066] Walk of Echoes Adjustments

• Walks 8-11: The drop rate for Devious Dice has been increased.

• Walks 12-15: Enemies will now drop magic scrolls for spells learnable at level 96.

• [dev1065] Relic, Mythic, and Empyrean will now be upgradable to level 99. View the details here.

• The amount of zeni receivable from the NPC Sanraku after trading him soul plates has been increased.

• [dev1062] Bastion Magic NPCs will no longer cast area-effect elemental magic spells.

Battle-related

• The calculation of certain healing bonuses has been adjusted as follows:
  • Previous Method
    • The maximum potency for Cure was fifty percent, while the maximum respective bonus for Waltz was thirty percent.
    • The following enhancements stack with each other for a combined bonus of no more than fifty percent:
      • "Cure" potency + / Potency of "Cure" effect received +
      • "Waltz" potency + / Potency of "Waltz" effect received +
  • New Method
    • (1) "Cure potency +" and "Waltz potency +" will stack for a maximum bonus of fifty percent.
    • (2) "Potency of Cure effect received +" and "Potency of Waltz effect received +" will stack for a maximum bonus of thirty percent.
    • (1) and (2) may then stack for a maximum bonus of ninety-five(*) percent.
      *The final value will be calculated in two stages, with (2) applied to the enhanced value of (1), allowing for a total bonus greater than the sum of the two percentages.

• Casting times for the following spells have been reduced as follows:
  • Esuna: Reduced from 3 seconds to 1.
  • Sacrifice: Reduced from 1.5 seconds to 1.
  • Blindna: Reduced from 3 seconds to 1.
  • Cursna: Reduced from 3 seconds to 1.

• Casting times for the following ninjutsu have been reduced as follows:
  • Monomi: Ichi: Reduced from 4 seconds to 1.5.
  • Tonko: Ichi: Reduced from 4 seconds to 1.5.

• To preserve balance, the TP critical hit rate adjustment for the great axe weapon skill Ukko's Fury has been decreased as follows:
  

  	TP100	TP200	TP300
  Previous Rate	30%	50%	80%
  New Rate	20%	35%	55%

• To preserve balance, the TP critical hit rate adjustment for the hand-to-hand weapon skill Victory Smite has been decreased as follows:
  

  	TP100	TP200	TP300
  Previous Rate	15%	30%	60%
  New Rate	10%	25%	45%

• The following jobs have received adjustments:
  • Warrior
    • The job ability Blood Rage no longer grants a bonus to critical hit damage.
  • Paladin
    • Shield Bash
      • Recast time has been reduced from five minutes to three.
      • The Shield Bash Recast merit point enhancement has been adjusted to reduce recast time by six seconds per level, instead of the previous ten.
    • Holy Circle
      • Recast time reduced from ten minutes to five.
      • Duration increased from one minute to three.
      • Reduction granted by Holy Circle Recast merit enhancement adjusted from twenty seconds per point to ten.
    • Sepulcher
      • Recast time reduced from ten minutes to five.
  • Dark Knight
    • Weapon Bash
      • Recast time has been reduced from five minutes to three.
      • The Weapon Bash Recast merit point enhancement has been adjusted to reduce recast time by six seconds per level, instead of the previous ten.
    • Arcane Circle
      • Recast time reduced from ten minutes to five.
      • Duration increased from one minute to three.
      • Reduction granted by Arcane Circle Recast merit enhancement adjusted from twenty seconds per point to ten.
    • Arcane Crest
      • Recast time reduced from ten minutes to five.
  • Samurai
    • Warding Circle
      • Recast time reduced from ten minutes to five.
      • Duration increased from one minute to three.
      • Reduction granted by Warding Circle Recast merit enhancement adjusted from twenty seconds per point to ten.
    • Hamanoha
      • Recast time reduced from ten minutes to five.
  • Dragoon
    • New Wyvern Breath Abilities
      • Healing Breath IV (Lv. 80)
      • Remove Breath will now cure additional status ailments at the following levels:
        • Curse and doom (Lv. 60)
        • Disease and plague (Lv. 80)
          *In the event that a character is afflicted with multiple status ailments, Remove Breath will cure only one, with higher-level cure effects being prioritized over lower-level ones.
          This ability is still under consideration, and priority adjustments may be implemented in future updates.
          
    • Ability Adjustments
      • Spirit Surge
        • The "Haste" effect granted by Spirit Surge may now stack with similar effects granted by spells and equipment.
      • Jump
        • Recast time shortened from 90 to 60 seconds.
        • The Jump Recast merit point enhancement has been adjusted to reduce recast time by two seconds per level, instead of the previous three.
      • High Jump
        • Recast time shortened from 180 to 120 seconds.
        • Expanded range.
        • The High Jump Recast merit point enhancement has been adjusted to reduce recast time by four seconds per level, instead of the previous six.
      • Super Jump
        • Expanded range.
      • Spirit Jump
        • Recast time shortened from 90 to 60 seconds.
      • Soul Jump
        • Recast time shortened from 180 to 120 seconds.
      • Spirit Link
        • Recast time shortened from 180 to 90 seconds.
        • The Spirit Link Recast merit point enhancement has been adjusted to reduce recast time by three seconds per level, instead of the previous six.
      • Ancient Circle
        • Recast time reduced from ten minutes to five.
        • Duration increased from one minute to three.
        • The Ancient Circle Recast merit point enhancement has been adjusted to reduce recast time by ten seconds per level, instead of the previous twenty.
      • Dragon Breaker
        • Recast time reduced from ten minutes to five.
    • Status Adjustments
      • HP has been raised from C to C+.
      • Evasion skill has been raised from C- to B.
      • Parrying skill has been raised from C to B-.
  • Summoner
    • The Elemental MP Cost merit point enhancement now reduces MP cost by three points per level instead of one.
      *Beginning with the next version update, merit point enhancements will reduce summoning magic recast times instead of elemental magic MP cost.
  • Corsair
    • Phantom Rolls have been adjusted. View the details here.
  • Scholar
    • The required charges for the following abilities have been reduced from two to one:

      Altruism / Focalization / Tranquility / Equanimity

• Respawn times have been shortened for certain enemies in the following areas:

  Lower Delkfutt's Tower / Middle Delkfutt's Tower / Upper Delkfutt's Tower / Temple of Uggalepih / Den of Rancor / Sea Serpent Grotto / Quicksand Caves

Item-related

• New items have been introduced.

• The help text for the item "Assassin’s Vest +2" has been revised.

• The icon for the item "Assassin’s Vest +2" has been changed.

System-related

[dev1078]The following options have been added to the "Config" menu under "Misc. 2":

• [Windows and Xbox 360-only updates]
  • Macro Palette Size
    • Full / Compact

• [Window-only updates]
  • Macro Palette Position
    • Dynamic / Static

Resolved Issues

• The following issues have been resolved:
  • An issue wherein Relic Armor trial numbers would not properly display when reviewing trial progressions with the Magian Moogle.
  • A graphical glitch in the quest "In a Haze of Glory" wherein Orcs in certain cutscenes had curiously transmogrified into Harpeia.
  • An issue wherein cutscenes for the quests "Against All Odds" and "Regaining Trust" would display at improper times.
  • An issue wherein resetting Dancer AF quest status with the NPC Vingijard would allow players to complete the quests "The Road to Divadom" and "Comeback Queen" without finishing the quest objectives.
  • An issue wherein the player would be returned to the entrance of Lower Delkfutt's Tower after viewing the event replay for The Rites of Life (pt.3).
  • An issue in Voidwatch where the description for the periapt of clarity would not display properly when selecting rewards from Voidwatch Officers in Rabao and Kazham.
  • An issue wherein certain Flying Manta enemies defeated in Labyrinth of Onzozo would not count toward Grounds of Valor objectives.
  • An issue wherein certain Brook Sahagin enemies defeated in Sea Serpent Grotto would not count toward Grounds of Valor objectives.
  • An issue wherein using the blood pact Heavenward Howl would reduce Fenrir’s TP.
  • An issue wherein the effect of Heavenward Howl would not overwrite those of Inferno Howl and Rolling Thunder.
  • An issue wherein Dynamis enemies would yield less experience than intended for players adventuring in parties of two or more.
  • An issue wherein no experience would be gained when pets evaluated as "tough" by a level 99 character defeated an enemy.
  • An issue in Conflict wherein automatons would not use melee weapon skills even when in standard attack range.
  • An issue wherein wyverns would target party members outside of range with Healing Breath and Remove Breath, preventing the abilities from activating.
  • An issue wherein damage dealt by the Gorge/Disgorge abilities of the notorious monsters Minhocao, Glavoid, and Laidly Laurence could be reduced to excessively low amounts using the spell Phalanx.
  • An issue wherein the following weapon skills would not count toward certain quest objectives:

    Exenterator / Requiescat

  • A graphical issue that occurred when Mithra characters equipped the item Athos's Boots.
  • A graphical issue wherein the icons for the +1 and +2 versions of the Duelist's Chapeau did not display properly.
  • An issue wherein the enhanced ninjutsu damage bonus granted by Koga Hatsuburi +2 would occasionally fail to function.
  • An issue wherein the following item augments had no effect on the blood pacts Geocrush, Thunderstorm, and Grand Fall:

    Summoner's Doublet +2: Reduced MP cost / Summoner's Bracers +2: Increased magic burst damage / Summoner's Spats +2: Increased magic accuracy / Summoner's Pigaches +2: Increased magic critical hit damage

  • An issue wherein the merit point weapon skill obtainment message was erroneously displayed upon a player's combat skill reaching 357.
  • An issue wherein macro titles would not be fully displayed.
  • An issue wherein saved macros would not function properly when used with another client.

Known Issues

• Obtaining mythic weapons of level 99 or higher with the quest "Coming Full Circle" in progress may render players unable to proceed further with quest objectives.