Part 81: Level 1 run - Chapter 01

This is the story of a youth scared shitless of self-improvement. He sought every available means to circumvent having life experiences and faced any hardship as long as he never grew from them.

This is the story of playing FF9 at level 1.

Bosses in FFIX do not give experience points. It is only random encounters and certain forced battles that do. Until the end of disc 3 it is possible to duck out of gaining levels and even then, 3 of the 8 party members can be used to soak that up and let the rest do the work. The end result is every boss battle will be fought with level 1 characters. The strains of never gaining levels quickly becomes apparent as not only is the party very fragile due to their tiny HP totals, but they have trouble with innocuous things due to tiny Spirit stats.

But all in due time.


Maybe this is a more accurate romanization of his Japanese name? I don't know really, I'm just renaming these guys.


This Mage Masher is incredibly valuable because it's quite a while until the next one. 12 to 14 attack may not seem like much, but consider that the damage formula in this game uses attack-defense, and that most enemies have exactly 10 defense. It goes from 2 to 4, a doubling.

Attack is the biggest factor in making people who don't agree with you politicially no longer alive, so don't be shocked at normal people numbers when they start appearing.


Anyway Tantalus infiltrates the castle on their secret mission: this lady keeps posting about fat acceptance on facebook and we want her to stop but we don't want to block her 'cause it'd be real awkward to explain why to her.


I'm pretty sure that putting the battle speed to plaid will make my life harder, but whatev's. I'm keeping the gray color scheme to make my screenshots unique from Mega64's, besides the level 1 thing and silly name things I need something to keep my identity.


You can't dodge Puck. He will go out of his way to collide with you.


Oh boy our first card!


Not omnidirectional. Reset.

Just kidding. While we'll want a good set of cards by early disc 3 to win the Battle City Tournament, these early things are all but irrelevant to that goal.

A lot of your cards come from random encounters. This'll be tricky.


When it comes to random shit, I'll post it if it's notable in some way to this challenge. Otherwise, roll a 1d10. On 2-10 assume that I got it and that I am smart and handsome and good at video games. On a 1 assume I missed it like a clod.


Important to level 1 games are stores, because a lot of your cash normally comes from random encounters.


So instead I'll be selling phoenix pinions, until suddenly they become the most valuable things in the universe and it becomes imperative that I get 99.

Yep.


Rats.

If you can do this then it might be worth it for the cards but still.


Spec Ops: The Line wasn't the first video game to examine the nature of progress requiring the player to inflict tragedy.

That was Plumbers Don't Wear Ties.


According to Ultimania or somesuch Vivi got his fake ticket from a moogle wearing a hat. Stiltzkin is the only Moogle I know like that.

The fucker.


I'll be making a ton of saves because I am paranoid of screwing things up. As long as you don't miss big things it should be fine if you miss an ether here or there.


I don't think there are birds in ff9 as these nests contain money and not birds.


pakalupapito is a great twitter account. Maybe I'll rename someone Wint.


This lady is totally thinking "ew, poors".


AND THAT'S WHEN THE OXYCOTON KICKED IN


CAST MEDEO AT ALL TIMES


So the swordfight. I am bad at it. I have the reflexes of a sloth.


Okay so maybe I can do a little better...


Eh it'll do. If you can get 100 then do it then realize level 1 games are pains in the asses and just do a normal playthrough with your 10k extra gil and eat extravagantly.


It looks like cold porridge for me instead!









I was told to call him this because his armor looks like tin and he looks like Hank Hill.





Killer abilities increase regular attack damage by 50% and don't stack if the enemy has more than one category. Still useful as it turns 2 attacks into the damage of 3, and when most of the team's turns are spent on damage control I need boosts to whatever damage I can sneak in.




Lady why are you handing me clothing are you feeling okay?


Anyway finding all the knights is important regardless of level.




This is the better option than the one Mega64 took, even if he runs off crying anyway.


Elixirs are very valuable and I'll actually use them, breaking all conventions of JRPG playing.


Ruby's personality is so forceful she'll make Zidane jump off the stairs so she can block Zidane from the stairs.


This isn't the same shirt I just got from Brahne. She gave Tinhank a shirt he already had.


CAST MEDEO


AT ALL TIMES


Anyway, this is just the preamble. Nothing in the intro actually gives experience points. Besides selling the Pinion none of this is particularly odd. Next update is when avoiding levels actually means weird things happen.