Well, I wrote this post under the other NPC topic, and I think it' pretty good, so I'm just gonna make a topic for more of a quick and easy view. This is basically just an overview of all the things I've learned myself and through others.
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Haven't read through all of this, so I apologize if I repeat anything that has been said.
I've used my NPC quite a bit, and she's currently level 46. ^^ I'm gonna divulge what I've learned.
Things I am SURE of:
-They stay out 15 battles. Even at level 37, she is still remaining for 15 battles.
-They gain EXP as if they were fighting whatever you are fighting solo. So a level 50 mob that is Too Weak to a 75 job you may be using, but Incredibly Tough to your NPC will yield 200 EXP.
-They CANNOT EXP chain. So your max EXP per session will be 3000 in the beginning.
-They cannot be summoned in any dungeon areas, or areas that require certain quests to get to. So Sky, Tavnazia, Sea, etc...That's all off limits. You have to stick to your basic outside zones.
-The NPC can be hit with any sort of beneficial one target spell, except party only spells, such as Regen, Refresh, Erase, etc.(Thank you Rones)
-They cannot be hit with party AoE spells like Protectra and Shellra.
-They can teleport and run up cliffs like mobs do when they chase you. I've been halfway across the desert from my NPC before, and when I drew my weapon and hit the mob, the thing practically used Flee and was on it.
Things I am not sure of, but believe to be true:
-The NPC can stay out for 1.5 minutes times the NPC level. So 45 minutes when you first get it.
-The NPC levels up on the same EXP chart as us. So if you were to take out a level 37 job, and see it's exact TNL, the NPC would probably have the same exact TNL.
-Once they pass level 50, I believe their base EXP max without chaining will be raised, as is ours, allowing more efficient EXP sessions with your NPC.
-I also believe the NPC will trigger more quests as they level, as whenever I talk to Luta, there are 2 options: Ask if anything is new, or quit this task. Something along those lines. I am guessing once the NPC hits X level, new things are opened. Who knows, maybe they get AF quests? I'll have to see when mine hits 42.
General things:
-While in "Shield" mode, the NPC will do what it can to tank. It has the PLD class attached to it, since it can intimidate undead. Regarding it's ability to use magic as "Shield" is something I do not know. I'd assume it could considering 2 things...One, it's a Paladin. And two, if you talk to your NPC at a Rendevouz Point, it will give the option to warn when it has low HP, warn when it has low MP, and give you update on battle aspects or something. Since you can select warn on low MP, I am guessing it has MP. Then again, Attacker mode allows the same MP warning I believe. Still...Oh, lastly, the NPC will fire off a WS as soon as it has TP in "Shield" mode. It will make no attempt to chain with you.
-While in "Healer" mode, the NPC will buff itself, you, and anyone else in your party. If you are afflicted with a status effect, it will cast the proper -na spell to cure such. Example being, me and Julzdemon were leveling our NPC's in Altepa. He got blinded, and then we both got silenced. His NPC resisted it somehow, and casted Silena on him, followed by me. Then it proceeded to cast Blindna on him. Pretty nifty. Not sure how they go with the curing aspect...But when my NPC hit low life, I went to Cure III her, and his NPC decided to Cure III him lol. So maybe they also tend to react to other casting, on top of low HP. They will still melee, and fire off weapon skills at random, like in "Shield" mode.
-While in "Attacker" mode, your NPC will gain the job trait "Double Attack." This leads me to believe this class is (obviously) Warrior. Your NPC will be surprisingly smart with TP usage while in this mode. It will only solo WS if you have either just used a WS, in which case it will try to chain with you, or if it has 100 TP and you have under 50 or so. If the NPC attains 100 TP and you are close to 100 as well, it will wait for you to hit 100 and then WS immediately. Also, if the mob is extremely low on life, your NPC will actually SAVE IT'S TP(Something people in parties never seem to know how to do, yet a simple NPC can. Amazing.)! You will also have the option to have your NPC tell you when it has 100 TP, so you know when it's going to use a Weapon Skill. Unfortunately, you cannot seem to command them on what WS to use, so instead of Sturmwind, my NPC tends to use Armor Break or Shield Break lol. ; ;
On a final note, after a certain amount of times using your NPC, you can talk to Luta. She will speak of your NPC thinking about upgrading his/her weapon, and ask that you trade her a weapon suitable for your NPC to use. Now when this is first offered, you can only trade a very low level weapon. I gave my NPC Great Axe, so I traded a Butterfly Axe(LV5 weapon). After a bunch more uses of your NPC, talking to Luta will once more bring up a CS where she talks about your NPC once more thinking about upgrading her current weapon. At this time, you can give a more powerful version of the weapon you originally gave her. So instead of a LV5 Great Axe, I would try giving her a level 10 or 15 one. I tried giving a LV31 Great Axe, but she did not take it. So I assume you have to take small steps up the ladder until the NPC can actually have a pimped out weapon. And in regards to returning whatever weapon you originally gave them, I have no idea. I'll add to this when I find out. ^^
**Recently hit 38, and my NPC had a new option at the Rendevouz Point. She asks me if she should consider a change in headgear. I can now change her bandana like armor piece to a cap. Not sure how this effects performance, but yea. I believe it is attainable before 38. Most likely based on the number of NPC summons you have made.
***After the update, the next time I summoned my NPC, she stayed out for 20 battles. I believe this is something that occurs after a certain number of NPC summons. Also, this is most likely running the same line as your relationship with your NPC. I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that everytime you take your NPC out and have a leveling session without it or you dying, your relationship with is improves. Dying/throwing away your pearl/zoning away from your NPC are all probably things that will lower your relationship with your NPC.
Small tip to level whoring your NPC:
Some people have mentioned the throwing away your pearl for a new pearl trick, which is nice, but if used correctly, you can get a bunch of EXP relatively fast. To do this, level your NPC before 3:00 PM EST. Give yourself at least a half hour, so try leveling it before 2:30 PM EST. If you do this, your pearl will reset normally at around 10:30 am EST. Now, 11:00 AM EST is 0:00 JST. That's when a new day starts IRL and quests and things that are once an IRL day reset. Like throwing away your pearl. So now, summon your NPC once more, level, finish. Throw away your pearl BEFORE 11:00 AM EST. Summon, level again. Now it should be past 11:00 AM EST. Throw away your pearl AGAIN. Now you can get yet ANOTHER pearl. Summon, level finish. The next time the pearl resets just level as normal. Then when you can align it with 10:30 AM EST again, repeat the original thing. It's worked pretty well for me.
**Added due to update**- USE THIS METHOD AT YOUR OWN RISK NOW. Aparently the update is nerfing this so that it deteriorates your relationship with your NPC. Not sure how severely, but this method is NO LONGER RECCOMENDED. ^^;
Last but not least, I reccomend leveling in Eastern Altepa Desert. You are least likely to interrupt other people's EXP(Like people who have used Weapons and Sauromugue to the point where parties just stopped trying there at 30, and you can find a WIDE range of mobs that most anyone 50+ can handle solo with minimal trouble. Western Altepa Desert probably works just as well. As for post 40 levels, I'm not sure what alternatives are going to be available, but the desert provides the largest level range I can think of off hand. Lizards in the jungle also work relatively well, or Sahagins, though I am not sure what level they are.
Hope this helps everyone with a little one stop place to read up on the basics of the NPC. I'll edit the post and add more as I learn more. Enjoy.
______
Cythe - Rank 10
Hume Male
75 Paladin
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Haven't read through all of this, so I apologize if I repeat anything that has been said.
I've used my NPC quite a bit, and she's currently level 46. ^^ I'm gonna divulge what I've learned.
Things I am SURE of:
-They stay out 15 battles. Even at level 37, she is still remaining for 15 battles.
-They gain EXP as if they were fighting whatever you are fighting solo. So a level 50 mob that is Too Weak to a 75 job you may be using, but Incredibly Tough to your NPC will yield 200 EXP.
-They CANNOT EXP chain. So your max EXP per session will be 3000 in the beginning.
-They cannot be summoned in any dungeon areas, or areas that require certain quests to get to. So Sky, Tavnazia, Sea, etc...That's all off limits. You have to stick to your basic outside zones.
-The NPC can be hit with any sort of beneficial one target spell, except party only spells, such as Regen, Refresh, Erase, etc.(Thank you Rones)
-They cannot be hit with party AoE spells like Protectra and Shellra.
-They can teleport and run up cliffs like mobs do when they chase you. I've been halfway across the desert from my NPC before, and when I drew my weapon and hit the mob, the thing practically used Flee and was on it.
Things I am not sure of, but believe to be true:
-The NPC can stay out for 1.5 minutes times the NPC level. So 45 minutes when you first get it.
-The NPC levels up on the same EXP chart as us. So if you were to take out a level 37 job, and see it's exact TNL, the NPC would probably have the same exact TNL.
-Once they pass level 50, I believe their base EXP max without chaining will be raised, as is ours, allowing more efficient EXP sessions with your NPC.
-I also believe the NPC will trigger more quests as they level, as whenever I talk to Luta, there are 2 options: Ask if anything is new, or quit this task. Something along those lines. I am guessing once the NPC hits X level, new things are opened. Who knows, maybe they get AF quests? I'll have to see when mine hits 42.
General things:
-While in "Shield" mode, the NPC will do what it can to tank. It has the PLD class attached to it, since it can intimidate undead. Regarding it's ability to use magic as "Shield" is something I do not know. I'd assume it could considering 2 things...One, it's a Paladin. And two, if you talk to your NPC at a Rendevouz Point, it will give the option to warn when it has low HP, warn when it has low MP, and give you update on battle aspects or something. Since you can select warn on low MP, I am guessing it has MP. Then again, Attacker mode allows the same MP warning I believe. Still...Oh, lastly, the NPC will fire off a WS as soon as it has TP in "Shield" mode. It will make no attempt to chain with you.
-While in "Healer" mode, the NPC will buff itself, you, and anyone else in your party. If you are afflicted with a status effect, it will cast the proper -na spell to cure such. Example being, me and Julzdemon were leveling our NPC's in Altepa. He got blinded, and then we both got silenced. His NPC resisted it somehow, and casted Silena on him, followed by me. Then it proceeded to cast Blindna on him. Pretty nifty. Not sure how they go with the curing aspect...But when my NPC hit low life, I went to Cure III her, and his NPC decided to Cure III him lol. So maybe they also tend to react to other casting, on top of low HP. They will still melee, and fire off weapon skills at random, like in "Shield" mode.
-While in "Attacker" mode, your NPC will gain the job trait "Double Attack." This leads me to believe this class is (obviously) Warrior. Your NPC will be surprisingly smart with TP usage while in this mode. It will only solo WS if you have either just used a WS, in which case it will try to chain with you, or if it has 100 TP and you have under 50 or so. If the NPC attains 100 TP and you are close to 100 as well, it will wait for you to hit 100 and then WS immediately. Also, if the mob is extremely low on life, your NPC will actually SAVE IT'S TP(Something people in parties never seem to know how to do, yet a simple NPC can. Amazing.)! You will also have the option to have your NPC tell you when it has 100 TP, so you know when it's going to use a Weapon Skill. Unfortunately, you cannot seem to command them on what WS to use, so instead of Sturmwind, my NPC tends to use Armor Break or Shield Break lol. ; ;
On a final note, after a certain amount of times using your NPC, you can talk to Luta. She will speak of your NPC thinking about upgrading his/her weapon, and ask that you trade her a weapon suitable for your NPC to use. Now when this is first offered, you can only trade a very low level weapon. I gave my NPC Great Axe, so I traded a Butterfly Axe(LV5 weapon). After a bunch more uses of your NPC, talking to Luta will once more bring up a CS where she talks about your NPC once more thinking about upgrading her current weapon. At this time, you can give a more powerful version of the weapon you originally gave her. So instead of a LV5 Great Axe, I would try giving her a level 10 or 15 one. I tried giving a LV31 Great Axe, but she did not take it. So I assume you have to take small steps up the ladder until the NPC can actually have a pimped out weapon. And in regards to returning whatever weapon you originally gave them, I have no idea. I'll add to this when I find out. ^^
**Recently hit 38, and my NPC had a new option at the Rendevouz Point. She asks me if she should consider a change in headgear. I can now change her bandana like armor piece to a cap. Not sure how this effects performance, but yea. I believe it is attainable before 38. Most likely based on the number of NPC summons you have made.
***After the update, the next time I summoned my NPC, she stayed out for 20 battles. I believe this is something that occurs after a certain number of NPC summons. Also, this is most likely running the same line as your relationship with your NPC. I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that everytime you take your NPC out and have a leveling session without it or you dying, your relationship with is improves. Dying/throwing away your pearl/zoning away from your NPC are all probably things that will lower your relationship with your NPC.
Small tip to level whoring your NPC:
Some people have mentioned the throwing away your pearl for a new pearl trick, which is nice, but if used correctly, you can get a bunch of EXP relatively fast. To do this, level your NPC before 3:00 PM EST. Give yourself at least a half hour, so try leveling it before 2:30 PM EST. If you do this, your pearl will reset normally at around 10:30 am EST. Now, 11:00 AM EST is 0:00 JST. That's when a new day starts IRL and quests and things that are once an IRL day reset. Like throwing away your pearl. So now, summon your NPC once more, level, finish. Throw away your pearl BEFORE 11:00 AM EST. Summon, level again. Now it should be past 11:00 AM EST. Throw away your pearl AGAIN. Now you can get yet ANOTHER pearl. Summon, level finish. The next time the pearl resets just level as normal. Then when you can align it with 10:30 AM EST again, repeat the original thing. It's worked pretty well for me.
**Added due to update**- USE THIS METHOD AT YOUR OWN RISK NOW. Aparently the update is nerfing this so that it deteriorates your relationship with your NPC. Not sure how severely, but this method is NO LONGER RECCOMENDED. ^^;
Last but not least, I reccomend leveling in Eastern Altepa Desert. You are least likely to interrupt other people's EXP(Like people who have used Weapons and Sauromugue to the point where parties just stopped trying there at 30, and you can find a WIDE range of mobs that most anyone 50+ can handle solo with minimal trouble. Western Altepa Desert probably works just as well. As for post 40 levels, I'm not sure what alternatives are going to be available, but the desert provides the largest level range I can think of off hand. Lizards in the jungle also work relatively well, or Sahagins, though I am not sure what level they are.
Hope this helps everyone with a little one stop place to read up on the basics of the NPC. I'll edit the post and add more as I learn more. Enjoy.
______
Cythe - Rank 10
Hume Male
75 Paladin
they are fixing the glitch, and god forbid you accidently drop your signal pearl lol your NPC will start to hate you lol