A Gaming Tip for Till the End of Time
Jun. 26th, 2012 08:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
star_ocean_fanI'm at a bit of a loss as to what to write about at this moment and, with many things paused until I get my own computer or the fall, it's making things a bit more difficult.
I'm still waiting to hear back from Laura Bailey on the interview. I may just ask her on facebook instead of through her website. We'll see.
So anyway, to this gaming tip of mine. It isn't for those who've defeated Luther. Repeatedly. On the same play-through. Like me. This tip is for the beginning player and can actually be applied to most any Star Ocean game where one has the symbologists with the crappy wind up time for casting.
When utilizing characters like Adray Lasbard and Sophia Esteed in boss fights, SHUT OFF THEIR OFFENSIVE SYMBOLS AND SET THEIR TACTICS TO FOCUS ON HEALING/RECOVERY. A while back, I watched a video on youtube of a person's first fight against Luther, and I wanted to scream at the person to quit wasting his fresh sage and to shut Sophia's attack symbols off. It was very painful to watch, especially since one could see he had less than ten fresh sage left. What didn't help this player was Sophia was out undoubtedly for her plethora of symbols, both attack and healing - she and Adray are the ONLY ones who get the Restoration and Faerie Light spells. Unfortunately, she spent more time casting the attack symbols on Luther rather than focusing on healing and reviving Fayt and Cliff when they were incapacitated.
Now, I personally don't like to use either Sophia or Adray in fights. I keep them leveled up for the sake of posterity. I like to run with Fayt and Cliff with Nel, Mirage, and Albel interchangeable. Those are just my personal preferences. It helps to keep the other characters leveled up just in case they're needed in other battles. One never knows. There's just one very noticeable problem in using characters whose primary functions are symbologists. They rely too much on the symbology to fight, which wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so slow in their wind-up times for releasing the spell. Even with the accessory that cuts their casting times in 2/3, I have found that Fayt has a better wind-up time and he can heal others faster than Adray and Sophia. However, my personal preferences aren't necessarily the same as others, and I get that.
There are some other tricks when it comes to utilizing characters like Adray Lasbard and Sophia Esteed to keep them from doing stupid things - like casting Explosion when Restoration or Faerie Light is needed. One, as mentioned above, is to shut off the attack spells. This can be accomplished both in and outside of battle. Enter Symbology either in the main menu outside of battle or while in battle and used the square button to shut off all attack spells. While you're at it, shut off "Silence" and "Antidote" . . . maybe even "Angel Feather", "Power Up", and "Reflection" . . . Sophia and Adray will try to join the fray by hitting with their weapons, but there isn't much a player can do to stop them when such characters are on auto-pilot. Just be sure that they're set on Focus on Healing/Recovery, and you'll be okay.
To ensure that they have the best casting times, recruit inventors, and get into your workshops. You want the Crafting skill to invent the items that reduce casting time by either 1/2 or 2/3, 2/3 being the better option. The Star Necklace and Rapid Invocation (which can be bought in Gemity) are what a player wants for Adray and Sophia. Also employ the writers to get the Brittle Tome . . . reduce how long it takes Adray and Sophia to cast their spells as much as possible.
Also, increase their defenses with their armor and accessories and their hit and magic points as much as possible. Because they are spell-casters, both have low defense and hit points. If they don't have enough of both, they'll die quickly and you'll still be wasting your Fresh Sage and Resurrection Elixirs on them just to keep them alive.
Level them up before heading into a boss fight. If you have the strategy guide or are following someone's walk-through on gamefaqs.com, if they recommend tackling a boss at a certain level, have Adray and Sophia be at least two levels or more higher than the recommendation. The rules of battle indicate that you get rid of your spell-casters first because they can do the most damage from afar and keep your actual fighting party alive.
Finally, if you have the patience to deal with how slow they move across the battlefield, set up the other characters on whatever tactics you deem necessary for them and play as Sophia or Adray. This is actually the best method for ensuring that your party stays alive and healed without incessantly wasting restorative items like the fresh sage, analeptic, resurrection elixir, and resurrection mist.
These tips definitely apply to Sarah Jerand in The Last Hope, though there is only the accessories that can reduce her casting time (Fast Cast goes only to Myuria and Lymle) as well as any other character that has a large arsenal of attack, defense, and healing spells. Utilize your spell-casters wisely. You can save on battle times (you don't get bonus points for spending over twenty minutes in battle with Luther) and aggravation at wasting your time and restorative items in the boss fights, especially if you're already low by the time you reach said boss fights.
I'm still waiting to hear back from Laura Bailey on the interview. I may just ask her on facebook instead of through her website. We'll see.
So anyway, to this gaming tip of mine. It isn't for those who've defeated Luther. Repeatedly. On the same play-through. Like me. This tip is for the beginning player and can actually be applied to most any Star Ocean game where one has the symbologists with the crappy wind up time for casting.
When utilizing characters like Adray Lasbard and Sophia Esteed in boss fights, SHUT OFF THEIR OFFENSIVE SYMBOLS AND SET THEIR TACTICS TO FOCUS ON HEALING/RECOVERY. A while back, I watched a video on youtube of a person's first fight against Luther, and I wanted to scream at the person to quit wasting his fresh sage and to shut Sophia's attack symbols off. It was very painful to watch, especially since one could see he had less than ten fresh sage left. What didn't help this player was Sophia was out undoubtedly for her plethora of symbols, both attack and healing - she and Adray are the ONLY ones who get the Restoration and Faerie Light spells. Unfortunately, she spent more time casting the attack symbols on Luther rather than focusing on healing and reviving Fayt and Cliff when they were incapacitated.
Now, I personally don't like to use either Sophia or Adray in fights. I keep them leveled up for the sake of posterity. I like to run with Fayt and Cliff with Nel, Mirage, and Albel interchangeable. Those are just my personal preferences. It helps to keep the other characters leveled up just in case they're needed in other battles. One never knows. There's just one very noticeable problem in using characters whose primary functions are symbologists. They rely too much on the symbology to fight, which wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so slow in their wind-up times for releasing the spell. Even with the accessory that cuts their casting times in 2/3, I have found that Fayt has a better wind-up time and he can heal others faster than Adray and Sophia. However, my personal preferences aren't necessarily the same as others, and I get that.
There are some other tricks when it comes to utilizing characters like Adray Lasbard and Sophia Esteed to keep them from doing stupid things - like casting Explosion when Restoration or Faerie Light is needed. One, as mentioned above, is to shut off the attack spells. This can be accomplished both in and outside of battle. Enter Symbology either in the main menu outside of battle or while in battle and used the square button to shut off all attack spells. While you're at it, shut off "Silence" and "Antidote" . . . maybe even "Angel Feather", "Power Up", and "Reflection" . . . Sophia and Adray will try to join the fray by hitting with their weapons, but there isn't much a player can do to stop them when such characters are on auto-pilot. Just be sure that they're set on Focus on Healing/Recovery, and you'll be okay.
To ensure that they have the best casting times, recruit inventors, and get into your workshops. You want the Crafting skill to invent the items that reduce casting time by either 1/2 or 2/3, 2/3 being the better option. The Star Necklace and Rapid Invocation (which can be bought in Gemity) are what a player wants for Adray and Sophia. Also employ the writers to get the Brittle Tome . . . reduce how long it takes Adray and Sophia to cast their spells as much as possible.
Also, increase their defenses with their armor and accessories and their hit and magic points as much as possible. Because they are spell-casters, both have low defense and hit points. If they don't have enough of both, they'll die quickly and you'll still be wasting your Fresh Sage and Resurrection Elixirs on them just to keep them alive.
Level them up before heading into a boss fight. If you have the strategy guide or are following someone's walk-through on gamefaqs.com, if they recommend tackling a boss at a certain level, have Adray and Sophia be at least two levels or more higher than the recommendation. The rules of battle indicate that you get rid of your spell-casters first because they can do the most damage from afar and keep your actual fighting party alive.
Finally, if you have the patience to deal with how slow they move across the battlefield, set up the other characters on whatever tactics you deem necessary for them and play as Sophia or Adray. This is actually the best method for ensuring that your party stays alive and healed without incessantly wasting restorative items like the fresh sage, analeptic, resurrection elixir, and resurrection mist.
These tips definitely apply to Sarah Jerand in The Last Hope, though there is only the accessories that can reduce her casting time (Fast Cast goes only to Myuria and Lymle) as well as any other character that has a large arsenal of attack, defense, and healing spells. Utilize your spell-casters wisely. You can save on battle times (you don't get bonus points for spending over twenty minutes in battle with Luther) and aggravation at wasting your time and restorative items in the boss fights, especially if you're already low by the time you reach said boss fights.
