String Theory: A Puppetmaster's Guide *NEW*

Having issue with Kei and Tanking - damn automation will not stop WSing (I have 3000tp and still did lol) Any solution ?

Do you have inhibitor or speedloader equiped ?

Idk anyone that is more alpha than Negan

Bump for new page.

Thank you Capuchin.

An additional question. How are folks swapping to enmity gear for flash/voke? How are you knowing when they will be used? Are you forcing it by holding off an elemental type? IE, double light, hold fire, as soon as you use fire maton will voke?

A function to track Strobe and Flashbulb cooldowns via a countdown timer that auto-swap in enmity sets seconds prior can be found in probably every relevant pup lua. Otherwise it would be a matter of tracking those 30 and 45 seconds 'manually' somehow.

Having an issue with PUP lua after the update on the 12th or 13th. Getting two errors. I'm using the Faloun PUP lua with the on-screen displays.

The Error Messages: https://i.imgur.com/RRpHgEe.png

Mote-Selfcommands lua code: https://i.imgur.com/MTzsWES.png

Flow lua code: https://i.imgur.com/g1mw5Xa.png

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I'm assuming this has something to do with them renaming ***, probably broke a function in the lua but I have no idea what "Slice" is in this instance, so not sure what to change it to. Can't find the patch notes with any real details in them, if they would even mention something on the backend like this.

Slice was added to that line in a recent windower update.

https://github.com/Windower/Lua/commit/90a314c5b6ddcb9bd0cfcbe5ae1bf7b960eba4cf

I imagine it has something to do with allowing 2-or-more-word state values, but haven't delved deeply to confirm. I'd suggest trying to change line 56 back to "state_var:set(cmdParams[2])", and either reaching out on windower's discord or opening an issue on github so they can fix that up and it doesn't overwite your edits every time windower updates that file.

ok so I traded Ghatsad my stuff for soulsoother head last night, like 14 hours ago, and went back to talk to him and haven't gotten anything back, and his page says 2-4 midnights.

Is that 2-4 days I have to talk to him?

Tried that. Seems to be working now. Granted, it seems to be forcing my Hybrid Mode sets to automate now though. Before, I could put Hybrid mode manually on something and it would stay in that Hyrbid mode until I change it, it now will change the second I engage. It's not a big deal because if I am on tank puppet, it will equip my DT set, but if I want my DTAnwig set or my DPS set on for some reason, despite using tank puppet, it swaps off it regardless. I'd prefer it to stay like it used to, but at least it swaps to a 'proper' set for now.

I went back after day changed the dialogue changed, so guess so. Damn that's annoying.

You need to talk to him each day and give him a coffee

A coffee?

oh god I see it now.

Kill me

If you use (1) the Windower "Timers" plugin, as well as (2) the "autocontrol" Addon (I thiiiiink this one is also needed for the pup abilities to show up, but if not it's useful anyway) the Strobe/Flashbulb timers show up on the timers list with a countdown until they are ready. Both are part of the standard Windower client program. FWIW, I don't actually use GS lua, just Windower macros and various QoL addons. Still very manageable :)

Anyway, I just watch those timers and manually hit a macro to swap into pet enm+ set a second or two before Strobe or Flashbulb are ready to go off, then I manually swap back to my "tank" set via another macro.

As for triggering the abilities - puppet will generally go almost immediately when the ability is up as long as you have the appropriate maneuver (fire for Strobe, light for Flashbulb) up. Sometimes puppet will have a short delay if busy doing something else (WSing, maybe a status effect preventing it like amnesia or petrification), but will go as soon as possible.

A note on manuevers too... since holding hate is often the biggest challenge for PUP tanks, I tend to run 2x Fire (for stronger Strobe and more enmity+) whenever possible. Heck, sometimes I'll even do 3x Fire (particularly on initial pull and first provoke) then cycle in a light for my first flash and to start some regen going. Basically just need to mix in more light as needed for regen, or the occasional other element like a water for magic defense.


Awwwww <3. We've had a lot of really good community contribution! I was just re-reading the most recently updated version of the String Theory guide a couple days ago (most recent changes were largely based on Aerix's input, I think), and man... it's really good!

Oh, one more note about Timers plugin... it will only show you the puppet abilities if you're close enough to the puppet. I think it's a 30 yalm distance.

This shouldn't be an issue for tanking, as you'll generally be within that range - even when standing just outside of 20 yalms to avoid typical long range AoEs. But for those cases when you send the puppet in and run WAAAAAY back, like perhaps the glorious Poroggo ambuscade fight, you won't see the timer. Not that big of a deal though, since those kinds of situations you're probably not worried much about holding hate anyway (other players are also highly likely to be far away from the mob).

one inhibitor

Only thing that comes to mind is another member is opening a sc, i.e sch using strats. Theres no (legit) way to make a puppet not ws period, think you could bug it using II animators, someone else likely knows more about that

Should my soulsoother head/valoredge frame puppet be casting spells on itself (it isn't)?

Nope, its soulsoother and harlequin body that buff himself for tanking. VS magic target its better, and its even better if you can make him buff before the fight.

Much appreciated. I do not use gearswap, stay away from any automation generally. But I do enjoy the informational windower adds. The autocontrol you mentioned does show the maton timers, very nice to have. I can just watch the clock and manually swap the gear set right before timer. Very helpful little add on. Thanks.

I'm basically building a pup solely for Fu.

Should I be using valoredge frame or harlequin body then?

Pup+SMN for clears is what I'm going for, multibox with SMN.

Just make the turtle build from bg wiki guide, the more hp you have the better it is, use analyzer and steam jacket in the build and it should be fine. I never tried with harlequin body but it should suffer from melee hits during ebullient phase

As someone who has done a lot of PUP tanking in parties with a SCH opening SCs (and wasting valuable stratagems if a puppet interrupts the SC), a few tips:

1) In that kind of situation I try to tank in gear that gives the puppet as little accuracy as possible. Most notably, that means Taeon (I use DT/Meva/Regen) over Rao. You can change some accessories to lower acc options too, even if you might normally use them for DT (Thurandaut Ring, Enmerkar Earring, etc.), to make a "low acc" tanking set. Puppet will still inevitably get some TP from getting hit, and from hitting the mob occasionally - but you can certainly take steps to slow it down to at least minimize unwanted WS. For Omen bosses, you can still manage to keep TP gain fairly low, though it gets harder and harder as we get master levels ;)

2) Use Tactical Switch to steal TP from the puppet when it gets near 1000tp. Make sure master has 0tp. Swap weapons to zero out your own TP once you get it from the puppet (or in advance, if you had TP from Tactician's Roll or something). 3min timer is often too long to continuously remove unwanted pet TP, but in combination with other efforts to reduce pet TP that can really cut down on unnecessary WS. If it's really important to you and you have a COR, keep in mind that Random Deal can reset for a little bit of extra Tactical Switching.

3) Equip Speedloaders (but not Inhibitors), especially if it's unavoidable that your pet just gains TP too fast. Speedloaders cause the puppet to close other people's SCs, but the puppet will wait until near the end of the SC window - which gives enough time for others to close a desired SC first, and then the puppet will wait and simply extend that SC as a multi-step. Might actually be a preferred outcome (and maybe one that would cause you to want to gain TP) depending on your situation.

TBH, I kinda wish they still had attachments that gave some sort of puppet buff paired with a "downside" of Acc-. Drum Magazine used to do that, but IIRC back in one of the old updates they got rid of the negative and just made it a pure increase in ranged attack rate.

So there are a couple different tank setups. The one I was going after doesn't have analyzer/steam jacket in it. Can you advise?

Currently I'm tracking https://www.bg-wiki.com/ffxi/String_Theory#Pet:_Tanking_Sets

Using turtle set. I'm missing weapon, neck, both ears, overbearing ring, belt and back. I should get everything but enmerker in the next couple days.

I have mlevel20 on this char. I'm skilling up automotan melee skill right now, level 135, long way to go.

I have all the attachments from the "1200 JP" set listed further in that guide.

What should my approach be for Fu once I get the gear I listed above and I cap melee?

light maneuver and fire maneuver x2?

Smokescreen? If you can fit it anyway.

No need for complicated things.
Could just use a command that simply turns off WS from trusts and/or from pets >___>

That's it! Thought there was one, was thinking of the old Drum Machine pre-change, totally forgot Smoke Screen. Good call.

And you should typically be able to fit it. Common 1200JP Soulsoother head/VE body turtle tank setup would be 10/12 attachments, with two flexible slots for stuff like Steam Jacket, Disruptor, Accelerator IV, etc.

1 Flashbulb
2 Auto Repair Kit IV
3-4 Optic Fiber I/II
5-6 Strobe I/II
7-8 Armor Plate III/IV
9-10 Mana Jammer III/IV
11-12 [two free slots]