Part 8: Chapter VI - I'm gonna smash your faces in!
Im gonna smash your faces in!
The union formation for Blocters mission is different. Hes on his own and Rush gets the other two soldiers.
Blocter
One of Athlums Four Generals. Covered in hardened muscle, but a big softie at heart. Sees David as a brother.
(Voiced by Dave Vincent.)
Class: Expert Fighter
Initial BR: BR 5
HP: (468)
Str / Int: (28 / 16)
Current Arts
- One-Handed: Knee Splitter
- Power Grip: Smash
- Herbs: Restorative Herb
- Hexes @ BR 33
- Traps @ BR 44
Comments
Like all Yama, Blocter has substantial HP. Hes all about pounding things into a pulp. He may not have a lot of special skills, so he looks unimpressive at a glance, but there will eventually be a very good reason to have him in the active party. He learns Hexes as a token Mystic art, but its pretty late, and his Int stat is not likely to have improved a lot from the time you get him, so its probably best to disable it to keep him focused on hitting things. He gets a unique item through the main story that only he can use. You may also want to disable his Herbs after he officially joins the party to keep him from becoming a Scout. In fact, do it immediately, because if he gets much over Herbs II, he'll almost certainly end up locked into Scout.
Dungeon Video: Gaslin Caves
Music: Into the Depths
Gaslin Caves - Many years ago, an enormous cavern was discovered during a series of earthquakes. It still has not been fully explored.
Yeah, I know.
And its always good to fight as many monsters as possible at the same time.
Why? That sounds dangerous.
The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, thats what I say!
What do you mean?
What do you mean, what do you mean!? Look, just try it, okay? Lets go!
Uh okay.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Heres a map of the area. Now you dont have any excuse for getting lost, awright? Now lets get outta here!
The more monsters fought in one battle, the better the chances to earn rewards. Although there will be more risk involved, there may be unexpected rewards.
Gaslin caves is small, short, and easy. But note that boulder in front of Rush for (much) later.
Music: Flamedrop
The monsters herere pretty weak to poundings. So long as everybody sticks to physical attacks, well be in the clear. Course, with me here, youd be winning anyway!
Hunh Lets give it a shot!
Awright! Lets move!
When you direct units to do physical attacks, theyll attack with their equipped weapon, or perform combat arts. You can learn different combat arts depending on your wield style, so try different combinations and see what happens.
Blocter wasnt kidding about him being here making this easy. He can one-shot the Rosefly enemies here with his normal attacks (not that theyre actually tough). Of course, if he were to do that, then Rush wouldnt learn his first combat art, and thats the reason hes here. So, Blocter is going to stand by and do nothing, while Rush will be using only basic normal attacks.
Sometimes enemies, such as this Manticore, are buried underground and only pop up when you get close. Needless to say, those ones are always aggressive.
I deliberately let this one run into me as part of the tutorial series. Namely, Why You Shouldnt Do That.
-Enemy Advantage -
If you are touched by a monster in the field, the following battle will be to the enemys advantage. This can be avoided by engaging monsters in battle yourself.
There are several reasons why this is bad. First, is that an Enemy Advantage gives the entire enemy force one free turn of attacks on your unions. Best case scenario, this means you will start out injured. Worst case you could be party-wiped before you get to move. (Save often!)
The second reason why this is bad is that getting an Enemy Advantage breaks the battle chain. Battle Chain is a running tally of defeated monsters in a dungeon. A higher chain boosts art learning and upgrading, and the EXP multiplier for other stats. It is better to engage in a fight you would rather avoid than it is to break the chain.
Its rare, but sometimes units of an enemy union can flee a battle. Too bad YOU cant. Theres no way for a player to flee a battle (at least not that Ive heard of), which can be annoying.
Blocter was talking about fighting as many monsters as possible at one time. This is what he meant its called linking. These two different groups of Roseflies were close enough together that I could engage both at the same time. This increases the battle difficulty, but it also improves the drops from the monsters, and the XP that goes towards stats you get from completing battles.
Each enemy on the field represents 1-3 unions, each with 1-5 units in them (usually no more than 3 units, though), so linking together three enemies on the field can have you facing up to 9 unions (although the game only lets 7 enemy unions on the field at a time). Dont get too greedy or reckless though. As this alternate-universe shot shows:
A misjudged stand by command left Blocter in perfect Raidlock position. He killed his attacker, but was so wounded that the third union took him out. This didnt happen in my recording, but Im mentioning it for another tutorial message:
-KO-
A unions HP is the sum of each members HP. Instead of worrying about the HP of individual units (which you cant actually see anyway), watch that of the union instead. If the unions HP falls to 0, then the whole union is incapacitated, and will be unable to act.
Critical Offense triggers can drastically change the course of a battle. Note the turn order before I landed this trigger.
A successful chain boosted my entire unions movements ahead of the enemy, letting Rush finish them off with a critical hit before they even get to attack.
Blocter was right about the rewards for linking being good.
- BOSS Video: Slavers
What are all these girls doing in a place like this?
Oh man, could it be that? Ugh
Whadda you think youre doing?
So youre that group then? The gang of thugs thats supposed to be running around slave-trading?
Slaves?!
One of the slavers makes a break for the merchandise.
Blocters faster than he looks, and is having none of that.
Who the hell are you people?
We dont have to introduce ourselves to the likes of you! Get ready! Im gonna smash your faces in! Rush, you want a piece too?
Oh yeah! Bring it on!
Heh. Whatever. Its your funeral! Get ready for a beatdown!
Music: Struggle Eternal
Mission: Defeat the slave traders!
Blocters quite capable, but he actually hasnt got the power to solo this fight without Rushs help. Theres more than enough heads to bash for everyone, so Blocters off the sidelines.
Its you and me, then!
Blocter cant handle being attacked by two unions all on his own, but Rush cant really do much to help. Blocter will have to break deadlock to heal himself.
Awright, bring it on!
I cant go down like this!
Rush takes his group out, and Blocter heals to full, but the Slaver boss Raidlocks Blocter, leaving him at 66% health, and then this happens.
Ugh bloody hell!
-Rear Assault-
A Rear Assault (stop snickering, you) occurs when a deadlocked union is flanked twice, and a fourth union attacks it. I think it can also happen if you break deadlock and are attacked by a unit positioned directly behind you based on the battlefield map orientation (hey, its actually used for something?).
(Another possibility I am not entirely sure about this if a union attempts to a flank attack on a unit which is in Raidlock. (Raidlock only lasts for the duration of a turn, after which it becomes a Deadlock, and for a rear assault to take place, the Raidlocking unit has to still be alive.) )
Unions performing a Rear Assault get a Morale boost, and a higher bonus to attack than flanking unions. This is a rare occurrence, as most of the time, piling several unions onto an enemy union will kill it before you can pile on a fourth or fifth union (and the rare unions that can survive that can typically perform a Multi-(union)-Deadlock.
Blocter has to spend his turn healing himself again, but at least now Rush can take out the enemy flanking him.
Finally. Devils Due is the basic Dual wielding combat art, now Rush can do something when I tell the party to use Combat Arts. So long, basic attack!
With the other slaver down, its just the boss. He Raidlocks Blocter again, but Blocter dodges.
Music: Sliver of Hope
Come on, lets run em down!
Without his backup, the Slaver goes from full health (approximately 1800) to dead in one turn.
Kidnapped Little Girl: I dont know how to think you and your master, Lord Blocter, enough!
Kidnapped Little Girl: Thank you so much! Ill never forget this!
Kidnapped Little Girl: Thank you! Finally we can go back home
Glad to help, but have any of you seen another girl, 14 years old?
Kidnapped Little Girl: Hm? No, I havent seen any other girls but us. I dont think those hoodlums got anyone else
Ugh
So from the look on yer face, I can tell you didnt find your sis. Thinking about where we are an why, I dunno if thats a good or a bad thing Anyway, theres no point in getting all down about it, right? Cmon, lets head back to Athlum.
- Video: Blocter and Paguss Report
A slave-trading syndicate, and anti-Remnant terrorists lovely. And to think, while we were fighting beastmen, those fiends were doing as they pleased.
We are already looking into this, Lord David. You should not trouble yourself further. More importantly, we have learned of something else similarly troubling.
Multiple sources have reported seeing a bright light flash across the sky.
A flash?
Every so often, Remnants produce light. Its called Luminescence. The light could have been luminescence from the Valeria Heart, or the Gae Bolg, reflected on the clouds.
Ah, but the Valeria Heart and the Gae Bolg are bound. They have not seen a Luminescence in a long long while.
Then, maybe a different Remnant?
That light moved as if it possessed a mind of its own. Very different from Luminescence to be sure.
Then a flying monster!
So it would seem.
Where was the light headed?
Towards Dillmoor.
Fine. You four take Rush and head to Dillmoor immediately. It seems were up against a flying Remnant.
No way! That-thats impossible!
The Academys research on Remnants may be ongoing, but they have never announced a Remnant with the power of flight.
No, it must be a Remnant. No other possibility makes sense. Now were up against a group that has its hands on an unknown Remnant. Choose your battles with discretion. Retrieving Irina is top priority.
Yes, my Lord.
Dont sweat it, Dave. Were the good guys. Well definitely get Irina back!
Davids expression says it all.
New Arts Summary
learned Devils Due !
Academy Visistone 9-13 posted:
[Remnants 9] To bind a Remnant, one simply needs to place a hand over the Remnant and concentrate.
[Remnants 10] However, a Remnant can only be bound during its Luminescence.
[Remnants 11] Luminescence is a natural occurrence that causes light to emit from a Remnant.
[Remnants 12] Luminescence occurs in a cycle, the length differing for each Remnant.
[Remnants 13] A short cycle can be a few minutes, while a long cycle can take years.
Dungeon Video: Gaslin Caves
BOSS Video: Slavers
Video: Blocter and Paguss Report
Next Time: This calamity is known as the Collapse.