REQUIREMENT TO ACCESS PROMYVIONS:

A: FFXI: CHAINS OF PROMATHIA EXPANSION INSTALLED AND REGISTERED.

B: THE FOUR FOLLOWING CUTSCENES

LOWER DELKFUTT'S TOWER (ZONE IN)

UPPER JEUNO (ZONE IN)

UPPER JEUNO INFIRMIRY (SPEAK TO DOCTOR NPC INSIDE)

RU'LUDE GARDENS ARCHDUKE'S CASTLE (SPEAK TO NPC JUST INSIDE THE GUARD'S ROOM)

LEVEL REQUIRED: LVL30 CAPPED ON ALL 3.

PREFERRED JOBS: TANKS: WAR/NIN OR NIN/WAR REQUIRED
HEALERS: WHM,BLM,SMN (SMN ASTRAL FLOW FOR FINISHER REQUIRED.)
MELEE: ANY MELEE JOB (EXCEPT THF, DRG, BST) WITH /NIN SUBJOB

Promyvions are your first step into the vast world and story of "Chains of Promathia" expansion for FFXI. To enter these glimpses into the world of the "emptiness" is as simple as clicking the "shattered telepoint" located at the crag the Promyvion is being held at. An important note: if the Promyvion attempt fails, re enter the "Hall of Tears" and click the left "Large Apparatus" to erase the memory of the journey inside. Doing so allows entry into any Promyvion, in case the next one offered is different than the one just tried. In the sections below however, is info from the many Promyvion events both from indibidual experiences to the many CR events. From the fitst floor to each individual boss fight this guide should hopefully ensure many victories to come!

FLOOR 1-3 OF PROMYVIONS

For these three floors the main objective is to find and destroy the Memory Recepticle on 3 of the 4 floors of the Promyvion and jump into the portal that appears in its place to proceed to the next floor. Enter this portal only after agro is cleared for the team! False Memory Recepticles do exist on each floor. If the portal doesn't appear after killing the Memory Recepticle it is false and a new one must be located. Rangers or ranger subbed party members are the best jobs to seek these out as Memory Recepticles can be seen and tracked via ability "widescan". If no rangers, /RNG subbed members are present simply carefully walk the edges of each floor until the blue glow of the Memory Recepticle sphere and its minion Strays can be seen.

DEFEATING MEMORY RECEPTICLES

These aren't rocket science since the enormous difficulty nerf from last year (back then 18 member alliance was required to kill these things and a DD getting to close to the fight = death to them). So in a nutshell white mages heal (duh), summoners and mages should stay back and have pets assault/mages nuke the Memory Recepticle while melees/tanks alike should keep the area clear of strays. Strays are small creatures the Memory Recepticle continuosly spawns as its main form of defense and will immediately target the assaulting avatars and mages. Can be easily killed by any attack so don't get nervous about taking one on solo. As the Memory Recepticle sustains damage it will use uts own TP move "Empty Seed" that AOEs all around it and pushes all hit backward. This is one reason Ninja or /NIN sub is absolutely manditory for all Promyvions as this AOE will not damage/throw back a fully utsusemi'd person. Be sure and stay against the dead end areas so as to not be pushed backwards into harder agro/ With this strategy these fights shouldn't be more than 2-3minutes tops!

FLOOR 4 OF PROMYVIONS

Find the Spire Entrances on the 4th floor. These can't be found by widescan so at this point its basically up to the person who's been here before to guide. The door basically looks like a tower structure on a wall's edge with a see through opening as the entrance. No real strategy here except do your best not to agro on this floor! While the "easy prey" mobs on the first floor and the easy Memory Recepticle fights might fool you, the 4th floor is IT-IT++ mobs that can kill. If you do agro though don't panic, stop to avoid links and let your party take it down in a safe area. That's it!

THE BOSSES OF PROMYVIONS

This is where true teamwork comes into play. While any number of people can climb Promyvions with you, at this phase the fight is a BCNM and only parties may enter, not as an entire alliance. So if traveling with more than 6 be sure that either the alliance has full individual parties or enough members that have completed the Promyvion so they can exit out of the BCNM back to the spire, rejoin the second party and redo. With this tactic though it is essential that those waiting to retry have a SMN with 2hr still and melees with "power 2hrs" ready to compensate for the 2hrs spent in the 1st party. Power 2hrs include: Mighty Strikes, Meikyo Shisu, Eagle Eye Shot, Hundred Fists, and yes even Mijun Gakure. While not near the effectiveness of a SMNs Astral Flow, combined these 2hrs are needed to bring the NM's HP down to a level Astral Flow can quickly take out and sadly why DRG, THF and BST do poorly on these and must be ruled out UNLESS it is your only lvl30 job and then only one of these jobs per party trip.

ABOUT ANIMAS

One important note to discuss is the key to easier BCNM fights: Animas. Not to be confused with the AHable ones, these rare/ex treasures are used to weaken the bosses of all 3 Promyvions. These are obtained by killing any mob in any Promyvion (preferably the easy preys on first floor) until items called "Recollections" fall. These Recollections "fear.guilt.pain" can be traded to the npc just inside the Archduke's House along with 2,000gil and he will craft them into 1 of 3 anima types:

PSYCHOANIMA: The NM becomes intimidated by the user's presence and unable to perform regular attacks. 20sec duration.

HYSTEROANIMA: The NM loses its ability to use its unique special ability. 20sec duration.

TERRORANIMA: The NM is stricken with panic and runs wildly about the area. 20sec duration. (However since the main goal on any NM fight is to hold it still, and the NM can still attack while on the run this anima serves no real purpose. Toss it if you get one.)

Important note: Be sure to craft these before the Left Apparatus of the Promyvion is touched to clear memory for players who haven't beat any! It only makes sense if there is no memory of being there, there can be no explanation to the quest npc what was seen or know how to use the Recollections collected and therefore get no Anima crafted.

PROMYVION DEM

ITEMS NEEDED: TANK: A STACK OF DEFENSE FOOD OR DORADO SUSHI FOR OPTIONAL FOR +3 EMNITY, SHIHEI, IF NINJA BRING A FULL STACK OF EVERY ENFEEBLING NINJITSU, 3-4 HI POTIONS, RERAISE SCROLL OR EARRING, AN UTSUSEMI DOWN MACRO TO WARN BOUNCE VOKER.

MAGES: A STACK OF MAGE'S PREFERRED FOOD, 2-3 ETHERS, 3-4 YAGUDO DRINKS, RERAISE SCROLL OR EARRING, MP MACRO TO WARN HEALER BUDDY

MELEE: ATTACK FOOD OR SUSHI OF CHOICE FOR ACC+, SHIHEI, 3-4 HI POTIONS, RERAISE SCROLL OR EARRING, LVL30 ARROW STACKS IF USING RANGED ATTACKS. 2HR READY AND ABLE REQUIRED FOR ENTIRE PARTY)

TANK/MELEE STRATEGY:

Once inside the BCNM use appropriate tank/melee food, your reraise, and use utsusemi. While yes the SMN can and will use Garuda's Aerial Armor inside to buff, Blink doesn't 100% guarantee to block an attack while utsusemi does and since this class is the front line against the NM, don't be stingy with the shihei. Let the mages buff you inside with protect/shell and do not move until they are rested and ready to battle. There should be two tanks and during this rest period assign a provoke order for continuos recasting of utsusemi. If there is a NIN tank have that person have the first provoke duty by using an enfeebling ninjutsu before the NM is actually agrod. Also assign one melee to patrol for this NM's baby spawns called Offspring. Once ready provoker number 1 drag the NM completely across the room and hold it there to keep mages safe as they cure you. NIN tanks use ONE enfeebling ninjutsu per provoke cycle or the NM will not turn for utsusemi recast. All melee join in on the NM beatdown until babies are spotted: at that point the baby patroller is to disengage and begin the destrucion of the Offspring until 50% hp on the actual NM. At this time all melee/non NIN tanks are to 2hr and go all out on its HP with the Offspring patroller using as much of his/her 2hr on the NM while swithing to kill Offspring still. If you have Hysteroanimas use these now 1 at a time in a 20sec order so that the NM's ability to spawn Offspring is sealed and the melee on patrol duty can devote 100% of their 2hr to the main NM. Keep tanking/meleeing untill the SMN can 2hr the appropriate element on it. As the SMN readies Astral Flow begin the same 20sec order with any Psychoanimas your party posseses. If and ONLY IF its HP is near non existant is the NIN allowed to finish with a Mijun Gakure to keep it from doing its HP drain move that all Promyvion bosses will do on low HP with disastrous effects. If it has too much hp continue to tank despite its HP drainer until the SMN can finish up with a 2nd Astral Flow. At no point panic.

MAGE STRATEGY

Mage strategy isn't quite so complicated but much attention and teamwork is still needed. Once inside the BCNM use mage food, buff the party, use reraisers and rest MP. When full MP give the tanks the go ahead but do not follow them. Instead stay as far back as your healing magic will allow you to be. Don't enfeeble if there is a NIN tank, let that person enfeeble to save MP and allow tanks to hold hate. Healers should heal in a buddy system fashion. Let the mage with the LOWEST cure potency actually cure first. The NM won't go all out in the beginning so the lower cures allows the tanks time to establish good hate control before larger cures are needed. Cast Cure 1 often on tanks, even if a tiny bit of HP is missing as all Promyvion bosses have the ability to take 2-300HP off a tank with certain TP moves they posess. At 50% MP healer number 1 should give the mage in waiting an MP call so that they can begin healing while mage 1 rests. Ssve Cure 2 for emergencies only as this is a huge hate grabber. The mage curing should use Yagudo Drinks to keep MP trickling during cure time and ether up in emergency cure situations, unless you are the SMN! The SMN are to save these supplies unless extra was brought to 2hr at about 30-40%HP and MP up if a 2nd or even 3rd Astral Flow is needed. One last note on SMN: on this one ONLY stay close to the NM when unleashing Astral Flow so as to take out any Offspring being spawned with each 2hr use. Nuking can be done by BLMs but only at the melee/tank 2hr phase IF the healer is good on MP. Don't forget your 2hrs are just as important as the tanks/melees! WHMs be ready to 2hr if MP is a problem but the victory looks certain! BLMs Manafont for either extra healing if no MP on healers or nuke it if near the end of the fight and damage is needed (for instance a melee died).

To all party members: Remember even if only 1 person lives through the NM fight the win goes to the entire party, so know when to throw hate control to the wind and do what you have to if the situation calls for it. Also if the NM fight starts of badly (i.e. tank dies at start), don't waste anima nor 2hrs and instead reclick the "Web of Recollections" and retreat from the battle. On retreat tanks protect the WHM! Better to die and have a WHM to meet you after the fight kicks you out than a complete wipeout or no retry due to wasted 2hrs on a doomed attempt.

(Using this base guideline from Promyvion Dem for tank/melee and mage strategies only the minor item changes and NM special abilities will be listed for Promyvion Holla and Mea.)

PROMYVION HOLLA STRATEGY

ITEMS NEEDED: TANK: A STACK OF BUBBLE CHOCOLATE OR NO FOOD, 3-4 POISON POTIONS, A STACK OF HOLY WATER, A STACK OF EYE DROPS, SHIHEI, IF NINJA BRING A FULL STACK OF EVERY ENFEEBLING NINJITSU, 3-4 HI POTIONS, RERAISE SCROLL OR EARRING, AN UTSUSEMI DOWN MACRO TO WARN BOUNCE VOKER.

MAGES: A STACK OF ANY MP ONLY FOOD, 2-3 ETHERS, 3-4 YAGUDO DRINKS, 2-3 POISON POTIONS,
RERAISE SCROLL OR EARRING, MP MACRO TO WARN HEALER BUDDY

MELEE: A STACK OF BUBBLE CHOCOLATE OR NO FOOD, SHIHEI, 3-4 HI POTIONS, 3-4 POISON POTIONS, A STACK OF HOLY WATER, A STACK OF EYE DROPS, RERAISE SCROLL OR EARRING, LVL30 ARROW STACKS IF USING RANGED ATTACK (2HR READY AND ABLE REQUIRED FOR ENTIRE PARTY)

TANK/MELEE STRATEGY

Once inside, use the reraise, utsusemi up but hold off on the food and poison potions until the mages give the go to ensure they last as long as possible. Once the go is given use the chocolate and poison potion and follow the same "take the fight far" method as mentioned before. Nothing will change from the initial fight plan and it is actually moreso important to perfect this distance battle due to this NM's tricky nature. This NM has two deadly tricks up his sleeve: the fist of which is he can absorb the buffs right off the person his hate is targeted to. This includes protect, shell, and the effects of the food on you during this fight and is why mages must NEVER buff the party before the fight or during. However, if the NM uses the move and the target has absolutely no buff to absotb it is taken directly from the target's HP in mass quantity. This is the reason behind the bubble chocolate and carrying so many. Be sure one is used per drain of the food off of you. He can also absorb utsusemi and reraise, but don't panic as he won't actually reraise if he takes it. His second trick is an AOE that causes sleepga along with multiple status effects. This is the reason behind the poison potion usage, since a poisoned person cannot be kept asleep the party can spring back to action quickly. This move resets hate so the tank with a ready provoke use it now! Quickly follow up with a holy water to remove curse so mages can fully cure you and eye drops if blinded for more damage to the NM. This one likes HP drain more than the other two bosses so be always poison potioned, and food on at all times until the 40-50% melee 2hr mark. For anima usage, save the Hysteroanima for last as he can end the party by putting the SMN and his avatar to sleep on 2hr time. Use Psychoanima if an utsusemi breather is needed. With this strategy winning should go smoothly.

MAGE STRATEGY

From start do not buff the party ever! Do use Aerial Armor and reraise however and unlike tanks/melees feel free to eat any MP tick food as MP won't make it any deadlier than it already is. Cure tactics stay the same as with Dem BCNM, with the exception that BLMs might do best to devote 100% MP to healing as this fight can take awhile due to constant HP drain and sleepga, which will inevitably catch a person or two just as their poison potion wears off. Again it is stressed if the win looks certain WHMs BENEDICTION and BLMs MANAFONT! Do not run from this mob if agrod though, allow the tanks to get hate back or there is a very real chance this movement can run the target out of Astral Flow range and kill the party's win with it. SMNs on this one AND Mea stay as far back as 2hr allows to try and avoid the sleepga AOE. Keep with this strategy and the win should come.

PROMYVION MEA STRATEGY

ITEMS NEEDED: TANK: A STACK OF DEFENSE FOOD OR DORADO SUSHI FOR OPTIONAL FOR +3 EMNITY, A STACK OF ANTIDOTES, A STACK OF SHIHEI, IF NINJA BRING A FULL STACK OF EVERY ENFEEBLING NINJITSU, 3-4 HI POTIONS, RERAISE SCROLL OR EARRING, AN UTSUSEMI DOWN MACRO TO WARN BOUNCE VOKER.

MAGES: A STACK OF MAGE'S PREFERRED FOOD, 2-3 ETHERS, 3-4 YAGUDO DRINKS, A STACK OF ANTIDOTES, RERAISE SCROLL OR EARRING, MP MACRO TO WARN HEALER BUDDY

MELEE: ATTACK FOOD OR SUSHI OF CHOICE FOR ACC+, SHIHEI, 3-4 HI POTIONS, A STACK OF ANTIDOTES, RERAISE SCROLL OR EARRING, LVL30 ARROW STACKS IF USING RANGED ATTACKS.
2HR READY AND ABLE REQUIRED FOR ENTIRE PARTY)

TANK/MELEE STRATEGY

As with Dem, once inside eat food, reraise and utsusemi up and stand still until mages buff the party and are rested. Once the go ahead is given, the NM MUST be pulled across the room with one special precaution. Once pulled across the room the NM must be turned by the tanks so that their backs are against the wall over there. Melees no matter the type are to also huddle by the tanks with backs pressed against the wall and commence attack from there. This reason is this NM's special move not only damages AOE style but throws all targets across the room, much like the Memory Recepticles fought to reach the top of all Promyvions. This move also resets hate and causes the "weighted down" status effect on all hit, so having all tanks and melees against the wall ensures they won't be thrown anywhere near the mages nor far from the NM, allowing hate to be regained quickly as the mages continue curing. This can also cause a nasty poison so antidote immediately to conserve HP and mage's MP for curing. On anima usage it is probably best to use Hysteroanima last as with the Mea BCNM to seal off the deadly AOE to ensure the SMN isn't onr hiy KO'd before the Astral Flow is delivered to the NM for the big finish. Use Psychoanima for an utsusemi breather if the action gets too intense and keep against the wall no matter what and this can be won with style!

MAGE STRATEGIES

As with Dem, buff the party, eat mage food, reraise up and rest MP to full before giving the tanks the go ahead. Then as with the other two, stay far back and cure buddy style always. BLMs stick to healing on this one as this AOE is a nasty one to get repeatedly hit with. SMNs stay distant as with Holla for Astral Flow as this AOE can and will one hit KO any mage close enough. This fight keeps the formula fairly straight forward for mages. Cure, cure, cure, SMN 2hr at about 30-40%,the end. Its more of an outlasting his AOEs than anything else so I stress once more: if it looks good 2hr for the win! .

And there you have the guide to the first three CoP challenges placed before you and with a lot of skill and a little luck should be staring at the beautiful Lufaise Meadows now! Enjoy, strategies for the next missions will be written soon!

~Vael~