Abyssea - In-Depth Guide

Category:Guides 
:* this is currently an incomplete work in progress (started 5/1/2012)
==The purpose of this guide, and how to use it==
==How to access Abyssea==
This is a topic of some slight confusion with people who have not visited Abyssea before. in order to enter any Abyssea zones, you will need to have Visions of Abyssea registered (the game can be currently bought as the "Abyssea Collection", including all three expansions, or the expansions can be bought separately on the Square Enix store website. 
:*to check if you have an expansion registered and installed, look at the title screen of the game (where you are given the option to quit, select a character, ect). any expansions you have will be shown, ones you do not, greyed out.
:*Enter Port Jeuno with a level 30 or higher job after registering the expansions. you will see a cutscene with Joachim, for the quest A Journey Begins. after this scene ends, go to H-8 and speak to Joachim to receive a Traverser stone and flag the quest The Truth Beckons. 
===The "How"?===
if you have completed the steps above, travel to one of the floating Cavernous Maws and check it for an option to enter, and a possible cutscene.
your time in abyssea is limited to 5 minutes when you enter. talk to a Conflux Surveyor located near the place you entered to exchange Staverser Stones for time within abyssea. each stone is worth 30 minutes, and you can carry three originaly.
you can obtain up to 120 minutes of time to start, from expending stones, or using leftover time from a previous visit. your remaining time carries over to any Abyssea zone you enter. you can increase your time with traverser stone fragments sometimes found in Blue Sturdy Pyxides, a type of treasure coffer dropped by Abyssean monsters. each time extension, or "TE" is worth 10 minutes of extra time, there is no upper limit to how much time you can have, but only 210 minutes is saved if you leave and re-enter Abyssea.
:*Note that the smaller maws attached to the ground do not lead to Abyssea, and are related to the Wings of the Goddess expansion.
:*you will require a traverser stone to enter abyssea for the first time, and you must have at least one to flag a quest in each zone, involving defeating a powerful notorious monster for part of the storyline. if you have time left over from your previous visit, you can use that instead of a stone.
===The "Why"?===
you may wonder what the point of all this is, anyway. Abyssea is a great place to gain EXP, skills, crour (the currency of Abyssea, usable to buy items from a Cruor Prospector located in the basecamp of each zone, and treasure that can be used or sold for gil. Abyssea is also great fun when playing in a party, and has many challenges and quests for those interested in them.
:* although you can enter any Abyssea zone with a job of level lv30 to 99, the zones are intended for players of lv75 or higher - you will be unable to make much progress by yourself when of a low level.
===Oh, and the "Where", we cant forget that===
a total of 9 Cavernous Maws lead to various parts of abyssea, and a portal to Abyssea - Empyreal Paradox exists on Qufim Island. after entering Abyssea for the first time, then returning to jeuno and speaking to Joachim, you will receive a cutscene upon examining each maw, you will then be able to teleport directly to it by talking to to Horst, standing next to joachim, or several other NPCs located in the port zone of each city, near the mog houses.
==Abyssea expansions and zones==
The 9 main Abyssea zones are split up between three expansions. the final zone, Abyssea - Empyreal Paradox, requires access to all 9 zones, and completion of the storyline in those zones, as well as the Rise of the Zilart and Chains of Promathia expansions.
===Vision Of Abyssea Zones===
Vision of Abyssea: La Theine, Konschtat and Tahrongi
These are the original three abyssea zones, available with the installation of the Vision of Abyssea expansion. the maximum job level was raised to 80 with the release of this expansion. these are the best zones for familiarizing yourself with Abyssea, as the overall difficulty and the overall level of danger is lower then in later zones.
====Abyssea - La Theine====
Once an idyllic plateau, this area has been twisted into a hellish nightmare of its former self by the unrelenting Abyssean hordes. What San d'Orian survivors there are now hide in the various alcoves scattered throughout the plateau.
Accessible from La Theine Plateau through the Cavernous Maw located at E-4, just south of the forests of Ronfaure.
*Notable Notorious Monsters:
::Briareus - Gigas - must be defeated for the storyline quest A Goldstruck Gigas.
::Hadhayosh - Behemoths - one of the strongest monsters in the plateau.
*standard monster levels: 75-90
*See also: Map of Abyssea - La Theine and Abyssea - La Theine: Discussion
====Abyssea - Tahrongi====
Once a land of peace and tranquility in a world similar to Vana'diel, is now little more than the Alamo, the last stand, for the few survivors of this forgotten world. Fell creatures now swarm through the dry desert of oblivion with an insatiable desire for violence. 
Accessible from Tahrongi Canyon through the Cavernous Maw located at H-12, north of West Sarutabaruta.
*Notable Notorious Monsters:
::Glavoid - Sandworm - must be defeated for the storyline quest Megadrile Menace.
::Lacovie - Adamantoise - one of the strongest monsters in the canyon.
::Iratham - Catura - Must be defeated (along with monsters in other zones) for the storyline quest Emissaries of God.
*standard monster levels: 75-90
*See also: Map of Abyssea - Tahrongi and Abyssea - Tahrongi: Discussion
====Abyssea - Konschtat====
These highlands, once a lush landscape diverse in life, with soft winds gracing the grass, now lay under a dark sky, the wind now cold and stale with the stench of dried blood. Scattered across these highlands are small encampments of the survivors of the Abyssean hordes, pushed from their homes by the fell creatures. 
Accessible from Konschtat Highlands through the Cavernous Maw located at I-12, west of the Gustaberg region.
*Notable Notorious Monsters:
::Kukulkan - Peiste - must be defeated for the storyline quest To Paste a Peiste.
::Eccentric Eve - Morbols - one of the strongest monsters in the highlands.
::Turul - Amphiptere - patrols the skies over the northwest side of the zone, notable for it's sheer size. a visible whirlwind will form on the ground below it.
*standard monster levels: 75-90
*See also: Map of Abyssea - Konschtat and Abyssea - Konschtat: Discussion
===Scars Of Abyssea Zones===
Scars of Abyssea: Vunkerl, Misareaux and Attowah
These are the second set of abyssea zones, available with the installation of the Scars of Abyssea expansion. the maximum job level was raised to 85 with the release of this expansion. 
====Bastion====
the battle system called Bastion was introduced with these zones, similar to a small-scale campaign battle, the goal being to protect the Pulse Martello from waves of enemies. to access bastion, use the Veridical Conflux-01 located in the basecamp of each zone, and warp to Veridical Conflux-00 (you do not need to visit this conflux to activate it). Speak to a Bastion Prefect to receive Pennant Status and participate in Bastion.
:* Your rewards are based on how much enmity you generate during the battle, and seem to increase if the Pulse Martello survives. To heal the martello, complex the Ward Warden series of quests. A Scholar can also use the Regen line of spells or Embrava in conjuncture with Accession to slowly heal all NPCs and the martello.
:*The Resistance Credits earned for participation can be used to purchase pieces of Empyrean Armor, as well as temporary items.
Heroes of Abyssea: Altepa, Uleguerand and Grauberg and Abyssea - Empyreal Paradox
These are the final set of abyssea zones, available with the installation of the Heroes of Abyssea expansion. the maximum job level was raised to 90 with the release of this expansion.
==Gameplay details==
===Experience and Cruor===
Experience is earned using a very different system in abyssea. each monster will yield a set amount of EXP based on it's type, and sometimes variable size. As many of the same kind of monster are defeated in succession, the EXP reward after each fight increases. This chain will be broken if any experience is earned from another kind of monster, but is not broken by experience rewards from chests or other sources.
The rate that the chain builds up is based on the number of people in the party and the personal level of Golden and Ebon light held by each member (see 'Abyssean Lights and Sturdy Pyxides').
:* Example: the party starts by defeating a Veld Clionid, granting several EXP, then fights three more, the exp rising slightly after each fight. Then they defeat an Ephemeral Clionid, resetting their EXP to the base amount yielded by that type of monster.
Cruor is the currency of abyssea and is obtained in a similar way to exp. however, the chaining method is reversed; the cruor yield for each monster defeated will steadily rise if you never defeat the same kind of monster twice in a row. Overall cruor yield varies by your level of Silvery and Ebon light.
:* Example: the party starts by fighting a Hammering Ram, then finds and defeats the NM Akash, yielding a large amount of exp and cruor. they then alternate between defeating a ram, then a smaller Irate Sheep, the base cruor yield for each monster going up slightly after each battle.
Monsters usualy drop 10-50 EXP or Cruor at the start of a chain, or as low as 0 in a large party or alliance. A maximized experience or cruor chain will yield up to 500-700 EXP or cruor per standard monster defeated, varying with the type of monster. NMs usually give much greater rewards.
===Abyssean Lights===
A curious byproduct of the dimensional anchor bestowed on adventurers during their sojourn in Abyssea, is the manifestation of glowing auras which surround their bodies. These auras, commonly referred to as lights, are of fundamental importance in Abyssea and can be harnessed by adventurers to further their goals.
Primarily, they affect the rate/quality of the Sturdy pyxides that drop from foes slain in Abyssea, as well as the Experience Points and Cruor bestowed from each foe. With the appropriate lights built up, lucrative and rewarding contents can be regularly found in the chests, such as key items, augmented equipment, powerful temporary items, and Visitant Time extensions. 
Lights from a Red Sturdy Pyxis or defeated monster are obtained by all party or alliance members within the same zone, regardless of distance. Leaving abyssea resets your lights to 0.
====Lights obtained from defeated monsters====
These lights are obtained based on the type of attack used to defeat a monster. All reach a maximum of 255, exept for Pearlescent, reaching a maximum of 230.
Pearlescent: All sturdy pyxides will appear with greater frequency.
:Obtained by defeating a Mob using Physical Melee, Ranged attacks, any Blood Pact: Rage (including magical ones), Damage Over Time, or from Red Pyxides.
Ruby: Red pyxides will appear with greater frequency and yield superior spoils.
:Obtained by defeating a Mob using using Physical Weaponskills, or from Red Pyxides. (Note: Skillchain effect kills from Weaponskills counts towards Ruby)
Azure: Blue pyxides will appear with greater frequency and yield superior spoils.
:Obtained by defeating a Mob using Magical attacks, this includes but is not limited to both types of Blue Magic, Black Magic, White Magic, Ninjutsu, or from Red Pyxides. (Note: Skillchain effects from Skillchains closed by Blue Mage's Chain Affinity count towards Azure)
Amber: Gold pyxides will appear with greater frequency and yield superior spoils.
:Obtained by defeating enemies with an Elemental Weaponskill, or from Red Pyxides.
====Lights obtained from Red Sturdy Pyxides====
These lights are only obtained from opening a Red Sturdy Pyxis and will bestow effects related to the rate that EXP and Cruor are obtained.
Golden: Enemies will bestow experience points at an increased rate.
Silvery: Enemies will bestow cruor at an increased rate.
Ebon: Enemies will bestow experience points and cruor at an increased rate.
:*Healing with the /Heal command, or pressing * or H on some keyboard configurations will display your levels of light.
:*See Abyssea Lights for more details.
====Ephemeral Monsters, Elementals and Avatars====
These unusual monsters will drop large amounts of light, in increments of 8 (up to 128), based on how they are defeated. finding and defeating them is a reliable and fast way to build up important lights before a party begins other activities.
Most Ephemeral Vorageans and Hybrid Elementals wander over a small area, sharing the same range as a different type of monster that inhabits the same area. The Avatars wander over a set route, often covering large distances.
Vorageans that yield Abyssean Lights:
:*Ephemeral Amoeban (Earth/Dark)
:*Ephemeral Clionid (Water/Ice)
:*Ephemeral Limule (Light/Fire)
:*Ephemeral Murex (Wind/Lightning)
::*The Color of glow surrounding an Ephemeral Voragean seems to vary, representing certain elements. It is unknown if this effects their abilities.
::*Only found in Vision of Abyssea and Scars of Abyssea zones.
Avatars that yield Abyssean Lights:
:*Fulmotondro (Ramuh, Lightning)
:*Jala (Leviathan, Water)
:*Pavan (Garuda, Wind)
:*Akash (Carbuncle, Light)
:*Tejas (Ifrit, Fire)
:*Bhumi (Titan, Earth)
::*If an Abyssean version of Shiva exists, it is undocumented.
Hybrid Elementals that yield Abyssean Lights:
:*Byrgen (Earth/Dark)
:*Gefyrst (Ice/Water)
:*Baelfyr (Light/Fire)
:*Ungeweder (Wind/Lightning)
::*Only found in Heros of Abyssea zones.
===Sturdy Pyxides===
These chests of varying size and appearance may be dropped by defeated monsters, or found lying around Abyssea. Each of the three kinds will yield varying rewards when opened, based on the current lights and Abyssite held by the person who defeated the monster, and the zone where the chest was found.
Red Sturdy Pyxides: These small red and gold chests have a pressure-based lock, to open the lock, you must lower the air pressure in the chest to a certain level. Assuming the chest starts off with about 90 pressure, pull down the level three slots to lower the pressure to between 60-40. if the amount required to open the chest is lower then this, keep lowering the level by one slot at a time until the chest opens. If you overshoot the amount, pull the level up one slot.
Possible rewards for opening a Red Pyxide:
:*Between 1 and 64 points of one or more light colors, based on the Ruby light and Abyssite held by the player who defeated the monster holding the chest.
:*Teir 3 and 4 red pyxides have the highest chance to give large amounts of commoner lights (ruby, azure).
:*With capped ruby light and teir 5 red pyxides, only 1-8 points of the rarer (golden, silvery and ebon) lights will drop.
Gold Sturdy Pyxis: These gold chests of varying size have a guessing-game lock, where you have a limited number of chances to enter a 2-digit combination within certain limits (example: 32-65). After a failed guess, you will be given several clues about the lock, similar to inspecting the lock of brown chests dropped by monsters outside Abyssea.
Possible rewards for opening a Gold Pyxide:
:*Rare temporary items, like a Revitalizer, Megalixir or Fool's Powder.
:*Items required to pop Abyssean Notorious Monsters (see Notorious Monsters in Abyssea on this page).
:*Equipment with varying statistic Augments, items vary by zone. (Most common with medium-high levels of Amber Light)
:*Various treasures that can be collected from the chest or transferred to the party Treasure Pool, such as Gems and Elemental Ores, Dragon and Buffalo Meat, rare fabrics and spell scrolls, and other crafting materials (varies by zone).
:*Pieces of Empyrean Armor (only in Scars of Abyssea zones).
:Large gold pyxides only:
:*Key Items required to pop Abyssean Notorious Monsters. (Most common with high levels of Amber Light)
Blue Sturdy Pyxis : small, blue and bronze-colored chests with a lock that generates random values. to open it, guess if the value is above or below the previous number given, based on the value of the previous number.
:Example: previous value was 33. the chance of the number being over 33 is 66%, under 33 is 33%. the number is most likely over 33, so turn the dial up).
Possible rewards for opening a Blue Pyxide:
:*Temporary items automatically distributed to the entire party.
:*Common temporary items that can be taken from the chest, like Lucid Potion I, Lucid Ether I or Stalwart's Tonic.
:*Various amounts of EXP or Cruor.
:*10 extra minutes of visitant time in Abyssea. (most common with high levels of Azure Light)
====A Pyxis bit me!====
Some Pyxides are a kind of Mimic, an obnoxious creature that looks and acts just like a normal chest until it is approached or someone attempts to open it. it then shows an extreme level of disrespect, and attacks them.
Mimics will only be found as chests already on the ground, chests dropped by monsters are never Mimics. in the Vision of Abyssea zones, they are fairly weak, but have incredible HP (upwards of 30,000). The Mimics in Scars and Heroes of Abyssea are far stronger, requiring a large party of skilled players to defeat. Caution is advised around any chest of unknown origins.
===Monster behavior===
===Notorious Monsters in Abyssea===
====Weakness Targeting (procing)====
==NPCs and storyline==