Final Fantasy XI Online gets a new update, which is just the first phase of something big
Square Enix have announced that the March update for Final Fantasy XI Online has released, and with it comes the first phase of the new alter ego upgrade system. This new system will allow players to begin to explore the world solo, rather than with a team as is currently required.
Here are the update highlights:
A New Alter Ego Upgrade System – In this first step in a Trust magic system renewal, players can begin strengthening their alter egos. The system is undergoing this change to support those who enjoy playing solo to experience a wider variety of content on their own.
Return of Vana'Bout – From March 21, players can participate solo or with other adventurers to take on the large-scale “Vana'Bout” Records of Eminence objective and earn fabulous rewards, with additional bonus campaigns if everyone earns above the target objective.
New Foes in Ambuscade – Velkks and Treants return to Ambuscade.
For the Alter Ego upgrade, here is a more complete breakdown of what it is and what it offers:
Alter ego points
The March version update will add the alter ego points to the Trust magic system. These points can be used to upgrade your alter egos' basic stats such as HP and STR.
The primary way to earn these alter ego points is by completing the monthly objectives in the Records of Eminence, meaning that you can accumulate them on a regular basis. The system is designed so that you can strengthen your alter egos by allocating points to any stat. All stats can eventually be maxed out, but points cannot be reassigned, so make sure to choose your upgrades carefully. In addition to the standard methods, we plan to occasionally offer additional opportunities to earn points, such as during events like Vana'Bout.
Furthermore, the "filled memory gems" used to call forth even stronger alter egos based on the number of members in your party will be removed due to these changes to the upgrade policy and the implementation of this system. In accordance with this change, the completion reward for the Records of Eminence objective "Way Over Capacity" will be replaced with an item used to acquire alter ego points. (Players who have already completed this quest can acquire the same number of alter ego points, so please see the March version update information for more details.)
- Alter ego equipment system (tentative name)
Once the alter ego points system has been implemented for a while, we plan to introduce the second pillar of the new system—alter ego equipment.
This feature will enable you to select equipment for your alter ego, providing them with ability boosts beyond their basic stats, similar to how the puppetmaster attachments work. We plan to make the equipment obtainable even when playing solo and are also currently exploring ways to incorporate existing content and crafting systems. As a result, it will be some time before we can share further details, so please stay tuned for additional updates regarding this feature.
There are also a host of other improvements that have been added, you can find the full list of those here.
