Final Fantasy XI August Update delays Sortie, SHINING BLESS returns to Ambuscade

Producer Akihiko Matsui and director Yoji Fujito walk us through Final Fantasy XI‘s August 2022 version update details, including a delay for the new Sortie feature, the next part of The Voracious Resurgence scenario, and the Ambuscade update.

This month’s Ambuscade update Volume One features Ramuh, while Volume Two features Morbols. Enemy summoners in the Ramuh encounter are now susceptible to heavy and bind effects, which will make it easier to go on the offensive. However, they now take reduced damage from various damage types, including non-elemental damage. You may need to switch up your strategy from before.

The Morbols idol group SHINING BLESS encounter returning from 2018 is largely unchanged, but a Golden Bomb will appear if you fulfill certain requirements — it’s even possible to run into multiple Golden Bombs if you plan correctly. This is a good opportunity to earn hallmarks.

Exemplar Points will no longer be gained or lost in Ambuscade. The team envisions Ambuscade as a “place for returnees and players who just hit level 99 to take their first step into end-game content by way of getting better equipment and learning about max level combat systems in a trial-and-error way.” Therefore, the team wanted to reduce the friction between new players and veterans hesitant to help for fear of losing hard-earned progress.

Chapter 9, Part 2 of The Voracious Resurgence will begin this month, arriving at the continent of Ulbulka. What role will the people of Adoulin play in this tale? The team hopes you continue to enjoy the story as it continues to unfold in unexpected ways.

The team will be delaying the implementation of Sortie, as critical bugs were discovered that would adversely impact the player experience if left unattended. The NPC that serves as a gateway to the content will be removed until the issues are resolved, an emergency maintenance will be conducted to re-implement said NPC. Matusi and Fujito apologize to players disappointed to the delay, and share that it is critical to avoid player consternation with bugged content.

Sortie will be released as a brand-new battle content, which will allow you to further upgrade Empyrean Gear to +2 versions. You can obtain materials shared between all jobs and earn a new type of currency, which are both necessary for upgrading the Empyrean gear you have on hand.

This content can be joined solo or in groups of up to six members. You can also use Trust NPCs, and the area near the entrance will be a bit more friendly to solo players. The team is providing no hints in resolving the mechanics, as they want the community to come together and compare notes. In addition to upgrade materials, you can earn Old Cases. These are appraisal items, but unlike previous ones, they’ll change into job-specific earrings upon use.

The team has added a new system to reobtain certain ammunition items you’ve lost, albeit only once. These ammunition items can be reobtained by speaking with the designated moogle NPC. There’s also the Recycle feature if you accidentally discard them, but the team stress to take care to avoid these mistakes.

The Sunbreeze Festival and Green Festival events will begin on August 11, with a new morbol apron as a reward. Be sure to check out the Morbol Cafe that will be opening in Lower Jeuno. The Return Home to Vana’diel Campaign and Discount Campaign will also return in August.

Check out the update notes below:

Event-related

  • The ability to further reforge item level 119 empyrean armor has been added.
    • Starting the process — Speak with Ruspix in Leafallia (H-8) to get started.
      * Ruspix will be temporary disabled upon the launch of the August version update in order to address several last-minute issues.
    • Reforging — In order to get started reforging empyrean armor, you must participate in the new battle content known as Sortie as the job for which you want to reforge the armor.
    • Required Items
      Reforging requires currency known as gallimaufry as well as Ra’Kaznar sapphires.
      Each of these are obtainable by defeating foes in Sortie or opening coffers that appear when certain conditions are met.
      Ra’Kaznar sapphires may also be purchased with gallimaufry.
    • Time Required
      When you turn in a piece of armor for reforging, the process will be complete once one day (Vana’diel time) has passed.
  • A new chapter has been added to The Voracious Resurgence.
    • To accept the quest, speak with Andreine in Eastern Adoulin’s Celennia Memorial Library (F-10) after completing the quest Delkfutt the Great.
  • Records of Eminence has undergone the following additions and adjustments.
    • The monthly Records of Eminence objectives have been swapped out.
  • A new designation has been added.

Battle-related (Sortie)

  • New battle content known as Sortie has been added.
    * The NPC curating Sortie, Ruspix, will be temporarily disabled upon the launch of the August version update in order to address several last-minute issues. Read on for details.

    Sortie is instanced battle content that plays out in Outer Ra’Kaznar [U].
  • Prerequisites
    • Have completed Adoulin Mission Chapter 5 (up through The Light Within).
    • Be in possession of the Scintallating Rhapsody key item.
  • Requirements to Participate
    • Be in possession of the shiny Ra’Kaznarian plate key item.
      * Players may only possess one of these items at a time.
  • Enjoying Sortie
    • Step 1. Speak with Ruspix in Leafallia to obtain a shiny Ra’Kaznarian plate key item.
    • Step 2. The party leader should interact with the diaphanous transposer in Kamihr Drifts (F-6) and select Sortie.
    • Step 3. If all party members meet the requirements for participation, the party will be entered into the queue.
    • Step 4. Interact with the diaphanous transposer again to join.
      * Upon entering the instance, the shiny Ra’Kaznarian plate will transform into a dull Ra’Kaznarian plate.
    • Second and subsequent attempts:
      Players approaching the diaphanous transposer after at least 20 hours have passed since their previous attempt will find that their dull Ra’Kaznarian plate will transform back into a shiny Ra’Kaznarian plate. You will then be able to enter Sortie again.
    • Between one and six players may participate.
      * Alter egos may be called forth.
      * All participating players must be in possession of a shiny Ra’Kaznarian plate to join.
    • The time limit is one hour.
  • Rewards
    • Vanquishing foes in Sortie will reward you with gallimaufry, the currency require for reforging item level 119 empyrean armor.
    • Ra’Kaznarian sapphires, also required for reforging, will drop from notorious monsters in Sortie and can also be purchased with gallimaufry.
    • Treasure chests that appear once certain conditions are met can also yield gallimaufry and Ra’Kaznarian sapphires.
    • In addition to the above, players can also obtain old cases, which contain augmented job-specific earrings.
      * Gallimaufry and Ra’Kaznarian sapphires are personal rewards.
      * Gallimaufry is retained between Sortie attempts and can be viewed at any time via the Currencies 2 menu.
  • Decreasing Time Required for Reentry
    • After you complete Sortie for the first time, you can receive a Ruspix’s plate by speaking with Ruspix in Leafallia (H-8).
    • After entering Sortie a second time, your Ruspix’s plate will charge up with energy, accumulating time equal to one-fifth (1/5) of the time that exceeded the 20 hour waiting period since your previous Sortie.
      (Example: You first entered Sortie at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday. You next enter Sortie at 9:00 p.m. on Friday. Since 25 hours has passed since your first Sortie, you are 5 hours past the minimum waiting period. One-fifth of that time (1 hour) is stored in your Ruspix’s plate upon entry into the second Sortie.)
    • Once your Ruspix’s plate has stored up an amount of time equivalent to the amount of time you must wait before entering Sortie again, you can speak with Ruspix in Leafallia (H-8) to have him convert your dull Ra’Kaznarian plate into a shiny Ra’Kaznarian plate.
      * The amount of time is recorded and displayed in-game in seconds.
      * Ruspix’s plate can store up to 72,000 seconds (20 hours) of time.
  • Leaving Sortie
    • Use the spell Warp/Teleport or similar effects.
    • Use the obsidian wing temporary item, obtainable upon entry into Sortie.
    • Reach the time limit.
    • Have three minutes elapse after all party members are knocked out.

Battle-related (Ambuscade & Other)

  • Ambuscade has undergone the following additions and adjustments.
    • The foes in Normal and Intense Ambuscades have been swapped out.
      * As such, the corresponding Records of Eminence objectives have changed.
    • Exemplar points are no longer gained or lost in Normal or Intense Ambuscades when completing an Ambuscade or being knocked out.
      * This change was made in response to feedback from players who found it difficult to participate in Ambuscade because of this penalty.
  • Intense Ambuscades have undergone the following adjustments.
    • A visual effect will now display when Bozzetto Ramuh activates a special ability when using Astral Passage.
    • The Bozzetto Doppelganger will find it more difficult to flee when afflicted with weight or bind.
    • The Bozzetto Doppelganger now has resistance against all forms of damage.
      * The amount of damage reduction is unchanged.
  • Normal Ambuscades have undergone the following adjustments.
    • Bozzetto Jody, Bozzetto Julika, and Bozzetto Vivian have had their attack delay increased from 240 to 320.
    • Bozzetto Jody, Bozzetto Julika, and Bozzetto Vivian have had the damage adjustment of their Impale ability decreased from 2.0 to 1.5.
    • A golden bomb will now appear when certain conditions are met.
  • Certain items obtainable in exchange for hallmarks have been swapped out.
  • Certain items obtainable for total hallmarks have been swapped out.
  • Certain items obtainable in exchange for badges of gallantry have been swapped out.
  • New status ailments, tainted and haunted, have been added.
    These status ailments cannot be removed by white magic, abilities, or items.

Item-related

  • New items have been added.
  • Additional items are now storable via the Porter Moogle.
    • Storage Slip 03
    • ???
  • A method for reobtaining certain ammunition-related equipment has been added.
    • To receive one of the applicable items you may have lost, speak with the Munitions Moogle in Port Jeuno (E-6) and trade one of the applicable base weapons.
      * Each item may only be re-obtained once.
Applicable ItemRequired Weapon
Yoichi’s QuiverYoichinoyumi
Artemis’s QuiverGandiva
Chrono QuiverFail-Not
Quelling Bolt QuiverGastraphetes
Eradicating Bullet PouchAnnihilator
Living Bullet PouchDeath Penalty
Devastating Bullet PouchArmageddon
Chrono Bullet PouchFomalhaut

System Related

  • Exchanging items with the Voidwatch Officer and Voidwatch Purveyor is now done by manually entering the amount you wish to exchange for.
    * Up to 99 may be exchanged at once.
  • The following currencies have been added to the Currencies 2 menu.
    Domain Points / Domain Points earned today / Mog Segments / Gallimaufry
  • The amount of time new players and returnees are allowed to speak in the Assist channel has been increased from 48 hours to 240 hours.
  • A new term has been added to the Auto-translate function.
CategoryTerm
Game Terms 2Sortie

Resolved Issues

  • The issue with the Locus Colibri in Bhaflau Thickets wherein action logic in battle was incorrect.
  • The issue in Ambuscade wherein Bozzetto Vivian would fail to properly consume TP when using Box Step.


About the Author

Tony Garsow Tony joined Nova Crystallis in 2015, and has spent more than a decade writing in the Final Fantasy community. He also contributes to the Nova Crystallis Twitch and YouTube channels, where you can watch select gameplay highlights, previews, and streams.

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