Part 32: Idiocy

Idiocy

PC-88 Version





I spent some time offscreen grinding up the items I needed for the Kurodachi. It's pricy, but it will be really helpful for the next floor and boss fight.



We do get quite a bit of money back from selling Ken's old katana.

PC-88 Version



: Really?

: Look on the bright side, it's something to look forward to later.

This is the only shortcut on the floor, and it pretty much links to the end. So the floor has to be done in one go. The floor isn't too involving, thankfully.



Here's the Take point for the floor.

PC-88 Version





You have to be kidding me!



Oh this is gonna suck.











: Mph. Five more minutes boss...

Say hi to the Petaloid Hypnowl!


Hypnowl
HP: 108
AT: 13
DF: 14
Exp: 571
Skills: Powder
Item Drops:
-Common: Feather - 1 needed for Bird Stare, and Volcanic (Gun.) 2 needed for Hide Plate. 5 needed for Sesui (Katana.) 7 needed for Carp (Sword.) 10 needed for Beast Bow (Bow.)
--Owl feathers whose pattern resembles eyes.
-Rare: N/A
-Conditional: N/A
Description: This owl's intricately colored feathers lull passersby to sleep before it feasts on them.
Weakness: Stab (150%)
Resistance: Immune to Sleep.

These things are dicks, and the last enemy in the stratum. They can put your whole party to sleep with Powder, and it has a decent chance of hitting everyone. Oh, and if you were relying on a Torpor Hexer to get you through the first stratum, theses things will throw a wrench into that plan because they're immune to sleep! Make sure to take these things out first, being put to sleep is one of the worst things that can happen to you at this point, depending on the encounter.



: Huh!? Wha!? Aw man, that hurt!

Sleep will completely incapacitate a character until they get hit by something. And the damage they take is doubled, so taking a heavy hit that they would have survived normally would kill them in that case. To elaborate on how much of a dick move this is, there was an enemy in the first game known as a Petaloid that also had a party wide sleep move. Those were first encountered on the 8th floor. Here they stick an enemy that's almost the same thing in the first stratum. Thanks Atlus. Unlike the Petaloid, they don't have an AOE damage move, so that's one saving grace. They can also be paired up with Redhorns and Rollers. If an FOE happens to join in on a battle with a Hypnowl in it, well good luck.







: Ugh, what's this weird taste in my mouth and oh god why the hell was I taking a nap!?

Another saving grace is that status effects don't stack, so a Venomfly poisoning us pretty much wakes up whoever it hits. And the poison is far more manageable to deal with at this point than sleep.



This is also why I wanted Medishot up to a decent level.

: Hey you two. Wake up!

: Oh god, my ears!

: Did you really need to fire that thing so close to our heads?



Ugh, so close to a level up.





Let's go fix that. Now our team can go toe to toe with Chimaera. 11 is enough to be able to take it on.

PC-88 Version



Ken levels up Overhead again, nothing new.



Nick's Climax now kills at 20% HP.



Frederik's Warmight now gives a 60% boost to damage. Oh you'll see that being used a bit this update.



Since I've leveled up everything I wanted on Fedot at this point, I finally take Esc Up on him.



Random encounters are no longer an issue to Aliara. Unfortunately, she only has the TP to cast it 3 times at this point, so it's just a panic button at this point, and there's one specific encounter I want to save this for. Now, what should I take next on her?



No. I'm not touching this skill. I refuse to use this for the main game. It's way too broken.



Instead, I'll be going for Torpor, which can put all enemies to sleep.



He gives a start as you approach, then smiles and addresses you.

: Ah! A group of explorers. I see! What are you after?

: We're looking for a pale flower that grows on this floor. Have you seen one?

You fill him in on the details of your task, and the guard expresses his bewilderment.

: A flower? But... this floor is filled with flowers.

: Great description there, gramps.

: Oh! Maybe I know the one you mean. I think it's in the southeast region of this floor.

: Thanks. Looks like it'll take a while to get there.

You thank the guard and return to your search.



Another Furyhorn patrols this area.



Just get behind it. But first, a battle!

PC-88 Version



Poison could take care of this easily, but I'm trying to conserve TP here.



Ken's Kurodachi turns his attacks into Ice/Cut. When attacking an enemy, the attribute that leads to the most damage is the one taken into account. This thing is a massive TP saver for Fedot and makes Ken our best damage dealer for the floor.

: Hmm, I wonder if we could make a meal out of those frozen chunks of gel.

: Oh please no.

: Er, let's stick with the hedgehogs and snails.

: Sheesh, picky eaters.



: I'm not sure if I want to eat something that can do that.



And I got the conditional drop.

PC-88 Version



Gee, I wonder what Chimaera's weakness is? The game heavily telegraphs it with the Kurodachi and the fact that so many things are weak to Ice at this point.



By the way, be careful in this area. There's a Raptor behind the wall and the thing can get aggro'd through it. Which can cause it to turn around that corner and trap you by the wall if you walk by it.



Just keep an eye on that FOE radar.

PC-88 Version



Time to show off how powerful a level 10 Poison is.

: Your time runs short.





: Perfect! Now, what kind of curse should I learn next?

: Did we hire a little girl, or a demon?

: You know, I'm not too sure anymore.

PC-88 Version



You look around and find that one of the trees nearby has turned grey. Upon closer inspection, it seems almost as if it's turned to stone.

: Oh my. Now what could have caused this?

Just then, Aliara lets out an astonished cry.

: AHH! It's not just that one! Look!

: Huh? WHOA! That's not good!

: What the hell!?

The affliction has spread! Many of the trees around you have changed color... You now remember that quest accepted at the hospital... You agreed to investigate the abnormalities found on trees within the Labyrinth. You note down your current coordinates, and leave the area of strange trees.

: Dear lord... All we can do is tell Derek about this. Let's keep an eye out for any other spots.

One of the spots needed for the hospital quest.



: I think we stepped in something.

Looking carefully at your surroundings, you notice something odd on the ground. ...It's moss! Even through your thick-soled boots, it was evident how soft the ground was. But why would moss be growing in a place like this...? As you ponder this question, you see water seep to the surface, creating a small pond. The moonlight's glow hits the water, making it seem like a thing alive... Suddenly, you remember the quest you undertook in the bar. The tear of the moon that Braggart Chap asked about... You feel certain that the “moon's tear” he spoke of is this very water. You decide to coax the water into a container and stow it in your bag.



: Heh, guess he was telling the truth after all.



: And somebody tell me why you thought this was a good idea?

: Hey, I thought there was something down here!

PC-88 Version



Took this time to restock and turn in the quest.

: Back alrea--what!? Yeh got the moon's tear? Is this a joke?

: Nope, turns out he was right after all.

: Blimey... I guess even Braggart Chap tells the truth sometimes. ...Haw! I was so surprised, I nearly forgot yer reward. I'll be sure to pass the word onto old Chapman!





The only thing that can paralyze us at this point are the Raptors and the party can't fight those things yet. Only Ken can do something other than scratch them thanks to his katana.

PC-88 Version



And in case you thought you could avoid the Hypnowls by going into the Labyrinth at day, no. Time based random encounters aren't a thing until EO3. Well, time to see how good Warmight is.



: I thought owls were supposed to be nocturnal!

: Not these ones apparently.

Nick's damage with a crit.

: Crush our enemies!



: Whoa, what did you do to me? I'm feeling pretty ripped.







Just look at that sweet damage. Hypnowls aren't a problem for us anymore, as long as we don't get blindsided.

: Oh, me next! Me next!

: Nah, keep it on Ken. He's strong, not like you.

: Do you ever shut up?

: Actually, she doesn't talk as much as the rest of us.

: It's sad that you're actually letting a little girl humiliate you.

:

: I hate you so much.

PC-88 Version



: Aw man, a room full of nothing?

Not every room or dead end in the Labyrinth contains a treasure or event.



: Hmm, which path should we take?

: I have a good feeling about just going straight down the path.



: Hey, I was right!





The Life Belt is a really good accessory at this point. It increases a party member's HP by 50! I put it on Ken at this point, since he's already hitting pretty hard and Nick doesn't need any more defenses at this point.



I give the Town Crown to Nick for a slight boost in durability and damage.



Here's this floor's mining point. By the way, be careful past that intersection.

: Does anyone hear somethi- AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!

PC-88 Version













As one last screw you from Atlus, these things are always a guaranteed blindside if encountered solo. If it wasn't for several things down the line, I would say this is a manifestation of Atlus' hatred. Our party can actually take these things down now, so let's take a look.


Raflesia
HP: 220
AT: 20
DF: 15
Exp: 831
Skills: Pollen, Freeze
Item Drops:
-Common: Huge Petal - 1 needed for Poison Gas and Wildflower. 2 needed for Sherwani. 3 needed for Hide Aspis.
--Reeking petals that can be used for armor.
-Rare: N/A
-Conditional: Gum Vine - Kill with Cut. 5 needed for Briar Whip (Whip.)
Description: A man-eating plant with highly venomous pollen and fine control over its small branches.
Weakness: Fire (150%)
Resistance: Physical (75%), Ice (0%)

Pollen is an AOE that tries to poison everyone. It's only slightly stronger than a Venomfly's poison, so the skill isn't an issue. Freeze is an AOE Ice attack that would normally kill everyone if encountered earlier, but it only takes off a decent chunk of health here. It's normal attack deals a ton of damage as well. This is the toughest enemy in the stratum, and the one that gives the most exp.





: Sheesh, I can barely scratch this overgrown weed.

: No worries, I got this. Alright Frederik, pump me up!







: Oh crap.

: Snrk.

Unfortunately the Raflesia takes 0% damage from Ice attacks, so Ken's cut attribute is taken into account here. It's heavily resistant to physical attacks, so Ken can't do much.





Ouch. Good thing I had Nick wear that Life Belt. And this is a huge step up from this.



And this.



: Not this time! _{Ow ow ow. It hurts all over.}

: Just let me handle this.



Fedot's Fireshot is the best damage we have against these things.



Freeze hits decently hard, but nothing we can't handle.



And I got it's conditonal drop. Too bad I need 5 of these things.

PC-88 Version



: Good feeling, huh?

: Hey, at least we got that belt.

By the way.







Raflesia aren't resistant to poison. Unfortunately you can't get the conditional drop this way, and I want to make sure I have the TP for casting poison for something later.



:



: Hey, I think I can see my spine from here. Oh wait, that's a bad thing.

: HAHAHAHA!

: Oh the hospital's going to need a lot of duct tape for that.

: Aliara. Please. Don't be like Ken and Nick.

: HEY!

One trip back to town later.



Our party gets a level up from a battle.



Yadda yadda yadda Overhead.



Climax now kills at 25% HP.





I'm going to have Frederik go for Cure 2 at this point, so I get a 3rd level in War Lore.





Richochet is Fedot's big damage skill, so I'm going for that next.



Aliara can now start learning Torpor. Unfortunately, Curses is nothing but a point sink. Leveling it up does nothing except let Aliara learn new skills.



: Another dinosaur? How many of these things are there!?

Another Raptor patrols this area. Wait for it to pass by the door, then sneak on by.



: I must say, we are the masters of cornering ourselves. Perhaps we can turn this talent into something useful.

: Not now Frederik.

One trip back to town later. Again.



: Aw great, now we have to deal with the deer too.

: At least those don't chase us.



You actually want to be careful in this area. More on that later.





And the last item point on the floor, the chopping point.





The Quill Arm is a nice piece of armor, which I put on Ken since his defenses are kind of lacking.

PC-88 Version



NO.



Oh this is bad.

: Aha! I know what I wanna learn next!



: Yeah, do that after we get out of here!

PC-88 Version



Looking carefully, you can see small flowers, of a soothing pale hue. They remind you of the quest you agreed to at the bar... The old lady, and the memento of her late husband. This could be the flower that Cass told you about. It's your choice to pluck the flower or walk away.

: Oh, these are the flowers we were looking for!



Make sure you're not in front of the Furyhorn when you say yes to this.



It seems to be a chance encounter, but no less deadly for that!

PC-88 Version



You know what?



I'm not dealing with this.



:



PC-88 Version

This is what I was saving the last of Aliara's TP for.





: Hey, guys. Wake up. I got the flower.

: Mm. Hi there, Belindas. Mph...

: Ugh.

PC-88 Version



: What was that?

: Uh, look on the floor.

You look around carefully and notice spots of blood on the forest floor. The trail of blood continues down a path to the north, ending at a turn to the east. A wounded explorer may be there... You ponder whether to follow the trail of blood and see if anyone is stranded at its end.

: Could it be an explorer?

: If it is, we better hurry and help them!

PC-88 Version





: Oh no. What happened to him?

Though he's on the verge of collapse, the beast remains on its feet, gazing westward. When he notices you, he extends his head, revealing a parchment in his mouth. It turns out to be a map of the Yggdrasil Labyrinth. It must have been Beowulf's... The charted territory ends abruptly at the nearby hall. Its muzzle free of parchment, the beast gazes into the forest and gives a yelp. It is a bark filled with the sadness of losing something precious...



The place where the map ends is the Chimaera's lair...

: Dammit! We were too late!

: That idiot! What was he thinking, trying to take down Chimaera with only two members!?



: We'll be sure to avenge Flausgul.

You can challenge the king of the beasts now, or return to town to ensure that you're prepared.



We're given a map of Chimaera's room. We can walk back over to Kurogane.





: Hey, you can heal him, right gramps!?

: I'm afraid not. His wounds are too deep. He doesn't have much time left.

: Then let's take down Chimaera before that happens. We'll make sure Chimaera pays for this.

PC-88 Version



: Right before Chimaera's room too. Told you that we had something to look forward to. We can get back to town and ready up.

: Yeah, I guess.



Right in this room are two Raptors, and a treasure.

: Huh, here too.

: Any ideas?

: Maybe this will work.



: It doesn't look like they'll move anytime soon.



FOEs that are stunned by a skill or item have a grey icon.







This is a pretty big increase in offense for Nick.



Oh for the love of.



Unwall your doors you barbarian.

: Ready?

: Ready!

PC-88 Version



You cannot see its source, but there is palpable menace among the low trees and piled stones. There can be no doubt that this is the Chimaera's den! Draw your weapons and press onward!

PC-88 Version

: Uh, guys? Take a look at the map.



:

: Oh, this trick again?

Like Fenrir from the first game, Chimaera also has a bunch of FOEs in the room to help it out. Every first boss in the series had something involving multiple FOEs in the same room.



: That's a lot of Slaveimps.

: Ugh, and we can't even get to them too.

Don't bother trying to lure Chimaera away from the Slaveimps. Unlike Fenrir, it'll stick to that spot, so you can't skip past it and go straight into the second stratum. Atlus learned their lesson this time.

: Rest up and come back?

: Yes, let's do that.