I have to agree, I hated that crystal part. I got lost with the walktrough, walked in circles and got killed in the end. Next time my 2 friends were with me. So the game went like this: "Go right" "No, go left!" Then I decided to ignore walkthrough and accidently went where I needed. I still have no idea how
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.
White Masks can be obtained either through the Bazaar or through the Great Crystal. The book has a section on bazaar goods and how to obtain them - with the white mask you also get the white robes, but they have no holy absorbing powers. GameFaq also has a guide to bazaar goods, for free.
As for the storyline - yeah, it's very complex, and can be seen as political - on many different levels. Basically,
the Occuria are very advanced beings who do have (near?) godlike abilities, who wish to preserve the planet via keeping a grip on mankind via nethicite (a type of magicite, or stone that can weild power.) One of their kind is against this and via the Archadian Empire's lead scientist and one son of the Emperor, she is determined to stop her kind's manipulation of mankind. The one son of the Emperor is a genius in regards to military tactics, and is determined to rule Archadia; the lead scientist (also Balthier's father) sort of went mad with his studies into the nethicite and bringing about the renegade Occurian's wish for a free-mankind. In separate ways, this involves the main and some of the secondary characters in the story: Ashe is trying to win back her kingdom, Balthier and Fran were just out to seek treasure, not knowing that the treasure they sought would play into Balthier's father's plans and bring Fran back to her people in Golmore, Basch and Gabranth would have to face off and answer to the years of struggle each of them faced as well as one another, Vaan is adventure seeking but also rightfully caught up in the process due to his theft of what Balthier and Fran were after, Penelo gets wrapped up in it when she's kidnapped to bring Balthier out into the open via some Bangaa headhunters after his bounty. Larsa, aka Lamont, is the Emperor's youngest son, and brother to the military genius who is in on all of this, sent by the prodding of the senate on a mission to find out what's going on; Reddas is the ex-Judge Magister Zecht, who felt so horrible because of what he caused to happen in Dalmasca's sister-country, Nabradia, on the order of Balthier's father
...
I would sum it up further as a tale on the story of the web of life; how life is never one person or thing, alone; always wrapped up in the tales, fates and destinies of the people around that one person.
I have to agree, I hated that crystal part. I got lost with the walktrough, walked in circles and got killed in the end. Next time my 2 friends were with me. So the game went like this: "Go right" "No, go left!" Then I decided to ignore walkthrough and accidently went where I needed. I still have no idea how
Actually, the story part to the Great Crystal is easy, once you get the hang of it. It's just keep going down.
It's when you're trying to find Omega Mark XII, Ultima, at least one rare trophy monster, one rare (reoccuring) monster, and the valuable treasure in the upper parts of the crystal is where it gets hard - gates have time limits, etc.
One recommendation? Run, don't fight. Just get to where you want to go, and let it be at that - especially when you're against the clock for a gate which could be five or more screens away.
The best guides are not in the official book; I recommend GameFaq - they have two very well done maps there, for free, which explain it all. It's still tricky, though.
You can save before you fight Ultima; though, you'll have to travel to save at the same place before fighting Omega Mark XII - he doesn't have a convenient save crystal nearby.
Actually, the story part to the Great Crystal is easy, once you get the hang of it. It's just keep going down.
It's when you're trying to find Omega Mark XII, Ultima, at least one rare trophy monster, one rare (reoccuring) monster, and the valuable treasure in the upper parts of the crystal is where it gets hard - gates have time limits, etc.
One recommendation? Run, don't fight. Just get to where you want to go, and let it be at that - especially when you're against the clock for a gate which could be five or more screens away.
The best guides are not in the official book; I recommend GameFaq - they have two very well done maps there, for free, which explain it all. It's still tricky, though.
You can save before you fight Ultima; though, you'll have to travel to save at the same place before fighting Omega Mark XII - he doesn't have a convenient save crystal nearby.
Thank you very much! Now when I read this, it really looks easy and makes me want play the game right now... I will use your advice, I sure this time the game will go better As for the storyline, I liked it. I think mostly because I like history and all those political events and stuff like that.
Damn it I don't have Shemhazai yet and I must say her design is pretty damn cool. Not as cool as Zalera's but it's up there. I don't even think I can get her---my license boards are filled.
And yesh I know how to obtain White Masks--through the Bazaar but just in case I'll check the FAQs.
All Espers appear in extra licences that are not present in the standard board, so you can always get them even if you have all the licences in your Licence Board.
All Espers appear in extra licences that are not present in the standard board, so you can always get them even if you have all the licences in your Licence Board.
That made me happy, yay! Thanks for that. I always wondered how people could have their characters' license boards completed and still possess all of the Espers as well.
That made me happy, yay! Thanks for that. I always wondered how people could have their characters' license boards completed and still possess all of the Espers as well.
There's something very cool you can do with Espers - leapfrog around the License Board to Licenses that are otherwise difficult to get. Check this out.
As you can see, rather than take all those pointless armor licenses to get to the right-most stuff (ie, the top-tier armor like Genji), you could have a character get the Exodus or Zeromus license and poof, you don't need all those armor licenses!
Whenever I chose a License, I didn't just choose it based on what it gave me, I looked at what licenses would be available from that space afterward. So for Quickenings and Espers, you can take "shortcuts", so to speak. For example, you can jump from Runeblade/Deathbringer to Shell Shield via the Quickening License between them.
Ah you see Drake, I never thought to do that. XD I'm kind of wishing that I had but meh, I'm almost done with the game. This is the reason why I'm kind of wanting the Zodiac version, but alas, it is only in Japanese.
And so yeah, stupid jerks in Balfonheim won't give me a fishing pole!!!! D:<
Thank you very much! Now when I read this, it really looks easy and makes me want play the game right now... I will use your advice, I sure this time the game will go better As for the storyline, I liked it. I think mostly because I like history and all those political events and stuff like that.
lol I have to steal it? How awful! XD I kept talking to the guy over and over because I thought that maybe if I annoyed him enough he'd just give it to me, or at least send me on a quest to get something to trade him for it. XD
DUDE I just beat it! (the story anyway, still a shit load of side stuff to do)
That was quite epic indeed. And the ending left me feeling quite satisfied.
And I'm glad that it was actually happy. Enough games with sad endings for the time being. I'm relieved to see that everyone achieved their goals. lol Even Vayne to an extent.
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.
I am now leveling up for my fight with Yiazmat... I'm thinking level 75 is enough, right!? Right now I'm at level 66, 65, 64 for Penelo, Balthier, and Fran respectively.
I am now leveling up for my fight with Yiazmat... I'm thinking level 75 is enough, right!? Right now I'm at level 66, 65, 64 for Penelo, Balthier, and Fran respectively.
Yeah, 75 may be good; though if you've finished the other hunts, you may get away as it is right now. Ixion (Fishy Dreams) was listed in the BradyGame's Guide as a level 70 creature, so if you've defeated it, then you're set I would say.
I'm not sure if you'd be interested in it, but I gave some helpful hints below:
The biggest thing about this fight is to have the Windbreaker on each one of your fighting characters (3 at most, you can swap them out when you change teams). This beast has a major wind attack. You can find them in the armor store in Rabanastre. I believe it cuts wind attacks by 50%...? I'm not too sure.
Also, a second big thing is that this battle is LONG! Think hours. So, you're going to be running in and out of the arena a lot; and when you're going back in make sure you don't dally, 'cause Yiazmat can heal himself fully - that's 5 million HP! Get in there and distract him.
So, now that you know this, you now know you can come and go this battle all you want. Of course, restock, heal and save your game often. That way, if Yiazmat does heal himself, you can reload the game and not lose much. He heals himself a few seconds after casting his protective barriers at the beginning of each new round.
Oh! Lastly, you can steal from him each and every time you start a new round. He's a holy creature, so you'll get a lot of holy type items.
Yeah, 75 may be good; though if you've finished the other hunts, you may get away as it is right now. Ixion (Fishy Dreams) was listed in the BradyGame's Guide as a level 70 creature, so if you've defeated it, then you're set I would say.
I'm not sure if you'd be interested in it, but I gave some helpful hints below:
The biggest thing about this fight is to have the Windbreaker on each one of your fighting characters (3 at most, you can swap them out when you change teams). This beast has a major wind attack. You can find them in the armor store in Rabanastre. I believe it cuts wind attacks by 50%...? I'm not too sure.
Also, a second big thing is that this battle is LONG! Think hours. So, you're going to be running in and out of the arena a lot; and when you're going back in make sure you don't dally, 'cause Yiazmat can heal himself fully - that's 5 million HP! Get in there and distract him.
So, now that you know this, you now know you can come and go this battle all you want. Of course, restock, heal and save your game often. That way, if Yiazmat does heal himself, you can reload the game and not lose much. He heals himself a few seconds after casting his protective barriers at the beginning of each new round.
Oh! Lastly, you can steal from him each and every time you start a new round. He's a holy creature, so you'll get a lot of holy type items.
When I save my game outside of the Collisieum and reload it, will he heal himself while my PS is off? Like does the in-game timer know how long I haven't played?
+Thanks for the tips!! I'll go ahead and try playing the game with my levels right now and see how long I'll last xD *makes backup saves*
When I save my game outside of the Collisieum and reload it, will he heal himself while my PS is off? Like does the in-game timer know how long I haven't played?
+Thanks for the tips!! I'll go ahead and try playing the game with my levels right now and see how long I'll last xD *makes backup saves*
No, the timer for the battles only start when you enter the arena from either entrance. So, if you're outside the arena, no problem, he won't heal; but once you enter the arena, get rid of his beneficial statuses (I swear I cannot recall what it's called - "de" or "dis" something. I haven't played in a few weeks.) That will distract him, and get right to work on fighting.
Unless you wish to go through Giruvegan proper, you should head all the way down to the very bottom of the crystal and take the route you did during the beginning of the game. I can't recall the name of the teleportation devices; gods, I have a horrid memory!
In other words, the teleporter VIII will take you back out to Giruvegan city proper; if you travel downwards, you'll end up going to the area you originally fought one of the espers and then was transported to the Occuria. This time that same transporter will take you to the area you entered Giruvegan in the first place.
Did you conquer Ultima yet? How about Omega? Basically with Ultima, it's go up. You'll have to open some gates, and that's where it gets tricky. As for Omega, you have to unlock a lot of gates and then teleport over, then it's a straight path, as far as the map shows. I have yet to fight Omega, so... I have yet to travel that path.
EDIT: When I say 'teleporter' I mean the spinning waystones.
Did you conquer Ultima yet? How about Omega? Basically with Ultima, it's go up. You'll have to open some gates, and that's where it gets tricky. As for Omega, you have to unlock a lot of gates and then teleport over, then it's a straight path, as far as the map shows. I have yet to fight Omega, so... I have yet to travel that path.
EDIT: When I say 'teleporter' I mean the spinning waystones.
There are elementals and then there are entites; the entites (huge spheres of glowing color) are the more powerful relatives of the elementals (small, gliding blobs of glowing color).
The only entite that is relatively easy to defeat, due to the fact that it's level is near half that of other entites, is the Daikon Entite that travels around the first two levels inside Giruvegan. Elementals are listed as level 25 creatures; entites are level 45. Diakon is a level 25 entite.
Diakon and Leamond entites are also more relatively easy to destroy due to the fact that they do not use a lot of high powered magics against you - though it helps to have a Black Mask or Demon Shield (anything that will absorb dark magics) with the Leamond. Basically, they steal your MP, which is a pain in itself, but at least you're still alive!
It's true though, what Anna said; once you're leveled up enough, they will present little problem to you. Good luck, if you choose to go back and battle them!
Yes, Dispel and Dispelga. Thanks! Also, you're welcome, regarding the Yiazmat information.
One thing to add to the Yiazmat battle information though: Cast reflect on everyone in the party after you've started the battle.
His magic does have a chance at harming him if you do; but be careful, 'cause if you try to heal yourself (gambits?) with magic, you'll end up healing him.
It's really straight forward, once you get the pattern down. Only thing that changes is that he get faster as he looses life. But it's not too bad...
My characters are all in the mid 50's level wise and I can take down the entities in Ozmone Plain and Paramana Rift just fine. I haven't attempted any elsewhere yet that I can remember but I can't imagine they'd be much tougher. I was able to take on and kill Elementals a long time ago. lol
His magic does have a chance at harming him if you do; but be careful, 'cause if you try to heal yourself (gambits?) with magic, you'll end up healing him.
Not if you equip...oh shoot what was it now? There's an accessory that you can equip so that you can still cast spells on characters with the reflect status. :/
Also in fighting Yiazmat can I leave the fight and go away to other places or can I only just quickly save and run back? How long can I stay out of the arena?
I believe you can go to other places. I have done that before to replenish my phoenix down. During later fight, Yiazmat spams Deathstrike like crazy. Although I'm not sure how long you can stay out of the arena but my guess is you can stay as long as you want.
I still remember that fight took me more than ten hours, running in and out of the arena 14 times.
Yeah, I know - I just was wondering. Okay, I'll keep this in mind. Thanks.
As for the storyline, I liked it. I think mostly because I like history and all those political events and stuff like that.
Right now I'm at level 66, 65, 64 for Penelo, Balthier, and Fran respectively.
