Strange Apparatus

Strange Apparatuses are ancient machines, each of which corresponds to a different color. Each apparatus is located behind unique "fake" walls in dungeons throughout Vana'diel. Trading them an Infinity Core and a special chip of the specific apparatus's color will create various items (via "matter emulation"). This is the sole manner of obtaining rune weapons which are used in the synthesis creation of ilvl "Raetic" weapons. There are eleven Strange Apparatuses in total. The eight that correspond to elemental colors may be used to obtain the items from the table below:

Locations

Area	Element	Chip	Code	Drops (with Doctor Status)
Common Drops Between all zones	Zone Dependent	Zone Dependent	N/A	One of the following per trade: Cermet Chunk x8 Adaman Nugget x2 Arcane Flowerpot Rune Arrow x6 Rune Bangles A Rune Weapon
Dangruf Wadi (E-11)		Red Chip	00	In order of likeliness: Rune Baghnakhs Rune Chopper Rune Axe Unknown likeliness: Rune Algol
Gusgen Mines (J-5), Map 2		Yellow Chip	01	In order of likeliness: Rune Chopper Rune Axe Rune Bow Unknown likeliness: Rune Scythe
Crawlers' Nest (K-8), Map 3		Blue Chip	02	In order of likeliness: Rune Axe Rune Bow Rune Blade Unknown likeliness: Rune Kris
Ordelle's Caves (E-12), Map 1		Green Chip	03	In order of likeliness: Rune Bow Rune Blade Rune Halberd
The Eldieme Necropolis (K-13), Map 2		Clear Chip	04	In order of likeliness: Rune Blade Rune Halberd Rune Staff Unknown likeliness: Rune Scythe
Outer Horutoto Ruins (E-6), Map 2 From Amaryllis Tower: West Sarutabaruta (E-4)		Purple Chip	05	In order of likeliness: Rune Halberd Rune Staff Rune Rod
Garlaige Citadel (K-8), Map 3		White Chip	06	In order of likeliness: Rune Staff Rune Rod Rune Baghnakhs
Maze of Shakhrami (L-10), Map 2		Black Chip	07	In order of likeliness: Rune Rod Rune Baghnakhs Rune Chopper Unknown likeliness: Rune Kris
September 2017 Update Addendum
Added in the September 2017 Update were three new rune weapons to go along with the new ilvl "Raetic" rune weapon synths. They are the Rune Kris, Rune Algol, and Rune Scythe. Information on which zones they come from and especially their drop rates is incomplete. Any currently known areas for dropping these three items are listed in the table above.

Remaining Apparatuses

The three remaining Apparatuses were unresponsive for years and without a purpose. However, SE later tied these remaining apparatuses to the quest Epiphany, which is involved in the acquisition of Rune Fencer Empyrean Armor; as well as The Flying Machine of Eld (Fei'Yin) for a Mount.
Once again years later, Square Enix revived the use of the Fei'Yin apparatus for the obtainment of the Omega Mount for the 15th Vana'versary.

• These three are located in King Ranperre's Tomb (E-7 map 2, Carmine), Fei'Yin (G-6 map 1, Cyan), and Ranguemont Pass (E-4, Unlit).

• Fei'Yin's zone code is 23.

Obtaining Materials

In order to obtain an item from an Apparatus you must acquire the following:

• Infinity Core
  • Obtained from statues in Dynamis areas.
• Colored chip:
  • Obtained primarily by buying them from the following Goblin NPC merchants in each nation:

Gaudylox (Northern San d'Oria) Closed Firesday.

Blabbivix (Port Bastok) Closed Windsday.

Scavnix (Windurst Walls) Closed Lightsday.

• All three merchants keep business hours of 11:00 to 22:00.
• Each colored chip costs 21,000 gil. This price is not modified by fame or any other factor.

• Colored chips may also be obtained from the Level 60 BSNMs in the Qu'Bia Arena; Brothers D'Aurphe and Demolition Squad.

Trading Process

Simply trade the corresponding chip and core to the apparatus to receive your reward. However, it makes more sense to first obtain "Doctor" status before trading, see below.

Trading a chip (and core) not matching the color of the apparatus will result in the spawning of an Elemental of the Strange Apparatus' given element/color.

• The level of this elemental is unknown, and drops matching elemental crystal clusters and an Infinity Core.

Doctor Status

Checking the Strange Apparatus without trading will result in the apparatus reciting instructions, followed by a request for a password.
Entering the correct password will grant you "Doctor" Status, which removes the most common item (Elemental Clusters) from the list of available rewards.

• This password is entered as if you were typing a message.

• "Doctor" Status is not necessary to obtain a reward. You may receive a rarer item regardless of status.

• "Doctor" Status is required for obtaining the Omega Mount & Levitus Mount.

A Doctor Status password is eight numerical digits long and varies based on player name and location.

First Six Digits:
Calculated using the first three letters of your character's name and the area in which the Apparatus is found in. In order to ascertain this password you must do the following:

• Convert the first three letters of your player name into two-digit numbers based on their positions in the alphabet minus one number (as the apparatus starts at 00 and not 01).
  • A becomes 00, B becomes 01, C becomes 02 and so on, up to Z at 25. Use the chart below for assistance.
    • Example: A player's name is Pumpkinspice. The three letters are P (15), U (20), and M (12).

• Next, add each of these numbers separately to the code associated with the corresponding Apparatus, listed on the chart above.

• Example: Pumpkinspice is at the apparatus in Garlaige Citadel, which is code 06.

• So add 6 to each number. P (15+6=21), U (20+6=26), and M (12+6=18). Resulting in a code of 212618

Last Two Digits:

• Finally, the last two digits of the password are found by adding together the sum of three pairs of final numbers in the first six digits above with the area code.

• Example: 21 + 26 + 18 = 65; 65 + 06 = 71.

• This makes Pumpkinspice's password for Garlaige Citadel "21261871".

• Note: If the final number total is three digits then use the last two digits.

In Summary:

• Add the number from the table below for each of the first 3 letters of your name to the zone code for the first 6 then add these all together for the last 2. Please refer to the discussion page for a shell script to solve the equations for you.

Doctor Status for a given Apparatus will be lost if you trade anything other then a chip/core pair to the apparatus, or after a period of apparatus inactivity of 48 hours. So be sure to check to confirm that the apparatus has you marked for Doctor Status before you put materials into an apparatus.

• You may have doctor status on Several Strange Apparatus active at the same time.

Doctor Status Password Name Table
A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I
00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08
J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R
09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17
S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z
18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25