Attestations

Attestations are used in upgrading Relic Weapons from their third stage to the fourth. They are dropped from certain Shadow NMs (and possibly also from the normal Shadow mobs) in Dynamis - Beaucedine. In order to pop the Shadow NMs you need to kill a trigger mob along a path that diverts drastically from the one used to defeat Dynamis - Beaucedine, so a separate farming-only run may be required to obtain an attestation(s).

Spawning the NMs - Killing the NMs - Other Info

Spawning the NMs

First off, you want to be sure you will have enough time to get some farming done, so you may want to kill some extension mobs if they will buy you extra time. Some people feel it takes as much time to go after extensions as they give back to you. So it's up to you and how your Dynamis group works. In order to make the Shadow NMs pop you need to kill the Vanguard Eye that spawns at F-7 (or where F-7 would be if there was a map...). This is the same location that Nue spawns at in the normal Beaucedine Glacier zone. An interesting strategy for getting to the eye and still having a decent amount of time to farm Attestations is to use an "Assassin Party." It is suggested that you have 3 Samurai, 1 Monk, 1 Bard, and 1 person with Flee (WHM/THF is suggested due to having Flee and Reraise). Basically you send this party out to kill the Vanguard Eye while the rest of the alliance heads off to get ready to the fight the Attestation NMs. It is a chain of training mobs and dying until finally picking the Vanguard Eye out of a train of mobs and killing it. This idea is proposed by DiddlyD and much more in depth information can be found here and here.

Dynamis - Beaucedine

Killing the NMs

NM	Loc	Jobs	Drops	Corresponding Weapon
Dagourmarche	G-9	BST  DRG  SMN	Attestation of Bravery  Attestation of Fortitude  Attestation of Virtue	Axe  Polearm  Staff
Goublefaupe	I-7	WAR  RDM  PLD	Attestation of Force  Attestation of Glory  Attestation of Righteousness  Attestation of Invulnerability	Great Axe  Sword  Great Sword  Shield
Mildaunegeux	H-10	MNK  THF  NIN	Attestation of Might  Attestation of Accuracy  Attestation of Legerity	Hand-to-Hand  Marksmanship  Katana
Quiebitiel	H-8	BLM  WHM  BRD	Attestation of Celerity  Attestation of Sacrifice  Attestation of Harmony	Dagger  Club  Wind Instrument
Velosareon	J-8	RNG  DRK  SAM	Attestation of Transcendence  Attestation of Vigor  Attestation of Decisiveness	Archery  Scythe  Great Katana

• Once the Vanguard Eye is dead, the 5 Shadow NMs will pop in their respective spots throughout the zone. They spawn at five different towers.

• Each of the NMs have three jobs, and can use all three 2-hour abilities. In fact, they can use them multiple times. They will also "wear" the Relic Armor of the jobs they have and can wear pieces from all three jobs at the same time. But that's just cosmetic, of course.

• Each of the NMs will spawn six helper Shadow mobs. There will be two for each of the jobs that the NM has. For example, if you were fightning Velosareon, there would be two Rangers, two Samurais, and two Dark Knights backing him up.

• The NMs are almost certain, but not guaranteed, to drop one Attestation. If it does not drop an attestation, it will drop an HQ Ancient Currency piece. There all sorts of theories about how to make it drop the one you want, but in the end it seems to just be random, and you just need to hope you get lucky. The only exception to the only-drops-one rule is Goublefaupe, who can drop the Attestation of Invulnerability (for Shield) as well as one other Attestation.

• The NMs cannot be Slept. You can Bind and Gravity them.

• The NM seems to have some sort of shared hate between itself and its helper Shadows. Some groups find that just jumping right in and kiting them around, killing the helper Shadows one by one, and then the NM works for them. Others have discovered ways of splitting the NM from its helpers. Have someone tag the NM and Flee away to die outside, thereby getting the NM to spawn his helpers. Now you have the NM wandering back to the tower with his 6 helpers. Have someone tag a helper shadow (not the NM!), which will aggro the whole group. Once they're aggroed have someone voke the NM out of the train and he should come alone. Some good discussion on strategies can be found here.

Other Information

• It is rumored that the "Hydra" (normal Shadow) mobs are said to (rarely) drop Attestations. However, there is no concrete evidence to support this.
• If you are curious about some of the superstitions associated with getting the desired Attestation to drop, here are some. Remember that these have been "proven wrong" by numerous people, but I know sometimes we like to stick to superstitions "just in case".

Superstition 1: The NM will drop the Attestation most relevant to the job of the last helper shadow killed before the NM was defeated.

Superstition 2: It will drop the Attestation relevant to the job of the last 2-hour it used.

Superstition 3: If you use your Relic Weapon on it, it will drop the required Attestation to upgrade that weapon.