Showing posts with label Final Fantasy 19. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Final Fantasy 19. Show all posts
Monday, July 23, 2012
Final Fantasy 19: BOSS: The Enchanted Cookies
Enchanted Cookie x3
Level: 1, HP: 300, MP: 0
Rewards: Flour x3 (Always)
Special: None
Vulnerable to: Mini
Attacks: Speech Attack
Sketch: !Chocolate Chip Missile, Explode
Blue Magic: Explode (Sketch)
Draw Spell: Curaja
BGM: My Favorite Trick (Breath of Fire III)
The Enchanted Cookies are the easiest bosses in this entire game. There is no competition: it is literally impossible to lose this fight unless you target your own characters. The Cookies will never, under any circumstances, deal even a single point of damage.
They certainly are chatty, however. Every one of their turns, they have a chance of saying one of the following phrases:
"You're losing serious brownie points, buster!"
"Butter me up enough and I might let you pass!"
"It looks like you've been caught with your hand in the cookie jar!"
"You ugly beasts! Looking at you makes me want to toss my cookies!"
When attacked physically, they will scoff, "So, you think you're a tough cookie, eh?" When attacked magically, they will sniff, "So, you think you're a smart cookie, don't ya?" When defeated, they will cry out, "That's the way the cookie crumbles!"
If you hit them with fire magic (such as Phoenix's Fire spell,) they will yelp, "OUCH! I think you turned the oven up a little high!" If you miniaturize them with Badger's Compression spell, they will exclaim, "Bite-sized!"
Talkative little buggers, aren't they?
The most interesting things you can get out of these bosses-in-nothing-but-name are their Sketch attacks. Most of the time, you will get the !Chocolate Chip Missile, which is unique to the Cookies and features an animation never seen anywhere else (although the power is actually less than a regular physical attack). There is a 25% chance of getting the Explode spell, however, which is a Blue Magic that can be learned by Ferret. Granted, it is a USELESS Blue Magic that can be learned by Ferret, as you will almost always get more use out of a live Ferret that can Shriek and dispense items instead of a kamikaze Exploding Ferret (amusing though the image is,) but this IS the first chance you have to learn it, so it's interesting for the novelty if nothing else.
When it comes to the actual disposal of the cookies, you will find that the greatest danger in this fight is that you, the player, will die of over-exposure to bad jokes. Burn Owl Aye's "trap" to a crisp with Phoenix's Fire, which they are weak to, and move on.
Final Fantasy 19: Owl Tower
Location: The World of Darkness, Owl Tower
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Phoenix
Opponents: None
Items: Star Chart x13, Potion x2, Hi-Potion x2, Phoenix Down x3, Phoenix Pinion
x1, 333 G, 444 G, 555 G, 666 G, 777 G
BGM: Welcome to Bukki Tower (Super Mario RPG)
The lair of the terrible villain Owl Aye! Traps lurk in the floor panels. Monsters lie in wait behind every corner. Utter terror enters your very soul from the chilling background music. Owl Aye is bringing Princess Peahen snacks.
Wait, what?
Preparation: You'll want to be fully decked out in World of Darkness equipment before venturing in here. Whether "World of Darkness equipment" means a store-bought Flashy Robe or the Scholars' Library's Librarian's Robe is your own prerogative, but Cotton Robes just ain't gonna cut it anymore.
Despite being the lair of an evil enchanter, Owl Tower seems suspiciously homey from the outside, with a neat little welcome mat and some pretty flowers on a windowsill. Phoenix fears that the welcome mat may have teeth and try to eat you, but Ferret smacks some sense into her and the animals breach the entrance only to come out again at the entrance to the tower's glade. A space/time distortion!
Ferret attempts the front door again, with no more success than before. Phoenix curses Owl Aye with the power of Crimper/Cheese. Badger ponders. If Ultimecia gave him a portion of her Sorceress Power over time and space, perhaps he can use it to unbend this spatial loop and gain entrance to the Tower!
Unfortunately, Badger has no idea how to access those powers.
Fortunately, Ferret discovers a door labeled "For Guests" that goes right inside.
Several stories up, a small grey kitten that has been watching the invaders intently now runs off to warn her master...
In the cozy parlor at the top of the castle, the Great and Terrible Owl Aye is threatening the beauteous Princess Peahen with...incredibly insignificant threats of bodily harm, such as tickle-torture and rib-poking. Princess Peahen, who is as dumb as she is beautiful and as brave as she is dumb, valiantly refuses to remain his prisoner, despite the "danger" to her person. The charade would probably continue indefinitely if the kitten did not appear, raging at Owl Aye that intruders have entered the castle! Owl Aye does not understand; how did they surmount his repeating space loop? "By taking the LABELED side door, you imbecile!"
Owl Aye is confident that Peahen's rescuers, no matter how powerful they may be, will never surmount his next defense. Kitty demands to know if this is the one in the kitchen and, when told that it is, informs him that she will be taking over Castle Defense duty herself.
The inside of Owl Tower is filled with books, tchotchkies, and a surprising number of chinchillas, who appear neither rabid, violent, nor even in the least bad-tempered. Above the nearest doorway is a plaque reading, "Lord Chaos, bless this humble home." It has birds on it. Ferret is not impressed.
Wandering through the rooms on the first level of Owl Tower, you will find a carefully labeled "Care Package" containing a Potion, a Phoenix Down, 333 gold, and a note wishing you to have a nice day. Ferret's respect for the place is dwindling into the negatives by now. Things only get worse when you enter the kitchen and find Owl Aye's "next defense"...
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Final Fantasy 19: Wandering the World of Darkness: Dastar, City of Bards
Location: The World of Darkness
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Phoenix
Opponents: None
BGM: Final Fantasy III - Covert Village Falgabard
Corresponding to Duster, residence of Bards and Geomancers, Dastar is the place where Ferret will FINALLY get an equipment upgrade. Hidden in the middle of the star-shaped forest to the west of Demur, Dastar is definitely worth a visit before storming Owl Tower.
Item Shop:
Potion
Antidote
Gold Needle
Eye Drops
Echo Screen
Holy Water
Phoenix Down
Dastar possesses all of the status-effect curing items in the game (except the unique ones such as Jinnspice and Shivan Soup). You won't need most of them for a while, but it wouldn't hurt to stock up early if you have the money.
Weapon Shop:
Thundering M-Phone
Dream M-Phone
Banshee's M-Phone
Song Stone
At last, weapon upgrades for Ferret! But which to choose? Unless you've spent a huge amount of time grinding for money, you won't be able to afford the Banshee's M-Phone. The Dream M-Phone is also vastly overpriced, especially as its effect can be mimicked once Ferret hits level 10 and learns Lullaby. The most reliable option--unless you're filthy rich--is the glorious Thundering M-Phone, which will finally allow Ferret to hurt all monsters instead of simply attacking them.
The Song Stone is good enough, all things considered; it protects from Sleep, which isn't a bad status effect to have protection from. However, it's very expensive, like almost everything else in the area, and protection from Sleep just isn't that necessary right now. If you've bought everything else in Dastar (up to and including the Banshee's M-Phone,) the Song Stone is not an unworthy purchase. However, if you've done that, you don't really need the Song Stone at all, now do you?
Armor Shop:
Diamond Bell
Plumed Hat
Bardic Robe
The Bardic Robe is a Ferret-only equip that offers only one point more Defense than the Flashy Robe but almost twice as much Magic Defense. It's a great piece of armor, as long as you can afford it. The Diamond Bell is a beautiful helmet with extremely high Defense; its physical protection might even outweigh its complete lack of Magic Defense and its typically exorbitant price tag. Or it might not, especially since Owl Tower and the Scholars' Library - the two dungeons you'll be tackling next - have foes with powerful magical attacks in them. Plumed Hats were, of course, for sale in Peaheria already.
A typical party set-up at this point might be:
Badger
Wave Hammer
Plumed Hat
Flashy Robe
Mythril Bangle
Remora Eidolon
Ferret
Thundering M-Phone
Plumed Hat/ Diamond Bell
Bardic Robe
Mythril Bangle
Oxen Stone
Phoenix
Magic Wand
Plumed Hat
Flashy Robe
Chocobangle
Water/ Storm Jewel
At this point, you can go and venture into the Scholars' Library if you wish. However, even with equipment from Peaheria and Dastar, you may not be strong enough to survive its many dangers. I will cover that location after Owl Tower.
Final Fantasy 19: Wandering the World of Darkness: Demur, Town of Fishermen
Location: The World of Darkness
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Phoenix
Opponents: None
Items: Remora Eidolon
BGM: Final Fantasy III - Town of Water
Demur corresponds to the World of Light's city of Amur. It is, if possible, even less important to the story than Amur was to the story of Final Fantasy III, but aside from the oddly attractive fishermen and their brash but good-natured wives that populate the area, there is one interesting thing to find.
Down on the beach are a trio of young boys fishing. If you talk to them, they accidentally pull up a giant fish that scares them all away. Seeing Badger and company as the only people around, the fish demands that you get that accursed hook out of its jaw. If you agree to do so, the fish will grant you the Remora Eidolon accessory in gratitude.
The Remora Eidolon isn't the best summon stone around, not by a long shot, but it does have its uses. Its summon spell, Latch On, deals a small amount of damage with the added chance of Slow and Paralysis. It works well against hardy enemies you need to take out of commission for a little while, such as Thunder Giants.
Item Shop:
Potion
Eye Drops
Gold Needle
Echo Screen
Tent
Final Fantasy 19: Wandering the World of Darkness: Leprit, Village of Summoners
Location: The World of Darkness
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Phoenix
Opponents: None
Items: Chocobracelet, Elixir
BGM: Final Fantasy III - Covert Village Falgabard
Filled with Summoners, Leprit is the World of Darkness version of the town of Replito. Small and quiet, these summoners live at peace with the natural magic of the world and dedicate their lives to the raising of Chocobos, which they unanimously seem to adore.
Item Shop:
Potion
Ether
Ottershroom
Bottled Calamari
Toad Tonic
Titanic Pepper
Lunar Prism
Jinnspice
Shivan Soup
Leprit is home to many interesting items that cannot be found elsewhere. If you have the money to spare, consider purchasing some Ottershrooms, which are convenient when you've run out of resources and need to escape a dungeon to recover.
The main hall of Leprit contains several Summoners who will explain various aspects of the game to you. One explains the differences between different types of magic. Another details all the positive status effects in the game, and her twin, the negative. Another gives various hints of how you might learn Ferret's new Vocalizations, while another vaguely references her Rage Gauge. They discuss the aspects of Ultimecia's Draw, Phoenix's Limit, and the powers of several characters you haven't even recruited yet. Also in the main hall is Rydia, famous summoner of Final Fantasy 4, who is in a panic; her friend Cecil just disappeared in a way that Badger connects as being oddly similar to Ultimecia's abduction. Hmm...
If you head over to the Chocobo corral and talk to the Yellow Chocobo, you have a dialogue choice between "Wark" and "Warrrk." Choosing "Wark" causes the Chocobos to perform a choco-dance. Phoenix's exuberant applause flatters the big birds, and they hand over a Chocobracelet to show their pleasure at your good audience skills.
The Chocobracelet will come in handy in Owl Tower, as it offers high Magic Defense and a large Speed boost. However, you'd best not equip it on the world map, as its regular Defense is quite low.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Final Fantasy 19: CHARACTER: Phoenix
"She dreams of stardom, heroics, and enormous amounts of marshmallows in her hot cocoa."
Strength 47
Speed 37
Stamina 39
Magic 28
Attack 26
Defense 53
Evasion 12 %
Magic Defense 21
Magic Evasion 4 %
Equipment: Wands
Desperation Attack: Rebirth Flame
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Magic Wand
L-Hand Mythril Bangle
Head Plumed Hat
Body Flashy Robe
Age: 2
Birthdate: July 11
Blood Type: B
Hometown: Unknown
Treasure: Her signed photo of Sailor Moon
Likes: Magical-girl TV shows
Dislikes: The villains in said TV shows
Often strikes random poses.
Ending Credits Theme: Believe in Myself
Although she claims to be the all-powerful Esper of eternal resurrection, Phoenix also claims to be a magical girl destined to save the world, a fabulous idol singer with a galaxy-wide following, and a wielder of the great powers of Crimper/Cheese. Since the great powers of Crimper/Cheese have yet to save her from Badger and Ferret, who continually use her as the butt of both their jokes and their most destructive weaponry, the verity of her other statements is also in question. Regardless of her status as scapegoat and pathological liar, however, Phoenix remains eternally optimistic and generous to a fault. In fact, Phoenix's determination to do good is only surpassed by her ability to delude herself; in addition to proclaiming herself a magical girl, Phoenix has decided that Ultimecia is trying to protect the world and that Badger wants to marry her instead of Shiba, each of which is more ridiculous than the other. However, don't hold her tenuous grasp on reality against her. Always willing to help others at her own cost and always certain that everything will turn out for the best, Phoenix is--whatever else might be doubtful about her--always full of kindness.
Phoenix has been fluttering around the World of Darkness for a while now, attempting to instigate acts of heroism and good cheer wherever she goes. (She has been completely unsuccessful in these endeavors, as a trail of unfortunate, shell-shocked citizens across the World of Darkness can attest.) Her latest project has been rescuing the oft-kidnapped Princess Peahen of Peaheria, but to go up against the villainous Owl Aye, Phoenix realizes she'll need some back-up. Enter Badger and Ferret! ...much to their annoyance.
- Phoenix doesn't remember where she was born. She thinks she was kicked out of the nest for reciting old movies over and over again until her siblings got sick of her.
- Phoenix is always the first in line for new movie showings at any town she visits. Even when it's physically impossible for her to be.
Desperation Attack: Rebirth Flame
Phoenix unlocks her Esper heritage and bathes the battlefield in healing flame. Deals both Fire and Holy damage to all enemies while reviving all fallen allies. This attack has a 1.25% chance of being used if Phoenix is the last character alive, regardless of her HP, or when Phoenix receives a killing blow.
Special Skill: Red Magic
Phoenix learns spells of both White and Black Magic by gaining levels.
Cure, Lv 1, Small HP recovery
Fire, Lv 1, Small fire damage; selectable
Blizzard, Lv 1, Small ice damage; selectable
Thunder, Lv 8, Small thunder damage; selectable
Protect, Lv 9, Grants Protect
Shell, Lv 10, Grants Shell
Haste, Lv 14, Grants Haste
Cura, Lv 15, Medium HP recovery
Imp, Lv 18, Changes a character into an Imp, or vice versa
Fira, Lv 20, Medium fire damage; selectable
Blizzara, Lv 21, Medium ice damage; selectable
Thundara, Lv 22, Medium thunder damage; selectable
Esuna, Lv 23, Cures all negative statuses
Raise, Lv 24, Revives fallen ally to 25% HP
Osmose, Lv 25, Absorbs MP from one
All-Life, Lv 40, Revives all fallen allies to full HP
Special Skill: Limit
As Phoenix takes damage, her Limit gauge fills, allowing her to unleash increasingly powerful (and increasingly pink) attacks. Phoenix learns new Limit skills by both using her old skills and killing certain numbers of enemies.
Fireball, Damage one with raining fire
Antipode, Damage one with fire and ice
Righteous Fury, Damage one with indignant lightning
Volcano, Damage one with an eruption from below
Cherry Blossom, Damage all with showering blossoms
Shooting Stars, Damage all with glittering stars
Final Flame, Damage one with burning love
Final Fantasy 19: The Paradise of Peaheria
Location: The World of Darkness
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Phoenix
Opponents: None
BGM: Final Fantasy III - Megalopolis Saronia
Peaheria is a sprawling kingdom, the capitol of the World of Darkness, populated primarily by proud black peacocks who hold a position far higher than any petty human in the hierarchy of the land. King Peacock's fair daughter, the Princess Peahen, has been peanapped from her royal throne, and he has put out flyers and messengers across the kingdom looking for mercenaries to go and save her from the pernicious perpetrator: the fowl villain Owl Aye.
Item Shop:
Potion, 50
Hi-Potion, 600
Antidote, 80
Eye Drops, 40
Echo Screen, 100
Phoenix Down, 500
Sleeping Bag, 500
Tent, 1200
Your stock of Potions has likely dwindled, and you may have rather more need of it than you have previously in the near future. Phoenix Downs, Antidotes, and Echo Screens may also warrant purchasing.
Weapon Shop:
Hammer
Wave Hammer
Magic Wand
Rising Sun
Staff
You're going to want to blow most of your money at the armor shop, as defenses are going to be crucial for surviving the World of Darkness. However, if you've bought all the protectives you need, you should probably swing by here to pick up a Wave Hammer for Badger. The Wave Hammer is a good hammer and a worthy purchase, but you'll have a chance to pick one up for free in a while, so it should be the last of your priorities.
Armor Shop:
Silver Bangles
Mythril Bangle
Plumed Hat
Hairpin
Flashy Robe
The best purchases you can make in this city are right here at the humble Armor Shop. Exchanging Silver Bangles, Floppy Hats, and Cotton Robes for Mythril Bangles, Plumed Hats, and Flashy Robes results in a defense increase of 16, which will go a long way to increasing your survivability on the world map. The upgrades won't come cheap, but they're well worth the price for the amount of protection they provide.
You may want to forgo the robe for Ferret, as you can buy her a better one in a different town before the next dungeon. However, this better robe is also correspondingly more expensive. The Flashy Robe will serve Ferret well enough for almost half the price, so if your funds are tight, she'll be happy with some flash.
The story progresses once you enter the inn, where a red canary is fluttering around trying to bully somebody into rescuing the princess with her. (Notice a trend with this game and bullying females?) She threatens Badger with the "great powers of Crimper/ Cheese," which Badger takes as a threat to his personal safety; he proceeds to haul off with his hammer, splattering her all over the nearest wall. Ferret is quite pleased, but unfortunately, the canary is anything but dead, peeling herself off the stones and becoming quite happy. This is just the kind of strength rescuing the princess will require! Badger, of course, is only interested in saving Ultimecia, but the canny canary makes an offer the mammals can't refuse: if they help her save the princess, she'll show them the location of the Temple of Time, from which Badger might be able to access the timestream and find Ultimecia. Stuck for it, Badger and Ferret join the party of the great and powerful Phoenix, although this doesn't stop them from smacking her around a bit more as they head out the door.
Despite her odd idiosyncrasies and her tendency to get kicked around by, well, everybody, Phoenix is a massive asset to your party. She comes with current top-of-the-line equipment, almost twice as much HP as Badger, and the highly versatile "Red Magic" skillset, which gives her access to Cure, Fire, and Blizzard right from the start. Ultimecia she ain't, but Phoenix's magical skills are not to be derided. Enemies beware: Phoenix is here to save our sorry butts.
The story wants you to head to Owl Tower next, as this is the place where the fair princess is being incarcerated. However, the World of Darkness is a big place, and there are lots of locations you can wander to first, most of them holding valuable treasures you may want to take advantage of before venturing into the lair of the evil (?) avian.
At this present time, you can head northwest from Peaheria to locate Leprit, the village of the summoners. Way down to the south is Demur, a small fishing town with no bearing on the plot. Hidden in the trees to the far west of Demur is Dastar, city of the bards. Owl Tower is northeast of Demur and southeast of Peaheria, hidden behind the mountains in view of the coast. And right on the outskirts of Peaheria itself is the Scholars' Library, a dangerous, sealed location only the bibliophiliac-hearted may enter.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Final Fantasy 19: The World of Darkness: Where the Hell Are We?
Location: The World of Darkness, Around Peaheria
Party members: Badger, Ferret
Opponents: Dark Warrior, Stormfin Pike, Thunder Giant, Ninja, Cu Sith, Needle Monkey, Catoblepas, Heavengaroo Magus, Sorcerer, Crazy Horse
BGM: Emotions (Xenogears OST)
What the hey? One moment you're dancing a jig at Ultimecia's handy, more-or-less single-handed takedown of an Immense Insect from the Inferno, and the next, wham, you've been dropped into a world of blue fields and night skies, stars stretching on forever over mountains made of crystal. And Ultimecia is nowhere to be seen.
Houston, we have a problem.
Preparation: Equip both Badger and Ferret with Floppy Hats. You will be facing nothing but physical attacks on the world map of the World of Darkness (unless you head to the beaches, but you do not, I repeat, DO NOT, want to do that at this point in time,) and Floppy Hats offer the best defense of any helmet you have access to right now. If you're lucky enough to have an Oxen Stone, give it to Ferret; otherwise, she should keep holding onto her Horse Rock.
Monster formations:
(Plains)
Dark Warrior
Cu Sith
Ninja
Cu Sith, Cu Sith
Dark Warrior, Dark Warrior
(Foot of the mountains)
Cu Sith
Thunder Giant
Cu Sith, Cu Sith
(Beaches)
Stormfin Pike
Stormfin Pike, Stormfin Pike
Unless you went overboard in the Lakeside Woods and are very much overleveled, your only hope of surviving the enemies of the World of Darkness is status effects. To recap, Badger has access to Mini through his Compression spell; Ferret SHOULD have Paralysis through Shriek and Confusion by way of Ultrasonic.
Dark Warriors are the most common enemy, and also one of the least dangerous. Their attack and defense are both very high, but their speed is low, which makes them easy to handle. They will alternate between their normal physical attack and the !Dark Wave skill, which does an unblockable, unchangeable 20 points of damage to your team, but this is survivable; even preferable, as it happens, for the attack does the same amount of damage to the Dark Warrior himself. Defeating these shadowy menaces isn't too hard, even in pairs; they are vulnerable to all three of the status effects you can cause, so Paralyze them with Ferret until Badger can Miniaturize them, thereby reducing their attack and defense to manageable levels. From there, physical attacks will do the job. You can also Sketch them; 75% of the time you'll get the !Wave of Darkness skill, which deals 20 barrier-piercing points of damage to all enemies without costing Badger HP (since it uses the sketch's HP instead of Badger's own). The other 25% of the time, the sketch will use Blind, which will make the Dark Warrior's physical attacks miss.
Cu Sith are nastier on paper than they are in battle. Every turn, they have a 25% chance of attacking, a 25% chance of using !Howl to remove all positive status effects such as Protect and Shell (which you can't put on yourself yet anyway,) and a 50% chance of using !Phase, which sets Vanish. The Vanish status effect makes the affected target immune to all physical attacks, causing them simply to miss. Once invisible, the Cu Sith will only physically attack until they are revealed again, at which point they return to their previous A.I. script.
This means that Cu Sith spend a lot of time not actually attacking, which gives you plenty of time to plot their downfall. Cu Sith are immune to Mini, but the damage from Compression will still cancel out their Vanished status, which means they will probably use their next turn !Phasing again. However, Ferret is the character who will prove their real downfall. Even Vanished, Vocalizations will still affect the slippery strays. Use Shriek to paralyze Cu Sith, Compress them back into visibility, and hammer them to death from there.
If Badger Sketches a Cu Sith, it might use !Phase on Badger, thereby giving HIM the Vanish status. Unfortunately, this status can be removed by !Howl, so the chances of getting out of the battle with it are small. It is also important to note that Badger can NOT Sketch an invisible opponent.
Ninjas are incredibly annoying due to the plethora of status effects they cause. They only have 11 HP, but between Blind and Blink, you'll find it difficult to get at those 11 crucial points. They can attack physically, but rarely choose to, much preferring the Bio spell to inflict Poison and the Aero spell, which deals wind damage to all opponents. This spell is EXTREMELY important: it is the next Blue Magic spell Ferret can learn, and is both cheap and multi-targeting. It is excellent for revealing Cu Sith, getting through the high defenses of Dark Warriors, or - much to the Ninjas' chagrin - eliminating Ninjas. Don't waste your time with physical attacks or curative items when facing a Ninja; ignore the status effects and let loose with Aero at the first opportunity. (Until you get Aero, Compression can work as well, but it typically takes two casts of Compression to kill a Ninja due to their high Magic Defense. Sketch them instead; you'll Bio them 75% of the time, which will - if it inflicts Poison - kill them, and Aero them the other 25% of the time, which will just kill them outright.)
You'll only find Thunder Giants around mountains, but they're not as difficult as you might expect from their rarity and their enormous size. They pack even more HP and strength than Dark Warriors, but their defenses aren't nearly as good and their speed is outright abysmal. Their attack pattern consists mostly of attacks and, on occasion, !Shock Punch, which may cause Paralyze.
The bad news is that Thunder Giants are immune to both Miniaturize and Paralyze. The good news is that they are vulnerable to Confuse and they are EXCEPTIONALLY good targets to Sketch. Once Confused, the Thunder Giant will waste his next turn punching himself in the face, which is good news for you; better news, however, is that Sketching a Thunder Giant gives a 25% shot at Magnitude 8. This is an extremely powerful multi-target earth-elemental attack, and Earth, as it so happens, is the Thunder Giant's number one weakness. Beguile the Giant with Ferret's Ultrasonic and let Badger Sketch earthquakes until the creature falls.
Avoid beaches at all costs. Beaches are the domain of the Stormfin Pike, and no amount of clever status-manipulation is going to get you through a battle with one of those beasties. The Stormfin Pike is vulnerable to Confuse, but this only provokes it into using Clean Sweep like a maniac. Which it is immune to. If you're really feeling lucky, you can initiate a battle, throw out Ultrasonic as quickly as possible, snag Clean Sweep for Ferret (for yes, this spell is a Blue Magic spell, and a very powerful one at that,) and then run like hell. You might even make it out alive. However, Stormfin Pikes are quite difficult to run from, and it would be better to wait until you have some better equipment, not to mention your third character, who is very near in your future.
Make your way carefully down south. The sprawling metropolis of Peaheria is not far from your starting location, but the enemy encounters might spell your doom if you're not careful and quick on your mental feet. You might want to save after every battle.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Final Fantasy 19: BOSS: The Mantis Devil
Mantis Devil
Level: 13, HP: 1290, MP: 370
Rewards: Hi-Potion (always)
Absorbs: Fire, Resists: Ice
Special: !MP Absorb: Attack x0.5, drains MP from the target
Vulnerable to: Paralyze
Attacks: Attack, !MP Absorb, Blink, Fira
Sketch: !MP Absorb, Blink
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: Firaja
BGM: Final Fantasy II Boss Theme A
The Mantis Devil is definitely a diabolical disputant. At the beginning of the battle he will cast Blink on himself, making it very difficult for your physical attacks to hit him. On subsequent turns, he alternates with equal preference between a very powerful physical attack, the irritating !MP Absorb, and a devastating casting of Fira. The onslaught is crushing and relentless; he never pauses to use Blink again, and unlike Azure Highwind, he lamentably has no weakness to Badger's Compression.
What the Mantis Devil IS susceptible to is Ferret's Shriek. It won't often hit, due to Blink, and it won't last very long, due to the Mantis Devil's high magic defense, but it'll give you a turn or two to breathe every so often. Have Ferret spam Shriek until it hits, then let her take a turn or two to dispense healing items while Badger and Ultimecia attack. Once the Mantis Devil is moving again, resume Shriek-spamming. If you didn't have Ultrasonic before this battle, you should afterward.
Ultimecia will, once again, be your main source of damage. Whatever would you do without her? (You'll find out soon enough, but for now, just enjoy it.) The Mantis Devil absorbs Fire, unfortunately, so Firaja is not an option, but Thundaja gets the job done nicely. It'll probably take three or four Thundajas to eliminate this beast, and it will likely drain some of Ultimecia's MP along the way, so be prepared to Draw some MP out of it before the battle's over. Note that if you didn't get Firaja from a Gigas Worm in the Chaos Shrine, you can pick it up here instead.
Badger's time is best dedicated to healing, as Compression doesn't do enough damage and Dia is ineffective. If he has a spare moment while the Mantis Devil is paralyzed, it's time to do some Sketching; 75% of the time, this will restore a bit of Badger's MP, and the other 25%, it'll bless one ally with Blink, which will save Badger a lot of MP in the long run by reducing the number of attacks he'll have to heal from.
In short, Badger should Cure when the Mantis is active and Sketch when it's paralyzed. Ferret should Shriek until the Mantis is paralyzed and then use items. And Ultimecia, as usual, should Thundaja the massive mantodea into next week.
Ferret's confidence in Ultimecia is even more firmly entrenched by this encounter. Badger is more besotted by the moment with his lovely, powerful lady. And Ultimecia is seized by a giant fiery vortex that rips time and space asunder, sending Badger and Ferret spinning helplessly through the Void only to land with a WHUMPF in the middle of a land of darkness and starlight.
...What? Did you think I was joking?
Level: 13, HP: 1290, MP: 370
Rewards: Hi-Potion (always)
Absorbs: Fire, Resists: Ice
Special: !MP Absorb: Attack x0.5, drains MP from the target
Vulnerable to: Paralyze
Attacks: Attack, !MP Absorb, Blink, Fira
Sketch: !MP Absorb, Blink
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: Firaja
BGM: Final Fantasy II Boss Theme A
The Mantis Devil is definitely a diabolical disputant. At the beginning of the battle he will cast Blink on himself, making it very difficult for your physical attacks to hit him. On subsequent turns, he alternates with equal preference between a very powerful physical attack, the irritating !MP Absorb, and a devastating casting of Fira. The onslaught is crushing and relentless; he never pauses to use Blink again, and unlike Azure Highwind, he lamentably has no weakness to Badger's Compression.
What the Mantis Devil IS susceptible to is Ferret's Shriek. It won't often hit, due to Blink, and it won't last very long, due to the Mantis Devil's high magic defense, but it'll give you a turn or two to breathe every so often. Have Ferret spam Shriek until it hits, then let her take a turn or two to dispense healing items while Badger and Ultimecia attack. Once the Mantis Devil is moving again, resume Shriek-spamming. If you didn't have Ultrasonic before this battle, you should afterward.
Ultimecia will, once again, be your main source of damage. Whatever would you do without her? (You'll find out soon enough, but for now, just enjoy it.) The Mantis Devil absorbs Fire, unfortunately, so Firaja is not an option, but Thundaja gets the job done nicely. It'll probably take three or four Thundajas to eliminate this beast, and it will likely drain some of Ultimecia's MP along the way, so be prepared to Draw some MP out of it before the battle's over. Note that if you didn't get Firaja from a Gigas Worm in the Chaos Shrine, you can pick it up here instead.
Badger's time is best dedicated to healing, as Compression doesn't do enough damage and Dia is ineffective. If he has a spare moment while the Mantis Devil is paralyzed, it's time to do some Sketching; 75% of the time, this will restore a bit of Badger's MP, and the other 25%, it'll bless one ally with Blink, which will save Badger a lot of MP in the long run by reducing the number of attacks he'll have to heal from.
In short, Badger should Cure when the Mantis is active and Sketch when it's paralyzed. Ferret should Shriek until the Mantis is paralyzed and then use items. And Ultimecia, as usual, should Thundaja the massive mantodea into next week.
Ferret's confidence in Ultimecia is even more firmly entrenched by this encounter. Badger is more besotted by the moment with his lovely, powerful lady. And Ultimecia is seized by a giant fiery vortex that rips time and space asunder, sending Badger and Ferret spinning helplessly through the Void only to land with a WHUMPF in the middle of a land of darkness and starlight.
...What? Did you think I was joking?
Final Fantasy 19: The Lakeside Woods
Location: Outside of Gatrea
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Ultimecia
Opponents: Goblin, Hornet, Leg Eater, Tonpole, Screamer, Grey Ox
Items: Horse Rock, Antidote x4, Phoenix Down, X-Potion, Tent x2
BGM: The Wind Sings of a Journey (Legend of Mana OST)
A nondescript forest surrounding the small village of Gatrea, normally ignored by all and sundry who pass through it. Unknown to all those preoccupied humans, however, this little forest actually contains one of the greatest civilizations (if you listen to Ferret) ever known: the esteemed Ferret Empire!
Preparation: Watch Ferret's HP carefully until she gains a few levels. Her parameters are never going to be that great, but they're going to be especially low when she's several levels behind Badger and Ultimecia. Some of the enemies here (namely the Tonpole and the Grey Ox) can one-shot Ferret with startling ease, so be sure that Badger keeps the sanitary sovereign topped off with Cure spells at all times. Ultimecia is strong enough to handle damage-dealing-duties alone as long as you conserve her MP, so this shouldn't prove difficult.
Monster formations:
Goblin, Hornet, Leg Eater, Hornet, Goblin
Goblin, Tonpole, Goblin
Goblin, Screamer, Leg Eater, Screamer, Goblin
Leg Eater, Leg Eater, Leg Eater
Screamer, Screamer, Screamer
Grey Ox, Grey Ox
Goblins, Hornets, and Leg Eaters are neither new nor impressive; Ferret's multi-target megaphone physical attack should be able to one-shot them even at level 1. It's the new faces you actually have to concern yourself with in this dungeon: Tonpoles, Screamers, and Grey Oxen.
Tonpoles are luckily rather rare, but pretty nasty when they appear. They have high HP, Strength, and Defense, which makes them difficult to damage and hard to outlast, and also cast Water, which is their way of one-shotting Ferret if you're not careful. Irritatingly, once you get a Tonpole low on health, they have a 66% chance of using Yawn to restore their HP to full (the other 33% of the time, they'll cast Water). At least the spell puts them to sleep after the health restoration.
Tonpoles would probably be unbeatable for Badger and Ferret without Ultimecia around. Fortunately, the creatures are weak to Thunder, and Ultimecia has that lovely little tool called Thundaja in her inventory. Tonpoles have too little magic defense to survive Firaja either, despite being resistant to it, but Thundaja will produce higher damage numbers, and we all like seeing higher damage numbers, right? Sketching them is unwise, as the portrait will likely use Water, which the Tonpole absorbs. Stick to Thundaja.
Despite this easy way to one-shot Tonpoles, it is well worth your time to get a Tonpole to low HP at least once so that Ferret can see Yawn, as this is the very first Blue Magic skill she can learn. Although Yawn's uses are limited, this early time where her HP and damage output is so low is definitely one of the places where it shines: if Ferret takes a heavy hit and Badger's turn isn't up, use Yawn to restore her to full HP immediately. It might save Ferret's life, and since she probably isn't doing much damage anyway, her falling asleep isn't going to cripple your team.
Anyway, enough about Tonpoles; on to Screamers, which are apparently radishes with vocal cords. They'll alternate between a regular attack (50%) and a regular attack that can induce poison (50%) every odd-numbered turn, and either do nothing (50%) or use Shriek (50%) every even-numbered turn. A Screamer's Shriek is identical to Ferret's Shriek; that is to say, it has a good chance of Paralyzing your party. Fortunately, Screamers have stultifyingly low Strength and Magic, so even if they manage to paralyze your entire party, the chances of their being able to kill you before the paralysis wears off are slim to none. Kill them with fire, that is, Firaja, which they are weak to.
The last enemy in this area is the Grey Ox. Unlike Tonpoles - which I highly recommend you use Thundaja on - or Screamers - which should be Firaja'd just to save your time and patience - Grey Oxen are actually dangerous. They have almost twice as much HP as Tonpoles and more Strength than Ferret will have in ten
levels; all they do is physically attack, but that's all they need to do to ensure your grisly defeat. Just to sweeten the deal, these lovely animals will always appear in pairs. It doesn't matter whether you grill them with Thundaja or bake them in Firaja; whatever you do, just do it fast, because it only takes one attack to fell Ferret, two to bury Badger, and three (maybe four) to unhinge, yes, even Ultimecia.
If, for some reason, Ultimecia is out of MP or (heaven forbid) dead, your only hope lies in Grey Oxen's vulnerability to status effects. Ideally, slap Mini on them with Badger's Compression to change the situation from fatal to laughable. Ferret's Shriek might paralyze the beasts, which can give you time to Compress them to a more manageable size; Ultrasonic is an even better solution, should you have it, as the Grey Oxen will begin attacking each other and finish the battle for you. The preferable solution, however, is a nice, high-temperature -ja spell from Ultimecia.
To recap: use Ferret's physical attack to clear any battle of Goblins, Hornets, or Leg Eaters. Badger should stay on healing duty; if healing is DEFINITELY not at all necessary, he can physically attack, as Sketch is mostly useless here. Ultimecia should ALWAYS save enough MP for Thundaja in case of an encounter with the Grey Oxen; when she gets low on MP, use Draw on Tonpoles or Screamers until this is no longer the case.
Let's talk for a moment about two special drops that can be received here. Grey Oxen have a small chance of dropping the Oxen Stone, a handy accessory that raises the Strength and Defense of its equipper. Should you be lucky enough to get one, give it to Ferret immediately; she needs every defensive boost she can get. Tonpoles have an even smaller chance of dropping the valuable Water Jewel, which offers a Magic boost and an extremely valuable resistance to Water. The Magic boost makes this item perfect for Ultimecia, but its drop rate is so low that it's unlikely you'll get one.
The Woods are not exactly complicated, but they are quite long and circuitous, particularly if you're looking to pick up all the items squirreled away in them. If you're just looking to advance the story as quickly as possible, head north from Gatrea to enter the northern section of the Woods straightaway. The path meanders north to the lake, bestowing two fairly obvious Antidotes and a Phoenix Down in chests along the way. The boss will overtake you close to the lake, so once you see the save point in view of the water, take a moment to heal up with Cure and Potions.
If you want to pick the Lakeside Woods clean of all its contents, it's best to start on the east side. Located underneath an overhang of rock in a small clearing is a Horse Rock, the same accessory you could have obtained from a Crazy Horse outside of Cornelia. The Horse Rock, again, raises the equipped character's Strength and Speed, making it a great option for Badger or Ferret. Pick this item up first, then proceed through the rest of the Woods in a clockwise manner, picking up:
An Antidote and the Horse Rock in the eastern Woods.
A Tent and a rare, well-hidden X-Potion in the southern Woods.
Another Tent and a fourth Antidote in the western Woods.
Once you move beyond the save point in the northern Woods, Ferret begins chattering about the beauty and majesty of the Ferret Kingdom...until she is abruptly interrupted by an insect of immense proportions.
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Ultimecia
Opponents: Goblin, Hornet, Leg Eater, Tonpole, Screamer, Grey Ox
Items: Horse Rock, Antidote x4, Phoenix Down, X-Potion, Tent x2
BGM: The Wind Sings of a Journey (Legend of Mana OST)
A nondescript forest surrounding the small village of Gatrea, normally ignored by all and sundry who pass through it. Unknown to all those preoccupied humans, however, this little forest actually contains one of the greatest civilizations (if you listen to Ferret) ever known: the esteemed Ferret Empire!
Preparation: Watch Ferret's HP carefully until she gains a few levels. Her parameters are never going to be that great, but they're going to be especially low when she's several levels behind Badger and Ultimecia. Some of the enemies here (namely the Tonpole and the Grey Ox) can one-shot Ferret with startling ease, so be sure that Badger keeps the sanitary sovereign topped off with Cure spells at all times. Ultimecia is strong enough to handle damage-dealing-duties alone as long as you conserve her MP, so this shouldn't prove difficult.
Monster formations:
Goblin, Hornet, Leg Eater, Hornet, Goblin
Goblin, Tonpole, Goblin
Goblin, Screamer, Leg Eater, Screamer, Goblin
Leg Eater, Leg Eater, Leg Eater
Screamer, Screamer, Screamer
Grey Ox, Grey Ox
Goblins, Hornets, and Leg Eaters are neither new nor impressive; Ferret's multi-target megaphone physical attack should be able to one-shot them even at level 1. It's the new faces you actually have to concern yourself with in this dungeon: Tonpoles, Screamers, and Grey Oxen.
Tonpoles are luckily rather rare, but pretty nasty when they appear. They have high HP, Strength, and Defense, which makes them difficult to damage and hard to outlast, and also cast Water, which is their way of one-shotting Ferret if you're not careful. Irritatingly, once you get a Tonpole low on health, they have a 66% chance of using Yawn to restore their HP to full (the other 33% of the time, they'll cast Water). At least the spell puts them to sleep after the health restoration.
Tonpoles would probably be unbeatable for Badger and Ferret without Ultimecia around. Fortunately, the creatures are weak to Thunder, and Ultimecia has that lovely little tool called Thundaja in her inventory. Tonpoles have too little magic defense to survive Firaja either, despite being resistant to it, but Thundaja will produce higher damage numbers, and we all like seeing higher damage numbers, right? Sketching them is unwise, as the portrait will likely use Water, which the Tonpole absorbs. Stick to Thundaja.
Despite this easy way to one-shot Tonpoles, it is well worth your time to get a Tonpole to low HP at least once so that Ferret can see Yawn, as this is the very first Blue Magic skill she can learn. Although Yawn's uses are limited, this early time where her HP and damage output is so low is definitely one of the places where it shines: if Ferret takes a heavy hit and Badger's turn isn't up, use Yawn to restore her to full HP immediately. It might save Ferret's life, and since she probably isn't doing much damage anyway, her falling asleep isn't going to cripple your team.
Anyway, enough about Tonpoles; on to Screamers, which are apparently radishes with vocal cords. They'll alternate between a regular attack (50%) and a regular attack that can induce poison (50%) every odd-numbered turn, and either do nothing (50%) or use Shriek (50%) every even-numbered turn. A Screamer's Shriek is identical to Ferret's Shriek; that is to say, it has a good chance of Paralyzing your party. Fortunately, Screamers have stultifyingly low Strength and Magic, so even if they manage to paralyze your entire party, the chances of their being able to kill you before the paralysis wears off are slim to none. Kill them with fire, that is, Firaja, which they are weak to.
The last enemy in this area is the Grey Ox. Unlike Tonpoles - which I highly recommend you use Thundaja on - or Screamers - which should be Firaja'd just to save your time and patience - Grey Oxen are actually dangerous. They have almost twice as much HP as Tonpoles and more Strength than Ferret will have in ten
levels; all they do is physically attack, but that's all they need to do to ensure your grisly defeat. Just to sweeten the deal, these lovely animals will always appear in pairs. It doesn't matter whether you grill them with Thundaja or bake them in Firaja; whatever you do, just do it fast, because it only takes one attack to fell Ferret, two to bury Badger, and three (maybe four) to unhinge, yes, even Ultimecia.
If, for some reason, Ultimecia is out of MP or (heaven forbid) dead, your only hope lies in Grey Oxen's vulnerability to status effects. Ideally, slap Mini on them with Badger's Compression to change the situation from fatal to laughable. Ferret's Shriek might paralyze the beasts, which can give you time to Compress them to a more manageable size; Ultrasonic is an even better solution, should you have it, as the Grey Oxen will begin attacking each other and finish the battle for you. The preferable solution, however, is a nice, high-temperature -ja spell from Ultimecia.
To recap: use Ferret's physical attack to clear any battle of Goblins, Hornets, or Leg Eaters. Badger should stay on healing duty; if healing is DEFINITELY not at all necessary, he can physically attack, as Sketch is mostly useless here. Ultimecia should ALWAYS save enough MP for Thundaja in case of an encounter with the Grey Oxen; when she gets low on MP, use Draw on Tonpoles or Screamers until this is no longer the case.
Let's talk for a moment about two special drops that can be received here. Grey Oxen have a small chance of dropping the Oxen Stone, a handy accessory that raises the Strength and Defense of its equipper. Should you be lucky enough to get one, give it to Ferret immediately; she needs every defensive boost she can get. Tonpoles have an even smaller chance of dropping the valuable Water Jewel, which offers a Magic boost and an extremely valuable resistance to Water. The Magic boost makes this item perfect for Ultimecia, but its drop rate is so low that it's unlikely you'll get one.
The Woods are not exactly complicated, but they are quite long and circuitous, particularly if you're looking to pick up all the items squirreled away in them. If you're just looking to advance the story as quickly as possible, head north from Gatrea to enter the northern section of the Woods straightaway. The path meanders north to the lake, bestowing two fairly obvious Antidotes and a Phoenix Down in chests along the way. The boss will overtake you close to the lake, so once you see the save point in view of the water, take a moment to heal up with Cure and Potions.
If you want to pick the Lakeside Woods clean of all its contents, it's best to start on the east side. Located underneath an overhang of rock in a small clearing is a Horse Rock, the same accessory you could have obtained from a Crazy Horse outside of Cornelia. The Horse Rock, again, raises the equipped character's Strength and Speed, making it a great option for Badger or Ferret. Pick this item up first, then proceed through the rest of the Woods in a clockwise manner, picking up:
An Antidote and the Horse Rock in the eastern Woods.
A Tent and a rare, well-hidden X-Potion in the southern Woods.
Another Tent and a fourth Antidote in the western Woods.
Once you move beyond the save point in the northern Woods, Ferret begins chattering about the beauty and majesty of the Ferret Kingdom...until she is abruptly interrupted by an insect of immense proportions.
Final Fantasy 19: Vocal Training
Location: World Map. Between Gatrea and the Lakeside Wood
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Ultimecia
Opponents: Goblin, Hornet, Leg Eater
BGM: Final Fantasy II Main Theme
Although Ferret will eventually become a powerful party member, for now she is on level 1 and possesses one skill, Shriek, which, although useful, isn't going to be enough to pull her weight. We may have just gotten her some spiffy new equipment, but the prissy ferret princess will definitely need some training.
Ferret learns her helpful Vocalize skills in a variety of ways. Some she learns through leveling up; others by using her previous Vocalize skills a certain number of times. The remainder - primarily the Final Fantasy series theme songs she can learn to sing - are taught through side quests. Well, obviously we can't do much about learning that last type, but we can get a head start on the other two kinds at this very moment.
Since Vocalize skills do not cost MP, you can feel free to abuse them - and should, in the interest of learning more. Ferret's skills progress in this manner:
Shriek - Default skill
Ultrasonic - Use Shriek 25 times
High C - Use Shriek 50 times
Piercing Scream - Use Ultrasonic 50 times
Lullaby - Learned on level 10
Requiem - Use Lullaby 50 times
Cheer - Learned on level 20
Elegy - Use Requiem 50 times
Aria di Mezzo Carattere - Complete the Jidoor Opera House sidequest
Calling - Complete the Eidolon sidequest
Eyes on Me - Play every piano in the game
Melodies of Life - Speak to Hurdy in Alexandria
Suteki da ne - Complete the Blitzball sidequest
Real Emotion - Use Suteki da ne 20 times
Conceivably, you could sit here and level until Ferret had learned every skill shown above (that doesn't require a sidequest, of course). However, this would bring ridiculous new definitions to the term "overkill." As long as you use Shriek at every available opportunity, you should easily have Ultrasonic by the end of the coming dungeon, which is an excellent start.
Preparation: None is necessary. The world map outside Gatrea is exceedingly small, as setting foot in the forest terrain immediately puts you into the next dungeon, and the enemies upon it are terrifyingly unimposing. Proceed with abandon.
Monster formations:
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin
Goblin, Leg Eater, Leg Eater
Hornet, Hornet
Hornet, Leg Eater, Hornet
Leg Eater, Leg Eater
Leg Eater, Leg Eater, Leg Eater
You've certainly seen Goblins before, but Hornets and Leg Eaters are new to you unless you've played Final Fantasy II before. Hornets score high in annoyance points because their physical attack has a small chance of poisoning you, but as Leg Eaters frequently drop Antidotes, this isn't quite as annoying as you might otherwise think. Leg Eaters themselves are the owners of a rather creepy name, a very creepy sprite, and little else. If you were curious, their vine-like bodies contain a sap that functions as a restorative, which is why they so often drop Antidotes.
To reach the Ferret Empire, you'll have to make your way through the Lakeside Woods. Reaching the Lakeside Woods is easy enough, as all you have to do is step on any forest tile surrounding Gatrea; however, the tile you step on will influence the part of the forest you enter first. The Woods are a large, circular area that surrounds Gatrea, and if you leave Gatrea, walk to the west, and enter the Lakeside Woods from there, you will be on the west side of the Woods. The Ferret Empire is on the north side of the forest, but if you explore the rest of the Wood thoroughly before entering it, you'll be able to pick up a large amount of helpful additional items. So, advance the story quickly or pick up some additional supplies? The choice is yours.
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Ultimecia
Opponents: Goblin, Hornet, Leg Eater
BGM: Final Fantasy II Main Theme
Although Ferret will eventually become a powerful party member, for now she is on level 1 and possesses one skill, Shriek, which, although useful, isn't going to be enough to pull her weight. We may have just gotten her some spiffy new equipment, but the prissy ferret princess will definitely need some training.
Ferret learns her helpful Vocalize skills in a variety of ways. Some she learns through leveling up; others by using her previous Vocalize skills a certain number of times. The remainder - primarily the Final Fantasy series theme songs she can learn to sing - are taught through side quests. Well, obviously we can't do much about learning that last type, but we can get a head start on the other two kinds at this very moment.
Since Vocalize skills do not cost MP, you can feel free to abuse them - and should, in the interest of learning more. Ferret's skills progress in this manner:
Shriek - Default skill
Ultrasonic - Use Shriek 25 times
High C - Use Shriek 50 times
Piercing Scream - Use Ultrasonic 50 times
Lullaby - Learned on level 10
Requiem - Use Lullaby 50 times
Cheer - Learned on level 20
Elegy - Use Requiem 50 times
Aria di Mezzo Carattere - Complete the Jidoor Opera House sidequest
Calling - Complete the Eidolon sidequest
Eyes on Me - Play every piano in the game
Melodies of Life - Speak to Hurdy in Alexandria
Suteki da ne - Complete the Blitzball sidequest
Real Emotion - Use Suteki da ne 20 times
Conceivably, you could sit here and level until Ferret had learned every skill shown above (that doesn't require a sidequest, of course). However, this would bring ridiculous new definitions to the term "overkill." As long as you use Shriek at every available opportunity, you should easily have Ultrasonic by the end of the coming dungeon, which is an excellent start.
Preparation: None is necessary. The world map outside Gatrea is exceedingly small, as setting foot in the forest terrain immediately puts you into the next dungeon, and the enemies upon it are terrifyingly unimposing. Proceed with abandon.
Monster formations:
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin
Goblin, Leg Eater, Leg Eater
Hornet, Hornet
Hornet, Leg Eater, Hornet
Leg Eater, Leg Eater
Leg Eater, Leg Eater, Leg Eater
You've certainly seen Goblins before, but Hornets and Leg Eaters are new to you unless you've played Final Fantasy II before. Hornets score high in annoyance points because their physical attack has a small chance of poisoning you, but as Leg Eaters frequently drop Antidotes, this isn't quite as annoying as you might otherwise think. Leg Eaters themselves are the owners of a rather creepy name, a very creepy sprite, and little else. If you were curious, their vine-like bodies contain a sap that functions as a restorative, which is why they so often drop Antidotes.
To reach the Ferret Empire, you'll have to make your way through the Lakeside Woods. Reaching the Lakeside Woods is easy enough, as all you have to do is step on any forest tile surrounding Gatrea; however, the tile you step on will influence the part of the forest you enter first. The Woods are a large, circular area that surrounds Gatrea, and if you leave Gatrea, walk to the west, and enter the Lakeside Woods from there, you will be on the west side of the Woods. The Ferret Empire is on the north side of the forest, but if you explore the rest of the Wood thoroughly before entering it, you'll be able to pick up a large amount of helpful additional items. So, advance the story quickly or pick up some additional supplies? The choice is yours.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Final Fantasy 19: CHARACTER: Ferret
"You don't want her to scream. You really, really don't want her to scream."
Strength 32
Speed 32
Stamina 31
Magic 29
Attack 18
Defense 48
Evasion 9 %
Magic Defense 26
Magic Evasion 1 %
Class: Blue Bard
Equipment: Megaphones
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Megaphone
L-Hand N/A
Head Fancy Collar
Body N/A
Age: 4
Birthdate: December 10
Blood Type: O
Hometown: Ferret Forest, Fynn
Treasure: Her voice
Likes: Karaoke, jewelry
Dislikes: Dirt
Often embarks on cleaning rampages.
Ending Credits Theme: Habanera
She is the Fairy Princess of the Fairy Ferrets from the Ferret Forest, born with the ability to melt specific mineral compounds with special high-frequency sound waves (read: her scream melts metal). Ferret is the loudest, crudest, bluntest fairy princess you've ever imagined. She curses like a sailor and sasses like it's going out of style; in fact, the only thing she enjoys more than telling people how stupid they are is shopping for jewels, which she has an unhealthy obsession with (although if you ask her, it's simply her natural right as a princess to own every jewel in existence). Her identity is supposed to be a secret - she is hiding from Emperor Mateus, who is trying to take over the Ferret Kingdom as part of his plan for world domination - but since she uses her royal status as justification for every illegal action she performs, nobody is fooled.
She first encounters Badger and Ultimecia when she tries to bully a shop owner in the village of Gatrea into giving her free jewelry, and is so bedazzled by Ultimecia's gemmed costume that she decides to tag along. Once she finds out that this weird thing called "money" can be found by killing monsters, well, sign her up for Sorceress Protection Duty! Oh, yeah - saving her kingdom is somewhere on her priority list too, I guess.
- Ferret hates dirt, which she labels "contamination" and cleans immediately.
- The Fairy Ferrets of the Ferret Forest are actually descended from Eidolons, which is why Ferret has such powerful vocal cords. This also means that Ferret is distantly related to Phoenix, which terrifies her.
Desperation Attack: Lion's Roar
Ferret unleashes her most powerful scream upon her enemies. Damages all enemies.
Special Skill: Vocalize
By meeting various NPCs, performing various sidequests, and playing every piano you come across, Ferret will learn how to sing various theme songs of Final Fantasy. Being the theme songs of the world, these songs have a multitude of special effects that will aid you in battle.
Shriek - May cause paralysis to all enemies
Ultrasonic - May cause confusion to all enemies
High C - May cause instant death to all machine enemies
Piercing Scream - Removes all positive statuses from all
Lullaby - May cause sleep to all enemies
Requiem - Deals high damage to undead enemies
Cheer - Raises all allies' Strength temporarily
Elegy - May set Doom on one enemy
Aria di Mezzo Carattere - Grants random positive statuses to all allies
Calling - Restores MP to all allies
Eyes on Me - Causes foes to focus on Ferret
Melodies of Life - Sets Regen on all allies
Suteki da ne - Lowers damage taken by allies
Real Emotion - Increases damage dealt by allies
These songs can be learned in the following manner:
Shriek - Default skill
Ultrasonic - Use Shriek 25 times
High C - Use Shriek 50 times
Piercing Scream - Use Ultrasonic 50 times
Lullaby - Learned on level 10
Requiem - Use Lullaby 50 times
Cheer - Learned on level 20
Elegy - Use Requiem 50 times
Aria di Mezzo Carattere - Complete the Jidoor Opera House sidequest
Calling - Complete the Eidolon sidequest
Eyes on Me - Play every piano in the game
Melodies of Life - Speak to Hurdy in Alexandria
Suteki da ne - Complete the Blitzball sidequest
Real Emotion - Use Suteki da ne 20 times
Special Skill: Blue Magic
In addition to feats of vocal brilliance, Ferret can learn several monster attacks if they are used while she is present and conscious. Ferret will NOT learn Blue Magic if it is used while she is dead, Blind, Asleep, Petrified, Confused, Stopped, or Frozen.
1000 Needles - Deals 1000 damage to one target
Aero - Small wind damage; selectable
Aera - Medium wind damage; selectable
Aeraga - Large wind damage; selectable
Angel Whisper - Restores all HP and cures status for one target
Bad Breath - Causes multiple negative statuses
Chocobuckle - Deals more damage the more you have run away
Clean Sweep - Medium water damage to all enemies
Death Force - Grants instant-death-immunity to one target
Degenerator - Causes instant death to one target
Evil Eye - Lowers enemy’s parameters
Explode - Sacrifices Ferret to cause damage to all enemies
Frog Song - Causes Toad and Sleep to all enemies
Magic Breath - Large Fire/ Ice/ Thunder damage to all enemies
Magnify - Increases all spell damage and healing by 50%
Mighty Guard - Grants Protect, Shell, and Haste to all enemies
Nova - Large holy damage to all enemies
Stone Breath - Causes Petrify to all enemies
Suppress - Reduces all spell damage and healing by 50%
White Wind - Cures all negative statuses on all allies
Yawn - Puts Ferret to sleep; restores HP to full
Special Status: Rage Gauge
One final, hidden aspect to Ferret is her Rage Gauge: an invisible bar that slowly fills as she takes damage in battle. The more Ferret gets hit, the angrier she becomes, until finally she can't take it anymore and explodes into a murderous rampage, unleashing powerful spells for no MP cost. This is almost certain to end any battle in a matter of moments, but it takes many, many battles to charge up, especially since resting at an inn will empty the gauge to 0 again. Ferret's character portrait will flash red the closer she gets to Rage, allowing you to plan for the activation of the state; save it up for a powerful boss battle and let Ferret go to work.
Attacks used in Rage:
Laser Eye - Ferret's a-firin' her laser. Damages one
Furious Shriek - 100% chance of paralyzing all enemies
Tetanus Wind - Inflicts Poison, Sap, and HP Leak on all enemies
Lunatic Voice - Inflicts damage and Berserk, Confusion, or Doom on one
Lion's Roar - Automatically used when Ferret's HP drops below 1/5
Final Fantasy 19: FF2 Nostalgia: Gatrea
Location: Gatrea
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Ultimecia
Opponents: None
Items: ??
BGM: Final Fantasy II Town Theme
...right smack-dab in the middle of podunk nowhere. Seriously. This place is so small, the weapon shop has actually gone out of business and the item shop has been turned into a grocery store.
Grocery Store:
Apple
Bread
Carrot
Cheese
Eggs
Flour
Milk
Rice
Sugar
Apples, Bread, Carrots, Cheese, and Milk will restore 5 HP if used in battle. Flour, Rice, and Sugar will have no effect. Eggs will give you salmonella, aka Poison you. The real purpose of ingredients such as these is to cook with them, an aspect of the game that will be explained soon. For now, however, you need to advance the story by going to the armor shop.
Why the armor shop? Well, it turns out that said armor shop is being terrorized by a banshee of a ferret with pink fairy wings, who is attempting to bully the poor shopkeeper into giving her various pieces of jewelry for free, claiming that it is his duty as a loyal member of the Ferret Empire. Oookay. Things get even weirder, if you can believe it, when the demented ferret gets an eyeful of Ultimecia's outfit and demands to know where she got all those gemstones from and whether she has paid proper tribute to the Ferret Empire for them. Once the ferret learns that she can get money - which is shiny - and trade it for gemstones - which are shinier - she becomes exceedingly happy and forces her way into your party so that you can show her how it's done. Badger is not entirely sure he is sanguine with this, but the more protectors Ultimecia has, the better, right?
Armor Shop:
Bronze Bangle
Silver Bangles
Fancy Collar
Hairpin
Costume Crown
You can decorate Badger with a Fancy Collar, a Hairpin, or a Costume Crown, but as none of these offer a Defense boost and his Magic Defense is high to begin with, you're probably best off sticking with a Floppy Hat. Ferret's Fancy Collar is useless but pricey, so sell it off and give her Ultimecia's Hairpin instead, as her defenses suck. Ultimecia can make do with the Floppy Hat you found in the Chaos Shrine. Silver Bangles are unanimously good for everybody, so buy three of those and spread the bling. Yay for shiny upgrades!
Leaving the armor shop, Ultimecia decides it's time to take stock of this new location. Ferret, however, is full of helpful information: this is the land of Palamecia, under the sway of Emperor Mateus, who is attempting to take over the world. Ultimecia remembers this from her history texts; apparently, it didn't turn out well for the guy. Ferret is overjoyed to hear this, as her Ferret Empire (which she is...NOT the princess of, no, of course not,) is one of the few bastions of resistance against the evil Palamecian Empire!
This is where Ferret gets her first brilliant idea: maybe Ultimecia's magic is the secret weapon that enables the Ferret Empire to stand up to Mateus. Badger, not too sure he really wants a pushy princess around, brings up a good point: if Ferret is supposed to be in hiding, then he and Ultimecia can go to Castle Ferret on their own while she stays in Gatrea. Ferret is, however, inexorable; with Ultimecia to protect her, surely she'll be fine.
Didn't she sign on with the party to protect Ultimecia, not the other way around?
Oh well...
Party members: Badger, Ferret, Ultimecia
Opponents: None
Items: ??
BGM: Final Fantasy II Town Theme
...right smack-dab in the middle of podunk nowhere. Seriously. This place is so small, the weapon shop has actually gone out of business and the item shop has been turned into a grocery store.
Grocery Store:
Apple
Bread
Carrot
Cheese
Eggs
Flour
Milk
Rice
Sugar
Apples, Bread, Carrots, Cheese, and Milk will restore 5 HP if used in battle. Flour, Rice, and Sugar will have no effect. Eggs will give you salmonella, aka Poison you. The real purpose of ingredients such as these is to cook with them, an aspect of the game that will be explained soon. For now, however, you need to advance the story by going to the armor shop.
Why the armor shop? Well, it turns out that said armor shop is being terrorized by a banshee of a ferret with pink fairy wings, who is attempting to bully the poor shopkeeper into giving her various pieces of jewelry for free, claiming that it is his duty as a loyal member of the Ferret Empire. Oookay. Things get even weirder, if you can believe it, when the demented ferret gets an eyeful of Ultimecia's outfit and demands to know where she got all those gemstones from and whether she has paid proper tribute to the Ferret Empire for them. Once the ferret learns that she can get money - which is shiny - and trade it for gemstones - which are shinier - she becomes exceedingly happy and forces her way into your party so that you can show her how it's done. Badger is not entirely sure he is sanguine with this, but the more protectors Ultimecia has, the better, right?
Armor Shop:
Bronze Bangle
Silver Bangles
Fancy Collar
Hairpin
Costume Crown
You can decorate Badger with a Fancy Collar, a Hairpin, or a Costume Crown, but as none of these offer a Defense boost and his Magic Defense is high to begin with, you're probably best off sticking with a Floppy Hat. Ferret's Fancy Collar is useless but pricey, so sell it off and give her Ultimecia's Hairpin instead, as her defenses suck. Ultimecia can make do with the Floppy Hat you found in the Chaos Shrine. Silver Bangles are unanimously good for everybody, so buy three of those and spread the bling. Yay for shiny upgrades!
Leaving the armor shop, Ultimecia decides it's time to take stock of this new location. Ferret, however, is full of helpful information: this is the land of Palamecia, under the sway of Emperor Mateus, who is attempting to take over the world. Ultimecia remembers this from her history texts; apparently, it didn't turn out well for the guy. Ferret is overjoyed to hear this, as her Ferret Empire (which she is...NOT the princess of, no, of course not,) is one of the few bastions of resistance against the evil Palamecian Empire!
This is where Ferret gets her first brilliant idea: maybe Ultimecia's magic is the secret weapon that enables the Ferret Empire to stand up to Mateus. Badger, not too sure he really wants a pushy princess around, brings up a good point: if Ferret is supposed to be in hiding, then he and Ultimecia can go to Castle Ferret on their own while she stays in Gatrea. Ferret is, however, inexorable; with Ultimecia to protect her, surely she'll be fine.
Didn't she sign on with the party to protect Ultimecia, not the other way around?
Oh well...
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Final Fantasy 19: BOSS: Badger's Solo - Azure Highwind, Mark II
Azure Highwind
Level: 8, HP: 520, MP: 120
Rewards: Phoenix Down (always)
Weakness: Poison
Special: !Jump : Azure becomes temporarily untargetable; Attack x2
Vulnerable to: Mini
Attacks: Attack, !Jump
Sketch: Attack, Attack
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: None
Saturnos
Level: 4, HP: 260, MP: 2
Rewards: Ether (always)
Strong: Thunder, Wind, Resists: Earth
Special: !Bronze Breath : Earth-elemental attack on all; Attack x1
Vulnerable to: Mini
Attacks: Attack, !Bronze Breath, Slow
Sketch: Slow, !Bronze Breath
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: None
BGM: Final Fantasy I Boss Theme A
Badger on his own against two bosses?! Now you see why the surly stripe-dog needed a full suit of armor before entering the Chaos Shrine! Don't worry, through, as Badger possesses all the tools he needs to emerge victorious from this battle.
Azure and Saturnos haven't changed much from their first encounter with the wacky white mage, which could spell trouble for Badger if you're not careful. Azure follows his old pattern of Attack, Attack, !Jump, repeat. Saturnos has a higher chance of using Slow than his physical attack this time, but still doesn't have enough MP to follow through on that threat (which is good, as Slow could seriously screw you over in this battle).
Badger has two ways to gain the upper hand over these two. Start the battle by Sketching Saturnos, which a 75% chance of producing the Slow spell. Unlike Saturnos, Badger's Sketch doesn't need MP and will therefore actually work. Azure and Saturnos are none too quick to begin with, and slapping Slow on them will cut the number of attacks you'll receive during this battle almost in half.
Advantage Number Two is only available to Badger if you've reached level 5, but it makes this fight laughably easy. Both Azure Highwind and Saturnos are vulnerable to Mini. And what do you know? Badger conveniently learns the spell Compression on level 5, which just happens to - can anyone guess? - cause the
Mini status effect. Mini drastically lowers the affected target's Strength and Defense, making this less of a battle and more of a Badgerzilla rampage.
If you've got Compression, cast it on Azure until it sticks and then Sketch or Compress Saturnos at your leisure. The Sorceress Hunter and his dragon will only get turns every other century or so, and when they do attack, they'll barely scratch you. Smash them with a hammer and proceed with the story.
If you're on level 3 or 4, this fight is still winnable, but you'll have to be careful to heal yourself every second or third turn your enemies take. You'll need Slow to hit both enemies quite quickly and you'll need to pray that Azure doesn't Jump too many times before you can off Saturnos. Badger's normal physical attack should deal 50 - 60 damage to Saturnos, so at worst, it'll take six hits to finish him off; play defensively until Azure is alone, at which point he stops Jumping and becomes much easier to take down. Slow is the key to winning this fight without Compression; if Azure and Saturnos are slowed, Badger can easily fit three or four physical attacks in between their strikes, quickly giving him the upper hand.
Congratulations! You've protected Ultimecia from becoming Sorceress Hunter shish-kebob long enough for her to initiate time travel (no punching the timestream jokes, please). Enjoy the psychedelic, Disney-worthy images while you travel, until you land right smack-dab in...
Level: 8, HP: 520, MP: 120
Rewards: Phoenix Down (always)
Weakness: Poison
Special: !Jump : Azure becomes temporarily untargetable; Attack x2
Vulnerable to: Mini
Attacks: Attack, !Jump
Sketch: Attack, Attack
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: None
Saturnos
Level: 4, HP: 260, MP: 2
Rewards: Ether (always)
Strong: Thunder, Wind, Resists: Earth
Special: !Bronze Breath : Earth-elemental attack on all; Attack x1
Vulnerable to: Mini
Attacks: Attack, !Bronze Breath, Slow
Sketch: Slow, !Bronze Breath
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: None
BGM: Final Fantasy I Boss Theme A
Badger on his own against two bosses?! Now you see why the surly stripe-dog needed a full suit of armor before entering the Chaos Shrine! Don't worry, through, as Badger possesses all the tools he needs to emerge victorious from this battle.
Azure and Saturnos haven't changed much from their first encounter with the wacky white mage, which could spell trouble for Badger if you're not careful. Azure follows his old pattern of Attack, Attack, !Jump, repeat. Saturnos has a higher chance of using Slow than his physical attack this time, but still doesn't have enough MP to follow through on that threat (which is good, as Slow could seriously screw you over in this battle).
Badger has two ways to gain the upper hand over these two. Start the battle by Sketching Saturnos, which a 75% chance of producing the Slow spell. Unlike Saturnos, Badger's Sketch doesn't need MP and will therefore actually work. Azure and Saturnos are none too quick to begin with, and slapping Slow on them will cut the number of attacks you'll receive during this battle almost in half.
Advantage Number Two is only available to Badger if you've reached level 5, but it makes this fight laughably easy. Both Azure Highwind and Saturnos are vulnerable to Mini. And what do you know? Badger conveniently learns the spell Compression on level 5, which just happens to - can anyone guess? - cause the
Mini status effect. Mini drastically lowers the affected target's Strength and Defense, making this less of a battle and more of a Badgerzilla rampage.
If you've got Compression, cast it on Azure until it sticks and then Sketch or Compress Saturnos at your leisure. The Sorceress Hunter and his dragon will only get turns every other century or so, and when they do attack, they'll barely scratch you. Smash them with a hammer and proceed with the story.
If you're on level 3 or 4, this fight is still winnable, but you'll have to be careful to heal yourself every second or third turn your enemies take. You'll need Slow to hit both enemies quite quickly and you'll need to pray that Azure doesn't Jump too many times before you can off Saturnos. Badger's normal physical attack should deal 50 - 60 damage to Saturnos, so at worst, it'll take six hits to finish him off; play defensively until Azure is alone, at which point he stops Jumping and becomes much easier to take down. Slow is the key to winning this fight without Compression; if Azure and Saturnos are slowed, Badger can easily fit three or four physical attacks in between their strikes, quickly giving him the upper hand.
Congratulations! You've protected Ultimecia from becoming Sorceress Hunter shish-kebob long enough for her to initiate time travel (no punching the timestream jokes, please). Enjoy the psychedelic, Disney-worthy images while you travel, until you land right smack-dab in...
Final Fantasy 19: Timely Hijinks at the Chaos Shrine
Location: Chaos Shrine
Party members: Badger, Ultimecia
Opponents: Goblin, Wolf, Warg Wolf, Skeleton, Ghoul, Gigas Worm
Items: Tent, Potion, Floppy Hat
BGM: Final Fantasy I Chaos Temple
"When the world was young, the primal deities sealed Jaed the Netherlord deep beneath the earth. Its decrepit chambers tainted by a foul and unholy air, the Shrine of Chaos is said to mark the site of his prison."
- Final Fantasy Tactics
Ah, the Chaos Shrine. Ruined pillars, chunks of masonry, creeping vines, and a surprisingly large amount of monsters.
Preparation: You really, really want Badger to have a full set of armor before entering here. Badger will have to spend all of his time healing himself if this is not the case.
Monster formations:
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Wolf
Wolf, Wolf, Wolf
Wolf, Wolf, Warg Wolf
Skeleton, Skeleton, Skeleton
Skeleton, Skeleton, Ghoul
Skeleton, Skeleton, Gigas Worm
Goblins and Wolves are nothing new to you, but the other enemies present have taken a step up in battle tactics. The most dangerous enemy around is the Ghoul, which can cause Paralysis with its physical attack. If it paralyzes both Badger and Ultimecia, its attendant Skeletons can easily take you apart before you can
regain motor functions.
Fortunately, the undead have this unfortunate weakness you are probably already aware of: they take damage from healing spells. And what do you know? Your party is full of healing spells. A cast of Cure will put a Ghoul on its last legs; one Curaja and any undead is done for. Kill them with love and reap the experience-rich benefits.
Anyway, Ghouls paralyze and Skeletons have high Attack power, but both are vulnerable to Cure spells, which neutralizes them as effectively as milk in lemon juice (eww). Goblins and Wolves aren't much of a threat either, as you've just spent all your time on the outside world slaughtering them in various ways. Warg Wolves are hardier than Wolves, but not much stronger; their first two turns will be physical attacks, while their third turn will be used to "Call for Help" and summon another normal Wolf to the battle. Of course, Thundaja will one-shot them, so this is hardly a problem.
An enemy worth paying attention to is the Gigas Worm. Not because it's ugly (although it is) or because it's powerful (because it isn't): no, the Gigas Worm is a blessing because Drawing from it will teach Ultimecia Firaja, which, pathetically enough, the Gigas Worm himself is weak to. It is well worth your time to wander the halls of the Chaos Shrine and fight enemies until you find a Gigas Worm to draw Firaja from.
Collect the treasure scattered around the edges of the Shrine (there's a Floppy Hat in a chest, in case you didn't follow my advice and buy one for Badger in Cornelia) and then enter the center chamber. Ultimecia begins to gather power in preparation for timestream-entering, but damn the luck - Azure Highwind shows up again, intent on having Ultimecia's head on his pike. Ultimecia is locked in spellcasting; it is up to Badger to defend her.
Party members: Badger, Ultimecia
Opponents: Goblin, Wolf, Warg Wolf, Skeleton, Ghoul, Gigas Worm
Items: Tent, Potion, Floppy Hat
BGM: Final Fantasy I Chaos Temple
"When the world was young, the primal deities sealed Jaed the Netherlord deep beneath the earth. Its decrepit chambers tainted by a foul and unholy air, the Shrine of Chaos is said to mark the site of his prison."
- Final Fantasy Tactics
Ah, the Chaos Shrine. Ruined pillars, chunks of masonry, creeping vines, and a surprisingly large amount of monsters.
Preparation: You really, really want Badger to have a full set of armor before entering here. Badger will have to spend all of his time healing himself if this is not the case.
Monster formations:
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Wolf
Wolf, Wolf, Wolf
Wolf, Wolf, Warg Wolf
Skeleton, Skeleton, Skeleton
Skeleton, Skeleton, Ghoul
Skeleton, Skeleton, Gigas Worm
Goblins and Wolves are nothing new to you, but the other enemies present have taken a step up in battle tactics. The most dangerous enemy around is the Ghoul, which can cause Paralysis with its physical attack. If it paralyzes both Badger and Ultimecia, its attendant Skeletons can easily take you apart before you can
regain motor functions.
Fortunately, the undead have this unfortunate weakness you are probably already aware of: they take damage from healing spells. And what do you know? Your party is full of healing spells. A cast of Cure will put a Ghoul on its last legs; one Curaja and any undead is done for. Kill them with love and reap the experience-rich benefits.
Anyway, Ghouls paralyze and Skeletons have high Attack power, but both are vulnerable to Cure spells, which neutralizes them as effectively as milk in lemon juice (eww). Goblins and Wolves aren't much of a threat either, as you've just spent all your time on the outside world slaughtering them in various ways. Warg Wolves are hardier than Wolves, but not much stronger; their first two turns will be physical attacks, while their third turn will be used to "Call for Help" and summon another normal Wolf to the battle. Of course, Thundaja will one-shot them, so this is hardly a problem.
An enemy worth paying attention to is the Gigas Worm. Not because it's ugly (although it is) or because it's powerful (because it isn't): no, the Gigas Worm is a blessing because Drawing from it will teach Ultimecia Firaja, which, pathetically enough, the Gigas Worm himself is weak to. It is well worth your time to wander the halls of the Chaos Shrine and fight enemies until you find a Gigas Worm to draw Firaja from.
Collect the treasure scattered around the edges of the Shrine (there's a Floppy Hat in a chest, in case you didn't follow my advice and buy one for Badger in Cornelia) and then enter the center chamber. Ultimecia begins to gather power in preparation for timestream-entering, but damn the luck - Azure Highwind shows up again, intent on having Ultimecia's head on his pike. Ultimecia is locked in spellcasting; it is up to Badger to defend her.
Final Fantasy 19: FF1 Nostalgia: Cornelia
Location: Cornelia
Party members: Badger, Ultimecia
Opponents: None
Items: ??
BGM: Final Fantasy I Town Theme
It's your first town! And FFI veterans should recognize it in a heartbeat: it's Cornelia, that lovely city, that paradigm of civilization, that...well, it's actually pretty boring, but it does have shops, and that's a plus at least.
Item Shop:
Potion, 50
Ether, 1500
Antidote, 50
Gold Needle, 200
Echo Screen, 120
Phoenix Down, 500
Sleeping Bag, 500
Tent, 1200
Stock up on a few Potions and Antidotes. In this early stage of the game, you may want to conserve Ultimecia's MP for Thundaja, so stocking MP-free healing isn't a bad idea, even though she has Curaja. You'll have ample use for Antidotes once you start encountering Hornets, so stock up now while you can.
Weapon Shop:
Nunchuck
Knife
Staff
Rapier
Hammer
Amusingly, Cornelia sells exactly the same weapons as it does in FFI, although no character you ever recruit will use the Nunchuck, Knife, or Rapier, and the only character that can use the Staff comes equipped with a weapon that is many times better. Naturally, Badger has a Hammer already, so unless you're one of those completionists who just has to have every item no matter how useless, you can skip going to this weapon shop altogether.
Armor Shop:
Bronze Bangle
Power Armlet
Floppy Hat
Cotton Robe
Aha, finally, a good place to spend your money. Both characters can upgrade to Power Armlets here, and Badger would be well-advised to trade in his Collar for a Floppy Hat. Not only does it offer more protection, the images associated with it are hilarious. You afore-mentioned completionists, however, should beware: there is only one plain Collar in the entire game, and Badger comes equipped with it! You won't need it for anything throughout the game (ever,) but if you plan to finish the game with a full item list, hold onto that Collar.
Although Badger expects to head to the castle in proper RPG fashion, Ultimecia points out that that's pretty stupid when she's trying to avoid attention. This is merely a rest stop on the way to the real destination: the Chaos Shrine to the north, which Ultimecia can use to jump back into the timestream.
That's right. No castle-visiting for you. If you try to go in, the guards demand Light Warrior identification, and when Badger can't produce any, he gets rudely escorted off the drawbridge. Stupid guards.
Once you're done fooling around, leave Cornelia and head further north to the hulking, foreboding shadow of the Chaos Shrine.
Party members: Badger, Ultimecia
Opponents: None
Items: ??
BGM: Final Fantasy I Town Theme
It's your first town! And FFI veterans should recognize it in a heartbeat: it's Cornelia, that lovely city, that paradigm of civilization, that...well, it's actually pretty boring, but it does have shops, and that's a plus at least.
Item Shop:
Potion, 50
Ether, 1500
Antidote, 50
Gold Needle, 200
Echo Screen, 120
Phoenix Down, 500
Sleeping Bag, 500
Tent, 1200
Stock up on a few Potions and Antidotes. In this early stage of the game, you may want to conserve Ultimecia's MP for Thundaja, so stocking MP-free healing isn't a bad idea, even though she has Curaja. You'll have ample use for Antidotes once you start encountering Hornets, so stock up now while you can.
Weapon Shop:
Nunchuck
Knife
Staff
Rapier
Hammer
Amusingly, Cornelia sells exactly the same weapons as it does in FFI, although no character you ever recruit will use the Nunchuck, Knife, or Rapier, and the only character that can use the Staff comes equipped with a weapon that is many times better. Naturally, Badger has a Hammer already, so unless you're one of those completionists who just has to have every item no matter how useless, you can skip going to this weapon shop altogether.
Armor Shop:
Bronze Bangle
Power Armlet
Floppy Hat
Cotton Robe
Aha, finally, a good place to spend your money. Both characters can upgrade to Power Armlets here, and Badger would be well-advised to trade in his Collar for a Floppy Hat. Not only does it offer more protection, the images associated with it are hilarious. You afore-mentioned completionists, however, should beware: there is only one plain Collar in the entire game, and Badger comes equipped with it! You won't need it for anything throughout the game (ever,) but if you plan to finish the game with a full item list, hold onto that Collar.
Although Badger expects to head to the castle in proper RPG fashion, Ultimecia points out that that's pretty stupid when she's trying to avoid attention. This is merely a rest stop on the way to the real destination: the Chaos Shrine to the north, which Ultimecia can use to jump back into the timestream.
That's right. No castle-visiting for you. If you try to go in, the guards demand Light Warrior identification, and when Badger can't produce any, he gets rudely escorted off the drawbridge. Stupid guards.
Once you're done fooling around, leave Cornelia and head further north to the hulking, foreboding shadow of the Chaos Shrine.
Final Fantasy 19: Traveling to Cornelia
Location: World Map. Between the White Abbey and Cornelia
Party members: Badger, Ultimecia
Opponents: Crazy Horse, Goblin, Wolf
BGM: Final Fantasy I Main Theme
Ah, the world map! (Well, one of them, at least.) Smell that fresh air. See that lushly waving grass. Watch the hell out for that rampaging pony.
Preparation: None, for now.
Monster formations:
(Grasslands)
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin
Wolf, Wolf
Wolf, Wolf, Wolf
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse, Crazy Horse
(Forest)
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin
Wolf, Wolf
Wolf, Wolf, Wolf
You won't find anything more interesting than physical attacks coming your way from these enemies, so retaliate in kind. On the off chance either Badger or Ultimecia take heavy damage somehow, you can: use Badger's Cure spell; cast Ultimecia's Curaja spell; use Draw to steal HP (Ultimecia only, of course); or run back to the White Abbey for healing. With so many options for recovery around, you shouldn't have any problems reaching Cornelia in one piece.
It is, however, of interest to note that many enemies in this game will drop accessories for your equipping pleasure. Even here, with these most basic of enemies, you can garner a few early accessories if you really take the time to fight for them. Crazy Horses have a small chance of dropping the Horse Rock, which raises
the lucky equipee's Strength and Speed. Goblins have a MINISCULE chance of dropping the Goblin Eidolon, which is next to useless at the moment but can come in handy much, much later in the game. Frankly, farming for these accessories isn't worth your time at the moment; you'll find a Horse Rock in a dungeon before too long, and the Goblin Eidolon isn't worth getting until you have Imp equipment.
Simply head north to find Cornelia.
Party members: Badger, Ultimecia
Opponents: Crazy Horse, Goblin, Wolf
BGM: Final Fantasy I Main Theme
Ah, the world map! (Well, one of them, at least.) Smell that fresh air. See that lushly waving grass. Watch the hell out for that rampaging pony.
Preparation: None, for now.
Monster formations:
(Grasslands)
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin
Wolf, Wolf
Wolf, Wolf, Wolf
Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse, Crazy Horse
(Forest)
Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin
Wolf, Wolf
Wolf, Wolf, Wolf
You won't find anything more interesting than physical attacks coming your way from these enemies, so retaliate in kind. On the off chance either Badger or Ultimecia take heavy damage somehow, you can: use Badger's Cure spell; cast Ultimecia's Curaja spell; use Draw to steal HP (Ultimecia only, of course); or run back to the White Abbey for healing. With so many options for recovery around, you shouldn't have any problems reaching Cornelia in one piece.
It is, however, of interest to note that many enemies in this game will drop accessories for your equipping pleasure. Even here, with these most basic of enemies, you can garner a few early accessories if you really take the time to fight for them. Crazy Horses have a small chance of dropping the Horse Rock, which raises
the lucky equipee's Strength and Speed. Goblins have a MINISCULE chance of dropping the Goblin Eidolon, which is next to useless at the moment but can come in handy much, much later in the game. Frankly, farming for these accessories isn't worth your time at the moment; you'll find a Horse Rock in a dungeon before too long, and the Goblin Eidolon isn't worth getting until you have Imp equipment.
Simply head north to find Cornelia.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Final Fantasy 19: Prelude: Leaving the Abbey
Location: White Abbey
Party members: Badger, Ultimecia
Opponents: None
Items: Elixir, Elixir, Megalixir
BGM: Final Fantasy I Town Theme
As most of you probably already know, Ultimecia is a powerful Sorceress from the distant future who is attempting to compress all of time and space so that she may recreate the world for the purpose of eliminating anti-Sorceress prejudice. Oddly enough, the goal of destroying assassins, the space/time continuum, and Final Fantasy X-2 appeals to Badger greatly, and he eagerly pledges his assistance to the Sorceress. Ultimecia is dubious at first, but impressed by his fighting skills and somewhat flattered by his persistence, she finally grants him a portion of her Sorceress Power and declares him her Sorceress Knight.
The fighting and magical pyrotechnics has drawn the attention of the other White Mages of the Abbey, of course, and - being much less violent than Badger - they have gone to fetch the Mother Superior: Abbess White Mage. (Yes, she's a White Mage named White Mage. Got a problem with that?) Abbess White Mage is quite distressed at the destruction wrought in the flower gardens, but when Ultimecia explains the state of the future to her, she is outright appalled. Badger's bend for violence is repugnant to White Mage, but Ultimecia's cause is just, which causes White Mage to suffer a long internal monologue that ends with her kicking Badger in the shin. (8-Bit Theater readers may enjoy this more than others.)
Inner conflict resolved through precision violence, White Mage endorses Badger's temporary departure from the White Abbey for the purpose of saving the world. Cool.
Preparation: Eh, nothing needs to be changed for now. To recap, Badger should be level 2 and possess only the Cure spell. Ultimecia should be level 5 and possess Curaja, Thundaja, and Slowga.
You now have free rein to explore the White Abbey before leaving to embark on your adventure of equality and salvation (read: lots of blowing crap up). Keep in mind that you may always return to the White Abbey and talk to any of the White Mage acolytes to receive free healing. Also be sure to check every clock in the Abbey, as each and every one contains an Elixir. For that matter, be sure to check every clock you encounter throughout the entire game, as every clock you ever see (for obscure reasons probably only clear to FFVI fans) will have an Elixir secreted inside. In fact, check the bell tower to cue a short scene involving precisely this phenomenon that results in you obtaining an extremely valuable Megalixir.
Leave the White Abbey and you will find yourself on the world map. Destination: Cornelia.
Party members: Badger, Ultimecia
Opponents: None
Items: Elixir, Elixir, Megalixir
BGM: Final Fantasy I Town Theme
As most of you probably already know, Ultimecia is a powerful Sorceress from the distant future who is attempting to compress all of time and space so that she may recreate the world for the purpose of eliminating anti-Sorceress prejudice. Oddly enough, the goal of destroying assassins, the space/time continuum, and Final Fantasy X-2 appeals to Badger greatly, and he eagerly pledges his assistance to the Sorceress. Ultimecia is dubious at first, but impressed by his fighting skills and somewhat flattered by his persistence, she finally grants him a portion of her Sorceress Power and declares him her Sorceress Knight.
The fighting and magical pyrotechnics has drawn the attention of the other White Mages of the Abbey, of course, and - being much less violent than Badger - they have gone to fetch the Mother Superior: Abbess White Mage. (Yes, she's a White Mage named White Mage. Got a problem with that?) Abbess White Mage is quite distressed at the destruction wrought in the flower gardens, but when Ultimecia explains the state of the future to her, she is outright appalled. Badger's bend for violence is repugnant to White Mage, but Ultimecia's cause is just, which causes White Mage to suffer a long internal monologue that ends with her kicking Badger in the shin. (8-Bit Theater readers may enjoy this more than others.)
Inner conflict resolved through precision violence, White Mage endorses Badger's temporary departure from the White Abbey for the purpose of saving the world. Cool.
Preparation: Eh, nothing needs to be changed for now. To recap, Badger should be level 2 and possess only the Cure spell. Ultimecia should be level 5 and possess Curaja, Thundaja, and Slowga.
You now have free rein to explore the White Abbey before leaving to embark on your adventure of equality and salvation (read: lots of blowing crap up). Keep in mind that you may always return to the White Abbey and talk to any of the White Mage acolytes to receive free healing. Also be sure to check every clock in the Abbey, as each and every one contains an Elixir. For that matter, be sure to check every clock you encounter throughout the entire game, as every clock you ever see (for obscure reasons probably only clear to FFVI fans) will have an Elixir secreted inside. In fact, check the bell tower to cue a short scene involving precisely this phenomenon that results in you obtaining an extremely valuable Megalixir.
Leave the White Abbey and you will find yourself on the world map. Destination: Cornelia.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Final Fantasy 19: BOSS: Azure Highwind, Mark I
Azure Highwind
Level: 8, HP: 520, MP: 120
Rewards: Hi-Potion (always)
Weakness: Poison
Special: !Jump : Azure becomes temporarily untargetable; Attack x2
Vulnerable to: Nothing
Attacks: Attack, !Jump
Sketch: Attack, Attack
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: Thundaja
Saturnos
Level: 4, HP: 260, MP: 2
Rewards: Ether (always)
Strong: Thunder, Wind, Resists: Earth
Special: !Bronze Breath : Earth-elemental attack on all; Attack x1
Vulnerable to: Nothing
Attacks: Attack, !Bronze Breath, Slow
Sketch: Slow, !Bronze Breath
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: Slowga
BGM: Final Fantasy I Boss Theme A
This battle is quite simple. Badger has a hammer, Ultimecia has a giant axe. Badger has Cure, Ultimecia has Curaja. At the start of the fight, Ultimecia realizes that she should use her Draw skill on Azure, and if you do so, she will have Thundaja as well. Ultimecia only has enough MP to cast Thundaja twice, but one cast should be enough to put both Azure and Saturnos on their last legs.
Assuming you don't Draw Thundaja for some reason, or decide not to cast it, you might actually see the hunting pair's attacks. Azure attacks physically and has a chance of using !Jump every third turn as long as Saturnos is still alive. Saturnos' !Bronze Breath hits both Badger and Ultimecia, but for pitiful damage; on turns where he doesn't use it, he'll physically attack, which is nothing to worry about, or try to cast Slow, which he doesn't have enough MP for.
This battle is an introduction to the battle system and nothing more. Badger can either Attack or Sketch, it makes little difference. After Ultimecia has unleashed Thundaja against the duo, it's all over but the shouting.
Level: 8, HP: 520, MP: 120
Rewards: Hi-Potion (always)
Weakness: Poison
Special: !Jump : Azure becomes temporarily untargetable; Attack x2
Vulnerable to: Nothing
Attacks: Attack, !Jump
Sketch: Attack, Attack
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: Thundaja
Saturnos
Level: 4, HP: 260, MP: 2
Rewards: Ether (always)
Strong: Thunder, Wind, Resists: Earth
Special: !Bronze Breath : Earth-elemental attack on all; Attack x1
Vulnerable to: Nothing
Attacks: Attack, !Bronze Breath, Slow
Sketch: Slow, !Bronze Breath
Blue Magic: None
Draw Spell: Slowga
BGM: Final Fantasy I Boss Theme A
This battle is quite simple. Badger has a hammer, Ultimecia has a giant axe. Badger has Cure, Ultimecia has Curaja. At the start of the fight, Ultimecia realizes that she should use her Draw skill on Azure, and if you do so, she will have Thundaja as well. Ultimecia only has enough MP to cast Thundaja twice, but one cast should be enough to put both Azure and Saturnos on their last legs.
Assuming you don't Draw Thundaja for some reason, or decide not to cast it, you might actually see the hunting pair's attacks. Azure attacks physically and has a chance of using !Jump every third turn as long as Saturnos is still alive. Saturnos' !Bronze Breath hits both Badger and Ultimecia, but for pitiful damage; on turns where he doesn't use it, he'll physically attack, which is nothing to worry about, or try to cast Slow, which he doesn't have enough MP for.
This battle is an introduction to the battle system and nothing more. Badger can either Attack or Sketch, it makes little difference. After Ultimecia has unleashed Thundaja against the duo, it's all over but the shouting.
Final Fantasy 19: CHARACTER: Ultimecia
"Most powerful Sorceress ever to live, she strives to save the world. Unfortunately, that involves destroying it."
Strength 26
Speed 34
Stamina 22
Magic 44
Attack 11
Defense 35
Evasion 13 %
Magic Defense 30
Magic Evasion 9 %
Class: Sorceress
Equipment: Throwing Weapons
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Rising Sun
L-Hand Bronze Bangle
Head Hairpin
Body Cotton Robe
Age: None of your business
Birthdate: September 9
Blood Type: AB
Hometown: Neo-Centra
Treasure: Her arcane tattoos
Likes: Perfumes and incense
Dislikes: Prejudice and bigotry
Often paints landscapes.
Ending Credits Theme: Defying Gravity
Ultimecia is the last Sorceress alive. Having suffered from discrimination and terrible prejudice ever since inheriting the Sorceress Power, Ultimecia plans to compress all of time and space together into a single point. By using her Sorceress Power to make herself the focus of that point, Ultimecia can absorb and recreate the universe as we know it, eliminating pain, prejudice, and, hopefully, Final Fantasy X-2. However, pulling Time Compression off won't be easy. Ultimecia must "take hold" of time from two different eras using the Junction Machine Ellone in order to succeed, and time-traveling Sorceress Hunters are following her every move. On top of that, the god Chaos just kind of decides to summon Ultimecia to a Final Fantasy free-for-all, pitting her against heroes and villains from all over the place for no apparent reason. What's a poor time-stopping Sorceress to do? Why, place her faith (and a small portion of her Sorceress Power) into a bloodthirsty badger, of course.
- Ultimecia enjoys artistic pursuits, such as painting, sewing, and jewelry-making.
- Ultimecia's tattoos are in memoriam; one for each Sorceress killed in the Great Cleansing after Rinoa Heartilly's death.
- Ultimecia does NOT have an accent. That's Phoenix's fault.
Desperation Attack: Time Stop
Ultimecia stops a moment in time, freezing all of her enemies in place. As long as Time Stop is active, neither Ultimecia nor any enemies can take any action. Time Stop lasts for eight actions taken by your party.
Special Skill: Draw
Unlike Badger and Shiba, who learn their White and Black Magic by gaining levels, Ultimecia must use her Draw skill to steal spells from her opponents. Ultimecia's Draw ability absorbs a small amount of HP and MP from its target, but in addition to this, if that target's soul possesses a power that Ultimecia does not yet know, then she seizes it for her own and may cast it ever after. For example, using Draw on a Pollensalta will teach Ultimecia the Arise spell.
Note that Ultimecia will NEVER be able to Draw a spell from an undead enemy, as the absorption effect of the Drawing will be reversed. If you Draw from an undead enemy, all that will happen is Ultimecia will lose some HP and MP.
Special Skill: Sorceress Magic
Firaja, Immense fire damage on all
Blizzaja, Immense ice damage on all
Thundaja, Immense thunder damage on all
Waterja, Immense water damage on all
Aeroja, Immense wind damage on all
Quakeja, Immense earth damage on all
Darkja, Immense dark damage on all
Apocalypse, Immense non-elemental damage on all
Curaja, Restores all allies to full HP
Dispel, Removes all positive statuses from one
Dispelga, Removes all positive statuses from all
Arise, Revives fallen ally to full HP
Holy, Large holy damage to one
Bioga, Large damage; causes Poison, Petrify/ Confuse/ Death
Blindga, Inflicts Blind on all
Sleepga, Inflicts Sleep on all
Silencega, Inflicts Silence on all
Confuga, Inflicts Confuse on all
Toadga, Inflicts Imp on all
Vanishga, Grants Vanish to all
Floatga, Grants Float to all
Protectga, Grants Protect to all
Shellga, Grants Shell to all
Hastega, Grants Haste to all
Slowga, Inflicts Slow on all
Stop, Inflicts Stop
Reflect, Grants Reflect
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