They stand knee-high the other races and resemble slightly over-weight children. Some would describe them as cute, in a pick-up-and-hug kinda way.
Generally, they are ideal for the mage job types, being physically weak but adept at magic, and you frequently see them playing white mage (even squishier than Wilykat...) or Summoning avatars to fight for them.
Occasionally, there are a brave few that play damage dealers. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some damn good ones out there. Kurpse frequently plays as a Samurai, and does it well. There is enough gear out there that the lack of stats in one skill can be made up without too much of a problem, and one of the best things is that any race can play any job.
Even less frequently, you see one as a Paladin.
Now, I've mentioned before the 'standard' party make up for the game. There are a variety of ways the roles can be mixed about and fulfilled, but there are, broadly, three key areas.
You have the healer, who keeps the party on their feet (clearly the most important job, you will agree). You have Damage Dealers, who are there to actually wound the mob and kill it, but are frequently not very good when getting thumped themselves. Last, you have the Tank, whose sole job is to keep the mob's focus and take a pounding.
Paladin is the job-of-choice for the role of Tank, coming complete in full plate armour (bright white if you have the Artefact Armour), sword and shield. A white Knight to come to your rescue, if you will. Visions of a bold and fearless ne'er-do-well willing to throw themselves in front of the mob to Take-One-For-the-Party (or the White Mage, if I have my way).
A Tarutaru Paladin looks more like...and I mean this in the nicest way...a huggable tin can. That's one, at the front.
It's like having your very own, very small can of whoop-ass.
Really, I mean it in the nicest way. I've seen some damn fine Tarutaru Paladin; in fact many are far better than some Galka (the big chap onthe right) who can tank naked on a good day*.
Which brings me to the point of this post, and the story I wanted to relate when I started the ramble.
Be warned, elements may have been ever-so-slightly exaggerated for purposes of enjoyment.
Patsu has recently joined our Linkshell. I 'recruited' him a week or so ago after he was the Paladin tank in a level 35 party where I was Black Mage (for a change).
For a new player, he was doing a damn fine job holding hate, and keeping the mob off me (the squishy one). We partied for a couple of hours and as people were replaced we found we were in a party almost entirely composed of Linkshell members. Patsu was asking general advice on the game, and we had a couple of people there who had played Paladin and were helping out.
A good bloke, good sense of humour, and pretty good at his job. The sort of person that fits into the Chocobo Kingdom Linkshell well.
Last weekend, I spent four hours taking Patsu through the areas from the Wings of the Goddess expansion, set 30 years in the past. He had been getting party invites for East Ronfaure [s]** and didn't know how to get there. Fair enough, I said, lets get it done.
This involves a lot - and I mean a LOT - of running through multiple areas where the mobs aggro me at level 75. And can kick ass. Then take names. Then put the boot into what ever is left of you. What they do to a level 35 character doesn't bear thinking about. Really. It's not nice.
I actually managed to get Patsu through from Batilla Downs to Windurst, then from Batilla Downs to East Ronfaure without him dying once (a journey of several hours and about 10 regions). I died twice, and Elyja died once (before getting to us!) however.
We felt we done good once we reached East Ronfaure.
Since we were in the area, we took Patsu up to the tower around where the Campaign Battles are fought.
Campaign is an additional in-game thing where you take part in the beastmen invasion, fighting against a horde of mobs with fellow players. Mobs are nasty, even at level 75 only certain jobs can solo with much hope of killing a mob. And there can be dozens. You expect to get knocked out, but at least you don't lose experience for it. Remember, here, that Patsu is level 35.
Anyway, Elyja and I were explaining how the thing works, just as a battle started. We watch Patsu get Tags (to indicate he is taking part), and explain what happens.
We are standing with 20-30 players by the fort, looking down the hill at the advancing horde of Orks.
A silver streak catches our eye, moving rapidly down the hill toward the largest knot of Orks, and their General.
You can see where this is going.
Yes, Patsu was charging the Orks, screaming defiantly.
Single-handedly.
I mean, hell, usually I run and hide about this time, creeping out later to raise any dead people and mop up.
Elyja and I look at each other.
Yes, perhaps we could have sent a warning. But it was like we were frozen in time, horrified at what was happening.
Or perhaps we just wanted to watch this as we were only going to find it hilarious.
The brave level 75 characters are still at the top of the hill, and haven't moved.
Patsu reach the mob of Orks, picks out the biggest, baddest, ugliest Ork there (the General) and attacks.
Several seconds of Whiffle Ball*** ensue, as Patsu repeatedly swings at the General's ankle, and misses.
The Ork advance halts in total confusion. This is certainly not how it usually goes for them.
The General looks down, wondering what the blur of activity is.
General looks at his Ork warriors. All forty of them.
All forty Orks look at Patsu.
Everyone looks at the General.
The General looks at Patsu.
Who realises for the first time that perhaps this wasn't such a great idea after all.
The General takes a swing at Patsu, and connects.
Ouch.
Hell, they'll be digging Tarutaru armour out of the walls of Fort Karugo Narugo after that hit.
Once Elyja and I can stop laughing, and one Raise later, we explained that Patsu might want to consider waiting a few more levels before trying Campaign - but at least he knows where to go now.
Patsu agrees, and decides that, while we are still here, to make the most of it and finish the battle, so charges the nearest mob.
Now, in the heat of battle minor details can escape the normally focussed thought processes. Perhaps the rage and thirst for revenge over powered his Tarutaru mind. Perhaps the Haste I cast on him encouraged him. Perhaps the Protect IV made him a little over confident. Or perhaps it was because he's fairly new to the game, and having far too much fun to care.
Because when he charged this time around, he was still weakened.
At 50% health.
He saw the funny side.
Moral of the story? Have fun, and don't let anyone tell you how you should play your job.
* Apologies for that imagery. I'm sorry. Really I am.
** The [s] denotes the past as the area is in both time lines. Don't ask.
*** Whiffle ball - remember those plastic balls full of holes that no matter how hard you swing at it, it never goes any distance?
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