Chains of Promathia is the second big expansion given to us, players, by Square Enix. It had mixed results. It featured level capped missions which were strongly discouraged by the general population. The mobs were also very strong, so much that SE had to lower the strength not once but twice because people were a little too demanding in their “emails” on the 'E-Mail & Support forum section'.

Anyways, CoP (Chains of Promathia) is a nice expansion regardless of its flaws and most people will like the plot. It is, by far, much longer than the Zilart Missions and much more harder. It is directly linked to it and completing CoP will give you access to a new area called “Sea” just like Zilart gave you access to “Sky”. There is also a quest that requires you to have completed both Zilart Missions and CoP Missions which is why I recommend you finish both missions entirely so you can obtain the final rewards of both expansions given by SE.

The CoP expansion is divided by chapters and chapters are divided by missions. The game will let you know when you enter a new chapter by flashing it in your screen in a nice mini video.

Before starting the first chapter I would like to have a single recommendation -- doing CoP succesfully is somewhat expensive (depending on servers) and requires that you have multiple jobs (depending on the missions due to the level cap) to do these runs succesfully.

Well, enough of the introduction; let's get on with it.

Chapter 1 - Ancient Flames Beckon

The Rites of Life 1-1

Well, first things first. Install the expansion. Yeah I know, but I have to mention it. Afterwards head to Qufim Island in Jeuno and go towards Delkutt's Tower and zone in for a cutscene. After it's done head to Upper Jeuno and wait for the second cutscene to commence. After that go to G-10 which is the Infirmary and talk to Monberaux for your third cutscene.

That's it for your first mission, easy enough.

Below the Arks 1-2

Head to Ru'Lude Gardens and talk to Pherimociel in the Grand Duchy's Palace. Afterwards go to the back of the palace (Near Maat) and speak to an Alchemist by the name of Harith (H-5) who will grant you access to the Promies (more on that later). You're done in Jeuno and have access to Promivion Mea, Dem, and Holla. Get a teleport or chocobo to one of the crags and look for the Shattered Telepoint to enter one of the 3.

Before going you can get Animas from Harith by trading Empty Memories and 2,000. Animas are items used on the boss that cause a special debuff effect on it.

Hysteroanima: No tp abilities
Psychoanima: Paralyze
Terroanima: Run in circles

To be honest, Terroanima is really dumb and very annoying; but do get the other two. Psycho makes the mob paralyze for 30 seconds, meaning it won't attack you AT ALL (yeah, 100% paralyze effect). Hysteroanima is also very useful, but save them for the last 25% of the fight, at which point bosses will start spamming TP Abilities and they are AoE (Area of Effect).

Oh and get reaise earrings, ethers, yagudo drinks and some hi-potions if you want. These are not easy fights.

Interlude: Ok so the next mission is a pain in the ass, the level cap is 30. Yes, the good news is if you have a high level job 60+, chances are you have 2 level 30's for this mission. The bad news is level 30 jobs suck so much, poor weapon skills, mediocre damage, almost no tanking ability, limited armor and the fact that you probably have to rebuy level 30 armor.

As for the jobs, one of the biggest flaws in CoP is that only a few jobs are capable in some missions, forcing you to level several jobs to make the cut for your party.

Recommended Jobs:

Summoner: A team of 6 summoners will most likely destroy this mission, you of course need your 2-hour, Astral Flow. That's mainly why you need a Summoner though, because of their 2-hour, biggest damage dealer at this level.

Ranger: Widescan makes your job easier for finding the portals to the next floor and of course not being right next to the boss to attack is a bonus.

White Mage: Heals are needed.

Warrior: War/Nin is the preferred tank, at level 30 Ninjas don't get Utsusemi: Ni so any job with Ninja sub can tank and Axes do more damage than Katanas so it's better hate management.

That's basically the 4 most sought after jobs, but you can of course mix a few jobs in there. For example, Red Mage and Black Mage can both heal and debuff/throw magic.

2-hand weapons received a huge buff in the past updates so they can do good DoT (Damage over Time), make sure they sub ninja in case they pull hate, and of course all melee bring sushi as the bosses have huge evasion.

The Mothercrystals 1-3

This is one of the longest missions in CoP and you will find out soon why. To start, don't bother with sneak and invisible because all mobs are true sight and sneak so you have to sneak by them, pull them, and kill them, or just kill them the straightforward way.

To advance on floors you need to find a Memory Receptacle, and this is why bringing a Ranger is a good idea. Use wide scan to find it on your map and go kill it. A MR is a blue sphere that will be surrounded by strays (weakest mob in prommies) and will keep spawning them until it dies. It also spams AoE for around 100-200, Shadows can absorb damage but he spams it so fast it's not really worth it past 2 casts of utsusemi.

Once you kill the MR, a memory stream will pop on the floor which will take you to the next level when you stand on top of it so be sure to kill any strays first. Sometimes the memory stream won't pop though and that means you killed a fake MR. This just means that you have to keep looking!

Do all of the above until you arrive at the fourth floor. This time you need to look for the zone to the boss BCNM. It looks like a castle-like figure. If you manage to grab aggro and are close to the zone, then just run for it and hope you don't die or at least die in a aggro-less zone.

By the way, all prommies have this same setup, once inside the BCNM area rest, click on the door and choose Ancient Beacons to enter the BCNM.

NOTE: Do not do these fights in darksday, some 2-hours are resisted like Astral Flow and Eagle Eye Shot.

Wreaker Holla Boss

The main ability of this boss is that it can absorb your beneficial status, including hp, food, songs and buffs. Have your tank get useless buffs like a bar spell and no good buffs like haste or food, although it's recommended for the tank to eat Nashmau Stew. Why, you may ask, especially if the mob absorbs food? Well, the food gives 15% accuracy and 18% attack but more importantly also gives -10 to all stats (vit, agi, str, mnd, int, chr) -100 mp, -100 defense and -100 evasion. That's one hell of a debuff. Along with the animas this fight is the easiest of all 3.

Progenerator Dem Boss

This boss can spawn mini versions of itself which makes it very annoying, he usually does it at around 50% but he can do it around 90%. It can spawn only a max of 6 and can be slept, although the boss itself is immune to sleep. Also, if you kill one of the sons he will respawn another one. Other than that, this boss is rather easy. Just like the Holla boss, use animas and go all out with 2-hours.

Delver Mea Boss

What an annoying fight this guy is. Carousel does AoE damage and he spams it like crazy at the end, so I hope you have animas. Promyvion Brume resets hate and Impalement reduces targets HP to 5%, causing a lot of heart attacks when fighting this boss. Summoners are your friends when fighting this boss, killing it as quickly as possible with animas on is the best advice I can give.

After beating each BCNM you get experience points, I forget how much it was but it was around 1500 or more which is a good bonus considering you don't lose experience at all for dying inside.

Congratulations you defeated Chapter 1.

Chapter 2 - The Isle of Forgotten Saints

An Invitation West 2-1

After beating all 3 prommies you will be warped to Lufaise Meadows, which is a new CoP zone near Tavnazian Safehold, an old mythical Vana'diel city. You will notice 3 taru tarus running towards your unconcious body and “retrieving” your key item Mysterious Amulet. After the cutscene, go west and zone into the Tavnazian Safehold. Besides Orcs and Gigas there's a new mob here called Buggard which aggros to sound. After zoning into Tavnazian Safehold, you will get another cutscene which ends 2-1.

Interlude: No, no boss fight coming up. I just thought I would make you do the map quest for this city since it will help A LOT when navigating here, and besides you will be coming a lot here.

Go talk to Elysia at G-10 and she will tell you that she dropped a hairpin and asks if you can go look for it and return it to her. After speaking with her, go back the way you came, take another right and follow the ramp up. There is a door just to your right as you reach the top of the ramp, go through it, and up the next ramp at the end of the hall. Hang another right, follow the path all the way to the south. At the end of this corridor is a small chamber (K-8 aprox). Examine the ??? target on the ground south of a NPC by the name of Korbi-Marobi who is behind the Stone Column. You will get a key item Alabaster Hairpin which is the hairpin Elysia was looking for -- good for us. Return to her at G-10 (Near the bridge area) and talk to her to get a cutscene.

She will ask if you can give Pradiulot a message from her, lucky for us he is near. Go to H-9 in another room near this one and speak with him for a cutscene where you complete this quest and get the map of Tavnazian Safehold.

The Lost City 2-2

You will notice that in the middle of the city there's a huge hole with staircases going up and down. We need to go up, so start climbing and enter the Walnut door at K-9. Inside, talk to Despachaire for another cutscene, then take the stairs down to the lower parts of the safehold and check the Sewer Entrance at I-7.

Distant Beliefs 2-3

This mission can be done by an alliance so take your time with people and any job works for this just as long as you have a tank or 2 and a few healers. Also, bring Holy Waters because the boss can doom you.

Inside the Phomiuna Aqueducts, bats, spiders and pugils don't aggro at all. Taurus have true sight and slimes/fomors aggro sound. Have one person head to J-3 in the second map and the Minotaur will draw in the entire alliance no matter where they are on the Phomiuna Aqueducts map. The fight is fairly simple considering it's an entire alliance against a taurus type mob; remember that he can doom you so have your tanks use holy water. You need this kill to advance but you won't get a cutscene after you kill him, so don't worry about it.

After the fight head to the iron door at G-8. DO NOT DROP INTO THE WATER AT G-8, just don't.

At the iron door you either need a bronze key dropped from fomors in this area or a thief to pick up the lock to let you in. Go in and continue up the ladder, after the cutscene you'll climb and zone into a new area. In here take the north path. You need to enter a room at F-7 and click on a bookshelf with a clickable ??? icon which will open a hidden door in the south wall.

Almost done.

Now you have to solve a puzzle. Depending on the Vana'diel day, you must push both torches simultaneously to solve the puzzle. For obvious reasons this is a lot harder than it sounds mainly because of lag so type GO in party chat and push your torch after you press enter while the other person doing it will do it when he sees the 'GO' if the timing is right the secret door will open. Below are the days and torches needed to open the secret door.

Lightsday: Light and Dark
Darksday: Dark and Light
Firesday: Fire and Ice
Icesday: Ice and Wind
Winsday: Wind and Earth
Earthsday: Earth and Thunder
Thundersday: Thunder and Water
Watersday: Water and Fire

After finishing the puzzle, the hidden door will open in the western wall so head inside (someone from inside can open the door to someone who was AFK or late).

Locate the second Ornate Door and watch your final Chapter 2 cutscene. Afterwards, Escape or warp out and head to Tavnazian Safehold, speak to Justinus at J-6 (top floor).

An Eternal Melody 2-4

After talking to Justinus, head to the walnut door at K-7 for yet another cutscene and will get your Mysterious Amulet key item back from those tarus. Go to Misareaux Coast at I-11 and click on the Dilapidated Gate to get a cutscene and then return to the Tavnazian Safehold and approach the bridge in the middle for your last cutscene in this mission.

Interlude: I'll be honest, this fight can be one pain to win and I was like 1/6 on this run and never looked back after I won. The best job setup for this mission are 3 Ninjas and 3 White Mages which of course may not be easy to find, another setup is a tank which in the early missions means a Ninja and not a Paladin due to limited armor for the job. A healer and 2 jobs who can kite: Summoners, Beastmasters, Red Mage subbing Ninja, Thieves, Rangers. I will explain the strategy in a moment.

Ancient Vows 2-5

The level cap for this fight has been upped to 40 which is good for Ninjas because they can get Utsusemi Ni now but levels still suck, you will be missing a lot of magic spells and weapon skills. Oh well.

Before heading to the fight make sure you're well prepared. Bring: hi-potions, ethers, yagudo drinks, evasion food for the kiters, echo drops, prism powders and yellow liquid.

Ready? Alrighty then, go to the dilapidated gate in Misareaux Coast at F-7 and enter. You will get a cutscene and then be warped to a new zone: Riverne Site #A01. Go Northwest from where you warped and you will see a Spatial Displacement, this works as a warp in Riverne site so click on it to get warped.

You will arrive on another island, now you will need two Giant Scales from the Firedrakes to further advance. Chances are you have 0 but don't fret in this zone you can farm them until you get those 2. After you get them head to G-10 and trade your first scale to the Spatial Displacement and make sure everyone gets in...

...Only to be warped to another island. Atomic Clusters roam this part and they are a bomb-type enemy, so yes, they aggro to magic and sight. Use the powders I told you to grab back in the city and head to E-10. You will see a different name for the portal, Unstable Displacement, but it works just the same so use your second giant scale and go in.

In this new island there's a new mob called Cloud Hippogryphs which are actually giant birds, they are true sight so be very careful. Hug the right wall and follow the path until you reach the next Spatial Displacement.

You'll arrive on another island, but it's easier than the others. Just head north and use the Spatial Displacement there and you will zone into the Monarch Linn, the BCNM area.

When ready click on the door and choose Ancient Vows as the BCNM fight to enter. A common strategy is to view the cutscene upon entering and exiting the battlefield to gain back those precious minutes that you lost while viewing the cutscene. It may not seem as much but better safe than sorry.

You will fight 3 black robed figures called Mammets-19 Epsilon, these dudes are very annoying. They can change jobs whenever they want which is why I told you to get the yellow liquid -- it's an item that locks the mammets jobs in whatever they are. They have around 4k hp so it's not too bad, but this is still a hard fight.

Remember the interlude about the job setup on this mission? Best setup by far is 3 Ninjas and 3 White Mages. Have the Ninjas get the yellow liquid and lock the mammets in a job that won't kill you quickly (Black Mage for instance). Meanwhile, each White Mage gets a Ninja to heal. It will take a while but it's very safe.

The kiting strategy is a little more riskier, if you kite the mammets and one of them chances to Black Mage, well things won't get pretty.
Summoners and Beastmasters kite with their pet and Ninja subjob, Red Mages should also have a Ninja subjob and cast gravity on a mammet while throwing debuffs at it (Bind, Slow, Silence, etc) while thieves and rangers just kite them normally, Rangers can also use shadowbind if things get rough.

The strategy is simple but the fight is much more difficult than it seems, do a few dry runs (without the use of 2hours) to become familiar with them then you can go all out.

Congratulations you defeated Chapter 2.

A Transient Dream

Call of the Wyrmking 3-1

After beating the mammets and finishing the cutscene, you will be warped all the way to South Gustaberg. Go zone into Bastok and head to Port Bastok, approach the Departure Entrance at the air travel agency, and get a cutscene. After that, go to Bastok Market and zone into Metalworks to speak to Cid, he's up in the top floor by the 2 elevators at the end of the first floor. You will get a cutscene from him.

Vessel without a captain 3-2

After the cutscene with Cid, take the airship in Port Bastok to Jeuno and go to Lower Jeuno, more exactly to the Neptune Spire. Enter the Tenshodo HQ to get a cutscene. After the cutscene, head to Ru'Lude Gardens and approach the palace stairs to get another cutscene.

Three Forks 3-3

This is one of those missions that are really long and annoying but can be soloed or duoed.

Start by heading to San d'Oria, more specifically northern San d'Oria to get a cutscene upon entering. Once that's done, go to the church there and speak with Arnau, he's an NPC priest in the main hall of the church, then talk to Chasalvige who is in the Manuscript room for another cutscene.

You're done in San d'Oria, so hop on a chocobo or get a teleport holla and go to Carpenter's Landing in the J-6 Jugner forest entrance. You can use a chocobo in this area just in case. Inside, go to H-10 and you should see an NPC called Guilloud, but be warned, if you talk to him an Overgrown Ivy will spawn which is a Malboro type mob with the hundred fists 2 hour ability, so make sure you're ready for it. The mob itself isn't very hard as he's around 50-55 but be wary of its 2 hour; I would recommend bringing a friend to help out.

After killing him speak to Gullioud again and this time you'll get a free-monster cutscene. Go to south San d'Oria and talk to Hinaree in the manor located at B-6. You're done with half the mission.

Too bad the second half really, really, really blows. Go to Windurst and zone into Windurst Waters to get a cutscene similar to the one in San d'Oria. Now go talk to Ohbiru-Dohbiru in the Rhinostery right here in Windurst Waters, J-9.

Now go to Windurst walls and talk to Yoran-Oran at E-5, speak to him until you get a cutscene. Back in Windurst Waters, go to Timbre Timbers Tavern at F-10 and speak to Kyume-Romeh for another cutscene.

We are almost done here in Windurst. We have to speak with Honoi-Gomoi who is at Windurst Waters at E-7; he will give you a key item called Cracked Mimeo Mirror. Go back to Windurst Walls, more precisely to Yoran-Oran and he will tell you how to repair the broken mirror. You are to go to Attowa Chasm so get ready.

Teleport Mea or Chocobo to the Maze of Shakrami and zone into Attowa Chasm, once here go to the eastern portion of Attowa Chasm and find the “Loose Sand” target on the floor at K-8. Clicking this will spawn an Antlion NM Lioumere.

The antlion is easy but there's a catch: everytime he uses his weaponskill he will retreat to his spawn point (nest) and recover ALL HP, so do not let it go back! Hit it with gravity, sleep, bind, you name it. Provoke also works. After you beat it click on the Loose Sand to gain a key item called Mimeo Jewel.

Here comes the annoying part -- you have to climb to the top of this very large mountain, most likely the one in front of you. There are several paths on it but some are blocked, some are dead ends and if you fall you have to start again. To make matters worse, you have an hour to reach the summit and click on the Cradle of Rebirth target before your jewel breaks, prompting you to get another one where you killed the antlion (without the fight of course). I was trying to solo this for like 3 hours until I gave up and started asking what the hell to do; a friend of mine gave me this directions which I will quote here: "Make your way to (K-9) of Attohwa Chasm; the easternmost side of the mountain.

1.You'll come to a point where there will be a ramp on either side of you, if you are facing the mountain. Go left heading south.
2.After a few steps, you'll reach a fork. Go right heading up and north.
3.After a few steps, you'll reach another fork. Go left heading up and south.
4.After a few steps, you'll reach another fork. Go right heading up and north.
5.After a few steps, you'll reach another fork. Continue straight and north.
6.You will soon reach a spout. Wait for it to go down and continue north.
7.Walking north, pass over a bone bridge and continue heading northwards.
8.You will reach another spout. However, this spout will not go down. Very slowly and carefully drop off the side to the east.
9.After a few steps, you'll reach a small cliff. Drop down, still heading north.
10.At the top of the ramp you're on, you'll reach a fork. Continue heading north.
11.You will reach another spout that will not go down. Slowly and carefully drop off the side to the east.
12.Continue heading north as it wraps around the mountain.
13.You'll soon reach a large bone structure heading north and upwards. The platform leading to it is rather difficult to get on.
14.At the top of the bone structure, you'll reach a fork. Continue heading north and west, taking the right forks.
15.You will soon see another small cliff. Make your way as far west as possible and carefully drop down. It may be helpful to walk up the mountain a bit before dropping.
16.With a rock to your back, not front, continue heading west.
17.You'll soon reach another spout. Wait for this to go down and continue west.
18.You'll reach another small cliff. Slowly and carefully drop down at the very edge.
19.With a rock to your back; not front, continue heading west over a windy path.
20.After passing over another bone structure, you'll come to another spout that will not go down.
21.Slowly fall down to west to the platform below.
22.Very carefully, continue south, winding around the bottom of the mountain. Be very careful not to fall to the ground.
23.You will come to another small bone structure with a fork; the right continuing south and the left going upwards and north. Go left.
24.After a few steps going up and north, you'll come to another fork. Go right.
25.Follow this path for a few steps and you'll come to another fork. Go left and upwards again.
26.At the top of this side, you'll hit another fork; a spout to your left and another path to your right. Go left toward the spout and wait for it to go down.
27.Continue north, passing over two large bone structures.
28.Ignore all forks and stay to the right at all times until told to change.
29.You will soon reach another bone structure that will come to an end. Slow fall off the end of the bone structure to the platform below. 30.With a rock behind you, follow this path for a few steps.
31.You'll then reach a spout. Wait for it to go down and continue along the path.
32.Follow this path and stay to the right until you are to the top of the mountain."

When you reach the top you have to click the target Cradle of Rebirth and you will get 3 key items: Mimeo Feather, Second Mimeo Feather and Third Mimeo Feather. Not very creative are they? Anyways after getting your 3 key items return back to Windurst and zone into Windurst Walls to talk to Yoran-Oran. Then go to Port Windurst and talk to Yujuju at M-6, to be safe talk to her twice.

Now go to Northern Windurst waters at G-8 and talk to Tosuka-Porika inside the Optistery. Go back again to Windurst Walls and talk to Yoran-Oran.

Finally go to Bastok and speak with Cid to end this very long and annoying mission.

Tending Aged Wounds 3-4

Take the airship to Jeuno and zone into Lower Jeuno for a cutscene, then go to the Neptune Spire and click on the Tenshodo HQ door for another cutscene.

Short mission, I know, but after the last one you deserve a short easy one. I know I do.

Interlude: Yeah, another interlude, so you can guess a big fight is coming. Job setup recommended is the generic tank (Ninja) and healer (White Mage) duo but with a variation. Dark Knight. Stun is so important in this mission that it sucks hardcore for Black Mages not to have it at level 40. Get melees who can stun with Weapon skill and fast like Blue Mages or Samurais and as always get hi-potions, yagudo drinks, ethers, food, reraise earrings/scrolls AND POISON POTIONS. <--- very important.

Darkness Named 3-5

This is a cool mission, I will explain why in a while but first we need a Pso'Xja pass, you might want to ask what the hell is that. Well in simple terms it's a new cop location in Beaducine Glacier and we need a key item to enter. Oh, by the way, this mission is level capped at 40 so gear up.

Go to Upper Jeuno and talk to Monberaux in the infirmary again; haven't seen this dude since Chapter 1, huh? Next go to Lower Jeuno and talk to Ghebi Damomohe at I-7. Now get your strongest job and pair up or form a party and head to Beaudicine Glacier and enter one of the Pso'Xja un capped towers (easier). To farm chips you need 1 chip (Dropped by Diremites, Lizards and Mimics) per member. When doing this mission, it doesn't matter the color of the chip. Once that's taken care of head back to Lower Jeuno and trade your chips to Ghebi Damomohe for your Pso'Xja pass.

Now that we have the Pso'Xja pass it's time for some BCNM fun. Gear up and head to H-8 Tower in Beaudicine Glacier, it's the tower right next to the outpost and enter it.

Sneak and invisible are required here.

The zones in this area look like colored webs, and you want to zone in this order: Red -> Black -> Red -> Black. In your last zone there's an elevator that will take you down to where you need to go. Make sure you have sneak on or stay real close to the middle but don't cast magic while going down; I don't remember well but I believe there are magic aggro mobs around that area.

Anyways at the bottom there should be a T intersection, go left there and enter the door here, zoning you into the Shrouded Maw where you will fight Diabolos.

Man this guy looks so badass and his moves are really deadly. Also the tiles in the area where you fight Diabolos will fall randomly, if you manage to go down along with the tile you will be utterly destroyed by a pack of wild and hungry diremites waiting for you at the bottom, so basically if you fall, you die. There are some tiles that will never fall no matter what. The best strategy for this is the following:

When you fall from the cliff down to where Diabolos is; he's waiting over by a tile directly north of you while you land in the middle of the battle arena, the tile where Diabolos is won't fall so mages go over there while the southernmost tile directly south from where you landed won't fall either so the tank should provoke Diabolos and bring him over there along with the rest of the melee.

That is the first step to beating this mission. Once that's taken care of, use your poison potions right away because Diabolos might cast Sleepga and in this mission being awake at all times is very important. Howevever, there is a move that is the mother of all banes and that's Nightmare. It works just like Sleepga (as in it will AoE sleep) but with a few changes. The first is that you will also gain a powerful bio effect, and second, poison potions won't wake you from Nightmare either -- the only other ways to wake up from this are from cures, being hit by Diabolos, or hoping the sleep effect wears off before the Bio kills you. Deadly move indeed.

This is why I told you to bring stunners, stunning Nightmare is the key to winning this battle. The other abilities that Diabolos have pale when compared to Nightmare. If you manage to stun all of Diabolos Nightmares then you have this battle won.

After beting Diabolos head back to Upper Jeuno and speak to Monberaux in the infirmary to finish this mission and chapter.

Congratulations, you have just defeated Chapter 3!

Forumlink

Discuss about this article by following the address below :
http://www.skryer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=2640


Print Article
Send to a friend
Save as PDF