Final Fantasy XII

[112]

lol, have you had a chance to play the apl one yet? any difference?

112

[sj33]

I've kept all of mine at the same level for the entire game. Now I've got three embroidered tippets and three golden amulates I just swap these around. I now let characters go up 2 levels before I swap to the others, let them get 2 levels ahead and repeat.

Looks like I need to get them when I get that far into the game.

I assume I shouldn't be too bothered right now as long as I take time out now and again to get the other party up?

[C']

Aweome, awesome, awesome!

Just accepted a hunt where the petitioner didn't seem to know too many details but I accepted anyway. Finally managed to get to the correct place only to find...

->Open Spoiler<-

...it was a trap. Ba'Gamnan and his goons had set it up. Wondered where he'd got to after our previous meeting in the Lhuse Mines way back in the game. Sadly no escaping allowed this time and despite my best efforts (took down one his supporters, I fell.

Still good to see that earlier plot strands are not forgotten.

Some nice dialogue exchange before this too. The voice acting and script in this game are really well done.

[sj33]

Finally at Old Archades! Just bought them Embroidered Trippets mentioned earlier... 6

Now I can sort my lvls out. My main team (Vaan/Ashe/Balthier) is ~lvl42, whereas my backup team (Basch/Penelo/Fran) is ~lvl31 =/

[toythatkills]

Umm... You really only need 3... :P

[sj33]

Yeah, until your main characters die and you have to fall on the other ones!

[Mad Gear]

I finished it yesterday after about a 5 hour grinding sesh. Farted about with my gambits aswell as they weren't exactly set up that well for the final bosses.

Thoughly enjoyed it and i barely touched on the side-quests, hunts, hidden vespas etc. I'll play through it again with the guide next time to see what i missed. Shame there's no save point after the game ends so you can carry on.

[toythatkills]

Yeah, until your main characters die and you have to fall on the other ones!

Fair point. I forget, you can't unequip dead folk? That explains the need for 6!

[sj33]

Fair point. I forget, you can't unequip dead folk? That explains the need for 6!

Sorry, I thought you means 3 characters!

I realised my mistake in buying 6, had already saved it so I sold 3. Slight brainstorm =/

[C']

Got this horrible feeling I'm getting close to the end of this.

Even if this was the case there's still plenty of scope for replay with many areas left unexplored, hunts to complete etc. but still, I don't want it to end

[sj33]

Been thinking about my party management at work today, want some opinions on this.

-My main party I want one Sword user, one dagger user and one range weapon user, and I want exactly the same in my backup party.
If I do this, I can share weapons/armour between multiple people, and only have to maintain 3 sets of gear. which leaves more free cash to spend on better gear, more magicks etc.
Is there a gambit to make party members automatically use magicks on flying enemies?

-Take timeout to level up my backup party when they get 5-10 levels below my main. This means I can maintain a higher overall level of my main party because I don't have to keep swapping another party member in, meaning they get the EXP instead.
The drawback being I have to take timeout now and again to get levels back in line, not so bad with the Embriodered Trippets.

- An Embroidered Trippet and Golden Armlet on all 3 characters in use, putting on stat-protecting gear only when needed.
Do I still only get Libra if I have that item equiped, or can I get this abilty through other means?

Does anyone see any big problems here?

[toythatkills]

-My main party I want one Sword user, one dagger user and one range weapon user, and I want exactly the same in my backup party.
If I do this, I can share weapons/armour between multiple people, and only have to maintain 3 sets of gear. which leaves more free cash to spend on better gear, more magicks etc.

No reason why you can't just have one set of gear and swap it around, it'll just be a bit of a faff if people are dying in the heat of a boss battle and you're in the menu equipping folk! The amount of gear you get from hunts and such though, you can pretty much equip everyone with (at least) adequate gear at all times for free.

-Take timeout to level up my backup party when they get 5-10 levels below my main. This means I can maintain a higher overall level of my main party because I don't have to keep swapping another party member in, meaning they get the EXP instead.
The drawback being I have to take timeout now and again to get levels back in line, not so bad with the Embriodered Trippets.

When I finished, my main party was at lv65 or so, with the rest around lv14. If you want to keep the levels even it'd be much easier to do when it's necessary. Example, if you can get through a boss fight with 3 characters, don't worry about the other 3. If you can't, then level them with a strong character in the party, and 2 weak ones with ranged weapons. Chances are with tippets they'll get huge EXP and level up (at least initially) once every couple of kills, as you'll be in an area with strong enemies. Keeping them even means that you're only getting minimum exp from kills, as you're probably in a lower exp yielding area, earlier in the game, etc. This at least makes sense to me...

- An Embroidered Trippet and Golden Armlet on all 3 characters in use, putting on stat-protecting gear only when needed.
Do I still only get Libra if I have that item equiped, or can I get this abilty through other means?

You want tippets on the man 3, and Golden Amulets on the backup 3. Buy the ability Libra, and the licence, and then gambit *Self: Libra* will keep it on all the time.

[sj33]

Your sure I can basically forget about the other characters? That would be much easier, as really the levelling of the backup team is the only chore in the game right now, I'd love to just forget about that.
I really only wanna maintain my main team, I'm just afraid I'll regret it.

I'll do that Libra tip

[Dazzla]

After it's ended I take it you can't go back and finish up all the things you didn't finish up during the actual game? Like hunts etc.

[sj33]

Sounds like you can't.
This is not the same thing, but one thing I liked about FFX-2 (yes, I loved the game) was that it could carry over what you had already done to a new game.

Anyway, I think I'm reaching the same 'totally hooked' stage that you guys reached, I'm totally loving this, and thinking of nothing else when I'm at work.

Dispite this, I feel no rush to complete this. This is good, because normally I feel compelled to finish one game before moving onto the next one, but I really feel like I can take timeout from FFXII at any time to play another game, then return to this after. This is good, no pressure to rush and complete it, more fun with the experience.