Black Mage Solo Guide

From the original post on Allakhazam By Salacia : http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/db/jobs.html?fjob=3;mid=11643140656968310;num=106;page=1

Don not delete info if it is untrue, just strike through it. With an < /s> pair like this

Detailed Solo Guide - Lv. 19-70

INTRODUCTION: This guide is aimed toward allowing fellow black mages to solo some (or all) of their levels, reducing party frustrations and exp limitations.

While I realize that there are a few threads about BLM solo here, I couldn't find one that went into detail about each camp and level. "Deatharu's Mini Guide for Easy SOLO BlackMage!" was the closest thing that I saw (and was the main resource I used to find some of my camps). I know a guide like this would have been extremely helpful to me when I solo'd my BLM, so that's why I'm writing this.

As a side note, this guide may apply to jobs other than BLM. If you can get it to work (BLU comes to mind), then by all means do so!

The Basics:

In case you are unfamiliar with the way these strategies work, I'll give a brief breakdown.

1. Find a BST or SMN mob with his pet out. 2. When you are behind him (or slightly to the side and behind), blast your highest nuke at his pet. 3. As long as the mob doesn't see his pet, he won't come after you, only the pet will. Run a short distance away to minimize the chance of the mob seeing his pet if he moves before you kill it. 4. Simply finish off the pet with another spell or two, find a safe place, and rest. 5. Rinse and repeat for some great EXP and chain 3-4 most of the time.

This is the basic way to go about killing, although you will have to tweak your spell casts depending on which mobs you fight, and at what levels. For example, once you hit 50 or 51, often times you will be able to 1-shot pets with Freeze.

Most of the time you will get just as much, if not more, EXP per hour than the average party. Manaburns are an exception.

A few comments about the guide's contents before beginning:

* This guide starts at level 19 because I could not find any worthwhile enemies to solo before then. You can try killing worms in Konschtat Highlands and Korroloka Tunnel for decent EXP, or Gigas's Leeches in Qufim Island if you're hell-bent on soloing all the way to 75. If you're not, keep in mind that lower levels have very small EXP requirements, so it shouldn't be too hard to get to 19 in a party before starting this guide.

* I will be heavily focusing on being able to sub NIN. If your NIN isn't at least level 12 (with Utsusemi), then this guide may not be for you. However, NIN is not necessarily the only feasible sub job for these strategies, but it worked out the best for me, which is why I'll be relying on it throughout the guide. Once you get to a higher level you may want to consider subbing RDM for Gravity, Blink, and Stoneskin, or other jobs for whatever reason you deem necessary. From 51 to about 60, /NIN is no longer the best option because of the way you can kill pets.

* The camps listed may not necessarily have the corresponding BST-type mob in the exact area. Often times you will find that there is another beastman mob there instead. If this is the case, get a higher level job, or a friend, to come kill them and wait for the BST to spawn in its place. This is much better than wandering deeper into a dungeon to find a camp that may or may not be as good.

* Most of the time I will list levels that show you should stay at a camp until decent challenges start popping up. Feel free to go to the next camp a level or two ahead of time if you want to, but be wary of resists. At higher levels it is much safer to skip a few levels because of the wide assortment of +INT and +Skill gear available.

* You will die. Many times. Set your Home Point nearby or get a Reraise item or two.

PREPARATION:

Equipment:

Up to level 51: Focus on +Magic Attack Bonus, +INT/Elemental Magic, +HP/Defense/VIT, +MP, and -Spell Interruption *in that order*! +HMP is in a group of its own because all you need to do is use an equip macro for it while you rest, so you can get as much as you want without worrying about gimping your spells.

* Magic Attack Bonus causes elemental magic spells to do more damage. More damage = good.

* More INT/Elemental Magic means less resists and more damage. Enemy resists are some of the main things that will get you killed if you're not careful.

* HP/Defense/VIT comes into play when the enemy hits you. Utsusemi helps with most of the blows, but an enemy resisting a spell will cause you to have to cast more, and casting more = getting hit more. Galka BLMs will probably have no trouble with this one.[ul][li]Spell interruption reduction can be very helpful. Dual wielding Hermit's Wands and equipping a Silver Obi +1 will give you a whopping 58% reduction in spell interruption.

(Whether or not there is a cap to -spell interruption, I do not know, so it's probably better off going with +INT wands. Not to mention you're trying to focus on not getting hit at ALL, so only get spell interruption reduction when necessary.)

* MP is also important, but should not be made priority. Due to the low HP of the enemies, you will almost never completely run out of MP during a fight. In fact, even on multiple resists, I always had quite a bit of MP left. Focus on increasing your maximum MP when you can't get INT, or HP/Defense/VIT.

* HMP is very important because you will be casting your most powerful single-target spells each fight, and they take up a decent amount of MP. It's good to be able to have at least the MP you had before the fight took place, before the next fight happens. It should be noted that you only need this gear while you're resting, so save it for an equip macro.

After level 51: Focus on +Magic Attack Bonus, +INT/Elemental Magic, +MP, *in that order* +HMP is still just as (if not more) important than at previous levels. Equip macros ftw.

* Defense and -spell interruption are no longer needed because most of the time you will be 1-shotting pets. Getting your MP back as quickly as possible is important so that you can keep chains going.

At level 24 you will be able to use Reraise Earrings. While they do cost a penny or two, they can save you hours of work. Definitely consider them. An alternative would be to purchase a Scroll of Instant Reraise with conquest points, use it immediately, purchase another, then go out on a leveling spree. Remember that you cannot change jobs after you use it, or your reraise effect will wear off.

Food:

Here's a brief list of some types of food that may work out well for you:

* Pies: They give extra INT and MP, especially good for Galkas and Elvaans. * Cookies: Add to HMP. Also, Cinna-Cookies give you the "Vermin Killer" job trait, which could come in handy when fighting Bees and Leeches.

If there are any other useful types of food, let me know and I'll post it here. However, 90% of the time I didn't even use food and it worked out just fine.

Sub Jobs:

Until you get to level 24, nearly any sub will do. I found BLU to be the most helpful because of Metallic Body, Cocoon, and Pollen. WHM will work fine as well, but BLU is probably your best bet.

24-51: I can't see any other sub being better than NIN. Absolutely nothing beats Utsusemi, Tonko, and Dual Wielding Yew Wands +1 (not even extra MP). Keep in mind that a WHM sub will not give you more INT than a NIN sub. RDM is a different story.

51-60 Consider switching to /WHM or /RDM for the extra MP, as well as Stoneskin and Blink. /NIN is not required due to the fact that you can 1-shot pets.

60-70 At this point it is no longer possible to 1-shot pets unless you have exceptional gear (HQ staves, Sorcerer's Ring, etc.) so consider /NIN again.

MISCELLANEOUS HINTS AND TIPS:

* Before moving onto the next camp area, try to get at least one full buffer's worth of EXP. Enemies in the next areas are higher level, and therefore may resist more, which could mean death. Also, due to the odd locations of some of these enemies, you may not know the surroundings very well. A buffer can help alleviate much of the pain of getting to know a new area.

* If your Elemental Magic skill isn't capped every level (i.e. if you don't have DRK or RDM leveled), then you will want to cap it before moving on to the next camp. Resists = death. This is especially true before level 51.

* A lot of camps have outposts nearby, which can be used to set your Home Point and travel to. To avoid unnecessary trips, for the camps which you choose to set your Home Point at, simply use a higher level job to teleport to the outpost from your home country, then use the outpost to teleport back to your home country, and then use your BLM to Warp to the outpost (which = your HP).

* Elemental Seal + Sleep(ga) + Logging off will probably save your butt countless times. Try to do this whenever you can't handle an enemy in other ways. Remember to recast Utsusemi after sleeping the enemy, and move a decent distance away from the enemy before logging off. ALWAYS use Elemental Seal if it's up. Without it, not only can the enemy resist sleep, but usually they will not be slept nearly as long even if it does go through. I've been killed when there was literally one second left on the log off timer.

EXP AND CAMPS:

NOTE: All of the camps listed here are from personal experience. I used every one of them at every level on my BLM. If you know of any other good camps at any given level, send me a message or post here, and I'll add it in. Be sure to include any relevant information, such as the surrounding territory, the enemies who inhabit it, etc.


 * Level 19-22 ***

Gigas's Bats (Gigas Sentry) - Lower Delkfutt's Tower It's a good idea to set your Home Point at the Qufim Island outpost to save time after you die.

Camp Location(s): There are four camps that I found that are easy to get to.

CAMP #1: The first is straight ahead upon entering the tower. At the first intersection, go forward, and you will come to a room shaped like a doughnut, with several gigas and bats wandering around in it.

PROS: - Extremely easy to get to. - May be workable if the Gigas Sentry is close to the room's entrance. - Very close to the zone, so it should be pretty easy to zone if you get aggro'd or get a link.

CONS: - Very dangerous camp, as the bats and other gigas tend to aggro and link at the worst possible times. They move around and mingle amongst one another quite a bit, forcing you to wait for a better opportunity.

CAMP #2: At the first intersection, take a left. The room you'll see is very similar to camp #1, in that there are many gigas and bats inhabiting it.

PROS: - Bigger than camp #1, which makes pulling slightly easier. - Very close to the zone.

CONS: - Like camp #1, it's very dangerous. Gigas and aggroing bats wander it constantly.

CAMP #3: Take a left at the first intersection, and go through camp #2's room, heading slightly right. Go up the winding stairs, and you'll find more gigas and bats in a room at the top of the stairs.

PROS: - Stairs offer a safe resting spot, with a good view of the gigas and bats in the room.

CONS: - Like camps #1 and #2, it can be dangerous. Gigas and aggroing bats wander it constantly.

CAMP #4: At the top of the stairs, near camp #3, there will be a tunnel. The tunnel leads to a very small room with two gigas in it. If you're lucky, one of the gigas will already be a BST. Otherwise, you may want to convert one of these gigas into one. This is the best camp, so it's probably worth the time.

PROS: - No chance for aggro or bat links, as there are only two gigas in the room, and nothing else. - The tunnel leading to the room is perfectly safe, and can be used as a camp until you're ready to move on.

CONS: - Gigas BST may not be in the room, causing you to have to come back later or kill the two that are there and hope a BST pops. - Due to the small size of the room, you may find yourself waiting a little longer for the Gigas to turn away from his pet, since you can't maneuver around him and get to a good pulling angle.


 * Level 22-26 ***

Goblin's Bats (Goblin Pathfinder) - Ranguemont Pass It's a good idea to set your Home Point in San d'Oria (or have a way to get there quickly) to save time after you die.

NOTE: Sneak AND invis are required! Bring some silent oils and tonko tools.

Camp Location(s):

I found only one camp, but it's a very good one.

CAMP #1: Take a chocobo to Ranguemont Pass, then head through the door that the NPC opens for you. Sneak and invis yourself, then take a right at the next intersection, past the goblins. Make your way past the oozes, and take a left at the next intersection. You'll pass a couple seeker bats (non-aggro, but do link), then you'll come to a room with two goblins in it. Hopefully one of them will be a BST.

PROS: - Three tunnels leading to the room allow you to maneuver quite well, making pulling pretty easy.

CONS: - Seeker Bats and Stirges (which DO aggro!) live in the tunnels. Be wary of links and aggro. - At level 22 and 23 it may be very difficult to survive here. Without Utsusemi you are going to take a true beating. Make good use of Bind, Metallic Body, Cocoon, and Pollen, and be very, very, careful.


 * Level 26-29 ***

Goblin's Bee (Goblin Pathfinder) - Yhoator Jungle It's a good idea to set your Home Point in Kazham to save time after you die.

Camp Location(s):

I found only one camp, but it's a very good one.

CAMP #1 Take a chocobo to Yhoator Jungle through the "normal" experience points party route. At the first intersection in Yhoator, take a right. At the next intersection (the one with the big colorful plant in the middle), take a left. Now you can either stay forward or turn right, and you will bump into a Goblin Pathfinder and his pet bee!

PROS: - No possibility of aggro or links! Your only company will be a couple of lizards and a few mandragoras. - Three intersections allow very good maneuverability for pulling.

CONS: - Unfortunately, sometimes there will be EXP parties preying on goblins. Most of the time they will just kill mandragoras, but more experienced parties tend to pick on the goblins as well. If this happens, ask the leader if they would mind if you could just have this one goblin.


 * Level 29-31 ***

Goblin's Rarab (Goblin Pathfinder) - Bibiki Bay It's a good idea to set your Home Point at the Buburimu Peninsula outpost to save time after you die.

Camp Location(s):

Be very, very, very happy once you get to this point. This camp is so great that you may consider staying here even after the EXP gets low. I found only one camp, but it's a great one!

CAMP #1: Enter Bibiki Bay and hug the right wall. You'll eventually come upon a small incline with a rock in the center of it, and a Goblin Pathfinder finding paths around it. One Island Rarab and one or two Marine Dhalmels are also in the vicinity.

PROS: - Nothing here aggros besides the goblin himself. - It is quite easy to zone. Much of the time, the goblin and his pet (or other Rarabs) will take awkward routes chasing you, making it very easy to get away without getting hit. Also, if you just get the goblin and his pet (no Island Rarab links), amazingly enough, the goblin will turn around about 3/4 of the way to the zone, but the pet will keep chasing you! Even if you are forced to zone, the pet will not despawn. Rezone immediately then finish him off if you're strong enough.

CONS: - Ignis Fatuus (a bomb), will spawn during foggy weather. He won't be right at the camp, but you could run into him if you have to zone. Be wary. - The one Island Rarab that inhabits the same territory as the goblin will link with the goblin's pet. However, it only links by sight, so keep this in mind when pulling!


 * Level 31-34 ***

For an alternate camp choice from 30-33, try Goblin's Gallinippers in Attohwa Chasm. See Shanshin's post directly below this guide for more details.

Gigas's Tiger (Rime Gigas) - Beaucedine Glacier It's a good idea to set your Home Point at the Beaucedine Glacier outpost or Xarcabard outpost to save time after you die.

Camp Location(s): There is one decent camp and one good camp that I found here.

CAMP #1 (Decent camp): Directly south of the Beaucedine Glacier outpost, you'll find a ramp leading downward, deeper into the glacier. At the bottom of the ramp, you'll find 2-3 Tundra Tigers, a Bat Eye, and a Gigas. Kill the Gigas and wait for a Rime Gigas to pop if you choose this camp. Pops are five minutes between.

PROS: - Right next to the outpost. You won't have to travel far if you die. - The ramp offers a completely safe resting point.

CONS: - Tigers link and aggro by sight. Bat Eyes aggro by both sound and sight. It may be difficult to pull because of this. - If the Gigas isn't near the ramp, or near the eastern ledge, then you will have a very hard time finding safe pulls.

CAMP #2 (Good camp): Head to (I-9). There is a ramp leading down into a large open area. One Gigas and one Tundra Tiger inhabit this area.

PROS: - Since only one tiger lives here, you probably won't get aggro'd too much. - The area is very large, allowing great maneuverability. - The ramp allows a perfectly safe place to rest.

CONS: - Can be bothersome and expensive to get to, especially if you die. There is no faster way to get here other than to walk. - Be careful about resting in the tunnel that leads south of the area. A Tundra Tiger wanders back and forth along it.


 * Level 34-36 ***

Goblin's Leech (Goblin Trader) - The Sanctuary of Zi'Tah It's a good idea to set your Home Point at the Sanctuary of Zi'Tah outpost to save time after you die. If you are about to die, try to die within view of the outpost. Then, before you HP, make sure there are no aggro'ing monsters within 10 feet of the front of the outpost.

NOTE: Once you hit level 35 you'll be able to use the outpost warp.

Camp Location(s):

I found only one decent camp.

CAMP #1: Everything in the vicinity of the outpost is your camp. Ogreflies and Goobbue Parasites link, but do not aggro. Goblins and Lesser Gaylas (bat triplets) aggro and link. There is a golem north of the outpost that aggros to sight and magic. The bats start appearing around 16:00 and go away at 8:00 the next day.

PROS: - Your Home Point will be right at camp, so there will be no unnecessary travel time. - You can rest safely behind the outpost without fear of aggro. - Several Goblin Traders can spawn in this area. If you have extra MP after killing a pet, and another goblin is within easy access, you could pull off some pretty high chains.

CONS: - The BATS! These things will be quite the nuisances. They aggro and link, sometimes stopping you from a great pull. If you find yourself getting aggro, do not try to sleep them. Bats are highly resistant to sleep, even with Elemental Seal. Instead, simply move away from the outpost if you're close to it, then Warp. You'll lose any hate/aggro you had on them, and still be right at camp. - I had competition from Beastmasters when I first came here. While I don't know whether or not this is common, I thought I'd put it here anyway as a heads up.


 * Level 36-40 ***

For an alternate camp choice from 36-38, try Goblin's Spiders in Eastern Altepa Desert. See Shanshin's post directly below this guide for more details.

Tonberry's Elemental (Tonberry Harasser) - Yhoator Jungle It's a good idea to set your Home Point at the Yhoator Jungle outpost to save time after you die. If you are about to die, try to die within view of the outpost. Then, before you HP, make sure there are no aggro'ing monsters within 10 feet of the front of the outpost.

Camp Location(s):

In the immediate area of the outpost, you'll see two tonberries (sometimes a third wanders close by) and a crawler. Convert one of the tonberries into a Tonberry Harasser if necessary. The tonberries will summon only fire, light, and water elementals. Elementals do not drop clusters or crystals.

CAMP #1: Everything in the vicinity of the outpost is your camp. Worker Crawlers and Young Opo-opos link, but do not aggro. Tonberries aggro and link to sight.

PROS: - Your Home Point will be right at camp, so there will be no unnecessary travel time. - You can rest safely down inside the hole directly in front of the outpost without fear of aggro. You can also rest in the tunnel near the outpost. - Several Tonberry Harassers can spawn in this area. If you have extra MP after killing a pet, and another tonberry is within easy access, you could pull off some pretty high chains. - Elementals can be Aspir'd, and the light elementals are particularly weak to Drain. - If you're subbing WHM or RDM, Silence may come in very handy here.

CONS: - The elementals have very high HP - most are around the 500 range. This is quite a big jump from the previous camp (you'll notice it right away), so plan on using up a lot more MP per fight than you're used to. - Elementals can and will use -ga spells. If you get hit by one, your best bet is to sleep the elemental, recast Utsusemi, Aspir, then nuke again. ALWAYS begin running away from the enemy as soon as you are about to cast (between 70% and 100% usually). You've probably figured this out already, but it's still a good method to remember. - The moment your magic first hits an elemental, it will move a few inches, then cast a spell. This delay might be just enough time for its master to randomly turn around and see its pet being hurt, so plan accordingly.

NOTE: At level 39, your enemies will start to become decent challenges. While this usually signals that it's time to get to a new camp, you may not want to just yet. The enemies at the next camp jump up a few levels higher than you're used to when switching camps. Level 40 along with some pies or other INT food should allow you to minimize resists, as well as use the outpost in Xarcabard.


 * Level 40-44 ***

Demon's Elemental (Demon Warlock) - Castle Zvahl Baileys

NOTE: Since you're level 40, you can freely use the outpost warp in Xarcabard. Be sure to bring both silent oils and tonko tools.

Camp Location(s):

I found only one camp. It's right at the zone into Castle Zvahl Keep. If you don't know how to get there, here's a walkthrough:

Enter the castle and head to (G-8). Before the intersection that leads to the torches that spawn Dark Spark, you'll notice two narrow passageways on your left and right. Take the left passage and follow the path. Eventually you'll come upon some orcs. Climb the steps, then head west past the huge hole in the floor. You should arrive at the yagudo territory of the castle next. When you see their big hole, take a left, and head south past the hole. Go down the steps, and then double back to the north on the floor below. Follow the pathway and you'll meet an intersection that goes only west and north. Take the north path, remembering to re-up sneak if any ahriman are nearby. Next, take a right, and you'll see some steps that lead up to one ahriman and a bunch of demons. Now head west into the hallway past them. This is your camp for the next few excruciating levels.

Most elementals have around 600 HP. Blizzard II at level 42 will help out a lot.

CAMP #1: There will be one ahriman and four demons patrolling the small plateau in front of the hallway. Usually one of these demons will be a SMN. I've never seen more than one SMN and I've never seen less than one SMN, but you may want to get a high level job to check beforehand anyway. The ahriman will aggro by sight AND sound. The demons aggro and link by sight. The demon will summon only lightning, dark, and ice elementals. The elementals do not drop crystals or clusters.

PROS: - The zone into Castle Zvahl Keep is right at the end of the hallway, up the stairs partway, just before the first torch in the wall. - You can rest safely at nearly any point in the hallway without aggro. Right before the hallway turns into the plateau with the enemies on it, you'll notice a crevice in the floor. If you get too close to the crevice, the ahriman can aggro you. Use the crevice as your guidepoint for resting. - The elementals will give quite a bit of EXP throughout your first few levels. - Elementals can be Aspir'd. - If you're subbing WHM or RDM, Silence may come in very handy here.

CONS: - The camp takes a long time to get to and silent oils and tonko tools are absolutely required - there's no way around it. - The elementals will be high T to low IT when you first get here. This results in a LOT more resists. At level 40 you will either die or have to zone quite a few times because of this. Be prepared. - It may be difficult to keep track of the Demon Warlock because of the hallway's walls and the ahriman threatening to aggro at any moment. Try to rest within view of the SMN while still being out of the ahriman's reach. - The dark elementals are highly resistant to Drain, Aspir, and Sleep(ga). - The ice elementals are highly resistant to Silence and Bind. - All of the cons from the previous camp, except the elementals have even higher HP. Sometimes it will take three tier 2 spells and a tier 1 spell to beat one. - Demons run faster than players.

HINT: If a particular elemental is giving you a lot of trouble (IT dark elementals come to mind), then you can try to 'respawn' it. To do this, pull the elemental when you know the demon will see it. Then book it as fast as you can to the zone. The demon and his elemental will both despawn. When the demon respawns, he'll summon a new elemental in place of the old one. Keep repeating this to get the desired results.

Also, keep in mind that simply zoning the elemental itself will not cause it to despawn. No matter how far away from its master it is, it will always float all the way back to him after you zone.


 * Level 44-49 ***

For an alternate camp choice from 44-49, try Tonberry's Elementals in the G-9 entrance of Pso'Xja.

Goblin's Rabbit (Goblin Shepherd) - Cape Terrigan It's a good idea to set your Home Point at the Cape Teriggan outpost to save time after you die. If you are about to die, try to die within view of the outpost. Then, before you HP, make sure there are no aggro'ing monsters within 10 feet of the front of the outpost.

Camp Location(s):

There may be a few different camps, depending on where each monster is at any given time.

Most rabbits have just short of 700 HP. Thunder II at level 46 will help out a lot.

CAMP #1: This camp is in the direct vicinity of the outpost. Usually there are 3-4 goblins patrolling the area. You may or may not have to convert some of the goblins into Goblin Shepherds. Keep in mind that these goblins con EP to DC to level 75's, so take care when trying to convert them. Goblins aggro and link by sight. Beach bunnies do not aggro, but link by sight. The lizards do not aggro, but link by sound.

PROS: - Your Home Point will be right at camp, so there will be no unnecessary travel time. - You can probably rest safely behind the outpost without fear of aggro. If you have yellow HP and undead are up, then you may have a problem. Otherwise, I've never seen any enemy come directly behind the outpost before. - Several Goblin Shepherds can spawn in this area. If you have extra MP after killing a pet, and another goblin is within easy access, you could pull off some pretty high chains. - Rabbits seem to resist quite a bit less than elementals (even ITs) from what I've experienced. It may just be me though. - Rabbits will be VT to IT when you first get here, making for some really good EXP. - Because of the large area, it is usually pretty easy to maneuver around the goblin in order to make successful pulls.

CONS: - The Cape Teriggan outpost requires a job of level 65 or higher to teleport to/from it. If you don't meet this requirement, you will have to travel through desert and Kuftal Tunnel to get here. Be sure to bring silent oils and tonko tools if you must take this route. Keep in mind that even though there is a zone from Gustav Tunnel here, you will be unable to go from Gustav > Terrigan because of the ledge near the Gustav zone. - Even if you have a level 65+ job to get to the cape, getting home when your BLM is finished EXPing here is going to be rough. You'll have to either ask a friend to outpost warp there and teleport you out, or journey through half of the cape and Gustav, or Kuftal Tunnel and the desert on your own. Unless, of course, you have something like a Republic Stables Medal. - There are tons of Beach Bunnies around the outpost. Be careful when pulling. If you get a link, you will most likely die before you can even get a Warp off. Beach Bunnies will hit you for over 200 damage a pop.

CAMP #2: Directly northeast of the outpost you'll see a small ledge. If you go up there, you should find several lizards, an occasional Velociraptor, and hopefully one or two Goblin Shepherds. If you wander too far east or northeast you may bump into a Robber Crab or a Sand Cockatrice. The crabs aggro by sound and the cockatrice aggro by sight. Use this entire area as your camp. It's big enough so that you can usually rest safely anywhere as long as you keep an eye open for enemies. Often times I'll run to the northeast or the west of the area and rest with my back to the wall there so that I'm not open on all sides.

PROS: - Your Home Point will very near camp, so there will be little unnecessary travel time. - No undead spawn here. - Several Goblin Shepherds can spawn in this area. If you have extra MP after killing a pet, and another goblin is within easy access, you could pull off some pretty high chains. - Because of the large area, it is usually pretty easy to maneuver around the goblin in order to make successful pulls. - There are no Beach Bunnies here, so you won't have to worry about them linking. If you're too close to the ledge, however, it is possible to get a link from a bunny below. Be careful.

CONS: - There is no perfect place to rest. If you have to go AFK for more than a few minutes, I recommend going back down to behind the outpost first. As far as I could tell, enemies can walk on every square inch of the area of this camp. - A Velociraptor or two may wander the camp. And they run faster than players.


 * Level 49-54 ***

Goblin's Leech (Goblin Shepherd) - Gustav Tunnel

NOTE: Starting at level 50 your play style may start to change quite a bit. AM and AF, along with a few other choice pieces of equipment are going to start making you quite a bit stronger and more versatile. The AF hands (level 54) and the elemental staves are probably going to floor your resist rates. Keep this in mind when you decide to move from camp to camp now.

Level 51 causes your EXP to skyrocket. Bring an ice staff and a dark staff at the least.

The leeches have around 800-815 HP.

Camp Location(s):

There is one main camp, but a few different places you may want to go in that camp.

CAMP #1: Keep following the tunnel until you reach the area that splits off and runs into several goblins and robber crabs. Take a right. You'll run past a few goblins and crabs before you get to a safe landing on the other side. This will be your camp, and Goblin Shepherd, Goblin Alchemist, and Robber Crab will be your company.

PROS: - The area just after the goblins and crab is perfectly safe to rest on. Just be careful not to go too far back, as undead are on the other side. - At level 50 (or 51, depending on gear/day) you can begin 1-shotting pets with Freeze, assuming the spell goes unresisted. At 51 you will have access to your elemental staves. You won't believe how much faster you'll be getting EXP then. Keep in mind that if you know you won't be resisted most of the time, you don't have to wait for the goblin to turn his back. Simply blast the leech with Freeze, then, even if the goblin is facing his pet, he won't aggro as long as the pet dies.

CONS: - If the Shepherd is far away, you might be forced to wait a little bit to pull. Unless you can find some way to pull his pet without aggro, you've got no choice but to wait until he wanders back to you. - The camp has no shortcut to reach it, so you may find yourself traveling quite a bit if you don't have RR. The shortest (most dangerous, expensive and least convienient HP) route is to set your HP at Cape Terrigan, sneak/invis yourself, then travel due northeast to zone into Gustav Tunnel. You'll be pretty near the camp when you zone in. - At level 49, depending on your gear and race, you may get quite a few resists here. Not to mention that it will require three to four full-strength tier 2 spells just to kill one leech. Because of this, I recommend biting the low EXP in the Cape until you hit 50+ buffer. You might thank me later.


 * Level 54-58 ***

Goblin's Bat (Goblin Veterinarian) - Pso'Xja

NOTE: You will need Quake in order for this strategy to work. Also bring scrolls/equipment for the next level or so, as you will be getting 7000-8000 EXP an hour here if everything goes well.

NOTE: I think you need to be at CoP 5-3 or higher in order to access this zone. I was already past this point when I came here, so I don't know for sure. If someone can clear this up, I'd appreciate it.

Camp Location(s):

There is only one camp that I found, but it's awesome.

CAMP #1: Enter the 60-cap Pso'Xja (it's the one closest to Batallia Downs). Put sneak and invisible on (be careful of magic pots). Keep going forward, up and down the stairs, all the way, until you find a Goblin Jeweler. When you reach him, turn left and fall down the hole. You'll fall right on top of a Goblin Veterinarian and his pet bat. Just walk right into the hallway next to him. That's your camp.

PROS: - The camp is perfectly safe. Just make sure to stay behind the cylindrical pillars that stick out of the walls and the goblin will never see you. - At level 54, you can 1-shot the goblin's pets with AM once again. I used Quake, and did 942 damage every time. - There is nothing that can aggro you here (as long as you aren't being stupid). - There is no chance for the goblin's pet to be out of spellcasting range, as he is confined to the small room he spawns in.

CONS: - Bats are hard to sleep, but you should be able to do it with ES + Sleep. - Due to the nature of the doorway that the goblin is behind, occasionally you will be "Unable to see" the goblin's pet. Try to maneuver around this without getting aggro if you can. I know this is a very minor con, but I thought I'd put it here anyway. - Because this is a level capped zone, all buffs you have when you enter will be erased. This means you can no longer use a scroll of reraise, then buy another one, and use it when your first one wears off. This is also true if you log off and log on in this area - your RR will be erased. But, fortunately, this camp is so great that it shouldn't be a big deal. - CoP 5-3 required to enter?


 * Level 58-60 ***

For an alternate camp choice from 59-64, try Alporhan's guide in his "Awesome solo :: 59-64" thread.

Goblin's Bat (Goblin Foreman) - Newton Movalpolos

NOTE: You will need Flood in order for this strategy to work. It may be difficult to 1-shot some pets depending on what your INT is. Try to stack up as much as possible. I started with 60+24 (including 4 from melon pies) as a Hume, and that managed to overkill them by only a few damage. Water Staff/Neptune's Staff is required.

Camp Location(s):

I found only one camp.

CAMP #1: Enter Oldton Movalpolos and head to J-12 or I-12 to zone into Newton Movalpolos. Upon zoning in, follow the path a short way and you'll come upon an intersection. One path leads north, into Oldton, another leads west, also into Oldton, and the last path leads east, deeper into Newton. To the south of the intersection there is a lowered platform with a Goblin Lengthman, a Goblin Fireman, and a Bugbear Trashman. Patrolling the north leg of the intersection is a Bugbear Trashman and a Goblin Packman. Finally, on the east leg of the intersection is your prize, the Goblin Foreman and his pet. The west leg of the intersection has no enemies. That is where you can rest.

PROS: - The west leg of the intersection is perfectly safe to rest on. If you look on the floor, just before the intersection breaks into the north leg, you will notice two dull red lines. Use these as a guideline when it comes to your limitations for resting. - At level 58, you can 1-shot the goblin's pets with Flood. The bats have anywhere from 980-1030 HP (usually the higher level ones will have almost exactly 1030), so make sure you're up to snuff with INT gear. - EXP is excellent at 58. - There is a zone directly behind you, greatly reducing your chances of dying.

CONS: - Pulls are complicated by the fact that you will have to move to and from the Goblin for every kill. Plus there is aggro on almost every side that you must consider. The enemies on the platform to the south CAN aggro you from below. Stay at the north end of the west-east legs pathway. - VT pets can be difficult to 1-shot without proper INT. - Lightning weather sometimes pops in this area. This may or may not interfere with your Floods (it's more or less random), so keep an eye out for it. Elemental Seal does NOT guarantee that your spell will be unaffected by the weather. The best thing to do when this happens is either wait it out or pull with AM only when the goblin has just stopped moving, and only if his pet is behind him. Then, if you get a weather resist, simply finish the bat off with a smaller spell, such as Blizzard. I've never done less than 988 damage on a weather-resist.


 * Level 60-64 ***

Goblin's Rarab (Hobgoblin Animalier) - Bibiki Bay

NOTE: It may be possible to come to this camp as early as 57. I came at 60 and my resist rate was floored. Also, you may want to consider switching back to /NIN.

Camp Location(s):

I found only one camp.

CAMP #1: At F-7 in Bibiki Bay you will find a Catoblepas, a Hobgoblin Venerer, and a Hobgoblin Animalier near some cacti. Past them is a narrow passageway leading southward toward some more cacti, deeper into Bibiki Bay. Camp in the narrow passageway.

The method I used for killing was Water III (Thunder II if it was Lightningsday) > Sleep II > Freeze (Quake if it was Firesday). This resulted in consistent chain 4's. EXP here is better than any you have probably gotten up to this point, with 300 base EXP on almost every kill. The highest I have ever gotten was 562 EXP, chain 5, with ring, but I've heard of people getting over 700 a pop with their ring on.

PROS: - At level 60 your resist rates will be floored. I got resists on my spells maybe 10% of the time maximum. - Rabbits are usually very easy to sleep. They have about 1200 HP, so almost any combination of spells will work well. - EXP is insane.

CONS: - It is no longer possible to 1-shot pets, unless you have pretty good gear. If you do, you can 1-shot them with Flare. - There is no zone anywhere nearby. You may have to resort to sleep(ga) + log off to save your butt sometimes. - Unfavorable goblin movement may interrupt chains.


 * Level 64-70 ***

For an alternate camp choice from 65-72, try Vitriolic's guide in his "Blm easy solo xp 65-72 Aydeewa." thread.

Goblin's Bat (Goblin Foreman) - Newton Movalpolos

Camp Location(s):

I found two camps, both of which rely on the same Goblin and his pet.

NOTE: Special items may be required to reach these camps. Study up on Newton Movalpolos and its particular dungeon obstacles before proceeding.

NOTE: It is still possible to 1-shot pets with Flare if you have good gear. Unfortunately I didn't, so I had to resort to Blizzard III > Waterga III, but I've personally witnessed other BLMs killing them with a single Flare for 1254 damage every time.

CAMP #1: The camp itself is at G-9. The fastest way to get to this camp is to enter Oldton Movalpolos at E-13. Shortly after entering you will find an NPC goblin named Twinkbrix. Get him to teleport you and you will be able to backtrack out of the mine and to the camps listed.

CAMP #1 is just behind the two Bugbear Watchmen. They will never turn around unless you attack them.

PROS: - There is a zone partway into the tunnel in front of the Bugbear Watchmen. You will, however, be hardpressed for survival should they see you. - The bugbears never turn around, making resting in this section very safe. - EXP will be very good your first few levels. - Pets can drop coffer keys.

CONS: - It is no longer possible to rely on sleeping the pets due to bats' high natural resistance. - You can only get to this camp if you meet certain prerequisites, which may be more hassle than the average player thinks they are worth. - Unfavorable goblin movement may interrupt chains. In fact, this is a very big CON. Often times I would have to wait several minutes between pops just for the goblin(s) to move into a favorable position.

CAMP #2: This camp is also at G-9, but instead of resting near the bugbears, you will be below the ledge that the goblins stand on.

PROS: - Pets can drop coffer keys, and a coffer can pop on the exact spot where you rest. - EXP will be very good your first few levels. - If 1-shotting applies to you, this camp is better due to the fact that you will never have to move. Simply stand up, Flare, then rest.

CONS: - It is no longer possible to rely on sleeping the pets due to bats' high natural resistance. - You can only get to this camp if you meet certain prerequisites, which may be more hassle than the average player thinks they are worth. - Unfavorable goblin movement may interrupt chains. - There is no zone nearby. - You have less room to run around due to the fact that there are goblins to the east that are quite often within aggro range should you wander too close. - Goblins can aggro from the ledge above. (Not 100% on this, need confirmation - rather not do it myself ^^;)


 * AFTER 70 ***

Unfortunately, at this point I don't think there are anymore pets that you can solo to rack in the same exp as you could pre-70. Even at 69 the exp isn't that great in Newton, but the enemies will still be at least T.

There are other solo options post-70 floating around the forums, but I haven't had a chance to experiment with any of them personally. My original goal was to solo all the way to 70, then manaburn my way to 75 due to lack of pets, but if I find anymore viable solo options I'll make sure to add them in.

If anyone has anything to add to this guide, or if there's anything that you think needs to be changed, please send me a PM or post in this thread. Thanks.