The newest content for the Final Fantasy XI Test Server has arrived! The mob stagger system implemented initially for Voidwatch: Final Chapter has been expanded to encompass all Voidwatch battles, a new ticket system has been added for certain Voidwatch weapons and armor to allow exchanges to be made, and a new item has been added that can be purchased and used to weaken Voidwatch monsters.

For those that aren't fans of Voidwatch, revisions have been made to ease the difficulty of some of the early Limit Break quests, and new costumes and equipment have been added for Adventuring Fellow NPCs!

Full details on the update to the Test Server can be found below the break, and if you want to discuss these changes, feel free to do so on the ZAM forums!

From the official Final Fantasy XI forums:

[dev1120] Fellow Adjustments

• Adventuring fellows will now be able to equip the following items:
  • Dream Trousers +1 / Dream Pants +1 *1
  • Snowman Cap
  • Hikogami Yukata
  • Himegami Yukata
  • Dinner Jacket / Dinner Hose *2
  • Novennial Coat / Novennial Dress / Novennial Hose / Novennial Boots *2
  • Decennial Crown +1
  • Decennial Tiara +1
  • Decennial Coat +1 / Decennial Dress +1 / Decennial Tights +1 / Decennial Hose +1 *2
    
    If the player equips the above equipment, adventuring fellows will also appear wearing the same items.
    *1 Dream Robe +1 / Dream Boots +1 / Dream Pants +1 / Dream Pants +1 must be equipped simultaneously.
    *2 Both body and leg armor pieces must be equipped simultaneously.

From the official Final Fantasy XI forums:

[dev1121] Limit Break Quest Adjustments

Conditions for limit break quests will be adjusted as follows:

• In Defiant Challenge
  • A new method for obtaining the required quest items has been added.
    • Ancient Papyrus
      Collect three "ancient papyrus scrap" key items from ??? targets in the Eldieme Necropolis.
    • Exoray Mold
      Collect three "exoray mold crumb" key items from ??? targets in the Crawlers' Nest.
    • Bomb Coal
      Collect three "bomb coal fragment" key items from ??? targets in the Garlaige Citadel.
  • A new method for opening the Banishing Gates in Garlaige Citadel has been added.
    Players may open the gates alone by obtaining the "perfectly weighted stone" key item from the ??? target in Garlaige Citadel (G-8) and examining each of the three gates.

• Whence Blows the Wind
  • The Brass Door on the top floor of Castle Oztroja (H-7) will remain open for a longer period of time.
    *This time extension will not apply if opened from the inside using the handle.

From the official Final Fantasy XI forums:

[dev1122] Voidwatch Adjustments

• The following enemy weakness adjustments, formerly exclusive to the final chapter of Voidwatch, will apply to all jurisdictions.
  • Triggering weaknesses will lower enemies’ attack and magic attack power.
  • Abilities and spells learned via merit points will not trigger enemy weaknesses.
  • The thief ability Bully will trigger enemy weaknesses.
  • All pet special attacks will be able to strike enemy weaknesses.
  • The ranger ability Bounty Shot will not trigger enemy weaknesses.
  • Wyvern breath attacks will not trigger enemy weaknesses.
  • Only a single blood pact for each avatar will trigger enemy weaknesses:
    • Carbuncle: Holy Mist
    • Fenrir: Lunar Bay
    • Ifrit: Fire IV
    • Shiva: Blizzard IV
    • Garuda: Aero IV
    • Titan: Stone IV
    • Ramuh: Thunder IV
    • Leviathan: Water IV
    • Diabolos: Night Terror
  • All automation abilities and special attacks will trigger enemy weaknesses.
  • The scholar ability Modus Veritas will not trigger enemy weaknesses.
  
  *The spells and abilities that will no longer trigger enemy weaknesses will be replaced with other ones usable by the same job so that each job's chance of triggering weaknesses remains relatively unchanged.

• A new key item, the "Voidcluster," will be added and will weaken Voidwalkers.
  
  Obtainment and Usage:
  1. Void Nuggets (tentative name) may be purchased from the NPC Ardrick in Jugner Forest (I-8).
     *Each nugget costs 100,000 gil and players may carry up to five of them at a time.
     After purchasing nuggets, players must wait for the next Conquest tally before their next nugget purchase.
  2. Trade the nuggets to a Planar Rift to receive the Voidcluster key item.
     *Players may carry up to five Voidclusters at once.
  3. A menu will appear asking for the amount of Voidclusters you wish to use after choosing to "Initiate Voidwatch operation." Select the desired amount and begin the battle.

• Tickets (official name TBD) have been added that may be exchanged for the following items—heretofore known as Pulse Panoplia—that are imbued with a mysterious luminescence:

  Anhur Robe / Fazheluo Radiant Mail / Mextli Harness / Mekira Meikogai / Toci's Harness / Heka's Kalasiris /Asteria /Borealis / Coruscanti / Ephemeron / Murasamemaru / Delphinius / Aytanri

  The Exchange Process:
  1. When obtaining a pulse weapon or piece of armor from a Riftworn Pyxis, select "Obtain as ticket."
     *These items are stackable (up to twelve), deliverable, and may be traded or sold at the auction hour as well as from bazaars.
  2. Trade the specified amount of ticket items to the NPC Ardrick in Junger Forest (I-8) and he will reconstruct the appropriate piece of equipment.
     *In order to have equipment reconstructed, players must first receive the designation for defeating the Voidwalker that drops the corresponding ticket items.
     *The required number of ticket items may vary.