Argus Spawn Conditions Changed???

Ok i am currently down in the Maze of Shakrami, roughly over a year ago i camped Argus for 2 weeks straight trying to get my Peacock Amulet, mostly just because i would not give up until i got it, i just come down here to fight the Lost Soul NM for my Corsair AF weapon and i noticed what i believe is a change in the area.

There are 2 protozoans here now, one spawns in the little hut, the other one spawns outside the hut and seems to respawn in a number of places in the room, the other one always spawns in the hut without fail.

I was wondering if SE decided to put Argus on a lottery spawn now? Instead of a shared timer with Leech King? Has anyone been able to confirm this since the Grounds of Valor update? I personally do not need it but my friend does, or did 2 protozoans always spawn in this room?? I really cannot remember that because i got really tired of looking at these mobs over and over, i am 99% positive there was only one Protozoan.

I strongly believe this Protozoan shares the same spawn points as Argus... going to keep killing and see what happens.

I run down there every once in a while to check see if Argus is up. I noticed the second Protozoan there as well. First time I had ever seen it. It would be cool if they changed it.

I just seen the Protozoan spawn in the tunnel, one of the regular spawn points for Argus, it could have very well had been changed, has anyone tried to kill this new Proto since the update???

I camped it during last year, and I think there were two Protozoans. Not too sure though.

I really do not remember a 2nd protozoan which seems to spawn in exactly the same places as Argus would, i went 1/5 on Argus, lost out on 3 or 4 claims, so i did see where it popped a number of times, this protozoan seems to be spawning in all the places it is known to spawn, it has not appeared near the iron door..... yet

Not sure if it's related, but the Morbolger NM for Brown Belt quest seems to have also been changed. There used to be one Stroper in the room where it spawns, now there's three.

SE did say they would be changing some of the NM with the Grounds of Valor update, obviously making them easier to spawn, i always thought it was a stupid idea to have Argus and Leech King on the same timer, definitely one of the most frustrating NM to camp.

Proto just spawned again in another well known Argus spawn place.

When i camped Argus i would make sure there was no gob mages up. Then crank the volume on my comp. Argus all pops and casts Blaze Spikes. Very noticeable sound.

Only problem with that, is that if it is a lottery spawn now, i have to kill the proto anyway, also i never have my sound up in ffxi, i prefer to play my music :P

Remember i aint here to actually get the amulet, i already got it :) just seeing if it has been changed or not for a friend and anyone else who wishes to camp it

Been thinking, that if Argus is actually a lottery spawn, it would mean it is on its own timer, making Leech King a time spawn on its own, or SE might have possibly changed it to a lottery spawn as well.

This is just theory as it would be more convenient and easy for SE to implement, however it is still just a theory, i am killing all the leeches too just in case.

However it is possible that the new Protozoan could be a placeholder like Rose Garden, where it would need to be left alone for a certain period of time, however i cannot see why SE would want to do that with this NM.

After killing the Proto for about an hour now, every 6 minutes, it has spawned in just about every single place except the one near the iron door.

Why would a hecteyes NM be a lottery spawn of slime mobs though, kinda makes no sense.

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Hovering_Hotpot

In Davoi, there is a Orc NM with a lizard as its placeholder, SE do not have a full rule on having the exact same type of mob as a placeholder, adding a new Protozoan is the most logical placeholder for Argus, as the Maze of Shakrami has no hecteyes in there, except Argus himself.

Orc NM here >> http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Tigerbane_Bakdak

A long time ago, many years back some people would say that the Protozoan was a placeholder for Argus, but this theory was shot down by many, as it was clear that Argus would be seen at the same time as the Protozoan in the small hut, but there was never a Protozoan there before which roamed around on the floor with the Goblins and Scorpions, now there is.

After attempting to spawn for an hour and half, it has gotten late, so i will try again after sleep and work, if anyone else finds any information on this new Protozoan and whether it is a new placeholder for Argus, please let me know, good night :)

I will vouch that there used to be only 1 protozoan, I was there the week before the update trying for blind luck on Argus pop, along with many other times over the years, and NEVER saw 2 slimes.

However, I think there is a second question that needs to be asked in tandem with "is Argus is now a lottery pop": is the lottery 1-2+ hours from ToD (like "most" lotto NM's (most used liberally)), or 18+ hours from ToD (to keep the amulet's rarity at status-quo).

If they made it a Rose Garden type deal, then altana help us all, for at least before Argus or LK popped regularly.

Lotto spawns have been known to push the 10 hour point even though their windows open 1 hr after their previous death, so if it is truly lottery only time will tell.

i'd be tempted to ask a DEv on the official forum.. it maybe the case waiting for people to find out.

however, they did also say they were "re-placement" of certain mobs in some areas so it is possible they just moved them

I remember seeing two protozoans when I tried camping it for a brief stint aaaaaages ago. One was in the hut, just as you said, and it didn't seem to have any effect on whether Argus was about to spawn.

It will be interesting if it has been chnaged, though there has always been a chance of there being 2 Protozoans there from my experience which means the 2nd one could be a lottery spawn of one of the gobs or scorpions. I remember there being a lot of rumors floating about over the Protzoans and if they affected the Argus spawn a while back.

They probably just moved the Protozoan that were in the area where the new GoV mobs are now.
The only NMs I've seen moved,Sewer Syrup to name one, were in areas where they put new mobs.

Some interesting thoughts here, i am testing now whether this new Protozoan will always appear if i kill other mobs, after doing this last night once, and doing it again now, it is still appearing.

However it would seem strange they just decided to move 1 Protozoan to this area because of mobs in other areas, then plant it on the exact same spawn points of Argus.. either SE has changed it or they are messing with us :P

After killing the other mobs here over and over, the Protozoan continues to spawn every 6 minutes, also asked someone who has come here since the update trying to find Argus, she has had no luck so far at all

anything think it might be like one of the NMs that only pop if the mobs are left alone?

That would be one foul trick to play on people camping Argus ... poor souls

I just killed ARGUS last week and there were no other prozotons in the room. I got my peacock drop finally so I dont know if its on a lottery on the regular since it was on a whim I went to check on him. But the drop was good especially without treasurer hunter

Keep in mind everyone has TH1 with Kupowers.