Final Fantasy Tactics: I feel like GRINDING

Ohio

I know this board is filled with people who love FFT (the original). Despite the fact that I call it my favorite game, I've really only played through it once, and that was when it came out. I'm not one of those crazies who had five calculators (or even any calculators). I just played through the story without taking time to build up anything impressive.

However, I want to go back to it. I want to squeeze everything out of this game.

I'm going to use a FAQ for some of it to make sure I'm not missing stuff. I'm going to spend hours, and hours and HOURS on this. My main question, which I don't see answered anywhere very specifically, is, at what stage of the game is a good time to start grinding? I'd hate for the answer to be, "Get to where you're right before the very last battle and then start grinding" because I don't want to play through the whole game before getting to the fun stuff. On other other hand would be "Only do the first couple story missions and then play Sweegy Woods and Mandalia Plains 1000 times."

So, what's the most effective way to build myself up in this game?

korodullin

You can grind any time you wish, but in my mind, the best time to grind is probably the end of Chapter 2 (if you're on the old PSX version, at least, since you can use a glitch to skip past Lionel Castle and go across the map again) when most of the jobs (barring oddballs like Dancers and Bards, and you can probably poach for them) will have their weapons purchasable.

You can grind at the random battle area between the port city and Lionel as well, but it's an annoying map to random battle on.

LA:

Just be careful with grinding because even though the enemies in story missions have preset levels, enemies in random encounters level along with you. So if you level too much too early and don't have good enough gear, you might run into some trouble.

Rend

LA: wrote: »

Just be careful with grinding because even though the enemies in story missions have preset levels, enemies in random encounters level along with you. So if you level too much too early and don't have good enough gear, you might run into some trouble.

See: Right after velius. The chocobos. The chocobos

Ohio

LA: wrote: »

Just be careful with grinding because even though the enemies in story missions have preset levels, enemies in random encounters level along with you. So if you level too much too early and don't have good enough gear, you might run into some trouble.

So is the gear that's available for sale dependent on where you are in the story, vs. what your level is? So if I'm level 50 but have only done the first couple story missions, the gear I can buy will be what would have been available to me when I was level 2?

Kor

Grind in chapter 1 no higher than level 12. Do this by using the ability Yell, which increases speed. And Accumulate for those that don't have yell.

After chapter 1, you can level a bit more freely, but you want to avoid leveling too much when you've primarily got guests in your party. Also, don't jump up to higher jobs until you know the stores can support you.

Being a Lancer in Chapter 1 is fun, but being a Lancer with no spear, or heavy armor sucks bawls. so the game will still keep you in check.

When you finally get to chapter 3, you've got free game, level as much as you want, but still note that random encounters base themselves off the highest person in your party. So if Ramza is 52, but the next highest is 32, prepare to get raped real hard like.

For more detailed Q and A, just stop by the Final Fantasy thread. We've been talking about tactics in there for a while, so you might as well catch up.

Cantido

I liked this game better after I learned about the Scroll Glitch. Leveling characters was still necessary, yet not on the level that I needed to put my characters in a + formation and make them beat the shit out of each other.

Voro

What you need is the Knight speed/power breaks and most of the Thief skills. That way you can swipe equipment off of the human enemies in the random encounters. And if you do over-level, just switch people to Monk until you can get better gear.

Balrog

Turn everyone into Toads, set to autobattle and come back in the morning.

Kor

the Frog debuff doesn't wear off over time?

Balrog

"First, get a wizard that knows frog. It's secondary skill should be Yin Yang Magic and should know Blind Rage. At the beginning of the battle, use frog on all the enemies, and then use frog on your units(except the wizard). Use Blind Rage on your units. When your entire team is Blind Raged, use the autofight "run like a rabbit" feature and sit back. After a few hours, and you should have won the battle, and gained a ton of experience and JP."

It's been a while since I did it but it works something like that.

Delzhand

When I got this on PSP, I got to the end and leveled by B-team up past my A-team. I don't use Ramza or Cid, but I've got a 70+ Cloud, Balthier (possibly more imbalanced than Cid, actually), and 3 Generics.

Good times.

LA:

Ohio wrote: »

LA: wrote: »

Just be careful with grinding because even though the enemies in story missions have preset levels, enemies in random encounters level along with you. So if you level too much too early and don't have good enough gear, you might run into some trouble.

So is the gear that's available for sale dependent on where you are in the story, vs. what your level is? So if I'm level 50 but have only done the first couple story missions, the gear I can buy will be what would have been available to me when I was level 2?

Sorry, disappeared for a few hours but yeah you got it right. The gear that's available is dependent on where you are in the story and not your level.

Mechanical

Delzhand wrote: »

When I got this on PSP, I got to the end and leveled by B-team up past my A-team. I don't use Ramza or Cid, but I've got a 70+ Cloud, Balthier (possibly more imbalanced than Cid, actually), and 3 Generics.

Good times.

My combat teams consisted entirely of generics. Save Agrias on occasion.

Gnome-Interruptus

Cantido wrote: »

I liked this game better after I learned about the Scroll Glitch. Leveling characters was still necessary, yet not on the level that I needed to put my characters in a + formation and make them beat the shit out of each other.

Is the Scroll Glitch possible with the PSP version? I keep trying to do it and I cant seem to get it to work.

Cantido

Gnome-Interruptus wrote: »

Cantido wrote: »

I liked this game better after I learned about the Scroll Glitch. Leveling characters was still necessary, yet not on the level that I needed to put my characters in a + formation and make them beat the shit out of each other.

Is the Scroll Glitch possible with the PSP version? I keep trying to do it and I cant seem to get it to work.

I dunno, I never had it for PSP. I did it on PS1. It basically gets you a ton of Job Points for any class with more than a page worth of abilities. You can have all the spells, but you still need to level to use the stronger ones effectively. It's especially great for characters that don't use MP, like Lancers and Archers.

Dragkonias

Gnome-Interruptus wrote: »

Cantido wrote: »

I liked this game better after I learned about the Scroll Glitch. Leveling characters was still necessary, yet not on the level that I needed to put my characters in a + formation and make them beat the shit out of each other.

Is the Scroll Glitch possible with the PSP version? I keep trying to do it and I cant seem to get it to work.

Nope, they "fixed" it.

korodullin

Did they also add in ways to get multiple Masamunes or the best Katanas? I know that without using the weapon duping trick on the PSX, those final two Draw Out skills were pointless to use.

Dragkonias

korodullin wrote: »

Did they also add in ways to get multiple Masamunes or the best Katanas? I know that without using the weapon duping trick on the PSX, those final two Draw Out skills were pointless to use.

Fixed those, too, I believe.

korodullin

Fixed how? I know they fixed the weapon duping thing, but did they make the two best Katanas unbreakable?

Dragkonias

korodullin wrote: »

Fixed how? I know they fixed the weapon duping thing, but did they make the two best Katanas unbreakable?

I mean fixed as in...you can't do it anymore...so no point in using those skills.

Monsty

Level up as ninja. Level down as anything but thief or ninja. Enjoy a character of whatever level you wish that can go ten times before an enemy moves. Or something to that effect.

Every time I play, I always end up making one god character eventually. I can't help myself. It's Disgaea all over again.

Kor

What do you mean by level down?

Monsty

I think there are two ways, but the one I know is to purposely set off degenerator traps on maps that have them. The ninja has the fastest-growing speed stat so you gain that when you gain levels. Everything else(other than the thief) has the slowest, so when you lower your level with those traps, it goes down slower than when you gain it as a ninja.

It works for all stats, it's just ridiculously noticeable with speed(and you have to use other classes for other stats).

HeraldS

There are traps that level your down, as opposed to poison or sleep gas. If you level up as a class with good speed gains (ninja) and then level down as a class without (black mage or something) you still keep some of the speed you gained leveling as a ninja. So when you level up again as whatever class you prefer you start with a higher base. Tedious and time consuming but some people like to have characters that make Cid look like a wimp.

edit: Too slow.

Invisible

There are traps on certain maps that lower your character's level. By repeatably stepping on them you can exploit class growths and degrowths to get much higher stats than normal.

Also, I'm pretty sure you can get extra katanas from the Ninjas in one of the Deep Dungeon levels. You have to use catch and be a certain level (there's a FAQ on this IIRC), but you can get enough to not worry about using the skills. Assuming they didn't change this in the PSP version (I've never bothered trying on it).

Kor

huh, I never knew of those kinds of traps.

How do you go about finding them?

MegaMek

There are also enemies that can eat levels. You can tame them.

Invisible

MegaMek wrote: »

There are also enemies that can eat levels. You can tame them.

True, the Mindflayers have a Monster Ability IIRC.

4rch3nemy

So my friend and I are going to do some skirmishing this weekend with a group of 5 level 10 characters on each of our side.

I don't want to cheat or anything, but what should I do to tip the scale in my favor (no level eating skill gains etc)? My initial idea (I haven't put too much thought into it) was to go Monk, Knight, Chemist (hi potion ), B. Mage, and..... ???.
I want a group that will be able to take out whatever he throws at me obviously, but I kinda don't want to cheese it and bring 5 Knights with Dual Wield.

Opinions?
PS: War of the Lions if it wasn't obvious.

Mechanical

I used a knight with Throw Items early on myself. Typically I use a dedicated Chemist with Equip Crossbows as a reserve as well.

joshgotro

I remember grinding and then getting stuck on some random battle with atleast 12 purple, red, and black chocobos.

I never cried more in my life.

Nightcaste

oh the healmanity?

Cantido

joshgotro wrote: »

I remember grinding and then getting stuck on some random battle with atleast 12 purple, red, and black chocobos.

I never cried more in my life.

Hah, I remember that one.

BigPointyTeeth

Cantido wrote: »

joshgotro wrote: »

I remember grinding and then getting stuck on some random battle with atleast 12 purple, red, and black chocobos.

I never cried more in my life.

Hah, I remember that one.

The only thing worse than that is the all monk random battle.

Mechanical

BigPointyTeeth wrote: »

Cantido wrote: »

joshgotro wrote: »

I remember grinding and then getting stuck on some random battle with atleast 12 purple, red, and black chocobos.

I never cried more in my life.

Hah, I remember that one.

The only thing worse than that is the all monk random battle.

You're forgetting someone.

Plot spoiler, kinda. Sorta.

AuburnTiger

I never played Tactics, but I've been thinking about picking up FF Tactics Advance 2 for the DS.

MegaMek

It's very good, and really friggen long, jesus christ

Nightslyr

Is it me, or does the villain in A2 feel a bit tacked on? She just kinda shows up out of nowhere, goes "Blargh! I'm an evil and powerful bitch!" and that's about it.

gjaustin

Nightslyr wrote: »

Is it me, or does the villain in A2 feel a bit tacked on? She just kinda shows up out of nowhere, goes "Blargh! I'm an evil and powerful bitch!" and that's about it.

Yes, but then again I think that all of A2 feels tacked on.

At least A1 had something of a plot.

joshgotro

I remember wanting more Snowball fights.

FFTA