Final Fantasy XIII

[kiryu3000]

After a few hours into the game, I have managed to play up to chapter three. At the begining it felt kind of awkward not being able to get the exp from battling monsters like in the previous FF titles, but later I learned that the character become stronger as more points are invested into their Crystalium.

What has to strike out to me the most about FFXIII would have to be the battle system. Never before have I seen the paradigm shift battle system. It allows me to change the tactic instantaneously; from going all-out-offensive to the defensive tactic when facing a stronger foe.

So far I'm utilizing Lighting as a Commando. I have yet to try experimenting her as the role of a Ravager. I have heard that she functions best as a Commando, so I will have her be focusing on that role for now.

P.S. Oh yeah, I also liked how everyone gets fully healed after every battle. It really saves the use of potion and phoenix down outside of battle.

You should also level up Lightning as a Ravager because she learns useful techniques such as elemental physical attacks (which will prove very valuable later on). And yeah, phoenix downs are a pain to buy (not that I ever bought any).

I'm on chapter 8 now, yay (can't play very much though as I will be busy).

 

[Sei]

I got to chapter four this morning. Right now I'm having the following characters as several of the roles that I think suits them the best--in this current stage of the story.

Lightning - Commando (maybe Ravager too, but she deals so much more physical damage right now)
Snow - Sentinel (I haven't played him for a chapter or two, so there's not much update on him)
Vanille - Ravager and Medic
Sazh - Synergist and Ravager (I mostly go with Ravager, but only Synergist for the Bravery and Faith)
Hope - Ravager and Medic (Synergist too, but haven't gotten more CP)

 

[Dan Dan]

You should try and raise the Ravager status of your members since they have the increased chain bonus, making staggering your opponent easier. Best method for a quick stagger is RAV/RAV/RAV, then switch over to the CMD role for whoever can use it when the enemies breaks. Sazh is the only one that learns Haste, so you should level up his Synergist role to get that asap as well.

 

[Philip7086]

You should try and raise the Ravager status of your members since they have the increased chain bonus, making staggering your opponent easier. Best method for a quick stagger is RAV/RAV/RAV, then switch over to the CMD role for whoever can use it when the enemies breaks. Sazh is the only one that learns Haste, so you should level up his Synergist role to get that asap as well.

Nah, I've found that you need at least one CMD in order to make sure your chain doesn't drop fast as fuck. For weaker enemies, RAV/RAV/RAV would work though.

Current progress: In chapter 9

 

[Dan Dan]

Well, I guess it depends on the enemies.. some have a resistance to regular attacks, and RAV/RAV/RAV is the best way to get damage + chain bonus, but my party is Fang/Lightning/Hope so I've got a CMD there most of the time anyway.

Hide

Stuck on the boss at the end of 11... I think i'm messing around too much with the Paradigms because he casts Doom on me when he's still like at half health. Probably need to grind EVEN MORE to make sure I can take the hits enough not the have to heal every other turn.

 

[Philip7086]

My main party's probably going to be Lightning/Hope/Snow. Does SEN really give you that much that it merits the use of Fang? Also, where I'm at, Fang doesn't get RAV, which is one of the reasons I'm booting her.

 

[Dan Dan]

I chose Fang mainly for the synergy she has with Lightning and Hope lol.. between them they have the greatest number of role combinations (2 CMD, 2 RAV, 2 MED, 1 SYN, 1 SAB), but she does make a decent SEN... the reason to buff out that in the crystarium is for the HP boosts. Plus her summon is the best by far :D

 

[Quaily]

XII was terrible, I don't think I'll get XIII. Even if I do, it'll be the PC port if there ever is one.

the last pc port I can remember is 7 so I wouldn't hold my breath over it. I don't have any consoles either so it'd be my only option as well.

 

[d2m]

the last pc port I can remember is 7 so I wouldn't hold my breath over it. I don't have any consoles either so it'd be my only option as well.

I own the PC port of VIII

 

[Firestorm]

Well, I guess it depends on the enemies.. some have a resistance to regular attacks, and RAV/RAV/RAV is the best way to get damage + chain bonus, but my party is Fang/Lightning/Hope so I've got a CMD there most of the time anyway.

No. You need at least one hit from a Commando to stop the bar from dropping quickly. You can then switch to all Ravagers to increase the meter.

 

[Dan Dan]

Yeah I only just realised that after Philip posted, my bad.

 

[kiryu3000]

Arg, I can't wait until I have access to Bahumut! I also want Alexander as well, but sadly...

Chapter 8

Sazh is too busy chasing around Chocobos at Nautilus.
EDIT: Hooray, I got Brynhidr.

As for the role combinations, I usually go with CMD/RAV/RAV or CMD/RAV/MED depending on the situation. I rarely use Synergist unless if it's Sazh and I never use Saboteur unless if the enemy is weak to a particular spell that I have.

 

[Pink]

I'm at the end of chapter 11 right now. For those with problems with linearity, tough it through to chapter 11, and you won't be dissapointed. I personally love this game. The battle system is AWESOME. I use Lightning, Vanille, Sazh for my party and start out: [COM], [RAV], [SYN]. Having haste from the get-go is awesome. I pretty much rely on it now. This game is awesome though. Very well done. I love the voice acting and the story. Not to mention the graphics.

Also, if you have ever played a FF title before, this is no more linear except for the missing world map, which hasn't really been featured since FFIX. And, as I said, chapter 11 explodes with delinearity. (not a word)

EDIT: And the weapon upgrading system is bomb. Hint: always go for a 3x bonus with really low EXP items and then thrust in a whole bunch of high EXP items for maximum boostage.

 

[kiryu3000]

I'm at the end of chapter 11 right now. For those with problems with linearity, tough it through to chapter 11, and you won't be dissapointed. I personally love this game. The battle system is AWESOME. I use Lightning, Vanille, Sazh for my party and start out: [COM], [RAV], [SYN]. Having haste from the get-go is awesome. I pretty much rely on it now. This game is awesome though. Very well done. I love the voice acting and the story. Not to mention the graphics.

Also, if you have ever played a FF title before, this is no more linear except for the missing world map, which hasn't really been featured since FFIX. And, as I said, chapter 11 explodes with delinearity. (not a word)

EDIT: And the weapon upgrading system is bomb. Hint: always go for a 3x bonus with really low EXP items and then thrust in a whole bunch of high EXP items for maximum boostage.

What exactly does Haste do? Sorry if I sound noobish as I haven't really been focusing on Sazh's Synergist role. Also, have you maxed out a weapon yet?

 

[Platyp]

What exactly does Haste do? Sorry if I sound noobish as I haven't really been focusing on Sazh's Synergist role. Also, have you maxed out a weapon yet?

Haste makes the ATB gauge charge up 50% faster.

 

[Pink]

I have 3 weapons on their second forms. I could probably max out Lightning's weapon... I have enough money. And maybe even another. I might try soon, and let you know how it goes.

Protip! (limited spoilers)

When you get to a broken down town in chapter 11, you need to repair a robot. It's optional, but doing it will make you very rich! You need to collect 5 items. 4 are visible on the map, and the last is acquired from killing a monster near the roots of the tree.

/protip

EDIT: Protip 2!

Sazh as a Synergist is pretty awesome. Getting Brave (atk+), en(element) and haste make battles go so fast. Haste is really quite invaluable. I hit the damage cap because he gave me atk+, enfire, they were staggered, and Vanille had cast deprotect ^^

EDIT2: Can't get an ultimate yet simply because I don't have the item needed to change the tier 2* item to the 3rd tier. Whoops!

 

[kiryu3000]

I have 3 weapons on their second forms. I could probably max out Lightning's weapon... I have enough money. And maybe even another. I might try soon, and let you know how it goes.

Protip! (limited spoilers)

When you get to a broken down town in chapter 11, you need to repair a robot. It's optional, but doing it will make you very rich! You need to collect 5 items. 4 are visible on the map, and the last is acquired from killing a monster near the roots of the tree.

/protip

EDIT: Protip 2!

Sazh as a Synergist is pretty awesome. Getting Brave (atk+), en(element) and haste make battles go so fast. Haste is really quite invaluable. I hit the damage cap because he gave me atk+, enfire, they were staggered, and Vanille had cast deprotect ^^

EDIT2: Can't get an ultimate yet simply because I don't have the item needed to change the tier 2* item to the 3rd tier. Whoops!

I feel like a newb here...I didn't upgrade any weapon and I just got Brynhidr...and you didn't explain what haste does. If I had to guess, that makes the action gauge fill up faster? I guess I'll have to give Sazh Synergist a shot.

 

[Pink]

Yeah, it makes your ATB go up a lot faster. It's awesome. And you don't need to upgrade. A lot of people wait until they're in Chapter 11 or later to upgrade. I just like to jump the gun. Also, having Lightning with a whole lot of atk surely is a plus. Either way though, you're not at a loss if you don't upgrade.

 

[kiryu3000]

Yeah, it makes your ATB go up a lot faster. It's awesome. And you don't need to upgrade. A lot of people wait until they're in Chapter 11 or later to upgrade. I just like to jump the gun. Also, having Lightning with a whole lot of atk surely is a plus. Either way though, you're not at a loss if you don't upgrade.

Kickass...and yeah, I've upgraded as soon as I was able to; I think all my characters' starting weapons are at level 4-ish right now, and I am terribly lacking in components at the moment. By the way, how are the multiplicative bonuses for upgrade experience applied? Do you need to use certain materials for each weapon, or do any materials yield multiplicative bonus? If the latter is true, then there is a use for those credit chips after all (each worth 1 experience at default).

 

[Pink]

Each item gives the same EXP to all upgrade-able equipment, if that's what you're asking. Also, anything that gives 1 EXP, just sell. You get a lot of Gil for them. My weapons are all about level 50 right now.

Also, you only need to use certain materials on weapons to evolve them past their (*) level.

 

[kiryu3000]

My weapons are all about level 50 right now.

Also, you only need to use certain materials on weapons to evolve them past their (*) level.

lol wow, I really feel like a newb now. As for your second comment, I generally don't use up all of one material I own (I like to keep a few in case if there are certain material prerequisites). Hopefully I will get a lot of upgrade goodies later on...

By the way, is the amount of action points when using Gestalt mode dependent on the Gestalt bar for Eidolons in their non-Gestalt forms?

 

[Pink]

I'm not really sure. I don't use them much, to be honest. And, just so you know, the only items that upgrade past star level are the stones (Millerite, etc.) and they can't be used in anything else.

 

[kiryu3000]

I'm not really sure. I don't use them much, to be honest. And, just so you know, the only items that upgrade past star level are the stones (Millerite, etc.) and they can't be used in anything else.

lol I don't use them much either, which is the reason why I'm asking the question to be honest XD The only reason I use them is to see the Eidolon's nifty transformation scene. Still cannot wait to get Alexander and Bahumut.

 

[Truthi]

haha sorry firestorm I saw your past messages of your love with vesperia and felt mean for my messages against it.

so chapter 11(no spoilers) you want no linear? how about a whole open area to do whatever, seriously I had no idea what to do first and it was really neat. the summons are actually really useful for this area at least because when you first enter it against baddies, your really weak and they compensate so you can train up to match some of the guys up with summons if need be. I recommend heading to the western area to train up some of the many flying guys to get some really quick cp to get that fifth atb bar and just overall they are quick and easy ways especially for weaker guys to get that shit up.

but if you look at it 50% of the game with the two first discs combined is setting up the characters and story while the actual true open ended gameplay is available as soon as you hit the third disc and is super enjoyable, the customization is really open to all players, ff13 if ir it can offer a great closing story will for sure be up there with good final fantasies

 

[Firestorm]

Don't get too excited; after the open area I hear it takes you back into linear corridors.

I'm hearing some great reports on Resonance of Fate for those who finish this and are looking for another RPG. Apparently much better than FFXIII aside from visuals.