HUcaseal - King's Mech/Vulcan

[HUnewm_Sprite]

~Hopefully this is in the right place :P
I may need to edit this since PSOW logged me out after typing up everything, so I might forget to add something.

1. Is it useful for grinding, and if so, is it useful on anything but Ultimate?
2. Where/How difficult is it to find it for a Bluefull HUcaseal? What level should my HUcaseal be to try to find one (she's currently only 63, and my highest leveled, so she won't get higher fast...)
3. Any other grinding tips?
4. Completely irrevelant, but what are some of the best weapons a Bluefull HUcaseal can find? Or a Pinkal FOnewm, since he'll be getting up soon too~ I know I'll be trying for a Demolition Comet when I can play through Ult. Caves well enough. Can't get to Ultimate yet though, so again, it'll be a while.
5. Any other tips for HUcaseals?
I know I had a couple other questions typed up, but I can't remember what they are... D: Please and thanks in advance!
Oh yeah, her level = 63, ATP = 569 (w/o a weapon), and ATA = 129 (w/o weapon)

EDIT: Thanks for the help, both. :'D And thanks for the links, Dhylec. I have a new question though; another newbyyy one. What do you get from Challenge mode? o3o

[Dhylec]

I may need to edit this since PSOW logged me out after typing up everything, so I might forget to add something.

Check "remember me" box to stay logged in.



1. Is it useful for grinding, and if so, is it useful on anything but Ultimate?
2. Where/How difficult is it to find it for a Bluefull HUcaseal? What level should my HUcaseal be to try to find one (she's currently only 63, and my highest leveled, so she won't get higher fast...)
3. Any other grinding tips?
4. Completely irrevelant, but what are some of the best weapons a Bluefull HUcaseal can find? Or a Pinkal FOnewm, since he'll be getting up soon too~ I know I'll be trying for a Demolition Comet when I can play through Ult. Caves well enough. Can't get to Ultimate yet though, so again, it'll be a while.
5. Any other tips for HUcaseals?
I know I had a couple other questions typed up, but I can't remember what they are... D: Please and thanks in advance!

Read up for info..
http://www.pso-world.com/sections.php
http://www.pso-world.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=1313
http://www.pso-world.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=1298

[Splash]

In short...

1. No. It's not even useful in Ultimate either (unless you have an S-rank weapon).
2. As normal as any other ID except Purplenum.
3. Keep killing stuff.
4. The drop charts will tell you what you can find.
5. Learn to use traps well.

[NDW]

What do you get from Challenge mode? o3o

If you clear Episode 1 in under 7 hours or clear Episode 2 in under 5 hours, you get an ES Weapon, otherwise known as an S-rank weapon.

Each Episode has their own list of weapon types you can choose from. You can add a name to your S-rank, up to 8-characters long. The stats on it are all 0'd, but you can add a special to it and the special is unreduced.

[HUnewm_Sprite]

If you clear Episode 1 in under 7 hours or clear Episode 2 in under 5 hours, you get an ES Weapon, otherwise known as an S-rank weapon.

Each Episode has their own list of weapon types you can choose from. You can add a name to your S-rank, up to 8-characters long. The stats on it are all 0'd, but you can add a special to it and the special is unreduced.

I've never understood what the unreduced part meant...
Mind answering for me? ^^;

[Neith]

I've never understood what the unreduced part meant...
Mind answering for me? ^^;

Generally, weapons that:
a) Hit more that 3 times (Daggers, Double Sabers, Mechguns etc)
b) Hit more than 1 target a hit (Swords, Partisans, Shots)

have 'reduced' specials.

To explain this a bit easier, if you hit an enemy with a Gush Calibur (reduced special, as it hits more than 1 target), you'll heal by a relatively small amount from each target hit. Compare this to a Chain Sawd. This weapon has Unreduced Gush. Though the special attack is the same type, you will get a LOT more HP healed from the Chain Sawd's special attack than the Calibur's. This is because the Chain Sawd is unreduced, and its special attack works just as well as any weapon that doesn't fit in those 2 categories I listed above (saber, for example).

Likewise, a Hell Calibur's instant-kill attack will not trigger as often as a Sealed J-Sword's Hell attack. Again, the reason is that the Calibur has a 'reduced' special, while the J-Sword is 'unreduced'.

This is why S-Rank weapons are so useful. Adding an unreduced special can really benefit some weapon types. Have a huge group of Recoboxes in your way? Use an Unreduced Hell Scythe to instant-kill them all quickly, and so on. On the subject of S-Rank weapons, I should also point out that most are extremely weak to begin with, but grind extremely high (Sword for example will grind to +250, which adds 500ATP). Also, the special attacks are added through Gallon's Shop (Paganini's Photon Drop shop part), once you've completed the East Tower sidequest.

Hope that helps.

[HUnewm_Sprite]

Thanks a lot Neith! That helped me a lot. :'D
I don't know about the S-Rank weapon thing, some videos of King Vulcan S-Ranks seem pretty convincing... So, what would you reccommend if I were to ever be able to obtain an S-Rank? >_> And also, because I heard you get the stuff in Gallon's Shop or w/e it's called, would I have to go online to add things to it?
ALSO, I don't get all the (online) challenge mode things. Which do you have to do in order to get an S-Rank? (I heard a whole episode, but that thing takes like, 7 hours... o...o)

[Neith]

Thanks a lot Neith! That helped me a lot. :'D
I don't know about the S-Rank weapon thing, some videos of King Vulcan S-Ranks seem pretty convincing... So, what would you reccommend if I were to ever be able to obtain an S-Rank? >_> And also, because I heard you get the stuff in Gallon's Shop or w/e it's called, would I have to go online to add things to it?
ALSO, I don't get all the (online) challenge mode things. Which do you have to do in order to get an S-Rank? (I heard a whole episode, but that thing takes like, 7 hours... o...o)

Most S-Ranks are at least decent, but it's the grinding and special attacks that make them that way. For Ep2, Needle/Scythe are very good, but for Ep1 it depends a lot on class. For HUcaseal I'd consider S-Rank Twin, Sword or Partisan.

For the special attacks, yes you need to be online (in Gallon's Shop quest there's a 2nd 'shop' where you exchange Photon Drops for items. By doing a side-quest in the East Tower/West Tower quests, you add further abilities to the PD shop (one gives the ability to add special attacks to S-Ranks, the other lets you use Photon Drops/Spheres to add %s to a weapon).

As for challenge mode...to get S-Rank in Episode 1 C-mode, you need to complete it (every stage) in under 7 hours. Basically Challenge Mode starts you at a preset level, with preset gear, and you have to beat the stages (preferably as quick as you can, but completion is the main thing). Episode 1 for the most part isn't too hard, but Episode 2 is pretty difficult in places.

But yeah, Episode 1 Challenge Mode for example is has 9 stages (1 in Forest, 3 in Caves, 2 in Mine and 3 in Ruins). If you get through all that (you don't need to do it in 1 sitting, you can do 1 stage at a time) in under 7 hours you get S-Rank, and get given an S-Rank weapon.

[HUnewm_Sprite]

THANKS 8D
Neith = super helpful ;u;
New question. Sorry, lawl
In Gamecube EP 1&2 Plus, are there any items that raise tech casting speeed? And is the tech cast speed boost when you unequip just for FOmars?

[H34V3N]

If you really want to grind, get a king's laser, but this only works if you are EXTREMELY under-level for you difficulty. My brother's RAcast was in ultimate at lvl 60 and it was too hard for him, so in caves (best place to do it) you use the laser to snipe the monsters because they cant see you (out of range) since the laser has such a long range. You can sap up to 30k xp per room, but once you get too high level it will stop being useful.

[H34V3N]

THANKS 8D
Neith = super helpful ;u;
New question. Sorry, lawl
In Gamecube EP 1&2 Plus, are there any items that raise tech casting speeed? And is the tech cast speed boost when you unequip just for FOmars?

Casting speeds:
• Males cast faster barehanded.
• Females cast faster with wand-type weapons.

This info is from Sundark Solider's Everlasting Info FAQ here:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/516243-phantasy-star-online-episode-i-and-ii/36551152