Starting out in Vana'diel: Time to pick up that second job you always wanted
Hello again adventurers! Ready to go on another tour of Vana'diel? So, ok, you're in Valkurm Dunes. You're enjoying the luxurious beaches, the warm weather, the beautiful sandstorms, the nasty crabs that use defense buffs, and fish that fly in the air and attempt to impale you. It's all par for the course down here at Valkurm.
Yet, I know what you're saying to yourself. You're saying, "Well Brennan, when are you going to tell me how to get that sub-job, so I don't look stupid around the other players?" Perhaps you're not putting it so nicely in your head, but you get the drift.
For those of you who have thought that, then you'll be pleased to know that today's topic is getting your sub-job. Sure, the quest is pretty straightforward, but I have a couple of tips that may help you get through it that much faster. This way, when you get to level 18, you'll have a second job next to your name before your house moogle can say "Kupo~!"
First tip: Don't start the quest at level 18, start it now
If you want that sub-job, then the first thing you need to know is that you don't start this quest at level 18. You're starting it the second you walk into the Valkurm Dunes. While the quest NPC doesn't begin to offer you this quest until level 18, all of the items he requires will drop off of their respective monsters regardless of your level or quest status.
If you keep your eye out for the items you need, you should be able to have them all by the time you get to level 18. This way all you have to do is walk into Selbina, talk to the quest giver, trade him the items, and then walk out with your brand new level.
Second tip: Ask your group if you can target specific monsters
The three monsters you need to keep your eye out for are the snippers that hang out by the beach, the damselflies that hang out by the middle of the zone, and the ghouls that seem to make your life miserable at night.
Each one is going to drop a unique item that you need for the quest. Snippers offer their crab aprons, damselflies offer damselfly worms, and ghouls drop the magicked skull. These items are mostly useless to anyone who already has a sub-job, so they will be freely offered to anyone in the party who didn't do the quest yet.
Third tip: The ghoul is the pain of the three
If any monster may give you trouble, it's the ghoul. Right off the bat, undead only spawn in the Dunes at night, between the hours of 18:00 and 6:00. If that wasn't enough, there's a reason Ghouls are the "terrors of the dunes." These guys like to attack on both their line of sight and on people with low HP. It's dangerous to have low health at night, as ghouls can aggro from a distance without a line of sight when someone's bleeding all over the place.
Groups don't like to go after ghouls. Their levels are 18 through 24, and their chance of dropping the skull is low. Some confident groups may help you with this one, but don't count on it.
A better place to go ghoul hunting is actually Gusgen Mines in Konschtat Highlands. While the ghouls there are tougher, with levels ranging from 20 to 27, they aren't limited to spawning at night, and the tight shafts of the mines allows better control of adds. Compared to the one or two ghouls you may see in Valkurm, this place is a much better canidate for dropping what you need.
If you follow this advice, you should have your three items before you hit level 18, or shortly thereafter. Once that's done, go to Selbina and talk to Isacio (G-10). After talking, trade him your items, and you'll be on your way to sub-job heaven!
Next week's first topic is going to be aggro! Monsters in FFXI aren't monsters in WoW, and we'll show you why! Until next time, safe adventures in Vana'diel!
