CHz, what emulator are you using? I notice you're on a Mac, and the emulator I have for it fucking sucks.

Hard drive died, so back to the beginning for me (haven't made much headway, hence no updates from me here). I would like to finish my run this week, even if its a bit late.

I use version 1.7.6 of the Mac builds of VBA, which is four years old and still the most recently updated one because that's how Mac emulator development works. http://sourceforge.net/projects/macboyadvance/

http://www.saxypunch.com/fjf/p2e5/27...2.0a%5D_19.png

And then I try again and Exdeath basically stands around scratching himself while everybody pours potions into Lenna, God's Own Aeroga Machine. Welp.

http://www.saxypunch.com/fjf/p2e5/27...2.0a%5D_37.png

I TOLD YOU NOT TO HELP HIM

http://www.saxypunch.com/fjf/p2e5/27...2.0a%5D_38.png

Yarr harr fiddle-de-dee.

http://www.saxypunch.com/fjf/p2e5/27...2.0a%5D_69.png

Guess what happens when you Mug one of these jokers before performing The Aqua Breath Procedure? They become a tedious goddamn nightmare because their life totals refuse to ever sync back up! RAD!

http://www.saxypunch.com/fjf/p2e5/27...2.0a%5D_81.png

Zephyrus is by far the worst enemy in the game. THE WORST. Not especially dangerous. Not especially complicated. Just. THE WORST. But they summon Tunnelers, which I need in order to learn L3 Flare since fuuuuuuck grinding Red Dragons back in Exdeath's castle. NOPE.

http://www.saxypunch.com/fjf/p2e5/27....0a%5D_100.png

Melusine isn't immune to Confuse and that's hilarious.

http://www.saxypunch.com/fjf/p2e5/27....0a%5D_120.pnghttp://www.saxypunch.com/fjf/p2e5/27....0a%5D_122.png

And the Red Mage is practicing Doublecast
As the Blue Mages slowly get Doomed
Yes, they're sharing a drink they call Ether
But it's better than drinking alone

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv255@2x.png

One of the best places to grind for experience points is in the uppermost room of the castle in the Rift, after Halicarnassus but before Twintania. You have about a 3/5 chance of fighting one or two Iron Giants, which drop 10,000 EXP (divided by the number of party members) apiece.




http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv256@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv257@2x.png

Grinding before and after. Why did I try to beat Exdeath at level 34 with this party what the fuck is wrong with me.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv258@2x.png

The final boss has four sections.

The middle section is the split in its bottom right corner. It knows the horrible, unreflectable attack Almagest, and you usually want to kill this part first. It's vulnerable to Break, so if you have black magic or Spellblade that's definitely the first thing you want to do.

The top section is the red horned beast thing at the top of its back. It knows Grand Cross, which inflicts a random status condition on everyone. Might get blinded, might get instant deathed.

The front section is the horned dude closest to Butz. It uses mostly physical attacks.

The back section are those skeletons in the bottom left. The back uses mostly magical attacks, every single one of which the Reflect Rings will bounce. Since it's the least dangerous, it's the one I'm going to try to keep alive until last. It's vulnerable to Odin's Zantetsuken when used from the Magic Lamp (summoning Odin won't work), so when it's the only one left it's an easy path to victory.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv259@2x.png

Wiped three more times. My Neo Exdeath strategy centered completely around my Dragoon.

With the section that casts Almagest alive, the only people I can keep alive are the Berserker, who has enough HP to take it, and the Dragoon, who can jump and avoid the attack. Neo Exdeath telegraphs Almagest by shaking, so as long as I don't take a turn immediately before he signals, the Dragoon will never be hit.

Since all of Neo Exdeath's magic is reflectable, my Dragoon only has to worry about two things: physical attacks and Grand Cross. With the Mirage Vest, most physical attacks will miss, and she has enough HP to survive them even when they hit. So as long as I have enough hi-potions and elixirs, I can keep her alive as long as I don't get unlucky with Grand Cross.

The Almagest section has 50,000 HP, which means it'll take 20–25 jumps to kill. That's an awful lot of Grand Crosses to survive, but there's a potentially faster way to deal with it.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv260@2x.png

Remember when I said that the Almagest section is vulnerable to Break? One of the back section's magic attacks is Delta Attack, which inflicts Break. It has a 1/3 chance of using Delta Attack every fourth turn, and then that has a 1/4 chance of hitting the right target, so there's a slim chance of it happening, but with my Dragoon I can just sit there and wait for it to happen.

With that section dead, it becomes far, far easier to keep everyone alive, because his attacks that can do damage are all single-target.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv261@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv262@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv263@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv264@2x.png

YouTube Video

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv265@2x.png

THIS IS INCREDIBLY INACCURATE, GAIA WON'T ROLL STANDSTORM IN THE LIBRARY YOU IDIOTS



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv266@2x.png

Final stats for this band of maroons.

But are we done? Oh no.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv268@2x.png

We've still got a bunch more deaths to add to the final montage. 8)

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...pse7a04cad.gif

oh please please please tell me this is legit game dialog

"For Gilglamesh...it is morphing time!" :tpg:

that said if you edited this in <3<3<3<3<3

Ok, gonna beat this game this week. I think I'm over leveled because I'm at level 45 right now. Let's end this shit.

Worlds have just merges and going to the pyramid.

Ahahahaha yesssss. Gonna need you to code it so I can give my entire daily allotment of props to one post. Just for this.

IIII'M THE BEST

So last update we got hold of the chicken knife. Did a bunch of running away at max throttle and took about twenty minutes to obtain the Boss Slayer.

On with the story...

Found the old flying boat just in time for Exdeath to do a bunch of this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nit/101ulp.png

And some of this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nit/102lol.png

Haha, fucking furries.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...ogreatloss.png

Exposition Town was shit. The only loss to the world as a result of this is the shop that sold scrolls for ninjas to throw.

Fartz does not agree and goes postal.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nit/104why.png

He steers the airship due north at such a speed we circumnavigate the globe at least five times in 20 seconds. I can only imagine he's trying that trick from Superman where he flies round the world really fast to turn back time.

PHYSICS DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT DICKHEAD.

Airship bagged, we revisit some old haunts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...it/105fire.png

Die in a fire.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../106likely.png

The clues in this game are subtle as fuck.

We reach Phoenix Tower and meet these guys.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...107reflect.png

With my knight using a Blood Sword and Thief Knife to give us occasional Mug attacks, this is a recipe for the three other reflect rings we didn't get earlier. A bit of farming later we head up the tower.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...t/108bored.png

I got another four reflect rings by this point, most pointless bit of farming EVER. I also didn't think to equip any of them so burned through a LOT of maiden's kiss and mallets. Get to the top and...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../109dragon.png

FUCKING DRAGON. WE LEFT YOU TO DIE BY A ROCK FOR A REASON.

Story time!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nit/110yep.png

Yep.

We bag a summon we can't use and then wait for the dragon to carry us down.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...it/111down.png

Fuck.

After traversing the tower again, we go to get Bahamut, seeing as how we're in the desert anyway.

I had my chicken knife all powered up and I had four reflect rings ready to bounce back his magic attacks. What could go wrong?

Well, I could have completely forgotten to equip all that stuff. Still, fortune favours the brave.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nit/112lol.png

Not a flawless victory by any means but a victory nonetheless and without using the magic lamp either as I didn't realise you had to charge it up and I was down to chocobos. Danceserker was a bit of a hero here, as was twin lance plus gaia hammer Ninjerker hitting three times a turn.

Who wants some next then?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...113getsome.png

Yeah, Odin time!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../114mortal.png

MORTAL KOMBAT!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...115gotsome.png

Chicken knife, zeninage, triple-hit Ninjerker and a slightly extraneous Knight get this done in 38 seconds. That CHZ says he's never beaten Odin without using break before suggests retarded limited parties are in fact the best way to play this game.

So at what cost these three summons I can't use?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...it/116cost.png

Quite a lot...

Nothing much exciting in the Island Shrine, except the annoying bird things towards the end until this guy

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../117ladies.png

Just pressed attack a lot really, he died pretty easily.

Time for more drugs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...t/118mmkay.png

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...t/119mitsi.png

It's a Mitsubishi logo.

And with that, we rave the night away...

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv269@2x.png

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me the pleasure of introducing you to Shinryu.

Here's how Shinryu says hello:

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv270@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv271@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv272@2x.png

He's an affable guy.

Coral Rings are essentially required to survive his opening attack, which is super unfortunate because it means we can't use the accessory slot for something more useful. He also flings fire (also absorbable by the ring), ice, lightning, flare, status effects, and so on, so it's your choice if you want to guaranteed absorb one element with a Ice Shield or go for the Aegis Shield and hope RNG bestows favors on you. A few of his moves are reflectable, so summoning Carbuncle is a decent idea, but none of his worst ones are so it probably won't save your life.

The Chicken Knife is awful for this fight if you're not using a special attack command, because you can flee! Since Shinryu is a dragon, Dragon Lances would probably do more damage than the Chicken Knife anyway. Hopefully everyone in your party learned Equip Lances from the Dragoon class.

The easiest way to beat him is probably just to Berserk him, because that way he'll only kill one of your party members at a time instead of all of them at once.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv273@2x.png

I gave it a few shots at level 38 for laughs and that shit clearly wasn't happening. I did like 20,000 damage to him one time, that's 2/5 of the way there!

To the grinding grounds!



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv274@2x.png

By the way, these guys have a common steal of elixirs. Sure beats buying them for 50,000 gil.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv275@2x.png

Level 43: nope.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv276@2x.png

Nope.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv277@2x.png

Nope.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv278@2x.png

Nope.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv279@2x.png

Nope.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv280@2x.png

HAHAHA YUP

Okay here was my strategy, to the extent that the word "strategy" can be applied to what amounts to prayer.

Faris: Berserker with Equip Lances, Dragon Lance, Hermes Sandals, and an Ice Shield. WILL NOT survive the opening Tidal Wave.

Krile: Thief with Artful Dodger and a Coral Ring. Will revive Faris and then probably die on Shinryu's next attack.

Lenna: Geomancer with Artful Dodger and a Coral Ring. Will heal Faris back to full and then also probably die. She and Krile are on healing duty for as long as they're alive.

Butz: Dragoon with Artful Dodger, Dragon Lance, Mirage Vest, Hermes Sandals, and an Ice Shield. Will avoid Tidal Wave by Jumping.

Once Faris was revived, she was usually able to get two or three attacks in before dying again, and the Berserker + Dragon Lance combo would hit for about 6500 HP. Butz jumping would do about 9000 damage, so for this strategy to be viable, Butz would have to survive to jump four or five times WITHOUT Shinryu ever using Mighty Guard, which halves physical damage.

So the battle plan was to furiously slam on the keyboard every time it was Butz's turn to get him in the air, all while hoping Shinryu didn't use Atomic Ray (usually an instant HP kill), Evil Eye (instant Break kill), or Roulette (sometimes an instant Death kill), or attack twice before I could renew the Mirage Vest, or do any of the many other things he could do to fuck me over. Eventually I pulled the right random numbers for it to work!

Here's a video, you'll notice this one ends differently than the screenshot above THAT'S RIGHT I DID IT TWICE

YouTube Video

SKILLS, THE GAUNTLET HAS BEEN THROWN

I couldn't wait for you to finish the rest once the idea hit me, CHz:

(Hit play then open the spoiler box)

YouTube Video

I really need my girlfriend to stop playing Farm Heroes Saga long enough for me to get a decent session on this... :(

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv282@2x.png

Now this asshole is Omega. His attacks don't hit as hard as Shinryu's, but he's far more impossible for this party because his evasion and defense are off the charts. Most Omega strategies use an attack that bypasses those stats, like Rapid Fire, or reflect spells at him. I, of course, can't do any of that: Gaia doesn't work, most Magic Lamp summons just heal him, and even my Chicken Knifed Berserker isn't strong enough to dent him.

Omega also counters all damage with two attacks, one of which might be Encircle (permanently removing that character from the battle). Oh, and he knows Earthquake, which is a total party kill.

The only way I have to damage Omega is equipping my Dragoon with a Trident (lightning-element weapon) and then jumping, because Jump disregards evasion and the Trident disregards his defense because he's weak to lightning. With the right equipment, I can bounce or absorb most of his attacks, and it's tricky but theoretically possible to time my Dragoon's jumps to avoid his counterattacks when Reflect temporarily causes Omega to target himself. With enough speed to keep healing, something approaching a strategy miiiiiiiiiiiiight be possible.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv283@2x.png

However, without Float, there nothing I can do about Earthquake. :(

With Omega's AI script, the point where he might use Earthquake is too close to the attack window for the Dragoon to be able to hop both, so I'd have to come up with some fidgety, frame-perfect jump timing strategy with multiple characters that manipulates ATB, or abuse save states to ensure he never uses Earthquake. Either way, fuck this, I'm out.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv284@2x.png

I've never been to the bonus dungeon, and I haven't read any walkthroughs or anything, so I don't have the slightest idea what the fuck is in here or how manageable it's going to be.

FOR VICTORY

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv286@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv287@2x.png

Well this seems safe.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv288@2x.png

There are three bonus GBA job crystals hanging around in the antechamber, and you get a fourth one for being the end boss of the dungeon. Since that last part will never happen, and I'm never going to use the crystals I do get, I'm not even going to tell you what they are.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv289@2x.png

I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv291@2x.png

I WAS WRONG



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv292@2x.png

OH GOD GIL TURTLE

So this is an optional boss I skipped in world 2. I didn't even attempt it because it's majorly overpowered for that part of the game, and I had absolutely no chance without grinding for days. With levels in the 40s now, though, this might work.

His attack pattern is pretty simple: he just attacks, and when you hit him he counters with two Turtle attacks, which hit a bit harder than his normal attack and inflict poison and blindness. With HPs near or past 2000 and lots of hi-potions and antidotes, I can manage this.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv293@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv294@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv295@2x.png

Oh right, forgot he uses Earthquake when he dies. Whoops.

Welllll, guess I'll have to count his HP and have someone in the air.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv296@2x.png

lawl offscreen victory

So now we're down to just one skipped boss again.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv297@2x.png

fuck this maze btw



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv298@2x.png

Oh boy, another boss.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv300@2x.png

All right it's fightin' time

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv301@2x.png

Wait you want what

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv302@2x.png

So apparently there's a fucking job wall in this dungeon, and to proceed you need a Beastmaster. God damn it, S-E.

There are a couple of other places in this dungeon I can go to right now, so I'll check those out first. I REALLY want to poke around in this place as far as I can go, so after I reach the other dead ends I'm going to switch to a Beastmaster for one battle to capture the Behemoth. For purism's sake, I'll make a note where the end of the run technically should have been.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv303@2x.png

PREVIEW FOR NEXT TIME: I FOUND FLOAT IN THE BONUS DUNGEON

OMEGA YOU'RE MINE

CHz, I can't believe you beat the game with level 36 characters. I got to Neo ExDeath last night and wiped twice before giving up at 5:30 am (got a random bonus and bought games on steam and whynotbingegaming) falling asleep. My dudes were at level 50.

I'm also not using save states. I'm assuming from the posts that you are?

38 is a little low, but within the normal realm of possibility if you've learned the right jobs. Typically during the endgame, you have a bunch of jobs mastered and use a party of Freelancers and Mimes, which have multiple ability slots and the innate abilities and stat boosts of all mastered jobs. I think the usual recommended final boss level for FFV is 40ish?

Of course, the reason I tried it at level 38 with THIS party is that I'm a total buffoon. http://www.gamingforce.org/forums/im...icons/cool.gif


I'm using save states for screenshots (rewinding), to speed up trekking through dungeons (when I wipe), and for getting rare drops & steals from enemies. I decided at the beginning that I wasn't going to use them to manipulate the outcomes of boss battles, so I play those from start to finish and always restart from the beginning when I lose.

But I miiiiiiiiight cave on Omega.

http://www.saxypunch.com/fjf/p2e6/27...2.0a%5D_17.png

Ayup. Gonna TRY to take on the superbosses this time, but a couple test runs don't leave me feeling good about my chances.

^^^^^ Omega and Shinryu can both be trivial with Bard as one of your classes if you use the right exploits, as Bard is super broken



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv304@2x.png

Without magic or Beastmasters, the only way for my party to get Float is to confuse a monster that casts it. With the jobs I have, the only way I have to confuse monsters is with Geomancer's Gaia attack Ignus Fatuus, so not only do I need to find a monster to confuse, but it also needs to spawn on a terrain where Ignus Fatuus will happen.

The two monsters that fit this category are Gaelicats and Poison Eagles, but I can't confuse them because my Geomancer's level is so high that Ignus Fatuus KILLS them. So that's why I was convinced that I could never get Float.

I was right in that I can't confuse any monsters that specifically cast Float, but I was wrong in that there is a monster I can confuse that casts a spell with several effects, including Float.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv305@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv306@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv307@2x.png

That spell is Mighty Guard, a Blue Magic spell that gives Protect, Shell, and Float.

Stingrays normally spawn on the ocean, where I wouldn't be able to use Ignus Fatuus, but they also spawn in River of Souls B3, a cave area where I can. Wouldn't have helped with the Catastrophe fight, because you can only come here once you've beaten the final boss.

On to Omega!



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv308@2x.png

Fuckballs.

So I'm calling this one as impossible, unless I can figure out a way to get Haste while keeping a Reflect Ring on or have some grand epiphany about healing. My party is simply not able to keep up with the necessary healing.


http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv309@2x.png

lawl check out that zombie with a Reflect Ring, here's a failed strategy that'd work WITHOUT Float if I could Haste my Dragoon.

I need to have someone to reflect Omega's Search attack back at him, but my Dragoon can't do it while she's in the air. Soooooo, rather than having to keep a support character alive, I can just equip a Reflect Ring on someone and then have a Shield Dragon in Kuza turn them into a zombie. Omega's attacks will never kill them (since they're already dead), so they'll just be an eternal reflect wall.

But of course, that strategy doesn't work because I can't keep my Dragoon alive. 8)



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv310@2x.png

Okay, we're back!



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv311@2x.png

O... okay?

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv313@2x.png

Well I'm sure this is a completely insignificant detail.

Fuck this maze. Just give me the thing now, don't make me find the thing I'm supposed to use it on first and come back.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv314@2x.png

Found this thing, which is a GBA-exclusive armor that halves fire damage and is equippable by Thieves. I could use this to reduce the damage from Flame Thrower and maybe stand a better chance against Omega.

HAHA NOPE NOT GOING BACK



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv315@2x.png

ufk dead end already

Apparently there's only the one boss accessible without a Beastmaster, Gil Turtle, so this is the pedantic end of this FFV run. I've seen all I can see and fought everything I can fight with this party.

However, because I hate the way this place is designed and hate all the worthless treasure chests it has, I'm absolutely going to swap in a Beastmaster for one battle so I can pass the totally unnecessary job wall.

Because the way to show my utter disdain for this bullshit is to keep playing.

Dammit Pang, you officially lapped me.

Well, never too late. Let me drop this right here.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...ath640x360.jpg

So, my final team was:

Bart - Beserker
Lenna - Dancer
Faris - Ranger
Krile - Thief

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...FUU640x360.jpg

DIE NEOEXDEATH!!! DIE!!!

So this weekend I'm going to stop playing Hotline Miami and finish this. I'll admit the prospect of facing Fork Tower with no magic users has put me off a bit but I shall have a proper go and report back soon!

Oh really, Shin? Tell me all about having no magic users.

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instanc...x/37132774.jpg

Hurry up and finish so we can Manhogan Chrono Trigger or something.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv316@2x.png

fuck this guy

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv317@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv318@2x.png

fuck this job wall

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv319@2x.png

fuck THIS guy

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv321@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv322@2x.png

fuck this door

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv323@2x.png

fuck this statue

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv325@2x.png

fuck this guy especially

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv327@2x.png

fuck this timed sequence

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv329@2x.png

finally



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv330@2x.png

All right, here we go with the first original boss of this joint. I'm going into these fights totally blind so this should be good.

I can already tell that I'm going to need Reflect Rings for this fight to deal with the Dark Elementals, because I fought them elsewhere in the dungeon.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv331@2x.png

I WAS RIGHT

Actually this guy really likes to turn people into zombies so some Angel Rings might be better.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv332@2x.png

NONE OF IT WORKS

Reflect Rings are a bad idea because they only reflect Blaster and Aeroga. Reflecting Blaster is good, but reflecting Aeroga is bad because it heals Grand Aevis and damages the Dark Elementals.

The Dark Elementals heal with White Wind, and when they're both dead Grand Aevis revives them, so to have damage stick to Grand Aevis I need to kill one and keep the HP of the other one very low. Bouncing Aeroga doesn't fit into a strategy of controlled damage.

... nor does a Berserker. Might have to kill him beforehand.

Anyway, I don't stand a chance here until my people have enough HP to survive Aeroga, which means grinding out the ass. Still probably won't stand a chance afterward, but I won't know until I try!



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv333@2x.png

These guys, who spawn in the Hall of Doubt in groups of 3, are my new favorite XP grinding chumps. They leave 7,000 experience points apiece, so that's a whopping 5,250 for every party member with each encounter.

The best part about them isn't that, though. It's that they only attack with third-level elemental spells, so with Reflect Rings they literally can't harm you and will eventually kill themselves (with lots of healing and absoprtion).

IF THAT OMNISCIENT BATTLE TAUGHT ME ANYTHING, IT'S THAT I SURE LOVE REFLECT RINGS AND EMULATOR SPEEDUP KEYS



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv332@2x.png

btw if you were wondering why it's been so long since my last post here's the reason

LEVEL 45 NOPE

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv334@2x.png

LEVEL 50 NOPE

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv335@2x.png

LEVEL 53 NOPE

REMINDER THAT I BEAT THIS GAME FIFTEEN LEVELS AGO (38)

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv336@2x.png

LEVEL 55 NOPE

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv337@2x.png

LEVEL 60 NOPE

BUT I'VE GOT ENOUGH HP THAT IF I GO STEAL 99 ELIXIRS I MIGHT STAND A CHANCE HOLD UP



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv338@2x.png

OH MY GOD

Okay, breathe. In. Out.

No video of the fight for two reasons: I totally abused save states to work around some of his attack sequences (I think it's theoretically possible to do this fight without that, but I'd have to be psychic), and I paused every 15 seconds to fuss with a calculator. A full video would've been insanely long and boring.

Bartz: completely unequipped, except for an Angel Ring so he doesn't turn into a zombie. I don't want him dealing damage to anything.

Lenna: Geomancer + Artful Dodger, Angel Ring, Chicken Knife, Circlet + Black Robe (magic defense)

Krile: Thief + Equip Axes (strength boost), Angel Ring, Gladius, Hypno Crown + Vishnu Vest (magic defense)

Faris: Dragoon + Artful Dodger, Hermes Sandals, Dragon Lance, Aegis Shield (occasional blocks), Mirage Vest (magic defense)

Lenna, Krile, and Faris all in the FRONT row because I needed to do normal attacks with them occasionally. Grand Aevis only has one physical attack, so being in the back row doesn't protect against much. Magic defense is a more important stat because of Poison Breath, Zombie Breath, and Aeroga.

The Dark Elementals have 5500 HP apiece, and when they're both dead and you attack Grand Aevis, they respawn. To get through this fight without White Wind being an issue, I had to kill one ASAP and then keep the second one's HP low. That meant keeping track of its HP having my other characters keep it low while my Dragoon jumped on Grand Aevis.

Giving the Dragoon Hermes Sandals instead of an Angel Ring was a calculated risk that twice the turns would be more useful than protection against zombification. As long as her HP was over 500 or so, the only way she'd turn into a zombie was if Grand Aevis used Zombie Powder on her specifically, so I only ended up having to turn her back once or twice.

That fight took 66 elixirs.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv343@2x.png

YEP THAT WAS TOTALLY WORTH A WEEK AND A HALF

I've just gotten past a couple really busy weeks as well, so I'm picking up where I left off like everyone else.

Right, I did actually play this the other day and it was time for Fork Tower

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../501letsgo.png

Not gonna lie, just ran straight up the left hand side, escaping from every fight on the way. Got to the top with no problems.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...502bringit.png

First at the top, you fight the Minotaur. I totally forgot to equip the Chicken Knife on my Berserker so went in with a Danceserker.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nit/503no1.png

Minotaur is apparently a pauper and easily defeated by the age old technique of throwing money at him.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../504pauper.png

The killing blow actually came when the dick cast Holy on us and we reflect ring-ed it back. Noob.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...05holylols.png

What prize for this epic floor-wiping?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...6pointless.png

FUCK YOU MINOTAUR.

The preliminaries over, it was time for the main event...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nit/507no2.png

Tried throwing scrolls, reset the battle. Tried using items, reset the battle. Resorted to CHz-brand strategy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...510speedup.png

A rare glimpse of how big I actually play the game with my old man eyes.

About two hours later...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nit/509yay.png

Shank dat bitch.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...nit/510yay.png

FUCK YOU WHATEVER YOUR NAME WAS.

With that, the Fork Tower disappears forever.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../511noloss.png

No great loss.

At this point, I remembered that I could have gone to pick up some Legendary weapons two dungeons ago, lol. A quick trip to the castle that for some reason took me an age to find and in we go. Met this dude in there.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...it/512what.png

What the fuck? He's a pain in the arse and keeps killing people or would if they weren't all wearing Reflect Rings. Still gets killed though. We pick up a bunch of new weapons and re-equip.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...13overkill.png

COME GET SOME.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv344@2x.png

Awwww yeah the path is open, finally I can get back to looting this joint.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv345@2x.png

WHY IS EVERY TREASURE CHEST IN THIS PLACE USELESS

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv346@2x.png

FUCK

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv347@2x.png

FUCK

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv348@2x.png

FUCK

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv349@2x.png

FUCK

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv350@2x.png

FUCK



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv351@2x.png

... ooh?

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv352@2x.png

Ahahahahahaha looking at a guide this thing halves all elemental damage and ups physical evade by 10% and magical evade by 20%. THIS IS NOT OVERPOWERED AT ALL



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv354@2x.png

No I do not wish to partake in this Super Mario Bros. reference

Thanks for at least asking me if I want to teleport though unlike the other warps in this place.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv356@2x.png

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv357@2x.png

If "around here" is ten rooms away like this other fucking lock-and-key bullshit has been then I am going to put out a level 2 warning on me flipping my shit in the near future. Sick of this.



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv358@2x.png

Ahahaha check out this THIEF job wall. To get past the waterfall on the upper level, you have to flip this switch to turn it off and then B-dash up and around before it turns back on. JOKE'S ON YOU, ASSHOLES, I CAN DO THIS ONE



http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv360@2x.png

Oh lord another one of these chucklefucks, now I'm guaranteed to have to do something on the opposite end of the dungeon.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv362@2x.png

Yo so if you didn't know, this dungeon has even harder versions of both Omega and Shinryu. This is gonna be magical.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv363@2x.png

There's a teleporter in this room that's locked like that cave from four screenshots up, so I guess that's what this is referring to.

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/fffuck/ffv365@2x.png

GOD DAMN IT I WAS RIGHT

I didn't take a screenshot, but in one of the first rooms in this place, there's a monster locked in a cell. So, of course, guess where I have to go next.

Note: it's the opposite direction he wants me to go, because fuck this guy right in his stupid fucking face.

Here's the most accurate summary of this dungeon I can think of:

YouTube Video