False. Shiguma doesn't have sea. I was planning times with him to help him get it.
I finished CoP in July of 2006. I was dedicated to finishing it with a static, and it was EASILY the most enjoyable thing I ever did in the game.
I didn't even get sky access until two months later.
Reason I got Novia before Noble's:
The job I work, I have to work every *other* Sunday night. My LS did sky and sea on alternating weeks on Wednesday and Sunday night. Wednesday nights were "farm" and "lesser" god nights (so like ... in sky we're talking the four gods of the season, or even lower things to get triggers ... in sea it usually meant tier-1 Jailers and the Ix'DRG/DRK/MNKs). Sunday nights were the *big* nights (sky, we'd usually do multiple Kirins, sea we'd do tier2 Jailers and JoL).
So for about a year there, I was *always* at work during sky nights and always had the night off during sea nights. Up until last month, I hadn't missed a single JoL fight my LS did. To date I think we've brought the giant jellyfish down 9 times. We have 5 Novio earrings, 3 Novia earrings, and 3 Love Torques within the LS. I got that third Novia, and I am quite happy to have it.
Then, after the summer, school started up again (I work at a school) and my weekends got moved around. So I actually missed my first JoL two weeks ago, but have been able to attend any and all Kirins. I've now seen him die ... three times? And finally, two nights ago, it dropped Shining Cloth.
I had Dracana do the synth, No HQ but who cares ... I *finally* have a Noble's Tunic.
So if you're interested, here is my current 75WHM/BLM gear setup.
My standard (or "standing") gear:
Main: Light Staff, Pluto's Staff, Earth Staff (if something's beating on me)
Sub: Staff Strap
Ranged: ____
Ammo: Bibiki Seashell (I know ... I just don't want to spend 1m on Hedgehog Bomb!)
Head: Nashira Turban (it's for epeen, but it's decent, Proto-Ultima drop)
Neck: Enlightened Chain
Ear1: Magnetic Earring or Novia Earring (depending on what I'm fighting)
Ear2: Loquacious Earring (no mage should go without it!)
Body: Noble's Tunic
Hands: Healer's Mitts +1 (so awesome, STR and MND +7!!!)
Ring1: Tamas Ring
Ring2: Sapphire Ring (if in Assault/Salvage, Balrahn's Ring)
Back: Rainbow Cape (eventually hope to get something better, but it works nicely)
Waist: Heirarch Belt (unless it's lightsday/light weather, then I have Korin Obi for big cure-boost and Banish-boost).
Legs: Blessed Trousers (very basic, but it's got so much good stuff. MND+6, some Haste+ on it, can't go wrong)
Feet: Rostrum Pumps
Changes if I'm going for a "max mp" setup:
Head: Zenith Crown
Ear1: Magnetic Earring *always*
Legs: Zenith Slacks
(currently my max mp with gear is like ... 1168. Finishing up mp merits and hoping to get more mp+ gear to reach 1300).
Changes if I'm going for a DD WHM/NIN setup (and trust me, I LOVE to do this):
STAFF
Main: Kirin's Pole (used to do Eight-Sided +1, but I like Kirin's more)
Sub: Mythril Grip +1 (some good stats on this one)
CLUB
Main: Purgatory mace (DMG41, STR and MND +3, sometimes Stuns)
Sub: Darksteel Maul (DMG39, Att+10)
I have much to earn in the way of good clubs. I hope to get Sea Wolf and Sea Robber's Cudgels, Prudence Rod, and Morgenstern's for different scenarios. I even have lofty goals of finishing up relic maul (Mjollnir), because you *recover mp* with each hit you do ... I'd NEVER have to rest again and always be in the middle of the action ... but that is a dream that will probably go unfulfilled.
Head: Optical Hat (for the acc)
Neck Chivalrous Chain (for acc, STR, and not having to spend ludicrous gil on Peacock Charm)
Ear1: If I'm "clubbing," Suppanomimi. If Staff, usually Magnetic since I'm not as worried about hate control.
Body: Reverend Mail (graphically, it looks like a Haubergeon. It's a WHM75 only gear, and it basically gives hauby stats ... Acc+10 is what I need from it most)
Hands: Healer's Mitts +1 (again, this isn't a gear swap, but I have to emphasize STR and MND +7. Why would SE give STR+7 on a WHM-specific gear if they *didn't* want me smacking things now and then?!)
Ring2: Ruby Ring (STR+4 thank you!)
Waist: Potent Belt (Acc+8 STR+3 and some Store TP I think... very decent belt. It's standard for most DDs, but for WHM it's the best you can get)
So that's me. What am I lacking as a WHM? Other than the clubs I mentioned, the notables are:
1) Hedgehog Bomb
2) any AF2 (I'm a Dynamis n00b, but plan to start up soon)
3) any salvage gear (I'm working on this, will own the full Marduk set someday I PROMISE)
4) more HQ staves (I plan on taking SMN to 75, so for this reason, they'll be important, so far I'm only at Dark +1 ... they're EXPENSIVE)
5) the Templar Mace / Holy Shield setup (this seems extraneous to me, but I might spring for them someday. I like wielding light staff w/ staff strap though and it basically gives me all I need)
6) more Zenith gear for max MP (hands and feet, I can't imagine owning a Dalmatica...)
7) an "mp rest" macro setup. I haven't even put this together yet, but I realized it's basically the next thing I need as a WHM. If I wanted to go all out, I'd take the Yigit set. But number one on the radar is the relaxing earring, which I'm getting materials for right now.
8) a sea "gorget" for weapon skills. I plan on making a light gorget. All I need now are 2 (yes, two...sigh...) Yovra Organs.
As a WHM, you can see that I'm *definitely* an end-game player, with pretty good stuff, but I don't think that exactly makes me a l33t WHM. Any and all advice from the RPGFan community would help me with my gear acquisition!
THere's also merits, but that's a whole other discussion...I've only spent about 35 merit points to date, so I have a loooong way to go. But I finished up WHM Group 2 which is good. I capped Devotion and unlocked everything else.
Ramza (I'm going to start signing out of this forum as...)
TONE