Returning Player (After A 3 Year+ Break!)

Hello!

I've just recently returned to the game with a friend a few days ago and I've read + searched online about gearsets but had little to no success. I hope by starting this thread, people who still play this game are able to shed some light on an old vet like me. :)

Before anyone refers me to check the "Fear the reaper" thread and "Up to date item sets and gearswap sets" thread, the answer is Yes, I have and while those threads' main purpose at this time is to show me what gear to aim for, it doesn't quite help a returning player such as myself at this time bar the one post of Bloodlusty for the noobie TP set of spark gear.

Currently, the only up to date item I have is lvling my Apocalypse to it's initial 119 stage and would finish it to an ultimate weapon as soon as I catch up on Rhapsodies missions. I also acquired a Bloodtrain Strap from the Ark HM fight my old friend helped me with so I can do the 119 quest for Apoc. Back then, I had multiple grips depending on the situation as a DRK and I expect it to remain the same. What other grip should I work on obtaining?

Now, my issue is, from what I've seen, most gear on the gear set forums require me to have an LS or a few friends to acquire. (With the low playing population now, it's hard to find an event LS to help a returning player gear themselves.) For me to even be considered useful in these battles, I need to first be geared to hit things which, at this time I am not lol. (Resting, when I logged back on, I was around 580-600 accuracy and now with initial 119 Apoc sit at 800-850 accuracy.)

What I am asking for is, aside from the spark gear, what else is easily attainable on AH/Quest/Soloable NM's etc that I can use momentarily until I build my way back up to the "cookie cutter" sets?

Right now, I still use the same scripts I had from years ago that basically include Augmented Armadaberk/Phorcys/VWNM gear/Abyssea etc since this was around the time I last played. (Check my Item Sets tab on profile, mostly updated from the last time I logged on as well.)

I took a look at the reforged armor list and all seem useful but I don't know where to begin upgrading first. The game content and what not has gotten so big since I last played, it's a little overwhelming and makes me confused on what to focus on first!

If anyone out there is able to provide me the most basic gearsets possible until I am able to get myself to the Valorous level type of gear, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all for your time and attention. I look forward to seeing some of the responses and if some of you were my friends in the past that moved servers or whatever, say Hi cause I am back! Curious to see how many of you guys still play lol.

I highly suggest looking up various NMs and their drops from Escha Zi'Tah, and Sky as well as unity mobs. Most of these can be killed w/ a small group of 2-4 and its fairly good stuff. I main WHM though, so as far melee, all I know is 1100 acc is a must. Oh and do Ambuscade. Look it up. Good gear and easy to do. I too just came back from about a 3 year break and, to be honest, there's more activity now than there was when I left. At least on Asura.

Hey!! Piliii! Not sure if you remember me. It's good to see you back. I was that BLM Taru named Naraku..

First thing you should do is move to Asura (more populated and alive unless you find an active group on Phoenix) and join my group. Lots of fun on this server. Always have a spot for an old friend. ^_^

Next months ambuscade will probably allow you to get sulvias set. Thats honestly where I would start if not mercing my gear. Use this next 2 weeks before that starts to farm up some gil, do missions (cp bonuses) etc.

for time/efficiency its almost always better to just skip mid lv sets and pay someone for high lv gear. You should be able to buy odys/valorous gear (not body) for 3m a pop, thats 24m~ and all are even soloable if you can find one nice guy to do it. You do not however need all the pieces, so will really be less.

1.5m/hr is doable by almost anyone nowadays unless your really screwing up. Just farm dynamis/salvage and you will hit that. In a day you could theoretically have enough to buy all the valorous/odys gear you need.

game is easy now, use your time wisely and have fun. If you are against mercs, well sorry thats your choice to live a hard life at this point haha. Most people who come back as melee (and an unpopular one at that) are faced with this sad reality, so you could also abuse a mage/support job for gear if you have one too which I assume you did before quitting.

hay philli long time no see im on ausra not under a new name ill send you in PM its alot bigger than pheonix pheonix had 350 ppl top when i left 2 weeks ago asura had 1700 on the other night and 1200 on now should come check it out

Thanks to all those who have responded so far and lol, it's great to see 2 names from the old days still kicking! (eventhough now on the wrong server, TRAITORS! lol jk)

PM me, let's catch up and if I finally have to leave my original char server since 2003 because the server is dead, then yes, I'll follow you to Asura but we're getting off topic now. Basic gearsets, let's get it done and answered lol. :)

Returning player from a 5 year break, myself. Is DRK a viable job anymore? I have no clue about the current meta, except I see some people saying BLU is OP or something(I don't have BLU leveled).

DRK was my main when I quit in 2011. Started working on an Apoc scythe, but if I'm hardly ever going to be using DRK for anything important, should I bother building the relic anyway? I already have all the items gathered, just farming currency at the moment.

It is much easier/faster than few years ago to have a viable job for party contents.
Just work on 3-4 different class ( healer, DD mage, DD melee, buffer, tank) and u will have a room in any content.
And keep working on DRK if thats what made you come back and enjoy ff11!