Zel's Weekly Digest

Week 24 - April 23 - 29, 2024

Xarale and Zel on their Torgal wolf mounts, both using the pet command so that the wolves are rearing their heads back. In the background you can clearly see the moon, which is positioned to be centered above them.

The Final and The Fantasy: Eorzean Drift

I was chatting with Mag when he mentioned that Zeb wanted to race, so I logged on. I had assumed, like an idiot, that he meant she wanted to do Chocobo racing, which honestly could probably be pretty fun!

This was not what they meant though.

I asked and she said “Mag Racing!” with no explanation. I realized she meant running roulettes, with emphasis on the running. Wren was online as well, so I accompanied on Bard for some level 90 practice.

Light Party FC tackling Lunar Subterrane, fighting some trash mobs. There is a chatbox added on. Dialogue reads:
Aywren Sojourner: Zel's getting ready for that new bard backflip. And guitar bow.
Zel Lumei: can't let Amon have all the fun!
Aywren Sojourner: XD

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the addition of the subtle filter for the Baron portion of the dungeon? It’s pretty great, and helps emphasize that you’re running through Golbez’s memories.

Running through the Baron Memories. There's a transluscent white filter over the game screen, with mist like wisps at the corners

Wren only did Expert with us before hopping out to take a break, since she’s been farming the Yokai watch weapons, but the rest of us went for alliance roulettes and the like and got Syrcus.

A zoomed out, low angle shot of the Scylla fight.

It’s always a good day to beat up Amon!

Mag then switched to Sage so we could finish off with, Thaleia, and while I teased possibly running tank, I decided I wasn’t comfortable enough running the dungeon to do that, so I healed. Zeb was disappoined.

Zeb, Zel and Magris in Radz-at-han, near the materia vendor. There is a text box edited on that show the following conversation.
Zel Lumei: Formal Wear Healers
Zeb Ya: Yup. I have the best dressed healers in all of Eorzea!
Zel Lumei: And Zeb is showing off his cleavage, and I don't mean the Fell Cleave kind
Magris Ashenford: I could just go in undies LOL
Zeb Ya: ahahahaha
Zel Lumei: LOL If that's what boats your float!
Aywren Soujurner: Emperor's new set glam?
Zeb Ya: Zeb is proud of his...uh...hairless chest?
Zel Lumei: No eorzean has body hair because the Hrothgar are hogging it all.

And of course as soon as we complimented his glam, Mag switched to this monstrosity. Just why, man?

Magriss wearing the Fall Guys hoodie and crown, both dyed metallic red, paired with black pants and shoes.

I did pretty well in the raid, and finally cleared without dying even once! Guess maybe I should give tanking a try...

Zel during the Lymllaen fight. There are chains going across the screen from player attack animations.

Wondrous Together

Xarale doesn’t really log on as much, but we hang out almost every night regardless. We took a break from playing FF5 to do some Wondrous Tails stuff.

I’m still only at 6/9, so I’ll probably have to do a few more duties on my own.

Yokai Watch time!

Just kidding! I actually finished the event last time it came around. I did grab the new framers’ thought!

That doesn’t mean I haven’t been benefitting from the event though. A few of the yokai weapons require fates from some Heavensward maps, which has made Memory grinding much faster for me too.

Zel as a bard fighting the Ware the Maiden Fair FATE in dravanian forelands, with her chocobo Cecily.

I also hopped on to help Mag with a few fates in the Lochs, but wasn’t there for long.

Famfrit Fantasy

DC travel time again! I like doing roulettes with Pixel, but we ran into some awful tanks this time around. First one was just bad at positioning and never used any mitigation, and the second one not only single pulled, but still didn’t use any mitigation!

Look at this! Only one mob! He didn't even pull forward to the second one at least!!

The party in Snowcloak. They are fighting one single Goobue.

We also kicked Greg's butt in trials roulette.

Zel chained up by Gilgamesh during the Battle at the Big Keep trial. There are two chatboxes overlaid on the screen. They read:
Cyrene Nesci: this must be where green eggs come from
Zel Lumei: Well Gilgamesh is a Ham
and, Zel Lumei: If I wanted to be chained up, I would have gone to Balmung

We did, however, get a great and fun party for Alliance roulette. No Amon hat, but I didn’t have fun dropping some unhinged Crystal Tower lore in chat.

chatbox with dialogue.
Zel Lumei: fun fact! Amon gave her those dog heads
Cyrene Nesci: maybe he's trying to say she's a bisch
Danny Rito: birch
Aria Seraphiel: good doggie

I don’t know how I accomplished this, but I got 6 comms in that run!

Chat log showing Syrcus Tower has ended, and the text You Recieved a Player Commendation repeated six times.

We did raids roulette and got Alexander, and a lot of the same party members from Crystal Tower! Neat!

Chat log.
Zel Lumei: Meow's it going?
Eden Sleep: o7
Danny Rito: hemloo
Cyrene Nesci: Hi Everyone!
Aria Seraphiel: Zel
Cyrene Nesci: hey it's Danny Rito again
Aria Seraphiel: your character is so freaking cute
Danny Rito: yis
Eden Sleep: :O
Zel Lumei: :D

And I was complimented! <3

Zel and party on the lift in the Praetorium cutscenes. Cyrene is standing near her.

Gunbreak My Heart

I sometimes forget that I’m not truly a casual if you take into account the amount of time I spend in this game. For example, I’m Omni-leveled, meaning that I have all classes at max level. So I'm not hardcore, per se, but I don't really do hard content.

Many of my FC mates are not like this. Mag, for example, wasn’t online for over a year, and is still leveling a bunch of stuff. I saw he was leveling gunbreaker, so I hopped on White Mage to help him out (and told him about the recent Limited Levelling Roulette feature).

We got a couple sprouts in Tower of Babil, and while they weren’t the worst DPS I’ve gotten, I was heavily frowning during the Banabas fight because, despite me explaining the magnet mechanic, they still couldn’t grasp it.

Zel's party during the Barnabas fight. There is a giant minus symbol on the boss. Dialogue from zel reads: Magnets. like repels, opposites attracts

I guess it’s just a pet peeve because this is something most people learn in gradeschool!

I also was a little looser with my healing to help Mag get used to some of the gunbreaker skills and figure out his rotation, and you can’t really do that at a higher level if you’re at full HP. Thankfully, I am actually an excellent white mage and was able to keep him alive even in the sticky situations.

We also got a hilarious pair in Praetorium, and chatted around with them about various lore. They just finished Shadowbringers, so I hope they have fun in Endwalker! Also Mag decided to Bolide during Nero, so I told him he was only getting regens for the rest of the dungeon.

The opening cutscene for praetorium. The two PUGs are very scantily clad. There is a dialogue box overlaid
Zel Lumei: Who's ready for the garlean soap opera?
Foxglove Faust: such oration...this was not my expectation
Zel Lumei: oh yall dressed for success. Nero will be too distracted.
Dahli'a Bhastet: Foolproof plan.
Magris Ashenford: i feel overdressed now.
Foxglove Faust: Yeah trying some new strats out

Manderville Masterpieces

Got another one! I don’t have anything else to spend these tomes on so more mandervilles it is.

Zel brandishing her new Mandervillous Battleaxe

While I didn’t really like the weapons for Bard or White Mage, I don’t mind it for Warrior. It kinda fits the Magical Girl theme I have going for my tanks.

Bonus round

I remade my tumblr for Zel, and have been taking a few shots for reactions and other stuff. I really liked how this one came out!

Zel standing in Tam Tara Hardmode with her Pearl White Valentione Emissary's Ruffled Dress, hand on her chest and looking downward so her hair covers her eyes.

See you next time!

Zel hugging Xarale, who is holding a black umbrella. They are standing in Idyllshire

Posted 2024/04/29