Part 51: Forbidden: A satisfying conclusion

This mission gives no rewards. It ends the game like Royal Valley did, with a cutscene then credits then load your game.


Anyway, before we get to that, it's time for the last status update.


Ramza's existence is a simple one. Blow the enemy to bits with Ultima Shot, the Holy Blade, then wonder how the fuck something survived to three rounds.

Nothing has survived to three rounds so it never came to that.


Ramza went from a dumb little soldier to a wanton death god. You saw that soldier last update, that's what Ramza would've been if it weren't for my sheer despise of the game having a chance. He's stolen so many abilities he can go to any non-magic class and perform excellently. Hell, he's a dandy Blue Mage so it isn't that bad.


I remember when I got that Chill Rod, Seth was the most dangerous member of the clan for a while. There was a time when he used Phantasms to put enemies in OHKO range. Amazing how things change, huh?


Now, he works as a support character, casting Quick on more powerful dudes and using Raise when needed. Raise has been needed exactly once.

If you'll notice, Seth is the second person in Clan Beoulve. No one from the clan before Ramza joined stayed very long except Montblanc, and he's probably fed a couple of daisies by now. Ramza completely reformed the clan.


When I set out on the Negotiation grind, the Cinquedea was but one of my goals. The other was getting an Assassin. I hope Norma showed why Assassins are always recommended.

Also, see that MP? She can fire Ultima Masher three times before running out. She is dangerous.


I know, she hasn't been a Sniper in ages. She hasn't stopped running Sharpshoot, though. She vanishes every now and then when Ultima Masher isn't needed, like when I was capturing monsters or stealing from Clan Ritz. I think I still prefer Spirit Magic as a secondary.


Carson's role has probably changed the least. He's always been about melee damage, it's just that melee damage has gotten less and less useful. Ultima Blade wouldn't have helped much, if at all.


And to think, he's still really strong! Compared to what a novice would likely create a Jumplar like Carson is extremely powerful.


Eldena isn't optimal, I should've hired an extra Assassin. Still, as a doublecasting Summoner she showed off the power and versatility they have very well.


She's unrivaled as a healer, her damage output is great thanks to the Black Robe, and she can even drop mass sleep.

And to think, doublecasting summoners are even more powerful in FFTA2!


Lini was hired and trained with this end goal in mind. He spent most of his time as a Juggler, but once leveling was all but over I knew he would become this. My plans are this far reaching. He stole every ability he has but Ultima Shot, Mog Guard, Last Haste, Catch, Concentrate, Steal:Ability, Smile and a few other Stunts, the only person besides Ramza to do any stealing.


Lini was pretty much static compared to how often the other guys changed. He used the Cinquedea constantly unless he were a Gunner or Mog Knight, and his armor was mostly there to bolster his already surreal defense. It's nice to have a guy like Lini who you can count on to do a job well.


Cheney was tempting, honestly. He would've gone over Carson if he did join the killsquad.


Pallanza did the few missions that required Gladiators pretty well.


Even when decked out in Star Armlets, Quin is a joke.

Because he's still the slowest damn thing in the world.


Graham is the only generic dispatch monkey to stay. The Eclipse contributed a lot to that.


I forgot to update her and Pallanza's equipment for my mass of Star Armlets. She doesn't even have one of my many Oathbows.


Babus has the only mace with worthwhile WAtk.

Also he got his Lordly Robe back.


Shara does have an Oathbow, it's probably why she could do rank 7 dispatches so easily.


Ritz still has her Best Dispatch Monkey award for completing Thorny Dreams. It's at once both embarrassing and a point of pride.


Oh Ezel, will you ever be worth it?


Cid's equipped really well because he forces himself in to Decision Time.


He suffers from a lack of abilities like Babus and Ezel do, but his ability to make a judge stop paying attention is powerful enough for him to possibly be worth using.




All in all, sixteen people. FFTA has a maximum 24 character slots.


Here are the final stats. Barely missed maxing Smithing, though Negotation was maxed long ago due to the... slight boost it got early on.


Anyway here is the true final battle!




Cid's getting direct now.


Surprisingly, he responds with a shocking revelation! The guy who is corrupting the judges... is a corrupt judge!






"I'll tell you my motivation as I am criminally underdeveloped. Hah, criminally! It's a judicial pun."


Ramza's repeating this in the "Nanomachines?" sense. Also, that's Mr.McUniquePalette. Who would've guessed?




Ramza, the grown-ups are talking. Keep to yourself.




Has anyone but a villain ever said "No matter"? It's always a bad guy talking about a complication in the plan that still doesn't change it.




This track starts. I think the game is trying to convince itself that this is a real final battle.

In case you were wondering why I never used the name of Mr McUniquePalette...


It's because unlike Mike or Reinhold, he doesn't get a name. The main villain of this arc is nameless. Goddammit.

Also, as this is a final battle stealing his Nagarok is more pointless than ever.


There are three different Judge classes, each with different stat growths.


Mr. McUniquePalette has the most magical stats, so he's the worst for being the boss of it all.


All three judges need to fall for victory.


Norma quickly ends his dreams of power.


The game wants me to believe this guy is as climactic and important as Li-Grim. Really.


Ramza ends the Reflect guy just as quickly.


Kerblammo!


The other judge gets a turn but since all his attacks are close range he can't do anything. Cid is marginally faster than Lini so he clobbers the guy.


Then Lini


Once again


Shoots a being between the eyes


And ends the game.




After this, a cutscene with auto-scrolling text begins.


MISSION ALL OVER




"A pile of charred guts can't make corrupt actions."






With the proceeding text box and Cid's half-open eyes, this sounds very filthy.


Ramza broke the law in the middle of trying to fight the corruption in the judges. You want to hire a guy who has trouble staying out of prison to this important of a job?




Ramza himself may not have ever been in prison, due to that whole Game Over thing, but the rest of the killsquad practically lives there.






Ramza is a thief, murderer, anarchist, amateur psychologist with no real training, and he's kinda dim.


But he's morally okay, right?


...Right?


_...right?


Anyway the credits play again.


Then you get here, load your file, it's exactly like it was before Decision Time.

And with that, there's nothing left of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance to show.