Topic: Lay down your arms or die clutching them! Let's Play Final Fantasy Tactics! (Read 20147 times)

Friday · « **Reply #80 on:** May 09, 2012, 04:50:23 PM »

oh god the FFT dismiss guilt trips I had honestly forgotten about them

what the hell game I don't need this I have a mother

R^2 · « **Reply #81 on:** May 09, 2012, 10:19:12 PM »

Next battle is against monsters -- mostly undead ones, incidentally -- so there's no plot development. So hey, Mustadio.

Let's have a race. You be controlled by an AI and I'll be me. You try to petrify all the undead, and I'll see if I can talk them into joining our party before that.

(Seal Evil is kind of nice, as a general ability. Undead don't always die when their counters run out, so petrifying them is a good way to remove them from the game without actually dropping their HP to 0.)

To the Tchg... Tzhi... Zigo...

Right. That.

I'll bring along some ~~decoys~~ chocobos, too.

The Fenlands are a poisonous mire. Ending a Move action in the water here will add Poison status to the character who does it. As you can see, the enemies are two skeletons, two ghouls, a Malboro (who isn't undead, incidentally), and a skeleton of a different color.

Who is called a "bonesnatch". In the interests of professionalism, this LP will heretofore refer to that species as a "penisvagina".

Okay, I won't, but still. Bonesnatch. Hee hee.

Oh yeah, rain cuts movement through swamplands.

Conditions for Winning: Petrify or Recruit all Enemies!

Mustadio whiffs his first Seal Evil.

I can't Entice anyone from here, so what the hey.

Flying removes the movement penalties for getting around the wetlands, but landing in water will still poison me.

Ghouls, incidentally, can teleport up to their movement, also ignoring any movement penalties. And since they automatically Float, they can also ignore the poison swamp.

They can also throw little blobs of ectoplasm around as a ranged attack. Ghouls are kind of neat.

Malboros can walk on water, but are not immune to poison.

Mustadio whiffs another Seal.

flap flap

No traitor, this ghoul.

Skeletons move through water, suffering the normal penalties. But as they're undead, they're immune to poison effects, so this one got close enough to Thunder Anima without losing any HP.

He did just come over to where my three best attackers are, though.

And since he's undead, my area-heal abilities like Choco Cure damage him while restoring my own party.

Malboros attack with a tentacle whip.

Stubborn undead!

oww you jerk keep your bony snatch to yourself

They hate when you make jokes like that.

Well, it's not like you can get more poisoned...

Mustadio procs a petrify.

And I still can't convince these guys to listen.

At all.

Mustadio takes a strong lead.

Weren't you KOed a few turns bac-- oh. Right.

Good thing we didn't bet any money on this race.

Whatever dumb name you have, you're mine now, penisvagina.

Rather than Sealing the last skeleton and giving me a shot at talking to the Malboro, Mustadio shoots the Malboro for the last of its HP. Remember, it's been poisoned for the entire fight, so it didn't have much left.

So I recruit -- and immediately dismiss -- the last skellington.

*snicker*

Before Goug, and the human battles therein...

Since job levels are directly tied to JP gained, I equip JP boost so I can spend as little time as a knight as possible.

We have two black chocobos and a bonesnatch who need names, folks. Surely you can think of something for a "bonesnatch"!

Friday · « **Reply #82 on:** May 09, 2012, 10:25:39 PM »

Friday

R^2 · « **Reply #83 on:** May 09, 2012, 10:38:04 PM »

Knights are the basic tanky unit, although they have some impressive debuff skills in their "Arts of War" skillset. Training in Squire to job level 2 unlocks this class.

Knights can equip swords and the special knightswords, and as the name implies, are the only class able to do so. They wear heavy helmets and armor, but can wear magician robes if that's a thing you want them to do. They can use shields.

At move 4 and jump 3, they're a little slow -- not helped by the absence of long-range attacks. But with good physical stats, HP, and evade (shields, remember) they can take a beating while they close the distance to an enemy.

Knights are good at dealing HP damage with physical attacks, so all of their special skills rend something off of the foe. Rend Helm, Weapon, Armor, and Shield do what they advertise: destroy the piece of equipment the enemy has in that slot. This reduces a foe's maximum HP in the case of armor and helms, drops their physical attack in the case of weapons, removes their evade in the case of shields, and removes any additional benefits from whatever it was that broke. It's useless on monsters (in the War of the Lions remake, using a Rend ability on a target that didn't have anything equipped in that slot just did a regular damage-to-HP attack).

Rend MP does damage to the target's MP instead of HP. Rend Speed drops the target's Speed by 2. Rend Power reduces their PA by 3. Rend Magick reduces their MA by 3. These abilities work on monsters.

The real benefits of this skillset shine when the user has other attacking capabilities. You can use Arts of War with any weapon -- including bows and guns to soften up a foe as it approaches you. Furthermore, a ninja wielding two weapons will hit twice with a Rend ability. Reducing PA or MA by 6 can effectively neuter an enemy, and reducing their Speed by 4 makes a huge difference!

As discussed before, Parry increases the user's evade by the percentage associated with the weapon(s) equipped.

If I were to learn and use it with this Coral Sword, that's only 5%. It's not a very good ability overall, but the right weapon, a good shield, and a cloak can make a knight very hard to hit!

Just like in Final Fantasy V, training as a knight increases your equippable options for other classes. Equip Heavy Armor allows a class that doesn't normally allow heavy armor (such as a mage) to use it for the HP boost. Equip Shields lets a class that doesn't use shields use shields. Equip Swords allows a class to use regular longswords -- not knightswords. If it allowed knightswords it might actually be useful for something! Alas.

Knights are not known for their mobility, so they have no move abilities to grant.

R^2 · « **Reply #84 on:** May 11, 2012, 09:35:28 AM »

Actually, before we get going. It has occurred to me that by skipping random encounters, I'm not actually showing off many of the monster types in the game very well.

So let's go recruit some more. I've been avoiding random encounters because I'm a bit overleveled already, but if all I use is Entice, I'll miss most of the time. And missing grants neither EXP nor JP. So by recruiting critters, I won't overlevel further.

I'll twink out my MA in hopes of successfully netting a few new monsters, though. Wizard Robe is +2 MA, Wizard Hat and Mage's Cloak each +1. The Arcane Strength ability boosts it further, but isn't shown on the status screen.
As an example of something I'd only described before: see how R2's A-Evade went up when I equipped the Mage's Cloak?

Balias Tor is one of the most "haunted" locales in the game, virtually guaranteeing a random encounter every time you pass through. The falls and the forest aren't very forgiving either. So imagine my surprise when I make it all the way to Orbonne without a single encounter.

Well, I guess there's another way to do this.

Dorter and Orbonne are both blue spots on the map, meaning they grant no random encounters. (Red dots are story encounters, green dots have a chance of random encounters.) Walking between the two is a quick and easy way to make time pass, and thus let monsters lay eggs.

Seems legit. Not pictured: a Bonesnatch-child that was born at similar levels to everyone else's.

I also manage to walk all the way back without a random encounter what the hell
Also the map vanishes from time to time. Emulation issue.

Well, moving on.

R^2 · « **Reply #85 on:** May 11, 2012, 09:59:44 AM »

The background NPCs here are some of the best around (nothing's gonna ever keep them down). The man at bottom is lovingly petting his chocobo. The housewives on right are gossiping and giggling. The couple at the top are having an argument, with the man waving his arms more and more excitedly as he talks -- then the woman gives him an eyelid pull and sticks her tongue out.

Mustadio: But there's little sign of Lionel's Gryphons. Something's amiss.

R2: Where will I find you?

There she goes! Be-daaah!

We're given a chance to peruse the Outfitter and Tavern at Goug. The shop here doesn't sell headgear or armor, though, and his weapon selection is limited to guns and crossbows. But since Orators are natural gunners, I pick up a pistol.

Leaving Goug, however...

The original translation had this guy dubbed "Ill-Looking Man" until you find out his name.

Ludovich: I'm a reasonable man. I just want the auracite. Once I have it, I'll loose him soon enough.

Ludovich: You there! Out with the other one!

"And by 'show' I mean 'unceremoniously shove'."

Damn, that glimmer is hard to screencap.

True to his word, they let Mustadio go. Since we've already done a battle formation we know what's coming next, though.

ha ha what?

Two thieves, two archers, and Ludovich himself is replaced by a couple Summoners.

R^2 · « **Reply #86 on:** May 11, 2012, 10:18:13 AM »

Red Chocobos have Choco Beak and Choco Pellets, but they've traded in the Fly move ability for Ignore Elevation and any recovery move for this:

A giant flaming rock falls from the sky...

...and explodes into stars over one target. Choco Meteor.

Mustadio's captors had the foresight to take away all his gear, so he's not much of a contributor to this battle.
Mustadio has been "respecced" for this fight -- all his stats and skills recalculated like he's a brand-new character, losing any of the changes you've made since you recruited him in Zaland. Even if you know what's coming and give him the support ability "Reequip", he can't use it here.

Makes an okay decoy for a few attacks, though.

Coeurl are the next step up from Red Panthers, and Vampire Cats the step above that. Coeurl -- in addition to sounding like a word somebody made up just to shed a bunch of burdensome tiles in one turn of Scrabble -- get Cat Scratch, a move that does random damage. Vampire Cats keep Cat Scratch but trade Venom Fang in for Blaster, a ranged move that may cause Stop or Petrify.
In all cases, they have a high C-Evade and the same support/move abilities.

Thank God, it's Friday.

Bonesnatch (*snicker*) get Water Anima rather than Thunder Anima.

Given my swift damage output, one summoner plays support, summoning a Moogle...

...and restoring some HP for the enemy party.

An archer takes aim at the Vampire Cat...

...and the summoner does what summoners generally do.

R2 and Friday are hurt, and the Cat runs out of HP. He didn't even get a single action.

"For a vampire, he sure did...

"...suck.

R^2 · « **Reply #87 on:** May 11, 2012, 10:23:19 AM »

It's just a brawl from here on out.

Way to go, you managed to silence the guy without vocal cords.

The Vampire Cat drops a spirit crystal. So that's that.

The only crystal to give me a new ability.

Lynch the last archer, and...

R^2 · « **Reply #88 on:** May 11, 2012, 10:32:46 AM »

Besrudio: My wounds will heal. But the auracite -- they have it. Ludovich will use it to wake the machines beneath the city. In time, he may even learn to harness the sacred power of the Stone itself.

I pretty much hammered the screencap key from the time Mustadio reached into his pocket until the glimmer was over and still missed it.

Mustadio: The same. By now they've probably realized. Ah, to see the looks on their faces.
R2: Then Princess Ovelia and Lady Agrias are in danger!
Mustadio: Danger? How?
R2: The cardinal was working with Ludovich to get the Stone. His gambit failed, but he may try to ransom the princess and Lady Agrias for it now instead.
Mustadio: That's ridiculous! He would only make an enemy of the crown!
R2: Why do you think he wants the auracite in the first place? The people tire of war. They tire of the endless struggles for power. They are afraid and they seek salvation. The cardinal means to use the legend of the Zodiac Braves to bring it to them. Only once he's gathered the Stones, he'll summon the Zodiac Braves and use his power to rule.

So the people tire of struggles for power, and the only way to solve it is to struggle for power!

R2: Then we must rescue the princess and Lady Agrias!

For a series that got the princess-rescuing out of its system in the prologue of the first game, we seem to be hitting that chord a lot here.

Yeah, I wanna do the extra sidequests and stuff he unlocks later. But since he's not a monster, he'll never be in the active party.

Goug and the Fenlands are cut off from Lionel...

...and a new route is forged.

R^2 · « **Reply #89 on:** May 12, 2012, 07:44:21 AM »

Cogs are a gull's best friend.

R2: 'Our'?
Delita: I say this for your sake, R2. Return to Eagrose. Delve no deeper into matters of royal maidens... or those of sacred stones.
R2: What have these ears of yours been telling you?
Delita: You think to save a princess from a burning tower. In truth, you would but set her on a higher floor.

Plot of Braid in a nutshell. Uh, maybe.

Delita: There is only one person who can truly save her. And that is what I mean to do.

Delita: However hard you endeavor to save her. You would do well to remember that.
R2: What then is your end in all of this, Delita?

Delita: They are all of them swept up in a mighty current -- a current they cannot see or feel. I simply swim against it. Nothing more.

R^2 · « **Reply #90 on:** May 12, 2012, 07:54:25 AM »

Meanwhile, a few miles away...

Gaffgarion: I would not suspect such cunning of a man of the cloth.

Delacroix: We will hand Princess Ovelia over to Lord Dycedarg as promised. That much serves us both. But it is no concern of mine if those who know the truth of her kidnapping live. I had no hand in it. Be that as it may, the thieves who stole the gem are now with them. If we use the princess to lure them out, we get two birds -- and one Stone.
Gaffgarion: I won't deny the truth of it. But such a plan has risks.
Delacroix: Your reputation would not cast you so craven.
Gaffgarion: I am -cautious-, Your Holiness. A soldier does not live to become old and gray charging onto the field of battle unawares.
Delacroix: Very well. I will see that every possible precaution is taken. And let us sprinkle a trail of crumbs to ensure they find our snare.
Gaffgarion: A prudent move. The maid's the perfect bait to lure them to us. I'll assume responsibility for the rest. Far better me than -him-.
Ludovich: How -dare- you!
Delacroix: Very well. I shall leave the matter to you, Gaffgarion.
Ludovich: Your Eminence, you jape, surely!
Delacroix: Go with my blessing.

And don't call me Shirley.

Gaffgarion: The Stone is good as yours.

uh I mean I just remembered I have to be somewhere I'll be leaving now okay bye

discretion shot

blarrrg

Ludovich: another minor villain we don't actually fight. That concluded, we're done with being a Knight.

This leg of the game is where helmets and hats (and to a lesser extent, armor and clothes) start to deviate from one another. Do I want 22 extra HP, or a point of Speed (or a Wizard's Hat for +1 MA)? I go with Speed, this next battle can be rough.

To Balias Swale!

R^2 · « **Reply #91 on:** May 12, 2012, 08:16:11 AM »

Split party. The bulk of my attack forces go on one side, with two yellow chocobos on the other since they're more self-sufficient.

I would do anything to prevent enemies from whistling before combat.

~~Wark!~~ Kweh!

Yep, it's another "Protect" battle. If Agrias dies, it's game over for us. Given that she starts in the middle of a big group of enemies, this battle often starts at a disadvantage before you can get over there and start cracking skulls.

So let's go crack some skulls.

Meteors: good for skull-crackin'. The last screencap caught the Archer before she slumped to the ground.

R2: But why are you here?
Agrias: The cardinal betrayed us -- was betraying us all along! He plots with Duke Larg! We escaped the castle, but the princess was retaken. I was returning to save her -- and here you find me. We must hurry, R2! They are to execute her!

Saving Larg/Dycedarg the trouble, since that's all they'd do anyway.

We have to hurry and rescue these people before we save the princess!

I think Agrias misunderstood.

Fight! Fight! And fight some more! Am I wrong?

The black mage jumped into the river to get away, apparently forgetting that chocobos can swim. Here I'm in depth 2 water -- enough to disable a human, but a chocobo just sits on top of the water like a duck.

Chocobos peck harder, though.

Have you noticed I usually leave archers for last when I let enemies crystalize? When cornered, they can't attack adjacent panels with their bows or crossbows. It's just a matter of keeping my allies out of the few panels they can attack, and waiting a bit.
That, and the Archer moveset is kind of useless so I don't mind too much if I lose out on those skills.
Agrias is still alive, of course, but she's all the way across the battlefield from the last enemy. A few counters should run out before she gets over within the range of her gish skills.

While I wait, I buff the Brave of a few chocobos.

This is the range I so carefully avoided while the enemies turned into ~~crystals~~ treasure chests.

That's the stuff. We're done here.

Surprisingly prescient!

The character I care nothing for, but that Diamond Armlet is +1 PA, +1 MA, Immune: Slow. I'll happily take that.

yoink

That's nice but surely you'd rather retire and go live somewhere nice than keep fighting with me.

Forgot to pick this up last time I was a Squire. Oops.

That'd be good to have, too.

With all haste!

R^2 · « **Reply #92 on:** May 12, 2012, 09:22:57 AM »

Split party.
Oh yeah, back in Goug when the one Vampire Cat died? It had already laid an egg for another one. So I still have a purple murderkitty.

Yep.

Well, it wouldn't be appropriately dramatic if we got here and she wasn't already in the noose, I guess.

See, he called her a puppet because she's about to be hanging from a string. That is gallows humor.

Wait, I recognize that mustache...!

Wait, if that's an archer in disguise, Ovelia is somewhere else?

And if it's wearing her dress, she's... uh, naked?

She's somewhere else! Naked!

Gaffgarion: Might we spare ourselves these tiresome feints? I speak of the cardinal's gemstone. The one who stole it travels with you, does he not? I would have it surrendered.
R2: If you want it, come and get it.
Gaffgarion: So the boy now thinks himself a man! Very well. Let us finish this like men!

And then... we talk some more!

Gaffgarion: Return with me to Eagrose! You brother Dycedarg would fain forgive what's done. He said as much himself!
R2: Then let him forgive this as well, for I'll play no part in his foul plots!
Gaffgarion: Foul?! You would paint your brother's deeds as -foul-? A Beoulve must uphold the duties of his station! You of all people should know that!
R2: My lord brother seeks to ignite war to further his own ends! If such a thing is not foul, ser, then pray tell what is!
Gaffgarion: A man does not eat an omelette without breaking eggs!

Uh, you might want to choose your words more carefully when there are two giant red homicidal meteor-summoning chickens standing right over there.

Gaffgarion: Blood is the price of progress! It is the ink in which history's pages are writ! Look around you, boy! Ivalice rots from within! Your brother would carve out the root of its decay, even if it means his hands must needs be soiled!

Pff. Who's the naive one now?

Without any means to unequip him before this fight, Gaffgarion brings his Fell Knight skills to bear against me this time. It's part of the reason Friday is in this group -- being undead makes skellingtons immune from drain abilities like Night Sword.

You know what still works, though? Auto-Potion.

Gaffgarion: Forget Ziekden! There was no avoiding that. You are an heir of House Beoulve, R2, and you have a duty as such! It is your fate to see that duty fulfilled!
R2: As it was my fate to let Tietra die? No, fate had no hand in that. Tietra died because I could not be bothered to save her. I've lied to myself all this time. It was my own inaction that killed her!

Anyway.

The Vampire Cat aims Blaster at a few guys. I can only choose one target, but it helps to have an idea of the odds. Notice that it advertises "Stone" status on the Knight and the Archer, but only "Stop" on Gaffgarion. He's got some boss immunities.

He's got a shield, too, of course.

omghai2u

omghai2u2

Friday can't come fast enough.

skloosh

To use Blaster, the cat hunches over and a light comes out from behind it, flying upwards. I'm not saying it looks like you're attacking with magical flying glowing cat poop, but you can draw your own conclusions here.

siiiigh

R2: I see no -good- in using people! Only deception, and death! I will not stand by any longer as innocents fall prey to your -good-! I will not let you harm the princess!
Gaffgarion: Then you seal your fate, you stubborn fool!

Oh yeah, he has a Blood Sword, too. Which drains HP on normal attacks just like his special skill does.

Still have Auto-Potion, though.

From up on top of the gallows, my wounded chocobo should be safe from most attacks on the ground. Gaffgarion can reach up there with his Night Sword skill, but he concentrates on R2 for this fight.

The top of the gallows is a good place to drop meteors from.

The Knights strike another blow, and Friday goes down.

Raise spells don't work, being undead and all.

Okay so sometimes Gaffgarion will aim at someone other than R2.

Blaster doesn't work through walls, even if you can see the top of their head poking up over the barrier.

Archer steals a cure spell.

Here's what Cat Scratch looks like. That's not a graceful flip kick or anything, the cat flips onto its back and flails its back legs at the target about a dozen times.

Bows are terrible at reaching higher elevations. But crossbows do it okay.

He's defenseless stopped in time like that! Get him!

TELEPORT

Oh, hey.

Once I get out of here I am naming this fucking thing Katia.

Wind magic? Nope, it's a Monk ability.

Everybody must get stoned!

McDohl · « **Reply #93 on:** May 13, 2012, 07:55:03 AM »

Yaaaay! The fight I could never win!

Brentai · « **Reply #94 on:** May 13, 2012, 09:10:42 AM »

I found that the only way to deal with that Time Mage is "be a Time Mage".

I'm guessing R^2 figured that one out too.

Esperath · « **Reply #95 on:** May 13, 2012, 10:34:44 AM »

R^2 inspired me to play through FFT again, and I just beat that area. This playthrough, I made a couple of fighter types with 40 base faith and then used the faith-reducing mediator skill to drop their faith permanently below 10. They are basically immune to magic.

Of course, they're also immune to white magic, so they have to resort to other healing methods. I think they are knight with item, hamedo, two swords, and move+2/+3/teleport.

R^2 · « **Reply #96 on:** May 13, 2012, 11:54:01 AM »

The only cure for Slow is Haste, it's true. But in this case a couple ranged fighters with Ignore Elevation did the time mages in admirably. One mage missed with Slow before both were floored.

R^2 · « **Reply #97 on:** May 13, 2012, 04:43:23 PM »

Quote from: Esperath on May 13, 2012, 10:34:44 AM

Of course, they're also immune to white magic, so they have to resort to other healing methods.

Try Chakra, Choco Cure, or whichever Bushido ability it is that restores HP. None of those are Faith-based.

R^2 · « **Reply #98 on:** May 13, 2012, 05:05:34 PM »

Meanwhile, a few miles away...

We left Ovelia with Delacroix, and Delita is there. So Delita was working for Delacroix? While Delacroix has thrown his hat in with Larg? That doesn't seem right...

Also, hey. Not naked. Good for her.

Delita: There are many who would be gladdened by your passing. Stop being stubborn and eat.

Stone cold, Delita. On the other hand, the loss of his pet heir to the throne would mean Goltanna has no claims as regent, pretty much ending the whole War of the Lions right here. I guess that would make a lot of people happy. Just not Goltanna.

Ovelia: What do you mean to do with me? If you'd not give me over to Larg, then what is your intent?

Valid question. Delacroix said he would turn Ovelia over to Larg. If that was Delita's intent, he never would have taken her from Orbonne.

Delita: To put you where you ought to be.

Not helpful! "Where Ovelia ought to be" is either the throne, the gallows, or hidden away in a monastery somewhere. Depends on who you ask.

Ovelia: So, you would manipulate me as well. I'l not do it, you know. I'll not bend to your whims.
Delita: You will. If you wish to survive, you have no other choice.
Ovelia: What do you mean?
Delita: I mean--

Hey, I recognize you! You're the one who ordered the hit on us in Dorter!

Delacroix: If you would be but a tad more tame, there would be no reason to keep you in so cheerless a place as this.

Ovelia: Tell me of what it is you speak!
Folmarv: Very well. You are not Ovelia Atkascha.

Ovelia: That's absurd!
Folmarv: It is neither absurd nor untrue. You are -not- Ovelia. You are a straw doll placed in an empty crib by Council members who bear no love for the queen.

Folmarv: They placed you in the royal family after assassinating the queen's two eldest sons, attributing their deaths to malady. The deception was complete, and your ascent all but sealed. King Ondoria was sickly, and seemed unlike to father another son. But against all odds, another prince was born. Whether he is in truth of Ondoria's seed is highly suspect, of course. Like as not, Duke Larg found some other sire to ensure his sister's place as mother to the king. Regardless, all of the Council's work was made for naught the moment Prince Orinus drew his first breath.

Folmarv: You may be born a butcher's daughter for all it concerns us. We hold a trump card in our hands. The stock from which it was cut matters not.

Folmarv: We only wish to help you claim the throne that is yours by right.

Well, by right of the body double of the now-dead adopted daughter of the late king... my head hurts, I'm going to go lie down.

Folmarv: Think of us simply as... allies.

Ah, so Delacroix had no intention of turning Ovelia over to Duke Larg. Delacroix and Folmarv will send her to Duke Goltanna instead, but for their own ends rather than in support of Goltanna as regent. Which he will be anyway. Uh. Yeah.

Delacroix: When she comes to see the reality of the situation, she will doubtless wish to be our ally as well.
Folmarv: Indeed, let us give her time to stew.

Delita answers to Folmarv, in this newly-revealed third faction manipulating the events of Ivalice. That's more in character than him answering to Goltanna directly.

R^2 · « **Reply #99 on:** May 13, 2012, 05:33:17 PM »

As much as I hate to do it given the theme of this LP, R2 will have to take the driver's seat in this next battle.

The big advantages to being a Monk are good HP growth per level and fighting barehanded. Martial Arts lets you bypass the attack power of a weapon, and does damage based solely on PA and Brave for regular attacks. This is often well in excess of whatever weapons are available!

Martial Arts abilities also include long-range attacks, healing of both HP and MP in an area, negation of negative status, and limited revival. It's really an overpowered skill set, all told.

Again, JP Boost is to get us back out of Monk in as little time as possible. This is supposed to be a challenge run, and Monks can steamroll a lot of battles.

The downside of being a monk is that they can't equip shields, hats, or heavy armor.

Welp, back to Lionel we go. I meant to show off that it's actually possible to click on Balias Tor or Zaland as the destination and walk right past the scripted encounter (in case you need to go shopping or level up somewhere other than the truly-brutal Balais Swale), but I forgot to. So hey, that's a thing you can do. Oh well.

R2 goes in a solo party.

Everyone else gets to spread out a bit.

You went through Warjilis and Balias Swale, snuck up to the backside of the castle, broke in, and then walked around to the front gate to let everyone else in. Considering you have a bunch of monsters who can ignore the high castle walls, that's not the brightest move. How did you get in easier than a Red Chocobo or Vampire Cat, anyway?

Gaffgarion: It's you and I now, R2! Shall we be about it, then?

Yep, that's an ambush. And it's truly a split-up battle; R2 and the rest of the party can't effectively do much for one another. Since the ramparts on top of the wall overhang tiles on the ground, you can't use Ignore Elevation to bring the two groups together.
There are a couple easy ways through this battle:
a) Time Mages teach Teleport as a move ability. You can pass straight through the castle wall either way with it. Of course, R2 doesn't have Teleport and the only monster that does is the Ghoul line, of which we have none.
b) Gaffgarion tends to stay far enough away from the castle wall that black magic and the like can't reach him, but very long-distance attacks can wear him down and give R2 some relief. Choco Meteor doesn't have enough range to reach that far, however.
c) Most of the grunts here use Coral Swords and Lightning Bows, all doing lightning-elemental damage. If you can kill the Summoner fast enough, a party wearing Rubber Shoes (Accessory slot; Immune: Don't Move, null: Lightning) can take their sweet time cleaning up the rest. Since monsters can't wear shoes, that doesn't work here either.
d) Open the fucking gate to reconnect your two parties.

Gaffgarion's up to old tricks.

So am I. All told Gaffgarion can't hurt R2 at all; I Auto-Potion away every Night Sword for more damage than he dealt.

Even if I'm not immune to electric attacks, taking out the summoner and his wide-area group attacks is still a top priority.

So I do.

The yellows take up a sorta-defensive position -- this being an ambush, the whole point is that there isn't one. Oh well.

I took the screenshot a bit late, but the archer's Lightning Bow can cast Thunder spells when it hits for extra damage.

Yep.

Eventually the best defensive position we have is to get my ~~ducks~~ chocobos in a row, right by the gate. The yellows can Choco Cure us three at a time, well exceeding the damage knights and archers can crank out (as they can only target one at a time with swords and bows).

We're also all facing outward, so we can't be flanked easily or hit from behind at all.

God bless 'im, he's tryin'.

nope.jpg

Hmm! A switch! Why don't we press it and see?

The top of the castle rampart, well away from swords and arrows, seems like an ideal spot to drop meteors from.

Seems legit.

Anything worth doing is worth doing twice.

The yellows, being fast on their feet but unable to jump to any height, have to take things a bit slower.

Punching a shield has gotta hurt.

If a target is standing under an overhang, like the castle gate here, some attacks explicitly from above (like a Lancer's Jump skill) can't hit them. Meteors can, though. It doesn't even leave a mark on the masonry where it went through.

Pictured: unarmed damage well in excess of weapon output.

Gaffgarion crystalizes instantly, both to indicate that he's really and truly dead forever, and to give R2 a chance to restore HP and MP before joining the fray in fighting off the ambush. (This is assuming you're having trouble fighting off the ambush without him, or have not yet opened the gate.)

One enemy left. You know the drill.
http://brontoforum.us/Smileys/classic/advice.gif

Ooh, summoner skills.

And one for a knight.

Let's wrap this up.

That'll do.

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Author Topic: Lay down your arms or die clutching them! Let's Play Final Fantasy Tactics! (Read 20147 times)