Part 5: Excessive overpreparation

Chapter 5: Excessive overpreparation


First up on the list of Blue Magics is Goblin Punch. For what is essentially a regular physical attack that ignores row and deals extra damage if the target and caster are the same level, it costs 0 MP.


All you need is a Blue Mage hit by the magic. They don't need to survive, even. If one Blue Mage learns it, they all do. This will become very important, as some Blue Magics are decidedly fatal.


The Aero series spells are available at about the same times as regular black magic of the same level. Here, a Moldwynd is blowing Burtz away.


Vampire costs 2 MP and was upgraded form draining half of the Blue Mage's missing HP to draining all of it. I wish I played this version for my Blue Mage game.


Right, now that we've got some Blue Magic, let's go with a more sane set-up. Why I consistently cover Lenna in layers of robes yet let Galuf run around without a shirt is beyond me.


Like earlier Final Fantasy games, magic is sold in stores. Tule sells level one Black and White magic.

Level 1 Black:
Fire
04 MP; 15 power; Fire Elemental

Blizzard
04 MP; 15 power; Ice Elemental

Thunder
04 MP; 15 power; Lightning Elemental
The basic attack magic spells in all their glory. FF5 gives you good reason to have all 3.

Level 1 White:
Cure
04 MP; 15 Power; Restores HP

Libra
01 MP; N/A Power; Scans target, revealing name, level, HP, statuses, and weaknesses.

Poisona
02 MP, N/A Power, removes 'Poison' status from single target.
Basic White Magic includes everyone's favorite spell, Cure. Early bosses don't hit multiple allies, so you don't have to worry about Cure's low power. Libra has some use on weakness-changing bosses, and Poisona is just your basic status healing spell, albeit the only status enemies inflict for a while.

Now, let's bug Faris at the pub.


...Burtz, what are you doing?





Ignoring them, (Literally, they just keep spinning on that seat while Burtz goes do other things) it's time to start a very important side-quest in FF5.


Powering up Burtz' piano playing. Right now, he can't even play his scales without fucking up. Eventually, Beethoven and Mozart will be pitiful compared.


Let's go smother Faris with a pillow!

...

Why is that my first plan?


...


Uh, Burtz?



Uh...nothing, I didn't see anything! Must've been a trick of the light or something...
For crying out loud, shove over and let me see!


Not you too!



What in the world are you two going on about?
*yawn* Ahh... slept like a babe, I did...



I need a little time to myself. So shove off, you!

Now that half my party is pretty much as as they come, let's do what we need to do.


Pilfering this potion is part of it.



Someone you know?
Yes. He built the Torna Canal.


Annoying the fuck out of old men is a recurring theme of the game.

Ohhh, Princess Lenna!
Zok! It's good to see you.
Yes... It's been a long time.
Zok... I have a favor to ask. We must go to Walse, so we need to pass through the Torna Canal.
Oh dear. Ever since the Wind Crystal was destroyed, the beasts in the canal have multiplied like rabbits! It is much too dangerous to enter!

Moreover... I-I seem to have lost the key to the canal somewhere...
I'm sorry I cannot help you with the key. Still, since you've come all this way, won't you at least stay the night?

Of course, it's a free rest in an RPG.


Burtz spends his time reminiscing.


I like to think that they're talking about the weather over dinner, and he just suddenly rants about this. Also, young Bartz had a much more fluorescent hair color.

Stella-if anything should happen to me, never tell Burtz about the crystals... They aren't his burden to bear.
Oh, darling... please don't say things like that...


Zok went from pretty cool to fucking creepy in one swift step.



Nothing... I was just reminded of my folks... They died a while back, though.
...Here. Take it.
Huh? Take what?
The key to the canal. With it, you can open the gate and travel to Walse. I was worried about Lenna, so I hid the key, but...
Please! Take care of her!

As we try to leave the next day, we are caught by Faris...


And his crew.

Sorry, lads. I'm leaving you laggards behind.
Cap'n! But why? You know we'd follow ye to th' ends of th' earth!
I know, and I thank you for it. Not this time.
Cap'n!
This smells of a long journey... While I'm gone, I need you louts to guard the hideout. We can't just let anyone raid our booty!
But, Cap'n!
Please.
...
...Aye-aye, sir! Wind at your back, Cap'n. Godspeed!

Now that that's done, let's go and


Oh god, it's fading to another talking scene!


It's just about what we already know. If crystals break, world dies. Water, Fire, and Earth still need saved, we're resolute, fuck that shit. Like hell I'm typing all of it.

Of course, now's a good of time as any to borrow the pirate's booty.


Lenna taps into the dark æther to call forth lightning.


Then Galuf just kicks the shit out of 'em.


He hands us 8 Potions, making him 60% more worried about us than that scholar in the Wind Shrine.


Also, a Tent and 100 gil.


Kewhing? You don't mean...!



Kewh...
Oh! he's been hurt!
Found him zonked out in the cave, so we brought him back here. But he'll be fine, now that he's in my capable hands.
Please, if you can help him, doc...
Leave everything to me!


That's it, I'm hanging out with bats and fungi now.


Hot damn, Monks and their damage output consistently surprise me. That's the first of two punches, by the by.


After that fight, Lenna and Faris gain job levels, getting !Black Lv1 and !White Lv1 respectively! Now, any class can use first level magic if we equip the abilities!

Abilities which are commands in battle are denoted by !, such as !Black and !Guard. Passive abilities are just what they are, like HP+10% and Equip Sword.


The best part is, equipping these abilities give stats to make it useful. While Lenna would have 5 Magic as a Monk normally, she has 44 with Lv.1 Black Magic. At level 6, she'd have a Black Mage's normal magic stat.

Yeah, all 60-some of the points.


Anyways, I make Faris a thief for their axillary abilities and make Lenna a Blue Mage so she can actually be able to cast those damn spells out of the class. !Blue is a surprisingly high level ability.

Thieves suck in battle, but they can steal items, prevent back attacks, can see hidden passageways like those in the Beginner's House, and dash at twice the speed. This game's dash is already fast, so what's x4 speed like?


SSHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!

Next time:
Boating gone horribly wrong!