Part 14: NO JOKE TITLE ONLY ROCK
Part 14 NO JOKE TITLE ONLY ROCKHEY! LISTEN!
So as of writing this Squenix has made their own music channel on youtube, at the expense of launching copyright strikes to other LPers.
Did you click that link? Click this one so help me
About 5 steps onto the bridge we're accosted by monsters.
There are no random battles on the Big Bridge, all encounters are triggered on tiles.
The music continues over battles, so help me if you haven't clicked yet I'm turning this thread around
I know the safe spots to walk by but if you're trying to complete the bestiary you need to see all 4 "random" enemies. Stepping on this tile causes 2 consecutive fights.
Little Chariots can use Mustard Bomb for significant damage. Galuf and Faris have enough stamina to survive them comfortably but Lenna or Seymour would need to heal after one.
We're almost to the halfway point, despite the second monster on screen this is only one fight.
Stepping on a tile a second time causes a new fight.
I switch Faris back to Ninja since the upcoming fight would be worse with a loose cannon.
We get a boss fight midway down the bridge.
Ha ha! Guess who's been waiting behind this door the whole time? Yes, it's me! Took you long enough too... I was getting worried you might have gotten lost! Anyway! its go time!
Certainly fighting this guy with a full party when Galuf was able to solo it means it'll be easy, right?
No, this is the real deal. Music link out front should have told you. So we're laying out buffs.
Lenna has the Ancient Sword equipped and !Blue as her secondary, so I want as many turns as possible to prepare to fully engage Greg.
First step, bonk.
Want to run down his MP.
Second step, stab him and hope Old procs (It doesn't). Old would reduce most of the bite out of his attacks (or a well timed Level 5 Death would end the fight immediately)
Several Ancient Sword attacks and failed Magic Hammers later and I give up on this.
So I decide to use this, because I think this is the one single fight that you could benefit from using it.
Notice how !Red Magic is disabled but !Blue Magic isn't.
1000 Needles does 1000 HP of damage no matter what. This is a quick and easy way to rush him down.
At 2500 HP he starts monologuing.
And casting buffs.
Well, trying to anyway. This is why I tried to deplete his MP.
Fighting all four of you
is just too tough for me...
We have no means of dispelling Protect and Shell, we could reapply Slow but that still means the last 2500 HP is twice as tough to push through.
So the best way to deal with him is to prevent him from doing it.
3 buffs and an attack without any interruption.
Even if Old hit Jump would still be as damaging.
Good thing that !Blue isn't stopped by Mute. However Gilgamesh also knows Blue Magic so he can throw out Aeras if he wants.
Even if you have to deal with a buffed Greg 1000 needles would still do full damage even through Shell so it's not too bad if you're prepared for the sucker punch.
I, uh, just remembered something! See ya! I must take my leave. But we'll meet again! Count on it!
We've still got another span of the bridge to cross, so either heal back up after Greg runs, or know where the forced encounter tiles are.
Here's the last 2 enemies on the bridge, get 'em while you can because we can't come back. While you might want to throw lightning elemental attacks at Merrow, what with them being a sahagin recolor, Neo Garula absorbs it, so either avoid multi targeting it, or don't waste attacks on it until you've taken Merrows out.
We eventually make it to the other side.
Grandpa! The barrier- look out!!!
Despite the barrier going no further than the mountains around the castle, somehow shockwaves reach the far side of the bridge.
Grandpa!!!
Thankfully everyone is literally blown clear, no death sugar coated as blown clear or anything, literally blown clear.
Any idea where this is?
Yeah... This has gotta be Gloceana - the back of beyond! Crawling with monsters too. Figures we'd be thrown someplace like this...
Galuf... Sorry about this. I mean, we came to help you, but you ended up helping us... As usual! I meant it, y'know, you really didn't have to come... Meddlesome bums, the lot of you.
It's good to see you again.
The Land Unknown (Pixel Remaster)(our overworld theme for our time here)
Galuf isn't kidding, this is the deepest of wildernesses. Besides the walk from the meteorite to Karnak, or maybe the boat trip to Crescent Island, this is the farthest we are from civilization. Make sure you heal up if needed, and if you're playing an older version you might want to save.
While people might get stuck in Dr. Clapperclaw's deadly speedtrap, I always get caught in this dead end of the mountain range. What sucks is that I know why I do this and keep doing it.
Tunneller's aren't particularly special.
Finally after trying to stab Greg like a dozen times and failing, Lenna lands Old on one without even trying.
This is why I suggest saving. The Ferry Walk up there is extremely dangerous. If someone is dead when their turn comes around, they zombify them. Right now there is no way to heal it.
Tenderness in the Air (Pixel Remaster)
Finally we make it to town. Regole has a lot going for it despite being in the middle of nowhere.
First up, the magic shops have new stuff. Finally we can cast Shell ourselves.
And Drain too. It seems to be less deadly in our hands but still a solid spell, and even more valuable for a Mystic Knight. Bio was mentioned a few updates ago, it's a stronger spell than the -ra level of magic. In previous versions this is where you'll wave goodbye to Red Mage being relevant, as they are stuck without being able to cast Shell, Esuna, or Bio. Here their ability to boost rod breaking makes them keep up better on the damage front.
Time Mages get a good set of spells as well. Comet is the first direct damage spell they have. Slowga trades the accuracy of Slow for multi targeting. Return resets the battle to the start. A good panic button in case things go south, or if you've got a rare enemy that you really want a rare steal from it's good there too.
This is the frontier town of Regole.
This NPC is just strange, he blocks off this one exit out of town. The larger front gate is just as crawling with monsters as this side of town.
Well, I'll be! We haven't had a visitor in town for years!
How did you hear this if you haven't had a visitor in years? I can believe that you saw the barrier over the horizon or I wouldn't put it past Exdeath to put on a huge light show, but hearing about it doesn't add up.
Wait, are you the Crescent Island old man in a change of clothes? MY NEMESIS HAS RETURNED!
Is it true that Exdeath has returned?
I did too see a moogle! Really truly!
That big fat liar says he saw a moogle! He's a liar liar pants on fire!
Equipment worth paying attention to would be the Sleep Blade and the Dark Bow. The Dirk might be worth looking at too, but a better knife is coming shortly and until then the Main Gauche and its evasion boost would be better than the damage boost.
So this little girl sort of acts like the other less evil old man on Crescent Island, but instead of changing her dialog based on another NPCs dialog she changes what she says on where you talk to her.
Okay smartypants, who runs bartertown?
I didn't take it
Those like me who got annoyed at the ancient Ronkans not giving a full set of gold gear can get a helmet. But the real interesting gear is the Wizard's Hat and Gaia Gear.
In Galuf's World we start getting two merchants in the item shops.
We can finally buy Hi-Potions if we need them.
But more importantly, especially since you might get a very rude welcome from a Ferry Walk, is Holy Water. The only way to negate zombie status. Also now that we have Chemist we can buy things to !Drink.
Visit scenic Dontgonearthecastle, plenty of parking 1 mile left for Dontgonearthecastle. Bring no weapons.
Seriously, this is not a place of honor (yet). I'm going to go there and get my teeth kicked in but that's a failing of myself.
This town's got the best brew in the whole world! You should try a glass!
Ahhh, this is one good brew! Ain't none better!
Ever heard of the Kornago Gourd? It helps you catch monsters, slick as a whistle! Mmm-mmm... Regole's classic brew has a rich and full-bodied flavor!
Next to the bar is a secret passage.
You can refuse but all that leads to is Seymour shaking his head and leaving the dance floor in shame.
He hands over 100 gil, not much but I enough for an emergency trip to the inn I suppose.
Speaking of the inn, the first time is free. I know people rag on this guy's business model, but consider that his hospitality gives you more money to spend on items. The markup on hi-potions is insane.
Silence
Anyway you know the score, free sleep means free plot.
Where'd Galuf go?
Only one place to go in a place like this.
Finally, a chance to try the famed Regole brew! Kinda burns a path down your throat!
Oh, Seymour Butz! What's up? Couldn't sleep... Hmm. Come on, pull up a chair. Galuf... I'm sorry. If we hadn't butted in, you'd have been able to get into Exdeath's castle... Nah, even if we had gotten in, the barrier would've destroyed us... I hadn't the slightest inkling it'd been finished. In fact, it's only thanks to you that we weren't all crushed! Galuf...
...No particular reason. Seymour Butz... Thank you! Hey, don't worry about it.