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  • Locked thread
AweStriker
Oct 6, 2014

You just know Estelle is going to have a scene when we hit B+ and get those sweet new shoes.

e: there is an update of sorts on the previous page

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Super Jay Mann
Nov 6, 2008

I like how the top tier quartz in this game somehow provide less passive benefit to a given stat then the level 3 quartz in the first game.

Perhaps the Epstein Foundation should have kept the new orbment designs in R&D for a little while longer. :argh:

grandalt
Feb 26, 2013

I didn't fight through two wars to rule
I fought for the future of the world

And the right to have hot tea whenever I wanted
Is there any way to get a new orbment? That one is not really suited for our heroine. Don't really answer that, if we were to get a new one, that would be fairly late in the story.

Omobono
Feb 19, 2013

That's it! No more hiding in tomato crates! It's time to show that idiota Germany how a real nation fights!

For pasta~! CHARGE!

grandalt posted:

Is there any way to get a new orbment?That one is not really suited for our heroine. Don't really answer that, if we were to get a new one, that would be fairly late in the story.

I'm curious, what do you mean when you say it's not suited for Estelle?

AncientSpark
Jan 18, 2013

Omobono posted:

Is there ANY reason in-universe for the 3 or 4 lines orbments, considering they're pretty much useless compared to the single and double line ones?

It's not fully explained in universe, but the game claims they're "tuned" to the user. There might be some compatibility issue, but I also assume that it's impractical to give some of the one or two line orbments (which are probably harder to make or more expensive) to people who barely use high level Arts.

Although it doesn't really help that the game doesn't explain much into HOW arts are cast. The Ring of Judgment manga shows that it just requires some quick swiping on the interface or just presenting the orbment, so what constitutes someone having high Art strength is unclear.

Crystalgate
Dec 26, 2012
One explanation I can think of is that some people just can't handle having too long lines, so they are split into multiple lines to protect the user for causing harm to him-/herself. Why it would be so I don't know, but it doesn't seem impossible that not all people can make use of long lines.

Anyway, this LP reminds me that I need to get started on these games. I just beat the game I was playing, so I have no excuses now.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

-Steel Floor Blocking The Way-





Man, these sewers are HUGE. What do they keep down here?
Well, they're technically smaller than the sewers beneath Grancel, but they're still quite sizable.
As for what is kept down here...try confidential documents. Your practice mission today is to retrieve them.
Wait. 'Confidential' stuff? Seriously?
Haha! Well, it's more to get you 'in the mood' than anything else. Regardless. The documents are in the deepest section of the sewers. Recover them, and today's practice will be complete.
Well, you make it sound easy, buuuuuuut...
This is a training mission, so you've made sure it isn't gonna be that easy, right?
I shall leave that to your doubtlessly fertile imaginations.
I will warn you, however: the monsters in the channel are not to be underestimated. You may find it necessary to fully master Chain Crafts to defeat them.
Chain Crafts, right. Those are the, uh...
You mean the team-based attacks we got special training for, right?
Indeed. Fundamentally, it is a type of craft which allows several people to attack a target simultaneously. You've put a great deal of effort into learning them, so now you should put theory into practice.
Sounds like a plan!
Ah, also, since you'll be fighting once again, let me provide you with this.

quote:

Received the Monster Guide.
Oh, hey, this...
That's one of those Monster Guide thingies, right?
Correct. It's a notebook for recording information about any foes you might come to face.
I would advise noting down any particulars about your enemies as you find them.
Well, keeping tabs on the enemy IS how you win fights, I guess.
Yeah! They say knowing your enemy is the first key to victory! Or is it, uh, know yourself first...?
Uh, either way! Thanks, Kurt. We really owe you.
Really, there's no need to thank me. I wish you two the best of luck. As one last note, if I may...Don't force yourself to go on if you are injured. I've prepared an orbment charging station here, just in case. Use it as you see fit.
Yep, that's our Kurt, all right. Always planning for everything.
Well, no excuses now! Time to blow the lid off the pot of expectations!
All right, let's get to it!



I'll say! These'll be perfect for a warm-up, though! Oh, yeah, this is our first real fight in a while, isn't it? Might be worth it to go over the basics of fighting again...Well, how about it, Estelle? Want to go over everything again, or skip straight to the, ah, 'practical stuff'?



Hmm...Maybe we ought to go over the basics again. Like you said, it's been a while since we've fought real monsters.
Estelle and Anelace are already well-used to fighting warriors of equal skill, but that tiny sewer slug looks kind of grumpy. Better take no chances.
Fair enough! From the top, then! C'mon, Estelle! Follow me!
Right!



-Strepitoso Fight-



The left edge of the battle screen shows the turn order. Bonuses are assigned randomly to certain turns, and whoever happens to land on them. Turn bonuses advance steadily, one turn at a time, but the actual order of battle is not fixed and will constantly shuffle around depending on combatants' SPD stats and the actions they take. It's crucial to jump on turn bonuses and take them from the enemy whenever possible.



DORITOSTM GAMER TIP: Use Attack to attack the enemy.








Yeah, great work, Estelle! Oh, but, one thing. We oughtta put those things in the Monster Guide!
Oh, right. No problem, give me a sec...
*confident penciling*
Okay, got it all down!
The Monster Guide is kind of pointless for actual fighting. You can always see enemies' HP and elemental resistances, and quartz with the Information ability will tell you anything else important. It's mostly useful when you've already been through an area and you're trying to farm up a specific cooking ingredient, or color of sepith.



Euuuugh, these things are all sludgy and soft. My sword's a toothpick against them, and so is your staff.
This is a perfect chance to whip out some arts!
So just blow these monsters up with arts, right? Okay then, here we go!



Arts have unlimited range, but take time to cast. If you're casting and you get hit with an Impede effect or anything that prevents actions, the art is canceled.







Well, this is a pretty good chance to practice crafts, Estelle. Remember, crafts aren't just attacks--They have all kinds of effects, depending on what you do! And if you can get 100 CP, you can break out a super-strong S-Craft!
Okay, I see...Crafts are pretty important for giving yourself tactical options, huh?
Yep! And remember, using S-Breaks to get an S-Craft in quick is important in real combat! We'll go over S-Breaks in the actual fight, okay?
Okay! Let's do this, Anelace!
Arts are universal, but crafts are (mostly) unique to each character. Most of the SC party members won't learn any new crafts. They'll start with every craft they got in FC, and gain improved versions at certain levels.



Estelle's crafts:

Morale: STR increase for her and nearby allies.
Comet: Ranged attack against every enemy in a straight line.
Hard Break: Melee attack with Impede.
Hurricane: Attacks every enemy around her.
Taunt: Enrages enemies in a small area, making them focus on Estelle.



Anelace's crafts:

Eight-Leaf Blitz: Melee attack.
Swordwind Slash: Melee attack against enemies in a small area.
Fallen Leaves: Melee attack with AT-Delay, which knocks the target back in the turn order.
Petal Dance: Increases Anelace's STR, reduces her DEF.



Any character who has at least 100 CP can choose to blow it all on a super move. You can do it on their turn from the Craft menu, or hit the shiny red oh-poo poo button just above their vitals at any time. They'll jump into the next turn and use an S-Craft immediately.





That was...probably not necessary.




Yeah, looks like. Althoooough...Hey, Estelle. Think we can finally give it a shot?
Uh...'It'?
Oh, you mean a Chain Craft, right?
Heehee! Well, we did put a lot of sweat into learning these new chain attacks, y'know. I say we try 'em out in a real fight and get a feel for how they work in practice!
Works for me! C'mon!
Right! Just say when!



Chain Craft: a revolutionary new fighting technique in which several people attack at the same time.



Attacking all-out, if you will.



Every ally in the chain has to be within attack range of each other, as well as the target.



Chain Craft will delay everybody's next turn a bit, but can do S-Craft level damage as long as nobody misses. Generally it's the best use of any Critical or Strength Up bonuses that land on one of your turns.

And that's it for the fighting tutorial.


-Steel Floor Blocking The Way-



The actual dungeon starts with this lever. Flip it left for the left bridge, right for the right bridge. Left is the way out, so let's go right first.



Monsters are barely visible at a distance. They'll chase after you if they notice you. Let them turn their backs, and then jump them for free turns at the start of the fight.



The Balstar Channel has two things: frogs, and slugs. The frogs are resistant to weapons and can call in other frogs, who will sometimes call in other frogs, and it gets a little silly. The slugs are slugs.



There are stairs down into the water channel, but for some reason it's all full of water.



These levers will lower it enough to wade in.



Most empty chests will say this, in lieu of FC's unique lines. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN RUINED FOREVER.



Some of the fancier chests have nasty surprises.





Loot gets a little better on the left side of the channel.



If you're starting at 35 and actually want to grind here a bit, you may want to head left instead of right first, and look for this chest. Frogs and slugs are weak to fire, so it's useful to have two people with Fire Bolt.







In addition to Sit-Down and To-Go cooking, SC now has combat cooking. Surprise Cookies are a disposable weapon.


quote:

Found a scrap of paper with a Surprise Cookie recipe on it.

[Attack/STR 500]
A rock hard ballistic biscuit. Who baked this thing?!

Estelle and Anelace's normal attacks are around STR 300 right now, so the cookie is pretty fierce. Party members' STR and enemies' DEF will continue to rise, of course, so it does have an expiration date.

The rest is just a little of this...



...few of those...



...them too, yeah...



...some of this...



...WHOLE lots of these...



...aaand a couple of this. And we're just about done.






Hang on a second...You were at the entrance! How'd you get here before us?
To tell you the truth...there are a few secret passages through the channel. While you worked your way down the 'main' path, I simply came here directly.
'By the way, you've both flunked out of the Bracer Guild for failing to notice a simple secret door. Go pack your bags and get out.'
Aww, man...
Now all the hard work we put into beating those monsters and stuff feels like a waste. Thanks, Kurt.
Aaanyway, busy work aside...Isn't this as deep as the sewers go? This is the end of the line, right?
Quite so. Your point?
So, uh, the 'confidential documents' are...um...
We've got the cookie recipe, what more could there be?



Wh-What's with the...?
Ohhhhh man. I knew it, I knew it...
I am afraid my role in this exercise is that of an armed foreign infiltrator, here to steal the documents. As we have the same goal, my only option is to remove you...by force.
Wait, WHAT?!
The documents were just an excuse to get us here...The REAL point of the test is to have an unexpected battle during a mission, isn't it?!
Indeed. Well spotted, Anelace.
That being said...Prepare yourselves!

-The Fate of the Fairies-





Don't use weapon attacks if Kurt has this up. It's just enough to push his DEF from 'tough but manageable' to 'lol that tickles.'





AT-Delay would be excellent against Kurt, but he is annoyingly good at knocking Anelace just out of Fallen Leaves range.



Seriously, don't even bother. You should still have something that can work, though...



eat my cookie Kurt

eat it




-Steel Floor Blocking The Way-



Well done. That was a clean victory.
*pant pant* We...We won?
Y-Yeah...My arms say otherwise, but we did...Just what you'd expect from the Artful Tactician. Two on one and we barely won...
All right. With the infiltrator neutralized, the documents have been recovered. This mission is complete.
Okay, so training for today is...
Is...over...rrrrright?
Oh, hardly. After a brief lunch at the inn, we'll be heading to the Saint-Croix Forest to the south. We will engage in a bit of 'bonus training' there. Think of it as a chance to make up for any mistakes you made here.
Oh, boy...
Kuuuuurt...come on, cut us some slack here!

-Under the Moonlight-





You did well, you two. You must be tired, I imagine.
Yeeeah, just a BIT...
I'll say...Feels like my legs are gonna fall off. That was the hardest thing we've done here!
Hm-hm. We still need to work on your endurance a bit, perhaps.
Well, be sure to get some rest this evening. We have quite a day tomorrow.
Yes, sir...
See you in a bit, Kurt.



It sounds like that's almost it for our training here at Le Locle, though. Sure feels like it.
Yeah. I mean, I'm happy to be almost done, but...it makes me feel a little sad at the same time, you know?
Earlier was amazing, too. Kurt really is strong, isn't he? He took us both on at once, and I got the feeling he could've kept going.
Well, yeah! He could probably throw us around like spears!
I mean, he got that 'Artful Tactician' title because he's the second-best bracer in all Liberl, y'know! The very best is your dad, of course.
Oh, I see.
Oh, yeah, speaking of. I think Schera mentioned this to you once, but there's seven ranks for senior bracers--G to A. I'm ranked F currently since I've only been senior for half a year...But Kurt's a B. Pretty much an A, even! He's getting promoted real soon.
Wow, rank A? That'd put him on the same level as Zane!
(Although...there's a certain someone out there who can not only take down Kurt, but steal his memory...Do I really have a chance against someone like that?)
Kurt stole an important artifact from Ouroboros in FC, but got caught after sending the thing to Cassius and had some of his memories erased.
Uh...Estelle? What's wrong? You look so...serious all of a sudden.
Oh!
S-Sorry, I was just spacing out for a second, I guess.
Spacing out, huh? Spacing out about Joshua, right?
W-Well...
You could say that, I guess.
I kinda figured as much...I, uh...haven't wanted to pry or anything, but Schera did tell me a little bit about what happened. You must be worried sick. I really do hope he's okay.
Yeah...
But, hey! I'm not too worried. Joshua's just a lost boy who ran away from home because of a misunderstanding.
I'll bring him back even if I have to tie a leash to his neck and walk him home!
THAT'S the spirit! (I'd pay good mira to see that, too...)
Estelle, keep that up and you WILL find Joshua! I give it my super-shiny senior bracer guarantee!
Haha! Thanks, Anelace.
But, ah...didn't we just finish talking about how you aren't really that old or senior yet?
Whaaat? Estelle, you meanieface! You're saying I'm like a kid, aren't you?
(Urk!) Er, no, nooooo! That's not what I meant at all!
Maaaan, and I'm like two years older than you, too...
Well, to be honest, I'd much rather be your friend than be your superior.
So we're friends forever, right?
Ah...yeah. You bet!
Ooooookay, then! Time to scoot off to bed and rest for tomorrow! You seem kinda bushed, Estelle. You want to skip tomorrow's morning practice?
No, that's okay. No matter how tired I get, a good night's sleep here always seems to charge me right back up. As long as you're up for it, I'm good.
Sweet! We'll do some more stuffing-beating tomorrow morning then, 'kay?
For now, though, good night!
Good night, Anelace!



Though, hang on, we DID get a lot of sepith during the training mission today.
Building a new set of quartz sounds like a good idea right about now. I should go bug Robert before going to bed.



Phyllis: From the look on your face, Kurt worked you raw, didn't he?
Yeah, I'm exhausted.
But, hey, it's part of our training, so I just gotta buckle down and do it!
Phyllis: That's the spirit! ♥ Well, then, you'd best get supplies ready for tomorrow. Who knows what else Kurt has planned? Better get ready now!
Yeah, good idea. I'll be back to look over stuff, then.
Phyllis: You should get everything you need ready now. You're probably going to be very busy come tomorrow!



You get a special quartz for beating Kurt.

Robert: Well, I'll be damned. That's some pretty high-grade quartz. You'll need to upgrade an orbment slot in order to set one of those. It requires a fair bit of sepith, but it'll also increase your orbment's EP charge capacity, so you should give it a try. If you select 'Slots' from 'Upgrade/Exchange,' you can upgrade your slots. You can't set a high-grade quartz without an upgraded slot. You'd damage the orbment if you tried!



Instead of opening quartz slots like in FC, SC starts you with the full seven slots and makes you upgrade them. The sepith cost varies depending on how far down the line a slot is, and whether its elements are restricted. Unfortunately I don't have enough fire sepith for more than one upgrade right now.



On top of an enhanced fire attack, Heaven's Eye lets you see monsters clearly at any distance, and provides more info about them in combat. I'll probably keep this one in play for the whole game.



The combination of Heaven's Eye and Luck is enough for one of the schmancy new Space arts.




Still getting ready for tomorrow?
Well, yeah, that too, but...What are YOU up to, Anelace?
I was just talking with Mr. Bear.
Mr...Bear?
Isn't he cuuuute?
That soft, plushy fur...Oooh, just touching it makes me tingly!
Ah...hahaha...Sooooo this is where you get your energy from, huh, Anelace?
Heck yeah, it is!
Mmmmm...Just touching stuffed animals makes me feel like a million mira.
Yeah! Like I said! Cuteness is justice! And justice is poweeer!...Or something.



Hi, Kurt. Are you reading something?
Yes, I'm looking over some military treatises from the Far East. The subject is ancient warfare, but you would be surprised how much of it applies to conflicts of any era. You should give them a read yourself. You may find them enlightening.
Uhhh, I think I'll pass. I kinda suspect they'd go over my head.
Far East military books, though...Kurt, I've been sort of curious--are you from the Far East yourself?
In a sense, I suppose. I was born in Liberl, but my family does indeed hail from the lands beyond Calvard. We emigrated during the time of my grandfather, from what I understand.
The special arts I use are something that my grandfather passed down to me, in fact.
Oh, I see! I've always thought that what you do is pretty incredible and handy, but I've never seen anyone else do stuff like it.
A fair observation. I know of no other practicioners of the art aside from myself...
If you're that interested, however, I would be honored to teach it to you, Estelle.
Whoa, really?!
Haha, really. It would be my pleasure. However, you would need to study a number of military treatises first...
Erk...I think I'm gonna have to pass...
We can learn much from the writings of past ages. I do think you should try reading them at some point, rather than avoiding them so. Being a bracer is more than just having combat skills--they must strive to train their minds as well. Remember that.



Time to hit the hay and get ready for tomorrow...

Hwurmp fucked around with this message at 12:13 on May 2, 2016

Cake Attack
Mar 26, 2010

chain crafts are a nice addition and pretty useful in light of magic getting nerfed. if only i could ever remember they existed

also fate of the fairies is a good song, but the best thing about falcom is that every good song has like 10 different remixes over different albums

taking Fate of the Fairies:

The Sora no Kiseki Zanmai arrangement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOuI_ctwtDI
A vocal version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV0rdfjiNyQ
A remix of said vocal version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNv90ovhkCo
An instrumental version of the vocal version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBGKlneepGo
An acoustic version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noy-1hUQZq0

if you're paranoid you could consider some of the boxarts for these albums spoilers?

Cake Attack fucked around with this message at 03:06 on Nov 29, 2015

OddObserver
Apr 3, 2009
Great timing on the cookie and the special there, avoiding the whitecaps spam from Kurt there. Him self-healing in this fight was ultra-frustrating when I played this.

grandalt
Feb 26, 2013

I didn't fight through two wars to rule
I fought for the future of the world

And the right to have hot tea whenever I wanted

Omobono posted:

I'm curious, what do you mean when you say it's not suited for Estelle?

Well, I would think one that has better than a line of four. Five would be more like it.

And a nice tutorial dungeon to get the player warmed up to the changes in the battle system.

Stabbey_the_Clown
Sep 21, 2002

Are... are you quite sure you really want to say that?
Taco Defender

grandalt posted:

Well, I would think one that has better than a line of four. Five would be more like it.

Estelle's thing is not that she's a good caster. Her thing is that she can do pretty much anything, but she can't do it as well as those who are more specialized. Her diversity of crafts emphasizes that as well. The difference between the two games is now Estelle has two 4-length lines instead of a 4 and a 3, which increases her flexibility with arts quite a bit.

Crystalgate
Dec 26, 2012
What's Anelace's thing then? She has very similar stats to Estelle, but her orbment is crappy.

AncientSpark
Jan 18, 2013

Crystalgate posted:

What's Anelace's thing then? She has very similar stats to Estelle, but her orbment is crappy.

Anelace is more of a physical character, as noted by her incredible Atk buff and diverse craft set. It just doesn't show up in early game because the stats aren't diverse enough to show it.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

The next morning...

*BLAM BLAM* *BLAM* *BOOM*

(Mm...?)
(Did I...hear something?)



W-Wait a minute! Is that GUNFIRE?!

*KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK*

Estelle! Estelle, are you awake?



Estelle, you're awake! Thank Aidios...C'mon, grab your gear!
R-Right! Hey, is that really gunfire, or...?
Yeah! We're under attack by...somebody! I dunno who! Kurt's trying to fight them off, but we need to go help him!

-Pinch!!-



Robert: Are you all right?!
Phyllis: H-He's not! Kurt, your arm...!
It's...nothing. Just a scratch. It's far more important that we put an end to this...intrusion.



KURT! Are you okay?! You're injured!
Phyllis: Estelle! Anelace!



As you can see, the lodge is under attack by a group of armed men. I need your help in driving them away.
R-Roger!
But, but...they...HURT you, Kurt...
Who the heck ARE these guys?!
I'm not yet entirely certain, but I got a fairly good look at their gear when fighting a moment ago. Judging from its design, I would guess they're jaegers.
Jaegers...Hang on, you mean those elite, crazy mercenaries I heard about in Grancel?!
You hear a little about jaegers in FC, but Lorence is the only one you ever see. Looks like that's about to change.
B-B-But...why would they be HERE?!
Outside of Liberl, the guild and the jaegers are dire enemies. It is not out of the question that they would dare to attack us here. Though it would be oddly brazen, even for them.
Given that, though. This could very well be at the behest of the 'society.'
WHAT?! You mean--

*CRASH*



Son of a...!

-Fight With Assailant-



This big bastard has a big bastard sword, and some smoke bombs that inflict Blind.



Let's see how he likes the taste of some new arts!





Whoops! Dark Matter kinda sucks right now.

That is better damage than Flare Arrow and the like, but it costs twice as much EP and nothing will ever be weak against it. Most of the time, a cheaper art will be best.













How about...THIS?!






-Pinch!!-



Personally, I'd put it down to the sandwich.
O-Okay, whoever you are! DROP the weapon and surrender!
Jaeger: Heh heh...You brats are better than I thought. Still not good enough, though.
Wha...?





Gnah!
A smoke bomb?! *cough*
Jaeger Woman: Hm-hm...Nighty night, little kittens.

-Silence-

Hnnmmnn...
Mornin' already...? Feels too...ear...
WHA?!



Where in the Goddess' name...? I remember...an attack, and then...
Anelace! Wake up, Anelace! Oh, no...
Hrmrlrml...Ehehehehe...A stuffed bunny, aaand...a stuffed teddy bear...Oooooh, which one to piiiick...Can I take 'em aaaaall, Grandpa...
What the heck kind of dream...
Anelace! Come on, wake UP! This is NOT the time!
Haaaauuuh?
Oh, mooornin', Estelle...Oh, riiight...thime f'r mornin' phractice...
Geh...No, it is not time for morning practice.
Just WAKE UP already! Get it together!
Hauh...?
Wait...Umm, Estelle? What's going on? This isn't my bedroom. That attack thing WAS just a bad nightmare...right?
Boy, don't I wish...If we both remember it, though, I kinda doubt it was a dream.
Ooooh...yyyyyeah, that's a good point. Wowwee...Man, looks like we lost the match. No points for meeeee...
Anelace, why do I get the sense you're still half-asleep?

-Secret Green Passage-







So last night, a group of men who looked just a BIT like jaegers attacked the lodge...I remember Kurt...was wounded, and right after we arrived an enemy jumped in through the window...And right after that, it was lights out for me.
Yeah, that matches what I remember. The question is, how the heck did we wind up here?
Gooood question. That is kind of weird. It looks like they left most of our stuff on us, but...Yeah, all my new combat gear is missing. Man...
Oh, yeah, mine too.
So that means we were probably brought here by...



I...guess?
Yeah, that's the obvious answer. One thing's bugging me, though. It's just, why didn't they tie us up or, I dunno, stab us or something? They just left us in the open...
Well, let's see...After knocking us out and disarming us...Something happened and they had to quickly retreat somewhere else, leaving us behind?
Yeah, that's pretty believable. In that case, sticking around here is like asking to get our heads cut off. Estelle, you still have that map?
Oh, yeah! We still have some of our stuff, so...
Yeah, here it is.



There's Saint-Croix Forest, where we were training last night. I'm guessing that's where we are now.
So in that case...Our first goal should be getting out of the forest and checking on the lodge, right?
Yeah. I wanna see if we can find Kurt and make sure he's okay...Like you said, we gotta get out of this stupid forest.



We're basically sitting ducks without our gear, remember, so we need to be careful.
Got it! It'd be nice if we could reclaim our gear somehow...

Those jaeger jerkwads took EVERYTHING.



Well, they didn't touch the accessories...or the supplies...or the brand-new tactical orbments. And they left a pair of boffer sticks for some reason.

It's no use for decent people to try and comprehend the workings of the criminal mind.




That'd be my guess. Let's take a peek inside. We might find something useful.

quote:

Found Teara Balm x5.
Found EP Charge x2.
Well, looks like that's everything.
Darn it, I was hoping we'd find our gear in there...
Man, I wish it was that easy.
Still, the tent's in good shape. We could probably nap here if we needed to take a quick rest. We don't have time to just lounge around, but if we really need a rest, we should keep it in mind.
Good idea.

Take a second to look over your quartz before you head into the forest.



Heaven's Eye, Attack 1, and Evade 1 will give you your first area-effect art.




Hey! Do you think this could be our equipment?
Sure looks like it! ♪
The rest of our stuff might be hidden around like this.
Cool. I'd kinda like to avoid fighting the monsters, but we do need to find our stuff.



These Bush Lancers are all wearing bell collars. They aren't even aggressive. I'm pretty sure we're slaying somebody's pets here.

Maybe they're the jaegers' pets. That'd be okay.



Estelle and Anelace's regular weapons aren't far apart.









Some area-effect abilities target a creature, and some target a space on the field. There are benefits and drawbacks to each. It's easier to catch lots of enemies in a ground-target AoE, but also easier for them to move out of the blast radius. Enemy-targeted arts will stay on them as they move and switch to a new target if they drop, so you're guaranteed to hit somebody.





A lot of monsters explode on death, and sometimes they spawn close enough to threaten the party. There are ways to fix this if it gives you grief.



The Tactics screen lets you adjust the team's starting formation in combat. Starting up front is helpful for melee fighters, but risky against monsters with Self-Destruct. The second rank is usually safe, although this time it wasn't.

Some party members get multiple S-Crafts. Here, you can set which one will be used when you hit their S-Break button.

You can also set the marching order, which is completely pointless.







Sometimes, the Bush Lancer that spawns by this chest will have a special surprise for you.





Shining Poms give you a ton of XP and sepith, but attacks and crafts will almost always miss and they're completely immune to Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. They're also crazy fast, always getting the first turn if you can't manage a preemptive attack, and they'll usually flee the battle as soon as possible.



Time, Space, and Mirage are still effective. This is what Dark Matter is good for. Some of the higher-tier Time arts also come with a chance to instakill, which is the only ailment that can affect Shining Poms.



They do still have pretty high ADF, though.

If you can't bring the proper arts to bear, try tossing your cookies. Attack foods never miss, and they stay stronger than your regular attacks for a decent while after you get them. Unfortunately I'm still missing one ingredient for Surprise Cookies, and it isn't found in the sewers or the forest.

When all else fails, start popping the S-Breaks.



You have been saving up for S-Breaks, right?



This one single Pom was worth 250 XP, at a point when it takes about 1,000 to level up and everything else in the forest is 3 or 4 apiece.

Shining Poms are no longer visible while traveling like they used to be. They have a small chance to spawn in combat alongside specific individual monsters. If you know a certain monster is Pom-capable, you can ambush it and flee repeatedly until they decide to show up. Then once you've finished the fight, you can leave the zone and come back so that the monster in question respawns. Farming Poms in the prologue is more trouble than it's worth, though. You really don't have a good way to kill them without S-Crafts, and you don't have any ways to build CP faster yet either.

So I'll only do it a couple times--enough for one more level.



And only because at this particular level, Hurricane gets huge.



HUGE






quote:

Ranger and survival skills training grounds.
Hey, this sign...
Looks like a guidepost to me!
We passed by this way yesterday, so I'm sure this is the way out!
Awesome! Now we can get out of the forest!





Whew! Finally. I thought we'd never get out!

-Silence-

Woman's Voice: Oh, dear-rie me...I take my eyes off you for one second, and you run away! Such naughty, naughty children.



-Creeping Crisis-





A-A woman?!
Estelle, watch out! Whoever she is...she's good!
Female Jaeger: Oooh, sharp enough to pick up on that, are we? Not only that, but you're already back on your feet after getting a face full of gas. That's slightly impressive. That's a bracer for you, I suppose! Pointlessly tough, if nothing else.
H-Hey, whoever you are! What's going on here?! Why are you attacking the training grounds? What did we ever do to you?!
Female Jaeger: Oh, kitten, you're assuming I need to answer questions. Now, you have two choices: Surrender quietly...or we have a little hunting party.
Dammit...(Can we hope to fight her off as we are?)



I don't recommend attempting this fight without all your weapons, Enhanced Leather, and Reinforced Boots. As it is though, GLORY FOR THE FIRST MAN TO DIE :black101:

Anelace!
Right behind you!
Female Jaeger: Oh, yes, kittens...That's right. Come closer, now. Let's put an end to our little hunt!

-Fight With Assailant-

This jaeger is a gunner who prefers to keep her distance.



She'll always toss out an Impede attack if you're preparing any arts on her turn.



It's a lot weaker than her other attacks, so just keep on casting.










-Secret Green Passage-



That'll teach you to look down on bracers!
Your first mistake was assuming we're just a pair of clueless little girls!
Female Jaeger: Hm hm...So spirited and fiery now! We'll have to do something about that...





Female Jaeger: Oh, kittens. You realize we've captured the Tactician already, yes? You're all alone here now. Just give up and surrender. It'll be easier...

-Silence-



We probably shouldn't chase her, right, Anelace?
Yeah, bad idea. Way too obvious a trap.
...H-Hey, Estelle. She said, "We've captured the Tactician," didn't she...
Oh...
Yeah, she was...probably talking about Kurt.
Yeah...she had to be...Please, no...
Hey, don't worry! Even if he was caught, this is Kurt we're talking about--he'll be fine!
Besides...this is the sort of thing we've been training for.
You really think so? Hmm...Emergency decision making, survival techniques, counter-terrorism skills...
Yeah...You're right! We'll put what we've learned to use and save Kurt!
That's the Anelace I know!
Hey, how about we return to the lodge real quick? We should check to see if the enemy's occupied it, for starters.
Yeah, good point. Off we go, then!

-Engaged People in Secret Maneuvers-





Yeah...Should be safe to nose around inside. There might be traps or something, though, so let's be careful!
Got it.



That spear looks a lot like...um, Kurt's...
...
Uh, well, let's have a look around. Yeah. There might be, uh, clues. Or something...
Right.

Speaking of or something...



This upstairs door has been locked the whole time we've been here. Now it's finally open. And sitting on the bed inside...



In FC, acquiring one of the ultimate weapons required a hidden quest that spanned most of the game. It was all about going ridiculously far out of your way to collect a book series called Carnelia. Gambler Jack is the SC version. It is slightly more merciful, at least. Slightly.




Is this...Kurt's?
I, I, uh...I think so...But, I mean, there isn't a lot, so his injuries probably aren't...f-fatal...Yeah...



Dang it. No surprise from pro mercenaries, I guess. No way they wouldn't cut all the obvious means of communication.
Yeah, they don't want us calling for any reinforcements. drat, that's going to make this even harder...



The enemy took our food, too?
Yeah, they're the only ones who would have, I think. And I don't see Phyllis anywhere--no blood, thank Aidios. I wonder what happened...



This is the window that jaeger leapt through last night, right?
Yeah. He was really skilled--you could tell from the way he handled himself.



Hey, wasn't there a map pinned up here?
Yeah, just like the one we have.
If they have that, then that means...



It looks like the second floor is completely untouched. They only roughed up the first floor.
Yeah...I get the feeling there might be a reason for that...
And now that we know that, I think I have an idea about what the enemy is doing.
You do?
Some of it still doesn't make sense, but a few of the pieces are coming together, I think. Think about it. We've seen what's in the lodge, and there was that tent in the forest. If we put together the clues we've found in those two places...
Ahh, I think I get it!



Exactamundo! Glad we're on the same page, Estelle! The tent was probably a staging point for attacking the lodge. Which means it was abandoned...because they've moved somewhere else!
Oh, I get it!
But they're obviously not using the lodge as a base either. Hm...
Well, they probably realized that it's hard to defend the lodge. If the guild ends up sending reinforcements, they're going to need a defensible position where they can keep the hostages. So they must've taken a position somewhere in Le Locle that they think they can defend easily.
Yeah, okay, that makes a lot of sense. So the only place like that around here would be...
Man's Voice: You two!



Robert!
Hey, you're safe! Are you okay?
Robert: Y-Yeah, I'm fine...Last night, Kurt gave me a chance to get away...I've been hiding ever since then.
Oh, okay...
We're still really glad you're safe.
Robert: Forgive me...I ran away and abandoned everyone. I'm a pathetic excuse for a man, I know.
Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. These are jaegers, after all.
Yeah, she's right! If anything, we're lucky they have one less hostage!
Robert: I see...Thank you, girls. So do you two have any idea where Kurt and Phyllis are? You mentioned...hostages.
Well...

quote:

Estelle and Anelace relayed their theory that the enemy had taken the two as hostages and moved to a new base.

Robert: I get it. A base that'd be easy to defend...Grimsel Fortress, then. Has to be.
Grimsel WHAT?
Th-There's a FORTRESS in the canyon?!
Robert: Well, we call it a 'fortress,' but it isn't really one. It's a new training ground we built recently, based on modern military facilities. The idea is to train bracers in counter-terror operations in hijacked military bases, that sort of thing.
I never realized there was a place like that in the canyon...It IS on the map, though...
...Anelace.
Yeah...Let's do it!
Robert: H-Hey...You two aren't thinking of taking the fight to them all by yourselves, are you?! You need to at least call the guild for backup, or...
They smashed the phone to bits, Robert.
Robert: They...SMASHED MY PHONE?! THOSE--
Um, Robert, calm down, please! Can you try and fix the phone? If you can get it working, contact the guild as soon as you can! Let them know what's happened!
Robert: ...Okay. If you need me to tune your orbments, just stop by the workshop. Good luck, girls. I'll be praying for you!
Okay. Let's go, Estelle. Time to make a two-girl assault on Grimsel Fortress!
Let's do it!

I've got enough sepith for two more slot upgrades on Estelle, and one on Anelace. I'll get an EP Cut 1 quartz for Estelle too, because...I don't know. It was cheap.

I also take the chance for a nap in Estelle's room upstairs, because the jaeger gunner threw me a bit of a beating.




-Leiston Fortress-





Whoa, this is one weirdo training facility. Anyway, I don't see or hear anyone from out here, buuut...
Yeah, no doubt about it. You can see the footprints of several people who've come through here recently.
Haha, looks like that tracking training actually paid off!
Anyway, given the number of footprint sets, there can't be that many enemies. Three people? Maybe four?
Our enemies are good, and they outnumber us, but...we're senior bracers. There's nothing we can't beat!
Heck, yeah! Let's give it everything we got!

Hwurmp fucked around with this message at 20:44 on May 2, 2016

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005









Hwurmp fucked around with this message at 14:05 on May 30, 2016

The Doomhammer
Feb 14, 2010

Oh neat, didn't know there were shining poms in the prologue. Also, I never remember to pick up the first Gambler Jack. Stupid books...

Ubiquitous_
Nov 20, 2013

by Reene
Playing through this on Hard mode with FC carryovers. You definitely need to know the system, creating Orbment paths, cooking food, and getting pre-emptive strikes or you can get wrecked. Trapped chests are awful when you have an NPC now.

But so far I prefer it to Normal/Easy where it seemed like there was not much challenge.

Endorph
Jul 22, 2009

on a fresh run, hard mode is pretty impossible.

Some Numbers
Sep 28, 2006

"LET'S GET DOWN TO WORK!!"
Well, this is a surprise. I was considering LPing this myself at some point down the road.

Anelace is the best.

Super Jay Mann
Nov 6, 2008

Endorph posted:

on a fresh run, hard mode is pretty impossible.

My fresh SC run was on hard, I challenge your assertion. :colbert:

Now nightmare on the other hand, I don't even want to imagine the levels of BS you have to deal with on a fresh run.

Omobono
Feb 19, 2013

That's it! No more hiding in tomato crates! It's time to show that idiota Germany how a real nation fights!

For pasta~! CHARGE!

Ubiquitous_ posted:

Trapped chests are awful when you have an NPC now.

At least they're not a surprise attack. I'll see the trapped chests with NPC and I'll raise that sidequest.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

-Leiston Fortress-



Grimsel Fortress: where elite operatives of the Bracer Guild train for counter-terror actions against insurgent beetles and seditious rabbits.











Dare you dare this fiendish riddle?







Pulling levers to open doors? Kurt's training never covered anything like this!

Hmm...Don't you find this sort of stuff in military bases, as a security thingy? Y'know, a moveable wall? I guess this place really is used for, like, infiltration or escape training.
A military-themed course? Aw, great. It's like I'm trapped in Leiston Fortress all over again.
But anyway...I suppose if this thing is active, the jaegers are in the building?
Yeah, I'd say it's a good bet.
Good news is, our enemies probably don't know this place any better than we do. If we proceed carefully and deliberately, we should be cool.
Oh...
Hm? What's wrong, Estelle? Did I say something bad?
'Carefully and deliberately'...I remember Schera always telling me the same thing.
Haha! Whoops, my dark, horrible past is exposed!
Yeah, that's something Schera used to tell me a lot. She was my mentor for a while when I was still a newbie, you see...And, well, I was kind of a super-scatterbrain. I heard that line so much, though, it eventually got burned into my skull.
Ha ha...Haaaa...Yeeeah, I've got a pretty good idea of what you mean. Joshua was just as fond of that saying as Schera was...
But...neither of them are here now, huh? It's just us.
Yeah...It's all on us.
Let's go, Anelace. Carefully and deliberately, right?
Maybe even deliberately and carefully!

The next gate requires that two levers be pulled.



such conundra




Okay, it looks like this should work.





The denizens of Grimsel Fortress are adept at hurling...various items.





Eventually you'll find a storeroom that's pitch-dark.



There's just enough light to blunder over to the corner.





There are a few monsters lurking in this container maze, and whoever isn't wearing the Night Goggles will be blinded in combat against them.






What's this?
Hmmm, seems like some kinda device. Also looks kinda like an orbment switch...
'Some kinda device.' Case closed.
Well, probably good to take it with us, right? This place is a training facility, so it might be used to open trap areas or something.
Yeah, good point.
Even just getting here there's been a lot of gates, pitch black rooms and stuff, so...
Welp, they're always saying to 'be prepared,' right? Anyway, let's get going.
Yeah.





quote:

Activated ID Unit.
Whoa!



Ahaha...It really opened.
Heehee, justice prevails!
Alright, let's keep our eyes peeled and hurry on!
Yeah!

This would be a good time to save.



And bake.






-Creeping Crisis-

You!
So you finally show your face!



Jaeger: Didja have FUN with all those great traps we left for ya?!
Yeah. Barrel of laughs. Thanks for that.
More to the point, I'm guessing you're keeping Kurt and Phyllis behind that door, right?!
How about you let them go before I pry off that mask and paint your face with my sword?
Jaeger: Ha HAAA! Chirp all you want, little chicks. You've come so far not even realizing this would be your grave. How sad! How very like a BRACER!
Isn't that our line? I have NO idea what you guys are trying to accomplish here, but you really backed yourselves into a corner.
Jaeger: The heck do you...?
Uh...Yeah! Guild reinforcements are gonna be here soon! Once they get here, you're out of luck!
Jaeger: Try again, girlies! We smashed your phone. Just how did you make contact with any 'reinforcements' without that?
Er, well...(Oh, crap, I need to pull out a really good bluff...)



Actually, I oughtta thank you for breaking the phone as bad as you did. Great job! The fact that Le Locle has gone totally silent for a whole day will mean the guild will already know something's wrong!
Jaeger: Wh-What...?
Hey, that's...true! They probably figured it out ages ago.
Heck, I bet our reinforcements are already in the air! They'll be here any MINUTE now!
Jaeger: Tch. Guess we took that bracer pig-headedness a little too lightly. Either way, you brats are an eyesore! The best use for your skins will be as CLEANING RAGS for our new base! DIE!
All right! Bring it on, you monster!
We won't lose! FOR THE GUILD!

-Fight With Assailant-

Today, we down the jaegermeister.























-Leiston Fortress-



Hooh...Haaaah...W-We...We won...
But the way he fights...
Y-Yeah...You noticed too, Estelle? It's like...
Woman's Voice: Heehee! You guys sure are good at being tricked.
Man's Voice: Ha-ha-ha! Man, you guys were great! What a beatdown!

-Silence-



MORE enemies?
Female Jaeger: Haha! No, no, no! C'mon, I'm not even changing my voice anymore! Don't tell me you can't figure it out?
That voice...Girly yet tough...
No...No WAY!
CARNA?!
Female Jaeger: Biiiin-gooooo!

-Dancing With The Wind-



Uh, a while, yeah...but what are you doing in a JAEGER SUIT?! Wait, that'd mean that the guy over there is...
Grant?!
Jaeger: Hole in one!



Great work? Wait...Do you mean this was all...?
Jaeger: And at last, comprehension dawns.



F-Final training...?
S-So...Everything since last night's attack has been a...performance?!
Hmhm! This is a long-standing Le Locle tradition. The idea is to put trainees in a life-threatening situation in order to see how well they utilize their newly-learned skills.
Are you frickin' KIDDING me...?
When Kurt told us your finals were comin' up, we rode our butts out here from Liberl to help out!
Heheh! It was a lot of fun.
FUN?! Ooooooh...!
You guys are all THE WORST!
Seriously! We really thought it was hitting the fan! We were out of our minds with worry...
It WAS hitting the fan. Remember those bunnies?
Well, that was part of the point, in fact.
And just so you're aware...real jaegers would not have been half as gentle.
Er...
Well...
I know it's hard for you two to imagine since the jaegers are barred from operating in Liberl, but...Across the rest of the continent, bracers and jaegers are at each other's throats almost constantly.
So most bracers have to be prepared to fight in life-threatening situations at any moment.
We want to make sure Liberlian newbies get a chance to experience that. I know it seems rough, but we're not being mean just for cruelty's sake.
*sigh* That's no fair.
How am I supposed to go on a good complaining jag after hearing something like that?
Yeah, no fair!
Woman's Voice: Well, looks like you're finally done beating the stuffing out of one another.



Phyllis was in on the conspiracy, too? Awwwwwww...Can't trust any of you...
Phyllis: Now, now, 'conspiracy' is a bit much! They said they needed me for your test, so I worked hard to remember my lines! Hmhm! I made a perfect 'tragic lodge keeper heroine,' if you ask me!
Yeah, yeah, we were totally fooled last night...
Man's Voice: Hahaha! Excellent work, you two!



You were ALL in on it?
So I'm guessing the telephone...
Robert: Yeah, that was an old piece of junk I had lying around. I kept the real phone somewhere safe. I've already re-mounted it, so no worries. Actually, I was supposed to be a hostage myself and not show up today, but, well...I really wanted to see you use the new orbments!
Man, you guys seriously covered every angle.
I guess it's our fault for getting tricked, huh?
As much as I hate to admit it, yeah...
If you think about it rationally, a lot of stuff didn't make any sense. It just shows how far we have to go, I guess.
Hmhm! Don't be too hard on yourselves.
As Carna and Grant said, the point of this exercise was to give you a life-threatening experience to work through with your skills. In that sense, the exercise has been a runaway success.
Now then. Anelace Elfead.
Uh, yes!
Estelle Bright.
Yes, sir!
As of this moment, you have completed the Le Locle Training Program. You have learned a great deal over the past month.
So, then...
Tomorrow we're...?
Two tickets on the next flight to Liberl have already been arranged for you. Nothing more will happen tonight...I promise. So rest easy.
Phyllis: Terrific! Well, then! Tonight we congratulate our new graduates, and stuff them PROPERLY at a nice, big farewell party!

Hwurmp fucked around with this message at 13:40 on Mar 20, 2016

grandalt
Feb 26, 2013

I didn't fight through two wars to rule
I fought for the future of the world

And the right to have hot tea whenever I wanted
Oh, well that explains why they weren't just killed. And why their stuff was fairly close to them when they woke up. And how the jaegers were able to use the fortress stuff so well.

Well, that's been take care of, we'll see what events draw Estelle into next.

Ubiquitous_
Nov 20, 2013

by Reene

Omobono posted:

At least they're not a surprise attack. I'll see the trapped chests with NPC and I'll raise that sidequest.

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that, at all.

Captain Bravo
Feb 16, 2011

An Emergency Shitpost
has been deployed...

...but experts warn it is
just a drop in the ocean.
Yikes, this page obliterated my internet for some reason. I don't suppose there's any chance we could hit a new page before the next update?

So, is anyone else kind of taken aback at how far they took that skit? I mean, sure, pretend like jaegers are attacking... but the bloodstain in the cabin? Jeez, I know they're supposed to be advanced paramilitary agents, but they're also still two young girls. Maybe not heavily imply their friend just got murdered?

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

Captain Bravo posted:

Yikes, this page obliterated my internet for some reason. I don't suppose there's any chance we could hit a new page before the next update?

Should I cut back on the .gifs? The next update shouldn't need any, at least.

Endorph
Jul 22, 2009

Captain Bravo posted:

So, is anyone else kind of taken aback at how far they took that skit? I mean, sure, pretend like jaegers are attacking... but the bloodstain in the cabin? Jeez, I know they're supposed to be advanced paramilitary agents, but they're also still two young girls. Maybe not heavily imply their friend just got murdered?
To be fair, it was only a bit of blood, and Karna-as-a-jaeger specifically said they 'captured' Kurt. Even if things were real, odds are he'd be roughed up, not dead.

cokerpilot
Apr 23, 2010

Battle Brothers! Stop coming to meetings drunk and trying to adopt Tevery Best!

Lord General! Stop standing on the table and making up stupid operation names!

Emperor, why do I put up with these people?
Yah this page is generating a huge amount of lag for some reason.

Stabbey_the_Clown
Sep 21, 2002

Are... are you quite sure you really want to say that?
Taco Defender

Captain Bravo posted:

Yikes, this page obliterated my internet for some reason. I don't suppose there's any chance we could hit a new page before the next update?

So, is anyone else kind of taken aback at how far they took that skit? I mean, sure, pretend like jaegers are attacking... but the bloodstain in the cabin? Jeez, I know they're supposed to be advanced paramilitary agents, but they're also still two young girls. Maybe not heavily imply their friend just got murdered?

If you examine the blood Estelle/Anelace note that it's not much blood so Kurt's probably still alive. And Bracers are basically the police force of the Liberl kingdom, so it's entirely possible that as senior bracers, they'll have to see things a lot tougher than this. (And this course is optional, from what I understand.)

This whole Le Locle sequence is just really the start of expanding the game's scope. leaving Liberl behind, even if it is just to a small isolated training camp is a note to start thinking of things beyond just the borders of that one country. Bracers are an international organization. I liked the world-building reminder that Jagers are dangerous and things are a lot less nice outside of Liberl, where Jagers are allowed to operate.

Omobono
Feb 19, 2013

That's it! No more hiding in tomato crates! It's time to show that idiota Germany how a real nation fights!

For pasta~! CHARGE!

Captain Bravo posted:

Yikes, this page obliterated my internet for some reason. I don't suppose there's any chance we could hit a new page before the next update?

So, is anyone else kind of taken aback at how far they took that skit? I mean, sure, pretend like jaegers are attacking... but the bloodstain in the cabin? Jeez, I know they're supposed to be advanced paramilitary agents, but they're also still two young girls. Maybe not heavily imply their friend just got murdered?

Bracers are more or less the equivalent of a modern police force.
You want to be an elite Bracer? Shut up and put up, 'cause elite criminals won't stay clean and tidy.
It probably doesn't help that Estelle and Anelace are prodigies, and this tradition is probably meant for older people, since this is advanced training and all. But you know how traditions work, gotta follow them through hell and high water.

Tax Refund
Apr 15, 2011

The IRS gave me a refund. I spent it on this SA account. What was I thinking?!

Really Pants posted:

Should I cut back on the .gifs? The next update shouldn't need any, at least.

I don't think you need to cut back, we just need to talk more between updates. :) If we can keep the number of updates per page down to about 3 or so, that would probably be best. I start having issues when there are more than 4 or 5 updates on a single page, but 2 to 3 per page would be fine as far as my Internet connection is concerned.

Wentley
Feb 7, 2012
Caught up! What a great game.

Omobono
Feb 19, 2013

That's it! No more hiding in tomato crates! It's time to show that idiota Germany how a real nation fights!

For pasta~! CHARGE!

To further my point on Estelle and Anelace being prodigies, an unspoiled playthrough of the game should easily see Estelle having rank B if not B+ by the end of the game, and the whole game covers a span of what, two months top? Zane is rank A IIRC and he's almost* a living legend, Schera is B rank and she's considered fairly talented and skilled. Estelle's progression is insane.

*Cassius makes everyone else almost

OddObserver
Apr 3, 2009
I must say our op is either really good at this game, or at least good at cutting out embarrassing screenshots. I found the early portion of the game (e.g. before the party size goes to 3) to be pretty tough (with rest being easier modulo some boss fights), and this last boss fight in particular can be pretty frustrating since the German 3-count skill has a *lot* of pushback.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

The bracers are all pretty nasty in melee, and easier to handle with arts. Kurt and Grant both have better DEF than ADF, and Carna can move out of your attack range while she shoots.

I fought Jaeger-Kurt a couple times for good footage, and on the last fight I got him down to 11 HP with all my S-Crafts and cookies. Then he healed himself and beat me into the ground before I could finish the job. :negative:

Hwurmp fucked around with this message at 18:33 on Dec 1, 2015

mauman
Jul 30, 2014

Whoever's got the biggest whiskers does the talking.

Really Pants posted:

The bracers are all pretty nasty in melee, and easier to handle with arts. Kurt and Grant both have better DEF than ADF, and Carna can move out of your attack range while she shoots.

I fought Jaeger-Kurt a couple times for good footage, and on the last fight I got him down to 11 HP with all my S-Crafts and cookies. Then he healed himself and beat me into the ground before I could finish the job. :negative:

I played the original on hard.

I seriously think that this game's normal is the first game's equivalent to hard. Which would make this game's hard the equivelant to FC's nightmare :stonk:

I started over on SC normal. It was just too much for a first time through.

Anyways, I'm still in the middle of this game, so I better bail out before I accidentally spoil something for myself.

I'll pop in occasionally to see where you're at.

mauman fucked around with this message at 21:06 on Dec 2, 2015

Super Jay Mann
Nov 6, 2008

This fight took me so many tries on hard mode it's embarrassing.

Imagine every attack you see Jaeger-Kurt use in that update doing roughly 50% more damage, if not more. Both of your characters are guaranteed to die in 3 hits, and more than likely he'll only need 2. Your absolute best form of healing right now are herb sandwiches for 700 HP and La Tear for 1000 on both of you, which requires casting time. Your non-S-craft melee attacks will range between 300-600 damage depending on how much CP you're willing to burn, though it gets a bit better if you use Anelace's self-buff. Which lasts all of 2-3 attacks. Even the cookies will only do 800 damage and if you're like me, you'll only have 2-3 of them at most to work with. He has 9100 HP, though I'm not sure if HP values are different on normal. Oh and I should mention he's also fast as hell too, so he will routinely double up on turns and if he's buffed (and sometimes even if he isn't) he'll get triple turns before you're able to do anything again. Don't even bother trying to cast offensive arts on him, in the time it takes to cast and wait for your next turn you'll just straight up die. I needed to use both my instant revive accessories to survive and even then I was only a turn or two away from completely running out of gas by the time I finished him.

No joke, it's probably the hardest or second-hardest fight in the game on this difficulty just because you're so strapped for resources this early on.

Stabbey_the_Clown
Sep 21, 2002

Are... are you quite sure you really want to say that?
Taco Defender

mauman posted:

I played the original on hard.

I seriously think that this game's normal is the first game's equivalent to hard. Which would make this game's hard the equivelant to FC's nightmare :stonk:

I agree. I just played through FC on Normal, a fresh start with nothing carried over, and I breezed through the game, including the hard bosses. SC is really a hell of a lot harder than FC. It's not just tougher enemies with tougher arts and attacks, but the compositions of some of the enemy groups are also nasty and require you to think more about what targets you want to hit.

I think that the increased combat difficulty is a great thing, it feels more fitting for a senior bracer to be facing harder challenges. For this fight I think I realized that positioning was very important and I tried to maneuver my people to lure the "Jager" to an edge of the map so that when he knocked people back, they would only move a square or two and could retaliate.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

I've replaced a couple of .gifs on this page with stills. Hopefully that will help a bit. If people would like a fresh new page, though, then let me ask something:



Soon now, Estelle will be back in Liberl and beginning the search for Ouroboros in earnest. She has to choose one of two senior bracers to babysit her. The chosen bracer will be a fixed party member for a few chapters, and we won't see much of the other for a while, although they'll get plenty of screen time later on.

This choice doesn't change where you go, what quests you get there, or how they play out. Schera and Agate do have very different things to say on most matters, but the real difference is in their fighting styles.



Schera is a senior bracer from Rolent. She knows the Brights well, and was Estelle and Joshua's tutor during their basic training. She thinks of Estelle as a little sister.

Schera is fairly well-balanced in combat, like Estelle and Anelace, although she favors arts more than crafts. Her whip is weaker than Estelle's staff, but has better reach--good enough to safely finish off some of the exploding monsters. Her crafts include:

Sylphen Whip: Melee AoE.
Bind Whip: Melee with Impede.
Heaven's Kiss: Pushes allies' next turns to the top of the order.



She also gets better ATS, and a much better orbment setup for high-level arts, especially wind arts.



Agate is a senior bracer from a village in the Bose region. He doesn't often say much, except when he's acting like a big rude dick to mask his concern for people. Estelle and Joshua only started to earn his respect after kicking a whole lot of rear end late in FC.

In contrast to the girls, Agate sits firmly on the beatstick end of the character spectrum. He gets high HP, excellent STR, and one of the best offensive craft sets in the game:

Spiral Edge: Ranged...melee...attack? with AT-Delay.
Flame Smash: Melee AoE with heavy damage and knockback.
Draguna Edge: Ranged line attack with Impede.
Wild Rage: Damages Agate for 70% of his maximum HP, and gives him 150 CP. This is kind of hilariously broken.



His arts, by contrast, will be pretty anemic.

I prefer Agate for a couple of reasons, but Schera is by no means a bad choice. So who should it be? I'll leave it to you.

Stay tuned...



Hwurmp fucked around with this message at 22:10 on Dec 1, 2015

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The Doomhammer
Feb 14, 2010

Let's go Agate.

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