| UrikoBB3's Guide to Starting Out in Ultimate Mode |
| Contents |
1.1 Reason behind the Guide
1.2 Introduction to Ultimate
1.3 Enemy Visual Changes
1.4 Enemy Attack Pattern Changes
1.5 Tactics for Ultimate Mode Survival
1.6 Enemy Technique Resistances |
| 1.1 Reasons behind the Guide |
Well, this is my first guide for PSO, hopefully some people will
find it useful. This covers the majority of Ultimate mode, though any
thoughts/suggestions/comments are welcome, and they may influence it's
progression.
The reason this guide exists is mainly for new players to PSO, who
may not be aware of what lies ahead in Ultimate Difficulty. It also
explains the differences between Normal/Hard/Very Hard enemies compared
to their Ultimate Mode counterparts, and provides tactics for facing
this task.
If anything, I hope this guide helps new players to function better
in the later difficulties, and helps people to be prepared, ready to
change tactics when needed. As yet, this guide does not include Episode
IV, as I am yet to play it in Ultimate, and am consequently unaware of
any changes (if any). If anyone wants to send me information on any
changes in Ep4, PM me. Well, enough said, onto the guide!
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| 1.2 Introduction to UItimate |
Ultimate Mode is the final difficulty setting in the Phantasy Star
Online games, so therefore is the most difficult. Although the areas
look similar, they may be slightly different in appearance. The main
change in Ultimate is the enemies in Episode 1. The majority of enemies
change both visually, and their attack patterns also do in some
instances. As well as this, monsters have much higher stats than other
difficulties, and are extremely dangerous in certain combinations. To
play Ultimate Mode, you need to fulfill the following citeria:
Gamecube/XBox Episode 1/2 Singleplayer: Must have completed Episode 1 or 2 in Very Hard Difficulty, on singleplayer.
Gamecube/XBox Episode 1/2 Multiplayer/Online: Character must be minimum of Level 80.
Blue Burst Episode 1: Must have completed Government Quests in Normal, and be at least Level 90.
Blue Burst Episode 2: Must have completed Lab Quests in Normal, and be at least Level 100.
Blue Burst Episode 4: Must have completed G-General Quests in Normal, and be at least Level 110.
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| 1.3 Enemy Visual Changes |
Thanks to everyone at PSO World for letting me use these images.
NOTE: If an enemy is not listed here, then it remains the same in
Ultimate Mode. Pan Arms for example, do not change in any difficulty.
Episode 1
Ultimate
FOREST
Booma (Bartle)
Gobooma (Barble)
Gigobooma (Tollaw)
Rag Rappy (El Rappy)
Al Rappy (Pal Rappy/Rare Monster)
Monest (Mothvist)
Mothmant (Mothvert)
Savage Wolf (Gulgus)
Barbarous Wolf (Gulgus-gue)
Hildebear (Hildelt)
Hildeblue (Hildetorr/Rare Monster)
Dragon (Sil Dragon/Boss)
CAVE
Grass Assassin (Crimson Assassin)
Poison Lily (Ob Lily)
Nar Lily (Mil Lily/Rare Monster)
Evil Shark (Vulmer)
Pal Shark (Govulmer)
Guil Shark (Melqueek)
De Rol Le (Dal Ra Lie/Boss)
MINE
Gillchic (Gillchich)
Dubchic (Dubchich)
Canadine (Canabin)
Canane (Canune)
Sinow Beat (Sinow Blue)
Sinow Gold (Sinow Red)
Garanz (Baranz)
Vol Opt (Vol Opt ver.2/Boss)
RUINS
Dimenian (Arlan)
La Dimenian (Merlan)
So Dimenian (Del-D)
Dark Belra (Indi Belra)
Chaos Sorcerer (Gran Sorcerer)
Chaos Bringer (Dark Bringer)
Episode 2 enemies DO NOT change visually, with the exception of Temple and Spaceship, which use Episode 1 monsters.
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| 1.4 Enemy Attack Pattern Changes |
If any enemy in Ultimate mode attacks differently to it's N/H/VH version, it will be listed here.
Episode 1
Gulgus may inflict 'slow' status after a successful leap attack.
Gulgus-gue may inflict 'paralysis' status after a successful leap attack.
Mothvert may inflict 'poison' status after a successful physical attack.
Hildelt spit Zonde/Gizonde instead of Foie, so may inflict 'shock' status.
Hildetorr spit Megid instead of Gibarta, so may instant-kill.
Sil Dragon's weakness switches to fire, spits ice (so may inflict
'freeze' status), inflicts 'freeze' after touching your character,
leaves freezing ice-pools instead of lava pits, burrowing attack
consists of 2 rushes across arena, followed by an ever-decreasing
radius burrow into the centre of the arena.
Ob Lily spit Megid, so may instant-kill, and suicide spin much faster than a regular Poison Lily.
Mil Lily's Megid level is random- if it is equal to or lower than
an Ob Lilie's, it will keep the current level Megid. However, if it has
a higher level Megid than an Ob Lily, all Ob Lily in the same room will
increase their Megid Level to match.
Crimson Assassins spit a freezing adhesive, rather than simply sticking you to the floor.
Dal Ra Lie's impaling attack is quicker, giving little recovery time between strikes.
Gillchich and Dubchich do not fall over after every hit, it is believed it is around a 20% chance per hit.
Sinow Blue can turn invisible to both visual and to map.
Sinow Red cast Shifta/Deband/Resta, rather than just Resta.
Vol Opt ver.2 uses fire/ice/lightning techniques in it's first
phase, and has a crushing attack which can be positioned via a laser
pointer, or by random. Vol Opt ver.2's orb cannot be outrun- to dodge
it you must run in circles. Also, destroying Vol's red pillar will not
stun him.
Gran Sorcerers cast Grants/Megid/Resta, rather than Rafoie/Gibarta/Resta.
Indi Belra can rapid-fire their arms.
Dark Bringers de-equip your weapon after a successful hit with a charge.
Dark Falz moves much faster in 2nd phase, and combos Rabarta with a spawning of Dervant mines.
Episode 2
Temple enemies follow the same changes as Episode 1.
Barba Ray's attack pattern is much faster, and it's 'Ul Rays' paralyze instead of confusing.
All Spaceship enemies follow the same changes as Episode 1.
Ul Gibbons spit Zonde, rather than Foie, allowing for Shock status.
Zol Gibbons spit a low-level Megid, rather than Gibarta- low chance of instant-kill.
Mericarol/Merikle/Mericus' projectile attack causes instant-death, regardless of your character's EDK.
Ill Gill have an extremely high chance of causing instant death,
shock, or freeze with their scythe attacks. (not so much a change, but
they are more likely to succeed)
Deldepth spit Megid, rather than Barta- chance of instant-kill.
IMPORTANT NOTE: In Ultimate Mode, the 'grace' period you got in
Normal/hard/very hard is removed, particualrly online. Because of this,
enemies can easily keep on attacking you, without giving you any chance
to heal. Of particular note are Sinows, Baranz, Recons, Dervants and
Epsilon, but also including Olga Flow and Gal Gryphon.
Adding to this, casting Jellen on some enemies is not advised at a
lower level. Sinows, Gal Gryphon, and some other enemies will not knock
you over with Jellen, and can continously hit you over and over again
until you die. Therefore, only Jellen a Sinow if it DOESN'T knock you
over without Jellen.
SECOND NOTE: Fat El Rappies are NOT rare, they are simply a tribute
to an older Phantasy Star title. Fat Rappies have the same stats, and
drop rates as regular Rappies. It is possible to encounter fat Pal,
Love, Egg, Saint and Hallo Rappies, though these are incredibly rare.
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| 1.5 Tactics for Ultimate Mode Survival |
I would greatly appreciate any help from anyone in this section, as my tactics alone won't help in every situation.
'Doorway Sniping'
One of the cheapest ways to ensure your survival. This does NOT work in some areas of Episode 4.
Doorway sniping involves having your character equip a gun, and
shoot enemies from afar. Once an enemy gets close, run into the last
room, and the enemy should not pursue you. This can also be used to
re-stock TP/HP for Newmans/Androids, or to re-cast support techs.
Attack Avoidance
This can be hard to pull off, but there are a couple of ways to negate/reduce a monster's attack.
1)'Resta Shielding'
Resta shielding involves precision timing. As an attack is just
about to land, cast Resta (even if HP is full). Occassionally, the
casting of Resta interrupts the monsters attack.
2)'Double Hitting'
Generally, (and especially without /battle units), doing a 3-hit
combo will result in you taking a hit. To avoid this happening too
much, if you are face-to-face with a monster, do 2 hits, and pull away
from the monster. Usually, the third hit is slower at recovering, so by
doing 2 hits, you have more chance of successfully getting away
unharmed.
Weapon Specials
Obviously, certain special attacks can turn the tide of a fight.
Depending on your preferred fighting method, certain specials can be
advantageous.
1) Impeding the Enemy
High-end ice-based attacks (be they special attacks on weapons, or
ice techniques other than Barta) are useful to freeze enemies,
particularly for Forces who may not be able to take as much punishment
as a HU/RA.
In addition, Paralysis attacks are useful- partcularly in Episode 4, where some enemies are immune to the freeze condition.
Weapons with these specials worth considering:
Frozen Shooter, Snow Queen, Yamato, Red Partisan- Freeze.
Spread Needle, Red Sword, Ano Rifle, Varista, Blade Dance- Paralysis
2) Quick killing
Another alternative method is to kill the enemy as quick as humanly possible, rather than relying on statuses to impede them.
Berserk/Spirit/Charge are useful- these attacks do significantly
more damage, at the cost of HP (Berserk), TP (Spirit), and Meseta
(Charge). Using these effectively can destroy opponents incredibly
fast.
Weapons with these specials worth considering:
Yunchang, Soul Eater, Musashi, Zanba, Heaven Striker >_>, Diska of Braveman (Berserk)
AUW3084 Flowen's Sword, S-Rank Partisan/Sword/Needle/Shot with Spirit Special added. (Spirit)
Charge Vulcans, Vjaya (10,000meseta per hit) (Charge)
In addition, using HP cutting attacks, such as Devils and Demons
can swiftly reduce a monster's HP. Monsters with high DFP which you
cannot hurt a great deal are likely best killed with this method.
Weapons with these Specials worth Considering:
Monkey King Bar, Demolition Comet, Black King Bar, Kusanagi, Bloody Art.
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| 1.6 Enemy Technique Resistances |
| This section is to help any Forces out there, by highlighting the resistances of every enemy in Ultimate Mode.
|
Episode 1
Forest
Cave
Mine
Ruins
Episode 2
Temple
Spaceship
CentralControl
Seabed
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Thanks to PSO World for allowing me usage of the images, and to
anyone who thinks this guide has a use. Thanks to Tycho for the part on
invunerability times, Saiffwin for information regarding some enemies,
and the Jellen section, and to ToH for the Fat Rappy info 
Anyone with comments/suggestions, post here, or PM me. Thanks! |
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