Part 8: Episode 14 - 16 coverage

Welcome back, here's what was missed.


First time off the boat in Thamasa, these guys. There are actually 2 different bulldog formations, the ones that showed up in the Imperial continent, and these guys. They're slightly purpler, and are worth about twice as much experience. The whole island is full of low exp. encounters, which will help me micromanage everyone's levels when I begin the grind towards Doom Gaze. The difference between the two bulldogs are significant for that case.


I buy a pearl rod, intending to use it against Doom Gaze, but didn't need it.


Another aborted scheme for Doom Gaze, Head Bands (not to be confused with Hair Bands) halve air damage, but none of the characters I intend to use can equip them. The ice weakness would also be a liability.


Here's Chichi in her best setup (Gladius, and her normal armor kit, earrings and running shoes)


And this is Iggy, sporting the Genji Gloves letting him equip two Enhancers. This is gonna hurt.


That's not what I meant, but this does hurt. The situation is virtually unwinnable, since I don't have an item command I can't recharge her low MP pool, and or replace her pearl elemental attack to something else. Flame Eater resists pearl.


Though victory is unlikely, I continue on to see what the Grenade becomes. This scorpion launches Tek Lasers, but his MP pool is terrible and can only manage a couple before it can't do anything. Flame Eater can die at MP reaches zero. Unfortunately he is left with something less than 4mp, too less to cast anything that would lead to his self inflicted death. Reset back to... Maranda after Vector!? Shit.


Strangely enough, you can run from these guys, surprising for being fights on contact.


Comparison with the other dogs.


These guys are weak, they die nearly immediately. Worth a decent chunk of exp though.


This is Chichi's GrandTrain. Note that I'm queuing up some Tinctures, Chichi runs through MP fast.


And here's Iggy, nearly 50% more damage than Chichi


Here's Gendo's Tincture going off, with Iggy's turn coming up, I think you can see where this is going.


Free booze.


And one more for good measure.



Strangely enough, while Liquidy had Leo spawn in the back row, my run he went in the front row.


Guardians are still sporting plot-armor.


And hit hard.


Strangely enough, I can equip Leo with Espers, this may be "useful" in another seed if he has lousy equipment or the !Magic command to launch an Esper, but here with R-Elem it's a curiosity.


Front row Leo tears through Kefka fast. Maybe not Offering fast, but still quick enough.


My dream team against Doom Gaze. My reckless dash has kept most of the party at 24, Winry is 23. Unfortunately, Iggy, Gendo and Chichi have to gain 2 levels to keep Shanon safe from instant death.


Liquidy was lucky when he fought Phaux Phunbaba, this little babby is in the forest too.


Atomic Rays wipes everyone else. I really should reconsider my love of magic boosting uber-bling.


Go away Doom Gaze, I'm not ready to play yet.


Back to Thamasa, these guys have low health, but can hit hard with Sand Storm. The Rats can call for reinforcements like the ones in the Opera House would do. Strangely enough they'll do that even if the formation is full, meaning a wasted action.


Another random face.


Finally, we are ready. Before we start, a little curiosity.


The game cannot comprehend the nature of Doom Gaze existing here. The screen fades to black for about twice as long as normal. Alright, let's get this pain train started. Shanon, he's weak to Pearl, Shinku Hadoken his face off.


Great, just great. He's got high magic defense. And I already queued up Iggy to mimic this. Doom Gaze randomly counters attacks for around 800 to 1200 HP of damage.


Iggy's a little bit stronger than Shanon. Then again she'd be slightly stronger if I had a second Genji Glove and a fourth Enhancer.


GrandTrain pierces defense. New plan.


The Force Shield is vital for this plan (Alternatively Big Guard, but that would cut into the offensive). As long as I don't get frisky and Chichi eats a counter victory is inevitable _{assuming he keeps his HP after fleeing}




This was a nice prize.


And here's Iggy upstaging Chichi.


I can't believe I'm still using Runic. Ice 3 would kill anyone but Chichi in one hit, so Gendo locking down damage for another round lets Chichi and Iggy about 1/8 of his health every battle.


No one has scan, so at the moment I have no idea if this is actually working. Gendo is closest to learning it, so he'll finish it off.


It works. But the price of knowledge is Shanon geting Ice 3'd to death.

Finally though, I wear him down. Victory is mine. Now to find out how the scripting breaks.

Cute game, real cute. Since it rarely comes up, reraised enemies apparently keep their place in their combat script, he immediately casts Ice 3, but Gendo Runics it.


Now he gets the boss death animation. So do I end up on the Falcon? The Black Jack? Do I end up breaking the game so hard that I miss out on Phoenix, Starlet and Fenrir?


No. Do I at least get Bahamut?



Nope. Oh well, it was only 2 levels. My one regret is that I probably should just pump Iggy full of magic bonuses rather than speed.