A Shantotto Ascension (Part 2?)

I really don't mean to be doing my best Nintendo Nerd impression of this mini expansion, but damn. In the last post about this expansion, I had pretty much done everything up to the point where I was supposed to collect a Black Book. I'm going to go mission/quest by mission/quest and give my thoughts on this starting with the quest directly after the aforementioned, piece of shit quest involving the farmable items.

Sugar Coated Directive

Now that you've turned in your crafting kit, you're sent to install these seals onto the protocrystals. Yeah, those protocrystals that don't get visited very often (theme of all these expansions). The good thing here is that SE gave you the option of only doing 3. Another good thing here that's double up with a completely bad thing is if you do all 6, you get 50k at the expense of a ton of time wasted traveling around to the far corners of Vanadiel.

The fights themselves are beyond easy. For those of you who haven't actually seen the various avatar two hour animations, you're in for a treat. For those of you who don't give a shit about them (like me), you get to watch them over and over again and wonder how the hell they haven't had an aneurysm from how strained they look.

Mundane and boring, but you'll want that 50k right?

SE is hoping so.

Enemy of the Empire (I)

Apparently, those Soultrappers aren't being used enough despite the fact that the ZNM system was implemented. Here's a quest for you to go run around Sea Serpent Grotto to take pictures of 3 randomly chosen critters.

Oh, and the camera doesn't work while sneak is up.

And you'll probably be heading behind one of the coin doors.

At least SE lets you buy the camera and soulplates from the NPC that gives the quest.

Enemy of the Empire (II)

A fight!

I won't say this was fun, but it was unique. Your fight is against 3 Tenshodo Agents who cast Utsusemi: Ni. No biggie.

Whoops. Those shadows actually come out to start fighting.

Bring some AoE and the fight is cake. Maybe the horrible part of this expansion is over with and the fun begins?

Yeah...no.

Shantotto In Chains

Quick! Run off to Ro'Maeve to save the "Good" Shantotto!

OH NOES SHE'S BEING HELD BEHIND THIS DOOR WITH SOME SORT OF MAGICAL DOOHICKEY SEALING IT! HOWEVER WILL WE OPEN IT?!??!

So if I were Domina Shantotto sealing away my "Good" half, would I:

A) Keep the key to said door on my persons at all times

or

B) Break the key into 6 pieces and feed them to 6 different NMs who can only take one type of damage spread out across the SAME GENERAL, FUCKING AREA THAT THE DOOR IT UNLOCKS IS IN.

Personally, I would have gone with Option A, but this being SE and their impressive track record for stupidity in this particular mini-expansion, the answer is actually B.

So now you're charged with hunting 6 NMs that are spread across Ro'Maeve and Zi'Tah. To make matters worse, the ones in Zi'Tah only show up between 17:00-7:00. Here's a break down:

Ro'Maeve:

Steely Weapon - Ranged damage only.
Lode Golem - Magic damage only (preferably on the dark side of the spectrum)
Fired Urn - Slashing damage only.

Zi'Tah:

Blest Bones - Magic damage only (preferably on the light side of the spectrum)
Holey Horror - Piercing damage only.
Skeleton Scuffler - Blunt damage only.

This is SE assuming everyone in this game either has the ability to perform these forms of damage themselves (before they get killed) or assuming everyone has access to this form of damage.

The only good things SE did here was gave these NMs 3 spawns, insanely low respawn times, and moderate drop rates, but it still begs the question...

Why the hell do you put in 3 of each new specific NM and you don't give them a 100% drop rate? Intentional time sink? Yes, I do think so.

Fountain of Trouble

If you're not good and pissed off by this point, you're a more patient person than I am, but you still haven't done the mandatory "glowing doohickey fetch quest" that's been present in each of these mini-expansions thus far.

In another display of lack of storytelling that's dominated this mini-expansion so far, we're sent to the Full Moon Fountain to confront Domina Shantotto, but for some reason we're not told, we have to collect these stupid elemental sap crystals all over Toraimarai Canal.

(SE is really going overboard with the whole 'let's use this zone since no one uses it much' schtick).

The idea here is that you don't have to collect all of them (Thank God), but you will want them to significantly reduce the Astral Flow damage each of Domina Shantotto's minions will use. Essentially, you can pick up just the first one and go do the next quest.

The big kicker to this is...

Don't get used to the ???s being in one spot. They move around in patterns.

Battaru Royale

The first BC in this whole string of senselessness is easy if you've bothered to get all 8 of the elemental saps. Bring a couple sleepers and just whittle away at the fomor midgets.

I'd recommend getting rid of Dark and Light first (appropriately named), then Wind.

Generally fun fight, but not the challenge that the first BC in ACP had and definitely doesn't make up for the sheer amount of shit you've had to go through just to get to this point.

Then watch your work in freeing "Good" Shantotto go for naught as she joins forces with Domina Shantotto.

Sisters in Arms

Yeah, SE wasn't done with the "glowing doohickey fetch quests" yet. Now with more glowing doohickey, you get to run around, yet again with no storyline reasoning, Temple of Uggalepih and Den of Rancor.

This follows the same line of thought as the previous fetch quest where you don't actually have to get all SIXTEEN of the hexes that are laying around. Each of the hexes do something different, so you can technically just focus on getting 4 or 5 of them that you want, then proceed to the final BC.

Oh wait...Unlit Lanterns weren't getting used enough, let's put the final BC in the Sacrificial Chamber.

Fuck.

If your crew is smart, they've all already got lanterns and will remember to light them as they enter the Den of Rancor, but odds are...they aren't smart.

Project: Shantottofication

Here it is, the final show down!

Domina Shantotto and Shantotto vs. You and your friends.

The best way I can describe this BC is:

Think of the CoP Mithra BC where the Mithra just skillchain the piss out of you.

Then toss in the fact that both Shantottos like to magic burst AM2.

When you enter this BC, if you've collected all the Hexes, you will be surprised to see that your HP/MP have been multiplied by 3 and your Elemental Resistances and Stats have all received a bonus of +150. You'll even have a reraise that lets you get up unweakened.

I'M DRUNK WITH POWER!

Not so fast...

You just did enough to be brought up to Shantotto's level. You're not going to be dumping out any eye popping numbers. You're not going to become this invincible super character that just has to point at Shantotto, say 'Booyah' and have her fall over.

No, you're going to get skillchained on. You're going to get hit with every single status in the book. You're going to become the victim of rages. You're going to get your ass handed to you in every way possible.

Here's the break down:

1st Attempt:

Gawayne (Excalibur PLD/DNC)
Jess (DRK/SAM)
Qtipus (Gungnir DRG/SAM)
Lectrikelion (RDM/BLM)
Kaylea (WHM/BLM)
Cealy (WHM/SCH)

Lost with Domina Shantotto at 4%.

2nd Attempt:

Gawayne (Excalibur PLD/NIN)
Jess (DRK/SAM)
Qtipus (Gungnir DRG/SAM)
Lectrikelion (RDM/NIN)
Kaylea (WHM/BLM)
Cealy (WHM/SCH)

Lost with Domina Shantotto at 25%

3rd Attempt:

Gawayne (RNG/NIN)
Jess (DRK/SAM)
Qtipus (Gungnir DRG/SAM)
Lectrikelion (RDM/NIN)
Kaylea (WHM/BLM)
Cealy (WHM/SCH)

Lost with Shantotto at 5% (Tried her first this time. Spammed Meteor after 25%)

4th Attempt:

Gawayne (RNG/NIN)
Jess (DRK/SAM)
Qtipus (Gungnir DRG/SAM)
Lectrikelion (RDM/NIN)
Kaylea (WHM/BLM)
Cealy (WHM/SCH)

Lost with Domina Shantotto at 5%.

Yes, a grand total of 0 wins and 4 losses so far.

Now why do we keep losing?

It's either because of a lack of damage, lack of curing or improper timing for a few JAs. When either Shantotto gains access to their unique weapon skills (50% or below), they also pick up a massive defensive boost. Getting either Shantotto down to 50% was cake for Gaw, Jess and I. Once that defensive boost hit (before and after the rages were done), we either ran out of HP before we could push through it or we ran out of MP.

The key to winning this BC is to get one of the Shantottos down before you wipe, or wipe early enough so that the recovery (with that much MP) doesn't take up that much of the clock.

I'm sure we'll figure it out at some point.

I have to say I like the challenge of this fight, but at the same time, there's a lot of bullshit that goes on it that makes me suspect it's glitched or broken. Particularly with the 'shared hate' period.

This mini expansion better have a damn good ending for all the shit SE puts you through. The rewards are already meh.