Puppetmaster Blues - PUP AF3  

In-Game Text

Description

Iruki's feeling blue and wondering what he should do. He wonders why Samaarhan picked him to be a Puppetmaster and what advice he would give.

Go to Bastok Markets and speak to Shamarhaan. He'll compliment you on becoming a fine puppetmaster. You then explain the situation with Iruki-Waraki. After contemplating he tells you that Iruki-Waraki has always had what a puppetmaster should ideally have. His Automaton asks him what it is but he decides not to say so he can test you to see if you're worthy of knowing the secret. You have to go to Talacca Cove with a memory chip to do it but you need a trigger switch first and you get it in Mount Zhayolm.

Mount Zhayolm Quest Location: (L-8)

There are two ways to get to this item, either by traveling to the Halvung Staging Point via the Runic Portal or running to Halvung itself and escaping to Mount Zhayolm. It's up to you.

After reaching Mount Zhayolm, you'll find the quest location at (L-8). Go there and retrieve it and then it's on to Talacca Cove.

Note: The location of the toggle switch is a ??? on a round plate beneath the ledge in this section. It is near one of the possible spawns of the Cast Metal Plate ???, but it is not the same one.

Head to Nashmau and zone to Caedarva Mire at (G-7), second floor (west exit). I'd recommend taking the boat and eating up the time a little bit because it saves you the hassle of walking through the zone from the Azouph Staging Point.

From Caedarva Mire, zone into Talacca Cove at (E-9). This is a relatively safe area other than the Imps. Make sure to have Sneak and Invis up for Chigoes.

Talacca Cove lacks mobs so you can run around it freely. The BCNM is at the Rock Slab in the northwest corner of the map. The fight is called Puppetmaster Blues has a maximum of 6 people and the time limit is 30 minutes.

When you enter the BCNM, you'll be presented with a cutscene. After the cutscene, you'll face an Automaton named Valkeng. It starts the fight out in Harlequin Mode after about 80% damage, it'll switch to the Valoredge frame and stay like that the rest of the fight. It maintains all the regular abilities of the Valoredge but uses its Shield Bash more frequently and occasionally will execute a maneuver. The automaton periodically scans and analyzes the type of damage it's taking above 50% and will change to the frame that is doing the most damage to it. If physical is higher, then it will go Valoredge. If magically is higher, it will go Stormwaker.

Strategies

I went in as my PLD and tanked the fight. Our setup was BRD, BLM, SMN, WAR and myself. All of us were level 75. In its Harlequin Phase, it takes damage like a Too Weak mob and hits like one. It'll cast Dia on the tank as well. The Valoredge on the other hand has immense physical defense and a ton of HP. The WAR and I went from 100+ swings to 20-30 damage swings. On the other hand, it takes normal magic damage and a nuker for this would probably be a good idea to bring it down because it took some serious Thunder IVs and Summoner Blood Pacts and was still alive.

After the fight is over, the unit will self-destruct after asking you a question (doesn't matter what you answer). You now have to return to Bastok to talk to Shamarhaan again. He'll congratulate you and ask you what your answer was to the recording. Answer however you want and he'll tell you what the trait that Iruki-Waraki has and other great Puppetmasters. He then sends you off to see Iruki-Waraki again.

Speak to him and Yafahb will come rushing in and tell Iruki-Waraki he knows how he can get the Automaton to come back to Iruki-Waraki. He says to come to the port in Nashmau.

As soon as you enter Nashmau, a cutscene should start. If it doesn't, you may need to trigger it by talking to Sajhra in the port at (H-9). Yafahb comes to you and then begins to explain the plan. After a failed attempt to show the Automaton that it's inadequate without Iruki-Waraki, the Automaton begins to walk away and you interject. Before you can speak about your answer, Yafahb jumps in and explains why Iruki-Waraki is a great Puppetmaster and they perform for the audience. After a little more talking, Iruki-Waraki thanks you and says to see him sometime in Whitegate.

Speak to him and his Automaton will present you with a gift as a thank you and wonders why it ever had human clothes in the first place.

Spoilers