Shattering Stats, Take 1

As you might've guessed from the title, I tried my hand at fighting Maat today.

As you also might've guessed from the title, I was also what some might called "pwned." >_<

Ah well. At least it made for a story. ^^ I've been working towards this fight, somewhat, trying to cap my Enfeebling Magic in regular party setups, including one very nice party in Bibiki Bay. After spamming about three Dias a fight, about 2-3 hours later, I'm looking at capped magic skills across the board. In addition to that, come level 70, I need to get ahold of a Water IV scroll, and as some might say, "I'll be damned" if I have to actually purchase that scroll off the AH.

So I tried to skillup in Beadeaux yesterday to get the scroll (where I died >_<), and while I got neither Flood, nor a scroll of Water IV, I did get reminded that the Sapphire Quadavs which drop said scrolls, also drop a Black Mage's Testimony.

Fast forward to today. I happened to log on, thinking it was Lightsday by rough approximation, and as it turned out, it was actually Firesday. For those who are unfamiliar with how a Black Mage fights Maat, it involves two things- maximising the amount of damage your Ancient Magic spells do, and successfully landing a Sleep on Maat so you can fire off said Ancient Magic safely. With a Fire Staff, Firesday, and a newly-found Flare, I felt Firesday was the better day to try and take Maat on, and since my Dark Magic and Enfeebling Magic are both capped, I shouldn't have too much trouble Sleeping Maat, rightaru?

So I went back to my Moggie-Woggie house and picked up my Blink Band that Rhydia sent me, along with my Black Mage's Testimony, and traded it to Maat. Just like the last time, he teleported me all the way to Horlais' Peak for our duel!

The plan was simple. Sleep him, Freeze, then Stun, Sleep, Flare, Manafont and Fire III for the win. I chose to open with Freeze first since ancient magic supposedly adjusts the target's elemental resistances accordingly, so being hit by an Ice spell would lower Maat's Fire resistance so Flare had a better chance of dealing maximum damage, which I wanted since a lot depended on how much damage Flare deals.




I have to say, I have never actually been inside the Horlais' Peak Burning Circle. I'd been to the Waughroon Shrine numerous times for BCNM40 runs way back then, and the Balgas Dias BCNM while doing missions for Windurst, but I have never, ever stepped into the circle in Horlais Peak. Somehow, I imagined a battlefield covered in snow, with hot springs lining the area. I expected someplace that resembled the Northlands.

I was sorely disappointed when I zoned in to see a green valley. Ah well. >_<

I prepared my fiddling around with Rhydia's Blink Band for a bit before figuring out how to use it, and then opened the fight with Sleepga II on Maat. I wasn't sure if Maat would attack you as soon as you started casting a spell on him, so I chose to Sleepga to be safe, and Sleepga II since it seems to have a lower rate of resistance. Well, Sleepga II was resisted. >_<

Maat started casting Aeroga III. Rather than risk racing it with Sleep II, I impulsively Stunned Maat, then cast Sleep II. This one actually stuck.

I cast Freeze on Maat, after which he ran up to me and started hitting me, taking out my Blink shadows. I tried to Sleepga II, but that got resisted, and then tried to Sleep II him again, which also got resisted. >_<

Maat then started to cast Stonega III, and whether or not my Stun timer had reset by then, I don't remember, but I certainly wasn't able to stop him, and 600+ damage later on my poor little-wittle Tawu-self, I died. ; ;



Looking back, I was definitely not prepared for this. I guess I can attribute it to rushing when I logged on seeing it was Firesday, I guess I was overly excited. I didn't prepare a special set of macros unlike what I've heard some people do, I might've forgotten to try and Stun that last Stonega III, although with the Sleep timers being reset, I don't think I would've won anyway. I didn't have a Bind macro, although I don't think that would've helped since he could've still just nuked me. I forgot to Elemental Seal before my second set of Sleeps, and I even forgot to eat Pie! >_<

Ah well, lessons learnt. Now to go find another Black Mage's testimony. ; ;