Final Fantasy XIFinal Fantasy News

This should clear up some misunderstandings about EFs.

An EF has some requirements before you can join. For our guild you must be San d'Orian, Rank 3+, and meet the level requirement for the particular EF of the week. An example is Zulkhiem - The level is 20 and it's capped at level 30. So a post on the /lsmes would look something like this:

>> VALKRUM EF on SAT3pmEST << (lvl20, cap30)

That would tell you we are going to Zulkhiem on Saturday @ 3pm EST. You must be San d'Orian, Rank 3+ and lvl 20+. Also you would know your gear would need to be below 30.

Here are the basics of the EF. Usually they are run by me and two other group leaders that have gone on them before. If you have questions outside of what you read here ask your group leaders about it, they will most likely have an answer for you. The EF starts out by getting together an alliance of usually 3 groups. If San d'Oria is in 1st place we need 6 people per team, 2nd 5 people per team, 3rd 4 people per team. It's never good to just have the bare minimum of people because the monsters are very tough. Once we all get assembled, it usually takes awhile. Listen for your party leader to tell you to "Join the EF". At that time you should talk to the Temple Knight (TK) at the gates. Select from the options Join Expeditionary Force > The Place of the EF (Zulkhiem) > "Join the EF" You should then see him cast a spell on you and an icon of crossed swords should appear where signet should be. Again, wait for your group leader to check and see if everyone has done that. Once they have he/she will say "My group warp." This means talk with the TK again and "Warp to the EF". At this time you will be given a Glyph of the gate you left from and be transported to the outpost, in this case the outpost in Valkrum.

Once you're there buddy up with someone in case you get agro'd and start looking for the Beastman's Banner. The banner is usually located on the sides of the map, on a wall. When you find the banner point it out to the rest of the teams and wait there. DO NOT CLICK THE BANNER! You'll see people telling you anyways, but it's very important that you do not click the banner. There will be someone designated as the "Banner Checker". The reason this is so important is that once the banner is clicked you will get the level cap and 4-5 monsters will spawn and attack whoever clicked it. So it's very important everyone is ready when it's finally clicked.

The monsters are no ordinary monsters. These are actual jobs with all the benefits we have in the jobs. The WHM has benediction and will use it, the RNG has Eagle Eye Shot and will use it, the BST has Charm and will make your friends attack you. Ask Saprykin all about how he killed Mastershake and me during one of the fights. Again, this is the reason you can't click the banner before everyone is ready, you and the rest of the teams will be slaughtered. It isn't a great way to make friends.

After your teams have successfully killed the monsters, raise the dead, cure the sick and glyph back to the gate. The glyph you recieved just before teleporting will warp you back to the gate from wherever you happen to be. That means if there isn't a WHM that can raise… omg I hope that never happens in an EF… but if you home point (HP) by accident or something you can use the glyph to get back to the gate in San d'Oria.

When are we done?
This question is asked all the time. The answer is a bit complex. In each region there is certain influences from all the countries and the beastmen. I'm sure you've been in a region that was under beastmans control. The idea behind EFs is that every monster you kill, you gain influence for your country. If you kill all 4-5 monsters it's better than killing just 1-2. So you're done when your country is comfortably in the lead. You can check the influence in a region by checking: menu > region :and then focus the mouse on the region in question.

I'm sure there are things that are still confusing and things that I've forgotten to include. The best way to know what's going on is to join one of the EFs and do it. Ask your party leader any questions you might have. These are some of the best times I've had, not just with the LS, but in FFXI all together.