Alright, now I remember. what about pushing a button to fight him though?
He’ll start raping you from the very second you enter the area. There’s not even a prior cutscene. Area loads up, you start dying.
So, If you don’t complete these pre-requisites, it just sits there? You should be able to target it, at least. I know that you can target allies, like the various friendly hunters that roam the plains, and you can target characters that are not in the active party, but this… is ridiculous.
Nope. That’s all it does. It just sits there like a rock and you can enjoy the peace and quiet.
Ok, after a hiatus of about two weeks (I had some temporary work to do) I’m back playing the game now. I had some trouble beating Mateus (another Chap Boss- I couldn’t penetrate his Reflect but he could mine? Grrr) but I eventually did. I just reached the Phon Coast today. My characters now have several new spells and I’ve set them up so they keep casting Buffs on each other. Something is wrong with Vaan, however: one of his gambits seems to be defective, because he’s killed himself twice (!) apparently while trying to heal himself, and killed off Ashe once (??) as well. And no, neither character had Reverse cast on it at the moment. The only thing I can figure out is that the Infuse Technique Gambit I put on Vaan (Ally HP Critical -> Infuse) is the cause, but I don’t see how. Is there a bug on my game?
A few other things:
-Does messing around with the battle speed help in any way if you’re playing on Wait mode? I see no difference, even at the slowest setting. It just makes it longer for the fight to resume.
-Should I buy the Grimoires? I know they are supposed to increase the quality of Loot drops, but they’re very expensive, and the few times I had enough money to buy one it would’ve meant not updating the characters’ gear for the next dungeon, and the game’s hard enough as it is. I want to know if it makes a good investment or if I should just wait for later in the the game when I have money left over.
Progress Report: I’m currently in the Tchita Uplands. This area is hard; the monsters here tend to gang up on you. Also they seem to respawn faster than in other areas I’ve been, making it a pain to explore >_< . And I still have a dungeon to tackle afterwards? I can see why everyone says this game has way too much wandering. I decided to teleport out, do some quests and hunts and then come back. Speaking of which, I finally killed the Ring Wyrm, the Earth Tyrant and the Vorpal Bunny; amazingly the last one was the hardest, the damn thing would not stay in one place but instead led me around the jungle and I kept running into other monsters, including an unlimited undead gauntlet like the one in the Henne mines. Feh. I had to consult a FAQ on how to get it; I had to berserk it to get it to stay put (that may seem obvious now, but given how this game doesn’t give you any hints about the Bosses’ immunities, it’s not.)
And I confirmed that Vaan’s use of Infuse was killing those I meant to heal with it. I don’t understand it, sometimes it works and sometimes it kills. It’s either a glitch in my copy of the game, or a randomly-triggered limitation like the one Charge has (which occasionally robs you of your MP instead of restoring it.) Anyway I’m not using it again.
I’m very short on Gil, too; equipment in this game is VERY expensive. I’ve decided to buy the grimoires next chance I get, and see if that helps.
I think the Grimoires are more for the purpose of acquirring rare drops needed for bazaar items than getting a better return on selling loot, but don’t quote me on it.
I’m pretty sure messing with battle speed does nothing for wait mode.
Also, why are you using infuse? Potions are as fast or faster, and healing spells are generally more effective. I understand wanting to use Techniques, but they just generally aren’t worth the trouble (outside maybe Steal, Libra, and Charge when you’re not in combat).
My hope is that I’ll get more valuable loot to sell and thus get some extra $$.
Also, why are you using infuse? Potions are as fast or faster, and healing spells are generally more effective. I understand wanting to use Techniques, but they just generally aren’t worth the trouble (outside maybe Steal, Libra, and Charge when you’re not in combat).
Vaan is my Technique specialist; everyone else has spells. I found it works well because he can spend his MP in summons, transfer it to other members etc. Btw I find healing spells too slow in battle, and I prefer to save potions for the Boss fights. Infuse worked well enough except when it felt like killing my characters instead. >_<
I enjoyed FFXII muchly. Haven’t played it for a couple of months, got 3 more hunts to complete but I think I might pick it up again soon. I agree with the previous comments about the story- the world is so richly and wonderfully rendered it’s a shame the main storyline is so utterly dull. The only bit that was even slightly emotionally affecting was the concept art during the end credits, with a young Dr. Cid proudly holding his baby son. Nice gameplay though; despite a few flaws it was one of the more engaging RPG battle systems I’ve encountered.
I second that. I know you’re trying to play the game in your own way, Wil, but man, techniques SUCK. They really do (as do summons, especially against bosses, arrrrg). They just make the game more complicated to get through and yourself more prone to get your ass kicked. Even telekinesis sucked. I thought it would be cool with greatsword + haste + some other boosts, but NOO. It’s not worth it.
I don’t remember ever having money problems. I’d buy all the grimoires and spend hours farming for valuable loot if I were you. It’s fun.
Sure, if you define “fun” as “boring” X-X
I always had money problems, because I refused to sit around grinding until the very end of the game, where I spent way way WAY too much time doing it.
I know for a fact that Walhalla is being sarcastic. Grimoires are mostly a waste of money unless you really wanna farm those little rare things. It won’t bring you more money. You’re having money problems for the same reasons you’re having difficulty fighting ANYTHING: because of the way you’re finding yourself play the game. You refuse to accept the way they balanced the system. Either way , you’re either bored or getting screwed as we told you you would be. For example: the only reason you’re having healing problems is because you have to have everyone with white magic spells with the same emergency heal gambits.
I always had money problems, because I refused to sit around grinding until the very end of the game, where I spent way way WAY too much time doing it.
See, that’s why I’m trying to avoid. Leaving the sidequests for last has always been a problem for me with RPGs, to the point I would get too bored to finish the game. I’m not letting that happen this time. But DAMN are there too many of them in this game.
I know for a fact that Walhalla is being sarcastic.
Well, thanks for pointing that out, because I couldn’t tell. Tone doesn’t carry well online, folks. Be sure to make clear what you mean.
you’re either bored or getting screwed
If I were bored I wouldn’t be playing, and I’m not getting screwed, though I’m having difficulty in some areas (others have been rather easy.)
only reason you’re having healing problems is because you have to have everyone with white magic spells
I’m not having healing problems, except that Infuse started killing my characters off, which was something nobody warned me about. And I have several characters with healing spells: Fran, Ashe and especially Penelo; Vaan and Balthier also have First Aid which saved my characters several times.
And Sin? Like I said above, I don’t care for snark. If you really, REALLY can’t give me advice without sounding like you’re badgering me, don’t bother. (Of course, I might be misreading you -There’s that tone thing again- I might be coming across as whiny myself, I realize. But keep in mind that I already played the game your way and quit midway because it bored me.)
Anyway, be assured that I like FF12 well enough to continue playing it, though I’m sure it has some serious flaws that I’m going to comment on here once I’ve finished playing.
Ok, finally finished Tchita tonight… and man, what a long, boring and difficult area this was. With very few treasures, too. On the other hand, I now have a LOT of loot and LP, so I guess that was the area’s true purpose (they could have made it more interesting, though. Grass, grass, mobbed by three Coeurls, grass, grass, mobbed by three Marlboros, grass, grass, etc. :thud: ) My party is now levels 35-36. I’m teleporting back to Rabanastre, to sell the loot, buy things, and do one or two Marks more to make sure I’m ready for the Boss fights in the dungeon. I think I’ll do the optional Bomb Boss now, unless anyone feels it would still be too hard at this point?
I did the bomb boss the first time I met it (I wasn’t expecting it) and managed to beat it. I don’t remember my levels, but it wasn’t too bad.
I remembert the Bomb boss slaughtering me the first time I met it, but I don’t remember what level I was when I went back and returned the favor.
Re: Vaan as a technique specialist
I did that with Balthier, except I never used any and just had him regular melee because that was more effective. What’s First Aid do for you? Seriously. I didn’t even realize it cured status ailments until a couple months after finishing the game and remembering the ability from FFT, and I had abandoned it early on because the hp restoration was negligable. What status effects does it cure?
FF12 desperately needed somebody to stand up and yell “And by the way, WE’RE NOT STAR WARS! REALLY!”
And seriously, diss the technicks (and that spelling needs to DIE in a FIRE along with “magicks”. It looks too much like wannabe New Agey omgspeshul spelling to me). It will make your life so much easier.
What’s First Aid do for you? Seriously. I didn’t even realize it cured status ailments
Umm, it does? I don’t recall but maybe it does and I haven’t noticed, heck several of the technicks have important factors the game doesn’t explain (and neither does the guide); I had to check Gamefaqs to find out that, for example, the damage done by Horology is determined by the minute in the game’s clock (I keep an eye on it in long battles and use it when it’s highest, and it ends up doing at least 1000 HP to all foes in range.)
And Vaan has been doing great with Technicks so far: I have him set up to steal, then attack, then poach when monsters are low on HP; in fact Poach saved me from a level 38 Archeosaur that was mauling my party. Vaan also uses Shear on Bosses to lower their resistance to the other characters’ spells.
I know specializing isn’t the best approach, but it’s actually one of the things I enjoy most right now: I can’t wait for my characters to get a new ability so I can gambit it in useful ways. Some examples:
-Bathier is my Green Magic specialist. He keeps Protect and Shell cast on everybody. I also have him cast Blind on Bosses; I’m surprised how effective this spell is in this game.
-Fran is the Black Magic specialist. Right now she attacks with Bio, and uses Aero on Wind-weak foes (now if I could find more weakness-targeting gambits, I could arrange ALL her spells to target elemental weaknesses. But they are very rare yet; it’s another shortcoming of the game.)
-Bosch is my Time Magic specialist. He keeps everyone Hasted and floating over Traps. He also has Foe: Targeting Self -> Balance, which means he’ll zap all foes around him with the same damage they cause him. It’s fun to watch. 
I also have him disable annoying foes (like all the giant birds.)
-Ashe is my Arcane Magic specialist. I gave her: Foe: > 3000 Hp -> Gravity, to cut down in size monsters with too many HP; Foe: PC Critical HP -> Drain, to heal herself when low on HP while also damaging the enemy (it would work better with Self: HP Critical, but again I don’t have that yet) and Flying Foe -> Dark to attack flying foes (she as no ranged weapons.) Sometimes I’ll have her Decoy herself to keep foes like Dragons busy (she blocks well with a shield.)
-Penelo is my White Magic specialist; she keeps everyone healed, AND casts Regen on everybody so she doesn’t need to heal them so often. She also automatically casts Dispel on foes with Reflect (If only I’d had that spell when I fought Mateus.)
Everyone has different weapons too: Vaan swords, Balthier Guns and Handbombs, Fran Bows and Spears, Bosch Axes and Two-Handed Swords, Ashe Rods and Staves, and Penelo Daggers, Crossbows and Poles.
that spelling needs to DIE in a FIRE along with “magicks”
I agree, Weii.
Progress Report: OK, I hunted down several Marks more (all the level I to III ones); I’m saving the rest for later. Also I finally reached Sochen Cave and fought the Mandragora Bosses. It took me two tries to beat them; I had to go to Gamefaqs to find out in which order I should’ve fought them (that is, the Status-casting ones first, the Healers last- again, the guide doesn’t point such things out.) Once I did, the fight was actually fun, as I spent half the time chasing one of them and the other half running away from them while I healed. 
The final scene where their souls rise up and go to heaven (!) was very funny as well.
Afterwards I exited the cave to collect on their bounty, and to save (how come there was no Save Crystal there??)
Btw, I’ve now clocked 100 Hours on the game, and I’m not on Archades yet. But I knew doing all the quests and hunts were going to slow the game tremendously… I don’t mind, as I’m enjoying the game fairly well, and killing time is exactly what I play RPGs for. Heck, some of the Hunt-related stories have been fun to see, or even moving (such as the Croakadile one.)
Sochen is pretty annoying regarding Crystals, yes. The Sochen Gate Crystal is actually right at the end, which places it not only several areas away from anything you may ever need to revisit in Sochen, but three enemy-free areas away from the Archades Aerodome, which makes it kind of annoying and useless.