Startup Guide

Welcome to Caldera!

This is a guide to help you get started with the basics of our server. We strive to ensure retail like mechanics. Though our drop rates, locations, and monster difficultly is typically customized. Players should also reference the Good to know page. For Ashita connection please see the below image.

                                                                                                  Full Startup Guide

Commands

!help: Displays all available player commands.
!givepearl NAME: Adds a blank linkpearl to the player's inventory that will activate as the server linkshell once the player zones.
!regen: Applies a 3 HP/MP per tick Regen and Refresh. This command is usable levels 1-98.
!shop: Lists the global NPC shops. Typing !shop and the number will open that specific shop i.e. !shop 1 for food.
!check: Prints a targeted monster's level and stats to the player.
!stats: Prints the player's stats to the player.
!ah: Opens the auction house from anywhere. Caldera AH does not buy your items, or restock itself. It is exclusively player filled.

Travel
!home/warp: Returns the player to their homepoint.
!rezone: A player at full HP may use rezone to teleport back to their current location. This typically helps with getting stuck.
!holla/dem/mea: Teleports players to the initial 3 crags. Unlocked at start.
!altep/yhoat/vahzl: Teleports players to the 3 higher level crags, but requires the player to have the "gate crystal" Key Item for each crag.
!addhomepoints: Unlocks all homepoints for the player.
!beach: Teleports players to the Feretory zone, commonly used as a bazaar.
!library: Teleports the player to the Library, full of several useful NPCs.

Once you are in the library, look for the Institutions bookshelf just to the right of Andreine. Clicking on the bookshelf will unlock all of your spells/rolls/summons/etc, cap all of your combat and magic skills, unlock all available trusts (you can summon 3 trusts, and unlock the fourth by beating all Abyssea Tier 1 zone bosses), and complete and give you full access to all Rise of Zilart (Sky) and Chains of Promathia (Sea) content.

Outpost teleport NPC's can be found near the Mog Houses in Bastok Mines, Port Windurst, and North San d'Oria.

Basic things you want to know.

• You are allowed a maximum of 3 characters and a fourth bazaar character (who should be placed at !beach our custom bazaar zone). It is considered an advantage to have 3 characters for basic progression adventures once you hit 99, as not always you will be able to find a party for beginner parts of our endgame (plus it's super fun controlling 3 characters!).

• You will be allowed to use add-ons like multisend for controlling them and the use of Cure Please program is advised.

• Here is a link for Cure Please https://github.com/DanielHazzard/Cure-Please/releases. Multisend comes with the Ashita Launcher.

• Experience points are 3.5x Retail, and running speed is 2x retail's normal speed. Leveling will be fast and furious.

• Please check the server rules tab to understand the basics of what's allowed and what's not allowed.

Starting out and buying gear.

• You will get 25,000 gil.
• You will get all 3 city rings.
• You will get a Kupofried's Ring which doubles your experience points gained. It has 11 charges and can be re-charged at the !library Institution bookshelf for 1,500 conquest points (remember to get Signet from a nation gate guard or use the !signet command).
• You will get a Destrier Beret and Chocobo Shirt. These 2 items have a set effect of +50 STR and +15 INT beginning at level 1 and the bonus decays as you level up.
  
• Weapons and armor can be purchased from Andreine in the !library.
  
• Artifact armor may be claimed from personages in the !library once you hit level 51.
  
• Players can also purchase non-item level sparks equipment from NPC's in all home nations if they have unlocked Records of Eminence (RoE) quests.

Equip your Destrier Beret and Chocobo Shirt, pick up some basic food from !shop 1, and you are ready to start earning some EXP!

Before we start leveling.

Our server has some records of eminence you can hit and some trusts that you will be able to summon to aid you in your leveling (a Max of 3). Not all trust are available. But the main thing you want from records is to activate as many quests as you can to give you sparks and bonus experience points. To start go to menu > quests > objective list > tutorial > basics > and select and activate first step forward.

You will be instructed to go to the RoE NPC's, your nation's NPC can be found on this link. https://www.bg-wiki.com/ffxi/Category:Records_of_Eminence#Basics

I would recommend getting all quests from Combat (General) that you can, and remember to activate more as you progress. Also from Combat (Spoils) get most crystals that you know drop off mobs and elemental stones (shivite, garudite etc.) From combat (region) select the areas that you are gonna level in to get bonus after a certain amount of kills.

GAIN EXPERIENCE LIMITED TIME CHALLENGE

This is a RoE challenge in which you get 5,000 exp for every 5,000 exp you gain, essentially the leveling rate. It happens for 4 hours 3 times a week, Monday 11pm EST, Wednesday 3pm EST and Sunday 7am EST.

Fields of Valor and Grounds of Valor

Valuable because by the books there is usually a survival guide also that will allow you to warp to those places again. You get bonuses to your stats and traits while completing grounds of valor too. The bonuses here in Caldera are enhanced, more exp and more gil per page.

Beginner's Leveling guide!

New players should take a moment to familiarize themselves with:
Fields of Valor
Grounds of Valor
Records of Eminence

As these allow players to gain additional experience, gil, and currency used for buffs and gear.
Players should recall trusts every few levels, as trusts do not level up when you do. Only when summoned.

Level 1 to 18

Players will want to equip their Destrier Beret and Chocobo shirt and start walking to either Maze of Shakhrami or Gusgen Mines, killing everything along their way that is not a notorious monster. By the time you reach either zone, you should be sufficiently leveled to enter.

Level 14 to 35

Players who chose to go to Gusgen mines can grab page 1 and begin killing skeletons. Start with Skeleton warriors, adding in Ghouls and Wights as you level up. This allows you to stay on a singular page to 35, and has the potential to take a player to level 49.

Players who chose to go to Maze of Shakhrami will start one page 1 in the first room, transitioning to page 5 around level 25 and monsters around H-8 of the first map. This will also take you to level 35.

Level 35 to 55

Crawler's Nest. Start on page 1 and farm around the first two rooms. Players need to be careful of death jacket final sting. Switch to page 4 and continue farming until capping out around level 60 if you choose.

Level 50 to 75

Make sure to grab artifact armor and a good weapon before coming in. This is a long zone.

Bostaunieux Oubliette. Beginning on page 2 right as you drop in. Farm these spawns until about level 69 then switch to page 4 until you hit 75.

Level 50 to 65

Grounds tomes. I Choose 2, I either go to Labyrinth of Onzozo and do page 4 first, and at 55 move to page 5, just make your way to the manticores and you will find another book, no need to go back to the entrance, just don't find a bigger manticore in there....It will kill you.

Ground tomes. [recommended level 51+] Kuftal tunnel, grab page 1 and sneak/invis from the book. You have one lizard, then a room of crabs (with a Haunt). Kill the lizard and pull one crab at a time, you will eventually be able to fight 2-3 lizards from the top room with your trusts. (I do this with 2 alts as well, so it may not work if you are solo)

Outside you want? Well, Cape Teriggan, but beware at 50 is harsh there. Maybe mix it a little and get there at 55. If you do chose teriggan chose page 1 first and at around level 60 you can do page 5. Make your way to the cloister of gales and you will find your targets there. If you see Garuda say hi! She pets Manticores like you pet a cat.

Level 65 to 73

Weird number the 73 right? But there is a reason, last page in Shakhrami starts giving bonus at 73. But that for later.

Ground tomes. Most of us like Zeruhn Mines, right there at Bastok too, last page bats and leeches. I also like The Boyahda Tree, steelshells and flies. Can simply warp to the cloister of storms crystal and you are at the camp instantly.

Outside? Well you are running out of options now, Sky is the Choice. It's still pretty after all these years. But I still don't understand why those big robbots haven't cleared the stairs to Byakko, or how we can't jump.

Now, how hardcore are you? Like HARDCORE HARDCORE? Would you like another choice? Would you be willing to go the the past and be all alone? Just you, your weapons and the memories a battle long past? Grauberg awaits...Wyvres and Hippogryphs have your exp.

Level 73 to 99

We are getting there and will get there fast at this point.

Ground tomes? Well, Maze of Shakhrami last page, and when you get to level 75 use the !cap command to stay at 75, great book, great place and great exp. If you feel like no being there until 99, at 90 you can go to Gustav Tunnel, last page again, and at level 96 you get bonus exp to 99 in there.

The Promyvion Way. Here in Caldera Promys are custom content. The first 2 floors are made for leveling there to 99, I usually just !cap and stay at the first floor, but if you don't want to cap, hit the second floor. Exp is very good as it is a fixed amount. But once they check EM you will lose your chains.

And that's it, congratulations on 99! now you can check the progression guide to start your way to endgame!