[Yorado]

I will bold the rest of the stuff tomorrow, til then, bare with me.


BALLISTA.
LEARN IT. LIVE IT. LOVE IT.
This guide will teach all the basics of ballista, what you need to know, what you need to do and what you need to learn NOT to do.
Use Ctrl-F to get to the sections.
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Table 'O' Contents ~ LOLBBQ
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A1.) Starting Ballista ~ How?
A2.) My Job and Yours ~ How to beat someone and how someone beats you.
A3.) Ballista Strats? ~ Where to go!? What do I do!?

B1.)1 versus 1 ~ Come on boy! Let's do this!
B2.) Ballista sportsmanship ~ Good game guys, well fought.
B3.)The Diorama Abdhaljs-Ghelsba ~ Gods gift to Vana'Diel

C1.)Useful items in ballista ~ lol X-potion rox!
C2)The conclusion ~ Aw done already? ;_;
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A1.) Starting Ballista ~ How?
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You cannot get the license until you are atleast rank3
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This quest has only 3 MAIN NPCs
Excenmille ~ He will give you the quest if you are San d'Orian

Mhabi Molkot ~ She will give you the quest if you are Windurstian

Invincible Shield ~ He will give you the quest if you are Bastokan

When you talk to one of those NPCs from your nation you will have a decently long cutscene about how conflict began. After the cutscene you are given 2 key items. Take them to the ballista commanders at the other nations.

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Heading to Bastok
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From the zone that your in, head to the metalworks and request an audience with the president. You will get a cutscene (not so long). After that, talk to Invincible Shield. If done the right way, he will take the key item away from you. Simple as pie (cept chocolate pie is pretty annoying to make, this is more like cherry).

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Away to Windurst
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From your soon, head to Heaven's Tower (dead center of Windurst Walls). Go to the door way in the back to get to the clerical chamber and talk to cutsy-wutsy tarutaru Kupipi right there behind the desk, she will give you an audience to go see the oh-so dramatic Star Sybil. After that talk to Windurst's ballista commander, Mhabi Molkot who is just right behind you in the clerical chamber, right next to the door. If you did the stuffs right, she will take your key item away from you.

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My kingdom of San d'Oria
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Im from Sandy so I dont know, imma take a guess and say that you talk to Kind Destin inside the Chateau. Watch a cutscene and go to Northern San d'Oria and talk to Excenmille, the ballista commander for San d'Oria.

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Home Sweet Home
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Head back home and talk to your ballista commander first thing. S/he will tell you that you've done everything right and send you to see your president/king/over dramatic god-queen. S/he will give you the OK to participate in ballista (yippe!!!) but dont get too excited just yet! Head back to your ballista commander and BAM! S/he will give you your license and you'll be ready to kick some real arse!

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Ballista Caps
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There are 5 caps in public ballista. 30 40 50 60 and uncapped. Jugner Forest, Passhow Marshlands, and Meriphautaud Mountains are your areas of battle.
Most of the people get their license at lvl 30 or around. If your at lvl 75 and just now getting your license I recommend that you try out 30 caps first just to get the feel, before you get poped with a 1k Guillotine right in the face! Not saying that 30cap is the n00bie cap but most ballista newbies try out 30cap first.

30cap ~ Like I said, most people get their ballista license at lvl 30 to get a nice taste of ballista, no one has completly extreme WSs that are basically "LoL run away fast before I keeeeeeel j000!". This is a good starting cap that mostly everyone will enjoy.

40cap ~ This is where (I think) it gets a bit more complex. Everyone seems to be wearing the same armor at some times, everyone has a new WS, and it gets a bit more crazier. WARs get lvl 40 atk+5 axes and horror voulges. DRKs now have stun. Everything is just pretty crazy at this cap pretty much, I like it.

50cap ~ This is where jobs either get gimped our pimped. MNK has raging fist (if h2h wasnt already merited) and chi blast, DRG has penta thrust, THF gets hide (SATA you cant escape, unless you see it coming) but their lvl 49 WS just flat out sux! RDM becomes more invincible at this lvl. etc etc. Being in a 50cap is awesome most of the time, because most of the time, there's good competition, everyone has the hang of things and can use their jobs well.

60cap ~ CAN YOU HANDLE IT!? This cap, I'd have to say, is the best cap ever. Everyone gets pimped out. WAR gets to use Rampage in 60caps, DRKs get Guillotine (omfg I hate you SE, and yet, still love you.), THFs get Dancing Edge and ability to use Scorpion Harness. MNK is flat out crazy with a new martial arts trait. Everything is beautiful in 60cap, all I can say.

Uncapped ~ Uncapped, from my point of few, is pretty awesome. Pretty much everyone knows how to use their jobs, WAR/DRG is deadly along with DRK/SAM. NIN/WAR with nothing but evasion is just a killing machine. MNK/DRK is just ......0_0.......un describable. Everyone can use their quest WSs (saying their 72+ and etc)

Thats really all to basic ballista. You know the caps in the quest. Get out there and start your killing spree.

A2.) My Job and Yours ~ How to beat someone and how someone beats you.
This part of the guide will list every job, a short description of what happens to them in ballista, and pros and cons.

Black Mage
Jesus, Gate Breach already? That was only 300MP!
Black Mage, the powerhouses of backup. See a team member dying? Toss the enemy a nice spell >=). You can one shot people, you can get rid of shadows with a quick Firaga, and not to mention firaga is absolutley deadly in 30cap. BLMs are dangerous in the end. Subbing WHM or RDM at later caps scores you Stoneskin. Subbing NIN isnt too bad but a nice little -aga will get rid of that.
Pro: Many dangerous spells to use at any cap. Easy and large spike damage that comes in Aoe form. Aoe Sleep > ThundagaIII always sends people screaming at later caps.
Con: Like all mages, low defense and theres always that dreaded resist. Ability to be oneshotted by a simple un SATAd Dancing Edge if your below 50% HP already.

White Mage
lol I bet that WAR is PO'd at me, he's wasted 550%TP trying to kill that PLD.
White Mage is basically that same in exp. A healer, but thats not saying you cant cap your NIN sub and Club and wreak some havoc of your own. Guen on Fenrir server uses Mjorillr (relic Club) and Kraken Club on /NIN and she literly SPAMs Hexa Strike. WHM/RDM in a solo is also a power house, high enfeebling with AF, Stoneskin Phalanx Blink, sleep, almost everything you need is at your disposal. WHM can be a healer, a DD and a supporter in ballista. Many skills if you use them right.
Pro: Diversity. Invisible can help for scoring 'undercover'.
Con: Paper weak defense. Stoneskin and Blink down = a BIG uh oh.

Thief
MNK misses Yorado MNK misses Yorado /sit MNK misses Yorado MNK misses Yorado
My job. My Favorite. I love it. They dont need a single important sub to help them live, though without /NIN they lose shadows and a dagger. They have status bolts, high evasion, flee, mug and steal. Have petra? Hide up and flee to the nearest rook, BAM! 1-5 points in under a few seconds, beautiful. A thief can make the decision in a BIG match, mug the nearest dude and score his petra for the win! It's crazy. Most people think us Thieves are annoying, Delequiox (the maker of the forum =P) still refuses to FRAPs a fight between us cus he can never really hit me XD, but the second he gets my shadows down, BAM! Tachi: Yukikaze for 500 something. Barrage for 300, Sidewinder for a whole bunch = dead Thief. All and all, if you plan on fighting a Thief anytime soon, fuxk STR, pack Accuracy, and a lot of it.
Pro: Ability to piss off the nearest JP that spent 10min quarrying 12petra by mugging him, then waiting 2 more min and stealing the rest of his petra. High survivalbility. SATA stacked on pretty much anything unelemenatal and damage dealing (IE 1dmg a WS) is a garanteed 100+ dmg at 40+ cap really.
Con: If you do hit, it will be for a lot, THFs DEF rivals that of a WHM almost. Becareful you Thieves dont get TOO cocky.

Monk
MNK hits WAR for 120 MNK hits WAR for 120. MNK uses Boost. MNK readies Asuran Fist WAR takes 13132DMG
Monk is the powerhouse of damage dealing in ballista, it's like everyone is fricken bones or something. MNK/DRK is just deadly in uncap. HP down from souleater isnt a problem when you have 1.6k HP at 75. MNK without sub is pretty much still a powerhouse of ATK and STR, they have a lot of base VIT so dont be expecting to hit them for 200+ a hit at higher caps. MNK with counterstance on against a high delay weapon is basically death for the opponent, most of the time he gets counter and is already getting wailed on. Their 2hr is screaming "Kill me before I kill you! Hey wait.....you alive? Meh guess not..."
Pros: Hit 2 times a round. Deadly WSs. High HP to get through.
Cons: If you get WSd when your counterstance is on, bye bye. Weak DEF but high vit, but it doesnt make up for all of it.

Red Mage
Sleep > Debuff > Buff > Rinse > Wash > Repeat. WAR: FGHJKL!!!
RDM is simply undefeatable in many ways, and defeatable in many ways. If you have shadows and the RDM accidently uses Diaga or Posionga then s/he cant sleep you, leaving you to wail on s/he. When your a RDM, you have to think, 'He's a NIN? /BLM then for sleepga. Oh hes a DRK? Definetly /NIN then. A PLD? /WHM maybe." RDM has the most diversity in the game. Their the jack of all trades job really, simply put.
Pros: Landing sleep, debuffs, and buffs gives you an instant win.
Cons: After stoneskin and Phalanx run out, your fu*kd until you get them back up.

Warrior
/NIN? /MNK? /SAM? /DRG? Chooses Chooses....
Warrior is one that can pick what he wants and use it to his advantage. /WHM? That's no sweat, grab 2 astrals from a nearby friend and thats quite a few stoneskins. Your against a MNK you say? /SAM and get TP just as fast at him, maybe even faster if you play right. Against a RDM? /DRG for Jump so you can interrupt spells and stuff. WAR is completely awesome in many ways. In uncapped Ridill with a Joysword off hand. Juggernaut with Woodsville off hand, Ridill with Kraken Club off hand (For you, more 'richer' players). They have high skill in many weapons, in uncap their Marksmanship and Archery are both highly capable of hitting, same in 60cap. Steel Cyclone is a beast. I seen a WAR/DRG own a DRG/SAM in uncap, both lvl 75. Was Jump for 300 high jump for 250 Crit for 345 and steel cyclone for like 546 or around there, completly awesome. Provoke lands good, perfect to piss off that NIN in your LS. Your evasion sux tho, /NIN is your winning sub in public for survivability, but if your out to kill, go /SAM.
Pros: Lots and lots of chooses, anything for any situation. HP is decent. DEF is nice and up there.
Cons: No EVA so without /NIN your a TP machine if you dont kill fast enough.

Paladin
Jesus its like reading binary! THF hits PLD for 1 | THF hits PLD for 0 | THF hits PLD for 0 | THF hits PLD for 1
PLD is one that can walk around the battle field without much worries, you have highigh DEF and some cures to back you up if a random DRK just comes out of no where with a souleated Guillotine. PLD has pretty nice atk too, with a great sword they can last quite a while. Keeping flash up and keeping up with cures and etc. Grab a body boost and or a Giant Drink and call yourself Andre the Giant cus your in for a ride!
Pro: High DEF and Nice ATK
Con: If your not careful you might die fast, it's like tanking. Keep up with vokes, flash and cures and youll do fine, if you dont do that, your dead.

Beastmaster
I do it with a friend, threesome anyone?
Beastmaster Beastmaster Beastmaster........if played right it's just crazy. Top a /RDM with that or /NIN and you got yourself a killing machine. I mean just imagine. BST hits MNK for 50 BST hits MNK for 50 PET hits MNK for 45 and the pet usually has a faster delay then you. What's always fun is using a tiger jug and telling it to fight a target. The target will either, run away in panic or turn around and fight the mob while you are wailing on him too. A nice way to kill a BST would just to sleep the pet and take the BST on like you would a WAR/NIN or a RDM or w/e his sub is. Sic is crazy if you have the right pet, the current best ballista BST uses nothing but Coldblood Como in anything under 40cap for petrify.
Pros: 3 hits a round /NIN, 2 hits /??? meaning you will always hit consistantly. BST can take down shadows fast. High ATK and DEF
Cons: Sleeped pet = you fu*ked unless you have stoneskin up or something. No great WSs 60cap+ with anything else besides Axe. No other abilities can be used besides subjob abilities, if the pet is asleep.

Samurai
WS.....WS again.....WS again...........WS again WAR: OMFG STOP IT!!!
Samurai are the TP and weaponskill masters. /RNG is just awesome, Reg TP build > Sidewinder > Barrage > Sidewinder, and if they still arent dead > Meditate > Sidewinder. /WAR is a powerhouse of STR and ATK, ive seen a SAM bust out a 900 Tachi: Kasha on another SAM (Cough Dele vs Vc cough). /RDM with some astrals will score you stoneskin for them annoying MNKs. If you can be quick /THF in 60cap SA Yukikaze is just plain sick. Great Katana have the best DMG Delay ratio in the game and their damage is decent. Third Eye is a life saver all the time, and Zanshin is beautiful against that NIN or THF (memories, memories >_>)
Pro: High ATK and high DEF and VIT. Meditate will get you an instant win at some times. SAMs have a A(-) in Archery so with /RNG they hit pretty dang often mixed with Barrage and Sidewinder, along with some damage from weapons.
Cons: If you catch them with Meditate down then it should be an easy kill most of the time. Low EVA and uncapped parry is a killer, meaning if you dont kill fast enough, your just a TP target.

Summoner
Steps silent. I have big friends. >=)
SMN is screaming 'OMFG kill me before I keel j0000000' that's pretty much why you dont see much of them in ballista. Their blood pacts are absolutely deadly, I saw a WAR taking down a SMN pretty fast then bam, 1020 Chaotic Strike from Ramuh. I was like 0.0 and backed up far away XD. Avatars hit just as much as any other DD but they dont need TP to pwn you, well avatars can collect TP for stronger BPs but its not really a matter in ballista really lol. Always keep stoneskin up because you should always be /WHM or /RDM, put your avatar on assualt if anyone gets near, then just pwn them.
Pro: Ability to pwn someone every 40seconds. High MP that can be used for support and healing.
Con: Weak weak Defense, anyone with TP can and will just one shot you when s/he has a chance. No avatar = WTF is your problem?

Bard
Sleep tight, the doctors will tend to you in a moment.
BRDs, you guys are the sleep machines, you see a foo awake? Sleep his arse and tell your nearest WAR to kill him. This isn't saying you can't melee either, BRD/NIN is crazy, Carnage Elegy is just insane how long they make delays, swords hit pretty hard too! /THF is also acceptable especially since you can just Lullaby > sneak around > sneak attack fast blade or w/e ws and do some damage. All and All Bard is more support then anything with some occasional damage here and there. Oh and songs can't be interrupted unless stunned and etc!
Pros: Many many many songs to keep your pty entertained. Getting chased by a mob? Horde Lullaby! Many deadly enfeebles.
Cons: Weak DEF, can only buff one pty at time.

Ranger
You said you want my best shot? Ok..... you asked for it!
Ranger, well, ranger is the master of ranged attacks of course! Rangers are fully capable of getting TP in 10seconds with a barrage > next shot, making them very deadly. Sidewinder in 60caps have gone as high as 880 from what Ive seen. Shadowbind is an excellent way to buy time. Ranger has pretty bad DEF and Evasion skills so when you get up close they go down pretty dang fast, doesn't mean they can't kill you first!
Pros: Long Ranged attacks. Big BLM killler. In uncapped (70+) they have rampage, so it's easy to spam.
Cons: Bad DEF and Evasion skill

Dark Knight
You can run but you can't......wait when I'm here you can't even do that! Too bad....
Dark Knights are just awesome in ballista. Their the #1 MNK killers Mage killers and Ranger killers in the game. When a Dark Knight your looking for TP then going for the big guy of the other team. They have pretty low DEF and are vaunurable after a souleater, but most DRKs usually drain right after. /WAR gives them even more moves that reduce DEF, but also make it higher, but putting more DEF on DRK won't really do much. /SAM is raw in 60cap ~ Uncapped ballista, Third Eye, Meditate and some Store TP job traits to boot. Their kinda lacking in Acc, due to low DEX and no traits, so a accurate DRK, is a strong DRK really.
Pros: Strong WSs, souleater. Many viable subs. Weapon variety.
Cons: Low DEF. Mostly uses long delay weapons. Exposed after Souleater.

Dragoon
I jump on yo azzzzz
Dragoons are pretty much like Dark Knights except they have higher evasion and their bread and butter, wyverns. With your wyverns almost any sub is viable. ATK+ carries onto jumps. Things like Dia, bar- and protect activates healing breath if you sub is WHM or RDM. Dragoons are also mage killers. You see a BLM with low HP or stoneskin down (which u cant tell), jump them and kill them. Jumps also give you an advantage in TP, have 80% TP and that DRK is buffing up? Spam all 3 jumps, come down and penta thrust him for the kill.
Pros: Every sub works with Wyvern just about. Buffs carry on to jumps. Strong weapons. Fast TP
Cons: No good weapons to use besides Polearm. No ATK up buffs without proper sub. Miss-worthy evasion only with gear.

Ninja
Keep swinging....keep swinging.......oops caught me with shadows down! Utsusemi: Ni! Nevermind....
Ninja have diversity in combat skills, they have no A+ skill but A- in very many. All it takes is capped Evasion and capped Parrying and it'll be very very hard to hit you. Katanas to awesome damage. No WS is really 'Gimped' and at 60cap+ Blade: Jin does niiice damage. NIN/RDM is deadly in 40-60caps, just have to keep shadows up and spam the elemental wheel until death, but that really isn't so fun.
Pros: Mage subs work well with the job. Utsusemi: Ni at a low level. Many A- skills.
Cons: When shadows are down, your DEF sux. -Aga magic is your nightmare.

A3.) Ballista Strats ~ Where to go!? What do I do?
This short section will be over a few ballista strats that I know.

Duck and Cover ~ This is a good mage tag team. Have a RDM buff up completly and go into a huge crowd, then have the BLM cast invisible and stay behind the RDM. The RDM should get rushed and then the BLM should start casting his strongest -aga spell. This can work with multiple BLMs for faster kills. I've seen this done and it works to perfection. This also works with a Perfect Dodge-d THF.

The Blitz ~ This one is so fricken funny. If you find a loner and your with a whole bunch of people, have someone sleep him and then everyone just run and put everything you got into him. I've had this happen to myself and have done this to other people. It usually always works unless the 'victim' resists the sleep thrown at him.

Stealth Assassin ~ This one is a personal favorite. If you and a BLM have Gate Breach and see a pretty big group at the Rook, have the BLM elemental seal + Sleepga II the group and just run up and score. If no one had poison pots it will work like a charm.
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B1.) 1 versus 1 ~ Come on boy! Let's do this!
1v1 is always fun when you know what your doing and know how to play your job right. The name pretty much explains it all, it's a 1 versus 1 fight, usually with no items 2hrs or food active. Every job is potentially dangerous at the same rate. RDM can buff to hell. MNK hit hard and fast. DRKs hit hard and have stun and other spells. WHMs can cure themselves in big amounts, etc etc etc. Most 1 versus 1s start out without anyone having TP, full HP and everyone ready to start. Most of the take place in the Diorama Ghelsba, unless you find someone in the midst of battle, just say '1v1' and sometimes people will listen and back off. 1 versus 1 also doesn't show that your better then some people or most, it shows that you can play your job and you can play it good in ballista.

B2.) Ballista Sportsmanship ~ Good game guys, well fought.
This section is not really about Ballista sportsmanship, its about sportsmanship in general.
Sportsmanship is 3 things:
Playing fair
Following the rules of the game
Treating opponents with respect (unless its that JP that keeps on repeating the same thing to you....)
Some people think of sportsmanship as the "Golden rule" of sports. Treating other people with respect because they have a right to play this sport as much as you do. Never treat someone else in ways you don't want to be treated (Unless you wanna kill them with some Asuran Fist to the face, no one would mind that) Don't cure anyone out cuss anyone out because you got killed. No matter how many times you say 'That wasn't fair' or 'No fair! He cheated!' The game isn't gonna go back in time so you can just /sprint away or 2hr to prevent it. At the start of every ballista, say good luck and stuff. At the end of it say good game or congratulations if they win. Good sportsmanship will give you respect instead of people /telling each other 'this dude is really irrtating and annoying.
People will be happy to see you at ballista and will greet you, soon enough even become famous from a good additude. Rembember, big things start small.

B3.)The Diorama Abdhaljs-Ghelsba ~ Gods gift to Vana'Diel
Yep.....ah.....the Diorama Abdhaljs (wtf how do you pronouce that for the love of god.) Ghelsba. It's really a neat place actually. You can set your own rules, pick your teams and everything, just for 100 ballista points. This place is the 'Domain' for 1 versus 1 matches and also you can join at anytime. You can set the rules to ballista royale rules and everything. You can put it on mid-entry so that your friends can come in and pick teams and join even while theres a match still going on. You can stop the match when you please and return to jeuno whenever.
You have to have the Chains of Promathia expansion pack to get here though, so if your friend is still old school, you might have to catch him in a public ballista. Anyway back on topic, after you spend your 100 ballista points you will get a Ballista White book. Use the book to make tradeable pages, which you give your friends. Trade your book to Tillecoe to get in. It will cost some gil (very small amount) to get in. Once in there will be a pursuivant and a herald. Trade the book to the herald to become MC (master of ceremonies) of the match. The CM gets to set all the rules and everything for the match. You can set pretty
much everything, from match length to Rook number. You can change the type of match and even set the minimum level to join the ballista. All and all, this is your own customized ballista.
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C1.)Useful items in ballista ~ lol Xpotion rox!
The title pretty much explains it all.... this part will show you items that are good in ballista.

Daedalus Wings ~ Things are basically icarus wings that dont medicate you. They give you 100% TP allowing instant WS and self skillchains.

Hi-Potions ~ These are life savers, pop one of these and hurry and pop a few more or something else. They give 100HP almost instantly and don't leave you medicated.

Incenses |Carnal|Celestial|Spiritual ~ I love these items sooo much! Carnal give immunity to all physical attacks, meaning everyone not using magic will hit you for 0 for around 30-45sec, you are still able to recieve damage from ranged attacks though, so you are never safe from those rangers yet. Celestial protects from all ranged attacks, meaning, of course, all ranged attacks will hit you for 0 but that MNK will always still be beating you in the face. Spiritualy is my favorite when mixed with Perfect dodge. It protects you from all magic meaning nothing (except arrows) can him me when I use perfect dodge > spiritual incense.

Elixir ~ These lit'l boys restore a moderate amount of HP and MP, but they take a long time to take. Use one if your at around 40% and being beaten on.

Body & Giant - Mana & Wizard drinks ~ These guys give you max HP/MP up. Body and Mana give 25% up on max HP(Body) and MP (Mana), Giant and Wizard drinks give 50% HP(Giant) MP(Wizard) up.

Demoralizer ~ THese bad boys give TP down, the +1 give more TP down which always ticks a SAM off really fast.

Revitalizers ~ OMG these are gods, if your a MNK and you pick one up, you just picked up a minute worth of pure havok. Put up hundred fist and use it up. Then use this and its back up again, use it again and kill even more. Fast way to get gate breach.

C2.)Conclusion ~ Aw done already? ;_;
Remember, ballista is just a game. Never be scared to try it out, even if you get murderd, you will always have fun. Get your license with a friend and play your first ballista with them.

Sportsmanship & Respect
Yorado....

[Krummi]

Regarding your bard bit...

Songs are not interruptable, apart from stun, sleep, silence and death.

[Grimsta]

This is pretty good your right about the drg being mage killer i use to be a "omfg rdm runaway!"

Rdm" ima head right to you weak gimp drg!"

After a encounter with a rdm i opended my eyes and said " holy shit i can kill a rdm one on one???"

So till then im hitting and killing them blm whm brds and my favorite lunch bag the rdm!

A good competitive job i countered was mnk, they are really hard but found my ways to kill them.

Drk are even matches with me cause they hit good as me they know how to use there job ( in my server) and they got deadly tp, but the good thing bout drg is we got our friend {Jump} and plus they get hit for 156 by me and they hit me for 106 and i take advatage when they cast spells cause once i hit that tp hit its over so its a matter of who hits the tp first.

[Yorado]

Krummi :
Regarding your bard bit...

Songs are not interruptable, apart from stun, sleep, silence and death.

ah thank you, ill add that.

[Delequiox]

SAMs do not have A- archery unfortunately, i think its C-, but we get alot of racc and WS acc armor to make up for our skill level.

[Yorado]

ill add that soon