1...Introduction
2...Getting the Mission
3...Fighting in Promyvion
3.1.....Fighting the Empty
4...Progressing in Promyvion
4.1.....Going up a level
4.2.....Going down a level
4.3.....Fake Memory Recepticles
4.4.....Combat data
4.5.....Best practices
4.6.....Maps and Memodrops
4.7.....Enemy attacks in Promyvion
5...Boss Fights
5.1.....Making Boss Fights easier
5.2.....Detailed Boss Notes
5.3.....Helping Others
5.4.....Best Practices
5.5.....Combat Reports
6...So what is it good for?
7...Post-Promyvion
8...Missing data
Appendix A - Revision history
Appendix B - Legal info (icky yucky ewwww)
Appendix C - Credits and Contact information
That post is the source for all things Promyvion related and will provide
updates as new information is discovered.
Promyvion, also called The Emptiness, is a new section of Final Fantasy XI. It
was added with the Chains of Promathia expansion pack. The Emptiness is a
surreal realm, accessable through the shattered remains of the telepoint
crystals - the large blue crystals that adorn the Crags throughout Vana'diel.
At each of the three main crags one of the telepoints has broken. It is
through them that you will find the Emptiness.
Square's PlayOnline page describes the Emptiness as being a threat to the land
itself, though precisely how is not determined in the scope of the Promyvion
quests.
Promyvion acts as a bridge between the Vana'diel mainland and several of the
new Chains of Promathia areas - you must finish this section of the game to
have free access to the Tavnazian Archipelago.
2. Getting the Mission
______________________________________________________________________________
You must have the Chains of Promathia expansion installed to access this
mission.
1) Hit Lower Delkfutt's Tower. Cutscene.
2) Hit Upper Jeuno. Cutscene.
3) Go to the Upper Jeuno infirmary (on the map), talk to Monberauxe. It's his
infirmary.
4) Go to Ru'Lude Gardens, head into the palace, hang a left at the main
stairwell and go through the door -- the guard room -- talk to the tall elf,
named Pherimociel.
5) Go visit a shattered crystal. It'll ask you twice if you're ready.
6) You'll spawn the Hall of Transference. To use one of the Large Apparatus
machines there. Short cutscene. Afterwards stroll up to the Cermet Gate and
get your game on.
3. Fighting in Promyvion
______________________________________________________________________________
General details about the Emptiness:
* Level cap is 30.
* Experience will be earned here. Any XP you earn is at a reduced rate (see
the update notes for the pre-CoP patch, they detailed this change). Any XP
earned at the reduced rate will be applied to your main class. If you die,
you'll take a penalty at Level 30 rates, not at your main's level.
* Once you've entered an Emptiness realm, you cannot enter another until you
either finish it entirely, or have your memory erased by the Large Apparatus
at the front of the zone.
* There are ~4 floors in the Emptiness. The last area is the Spire, where a
BCNM fight awaits.
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 3.1: Fighting the Empty |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
Pay attention to the core of the Empties; by noting the color, you can tell
what it's elemental properties are -- and from that, you'll know what weakness
it has.
Fire ~ Red center, orange glow around
Earth ~ Brown/orange center with pieces of rock around
Water ~ Light blueish, bubbles like the elementals and synths
Wind ~ Green with whisps of air, easy one
Ice ~ Light blue, center looks like a solid rock, kinda dark
Lightning ~ Purple haze with a light center
Light ~ Whiteish, hard to tell from a distance really
Dark ~ Purple haze with a dark center
Empties of a certain element are more likely to drop the memories needed to
make the Anima for that element.
4. Progressing in Promyvion
______________________________________________________________________________
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 4.1: Going up a level |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
Each Emptiness zone has something called a Memory Recepticle. There can be
more than one (some are fake). You have to hunt and destroy these things in
order to advance. When you kill the correct MR it opens a portal to a deeper
level of the Emptiness.
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 4.2: Going down a level |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
So you beat an MR and stepped through the Portal. Yay! But half of your team
didn't make it through. Damn! How do you get back down to the rest of the
players?
After you go through the portal, you'll be deposited very near a second portal
on the floor you've transferred to. This second portal will warp you back
downstairs.
Sometimes you will kill a Memory Recepticle but you won't get a portal from
it. If you've killed one and found it to be a fake, feel free to camp it --
MRs will respawn after a short time and the respawned MR may trigger the
portal. This may be more convenient than hunting all around Promyvion.
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 4.4: Combat Data |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
When you get to a Memory Recepticle it'll be surrounded by mobs called Strays.
These have a fast respawn time and must be dealt with. They are not especially
difficult but will link to one another.
When the MR is engaged, it uses Empty Seed - this is an AOE attack with
knockback effects. The Empty Seed attack apparently has fantastic range -- if
you can hit the MR with spells or ranged attacks, you're definitely inside
*it's* range.
When an MR is destroyed it opens a temporary portal to the next level of the
Emptiness. The first level of the Emptiness has Easy Prey critters; higher up
you get Even Match and IT's. The portal will close after about 60 seconds, so
it's important to make sure people are alive and ready to move before the MR
is killed. You can go back down to lower levels easily, but you'll want to do
that infrequently if possible; it's no fun re-fighting battles you've already
won.
MR hitpoints increase in lower levels, as does the frequency with which it
will use Empty Seed.
You cannot call for help on a Memory Recepticle fight. However, there are
reports that all available players can engage and fight the MR once combat is
initiated. Confirmations are welcome.
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 4.5: Best Practices |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
Multiple MR fights have confirmed that the best way to handle them is to allow
ranged fighters to do the damage; all others should hang back, out of Empty
Seed range. RNG/NIN has been confirmed as being capable of solo'ing a Memory
Recepticle. Summoners and Beastmasters can send in their pets to do damage.
BLMs are also very popular for the MR fights.
Successes have been reported by advancing and using Bio and Poison to drop HP
over time, then slamming it for the win. This can reduce the overall damage to
the party by keeping fighters out of AOE range and keeping you away from
random combat with Strays.
Another viable strategy suggested below is to build up TP by fighting one of
the Strays, then send someone in to unleash a Weapon Skill on the MR. Have the
melee run back out of range and let the party deal with the other strays. Heal
him up, grab a stray when it respawns, build TP ... rinse, wash, repeat until
you have owned the MR.
Non-combatants are encouraged to stand near the edges of the ground to help
avoid random aggro from assorted ugly things.
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 4.6: Maps and Memodrops |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
If you find a rare/ex called a `Memodrop` (i.e., Indigo Memodrop), you can
trade it to a ???-point found inside the Emtpiness to receive a map.
At least one ???-point has been found on the final floor leading to the BCNM -
the memodrop-for-map trade has been confirmed.
Mea - Indigo Memodrop
Holla - Teal Memodrop
Dem - Beryl Memodrop
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 4.7: Enemy attacks in Promyvion |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
Promyvion-Dem
Seether
Lamentation - AOE Damage
Wanion - AOE Poison
Vanity Strike - 200ish Damage, single target
Occultation - Utsusemi 5 (15 shadows)
Empty Crush - High damage attack, can be blocked by Utsusemi
5. Boss Fights
______________________________________________________________________________
After going through 4 or so levels in Promyvion, you find a Burning Circle.
This will be up in the Spire of (insert crag name here). There will be a
Notorious Monster waiting for you there.
The NMs use AoE silence, sleep, poison, other attacks of that nature. Some
mobs use AoE silence and sleep in the field en route to the BC, so you should
prepare accordingly. An Alliance can fight it's way up to the BC but you have
to fight it as individual teams.
All BCNM bosses are a bigger form of a crag-specific enemy.
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 5.1: Making the boss fights easier |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
If you find a `Recollection` (i.e., Recollection of Guilt), rare/ex, you can
take it out of the Emptiness and trade it to the black-robed scientist dude
hanging out in the Palace (he's in the far back room, the private chambers,
staring at a picture on the wall; if talked to before, says `Hmm...
Emptiness... Weakness..?`). Trade it to him, pay 2k, wait 1 game day, and he
gives back an anima. The anima is a rare/ex item and can be used against the
boss that you'll fight in the Spire.
This is recommended if you actually want to survive the boss fight. Take the
time to have your combat party get their animas together; set an order for
using them against the boss; use them in sequence as necessary to ensure a
victory. The anima will cause a huge debuff effect that tapers fairly quickly
-- if you use the animas in serial (1, wait a few, 2, wait a few, 3, wait a
few..) you will be able to keep the boss vulnerable.
Recollection of Guilt -=> Terroanima
Recollection of Fear -=> Psychoanima
Recollection of Pain -=> Hysteroanima
Each apparently has a different debuffing effect, but each is recommended -
make sure the members of your party are carrying your animas to ensure
success.
You can find any of the Recollections in any of the Promyvion zones. Drops
come more frequently from larger mobs but have been reported on low-grade
Wanderers. The Recollections are rare/ex; the animas that are produced are
rare/ex; you can carry one of each of the anima types in with you for the boss
fight.
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 5.2: Detailed Boss Notes |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
Holla BC mob: Wreaker (Thinker)
Specials:
Trinary Absorbsion: Steals 3 status effects from whomever is targeted. If your
tank is buffed, it will steal the buffs. If your tank has negative status,
like Blind, it will Blind itself.
Empty Cutter: High damage attack; can be absorbed by shadows.
Shadow Spread: AOE Curse+Sleep.
Consider bringing Poison Potions to negate Sleep, and Holy Water to handle
Curse. (Alternately, Cursna from WHMs can work.)
Mea BC mob: Delver (Craver)
Specials:
Carosel: 200-400 damage, plus Poison, and resets the hate. Poison hits for 12
damage per tick. Can be absorbed by shadows.
Murk: AOE Slow and Gravity.
Blink and Utsusemi will be invaluable.
Dem BC mob: Progenerator (Gorger) (Weak to water?)
After 50% HP the Progenerator will start to spit out Offspring. The max # of
offspring on the ground is 6. They will repop if killed.
This NM can regenerate, so throw down 2-hour skills when you see the regen
outpace your damage. Offspring can either be corralled or ignored; it is
possible to fight this by using ElemSeal+Gravity and kiting the Progenerator
while fighting an Offspring.
People who have completed a BCNM fight are able to enter to help others, so
long as someone who needs the battle triggers combat first. In all respects,
it's just like the 2-3 Dragon fight, the the 5-1 Archlich Taber'quon fight,
the 5-2 Shadow Lord fight, and many others.
.----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 5.4: Best Practices |
'----------------------------------------------------------------------------'
The order of the day seems to be kiting; many teams recommend it.
To successfully kite a mob, have your main tank build the hate, then get a
mage to throw Gravity on it. Now have the tank run around -- far enough that
the NM can't hit him, but not so far that he cannot easily provoke.
The best arrangements work by having your damage dealers spread out in a
circle around the NM; drag the NM back and forth in front of the damage
dealers. DDs, *do not move*, just slap the enemy when it strolls by. This
minimizes the damage it does to your team and lets people continue to throw
down. In all respects it's like the tank has a kite on a string -- hence the
name.
Good results have been reported with twin Blinktanks trading hate back and
forth, using Utsusemi to evade and Provoke to trade hate.
Sometimes it's handy to read how other people have handled a particular enemy
before. Included below are useful combat report postings from Allakhazam -
most of them occur in the thread I used for coallating Promyvion information.
Soloing a Memory Recepticle as RNG/NIN
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1096069103816519622
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1096079465828958160
vs. Mea
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1096088564279342550
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1096090211838113377
vs. Holla
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=109609584291161400
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1096102125330208841
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1096134769359188217
vs. Dem
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1096384424240591632
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1096467008127405991
http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=10&mid=1096565317941636686
6. So what is it good for?
______________________________________________________________________________
When you finish your third Promyvion BCNM, you will be automatically warped to
Lufaise Meadows. This gets you a cut-scene and starts Chapter 2 of Chains of
Promathia.
After you have started Chapter 2, you will be able to use the Swirling Green
Vortexes in Valkurm Dunes and Quifm Isle.
From either Lufaise Meadows or Misareaux Coast, you can reach the Tavnazian
Safehold. Once inside, speak with the Elder of the city (Top Floor) to
activate next Mission. This mission is called Kill the Minotaur. This mission
will take you into the Phomiuna Aqueducts - a level-40 capped area.
Where, apparently, there are dinosaurs.
Unconfirmed data reports as follows:
""This part can be done with an alliance. You must travel through the ducts to
the minotaur. You will use mostly sneak, (melee should bring silent oil to
make it easier for the mages) except for a few mobs that are dinosaur/wyvern
like. They have true sight. You must defeat them. Eventually you will find the
Minotaur. PLD tank is fine here, and melee are fine also. The minotaur has the
HNM ability suck you in. When it dies, it drops a key. Go further into and
you'll find a door eventually. Have to trade key to door to open. Make sure
your alliance gets through. Traveling further along you will find switches
that have the 8 elements on them. That's where my 2 friends got stuck. Hope
this helps. ""
This FAQ is copyrighted material, just like anything, anywhere, at any time
that anyone ever writes. Don't you love how copyrights work in the USA?
I hereby grant limited reproduction rights; if you want to print this off of a
webpage for your own not-for-profit use, feel free. Want to save a copy to
your hard drive? Rock on, go for it.
Reposting this work to another website without any notification is fine,
provided that you *do not modify* the original work in the process. I spent
time on this, so leave my name and those of any contributors in tact, okay? :)
Is that really so much to ask? sheesh.
No modifications are allowed. I hold the copyright, I do the mods. If you try
to reuse this work and pass it off as your own, I will send leather-winged
demons of the night to chew out your liver and do other very nasty things. I
don't like that solution, and neither do you -- so save us both the trouble.
Create! Don't plagarize!
aziwoqpd - initial additional NM data
KiranaofIfrit for detailed Holla NM data
KiranaofIfrit, again - post-promyvion information
KiranaofIfrit trifecta - more Mea NM data, and more post-promyvion info!
insideout - linked to recollection/anima data
agentvasz - more data on recollections
AmanoJ - info on going back down through portals
exilekiss - *tons* of confirmations and solid post-promyvion data! woo!
tekkub - Dem memodrop confirmation, Terroanima confirmation, and the info on
colors of the Empty
Pyke, RoyalWolfy - Pso'xja information
Arkenstone - great combat data
Thanks also to AllaKhazam and his team for running an excellent forum service
for the FFXI community.
A big shout-out to Kalm, my Linkshell on Carbuncle - you guys kick serious
ass.
The latest version of this FAQ can be found at GameFAQs -
http://www.gamefaqs.com
..though if you are reading this, you probably knew that already.
Do you have something to add to the FAQ? A question unanswered that you'd
like to see make it into the next version? Send it over to
wingchild@wingchild.net and I'll do my level best to incorporate your
suggestions. Credit will be given as credit is due. :)
Thanks for playing, and good luck! :)
(c) 2004, by Brian Kern.
Limited reproduction rights as assigned above.
