|
Sleeeweeeeeeep...also something something new page. Edit: NEW PAGE! Yea!
|
#
?
May 17, 2019 06:20
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 20:33 |
|
|
Update 73: Brightmoon Tor: Third Watch --- I couldn't stay away forever. It's time to climb Brightmoon Tor, one last time.  The Third Watch is in Jagd Zellea. Because where else are you going to put your hell tower?  Once more, we're greeted by the mysterious keeper of the tower and his friends.  : Welcome to the third ascent of Brightmoon Tor. There are but two ways to leave the tower: reach its top, or die in the attempt. The moonstones will guide you. Touch them and your way shall open. Now if you'll excuse me... I guess there are only so many ways to say, "get ready for a marathon battle."  And truly this is a marathon. There are eight battles total. It took me 4 hours.   The law hasn't changed since last time and will remain the same throughout. Let's take a look at our opponents.   First of all, that level is a little terrifying. Our highest is 60.   We don't be seeing any new Turning abilities or new monsters.  That's probably because the developers couldn't think of anything worse. Remember this guy?  There are a ton of Behemoths here, too. More than any other monster, in the later levels at least. Also: level 76. drat.  In response, I've brought one of the strongest teams I could muster. There are basically three components: the Ninjas, the Healers, and the Flyer. The Ninjas: Samuel, Leed and Frimelda.    Seer's Magick Frenzy combined with Dual Wield lets Ninjas get in three attacks at tremendous range, as long as they have the MP to cast spells. Ninjas and Seers both have some utility spells that can be quite useful, too. Ninja is arguably the least important component of this combination -- Frimelda as Paladin could have worked, and Samuel could have been even more valuable as a Blue Mage. The Healers: Lenolia and Penelo.  Lenolia is packing her usual Red Mage/Summoner kit. This update, more than any other, will prove how utterly broken Summoner is.  Penelo is the Cleanser. White Mage has Esuna and Refresh to remove any number of annoying conditions. In a pinch, she can toss out some powerful heals. Also, she has Dancer for some tasty debuffs. Finally, The Flyer: Zoe.  Always, always, ALWAYS bring a unit who can fly or teleport! Besides that, Zoe has those long-range Geomancer skills and Sneak Attack. Looking back, I could really have benefited from a Time Mage. In a different run, I might have recruited a Chocobo Knight and loaded them with Time Mage spells. But all I have are Montblanc, Hurdy and Talf, and while I love them dearly, they would not have cut it here.  Between the Seers and Penelo, we need lots of MP. While Regenga would arguably be quite useful, we know from previous experience that we tend to get fewer turns than the enemy. So let's use MP Efficiency to make those turns count!  Grab a snack, get comfortable, because we're in it for the long haul.  This battle starts with the usual Brightmoon Tor shenanigans: enemies going before you, buffing themselves, etc. (Love Song grants Defense Up and Regen, along with a small heal.)  And, of course, getting some early hits in.  And then it's this guys turn.   Remember him from our last ascent? Free Protect and Haste for all enemies! From a unit who almost always starts far away from your team and is much faster than you!   This is not a challenge, it is bullshit. Zoe, one of the strongest physical attackers in the clan, is doing single-digit damage thanks to Protect.   I'm sure you remember Brightmoon Tor's other Greatest Hits, like the team-wide damage of Otherworldly Wind.   Look, our first death! Due to the length of this update, I'll be cutting out unimportant turns. I'll also only show the "attack" screen (the image on the left) and not the follow through (like in the image on the right) unless something notable happens, like a unit getting knocked out.   I'll also give summaries of the intervening turns. Let's practice! The enemies have charged in and generally beaten us up. The Nemeshis (the Malboros, that is) are particularly scary, since they can Doom us with Putrid Breath. Fortunately, Penelo can clear that. Samuel is doing the Ninja/Seer thing with Magick Frenzy. Peep that damage -- only 15! The Baknamy took a 150 damage critical though, so we're good.  Lenolia revives Zoe and gives everyone Regen.   Don't bother Slowing enemies, the Blackwind will just Haste them again immediately.   Flash Bomb is another returning Turning ability. It's just bypasses R-Abilities, which can be annoying.   One trick is to use Ninja's Dispell to remove those buffs, since it can be used with Magick Frenzy. But it's a melee-range spell, so you might get your skull caved in. Sorry, Leed.   Good news, though: Samuel finishes off the Pavilsag and Frimelda burns out one of the Nemeshis.  You can't stop me! I'm on a roll and only three of you stand in my way!  Two of you, even! Samuel takes down the remaining Nemeshis.   One of the Ninja Seers blinded the Behemoth, and Penelo nailed it with an Attack Down debuff. It's now merely "very" dangerous instead of "extremely."   After a few more turns of Hell Assaults and Light Curtains, we kill the last two and the first battle is over.  You may have noticed the two crystals in the northern quadrant. Ignore them and take the one that appears after defeating all enemies.  Also we're going to be gaining a lot of levels today. ---   Level 32! Same goal, same law, same privilege. Basically the same fight as before but we're flanked and there's another Pavilsag. Let's go.  Veil of Darkness drains everyone's MP. That's not an issue for us, thanks to MP Efficiency.   All the usual, the enemies have a few free turns to punch us in the face and buff each other. The Light Curtain comes out when we're only 2 turns away from being able to do something.   But I don't worry until someone's seriously injured.  And now that it's finally our turn--   Never mind. Putrid Breath inflicts Doom, so Penelo will have something to do when her turn finally rolls around.  Also, Zoe dies again. They really like targeting her.   It's finally our turn! The Ninjas start laying in with the Magick Frenzy, and Lenolia revives Zoe and blesses everyone with Regen.   A few unproductive turns later, Lenolia is hit with the full force of a Behemoth.   She has an Angel Ring, thankfully, which brings her back for free.  Penelo casts Reraise, which has the same effect as the Angel Ring.   Just in time, too, because the Behemoth is not ready to let her go. Reraise was a better choice than just healing her because Penelo could not out-heal the Behemoth.  But she's at such low health that she can't fully heal herself! Blood Price won't let you kill your casters, even though her first spell will heal her.   Samuel finally gets the first kill of the floor by dispelling the Pavilsag's buffs and landing two solid hits.   You can't keep a good viera down.   Unless you don't give me time to heal between attacks, I guess.  But that's what we have Arise for! It revives the target at full HP, letting Lenolia immediately start healing again.   Frimelda clinches the second kill of the floor. A few of the other monsters are looking weak, but we have a ways to go.   Samuel kills the second Pavilsag and critically weakens the Blackwind. This activates the bird's Critical: Quicken, but it just casts Light Curtain again.   Leed finishes it off. The Nemeshis and the Behemoth are still close to full HP though.   Between Blind and Ribbons, they don't manage to hurt us for a bit. Even better, Light Curtain is finally wearing off! Targeting the Blackwind would be my main priority every battle, but it's nearly impossible to do. Thanks to Light Curtain, the Blackwind is always well protected and often surrounded by enemies.  With our numbers, we quickly wear down the remaining Nemeshis.   The Behemoth takes a lot longer, and it lands some solid attacks. Dark Elixir reduces the target's HP and MP by something like 99%, but it has low accuracy.  Samuel eventually finishes off the last monster.   The only crystal on this floor appears after you defeat all enemies. ---   Movin' on up!   This one's fun! We have three Dark Behemoths, two of which are wizards, a Jormungand (the dragon), and an Evil Eye and a Blackwind.   Gold Hourglass deals damage to the whole team and can inflict Slow. Yet another reason to bring a White Mage: Refresh cures Slow.   Also, the Blackwind and the Evil Eye are on their own disconnected quadrant. Of course, the Evil Eye can just fly over.   Evade Magick continues to prove itself the best R-Ability. It no-sells about 80% of the attack here, until punches start flying.   The main point of having Evil Eyes is to cast Roulette. They're much more aggressive about using it than regular Ahrimans are, I swear they'll use it every turn if they can.   Sometimes this backfires in the best way possible. This is a blessed run.   Not everything goes as smoothly as that, but hey, Samuel's got an Angel Ring too.   It's not very helpful. Poor Zoe is killed again by the Blackwind's Otherworldly Wind.   Leed can resurrect Samuel, and Penelo heals them both...  But that's not enough.   They're both dead a couple turns later.   Lenolia suffers another quick bout of death herself, but the Angel Ring brings her back just in time to cast Phoenix and resurrect the other three. Except Leed doesn't make it back because I miscalculated and there just wasn't enough room for him!   Zoe flees all and goes tête-a-tête with the Blackwind. This map finally gives you a chance to take out the Blackwind quickly!   That is, if you can take it down before the other monsters kill you from across the battlefield.   Penelo brings Samuel back, Lenolia weakens the Behemoths and Samuel finishes one off.  The next dozen or so turns are just a grind. Zoe returns to get some healing, the Ninjas generally crash into the enemies, who gladly return the favor. Penelo and Lenolia do what they can to keep everyone alive, but it's not enough to save Zoe.  After raising Zoe again, I finally have everyone in the right formation to have Lenolia buff the team with Reflect.   It's very satisfying.   Very, very satisfying.  Zoe finally kills the Blackwind, too!   That just leaves these two. The team is healthy enough that I can let Lenolia cut loose without worrying about anyone dying.   The Jormungand falls quickly.   After all the enemies are dead, a moonstone will appear on the disconnected platform. Have your flier enter through it last! ---   Alright, this one is a bit silly. Look carefully at the battlefield. It's split in half, and all the enemies are on the other side.   Sure, they can still hit you with their Turning abilities, but that's not enough to stop you.  Ok, it still kills Zoe, who has a VIP pass to the afterlife.  I absolutely will not judge you if you head straight through the crystal instead of fighting the enemies. You might not have the resources to handle this battle quickly. You might want to just move on. I get it.   Personally, I had no problem grinding them down with Ninja Seers and Summons.   That's it for this floor. ---   This is the last fight on floor 33. And look, a treasure chest!  Same as before, oddly: Three Behemoths, a Jormungand, an Evil Eye and a Blackwind. This is a U-shaped arena, so we can't get flanked.  Except magically, of course. But they don't linger here, preferring more direct attacks.   Not as much luck with Roulette this time, but fortunately Penelo is immune to Instant Death.   The Blackwind is brave enough to fight in the front lines, so maybe we'll take it out early. On the other hand, one of the Behemoths ruins Frimelda with Dark Elixir.  The other Behemoth finishes the job and nearly kills Leed and Samuel.   Suddenly this battle looks a lot more manageable.   These deaths can't hold us back for long! Especially since Samuel's Angel Ring brings him right back!   Though Magick Counter from the Behemoth puts him right back in the dirt.   Lenolia is carrying the team though, no worries.  Without the Blackwind to counteract it, Slow is fantastic here. Ninja's Earth Veil inflicts it.   Lenolia is in a great position to buff the team with Regen and hit several enemies with Maduin, and Penelo nerfs their magick damage with one of her dances.  Sadly, the Behemoths are also immune to Roulette.   Several turns of back-and-forth ensue. Gold Hourglass slows Samuel, we blind one of the Behemoths, and Lenolia kills the Jormungand and a Behemoth. Not to be outdone, Leed kills the last two Behemoths with a single Magick Frenzy. These battles are so much easier without the Blackwind messing things up.  The Evil Eye can't do much on its own, though I had hoped it would end things with another self-targeting Roulette.  With the enemies cleared away, we finally obtain the last hidden treasure: Azure Tear. We'll take a look at it later.  No tricks here, head straight to the crystal. ---   You know you're on the final floor when the Keeper talks to you again.   This battle is awful. The hardest one so far, for sure.  Five Behemoths and a Blackwind. Because of course there's a Blackwind. Some of the Behemoths are mages, others are fighters.   They will get many turns before you do, and that's before Haste kicks in.   Fortunately, Leed is the only one killed before we can take a turn.   Samuel's already burning through his Angel Ring. Those Behemoths' spells hit hard.   For some reason, the Blackwind moves into melee range with us. Eliminating it early might be the difference between victory and defeat.   Lenolia brings Samuel back, and he promptly attacks the bird. Critical: Quicken activates, and it runs away.   But it does not run nearly far enough.  We still have to face down 5 Behemoths that really have no respect for our personal space. Our Ninjas have landed a few solid hits, but these are some seriously spongy enemies. Poor Zoe goes down again.   At least we manage to blind two of them. That'll slow them down a bit.   On the other hand, some of them are wearing Mirror Mail and the others have Magick Counter. It's a dangerous game for our mages.  But that doesn't stop Lenolia!   Sometimes eating your own lightning is worth it in order to kill an enemy and severely weaken another.   Or I just keep forgetting about the Mirror Mail.   Another death or two later, the last of the Behemoths falls!   Again, there's only the one crystal. ---   As promised, we've left the tower and are facing the boss: Asha, the Keeper of Brightmoon Tor.   Asha is packing all of the Turning abilities, of course. Also, level 99. He packs a hell of a punch.  Compare these to our team's stats from the beginning of this update. Leed and especially Samuel have much stronger Attack, but otherwise he's stronger than any of us.  Unsurprisingly, his Blackwind has Light Curtain. But this is the only one who does, the other two only have Otherworldly Wind. Still level 99 though.  The two Pavilsag are the same as the previous ones: Magick Hammer, Dark Elixir and Flash Bomb. But being level 99 makes them a bit threatening.   Like the other two watches, our role is to sit here and let them beat us up for a few minutes. It actually feels less obnoxious than the previous ones.   This is actually a normal Cockatrice ability. Better than another Otherworldly Wind!   This is the one new Turning ability, which I think only Asha knows. It's basically Flare, but it hits everyone.   It's finally our turn, which we spend trying to heal some of the damage and maybe land an attack. Thanks to haste, only these two have a chance to do anything before the enemies monopolize the battle again.   Asha kills half the party with a single spell, though Samuel once again comes back thanks to his Angel Ring.   That doesn't last too long. Only Lenolia and Penelo are alive -- Evade Magick means they're completely untouched.   She only has 51 HP left.   But that's just enough to cast Phoenix, fully reviving the rest of the team. Summoner is just the best job, it's broken and I love it.   Our first priority is to kill the Blackwind with Light Curtain. (Samuel is standing beneath the "HIT" text. For some reason, the other Blackwind decides to cast Otherworldly Wind standing next to him. Free counterattack!)   Frimelda and Leed work together to take out the Light Curtain Blackwind and its companion. Meanwhile, Lenolia and Penelo have been trying to heal the team, including the Pavilsag that's still standing on top of them.  Asha refuses to come anywhere near us.   A lucky critical hit lays out Samuel, Zoe falls to another Gold Hourglass, Leed is gravely injured, but Lenolia manages to dodge several attacks.  So she just brings them right back. (Poor Leed, too far away for healing.)   The two Pavilsag are closest, and we manage to greatly weaken them both. By now, the last lingering effects of Light Curtain have faded away and the enemies are vulnerable.   But they can get lucky, too.   Samuel kills them both with a single Magick Frenzy.  That just leaves Asha and the final Blackwind. They blast us, we attack them, they kill Zoe, Lenolia revives her, and so on.  The Blackwind gets a streak of luck that sees it dodge multiple Magick Frenzies, enabling it to attack Lenolia and nearly kill her. Frimelda fends it off, leaving just Asha.  Desperate, Asha forgoes the Turning spells.  But it's a big mistake to turn your back on Zoe.   I had planned to let someone else kill Asha in order to spread the XP around, but he took matters into his own hands. Well, here we are. Over 1000 screenshots later--  Oh. : Defeat the tower's final watch, and the treasure -- the Moon Maiden -- is yours. Let us hope you prove yourself worthy of so great a treasure.  Agreed, those two were definitely the MVPs of this fight. Lenolia brought us back from the brink of defeat! ---  We find ourselves at the bottom of a staircase on the roof of Brightmoon Tor. Here, under the stars, we fight our final foe. What monstrosity do we face tonight?  Oh god no. No no no, not this.   Hasn't there been enough bird-inflicted pain?!   This actually isn't that bad. The Blackwinds are just supercharged Cockatrices this time, packing Otherworldly Wind but not Light Curtain.   Sure, they have a source of Haste with Scurry, but that's almost quaint now.   Cerayn, the ultimate Crushatrice, doesn't even have any Turning abilities. No Gold Hourglass, no Light Curtain, nothing. To be fair, it doesn't really need it, since Piston Drop is basically a Turning ability itself.   But look, look! The monsters only get a single free turn each before we can take our first turn!   Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to heal before this battle started. But we'll be fine, I'm sure.   In a stroke of luck, Lenolia triggers an Opportunity Command, buffing herself, Penelo and Lenolia with Haste.   Thanks to the Blackwinds charging in, we've nearly killed one already. But they managed to finish Zoe before we can save her.  Leed kills the weakened one in vengeance.  Then it's Cerayn's turn.   It bounces around the battlefield, slamming into everyone. Since this doesn't count as a spell, Lenolia and Penelo are in danger for once!   So much danger indeed.  Lenolia's Hasted, so she has time to cast Kirin. Regen for everyone!   Penelo triggers another Opportunity Command, giving us even more Haste. I give it to Frimelda, Lenolia and Penelo again. Since Frimelda's our slowest unit and the other two are our healers, they benefit from it greatly.   The remaining Blackwind retreats to Cerayn, creating a good opportunity for our Ninja Seers.  The Blackwind suicides on Samuel's counterattack.   That just leaves us versus the giant, angry sphere-bird and its massive Piston Drops. It has at least 2,500 HP.   I'm cutting out a lot of turns here. You've seen this already: stand close enough that we can counterattack while being in a good position to let our healers top us up. We easily out-heal the Piston Drop attacks.   It's an effective strategy, though I'll point out we burned through most of its HP before settling into that pattern.   Before too long, Leed lands the finishing blow.  That's it. We're done. Brightmoon Tor has been conquered.  Samuel, Leed and Zoe put in a ton of work. Remember that XP gain is based on how many enemies you kill! Penelo and Lenolia should have been rewarded more though, they were the only reason we could finish this at all. Frimelda had fewer chances to shine due to her lower Speed, but still did very well.   Oh, you're still alive?  : So, what's going to happen to the tower now? We've got the treasure. Is the tower just going to...disappear?: Men thrive on testing themselves. So long as this is so, the tower will stand. And so long as the tower stands, I shall remain here to welcome those who come. As long as you don't turn off the game, the tower will stand... ---   Finally.   Nearly 4 hours of in-game time. Most updates are less than 1.5 hours of play time.   Here's the hidden treasure from the Third Watch. The Azure Tear completes the trio of tears, this time granting a massive boost to Evasion and Speed. I'll throw it on Cid and see how evasive he becomes.   The Moon Maiden, the true treasure of the Tor, gives +5 to all stats. That's...well, that's about half a level to the bottom four stats. Maybe an extra point of damage, a percentage point or two of extra dodge chance. It's not awful, but a more specialized accessory will serve you better in most cases. Unlike the Tears, you can earn more Moon Maidens by completing the Third Watch again. I will not be doing this.  Finally, there's one last piece of the story waiting for us in the pub. The Hero Gaol posted:Having received the favor of the gods, the knight Gaol began to travel the land with his companion, the moogle Lini. --- Brightmoon Tor is daunting. It is the epitome of post-game dungeons: grinding, grueling, ghastly, filled with the sorts of monsters that would have served as bosses in the first half of the game. It's also a bit, well, dull. Yes, my team had three nearly-identical units and one whose basic loadout hasn't changed in over 50 updates, so maybe it's partly my fault. But even the most varied team would feel stifling after a five floors of watching them nearly die before it's your turn to move. I think the game would have felt incomplete without this kind of final challenge, the out-of-story test that pits you against the worst the developers could dream up. I just wish they had dreamed up something more interesting than a small, round bird with perma-Haste and Protect. On the other hand, the final boss was a treat. Crushatrices: the most fearsome monster in Ivalice! I thank you, dear reader, for coming all this way. I hope the journey has been worthwhile. Look forward to the next update, when we finally investigate the Lethean Draught!
|
|
#
?
May 18, 2019 02:02
|
|
|
Hmm, I didn't actually know that you get to punch that Keeper's face in. Or that there was a Crushatrice up there, either. Thanks for showing these off, Solumin, and ye gods please take a rest after all that bullshit!
|
|
#
?
May 18, 2019 02:30
|
|
|
I definitely didn't know what awaited that far in either. Asha as a boss, I expected, since something had to have Turning as its main skillset. But a Crushatrice? That caught me by surprise.
|
|
#
?
May 18, 2019 03:47
|
|
|
Considering how much of a pain the Blackwinds were the entire time, it was only fitting the final boss was a Crushatrice.
|
|
#
?
May 18, 2019 04:56
|
|
|
Solumin posted:Looking back, I could really have benefited from a Time Mage. In a different run, I might have recruited a Chocobo Knight and loaded them with Time Mage spells. But all I have are Montblanc, Hurdy and Talf, and while I love them dearly, they would not have cut it here. "Fun" fact - Chocobo Knights are statistically garbage on level-up aside from their literally-perfect speed gain, and with the way the ATB works in Brightmoon Tor, being able to go first doesn't mean a drat bit of difference if you die in a single Otherworldly Wind before you even get to go. (Also don't think of using them as chocobo knights for the flight of the birds; remember that riding a Chocobo means you can't use a secondary A Ability!) On the flipside, my strategy at the time was Luso as a blue mage just spamming Roar every turn. Yeah, the AI keeps refreshing Light Curtain, but that's two or three ticks where the enemy gets less turn advantage. Also, this is one of those times where Mirror Item is invaluable, but I can understand not wanting to waste the money for a million X-Potions and/or Phoenix Downs just to chew through mountains of HP. A doublecast summoner with Evade Magick is pretty much mandatory in the Third Ascent, though. I deeply doubt it's possible without one unless you have a team loaded with Angel Rings and Ribbons, and even then maybe not. quote:
It's pretty widely speculated/agreed on that Asha is the remainder of what exists of the Transmuter class that was planned for nu mou early in the game's development cycle. Not much is known of it, except that it would have used Asha's portrait/battle sprite, apparently used explosives as a weapon (think the hand-bombs from FF12 - highly variable DEF-ignoring damage) and would assumedly be the race's access to Blood Price. If Turning was the job's original moveset then it's no wonder the class got canned early on. Also, if I remember the numbers right, Azure Tear + 2 Reviere Shields + Ninja Gear + Thief Hat + native Master Monk evasion means that Cid should be rocking 85 evade by the time you're done. Shieldwall Punchmaster Cid is fantastic, it's just a shame you have to beat literally The Biggest Bullshit to get that last bump. KataraniSword fucked around with this message at 06:05 on May 18, 2019 |
|
#
?
May 18, 2019 06:02
|
|
|
KataraniSword posted:A doublecast summoner with Evade Magick is pretty much mandatory in the Third Ascent, though. I deeply doubt it's possible without one unless you have a team loaded with Angel Rings and Ribbons, and even then maybe not. My team on the third accent was the following: Blue Mage/Seer with Dual Wield Alchemist/Illusionist Hunter/Raptor Bishop/Templar White Mage/Red Mage Hurdy as a Time Mage/Bard I was using MP Efficiency and everyone had either ribbons or Orbs of Minwu, and Hurdy, the Alchemist, and the White Mage all had Evade Magick. My Blue Mage was the fastest thanks to lucky levels and his equipment, so he was able to Roar away the light curtains. The White Mage was almost as fast thanks to spending a lot of time in Green Mage, so she could just Arise him if he died in the initial turns. Then Hurdy used Hastega and the fights went smoothly from there. The final fight was actually the most dangerous because of all the physical damage being thrown around. My units were all at level 60+ though, so that probably made a significant difference.
|
|
#
?
May 18, 2019 12:00
|
|
|
I might be remembering this wrong, but isn't the Azure Tear bugged so it does nothing at all?
|
|
#
?
May 18, 2019 18:08
|
|
|
BlackPersona posted:Hmm, I didn't actually know that you get to punch that Keeper's face in. Or that there was a Crushatrice up there, either. Thanks for showing these off, Solumin, and ye gods please take a rest after all that bullshit! It was very satisfying to finally fight him. I'm not resting for too long, I have a schedule to keep! :v Blaze Dragon posted:I definitely didn't know what awaited that far in either. Asha as a boss, I expected, since something had to have Turning as its main skillset. But a Crushatrice? That caught me by surprise. BisbyWorl posted:Considering how much of a pain the Blackwinds were the entire time, it was only fitting the final boss was a Crushatrice. I think the Crushatrice is a fantastic joke. They're the iconic monster of FFTA2. KataraniSword posted:"Fun" fact - Chocobo Knights are statistically garbage on level-up aside from their literally-perfect speed gain, and with the way the ATB works in Brightmoon Tor, being able to go first doesn't mean a drat bit of difference if you die in a single Otherworldly Wind before you even get to go. (Also don't think of using them as chocobo knights for the flight of the birds; remember that riding a Chocobo means you can't use a secondary A Ability!) I was thinking Chocobo Knight recruit for the speed, so the Time Mage would actually have a chance to do something useful. So only recruit the knight, not keep them as one for long. Blue Mage Luso would have been very useful, I think I realized that around the third battle. But two things in my particular run that would have made it worse: no Time Mage and my whole clan's low speed relative to the enemies. You need to be able to stay on top of the Light Curtains as much as possible. Turning is definitely not the Transmuter's ability set! They had something to do with grenades and mixing items, as you said. Punchmaster Cid will show up in the next update. Skyridge posted:My team on the third accent was the following: Our low level was definitely part of the difficulty here. But the only way around that is tons of grinding, so... it was worth it. dancingbears posted:I might be remembering this wrong, but isn't the Azure Tear bugged so it does nothing at all? The Crimson Tear from the first Tor definitely is, I'm really hoping the others aren't.
|
|
#
?
May 18, 2019 19:09
|
|
|
Solumin posted:Turning is definitely not the Transmuter's ability set! They had something to do with grenades and mixing items, as you said. At the same time, Gold Hourglass and Light Curtain are both items in other Final Fantasy games (and Dark Elixir is a recurring Mix), so it's entirely possible there's some sort of connection. EDIT: Shadow Flare was also a Mix in FF5, thinking about it. KataraniSword fucked around with this message at 20:11 on May 18, 2019 |
|
#
?
May 18, 2019 20:06
|
|
|
We could have had a numou vlass with Mix AND Ranged Basic attacks? A wasted oppurtunity imo
|
|
#
?
May 19, 2019 12:18
|
|
|
KataraniSword posted:At the same time, Gold Hourglass and Light Curtain are both items in other Final Fantasy games (and Dark Elixir is a recurring Mix), so it's entirely possible there's some sort of connection. Well poo poo in that case, that would have been awesome. From what I've heard, Transmuter was scrapped because it mixed a lot of items together and they didn't have enough time to test all of it before the deadline. I can respect that. They obviously put a ton of time into testing, since there are so few bugs.
|
|
#
?
May 19, 2019 19:11
|
|
|
 
|
|
#
?
May 21, 2019 03:28
|
|
|
IT’S ALL OGRE! 
|
|
#
?
May 21, 2019 03:48
|
|
|
Not quite. No, not quite...
|
|
#
?
May 21, 2019 03:50
|
|
|
Aha. You found the final quest, didn't you? The final mission of them all. I look forward to your suffering.
|
|
#
?
May 21, 2019 06:41
|
|
|
Update 74: A Martyr to Memories In Update 44, Ezel Berbier told us of Lethean Draught, a potion that shreds the memories of the drinker. Its main component is derived from Dreamhares. Earlier in our adventure, we encountered Duelhorn, an organization attempting to covertly invade Jylland. In our short but complex time with them, we saw them strike across the land and then crumple in the face of Khamja. The Four Bosses of Duelhorn disappeared, rumored to have returned to their homeland. Except, perhaps, for Maquis. That Pretty Man posted:There was this guy, except he kinda looked like a lady, and he saved the village! Finally, after avoiding voting for it for four updates, it's time for us to visit our friend Maquis.   He's waiting for us in the Aldanna Range.   Simple enough. As usual, avoid Copycat by using unique abilities.   Maquis is unarmed, for some reason.  Note the level -- this is a rank 57 quest, after all. Also, "Sventon." Good name.  Maquis... doesn't look good. He's always had a world-weary air, but now he looks exhausted. Or is it just me?  : Ah. You must be the clan who accepted my quest. He doesn't recognize us? : Maquis the Phantasm. You're one of the Four Bosses. I thought you left Jylland.: The Four? Those words...I have heard them before. But where...? We know what the Lethean Draught does. I think maybe we're getting an idea why Maquis is collecting it: for himself. But why? : Forgive me. It has passed. These creatures before us. They are the ones we've come to slay. : We'll help. But there are some things I'd like to ask when we're done.   After last update, this battle feels way too easy.   Maquis will do his part, though he's not very effective without weapons.   The clan's levels are completely messed up now, thanks to Brightmoon Tor. But I'm not really concerned with trying to fix them, to be honest. We're so close to the end...  None of that now. No talking about the end until we're there.  I've outfitted Cid with Ninja Gear, two Reverie Shields, Thief Hat and the Azure Tear, giving him 80 Evasion. It looks like chance to hit is just Accuracy - Evasion, at least when Evasion is this high.  20% is not 0% though. I wonder what the Agility clan privilege would do to his evasion?   Oh look we're done. : So, Maquis, why're you still in Jylland? ...You've seemed kinda strange this whole time. Does this have anything to do with the potion you're making?: The potion...yes. The want of it has made me what I am...: I hunt these dreamhares for the means to make Lethean Draught... Those who drink of it forget certain events in their past. I have taken it many times now -- my memories scattered to the winds. I have forgotten most of what I once knew.: But why? Of course the Witch is involved. : In exchange for a potion, I was given the choice of paying with my life or my memories. I chose the latter. It has not yet affected my daily affairs, but that can only be a matter of time now. But why, Maquis? --- The answer awaits us in the pub, with a quest bill from someone named Cyda.   To the Fens, then, to see the Witch once more.    Answer in the form of slaying monsters.   : A most unexpected name from your lips, this. I will answer your questions, but first you will be tested. If I am to be bothered, I would know your heart's intentions.  Note there are Zombies and Dreamhares. Want to guess what the test is? : Think on the potion your petitioner drinks, and how she came by it. Then slay either the zombies or the dreamhares.  Look back at the mission text. The disease sounds like the effects of Zombie Powder, but she's talking about the cure that Maquis provides. We know he pays for it by consuming Lethean Draught. Therefore, we need to slay the Dreamhares.   They aren't really any stronger.  Don't forget this one over here!  You might want to remove your R-Abilities, if you think there's a chance your reactions will kill the Zombies.   That's just about the only difficulty I see here.  Wait, how did her shed become full of monsters in the first place?!   Did we choose correctly? (Yes, otherwise we'd fail.) : Now hear me. As you know, the girl Cyda suffers from an illness which rots her living flesh. Maquis learned of this, and sought me out hoping for a remedy. In exchange for this remedy, I asked for his life, or his memories. Cowardice? Belief he could do more with his life? Relief from guilt? I'm not sure of Maquis's reasons for this choice, but I can't say he chose poorly. : My remedy worked on the girl, as you might expect. And yet Maquis continues to offer up his memories to me in payment. I'm leaning towards penitence and relief from guilt being his main motivations here. : Something to consider... If he drinks of the Lethean Draught but once more, he will have naught more to forget. He will be as a vessel drained dry.: We'll warn him.: Consider, and do as you will. ---  But before we can warn him, Cyda gives us a more immediate concern: Maquis is seeking battle.  It's not any old snake we find in the Galerria Deep.   Prepare yourself for some of the best scenery-chewing dialogue in the game.  : ...You. It was you... Snakeheart. I'm reading this in a voice somewhat like Mark Hamill's Joker. Entirely enamored with his own genius and drowning in smugness.  : Finally put two and two together, did you? Yes, I was behind it all along! He's no joke, despite the voice. Still a dirty, rotten murderer. : And have you figured out who leaked the plans for our three-pronged attack? Hmm? Unforgivable, that! A traitor in our very midst! Oh, but I know his name! : Is there anyone he wouldn't turn against?: What's done is done. My past belongs to the Witch now. Only one thing remains to be done. I will put an end to you, Snakeheart.: I never did much care for you, either, Maquis. I can't believe someone as boring as Illua was the main villain when we could have had this level of villainy. : And to top it all, you held back against Khamja! Madness, I say! Madness! If ever there was a traitor in our midst, I submit it was -you-! Maquis the Traitor! Yes, I like the ring of that! A fitting epitaph.: Instead of thinking up epitaphs, you'd be better off thinking of a way to get past us!   Maquis is much better armed this time, with what looks like the Ninja/Seer Magick Frenzy combo we've been employing.   Duke Snakeheart and his entourage are surely no easy foes.   My big hint: bring a way to detect (or even disarm) traps.   No, seriously, Snakeheart covered this place in traps.  They're everywhere.   Thanks to that early trap, Maquis is almost dead.   Doesn't stop him from charging in, of course.   The counterattack brings him down to single-digit HP.   Snakeheart's entourage spends their turns buffing themselves.   We're left trying to catch up to Maquis, hopefully before he is killed.  Snakeheart doesn't do anything on his turns, for now.   Oh wait, Maquis has plot armor and can't die. Nice.   This time the traps hit our enemies, though now we're stuck on this bridge. At least the pressure is gone, since Maquis can't die.   Jalia disables the Defender, who proceeds to have a very bad turn.  A very, very bad turn.   Imino gives Jalia a free turn with Smile, letting us kill the Parivir, cross the bridge, and then kill the Flintlock with a lucky crit.   At least we can heal Maquis now.   Augh!  Maquis...runs away? Presumably because he's tired of traps.  Snakeheart breaks into a monologue when you step too close to him. He'll also start doing stuff on his turns after this. : I learned long ago you can only trust one person: yourself! You haven't got a prayer against me!  He's certainly some kind of threat.  But you know what, Duke Snakeheart? I'm sick and tired of you and your brand of evil. You're vain, vile, a venomous leech on Jylland.  I call upon the Scions to judge you.   Their judgement is absolute. : So...cold... Where did I... go wrong...?: It's finally over.: Snakeheart... Perhaps it is because I remember so little -- I cannot say -- but I do not regret this parting. Good-bye.: You have my thanks, Clan Sawyer. Cyda is safe. One more dose of Lethean Draught, and it will all be over.: The Witch of the Fens told us that if you take it again, you won't have any memories left.: No memories... Cyda lost her parents in the Duelhorn attack.  Hence why Snakeheart poisoned her, I would guess.  It's up to Maquis, now, to decide if he should listen to our warning. --- One last quest is waiting for us in the pub.  Surely you remember the name of Alys, one of the Four Bosses.   : Ah, Clan Sawyer. So good to see you again. You remember the Night Dancer, don't you? She does a little twirl. You know, at first I thought "That Pretty Man" was about the Night Dancer...  : Ahem. I am Alys. Thank you for coming. I wanted to thank you for all you've done in person.: Um, sure. I don't know what to say.: We've returned to see Maquis.: After our defeat, the Night Dancer and I returned to our homeland. We overthrew the War Chiefs and took control of Duelhorn ourselves. We were not alone in our dissatisfaction with leaders who ruled in safety from afar.: A far easier struggle than our fight against Khamja. And now that we have control, we can see to it that our days of fighting are over. Except now you're the leaders who are ruling in safety from afar, aren't you? : As for you, Maquis... For many years we have known one another. The matter with Snakeheart was...regrettable, for lack of a better word. : Even should your memories not return, I trust we might make more in the days to come.: We had better! We're together again, aren't we? Besides, we'll need you to help us build a lasting peace.: Just so. Now, we must be off. We leave in your debt, Clan Sawyer.: Thanks for everything! Maquis doesn't react at all.   They move to leave, but Maquis does not follow.   He seems...lost.  As he follows them to the airship, a White Mage bursts onto the scene.   : I am Cyda. Maquis... You leave me? I would not be well were it not for you.: ...Thank you. I...I would stay with you.: Maquis remembers nothing. He could live a normal life, if he so chose.: Make your choice, Maquis. We go.  Alys and the Night Dancer continue to the airship. Maquis turns to Cyda, and quickly makes his choice.   He seems just a little less lost now.   And thus the sage of Duelhorn ends. ---   The Ring of Precepts is the final Scion summoning item. I'll make sure to show it off next update.  What, do you think we're done just because we've finished all the quests and wrapped up all the loose threads?  No, no, there's still one last battle for us. An Invitation to Combat posted:To the members of Clan Sawyer, aspirants to perfection in all walks of life: As always, thanks for reading. See you next time, when we conquer the Masters of Combat tournament! Solumin fucked around with this message at 03:37 on May 24, 2019 |
|
#
?
May 24, 2019 03:19
|
|
|
The Duelhorn quest line is so good. This is a great ending for it, bittersweet as it is. Though, it does have some mood whiplash...quote:
Samuel's story sure got dark all of a sudden!  And we're close to another, more definitive ending too.
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2019 03:30
|
|
|
Blaze Dragon posted:The Duelhorn quest line is so good. This is a great ending for it, bittersweet as it is. Though, it does have some mood whiplash... Holy poo poo lmao fixed I'm planning on 2 more updates: the final battle and then a wrap-up update. Wrap-update.
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2019 03:38
|
|
|
Ah, just like Marquis, we had one last snake to take care of before we could finish things, eh? I really wish they made the Clan Duelhorn story a required concurrent storyline that played alongside the main story, instead of technically being optional content. You've got Samuel and Duelhorn coming from different places into Ivalice, and one is recording all his memories while Marquis is forgetting all of them. It's a neat contrast!
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2019 04:16
|
|
|
I honestly think the Duelhorn saga is the best questline in this game, and y'all should have voted for it earlier. 
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2019 05:24
|
|
|
I'm pretty sure I tried to!!
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2019 05:47
|
|
|
Leraika posted:I honestly think the Duelhorn saga is the best questline in this game, and y'all should have voted for it earlier. On the flipside, it works best as a kind of capstone to the game, especially since the Lethean Draught part of it is post-game only.
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2019 08:33
|
|
|
Leraika posted:I honestly think the Duelhorn saga is the best questline in this game, and y'all should have voted for it earlier.
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2019 12:21
|
|
|
Holy poo poo y'all were not kidding about the last quest. I never thought Brightmoon Tor was all that bad, but this is a thousand times worse. I don't think I ever played this mission in my other runs, unless I completely blocked it out.
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2019 06:30
|
|
|
Solumin posted:Holy poo poo y'all were not kidding about the last quest. I never thought Brightmoon Tor was all that bad, but this is a thousand times worse. It's a different kind of bad. Brightmoon Tor is tedious and soul-draining but it's easy as pie to essentially "solve", meaning it's just waiting out the four hours it takes to slog through it. The final quest on the other hand is essentially the Bonus Boss of the game and will turn you inside out if you so much as blink wrong.
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2019 13:36
|
|
|
I beat it right before dinner. I will forever remember it. I was about to have spaghetti and kept being exploded at every chance the enemy got. Thank god for dualcast phoenix.
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2019 20:09
|
|
|
While I love this game, I didn't clear every mission so I haven't played this one. I can't wait to see just how bad it gets, if Brightmoon Tor is fair in comparison.
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2019 20:39
|
|
|
Hm, I know nothing about this! That's interesting, guess I never officially beat this game.
|
|
#
?
May 30, 2019 20:21
|
|
|
Blaze Dragon posted:While I love this game, I didn't clear every mission so I haven't played this one. I can't wait to see just how bad it gets, if Brightmoon Tor is fair in comparison. obviously you have to fight your own party
|
|
#
?
May 30, 2019 20:39
|
|
|
Honestly at times I was afraid that if I didn't get off dualcast phoenix and some healing, that between my red mage/summoner's turn and whoever got rezzed, the enemy would get to go again and explode all those freshly raised corpses I brought up. It is that bad.
|
|
#
?
May 31, 2019 03:27
|
|
|
Blaze Dragon posted:While I love this game, I didn't clear every mission so I haven't played this one. I can't wait to see just how bad it gets, if Brightmoon Tor is fair in comparison. Doctor Reynolds posted:Hm, I know nothing about this! That's interesting, guess I never officially beat this game. Then you both have something to look forward to! Like Katarani said, the final quest is a short, intense battle, rather than the constant grind of Brightmoon Tor. Tunicate posted:obviously you have to fight your own party I'd feel pretty confident if I had Lenolia and the NPC controlling my party didn't know how to use her. Thadius posted:Honestly at times I was afraid that if I didn't get off dualcast phoenix and some healing, that between my red mage/summoner's turn and whoever got rezzed, the enemy would get to go again and explode all those freshly raised corpses I brought up. "I LIVE, I DIE, I LIVE AGAIN!" -- my whole party
|
|
#
?
May 31, 2019 06:45
|
|
|
At one point my red mage/summoner was the only one alive. I almost quit to try again before I remembered she knew phoenix. Don't be stupid like me, kids. Bring more than one way to bring a corpse back before attempting the final mission! Otherwise you'll either have to reset multiple times or just scrape through by the skin of your teeth.
|
|
#
?
Jun 1, 2019 03:36
|
|
|
Well, we're less than ten posts away from the next page, if I counted correctly. Might as well put the next update on its own page, yeah?
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2019 03:25
|
|
|
Yeah! Let's do it!
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2019 03:41
|
|
|
Also sorry for the delay, I was procrastinating. Like seriously, that's the only way I can describe it.
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2019 03:43
|
|
|
I can't wait to see what's in store.
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2019 03:47
|
|
|
I enjoyed Tactics A2, if not enough to 100% it, so I'm looking forward to what's in store. I picked up another copy because of the LP, I think, but as it turns out the beginning of the game's still really slow going.
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2019 03:50
|
|
|
Solumin posted:Also sorry for the delay, I was procrastinating. Like seriously, that's the only way I can describe it. Procrastinating is a behaviour I can't be against. Hell, I may be doing that this very moment!
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2019 03:51
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 20:33 |
|
|
LiefKatano posted:I enjoyed Tactics A2, if not enough to 100% it, so I'm looking forward to what's in store. savixeon posted:I can't wait to see what's in store. There's only one way to describe it. Everyone will be exploded. Multiple times. Ultima will be channeled so much she might as well just stay over the battlefield to smite fools.
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2019 04:16
|
|