Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight Part #79 - WHAT ARE THESE ICY BULBS FIGHTING FORRRRRRRR

Part 79: WHAT ARE THESE ICY BULBS FIGHTING FORRRRRRRR

Update 63: WHAT ARE THESE ICY BULBS FIGHTING FORRRRRRRR

Finally, a chance to actually explore! It's been, like, a month.

Gotta say, I could go for a nice stroll in the new stratum.

Alright, got my pen... Aw crap, did I leave my notes with Ranger? He'd better not have colored in random things again...

I guess a brief respite is too much to ask for...

Ah, don't worry 'bout it, Rheine! I'm pumped up n' ready to go! Nothin' to worry about with me around!

This is a party that I don't have much to say about.

Wait, what? We got mail? From who?!

...Hat guy's guild?

Huh. Guess they're stronger than they look.

"Stronger than they look?!" This guild card states that they've completely explored the Labyrinth!

How did they even do that if no-one's gotten to the top yet?

Hmm... Yeh wanna bet on time travel? Ha!

I mean, they were talking about somethin' they called "The Time Fuckery Machine."

I put as much stock in their drunken ramblings as I do in Ranger having a coherent train of thought.

This happened because my normal 3DS StreetPassed my recording 3DS. The 3DS EO games use StreetPass to share guild cards.

The great thing about Guild Cards in EO2U is that you can trade for whatever Grimoires the selected character has. For example, if I wanted Peerless Combo level 10 from Sapph there, I could trade for it like I'd trade for a Grimoire from Grimoire Trade.

Ah, gods, it's TOO HOT! Whose bright idea was it t' take this quest?!

I'm beginning to regret only having one uniform type...
SYSTEM: The vivid scarlet of the forest around you reminds you of flames, but that's little more than a visual effect... What could explain this heat!? The intense temperature seems to be coming from the door directly in front of you. What lies beyond this door...? Once you are ready, open the door, and proceed forward!

SYSTEM: Deep inside the hidden woods, the passage surrounded by tall, crimson walls is as hot as flames... The dirt beneath your feet is burning hot, and the air further ahead is hazy and flickering... The geothermal abnormalities discovered on the south of the 9th floor must have originated from here. Your quest will be complete once you make a thorough search here to discover the cause.

I can't see anything obvious...

Aside from th' giant red tablet in the middle?

SYSTEM: It is a round red tablet, roughly the size of your arm. You have no idea if it will come in handy, but there's no reason not to take it.

SYSTEM: You don't find anything else that could be useful. This would be a good place to end the investigation for now.

Ack! Uh, should we come back later?

Well... I suppose I don't mind, since you already know my darkest secrets.

Well, okay then. We found this giant red tablet while we were investigating the rising geotherms...

That is...! There's no mistake...that's from the monster that fought before us... That is its...scale.

Huh. I'm gonna guess it's about as big as that dragon we fought a bit ago.

So you found the room on the 9th floor... I see... In that case, bring it to the Bar and hand it to Cass, along with the report. If I tell him that you did a good job, then he won't have any complaints.

Ahhh, yeh're back... Eh? Yeh lot look like yeh've lost weight.

I feel like I'm gonna burst into flames at any moment...

I think bringing Realga there, in light of past events, would've made her pop a blood vessel...

Cass, I don't drink normally, but please, gimme the coldest thing you've got...

Hmm? The geo-whatsits are in the secret area? Yeh came back because yeh were dehydrated!? Well, at least yeh came back. The job's done! I'll report to the Grand Duchy for yeh.

We also found this large tablet-scale. Yes, I suppose that is an appropriate term.

Eh...? Yeh have something for me? A tablet? Why would yeh do this? Don't yeh know the paperwork the Grand Duchy will saddle me with!? Labyrinth rules: Yeh found it in the forest, yeh keep it! I'm sure it's valuable, too... Ah, and here's yer reward! Thanks, yeh lot!

Hamao Primes restore 200 HP and 40 TP to one target. Blech.

Finishing Old scars, flaring anew unlocked this quest.

Could yeh lot handle this one? It's a bit of a bother. The client's part of a famous guild... Not more famous than yeh lot, but then who is? Their landsknecht's favorite axe has gone dull. He asks that yeh bring the axe in to have it sharpened... But there's a catch.

There always is...

The sharpener needs a whetstone and his fee before he can do his work. The worst part is that whoever takes the request has to put up the items, and the money too!

What kind of dickwad makes that a condition of a quest?!

Hopefully, the reward will make up for whatever yeh're out. The whole business bothers me. But I'm glad someone took the quest so's it's off the board. Yeh can find the sharpener on the 16th floor. Here's the axe for him.

As much as I'm extremely annoyed right now, this is a niiiice axe.

Hmm? That so? Well, I guess it seems pretty sturdy... Haw! Everythin's always about the explorin' with yeh lot... All I see is a ragged, rusty old axe that ain't gonna bring in a dime for me! Haw haw haw! So lemme give yeh some more details. I heard the sharpener uses Ironwood and Moonstone, and the fee is 1000en. Awright then, go bring the stuff the sharpener needs to this spot on the 16th floor. G'luck!

I send the Byeahs to get the required items, and head off to 16F after.

SYSTEM: Inside, a male winged one is looking around the room, as if looking for something. When he finally notices your presence, he gives you a glance, greeting you briefly.

O-oh. Greetings.
SYSTEM: You are surprised by his bizarre attitude, but return his greeting. The man continues almost instantly...

Tell me, what do you think? Think this could be a shop? What's your shop look like?

Ah, uh, um... Crap, how do you respond to that?
SYSTEM: The questions come so rapidly that you have no time to answer any of them. The man laughs...

Sorry. Forgot where I was for a moment. Okay. What now? Whaddaya want?
SYSTEM: You think back to the quest you accepted at the bar... You agreed to take an axe to the sharpener in the Labyrinth. This must be the man. You tell him the details of the quest, and await his response.

Yep. That's me. The Labyrinth's sharpener.

We got the stuff you need to work right here.

Good, you brought the stuff... Hand me that axe.
SYSTEM: He takes the axe and checks its blade with his finger, then sits down to begin his work.

SYSTEM: The eccentric sharpener sounds somewhat disappointed as he hands you the freshly sharpened axe.

The gods weep. This is the sharpest weapon I've ever seen!

This is simply amazing...!

Amazing? Isn't it pretty normal? I don't see any other sharpeners or anything. I guess I can't tell... Hey, that sword in your bag. Where'd you find that?

A bizarre sequence of events involving your chief.

I wouldn't mind a crack at that one...
SYSTEM: You recall the sword you picked up from the sixth stratum...and are mildly surprised he saw it through your bag.

Next time. Next time... That axe was too boring. So I don't want to do any more sharpening today. Bye-bye now.
SYSTEM: The sharpener waves his hand in farewell, then promptly lays down on the forest floor without further explanation. At any rate, your quest should be complete now. All that remains is to bring the axe back and report to Cass.

Yeh're back. So, how good is this sharpener, anyway?

Take a look for yourself.

Holy--this is the same axe!? It looks like it was forged an hour ago! Now I see why that landsknecht insisted on this sharpener... I've never seen finer work! Yeh shoulda had had yer weapons sharpened as well. Too late now, though! Haw haw haw! Anyways, here's the reward. Use it wisely, awright? Thanks!

I'm running out of things to say about levels.

Oh, Jackie learned Double Action since we last saw her. It gives attack skills a chance to activate twice, for no extra TP cost. It doesn't stack with Action Boost, unfortunately, but it's still one of the better passives for damage dealers. It averages out to the same bonus as stuff like Phys/Elem ATK Up, but admit it, it's more fun watching a skill activate twice.

Well, no sense putting it off. Let's start 26F.

I can't see a damn thing!

A-a strange metallic monster is blocking my way!

That'd be my shield, Your Highness.

Jackie, I know it's hard to see right now, but please stop grabbing my face.

Eep! S-sorry, Nadia...

Veterans of EO3 might be getting bad flashbacks right now. Welcome to no map sections. While you're in these sections, your position is not shown on the map, discovered tiles are not updated, and if you have auto-pan enabled, like I do, it does not work in these rooms. And, no, zooming out and zooming in on the map does not work--Atlus wised up to that after EO3.

Unlike EO3's no map sections, however, EO2U's are not unconditional.

I...think that thing's causin' the fog?

C'mon, let's get it! We'll find it! ...Eventually.

That thing emitting fog is an Icy Bulb, and they are what cause the no-map effect.

Come back here this instant!

Icy Bulbs aggro on you when you get close to them, and will actively run away from you. How do you solve this, you're probably asking?

You run into a FUCKING DINOSAUR

Mokele-mbembe
HP: 2396, STR: 58, TEC: 57, VIT: 44, AGI: 48, LUC: 42
Skills:

Electric Impact: Does nothing for one turn. Can be interrupted by Blast Grenades, which will stop the skill and stun the enemy for one turn. Uses the head. Deals 10 instances of 90% ranged TEC-based Volt damage to random targets. Can hit the same target more than once. Attempts to stun hit targets, with a 40% base chance. Has an 800% speed modifier and 99 base accuracy.

Drops:

Normal: Blue Skull. 65% chance. 2360 en. 1 needed to make Blue Mail (+71 DEF). 10 needed to make Solar Claw (+162 ATK). 30 needed to make Sky Metal Helm (Ronin ultimate non-body armor; +53 DEF, +20 HP, +2 STR). 3 Squirming Vines and 3 Blue Skulls needed to make Field Armor (+80 DEF). 5 Blue Skulls and 3 Golden Horns needed to make Land Saker (+155 ATK).
"Metal-plated skull emitting blue light. It improves the grade of other metals."
Conditional: Petrified Scale (Kill with petrification). 100% chance. Sells for 7070 en. 1 needed to make Berserker Mail (Landsknecht ultimate armor; +108 DEF, +15 HP, +3 STR).
"A hard purple scale from a petrified dragon. Now stone-hard, it can make stronger armor."
Ingredient: Kaiju Round Tip. 3-4 given. 5 needed to make Orange-Sauce Kaiju Steak (Western Food 6; all stats +5). 4 needed to make Twice-Cooked Meat (Chinese Food 6; 5% chance to revive dead party members at end of turn). 5 needed to make Sumo Chanko Pot (Japanese Food 6; all Grimoire levels +2).
"Rare inner loin meat."

Damage resistances:

75%

100%

125%

0%
Disable resistances:

100%

50%

100%

50%

100%

50%

Don't let its size fool you, this is one of the swiftest forest fiends!

Mokele-mbembes are a threat if you let them live past the first turn. Good thing that 2396 HP is pretty piddly for this point in the game--at the very least, multiple damage dealers can kill it in one go.

It literally didn't get a chance to act.

Anyway. It's hard to tell here, but I chased the Icy Bulb into a crevice, where it is stuck--it will not move towards me.

Which lets me fight it.

Icy Bulb
HP: 4577, STR: 78, TEC: 83, VIT: 60, AGI: 44, LUC: 61
Skills:

Inflate: Telegraphs that the Icy Bulb is about to use Frost Bomb.
Frost Bomb: Uses the head. Used at the end of the turn. Deals 250% ranged TEC-based Ice damage to the entire party. Kills the Icy Bulb after use. Has 150 base accuracy.

Drops:

Normal: Frosted Hull. 50% chance. Sells for 2400 en. 1 needed to make Snow Shoes (+27 DEF, +20 TP, +10% Ice resistance, can be equipped by Beasts). 4 needed to make Ice Whip (+153 ATK, normal attacks become Cut+Ice).
"Highly elastic hull imbued with cold. Grants chilling power to crafted weapons."
Conditional: Eternal Hide (Kill after turn 10). 100% chance. Sells for 4000 en. 1 needed to make Angel Robe (Medic ultimate armor; +75 DEF, +3 TEC, +3 VIT).
"Plant matter carefully aged with no singes. The older, the better it feels."

Damage resistances:

100%

150%

100%
Disable resistances:

50%

75%

50%

75%

10%

50%

50%

It looks like a balloon, but inside, it stores icy gases ready to be spewed out.

Icy Bulbs are completely trivial to kill. Ice Wall completely nullifies Frost Bomb and you'll always know when it's happening.

Getting that conditional without a Hexer is another story. With a Hexer, you can chain together a combination of disables and easily ensure that the battle will go on long enough. Without that, though, getting the battle beyond 10 turns is almost entirely luck.

The battle was completely uninteresting. The Icy Bulb literally did nothing but attack.

I'm not even trying for the conditional with this party, I'm gonna come back later with Sophie.

Ah, much better. I can see more than a few feet in front'a me!

Once you've killed all of the Icy Bulbs in a room, the fog will dissipate.

I've literally run out of things I want on Phoebe, honestly.

Dammit, not again.

Anyone got any idea why we can see the sky?

Labyrinth logic's why.

I don't have the patience to kill the Icy Bulb for such a simple room.

Oh, yeah, Icy Bulbs respawn after one day. Wooooooooooooooooo.

It's really hard to show these rooms, honestly, since the entire gimmick is stumbling around blindly until you kill the Icy Bulb.

Ooh, treasure!

What're you waiting for? Get it!

My survival instinct is screaming right now. Please just stop--

I knew it.

EEEEK!

WAAGH!

Please, you two, learn to listen to our Survivalist...

The chest has an Asterius spawn point right in front of it.

Too bad these things aren't that hard to fight.

Postgame level ups are really fun.

The name might be confusing you--this thing has Reverb on it.

Look at all that blind stumbling I saved you from.

Why me? Why these things again?

What an eerie sight in the middle of this paradise...

Damage tiles are back! And they deal a whopping 50 per step this time.

I wish I could say something interesting about that room, but I can't. C'est la vie.

I may not be able t' see more than a few steps in front'a me, but I can tell we're near the thorns.

What I'd give for some really thick boots.

You can really badly hurt yourself by trying to walk in that room with the fog.

A-Asterius straight in front of us!

The hell did he come from?!

Asterius spawn points in random areas will start showing up more from here on out.

In this room, the only ways forward involve walking in front of the spawn. Choose your path wisely!