Final Fantasy XII, Part 2(Spoilers)

[Armageddon]

Well, it's been about 1.5 months since FF12 came out, and I'm sure there are a few people who have beaten this game, maybe even some trying to perfect it. This topic is for discussing the storyline, sidequests and what not. If anyone is reading this and has not beaten the game yet, then here is a warning: SPOILERS IMMINENT! First question: What did you guys think of the overall storyline? For those of you who go to the Gamefaqs message board, you've no doubt heard this debate countless times. What is your opinion on the storyline, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the characters, the plot, and gameplay. If you would like to post your accomplishments or current status, that is also welcome.

Current Status:
All party members level 64
License Grid for all characters filled
5 storyline Espers, + Adrammalech, Cuchulainn, and Zalera obtained
All hunts I-IV complete, just beat Bloodwing
About 75 hours so far, I plan on another 50 or so .
_________________

[Armageddon]

Well, it's been about 1.5 months since FF12 came out, and I'm sure there are a few people who have beaten this game, maybe even some trying to perfect it. This topic is for discussing the storyline, sidequests and what not. If anyone is reading this and has not beaten the game yet, then here is a warning: SPOILERS IMMINENT! First question: What did you guys think of the overall storyline? For those of you who go to the Gamefaqs message board, you've no doubt heard this debate countless times. What is your opinion on the storyline, what are the strengths and weaknesses of the characters, the plot, and gameplay. If you would like to post your accomplishments or current status, that is also welcome.

Current Status:
All party members level 64
License Grid for all characters filled
5 storyline Espers, + Adrammalech, Cuchulainn, and Zalera obtained
All hunts I-IV complete, just beat Bloodwing
About 75 hours so far, I plan on another 50 or so .
_________________

[Riz]

Current Status:

Party 58/59
All upper board finished, all armor finished, some (off) weapons left on each
9 espers (ALMOST THERE!)
All hunts to VI complete except for one VI elite
14 trophy rares
Numerous sidequests done (cockatrices, ann's letter, windvane, etc)
about 150 hours so far (some small amount of that, idle)

Still LOTS left to do, finish the stuff in Nabudis (+sidequest = esper), do pharos return trip, finish trophy rares, VII hunts, crystal grande upper (+esper), not even entirely sure where the other esper I'm missing is... finish Lhusu Site 11 + Gilgamesh, back door of Henne, etc... LOTS of stuff.

To say I'm satisfied I got my money's worth out of this game, even before replayability, would be an understatement. And personally, I've been totally satisfied with the storyline and the cutscenes thus far, but I have not yet seen the ending.

Riz.
_________________

[Riz]

Current Status:

Party 58/59
All upper board finished, all armor finished, some (off) weapons left on each
9 espers (ALMOST THERE!)
All hunts to VI complete except for one VI elite
14 trophy rares
Numerous sidequests done (cockatrices, ann's letter, windvane, etc)
about 150 hours so far (some small amount of that, idle)

Still LOTS left to do, finish the stuff in Nabudis (+sidequest = esper), do pharos return trip, finish trophy rares, VII hunts, crystal grande upper (+esper), not even entirely sure where the other esper I'm missing is... finish Lhusu Site 11 + Gilgamesh, back door of Henne, etc... LOTS of stuff.

To say I'm satisfied I got my money's worth out of this game, even before replayability, would be an understatement. And personally, I've been totally satisfied with the storyline and the cutscenes thus far, but I have not yet seen the ending.

Riz.
_________________

[Armageddon]

You haven't seen the ending? You could beat it now if you wanted to. Where was most of the 150 hours devoted to? And what is a trophy rare?
_________________

[Armageddon]

You haven't seen the ending? You could beat it now if you wanted to. Where was most of the 150 hours devoted to? And what is a trophy rare?
_________________

[Riz]

[Riz]

[PriestMLH]

Current party somewhere around level 24 ;)..closing in on 22 hours. Have to say I'm thoroughly enjoying myself just mark hunting and leveling up...something that was generally tedious in the old FF's but this new fighting system keeps me excited and lazy at the same time...crazy.

But yeah..give me some time and I'll be able to talk about all kinds of fun stuff with you guys
_________________

I'm alive I promise.

[PriestMLH]

Current party somewhere around level 24 ;)..closing in on 22 hours. Have to say I'm thoroughly enjoying myself just mark hunting and leveling up...something that was generally tedious in the old FF's but this new fighting system keeps me excited and lazy at the same time...crazy.

But yeah..give me some time and I'll be able to talk about all kinds of fun stuff with you guys
_________________

I'm alive I promise.

[Nytwolf]

Currently -

94 Hours in.
Vaan - LV 70
Balthier - LV 56
Fran - LV 54
Don't care about the other three characters
25 Hunts finished
License Board Completed for all Characters - Minus Espers I haven't defeated yet.
I have the Zodiac Spear, which if you didn't know is THE strongest weapon in the game.
I am currently hunting but as far as story goes, I am just getting ready to venture past Belfonheim into the Cerobi Steppe.
I think I have 5 or 6 of the espers.

This is one of the finest games I have ever played.
_________________

I'm going to be original and not have a signature in my posts.... Oh wait, SHIT!!!

[Nytwolf]

Currently -

94 Hours in.
Vaan - LV 70
Balthier - LV 56
Fran - LV 54
Don't care about the other three characters
25 Hunts finished
License Board Completed for all Characters - Minus Espers I haven't defeated yet.
I have the Zodiac Spear, which if you didn't know is THE strongest weapon in the game.
I am currently hunting but as far as story goes, I am just getting ready to venture past Belfonheim into the Cerobi Steppe.
I think I have 5 or 6 of the espers.

This is one of the finest games I have ever played.
_________________

I'm going to be original and not have a signature in my posts.... Oh wait, SHIT!!!

[bcruise]

My save from just before heading to Bahamut (I have completed the game):

Vaan - 49
Balthier - 43
Fran - 37
Basch - 45
Ashe - 44
Penelo - 38

License Grid - Enough to get by. I have most of the buffs for every character (gambits, lores, etc.), but I've got unused LP coming out my ears.

16 Hunts completed
Storyline espers + Adrammalech
77:33 game time (was probably an an hour more when I finished the game)

As you can see, I just did what I needed to do to complete the game. That doesn't mean I'm done by a longshot. I did all this without using the strategy guide or getting any help from gamefaqs. Whether I start a new game or play on this old one, I will complete a lot more than this.

Incidentally, the final sequence of battles (and the Pharos, oh God the Pharos) was quite difficult for me at these levels. I wouldn't have beaten it without a small stash of Elixirs I had gathered throughout the game. Which is fine with me - I typically throw everything I have at the final boss (or what I believe to be it). I also had to rotate the characters, because they would quickly get overwhelmed. I also relied on the spoils from the few hunts I did complete - particularly the Bubble Belt and faith/bravery spells.

The story....I don't really want to say much becuase I want to play through it again, but to me it seems like the ones who didn't like it were the ones wanting another love story. Needless to say, that isn't what they got in this game. It is emotional, just in a different way. And I think some of the political overtones are lost on a lot of people. I will agree with one thing the detractors say, though - the ending was a little weak.

Oh yeah - Nihopalaoa is the coolest accessory ever. Nothing like inflicting eleventy-billion status effects on enemies all at once - or on yourself! Malboros are so jealous.

[bcruise]

My save from just before heading to Bahamut (I have completed the game):

Vaan - 49
Balthier - 43
Fran - 37
Basch - 45
Ashe - 44
Penelo - 38

License Grid - Enough to get by. I have most of the buffs for every character (gambits, lores, etc.), but I've got unused LP coming out my ears.

16 Hunts completed
Storyline espers + Adrammalech
77:33 game time (was probably an an hour more when I finished the game)

As you can see, I just did what I needed to do to complete the game. That doesn't mean I'm done by a longshot. I did all this without using the strategy guide or getting any help from gamefaqs. Whether I start a new game or play on this old one, I will complete a lot more than this.

Incidentally, the final sequence of battles (and the Pharos, oh God the Pharos) was quite difficult for me at these levels. I wouldn't have beaten it without a small stash of Elixirs I had gathered throughout the game. Which is fine with me - I typically throw everything I have at the final boss (or what I believe to be it). I also had to rotate the characters, because they would quickly get overwhelmed. I also relied on the spoils from the few hunts I did complete - particularly the Bubble Belt and faith/bravery spells.

The story....I don't really want to say much becuase I want to play through it again, but to me it seems like the ones who didn't like it were the ones wanting another love story. Needless to say, that isn't what they got in this game. It is emotional, just in a different way. And I think some of the political overtones are lost on a lot of people. I will agree with one thing the detractors say, though - the ending was a little weak.

Oh yeah - Nihopalaoa is the coolest accessory ever. Nothing like inflicting eleventy-billion status effects on enemies all at once - or on yourself! Malboros are so jealous.

[Ignignokt]

[Ignignokt]

[bcruise]

I meant to ask - did anyone besides me get an idea that there was never supposed be one main character, rather, three main characters and a supporting character for each? Although you start out playing as Vaan (and traditionally that means he's the main character), it could be argued that Ashe played a much more important role in the story. I saw it break down like this:

(might be spoilers, but shame on you if you're in this thread and weren't expecting them! )

Main: Vaan - Support: Penelo - Wannabe sky pirate and his friend. Pretty much dragged along for the ride after Garamsythe. I realize he's tied to the plot through the circumstances surrounding Reks' death, but honestly, that's about it. Maybe I'm missing something....that's why I'm planning on playing it again from the beginning.

Main: Ashe - Support - Basch - Although I hate to call Basch support (he was my tank throughout the game , he served as Ashe's protector, though he did get his moment very late in the game. Ashe drives the plot forward from the very first time you meet her to the end of the game - that's pretty much indisputable.

Main: Balthier - Support: Fran - Nobody gets anywhere without these two. Plus Balthier has a habit of calling himself the "leading man".

[bcruise]

I meant to ask - did anyone besides me get an idea that there was never supposed be one main character, rather, three main characters and a supporting character for each? Although you start out playing as Vaan (and traditionally that means he's the main character), it could be argued that Ashe played a much more important role in the story. I saw it break down like this:

(might be spoilers, but shame on you if you're in this thread and weren't expecting them! )

Main: Vaan - Support: Penelo - Wannabe sky pirate and his friend. Pretty much dragged along for the ride after Garamsythe. I realize he's tied to the plot through the circumstances surrounding Reks' death, but honestly, that's about it. Maybe I'm missing something....that's why I'm planning on playing it again from the beginning.

Main: Ashe - Support - Basch - Although I hate to call Basch support (he was my tank throughout the game , he served as Ashe's protector, though he did get his moment very late in the game. Ashe drives the plot forward from the very first time you meet her to the end of the game - that's pretty much indisputable.

Main: Balthier - Support: Fran - Nobody gets anywhere without these two. Plus Balthier has a habit of calling himself the "leading man".

[Mastermind73]

Ya know... I'd never thought of it that way before, bcruise, but now that you say it it makes a lot of sense. I'm only about halfway in the story right now, but that does seem to be how it's set up.

[Mastermind73]

Ya know... I'd never thought of it that way before, bcruise, but now that you say it it makes a lot of sense. I'm only about halfway in the story right now, but that does seem to be how it's set up.

[Riz]

It's interesting you say that... I have, all through the game, played consistently with 2 parties... the girls and the boys, switching them off as they level up past each other to keep them even. But they certainly do have a matching set of roles as I play them, that are slightly different than yours.

Vaan and Ashe: Party leader/melee-er, backup healer
Basch and Penelo: Thief, main tank
Balthier and Fran: Ranged combat, primary healer.

So I agree, there isn't one, main character, at least for me... There's two... Vaan and Ashe. Also story wise, I agree, that fits. Ashe is at least as important and driving character to the story as Vaan is, if not more so.

Riz.
_________________

[Riz]

It's interesting you say that... I have, all through the game, played consistently with 2 parties... the girls and the boys, switching them off as they level up past each other to keep them even. But they certainly do have a matching set of roles as I play them, that are slightly different than yours.

Vaan and Ashe: Party leader/melee-er, backup healer
Basch and Penelo: Thief, main tank
Balthier and Fran: Ranged combat, primary healer.

So I agree, there isn't one, main character, at least for me... There's two... Vaan and Ashe. Also story wise, I agree, that fits. Ashe is at least as important and driving character to the story as Vaan is, if not more so.

Riz.
_________________

[bcruise]

[bcruise]

[Nytwolf]

[Nytwolf]

[Armageddon]

I never gave anyone a specific job, such as tank, magic-caster, attacker, etc. I just gave them all the same magicks/technicks/weapons/armors available to me at each point and piled on the augments. Since they all started out equal, I kept them that way. Sadly, I blew my chance of obtaining the Z-spear, but I'm sure at Lvl. 99 my party will manage without it .
_________________

[Armageddon]

I never gave anyone a specific job, such as tank, magic-caster, attacker, etc. I just gave them all the same magicks/technicks/weapons/armors available to me at each point and piled on the augments. Since they all started out equal, I kept them that way. Sadly, I blew my chance of obtaining the Z-spear, but I'm sure at Lvl. 99 my party will manage without it .
_________________

[bcruise]

I decided on my second play-through to do one of those defined-class challenges the folks on Gamefaqs came up with. Pretty cool so far - I'm through Garamsythe with just one wipe - got too greedy with Vaan during the solo bit in the beginning. I had decided to make him a thief (since he already had steal), and could only use a dagger so even an easy part like that was trouble. And not being able to use items until Balthier joined (made him a chemist) made things even tougher. So far my classes are probably going to look like this, unless something changes -

Vaan - Thief. He's going to be utterly useless by the end of the game...but the loot will help.
Penelo - White Mage (had to to get through Giza, but she won't rejoin until much later)
Fran - Black Mage (Starts with Fire)
Balthier - Chemist (ever played Tactics? Then you know why ;))
Basch - Dunno. Maybe some kind of support character - I want to see what he starts with before I decide
Ashe - Paladin. I know she starts with a sword, shield and maybe armor as well as a couple levels of White Magic, which fits the role perfectly. Sharp contrast from my first play-through, as she'll be on the front lines.

Some of the rules about which augments you can use for each class are going to make this a true challenge. Oh - and no Quickenings.

I usually don't get much into these "tie one hand behind your back" challenges, but this one intrigues me.

[bcruise]

I decided on my second play-through to do one of those defined-class challenges the folks on Gamefaqs came up with. Pretty cool so far - I'm through Garamsythe with just one wipe - got too greedy with Vaan during the solo bit in the beginning. I had decided to make him a thief (since he already had steal), and could only use a dagger so even an easy part like that was trouble. And not being able to use items until Balthier joined (made him a chemist) made things even tougher. So far my classes are probably going to look like this, unless something changes -

Vaan - Thief. He's going to be utterly useless by the end of the game...but the loot will help.
Penelo - White Mage (had to to get through Giza, but she won't rejoin until much later)
Fran - Black Mage (Starts with Fire)
Balthier - Chemist (ever played Tactics? Then you know why ;))
Basch - Dunno. Maybe some kind of support character - I want to see what he starts with before I decide
Ashe - Paladin. I know she starts with a sword, shield and maybe armor as well as a couple levels of White Magic, which fits the role perfectly. Sharp contrast from my first play-through, as she'll be on the front lines.

Some of the rules about which augments you can use for each class are going to make this a true challenge. Oh - and no Quickenings.

I usually don't get much into these "tie one hand behind your back" challenges, but this one intrigues me.