Part 71: Craggy Exterior

Update 57: Craggy Exterior



Aw YEAH! I may be a hero (by association), but I still haven't been at this fer a while! C'mon, let's go see what the bird man was talkin' about.
I see someone keeps up with the latest happenings in our exploration.
You think we'll get to fight a monster today? I could go for some dessert.
Maybe, maybe not. You never know with the Labyrinth.
I trust I can get back to my break after this?

Golem is going to have a bad time against this party.




I bought Tyler and Rheine their ultimate weapons. For Tyler's skill build, I'm still just getting basically-random passives on him.



I also have the Attack Item Up food on, for maximum Stardust damage.




Incidentally, I love how the Forbidden Wood looks at night.



In the original EO2, due to limitations of the DS and the engine, the Forbidden Wood at night just looked like it had a slight black filter tossed on it.


Ye gods. I feel like I could just reach out n' grab a star.

In EO2U, the skybox changes to a sky full of stars, and the fog changes to this really pleasant dark blue.


SYSTEM: You feel as though you are being watched by someone... A sword is on the far side of the room. Its blade pierces the ground, and a strange magical circle has been formed around it... As you gaze upon the sword, the chief of the winged ones appears with the Foul Grail.


SYSTEM: With these words, Canaan looks around and lifts the Foul Grail.
The guidance of the Star says that the End-Bringer awaits in the depths of the Forbidden Wood. Our god's last instructions were to open the forbidden door and put an end to this land.
Wait, yeh're gonna do WHAT?!
Sir Canaan, if you intend to summon this End-Bringer, we will not hesitate to strike you down...
But do not misunderstand me... We do not wish everything to end, as our god had commanded. If there is such a threat beyond this place... I thought that we who know of its existence must rid the wood of it, for our people's future. Our teachings are law, and we have followed these precepts since ancient times... But in the absence of our god, might we seize this chance to change? I would say yes.
Good choice.
Even with such a fearsome threat... I know that Lumen can...
SYSTEM: Canaan trails off and stares at you intently. After a long silence, he speaks curtly:
The time has come to open the Forbidden Door!
SYSTEM: Canaan lifts the Foul Grail and chants in an avian language you are unable to comprehend. His voice gradually increases in volume until the ground and the air seem to tremble...


It is done. The Forbidden Door has been opened. All you must do now is pull out the sword, and the way forward will be clear.
Thanks for your help!
SYSTEM: His expression grows pained, and he continues in a hushed tone.
But be careful... Even I know not what lies beyond!
SYSTEM: The chief blesses your journey before leaving the area. You may examine the sword in front of you, or return to it once you are better prepared.
Everyone we talk to seems to have this weird tendency to end conversations with us by saying something ominous...
Eh, whatever. C'mon, that sword looks pretty invitin'.


SYSTEM: It is driven deep into the ground, piercing the magical circle.
C'mon, Tyler, pull it!
Gimme a sec... Gah!
SYSTEM: You take hold of the sword's hilt, and the blade pulls freely from the earth. Immediately afterward, the magic circle lets out a shockwave, causing you to drop the sword!



Something tells me there's a giant monster behind us.
SYSTEM: Your explorer's sense tells you that a dangerous fiend is headed in your direction... The sense of malice is so strong that you are frozen in place, and can barely duck in time!


SYSTEM: There's no time now to chase after the lost sword--you must fight for your lives!


Heh, y' think yeh're any match fer us? Bring it on!
...Is that thing just made of rock? My teeth hurt already...

VIDEO: Boss Fight: Golem

Watch this video if you want to see a dunk of massive proportions--I'd even go so far as to call it a Chaos Dunk.




A quick refresher on Golem's stats:




This is the only thing Phoebe will do for the entire fight.



Tyler's starting action in any fight will always be Delayed Charge.



Yep.



Sophie's going to open most fights from here on out with Creeping Curse and Madness Curse.



This is the only thing Rheine is going to do with Victory Vow.


That rock's not gonna break this shield.


Crush this overgrown boulder!


Ow, ow, my teeth, ow, ow!


I don't care if yeh're made 'a rock, my spear'll pierce y' still!



Pff.



I'm not enabling Hero Battle yet--I want Tyler to have it when Delayed Charge goes off.



This is gonna be explosive.



I want Sophie to bind Golem's arms, so she can use Black Mist next turn.



And now Rheine's just going to use Link Order.


I hope Realga knows how to treat teeth...


I need to purchase these jars in bulk before I go back to work. If only I'd known about them before...



Yeah, Golem's not long for this world.



Tyler's spiffy new Wyvern Spear helps with his usual damage problem.



Delayed Charge is now at 2 turns until it's ready, so I enable Hero Battle on Tyler.



My plan went perfectly.


That supposed t' hurt? Try harder!


Like this!



Binding Golem's head will reduce his TEC, making Stardust and Rheine deal even more damage.



There's a reason I used Black Mist instead of Cranial Curse for the last Creeping Curse action, and that's because Golem only has 75% resistance to head binds.


Well, that was disappoint--


Oh, good, I was hoping for an actual challenge.

Golem restores half its HP upon its first death.



Too bad basically 1/3 of that heal is gone already.



Nuh-uh.



Even against a 75% Stab resistance, this is gonna hurt.



Compression ran out, but honestly, even a standard Thor Formula will be enough to kill Golem here. Plus, it'll trigger Link Order.


Told yeh my spear'd hurt!


The lead-in...


And the follow-up!



And I thought Wyvern was ludicrously easy. Jesus.



SYSTEM: You have mastered your fear and defeated the guardian of the forest of the gods! Still reveling in your victory, you approach the sword you dropped earlier and pick it up. The sword is rusted brown and hardly looks suitable to be wielded...
What kinda reward is this?
SYSTEM: Nevertheless, you brush off the dust and put it with your belongings before taking your leave of the area.


So, uh, now what? What did this do?
Perhaps that shimmering spot at the start of the floor is functional now?
It's as good a bet as any. Let's go try it!



Another point in Curb ATK Up for Sophie.





Gasser Tree
HP: 817, STR: 52, TEC: 39, VIT: 42, AGI: 26, LUC: 47
Skills:

• Toxic Breath: Uses the head. Attempts to inflict poison on the party, with a 70% base chance and 100 base poison damage (around 170 adjusted for level). Has an 80% speed modifier.
  
• Poison Sap: Used upon death. Uses the head. Inflicts poison on all enemies, with 200 base poison damage (around 500 adjusted for level). Only checks for immunity; if an enemy is not immune to poison, it will be poisoned.

Drops:

• Normal: Squirming Vine. 50% chance. Sells for 1100 en. 5 needed to make Gaia Axe (+165 ATK). 2 Squirming Vines and 10 Mossy Shells needed to make Partizan (+160 ATK). 3 Squirming Vines and 3 Blue Skulls needed to make Field Armor (+80 DEF).
  "Tendril-like vine that moves after being cut. It writhes around when you aren't watching."

Damage resistances:
100% 100% 100% 150% 100% 100%
Disable resistances:
100% 0% 100% 100% 50% 100% 100%
100% 100% 50%
50% 100% 100%

A tree that grows deep in the forest and emits toxins all around to mark its territory.

Gasser Trees can be a terrifying sight if your party is low on HP, and are nuisances at worst otherwise. Poison Sap might be confusing, but it's intentionally designed to screw you over--there's several enemies with at-low-HP or on-death effects in the 6th Stratum, which Poison Sap is designed to trigger.


Ancient Hermit
HP: 12, STR: 40, TEC: 39, VIT: 37, AGI: 30, LUC: 38
Skills:

• Ancient Guard: Uses the head. Increases all enemies' physical/elemental defense by 50% for 4 turns. Has a 60% speed modifier.

Drops:

• Normal: Mossy Shell. 60% chance. Sells for 2180 en. 1 needed to make Sage Wand (+119 ATK, +40 TP, +5 TEC). 3 needed to make Ancient Shield (+54 DEF). 2 Squirming Vines and 10 Mossy Shells needed to make Partizan (+160 ATK).
  "Time has made it extremely resilient. Its assorted trees are popular as decoration."
  
• Conditional: Polished Shell (Kill with Cut/Stab/Bash damage). 60% chance. Sells for 2430 en. 1 needed to make Four-Leaf Clover (25% chance for new Grimoires to be level 10).
  "Shell made tougher through physical shocks. It's said a lucky leaf grows on this shell."
  
• Ingredient: Shut Shell. 1 given. 1 needed to make Hermit Sugata-zukuri (Japanese Food 6; Fire, Ice, and Volt Jars become infinite use).
  "Shut in even after death."

Damage resistances:
0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Disable resistances:
200% 200% 200% 200% 200% 200% 200%
100% 100% 100%
100% 100% 100%

A crab that has lived for ages in its highly durable shell.

Ancient Hermits are an annoyance solely because they can buff other enemies' defense. The only other notable thing about them is that they have 0% resistance to all damage types--even Almighty--meaning that every attack (except for Gae Bolg) will deal 1-3 damage to them.

Also, for them, Poison Sap is designed specifically to deny you their conditional.


Oogh... I dunno if eating a poison tree was the best idea...


The hell's with that thing's shell?! My spear bounces right off it!


My matches didn't faze it, either!


Boink.



A'ight, who's ready to step on this thing?



Oh, great, teleporters.

Yep. The recurring theme of the 6th Stratum is teleporters. Get used to them, and get used to my ugly-ass way of mapping them later on.

Also, shortcuts in the 6th Stratum look like that.




Here's some things.

Meteor Axe (+238 ATK, +50 HP, +5 VIT) is made from 1 Statue Arm. I'll buy Phoebe one of these in a bit.

Sage Wand (+119 ATK, +40 TP, +5 TEC) is unlocked by selling 1 Mossy Shell.

Breaker (+169 ATK, +30 HP) is unlocked by selling 1 Statue Shard. I buy Ursa one, since she always appreciates more HP.

Ancient Shield (+54 DEF) is unlocked by selling 3 Mossy Shells.

Four-Leaf Clover (25% chance for new Grimoires to be max level for 1 turn) is made from 1 Polished Shell.

Next time: The Great Gonzales vs. Rawk Hawk!

...Okay, fine, Guild Lumen vs. Master Bird.