Final Fantasy XII

[Teva]

Lol Embroidered Tippets are epic accessories in my opinion. Also I cheated by completing the license board for every character--there were no strategies. I didn't try to focus mainly on regenerative HP for Basch or massive amounts of MP gain for Penelo. My main goal was to have everyone balanced so everyone could use MP, say just in case two of my party members were engaged in some heated battle and couldn't perform any melee attacks. I'd always have a back-up "mage" or "tank" of sorts (though Basch will always be my main tank).

Oh and I happen to think that having Ashe as the leader flanked by Balthier and Vaan is bad-ass and then pairing up Penelo, Basch, and Fran as my secondary "hunting" party works pretty well. I normally like to have a second guy in that party too though normally it'll be Penelo-Basch-Balthier or Penelo-Basch-Vaan and yes in that order.

 

[Tennyo]

lol I started out wanting to have a set role for each character, but then I realized that it would be so much easier for everyone to know magic spells. XD

Not everyone has access to the same weapons, though.

And yeah Basch is my main tank. He's a part of my dream team, along with Ashe and Vaan. The three of them together are one epic fighting force to be reckoned with.

 

[Teva]

I never liked having to set up certain characters with certain jobs, the fact that you could customize the licenses they could own in any way made it so damn addictive. Before I knew it I was just handing out the same licenses to everyone. You're right, it would be too much work to painstakingly pick out the correct licenses for Basch to be a "Knight" and Vaan to be a "Thief".

Yeah they really are *daydreams about Vaan, Basch, and Ashe kicking butt*. Though I have to say when you equip Penelo with a Diamond Sword---god she's unstoppable. Pair that with a Diamond Shield and Magic Cuffs and bam you're ready to kick some ass.

 

[Makoeyes987]

How the fuck is it cheating, completing the license board?

 

[Teva]

I wasn't even serious about that comment.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

I never liked having to set up certain characters with certain jobs, the fact that you could customize the licenses they could own in any way made it so damn addictive. Before I knew it I was just handing out the same licenses to everyone.

This is exactly why I hated the License System.

 

[Teva]

This is exactly why I hated the License System.

Interesting. For me it was the ability to have full customization in terms of your character's access to certain weaponry, armory, technicks, etc. that made it more user-friendly to me. I just thought that if they restricted it like past leveling systems then it wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable to me.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

I don't like systems without a sense of restraint or inherent limitation. For me, it takes away the sense of strategy to have everyone be able to do everything, and it takes away the customization (ironic) to just hand out passes to characters to do everything anytime. I like customization, but I like it to be organic and more of a fluid process, like Final Fantasy 5, Final Fantasy Tactics, or Breath of Fire, where characters had roles, but you can slowly change and adapt them over time.

FF12 just lets everyone be everything with little effort or consequence.

 

[Teva]

Ah but you see you're sort of wrong about that. Even if you were to customize everyone's license boards to the same status, you would still run into difficulty with the game. There would still be the necessary need for you to acquire all of the weaponry, all of the accessories, all of the technicks, etc. and to do that you must complete hunts. Sometimes when you go to complete hunts your equipment isn't up to date so it's not consistent with your character's overall stats and that my friend, can cost you dearly. why would you be going on hunts anyway when you have all of the necessary materials availabe to you?

Insufficient funds. I'm doing this in my own game right now and I've finished the license boards long ago. The challenge is in finishing EVERYTHING in the game, which license board filled or not, is hard.

So just because you can customize the license board completely doesn't necessarily do anything to certain features such as character stats, which is something that you can not alter. If you alter the stats of the characters and customize the boards then I would personally think, the game would be downright ridiculous because then the developers would be handing you a free pass.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

I'm not talking about that aspect. I'm not really talking about the difficulty at all; I'm just talking about the customization and in terms of the characters, and the character growth system, it's very unsatisfying, because everyone can do everything with very little consequence.

So I can't say I'm wrong

 

[Teva]

Ah and I'm assuming by very little consequence you mean attaining spells, casting said spells after buying them, etc? I suppose you have a point there but I still think it adds a bit of flexibility to the game.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

Yeah, everybody can do everything with very little consequence. Besides for those Limit Break things which name escapes me, there are no differences between the characters too much at all. Personally, and subjectively, I think it's piece of shit game design.

 

[Teva]

Lol well to each their own. In terms of stats there are minute differences between them, some more surprising than others. Balthier has a higher HP level than Basch and that's fixed obviously. I always thought that since Basch was the "tank" of sorts that the whole setup was illogical.

 

[Tennyo]

Dude, I just got done with that Pharos tower place. Man that was some epic shit going on up there. I almost feel like I should smoke a cigarette.

But man,

Spoiler

I'm kind of sad that Reddas died. I've been running around doing hunts and stuff with him for a couple weeks now and I kind of grew attached to having him in my party. It makes me sad that he's not gone but I had gotten to the point where he was three levels under my lowest-level character.

And aww touching moment between

Spoiler

Balthier and Fran. The stuff in the tower kind of made me like Balthier a little more. I've never really had an opinion on him and I always wondered why everyone thought he was so great.

One thing that I would like to know, though is

Spoiler

what the flip happened to Gabranth? Aren't I supposed to fight him one more time?

And I don't understand

Spoiler

how the image of Rasler that's been floating around was really that one ghost dude that's been chillin' with Dr. Cid. He appeared with all the other ones and they all hated the one that was with Cid.

But then I haven't beat the game yet so I'd best do that, huh? XD

 

[Arianna]

One thing that I would like to know, though is

Spoiler

what the flip happened to Gabranth? Aren't I supposed to fight him one more time?

And I don't understand

Spoiler

how the image of Rasler that's been floating around was really that one ghost dude that's been chillin' with Dr. Cid. He appeared with all the other ones and they all hated the one that was with Cid.

But then I haven't beat the game yet so I'd best do that, huh? XD

I could tell you the story as far as I've gotten it, but I'm not sure you would appreciate the spoilers... And yes, Reddas was a good man.

Yes,

Spoiler

you will fight Gabranth one more time

.

Spoiler

He survived

; I guess

Spoiler

he just left when you were busy with Cid and Famfrit

.

... Uhm, are spoiler tags necessary still for this game? It's a few years old now. I'm not saying anything against anyone, just questioning if spoiler tags are still needed?

 

[Tennyo]

I dunno, people who aren't as far along may want to come in here for help on something maybe. It's not like spoiler tags are really all that hard to do.

And yeah I figured as much. Now to just do a few more quests and go kick Vayne's butt.

 

[I Am Not Me]

What was FF12's story about again? DX

I like this game. The gambit system was awesome. But for some reason, the story just won't stick me. At all. DDDDDX



I love Balthier the most

Am I on topic?

 

[Teva]

Definitely on topic. Omgz I'm probably going to have to go the Pharos Tower soon. I have yet to beat Shemhazai or whatever that chick's name is and Ultima. I heard Ultima is hella hard to beat but I just need some White Masks (I think they're called) to combat all her Holyja and holier-than-thou powahs.

 

[Tennyo]

@ Mei: FFXII's story is a rather political one, and a lot different than past FF story lines that you may be used to. A lot happens that is important yet the characters aren't directly involved. Also it can be rather slow moving, what with all the quests and hunts and such that this game has. It's easy to just get carried away and then forget what's going on. lol

Anyway it's basically about a few characters' desire to redeem their countries honor and to win back it's independence. And then other stuff happens. XD

@ Queenie: I didn't have Ultima to get through the Pharos tower. All you need is characters that are leveled in the mid to upper fifties. I don't think I have Shemhazai yet, either. Which summon was that again?

Anyway where do you get white masks?

 

[Dark and Divine]

I don't think I have Shemhazai yet, either. Which summon was that again?

Shemhazai is the Esper

Spoiler

one have to face before getting to the Occuria.

Here's a pic of it:

 

[Tennyo]

OH YEAH!

Spoiler

In the Great Crystal, right?

Yeah I got her. XD

 

[Dark and Divine]

Exactly!

Her quickening is very nice.

Spoiler

It's one of the few attacks in the game that can break the 9999 barrier

 

[Purple]

And aww touching moment between

Spoiler

Balthier and Fran. The stuff in the tower kind of made me like Balthier a little more. I've never really had an opinion on him and I always wondered why everyone thought he was so great.

Spoiler

Maybe it's the great lines and the sexy accent

 

[Dark and Divine]

My favourite moment between

Spoiler

Fran and Balthier is in the very ending, when Balthier takes the wounded Fran in his arms and starts walking in the middle of the flames and Fran tells him that he's more a supporting role than the leading man.

That was a beautiful scene, not only visually, but also because of the dialogue between the two.

 

[Cthulhu]

Shemhazai is the Esper

Spoiler

one have to face before getting to the Occuria.

Here's a pic of it:

I never saw that one, I think. Might be because I couldn't be arsed to do that crystal thingy.

Fuck that was annoying as fuck, even with a walkthrough.