Square Enix has revealed the new abilities and spells that for all classes when the level cap increase from 85 to 90 pushes through this December.

Each job class will receive between 1 to 3 new abilities, ranging from buffs to attack commands, when the December version update goes live. But players will have to grind a level or two though before unlocking the abilities; most of them will be available starting level 87, with the exception of the new Tactician’s Roll ability for Corsairs.

Spellcasters also become more formidable with additional spells at their casting disposal.  There are a total of 14 new spells (7 White Magic, 4 Black Magic, 3 Songs and 1 Ninjutsu) available across levels 86 to 90. This includes the sure to be devastating Firaja for Black Mages and the mysterious Migawari: Ichi for ninjas.

Other jobs need not be so envious. The version update will also grant access to existing spells to select jobs, like Protect V for paladins at level 90, and a bunch of advanced elemental spells to red mages, scholars and dark knights.

With their combat arsenal improved, FFXI players can then practice on the improved monsters in Wings of Goddess areas, and gain more loot and experience.

Bowing to demands for greater storage space, Square Enix has announced the creation of two additional storage methods for Final Fantasy XI players, both of which allow quick access to armor sets and other sentimental knickknacks.

The Mog Sack works a lot like the Mog Satchel–it can be accessed anywhere in the world and can hold up to a maximum of 80 items depending on your goodiebag size. The new container can be purchased at a price of 9,980 Gil and, best of all, doesn’t require you to own a Mog Satchel.

The Porter Moogle, on the other hand, is a safekeeping service for Artifact and Relic gear as well as pieces acquired via Limbus and Salvage forays. Porter Moogles should make gear changes all the more convenient in FFXI and is poised to become an indispensable fixture to Vana’diel adventuring, since SE has promised that the service will “encompass an even greater range of gear in the future.”

The increased storage space has perfect timing; additional collectible armor will flood inventory spaces with the arrival of Heroes of Abyssea next month along with the December version update. As the last of three battle add-ons slated for 2010, Heroes of Abbysea will unleash new Empyrean Armor sets for all jobs, the full preview of which can be seen already in its new teaser site.

Indeed, kiss your storage woes goodbye!

It’s a jam-packed September for Final Fantasy XI as it got the second Abyssea battle area add-on, a new level 85 cap and additional Trial of the Magians challenges all in one update.

“Scars of Abyssea” is the second of three installments planned for 2010, all set in the parallel world of Abyssea. It continues the saga that began with “Vision of Abyssea” earlier this year and will end with the upcoming “Heroes of Abyssea.”

Square Enix has also updated their beginner’s guide to Abyssea with tips on how to prepare and what to look out for, plus reminders that only level 30 and above characters on accounts with both FFXI expansions installed can explore the content.

Along with the new battle area add-on, the September update also raised the level cap to 85, a jump of five levels. It was announced last March in VanaFest 2010 that the level cap will be raised in increments up to a target of level 99. At the going rate, there will be three more updates with level cap increases so expect those months to also feature new job abilities to match the additional levels.

This month, most of the job abilities can be obtained at level 83 such as the Divine Caress ability for white mages that lets the next spell cast cure a status ailment as well as provide a resistance buff against the cured ailment.

More armor upgrade trials can also be taken on in the end-game Trial of the Magians, plus each of the 14 Empyrean weapon types gets a new skill, each with its unique animation effect to boot.

If you want to know more about all the changes that came this month, then skim through the complete patch notes at the FFXI official website.

So far, Final Fantasy XIV closed beta testers have been delighted with the variety of adventures the Armoury system opens up. For the benefit of those who missed out on the beta test, Square Enix has even updated their official website with detailed information on the Armoury system for all fans to dissect.

Eighteen of Armoury system disciplines–the game’s terminology for classes and professions–are on full display divided along their combat and support roles.

The Disciples of War and Disciples of Magic, which constitute the combat branches, illustrate the capabilities of each fighter and magic class. Archers are shown to have the highest battle range followed by thaumaturges and conjurers. The rest are close-range combatants. Each role has been given innate abilities and spells that enhance their unique fight style.

The harvester roles called Disciples of the Land have also been fleshed out with a list of gatherable items and required tools, but only the miner seen above is complete with information as of now. The same goes for the crafter roles known as Disciples of the Hand. Only the blacksmith has full details on its craftable items.

An interesting side note though are the role descriptions, which reveal how each of the harvester and crafting disciplines can affect the field of battle. Blacksmiths, for example, “are capable of weakening enemies constructed of metal, as well as discovering loot that would otherwise be overlooked by the untrained eye.”

Based on balancing concerns alone, we assume all Discples of the Land and Disciples of the Hand will have their own combat perks. But it might be too early to form goldsmith attack teams, especially when tackling harder mobs, which have been known to roam aplenty in all Final Fantasy games. (Just ask the unfortunate Joes who died from seemingly harmless critters in the early days of Final Fantasy XI.)

The first section of the fabled Walk of Echoes area–previously just seen through cut-scenes in the Wings of the Goddess expansion–will finally be accessible to Final Fantasy XI players in next week’s June version update. According to Square Enix, this new content will bring “thrilling new battlefields tailored…to seasoned veterans” and players will have to clear progression, cage-style fights.

Set in a lost and timeless realm, Walk of Echoes is teeming with monsters who stand guard against intruders. Heroes must engage enemies in succession, but Square Enix has dropped the restriction for claiming battlefields, allowing other players to join the fray as long as the participant limit isn’t breached.

Cooperation may not be a bad idea, considering the rewards at stake, which include synthesis materials for all-new level 76 and above equipment. As you may know, the version update will lift the level cap to 80 and is the first of several adjustments to expand character progression to level 99.

While all participants have a random chance to win dropped loot, vanquishing foes within the time limit and contributing more to the group effort will yield better bounty. But newbies, hold your chocobos! Only level 70 or above characters can participate in the Walk of Echoes battlefields and should have completed up to the “Cait Sith” mission in Wings of the Goddess. So earn your marks first and leave this creepy dungeon to the veterans.

To mark its 8th year anniversary as an MMO game, Final Fantasy XI is hosting  another Mog Bonanza where adventurers can scoop up free Gil and prizes in a lottery-style draw.

Square Enix said the contest is slated to run from May 16 to June 7, and also released helpful reminders for new players:

The Mog Bonanza is a number-guessing game in which you pick a five-digit number of your choice, kupo. Playing is simple! Purchase a Mog Bonanza marble from a Bonanza Moogle at designated areas, then have the vendor inscribe your desired five-digit number on it, kupo. If you can’t decide on a number, we moogles will be more than happy to pick one for you. The winning numbers will be announced at a later date, so sit tight and leave the rest to Lady Luck, kupo!

Up to 10 Mog Bonanza marbles can be purchased per character. You can have the same number inscribed on multiple marbles. This will mean bigger earnings should you have a winning number.

Each marble costs 2,000 gil apiece and can be bought from Bonanza Moogles stationed at Port San d’Oria (I-9), Port Bastok (L-8), Port Windurst (F-6), or the Chocobo Circuit (H-8).

The winning numbers will be announced on June 24 via the log-in screen, or ask the Bonanza Moogles for help. Prize redemption also starts on the same day until July 8.

Square Enix has widened the loot collection for all Rank 1-3 winners by including Mog Bonanza coupons, which can be traded for relic items such as Ninurta’s Sash, Dorje and your choice of a Dynamis-Xarcabard armor.

If gear doesn’t tickle your fancy, then you have the option of swimming in Gil instead. Last year, there were 74 winners in Rank 1 that earned 85 million Gil each. Should you hit the sweet jackpot, try to be discreet about it unless you want to spend the better part of your newfound fortune on linkshell hand-outs.

It’s hard not to turn into a mushy fan boy when a new video from Final Fantasy XI maker Square Enix  pops up in YouTube.

Life in Eorzea, a two-and-a-half minute video which shows the first official footage of Final Fantasy XIV, shows off the stunning graphics engine of the MMO title which has so far been only captured in stills. The video has been uploaded to the official FFXIV channel—the first of many to come according to SE—and has racked up an estimated half a million views in less than a week.

The bright port-like areas showcased in sleek detail throughout the video belong to the marine city-state of Limsa Lominsa, one of the few strongholds in the Eorzean continent. Official lore tells us Limsa Lominsa is composed of hundreds of islands connected via ivory bridges, and the video captures the airy atmosphere expected of such a place.

Fan site Eorzepedia even provided an English video translation of a Square Enix staff and a couple of testers talking while exploring the ports and bridges in their respective avatars (a male Hyur, a female Lalafell and a Roegadyn). There’s even some cheeky commentary at the trade shops like one of the testers saying “Look, she’s crying, I bet she was dumped by her boyfriend” when an NPC was tearing up while cutting onions.

The Lalafell dancing and coordinated goodbyes at the end, though, were a bit cheesy so I hope future videos just end with zoom outs that capture a bird’s-eye view of the game world. Square Enix should also roll out menu screens and battle sequence vids soon, although a couple more exploration videos featuring those sexy Miqo’te could sate my appetite in the meantime.

Pic credit: Eorzepedia.com