Conquesting Starter Areas: A Guide by Chrisjander/Sarutabaruta
From FFXIclopedia, the free Final Fantasy XI encyclopedia
The rolling hills and green fields of Sarutabaruta give no indication to the beastmen that lurk beneath this lush wilderness. There are two dungeons which house armor dropping beastmen; the Horutoto Ruins and Giddeus.
Giddeus is the nesting place of the Yagudo, a fanatical band of bird-like beastmen who worship a heathen god. While not as confusing as some dungeons, Giddeus can pack a few surprises for those unacquainted with its traps, namely its pitfalls which hide the deeper areas of this beastman lair. Both the inner and outer sections of the Horutoto Ruins can be accessed through towers that dot the plains of east and west Sarutabaruta. These towers lead down under the grassland to an arcane complex of ancient magics and forgotten tunnels. Of the two, Giddeus is closest to the Outpost, though some of the entrances to the Ruins are also nearby.
Beastmen and Other Mobs
The following is a list of armor/weapon dropping mobs for each zone:
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Horutoto Ruins:
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Giddeus:
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The Zones
Giddeus
If you are not already familiar with how to use the hidden drop holes to get to the inner portion of Giddeus, you should endeavor to find out (either by asking someone, or bringing them along). Most should already be familiar with these, as it is the only way to access the chest key droppers, which was a prerequisite to obtaining your Kazham airship pass. Once you have learned this, you will be able to access the choicer parts of Giddeus, though other areas also contain the mobs you need.
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Crafting Alert! If you have no Clothcraft skill, you will want to make Capes (skill 8). Once you reach clothcraft 3 (an easy proposition after crafting all that thread and cloth from the necklaces), you can attempt to make Capes and still gain skill from failures. Earth Crystal + Grass Cloth x2 + Grass Thread x1 = Cape. If you have Clothcraft at 13+, you can attempt to make Kenpogi (skill 18). Earth Crystal + Grass Cloth x3 + Grass Thread x1 = Kenpogi. |
For parties 15-19, kill the Yagudo Scribes, Initiates and Acolytes you find on your way deeper into Giddeus. Your intended prey will be Persecutors, Pipers and Mendicants, and there are multiple places you can find these. If someone isn't already camping Hoo Mjuu the Torrent, you will be able to kill the higher level ones in that area (and those are the best pickings, in my opinion). If not, the ones in the back will do.
For parties 20+, you can either mass slaughter Persecutors, Pipers and Mendicants or move deeper in to target Priests, Votary and Theologists. Note that if you decide to "upgrade" to the third tier, you will no longer get any necklace drops and cannot take advantage of the crafting opportunities of this area.
Inner Horutoto Ruins
For a party of any level, the Goblin Thugs and Weavers will supply very very little xp, and are only worth killing on the way deeper into the tomb for the chance of armor drops. Parties of 15-19 will find the Tinkerers, Butchers and Ambushers prime targets for both xp and loot. Additionally, if you run into Balloons, feel free to kill them as well, since they drop both Bomb Arms (a throwing weapon, therefor tradeable) as well as Asbestos Mitts.
Parties of 20+ will find xp to be more to their liking if they target Leechers, Muggers and Gamblers. Though killing lower Goblins never hurts for their drops as well, since at 20+ you can scythe through these easy foes with alacrity.
Outer Horutoto Ruins
While the outer ruins do house goblins, you are more likely to run into cardians, which do not drop armor. Parties of 15-19 will find Tinkerers, Butchers and Ambushers low yielding in xp, though you should be able to despatch them quickly enough. You should probably ignore these sections of the ruins and move onto the inner portions, or onto Giddeus. Parties 20+ will just be dismayed by the poor xp.
