Survival of the Wisest

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Start NPC Professor Schultz - Xarcabard (G-8) Requirements SCH Level 66+ Finished Artifact Quests Items Needed Scholar's Testimony Title Granted Grimoire Bearer Repeatable No Reward Level Cap at 75 ← Previous Quest Next Quest → Seeing Blood-red None

Contents 1 Walkthrough 1.1 Battle Strategy 2 Game Description 2.1 Reference

Walkthrough

• Enter Xarcabard for a cutscene.
• Trade the Scholar's Testimony to the Indescript Markings at (G-8)/(H-8) and you will be transported to the Throne Room.
• Touch the door to the Throne Room for another cutscene.
• Trade the Scholar's Testimony to the Throne Room to enter the battlefield.
• You have 10 minutes to complete this fight. In the event that you are knocked unconscious during the fight, you will NOT lose EXP. However, if you have defeated Maat on a prior job you WILL lose EXP.
  • You have to defeat Gunther to win.

Battle Strategy

This strategy is aimed at the lvl 70 SCH G5, and assumes the SCH has capped Magic Skill, Good/Excellent INT, and equipment for Dark Arts). See discussion if you are 71+.

• Before entering the battlefield use Cream Puff, Blink Band, and (if you can afford it) Stoneskin Torque. These will NOT wear upon entering!
• Upon entering the battlefield, cast Shell III upon yourself, use Dark Arts, then Addendum: Black, then Alacrity, then Ebullience, and then target the Crimson Grimoire. Macros are VITAL here, as you need to perform the above a quickly as is possible. Using an Intelligence Potion at this point may cause the following scenario to occur, so be warned:
• If Gunther manages to cast Shell III upon the Crimson Grimoire, you have been too slow in performing the above, and rendered this fight practically impossible.
• Immediately cast Stone IV on the Crimson Grimoire, then Alacrity + Blizzard III. If you are lucky, the Crimson Grimoire will be dead. If it is not, you soon will be!
• It is worth noting that at this point if the Crimson Grimoire is Light or Stone or Dark Element, you WILL fail this fight PERIOD... If the Crimson Grimoire starts casting Ice Magic after your Stone IV lands, then cast Alacrity + Fire III instead. (There is currently no way of telling the Element of the Crimson Grimoire before it is too late. Go back to East Ronfaure (S), get another Testimony, and try over). (Just attempted on Iceday, magic skill capped at 258 with gear, Stone IV only did 168 dmg, and and Blizzard III healed the Grimoire. Grimoire element match current day? -- Nymande, 6 July 2009)

((From what my experinces have shown me as i am 0/30 on this battle the book's element appears to depend on ones opening actions in the battle..i.e 2hr from the start it's a light element. i.e2: follow stratagy above one random element.--Pikachuninetail 06:31, 9 July 2009 (UTC) )

((I am now 0/13 on the fight, capped magic skill, Magic Att. Bonus+10, INT+17 (before food), but I am getting heavy resists on the second spell, even with elemental staves paired with the element of the spell and weakness of the Grimoire element. Repeated runs on same day have proven that the element is not matched to the weather or day --Nymande, 15 July 2009))

• The Crimson Grimoire can be of any element. Spells of the same element cast on the Grimoire will heal it. The Crimson Grimoire will only cast spells of its own Element.
• Gunther may cast a spell of the same element on the Crimson Grimoire to heal it between your nukes, so be sure to finish it fast.
• After the Crimson Grimoire has died, quickly use Tabula Rasa and cast Dispel on Gunther. This may or may not rid Gunther of his Shell III, which is the desired outcome.
• Using Alacrity and Ebullience, cast Thunder III on Gunther, followed by another Alacrity and Ebullience and Aero III. It is recommended that at this point you use a Vile Elixir and/or Hyper Potion as required. You will not have time for Cures, and Drain is generally ineffective.
• Gunther should now be at below 1/2 health. Using Alacrity / Parsimony (depending on race) and Ebullience, cast Stone IV on Gunther. If he is still alive by this point, use Alacrity and Blizzard III on him. If you have had no resists, Gunther will now give in! There will follow a lengthy and satisfying cutscene!

If he starts to melee you, it is wise to run away from him. He will eventually start casting a spell instead which allows you to not get interrupted by his melee.

• Crimson Grimoire has around 700 HP.
• Gunther has around 1250 HP.
• Gunther's AI is similar to that of a mage-type beastman. He will not move into melee range until his HP falls below a certain percent, although on occasion this does not appear to be the case.
• Both Gunther and the Crimson Grimoire are heavily resistant to Sleep even with Voidstorm + Klimaform.

• Won in 1 minute 57 seconds at SCH70. Used the exact tactic above. Gear was SCH AF with Elemental Torque and anything else that increased INT, which put me to around +29. Grimoire went down in 2 shots, Gunther in about 4. No potions used.

• Won in 2 minutes 0 seconds at SCH70 all normal cheap AH/AF besides waist, which was a Penitent's Rope (int 75+33 with food). Fight progressed as such: Stone IV followed by Blizzard III killed the book. Tabula Rasa Dispel for Schultz, then Alacrity + Penury + Ebullience Stone IV, Cure IV on self, then Alacrity + Penury + Ebullience Blizzard III and Alacrity + Penury + Ebullience Stone IV for the victory.

• Won in 1 minute 36 seconds at SCH70 all normal AF with black cape+1,two wisdom rings,and the strategy used above also one Vile elixir+1 used (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) on a final note it took me a grand total of 70 tries to beat this cap...I STRONGLY encourage players NOT TO use this as their first 70 cap battle as it is frustrating and above all nearly impossible to beat at this level. --Pikachuninetail 09:21, 9 July 2009 (UTC)

• Finally won on 18th attempt in 2 min 36 seconds with a Mithra SCH70, (int 66 base as SCH70/RDM35, not sure base int during subjob restriction) wearing all INT+ or MAB+ gear I could find: AF head, body and feet, Cobra Gloves, Cobra Crackows, Peni Rope, Black Cape+1, Enlightened Chain, Morion Earring, Moldy Earring, Phantom Tathlum, 2 Zircon Rings, Earth Staff/Thunder Staff/Aquilo's Staff, and Sweet Rice Cake food, giving me int+28 (+33 with Auilo's Staff) and MAB+9. Grimoire was Dark based, but Alacrity + Ebullience + Stone IV with Earth Staff and Alacrity + Blizzard III with Aquilo's Staff did 714 (411+303) dmg. Needed both Blink Band and Stoneskin Torque applied before entering to prevent Blizzard III being interrupted (Grimoire's Aspir took out Blink effect, and Stoneskin allowed only 64 dmg from melee attack as Grimoire died). Had a macro misfire as I switched to Gunther, and Tabula Rasa never activated until after first couple nukes, or fight would have been shorter. Initially entered with MP+ gear on, and macro switched to INT+ after casting Shell III, to maximize MP available for fight. Used equip change macros with elemental staff to match spell element for added dmg (+10% for NQ staves, +15% for HQ), which was necessary to finally defeat the Grimoire. -- Nymande, 15 July 2009

• I won 1/4 as a Mithran SCH70 using full AF, Black Cape +1, Penitent's Rope, Moldy Earring, Morion Earring, Zircon Ringx2, Morion tathlum, and Aquilo's Staff as the only noteable gear. Could have gone 1/1 but I forgot to 2hr and Dispel Gunther's shell. I ended up winning against the light element grimoire using the top strategy. I used a Vile elixer and Yagudo Drink inside, while eating a Cream Puff and using a Blink Band outside. Started off quickly without wasting anytime, doing Shell III > Dark Arts > Addendum: Black > Alacrity > Ebuillence > Stone IV. luckilly the Grimoire casted Protect on itself so when I did Alacrity > Blizzard III it had died without taking a shadow. I then used my Yagudo Drink and then Tabula Rasa and used dispel which only got rid of a hardly useful Regen, I then started casting between Stone IV and Blizzard III using only Parsimony and Ebullience during my 2hr and then only Parsimony when it ran out. I used my Vile Elixer at about 200 MP. I won quickly with Gunther Getting my HP a little over 300 and enough MP for a good 2-3 nukes. This was my first ever G5 so I had no idea what to expect. I found this fight very easy, although it is a matter of luck. None of my magic skills were capped for these fights.

• Won 1/3 in 2 minutes 0 seconds on Gilgamesh. Mithra SCH70 using Full AF, Blue Cape, Penitent's rope, Moldavite earring, Insomnia earring, Zircon ringx2, Phantom tathlum, Beak necklace, Earthin grip, Earth/Ice staff. Capped magic, 93 int (with food+items). Used blink band + cream puff outside. Entered and cast Shell III - Int Potion - Dark Arts - Addendum: Black - Alacrity - Ebuillence - Stone IV. Grimoire started to cast Thunder III, I used Alacrity - Blizzard, down it went, and it's spell did not get cast on me. Quickly used my Yagudo Drink - Tabula Rasa - Ebuillence - Parsimony - Stone IV - Ebuillence - Alacrity - Blizzard III - Alacrity - Thunder III, down went Gunther. He was able to cast and land 2 spells on me, one ate my Blink, the other did damage to me. No elixer used, but was ready to use incase. Macro's used, very vital for survival. Battle is, as mentioned before, a matter of luck as far as the element of the grimoire is. Can be a very hard first Limit Break to beat if it is you're first one. ~Kirschwasser 8/19/09

• Stealthangel of Cerberus Server Lv70 Taru defeated Schultz on 9/13/09 in 1 minute 36 seconds (new record). I used SCH AF NQ Staffs Morion Earring, Moldavite Earring, Zircon Ring x2, Red Cape, Qiqirn Sash, Mohbwa Scarf, Morion Tathlum, and Bugard leather strap +1.

Used Cream Puff and Blink band before entering. Used strategy explained above and won. MAcroes make this a lot faster and easier. Good Luck to all after me!

• You do not have to defeat the Crimson Grimoire in order to win. This battle can be won by ignoring the [Crimson Grimoire]] altogether and going all out on Gunther. The key is to use a Blink Band, Alacrity and Ebullience and 2 (to 3) nukes on Gunther. If/when he puts up shell, dispel it quickly while ignoring the Crimson Grimoire altogether.

• Using this strat I was able to defeat Gunther at level 70 in 1 minute 3 seconds. I did not open with a shell. Used DA > Add > Alac > Dispelled his shell > Alac > Eb > Stone IV > Alac > Eb > Blizz III > Alac > Eb > Stone IV. Hit him hard enough where a partial resist on ONE spell would have still won it for me. Used blink band and a cream puff. Earth staff was a must. INT 67 + 27 Hume. -Bandit/Phoenix

• The above strategy worked like a charm, I followed Bandit's video exactly with the exception that I am a taru and he is a hume. I three-shotted Schultz, and even had one of my spells interrupted by the book, but you have to keep chain casting quickly, when I won, I was down to 170 HP, and Schultz was casting Fire III as my Stone IV went off. Went DA-->AD:Black--> TR--> Alacrity/Ebullience (had these in the same macro) --> Stone IV --> Ala/Ebu --> Blizzard III --> Ala/Ebu --> Stone IV --> casting interrupted --> Stone IV --> Win! ~Holyhandgrenade/Ifrit

• Also used the kill gunther ignore the book method. 1/3 third attempt I had no 2hr so I went in did DA - AB - Alacrity/Ebullience - Stone IV. I got really lucky in the fact that he did not cast shell III on himself! Then I cast a no stratagem Blizzard 3, followed by a Alacrity Stone IV for the win! 47 seconds! I am a taru and used HQ staves and the best possible + INT gear available @70. Highly recommend this strat over the kill the book first method! - Viviox/Titan

Game Description

Client

Professor Schultz (Xarcabard)

Summary

What will be the first and final assignment given to you by Gunther Schultz II, the legendary reformer of military strategy? Your rite of passage begins by obtaining a scholar's testimony...

Reference