Part 63: Playful Raid

Update 63: Playful Raid

In This Update:
- We investigate a playground!
- We play around in lava!
- We do some major pest control!

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Welcome back! Today is a nice, relaxing update, just taking care of some regular old side quests. No magic towers or ancient demons or whatever.


I originally recorded this quest back in, um... July? Seven or so months ago? Around update 40? Oops.

I just really wanted the loot, OK?


This is a really early mission, so it's quite straightforward, just defeat everyone. And don't damage the crops with ice, I guess?


As you can see, we're bringing a full party to this. Everyone is around level 43 or so.


Our opponents today are the Zedlei Consortium, a group of "farmers" with whom we've tangled before. This is supposed to be the first time you meet them, I think.

: The water here is very dirty, foul... is perfect!

: Hrah! This place doesn't belong to you! Find your own playground to befoul!

: Who are--wait, wait.... We are Zedlei Consortium! The water here, it is perfect for our crops, yes. A farming consortium, we. Oh, they will grow so well! So very, very strong!






The Russian accent is kind of weird, honestly.

: What? What!? You look at me as though you suspect me of--

: Feh! If you do not like us, we are happy to fight you!

: They're less farmers than breeders, if you ask me. Time to take the playground back for the children! Hrah!


Also, why is the water at the playground "foul"?


These enemies are weak, but we can't quite one-shot them.


Or maybe we can.


Oh, there are going to be many, many traps here today. Bring Libra or someone who can detect traps.

Or be like me and avoid them all by luck skill alone.


This place is going to be more trap than map by the end of the battle.


As for the enemy's real attacks, well...


It's nothing to write home about.


My fault for not doing this earlier, I suppose.


But that's just how it goes.


They lay some more traps, try to punch Tsing in the face, but it's nothing worth showing.


Tsing breaks out of his potion-induced bloodlust to look for traps.


Frankly, these men are a threat to society.


Well said, Tsing.


I hope the families can hire someone to clear out all the traps, and maybe do something about the water.


Anyway, I did all that for this. "Our Playground" rewards 9 Wind Stones, which is fantastic when you're starting out.

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Let's jump forward to the present. We've just left Brightmoon Tor, Second Watch, and are wandering around Ordallia.


Signed: Widow Maleen
Since I'm too lazy to fly across the ocean, we'll take care of quests in Ordallia. Like this little tragedy, for example.


So here we are in the Tramdine Fens, looking for a dead body, and there aren't any zombies or ghosts!.


As you can see, this is one of those "investigate the shiny spots" quests.


Whole squad this time, no need to show off with just one unit.

: Searching for a ring in this swamp isn't going to be easy. Hope some monster hasn't carried it off... or eaten it.



: Guess there's nothing to do but search one clump of swampgrass at a time...


Now, as you know, the MacGuffin is always in the least convenient spot.


There's three spots in the back, so I expect it to be one of those.


On the way back there, might as well clear up these monsters.


Thanks her Ninja Tabi and Move +2 privilege, Jalia can run across the battlefield.


Alright, it's got to be one of the other two back here.


Yeah, yeah, get out of your swamp, whatever.


Sorry little guy. This is a good place for Chocobo Knights, since you can catch Yellow, Brown or Green Chocobos all in one place.


Nothing in either of these spots, so it must be the last one on the right.


There's stuff going on over here.


It's not very important.


Just, you know, slaughter.


Now I'm confused. We checked all the most inconvenient spots, just like always...


Are you kidding me?


OK, I really don't know: is it always in the first spot here, or is it in the last spot you check?! We'll never know.

: Hrah! Found it! Which means this must be where her husband breathed his last. We'll deliver the ring to your wife... your home. Rest in peace.


Rest in peace.

---


There's a few more jobs down by Goug, so let's do this delivery in the Neslowe Passage on our way.


Pep, verve and vitality!


You know, I was picturing an office worker looking for coffee.

: I'm a little put off by the smell... Are you sure this is safe?


Yes, completely safe.

: You wanted a pick-me-up. I think this should do it.

: I'll put up with the smell, so long as it works.

: Here you go. To your health!



: Thanks. Bottoms up, eh?

He drinks it.

: I don't know which is worse, the taste or the smell. But I have to admit, I feel more energetic already. Yes, this should keep me going a little longer. Thank you!

"Monster Energy" means something completely different in Ivalice. And it's Faerie Shoes that give you wings, they don't come in a can.

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Looks like we reached Goug just in time! I'd hate to think what would happen if this quest had been ignored for years.


This mission is... not great.


It's another one of those where enemies respawn continuously and all you can do is wait them out.


Even better, there's barely any room to move.

: Where did all these bombs come from?


The bomb factory, obviously.

: We have to stop them here. We can't let them spread beyond the lava fields!


My plan is pretty simple: Stand here and murder them.


They aren't incredibly strong, though they will try to heal each other and can explode.


Ranged attacks are obvious choices given the limited space, so maybe bring an Illusionist or something.


The first round ends quickly enough. Too bad the second and third will take a while.


Alright, maybe we don't have much to worry about. Let's just... focus on getting through this, I guess?


Even their self-destruct attack isn't too strong.


: Good crop of bomb peppers this year, eh?


Oh hey, that's the second round finished. That wasn't so bad.


It's really hard to capture an archer attacking and the KO text in the same screen. This was Tsing's kill.


Do you think people do eat monsters? Like, a bomb pepper pizza or something?


Which reminds me: reinforcements spawn in the very next turn, once you kill a couple of the original enemies. So you never really have time to rest.


Tsing used Ultima, because why not? It only got this one bomb though.


You could always use Sleep, Stone and Stop to trivialize this fight, I guess.


I bet bomb peppers are really spicy, too.


Oh look, we're done!

: That should do it. The mage brigade should be ready soon. I think we've overstayed our welcome. Let's leave while we still can!



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One more mission in Goug, then let's wander elsewhere.


Not Assistant Chief, but Assistant to the Chief.


Back to the Neslowe Passage, which means more lava!


This game has probably the least bad version of Mimics. You rarely see them in their natural environment (chests) because most treasure is earned from quests. They have low HP, lots of elemental weaknesses, and aren't strong.


On the other hand (heh), this is another hurry-up-and-wait mission.


Regenga ensures we'll always be on the right side of the law.

: All these mimics in one place... Bah. I don't care for it. And this happens every summer? Ach. Suppose there's little to be done but deal with them.


At least we have more space to run around in this time, right?


There's not much to say here. Just... murder.


Oh look, a treasure chest!


The Mimics can't really do much to stop us. Scissors is their offensive ability -- it's identical to the Thunder spell.


They will also use melee attacks, of course.


Finally, they have Stone, which is a minor self-heal.


It's better if they never get the chance to use it.


First round done! That one's always weirdly short, maybe a third as long as the other rounds.






That's another round done, with an ominous message to boot.




Oops, I forgot to give Frimelda any weapons. Eh, she's doing fine.


Turns out I can't get that treasure chest. It's just a bit too far away! Maybe we can come back here with Zoe.


Oh hey look, Scion Time.




That kills all six mimics. Awesome!


They immediately reappear at the start of the next turn though, just like the bombs did.


The one on the center island keeps respawning in the same spot, so everyone keeps killing the same one.




I would say these were critical, but not important.


Sadly, Hellfire is less successful than Ultima was.




The center island is just covered in gloves now.


Round three! I guess the anti-mimic weapon is starting to warm up?


Is the anti-mimic weapon actually just trapping them here until the volcano erupts?!


Well we're stuck here for another round, so, uh, be careful I guess?


I wasn't kidding about the center island.








Finally!

: Let's make ourselves scarce before we get caught in the middle of an extermination.


I think Cid came to the same conclusion I did.

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We're slowly catching the rest of the clan up in level! Lenolia and Leed are Level 55, thanks to Brightmoon Tor. The missions themselves don't give much, but the bonus XP makes up for it.

Well, thanks for reading! Next update is going to take a look at the monster battles, since we haven't done those yet. (Also we need the XP.) See you soon!