Destrian's New Playthrough Topic

I haven't really been "playing" video games very much lately. XIII-2 has devolved into mechanics testing, and I don't think I'll ever actually play the game again. I'm not really feeling like getting back into Skyrim or Romance of the Three Kingdoms again right now. I guess I could play Gears of War 3, but I'd rather do that with a partner and I have nobody to play with. So I'm thinking that I'll be replaying this game when I go on vacation.

I want to do a single role per character challenge since it is an interesting derivation without a significant increase in tedium or frustration. I'm also going to do Light as leader only, because Death and it has decent flavor. I like her anyway.

I need to figure out which role I level for each, so I'm going to write out some pros and cons. Before I do that, I need to finalize the rules. Do I want to give one role to each character, since there are six and six, or is it okay for me to assign whatever role I want to whatever character? Do I want to do one primary and one secondary? I feel like that is too much freedom. Should I add in no upgrading, or is this fine as it is?

What's the most interesting?

I should probably do a regular playthrough, too, but I'm having a hard time getting motivated.

Each character can only spend CP on a single role. They can definitely use the others.

I'll just say upgrades are okay, and not use them. That way I'm not changing anything in the middle. I'm fairly certain that this is possible without upgrades. Dismantling would certainly help.

Okay. Let's try to evaluate the effectiveness of each choice. I'm leaving out Role leveling since that is obvious and I'm going to try and list only the most pertinent benefits. I'm going by the Crystarium Guide so if you see mistakes, let me know.

Lightning:
Com: Has Attack, Ruin, Blitz.

Gains:
Launch
Quake
Dispelga
Ruinga
ATB
Accessory (Stage 10)

Wow. I thought Ravager would be an easy choice...

Rav: Has Libra and Thunder

Gains:
Ability alternation
Element selection
Magic AoE
Accessory
Army of One

Med: Has Cure

Gains:
Accessory
Renew
Cura
Stopga

As much as I wold love to have Renew and that early accessory, Medic as a choice is completely outclassed. I think Ravager still wins. There are many benefits. Most of Com's benefits can be simulated with Ravager, and the Com role stands well on its own, while the Ravager role is crap without leveling. This isn't my final answer, though.

Snow:
Com: Has Ruin and Attack

Gains:
Launch
Adrenaline
Blitz
Ruinga
Accessory (Stage 10)

Rav: Has Blizzard and Froststrike.

Gains:
Some ability selection
Accessory
AoE spells

Sen: Has Provoke, Steelguard, Fringeward? Crystarium Guide is odd here.

Gains:
Accessory
Reprieve
ATB

None of these are really jumping out at me. I'll come back to him.

Sazh:
Com: Has Attack and Ruin.

Gains:
Blitz
Adrenaline
Accessory
Ruinga

Rav: Has Fire.

Gains:
Ability alternation
Some element selection
Accessory (Stage 10)

Syn: Has Faith.

Gains:
Buffs other than Veil
Accessory
ATB

I have a hard time arguing against Syn here.

Vanille:
Rav: Has Aero

Gains:
Ability alternation
Element selection
AoE magic
Accessory (Stage 10)

Sab: Has Deshell

Gains:
All negative statuses except Slow, Daze and Curse
Accessory

Med: Has Cure

Gains:
AoE healing
ATB
Accessory

Was there ever any doubt? Just the fact that he learns Poison makes her Sab role completely necessary for development. It's too bad, because her Ravager and Medic would have been extraordinarily useful.

Hope:
Rav: Has Fire and Blizzard

Gains:
Element selection
Accessory (Stage 10)

Syn: Has Protect

Gains:
All buffs except Vigilance
Accessory
ATB

Med: Has Cure

Gains:
AoE healing
Accessory

I have a hard time arguing against Syn here too, but do I really do both?

Fang:
Com: Has Attack, Ruin, Blitz, Role Level 2.

Gains:
Launch
Adrenaline
Ruinga
ATB
Accessory (Stage 10)

Sab: Has Slow, Role Level 2.

Gains:
Accessory
All negative statuses except Poison

Sen: Has Provoke, Mediguard, Deathward, Fringeward, Evade, Role Level 2.

Gains:
Accessory
Reprieve

I have a hard time arguing against Saboteur (I notice a trend), especially since she can provide Daze. She's good at everything already. I can't justify Sen for her. There are many significant advantages for Com.

So I guess I have to decide now, do I only have one instance of each leveled role, or is it okay to double up on some?

I'm pretty well decided on these three:

Light: Ravager
Sazh: Synergist
Vanille: Saboteur

And for the others:
Snow: Com or Sen
Hope: Syn or Med
Fang: Com or Sab

If I only allow each role once, the choices are already made. If I double up, I should probably do Sab for Fang. Hope and Snow are still a little tough. Am I comfortable going the entire game without a developed Sen or Med?

Well, it's important to remember that the game has been beaten without using the Crystarium, and that it has been beaten up to Dahaka without using the Crystarium or upgrading. I'm not concerned about my choices with regards to storyline bosses until at least Dahaka.

I do want to do all the missions, but I'm not sure it is possible with Lightning as my leader. Also, I would be upgrading for the missions.

I'm not sure what you mean by learning the first node for bonuses. Do you mean secondary roles? I'm only going to level one role for each character. The rest are left alone.

One of the reasons I like the idea of doubling up on Sab and Syn is that it gives me more party options. I wish I could have Renew for Light but it's not in the cards. That would make this decision so much easier.

Yeah, Fang starts with a lot. Daze is good for Adamanchelids, Adamantoises/tortoises, Shaolong Guis (lol), and Gigantuar, at the very least. Plus it gives her better chaining options, since I can't lead with her and force her to spam.

I should probably do Sentinel for Snow.

Summon cancel, I think. Elixirs maybe. I'm actually not concerned about Curasa. I don't think it's going to be a big deal. Cura is more concerning, honestly.

I farmed 30 Fortisol and 30 Deceptisol earlier today. It's way more than I will need, but I can use this save file to start if I decide to do a harder challenge later. I'm going to play NCU up to the Aegisol farming for a perfect starter file.

I'll probably focus on beating the game for now. Then I want to beat missions and Guis at Stage 8. Then I'll probably get to Chapter 13 again and iron out Sacrifice farming and Sanctum Templar farming, since my knowledge of them is mostly theoretical. I probably won't get to missions for my challenge run until after that (except for a few as I get to them in Chapter 11).

That's the plan, at least.

Oh good. That'll be fun. I've done up to 29 I think already but then I switched to Stage 9. I don't expect much of a challenge until the 7 last fights of Titan's Trials.

I just got to Chapter 3. Anima is probably the most terribly designed notable fight in the entire game. Snow definitely doesn't start with Fringeward. I'm going NCU until I get the the next farming spot, so it should be interesting.

Also, I'm already glad I'm playing this instead of XIII-2. I enjoy it so much more, even though I'm still in the part of the game that I hate.

Time-wise? I only got three stars. Then again, I also didn't input any commands.

Yeah, I definitely didn't need to use any Potions. I just got to my first real boss!

Manasvin Warmech:

Light: Blazefire Saber, Silver Bangle
Snow: Power Circle, Power Wristband
Vanille: Pearlwing Staff, Magician's Mark

Paradigms:
Rav/Com/Rav
Rav/Com/Rav
Rav/Rav/Rav
Rav/Com/Med
Rav/Sen/Med
Com/Sen/Med

Crystal Rain is nonsensically powerful. I had to give Lightning the Silver Bangle instead of the Magician's Mark to survive it. After that, the fight was easy. They give you free ATB so a quick Thunder chain in Relentless Assault starts you off (it's weak to Thunder so I left her in Rav mostly). Switch to Entourage to tank the first attack (whatever that laser thing is called. Light staggers really easily so a second round of Thunder led to a switch to Tri-disaster for post-stagger chaining, and then to Relentless Assault for better damage (it isn't weak to ice). It took two staggers, so I jumped to Solidarity to start the next chain and then went right into Tri-disaster.

I didn't really try to optimize this fight. Oh yeah, battle time 1:37. Five stars.

Of course, Snow walks off with my Power Wristband. I'll have to grab that back from him when I get to Shiva.

I'm not seeing where you build up chain duration with this strategy. I switched Mystic Tower to Delta Attack and it made it much more workable. Or are you starting in Solidarity? With your equips I'm going:

1) Delta Attack: 3 Ruin (Attack takes too long)
2) Solidarity (free bar): 3 Ruin (Vanille heals Light. Attack still takes too long)
3) Tri-disaster: 3 Thunder puts me up to the stagger point. Crystal Rain triggers, Snow or Vanille gets an ability in and stagger cancels it. This doesn't always work, but I can execute a quick Thunder spell if necessary.
4) Still Tri-disaster.
5) Switch to Tri-disaster (free bar) for three rounds, use wait time for a Potion.
6) Shift to Aggression (free bar). Chain is around 700%. Finish the stagger (use a Potion during a wait).

I can get it below 10% of its HP, but then the stagger runs out and I have to chain quick with Tri-disaster and finish the fight. My best time is 1:21. I have a couple of other things to try to see if I can get this into a single stagger.

I did slightly worse (1:22) with a magic focus on Lightning instead of Vanille. I think I need a second Power Glove or Magician's Mark to take the Warmech down in a single stagger.

I switched Aggression to Relentless Assault and kept the magic focus, and I got it down to 2300.

So three Potions, and magic Light get me 1:19. I don't think I can do much better without spending all my money. I can't speed up pre-stagger because the timing is currently perfect and I think I've done my best post-stagger.

Or can I? I just barely won in a single stagger. Magic Light, Physical Snow, HP Vanille. The beginning was the same. x3 Ruin in Delta Attack, x3 Ruin in Solidarity, x3 Thunder in Tri-disaster to stagger. Then I did one more round of Tri-disaster, switched to Tri-disaster for x3 Thunder, Potion, x3 Thunder. Switch to Relentless Assault for x3 Thunder, Potion, x3 Thunder. Switch to Relentless Assault for x3 Thunder. Then I had to quickly execute on last Thunder before the stagger wore off for a win in 1:02. I'm going to check and see if I can replicate this with the Magician's Mark on Vanille and the Power Glove on Light, but I don't think it's going to happen. Yeah, it's not going to happen. I just don't have the stats.

To finish off, I just tried it with Water for Light and Vanille, and a bit of extra stats. The improved chaining makes it easier to stagger cancel Crystal Rain without giving Snow the Power Wristband, and I got 0:56. With the Magician's Mark on Light, I got 0:57. I'm not going to try to work these down, but it is quite easy to win in a single stagger with Water so I can't blame you for saving your Power Wristband. For me, it makes the difference between winning in a single stagger and not winning in a single stagger. I'll just wait and pick it up from Shiva.

I didn't try it with Mystic Tower. I'm not sure how that works. You can stagger cancel without even needing to time it this way so it seems like a no-brainer to me. Also, I use two Potions. I didn't try it without Potions with the Crystarium but I can't afford to take Vanille off offense in my run.

I somehow manage to skip the first shift animation in its entirety in this fight.