FO dealing with Ultimate difficulty offline

[Kaply]

Is there some guide out there that deals with how to handle each of the mobs in ultimate difficulty? I think as a FO this is one of the most difficult things once you get to this difficulty. The increased speed and damage from the mobs make a lot of previous tactics not as viable. There's a lot of issues with timing spells now in order to avoid being hit that didn't exist before on the lower difficulties.

For example:

Hidelts - the best spell to use against these is grants. However there's two ways to time this. One way is to use grants to "stun" their breath attack animation, it's possible to continually stun their lightning breath with grants, thus netting a very easy kill. This tactic might be depend on your actual damage from grants though. Second way is to circle around to the right of them since they swing with their right arm, you can time your grants right when they attack and your casting animation will have about the same time as their attacking animation which leaves you free to move before they can attack again.

As a FO strategies like this can be very important because they tend not to have enough HPs to survive one hit from the mobs in ultimate, not until level 100+ anyway.

More specifically, I'm having a lot of problems in ruins with chaos bringer as almost everytime I've fought one, my character dies in one hit. Even the quest npcs at level 190+ dies in one hit http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif Other problems I'm having is actually having the time to cast against the "base" mobs for forest,caves and ruins (ie.booma,vulmer,arlan). Any FO's out there able to utilize gifoie or rafoie to kill masses of them without having to run in and out of a doorway (also w/o getting hit)?

Also having a lot of problems dealing decent damage to the bosses. What spells do people prefer to use against the first 3 bosses? Simple, normal or hard techs?

[Rianna_Type1]

Well I haven't checked in a long time but my FOmar usually clears out areas of the Mines and Ruins in Ultimate offline by 3 or 4 Gifoie casts.

Of course he is also wearing a Gifoie merge in combination with his natural Gifoie boost.

I just checked his damage output vs. a Gillchich and it's 576 when a Gifoie hits.

The beauty of spamming Gifoie is that not only does it hit what's in the room, but when the enemies die, those who appear in it's place get hit by whichever Gifoies are still active in the room.

It makes things quite easy.

Never had any real problem with Dark Bringers either.

Just make sure you've got Jellen in effect on the monsters as well as Deband on you. Avoid his shot as all costs, though, as the damage is fixed.

Offline all I do is repeatedly spam Rabarta to kill Dark Bringer and freeze him. Using Resta if he manages to land a sword swing on me.

[Kaply]

Yeah, I didn't mention mines above because I found that to be one of the easiest levels on ultimate since almost everything is weak to fire. Only thing to watch out for there is to not cast gifoie when one of the gillchich blips stops moving cause one shot of those will kill most FOs below level 100 I believe.

I think it's the part about avoiding his shot that I'm having troubles with. If they knock me down I can cast a resta and keep going, if they instant kill me, then I can't do anything about it http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Does Rabarta have a better chance to freeze than gibarta?

[Tycho]

I think Rabarta is better to freeze than Gibarta, yes. But what's a mob? o.o;

Anyway, here's my "strategy".

- Set a Ryuker every few rooms just in case
- Please, use mags for MST and units for any kind of defense, the other way around it just doesn't work
- Just keep spamming the right techs, and try to not get hit too much in the meanwhile
- Utilize Deband and Jellen

Before I got online I finished all of Ultimate while rarely using anything but Deband, Resta/Anti, Ryuker and simple techs. I did fine. >_>;

[Saviar]

I got my FOnewearl to Ultimate when she was level 44.

I cleared out every level up to the Ruins by the time she was level 71.

I've never had a problem with any monsters thus far, utilizing Deband lv. 30 and Jellen lv. 30. However, in your case (with the NPCs dying from dark bringer) I always had him fire at me and run about him, so all three shots miss, then open up holy Hell on him and burn everything else.

On bosses I always use simple techs boosted w/ a summit moon and -Maybe- a merge, unless I need the defense from the Secret Gear. That way, you'll net between 500-700 dmg on the dragon. However, for that centipede monstrocity lol, I use rafoie and zonde.

[Nai_Calus]

Melee. http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

And Tycho. *blank stare* How can you not know what 'mobs' are? @_@;;; Short for either 'mobile' or 'mobile object', depending on who you ask, generally refers to monsters. Basic RPG terminology. o.O;

[Kaply]

I guess using simple techs has the advantage of being able to run around easier? But, when I was playing my FOnewearl and using that tactic, I was finding that rooms with a lot of mobs in them tend to take a long time and cost a lot more TP. I usually still had to utilize the doorways a lot with simple techs too. Nowadays everytime I play my FOnewearl, I get frustrated by how much TP I end up using in order to kill mobs

It always felt like a waste to use jellen since I use normal techs and whole rooms would die off relatively quickly.

Do simple techs, assuming the same level tech and same % boosts, generally do more damage against bosses? (not counting caves boss since he has multiple segments that can all be hit at once)

For the gran sorcerer in ultimate ruins? What are most people's tactics? My gifoie boosted with 90%(?), Gifoie merge, Fire staff:agni, newm boost, only seems to hit him for ~150 dmg at level 124. Is it better to kill off his bits with lightning/fire and then attack him with grants?

[Neith]

It's difficult to get used to, especially since I'm a fan of Hunters.. Jellen/Deband are lifesavers, Ryuker every now and then, use weapons with tech boosts, or cast unarmed if male, as their tech animation is quicker unarmed.

As for Hildelts, I have Grants set as an 'easy-access' tech on my quick menu (R+Y), its at the bottom, so it's quick to get to. If I do it right, I can rapid-cast Grants, and the Hildelt won't get anywhere near. For argument's sake, my FO is a FOnewearl, so I just tech spam the enemies to death. Also remember that Megid can be handy in certain areas. (Some Seabed enemies, CCA)

Other than that, I cant give much advice, since I mainly play as a HU.

[space_butler]

On 2005-04-27 10:27, Kaply wrote:
I guess using simple techs has the advantage of being able to run around easier? But, when I was playing my FOnewearl and using that tactic, I was finding that rooms with a lot of mobs in them tend to take a long time and cost a lot more TP. I usually still had to utilize the doorways a lot with simple techs too. Nowadays everytime I play my FOnewearl, I get frustrated by how much TP I end up using in order to kill mobs

It always felt like a waste to use jellen since I use normal techs and whole rooms would die off relatively quickly.

Do simple techs, assuming the same level tech and same % boosts, generally do more damage against bosses? (not counting caves boss since he has multiple segments that can all be hit at once)

For the gran sorcerer in ultimate ruins? What are most people's tactics? My gifoie boosted with 90%(?), Gifoie merge, Fire staff:agni, newm boost, only seems to hit him for ~150 dmg at level 124. Is it better to kill off his bits with lightning/fire and then attack him with grants?



grants never seems to work as well as foie for me. actually, foie spam gets me through most places. maybe thats why im such a crap support fo...

[Mixfortune]

If HP is becoming a problem, hunt God/HPs in Skyly, if you have it. If God/HPs aren't available, might be a good idea to level up a bit more. Fake in Yellow makes an excellent under 100 levelling spot, and the nature in which rappies enter allow gifoie to be even more viable than before... just be careful with running rappies... try to learn their spawn points to avoid unnecessary fleeing rappies. They run from gifoie if you're too far WHEN IT HITS, where you cast it from doesn't matter. Use that to your advantage.

Another possibility, if you can take on Mines, is to just do runs/quests there. Quests that give you NPCs are helpful, since they can shield you while you cast if you position yourself correctly. Try "Knowing One's Heart" a bit and see how it goes.



On 2005-04-27 10:27, Kaply wrote:

It always felt like a waste to use jellen since I use normal techs and whole rooms would die off relatively quickly.


Right, but a well timed Jellen in the needed situations is still pretty helpful. Don't have to necessarily Jellen everything.



For the gran sorcerer in ultimate ruins? What are most people's tactics? My gifoie boosted with 90%(?), Gifoie merge, Fire staff:agni, newm boost, only seems to hit him for ~150 dmg at level 124. Is it better to kill off his bits with lightning/fire and then attack him with grants?



You basically got the idea there. Since this is about offline anyways, use a zonde tech to take out the Grants/Megid crystal (if you want to be certain to hit it in case the rest of the sorcerer gets in the way, use gizonde or razonde, depending on your class/equipment) After the crystal is destroyed, hit the main body with Grants. If you like you can take out the resta crystal as well... but generally I don't bother with it (can usually take them out in about 3 grants casts anyways, with Caduceus).

[Evil_Althena8]

Jellen is God. Use it as often as possible...that's how my FOney survived ultimate(esp in Seabed and Ruins). Lvl 30 gifoie is great. You can stand in the doorway and cast it...it's effect will reach into the room.

I prefer nukes instead of using my FOneys natural simple tech bonus and summit moon bonus. It takes too much TP to kill each enemy singlely. Find high level Gifoies, Rafoies, and Rabartas...they will help quite a bit. I still use 2 wizard/techniques to boost my tech levels (i need to hunt some devil/techs sometime...). I also carry around a Caduceus for DFP boost and Grants boost.

Ultimate can be dangerous for a FOney but if you learn the tactics it's quite easy. Just be careful with Gal Gryphon X_X

[SilverSkull]

Thanks my 2nd character(who I play more than my 1st) is FOmar so this force guide should be helpful.

[Saviar]

Yeah, I usually use the Foie nuke myself. Walk in, two Foie's and the creature dies. By the time they reach my corner of the room, there's nthing left but blood.

Of course, that's only when you're at lower levels and so on, or not yet developed a lot. I'm not undermining the usefullness of the multi-hitting spells, especially gifoie.

Fake in Yellow? Just bring alone a Barta merge and summit moon and cast it straight down a line. You can hit about 3-8 Rappies in a row with it, if aimed correctly, and it's cheap.

Forces always use a lot of TP. I'm happy if I can get through one level of a place without Ryukering back to down to refuel, and I have about 2000 TP (My poor FOnewearl is still only at lv. 71 or so...). I find it's quicker to just buy a lot of TRi fluids and either use them (as meseta should be no issue by this time in Ult) and just blow everything up.

Does anyone prefer 3'rd level techs over 2'nd other than Rabarta? I always prefer Gizonde adn Gifoie over their 3'rd level counterparts, except Rafoie comes in handy for breaking apart mobs of Mines creatures in Ult.

[Kaply]

I had a chance to fool around with some of the ideas suggested.

1 - Jellen(Lv30) is very strong. I believe mobs that would take me down by 4/5 of my health bar changed to only do 1/5 to 1/4.

2 - Simple techs are both good and bad. I find that I can easily kill most enemies with simple techs without getting hit in return. The casting time for each simple tech is very low and coupled with a FOnewearl boost it's very nice. It's easily possible to let an enemy swipe at you, have you dodge the attack, cast a simple tech and then continue moving to avoid their next attack. However the downside to this is that it takes a LOT of TP to clear rooms this way as compared to using normal/hard attacks.

So to sum up for a FOnewearl, the optimal equipment (based upon ease of obtaining + usefulness + use) for one in terms of boosting tech damage (offline) is probably a Summit Moon to cast barta/zonde with, a Fire Scepter:Agni for Gifoie boost and to constantly be wearing a Gifoie Merge for normal runs through ultimate. The reasoning being that the all of the base creatures (barble?, vulmer, gilchich/canine? & arlans) are all vulnerable to fire and they are the ones that spawn the most in their respective areas. Usually when you meet up with the other types, there are very few of them (1-3) that are vulnerable to other types, ie barta/zonde.

Note: ease of use being that you don't have to switch merges often. The game should have had some way of implementing mass equipment switches to help the force!

[SpinCycle]

On 2005-04-27 09:38, Ian-KunX wrote:
Melee. http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

And Tycho. *blank stare* How can you not know what 'mobs' are? @_@;;; Short for either 'mobile' or 'mobile object', depending on who you ask, generally refers to monsters. Basic RPG terminology. o.O;



Wrong.

Mob in RPG term isn't a short hand for anything. It's just a "mob" as in "mob of people." It's a common MMORPG term.

So, "a mob of Boomas" means "a group of Boomas."

Application: "I got mobbed by Rappies in Fake in Yellow and kicked the bucket."

[Mixfortune]

On 2005-05-04 19:24, SpinCycle wrote:


On 2005-04-27 09:38, Ian-KunX wrote:
Melee. http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

And Tycho. *blank stare* How can you not know what 'mobs' are? @_@;;; Short for either 'mobile' or 'mobile object', depending on who you ask, generally refers to monsters. Basic RPG terminology. o.O;



Wrong.

Mob in RPG term isn't a short hand for anything. It's just a "mob" as in "mob of people." It's a common MMORPG term.

So, "a mob of Boomas" means "a group of Boomas."

Application: "I got mobbed by Rappies in Fake in Yellow and kicked the bucket."



Actually, no.

Mob is short for mobile object. It dates back to MUDs, which are basically your text based MMOs that came along even before what would now be called MMOs.

A mob does NOT refer to a group of enemies. It refers to a single enemy. A group of mobs is a group of enemies, nowadays.

Thanks for giving a week long bump, even if it was to try and correct someone who was already correct.

[EJ]

If you are a teching fomar then use Jellen and deband then use the most effective techs for that area and monsters.

Melee use S/D/J/Z and go crazy with slicers with high hit, mechs, or partisan.

[SpinCycle]

On 2005-05-04 19:36, Mixfortune wrote:


On 2005-05-04 19:24, SpinCycle wrote:


On 2005-04-27 09:38, Ian-KunX wrote:
Melee. http://pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif

And Tycho. *blank stare* How can you not know what 'mobs' are? @_@;;; Short for either 'mobile' or 'mobile object', depending on who you ask, generally refers to monsters. Basic RPG terminology. o.O;




Wrong.

Mob in RPG term isn't a short hand for anything. It's just a "mob" as in "mob of people." It's a common MMORPG term.

So, "a mob of Boomas" means "a group of Boomas."

Application: "I got mobbed by Rappies in Fake in Yellow and kicked the bucket."



Actually, no.

Mob is short for mobile object. It dates back to MUDs, which are basically your text based MMOs that came along even before what would now be called MMOs.

A mob does NOT refer to a group of enemies. It refers to a single enemy. A group of mobs is a group of enemies, nowadays.

Thanks for giving a week long bump, even if it was to try and correct someone who was already correct.



Ah yes, you are right. I forgot about the MUD. Sorry about that.

And the bump? Hehe... But it was just on page 2. =P