Blame yourself or God! Let's Play Final Fantasy Tactics!

And if that doesn't kill my Photobucket account, nothing will! (it won't since I paid to have it upgraded)

- Eddie

No help from the chattel shall be necessary, to our superior intellect (starting Int 24) this will be trivial.

Yes! You must bring your delicious brains to the table.

However one of the hulking, drooling brutes may at least be saved for an after-dinner snack. By simply offering your service to your proper illithid masters.

Eddie I love this LP, man, but... you keep using apostrope's in plural word's and it is driving me insane.

Please. Please stop it. For Bob the Angry Flower's sake, if nothing else.

Hell yeah, we're going to see some double-fisted ninja action. Bring the whole family down, because there will be enough whoopass to go around.

I didn't know Brick!

I didn't know.

I promise to remove 90% of my 's stupidity for current and future updates.

- Eddie

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Do dryads even have brains?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Grog Hill

(Scene: as Ramza's group travels under the cover of
darkness, the effects of the war continue to damage
Ivalice. The weather, along with the war, has stricken
many with poverty. Morale in both armies continues to
plummet. As Ramza makes his way Riovanes Castle, he
meets a group of soldiers who have decided to desert
Goltana's cause.)

(Back Fire)

Squire Deserter: We'd rather be poor and covered with
mud than this! We're sick of killing! We want to return to
our families!

Ramza: Wait! We're not after you! We have no desire to
fight! Don't misunderstand!

Deserter: Don't lie! You expect us to believe you?





Chemist Deserter: It's him! The 'heretic'! You know!



Squire: You mean... going back to the Knights?

Chemist: Getting a 'heretic's big. Like getting enemy brass!
If we get him, they might gives us a discharge, too.

(The Squire pauses.)



Chemist: We can go home big! Otherwise we'll have to live
in hiding as deserters!

Squire: Right! Let's catch him!



Squire: We can go home by killing him! This is our last
battle!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Welcome back! This fight is a breather before the battles at the end of the chapter, and is probably one of the easiest
in the game. Squires were barely threats back in Chapter 1! Chemists are still a bit annoying, but less so when they're
not supported by better units. This leaves only an Archer and Thief, neither of which should be all that threatening,
outside of maybe Steal Heart.

Thematically however, this battle helps remind the player that hey, there's a terrible war going on, and dang if the
people manipulating it aren't blind or ignoring the fate of people such as the group you're fighting. In many ways this
fight becomes a reminder of how far your group has come since the days of yore.

A few things to note in this battle: It's raining, but not storming. Thunder effects will not have any advantage here,
and in fact are sort of the worst choice since one of the Chemists always comes with a pair of Rubber Shoes glued on.
The night however still affects both Bows and Crossbows. I believe it also affects a Ninja's Throw ability too, but I
can't confirm that. Well, it's unlikely you're using an Archer anyway at this point...

There's really no trick to this battle given how easy it is. The Thief is potentially the most dangerous unit (if she comes
with Steal Heart), followed by the Chemists. Let's talk about something more useful, like Speedy classes!

Thief and Ninja Advanced Tactics

There's a lot of overlap between these two classes, so rather than put them in separate posts I figured it would be
most worthwhile for you guys to smush em together and see what horrible monster emerges. Let's see the results!

While other classes are fine putting up big damage numbers, Thieves fill that one role that other classes can't fill, which
is robbing the enemy blind. While stealing itself isn't generally that efficient (time spent stealing can be time spent
dealing damage), it's fun and it's also a great way to save gil. I've mentioned before that money isn't really an issue in
this game (if you need more, just do some quick random battles) but it comes back to fun. Stripping an enemy Knight is
a lot less tedious than blowing through an enemy unit, and you can even get a crystal at the end to boot!

Meanwhile, Ninjas get a big PA boost and the ability to wield two weapons, including the daggers and flails... both of
which actually kind of suck but hey! The point stands that (outside of trading Steal for Throw) Ninjas are pretty much
better Thieves. The only areas a Thief trumps a Ninja at is in HP, which isn't particularly worthwhile next to the better
everything else a Ninja gets. Oh, and Two Swords innate, did I mention that?

A Thief's biggest strengths are its speed (second only to Ninja's) and their Steal Heart ability. Steal Heart is great
because it's instant, has a base 50% chance of working, and often a successful charming can tie up not only the
targeted unit, but any other enemy unit that decides to break the charm. Ninjas meanwhile have a reliable (if not
particularly dazzling) ranged attack.

The downside to either class is that they don't tend to have much health, and outside of Steal Heart their command
skills aren't particularly strong, especially against monsters (which carry no equipment to loot). Thieves therefore tend
to be best used by either playing a Steal Heart keep-away game, or by giving them something else to do until you can
focus on robbing an enemy unit blind. Ninja meanwhile are excellent at hand to hand combat, so tuning towards doing
just that is one of your best bets.



Secondary Skills
Item (Chemist): since item effects cannot be improved, the strongest way to use items is to have a high speed, such
that you can use more of them. Their naturally high movement also helps make sure your guys take enough medicine. If
you use a lot of magic, make sure to grab Ether, since you'll likely have turns where you don't have anything better to
do, and Ethers are somewhat cheap for their effect.

Throw (Ninja): Since Thieves suck up close, giving them a quick and cheap ranged attack can be useful, particularly
against monsters which you can exploit any elemental weakness against. Remember to use a movement boosting
accessory to increase your Thrown range!

Steal (Thief): The highest Speed in the game means Ninjas have the best Steal % in the game too!

Talk Skill (Mediator): Got nothing better to do? Then use your boosted speed to raise some spirits!



Reaction Skills
Speed Save (Archer): More Speed not only lets you steal more often, each point of Speed boosts your chance to steal
an item by 1%, making it even more effective! This also boosts the damage the Throw command deals.

Blade Grasp (Samurai): Obvious, but allows you to wade into many units that would otherwise cut your Thief or Ninja
down.

Abandon (Ninja): Pair with a Feather Mantle to be extremely hard to hit (see Knight).


Support Skills
Concentrate (Archer): Particularly useful against units that are wearing Mantles or Shields. At the very least, it
prevents you from needing to get behind an enemy to get your best Steal success rate.

Martial Arts (Monk): While a barehanded Thief isn't that strong (although able to wear headgear such as Twist
Headband for +2 PA), Martial Arts boosts the success rate of Steal by 50%. The Geomancer's "Attack Up" does
something similar, but the effect isn't nearly as strong as Martial Arts. Barehanded Ninjas on the other hand, are
monsters, potentially dishing hundreds of HP worth of damage to enemy units. Of course, Two Swords on a Monk is
even better but let's not get distracted!


Movement Skills
Move +2/+3, Teleport (Thief/Bard/Time Mage): I might stop listing Movement since these are just so obvious. Using
any other movement skill really requires a good reason. Move +X is best for Ninjas, as the range of a Throw command
works off the Move value of a Ninja.



Equipment

Sadly, the weapon of choice for Thieves (daggers) kind of suck. They're not strong, and the best ones can only deal
somewhat crappy status ailments. Blind? Pfft. Silence? Eh. Death Sentence? Pass! I would not use a Thief at all if
you're planning on doing damage; there is sadly no D&D style backstab in this game. Ninjas get access to Ninja Swords
(PUMP UP) which are quite strong.

Your hats of choice are Green Berets and later Flash Hats, for their Speed boosting properties. You can also go with
Twist Headband and Power Sleeve to tack on some extra oomph to your attacks, but again you shouldn't be worrying
too much about damage as a Thief. Then again, it's not like there's much better for Thieves outside of rare or poach-
able equipment; go for extra HP. Ninjas on the other hand should totally be using +PA equipment. Remember: you're
not in danger if you can kill the enemy first! The weapon formula for Daggers and Ninja Swords kind of halves the
effectiveness of PA on determining Weapon Damage, but on the other hand you're swinging twice as it is.

Now Accessories get interesting because of their variety. Do you go with Germinas Boots for the extra movement and
jump? Do you go with a Mantle for extra evasion? Bracers can be a cute Accessory to use if you're determined to bash
people with Flails, but its best use is with Martial Arts however.



Thief and Ninja Builds

The "Best Things in Life are Free" Thief

Secondary Skill: Talk Skill
Reaction Skill: Speed Save
Support Skill: Martial Arts
Movement Ski;;: Move +2/+3

Weapon: Fisticuffs
Head: Flash Hat (+1 Speed, +1 MA)
Body: Power Sleeve (+2 PA)
Accessory: Feather Mantle

Alternatively you could Yin-Yang magic instead of Talk Skill; the point is to either put your enemy to Sleep (via Mimic
Daravon) or to reduce their Brave enough (via Threaten) to give them Chicken status. In either case, your chance to
steal from a sleeping or chicken'd unit increases by 50%, making it the best solution if you're looking to strip an enemy
unit of their goodies.

The Feather Mantle is fairly optional; you can go with a Bracer for more damage, or Germinas Boots for more mobility
too.


The "I think I saw this in an episode of Naturo once" Ninja

Secondary Skill: Punch Art
Reaction Skill: Counter
Support Skill: Martial Arts
Movement Skill: Move +2/+3

Weapon: Microphone A and Microphone B
Head: Twist Headband (+2 PA)
Body: Power Sleeve (+2 PA)
Accessory: Bracers (+3 PA)

Getting the full benefit of the Monk's Punch Art with the benefit of being able to use a Twist Headband. This is a
monster on the battlefield, particularly when buffed with Protect or Reraise. If you find him to be a bit of a glass
cannon, you can replace Counter with Blade Grasp or MP Switch, which works well with the Chakra ability.



Don't be disappointed by the ease of this battle, this chapter still has a few that are pretty dang hard, including the
next one! We'll also be introduced to two of the most hated characters in the entire game, for reasons I will attempt to
dispel (although you guys seem to be pretty cool with them).

We've also now filled in a representative for both ZOIDBERGs and Behemoths. Is there any champion still waiting in the
wings for a chance to be in an Uribo or Dryad's corner?

Finally, read the wrong way, the next screenshot sounds kind of arrogant I think!

Tune in next time for a particularly gross combination: Ninjas and Summoners! See you then!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Bonus Money: 15,800 Gil
War Trophies: Mythril Gun

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

(Scene: as the rain falls, Ramza takes a moment to ponder
the previous battle. These men and women were out to kill
him, but their actions were driven neither by glory or duty,
but by fear and desperation. But is Ramza's hurried chase
after Alma any different?)

(Cry of a Bitter Heart!)

(The footfalls of a chocobo echoes from the south. Ramza
turns toward a familiar face.)

Ramza: You're...



(Olan rides up to meet Ramza, the Knights accompanying
him staying behind.)



Olan: I never thought a Beoulve would help us.

(Ramza looks down and pauses.)



Olan: Same here. I don't go after deserters because I want
to. You know what I mean.



Olan: As a dangerous 'heretic', what did you do?

Ramza: Are you going to try and catch me?

Olan: Why would I do that? Our job's to catch deserters.
No need for us to be involved. But your brothers are after
you. Run before they come.

(Ramza turns to leave, but stops.)



Ramza: So if Larg quits, Goltana would, too?

Olan: But that won't ever happen.

Ramza: If you see Orlandu of Nanten, let me know. Some
are using Larg and Goltana for 'gain'. We're in the palm of
their hands... They're the real ones to beat.

(They both pause.)

Olan: Why Orlandu?





Olan: If it's for the people, I won't interrupt. But, if it's for
self gain, Orlandu won't allow it. He'll promise to kill in the
name of 'T.G. Cid'.



Olan: We're investigating it, but you may know better.

Ramza: If we prove it, would you stop fighting?

Olan: Do you have proof?



Olan: But I'm sure... Orlandu would quit...

(One of the Knight's accompanying Olan speaks up.)

Nanten Knight: Olan, shall we go?

Olan: All right. I'm coming!

(Olan turns back to Ramza.)

Olan: I must go, Ramza. Take care.



Olan: You have friends! Allies who'd risk their lives! I'm one
of them!







* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

to be continued...

See, Orlandu doesn't need to fight in the name of someone else. He fights in his own name, dang it.

Out of curiosity, is anyone enjoying the 'advance tactic' discussion for some of the classes? I enjoy making them, but half of me is thinking "Yeah! Item budget optimization!" and the other is thinking "maybe I'm preaching to the choir?"

- Eddie

I haven't played the game quite enough to know these optimization strategies. They're actually my favorite part!

For the longest time I thought I understood FFT. This Let's Play is what has shown me how wrong I was. The in-depth stuff is without a doubt the absolute best part of each post and I commend you for making them as entertaining as they are informative. Then again, maybe I'm only entertained because I'm being informed on something I find interesting...

Regardless, this is a great LP and I'd just keep doing what you're doing.

Eddie: Don't change a thing. Can't wait to see you show 'em all how to break Math Skill.

These last few posts have covered some of my favorite bits of the game. Chapter 3 is easily my favorite, unforgiving ending that almost screwed me the first time I played and everything.

Wiegraf is the one villain in the entire FF series I consider well rounded and interesting, with sensible motivation, goals and backstory. The cutscene after Orbone is a big part of that. I love the way we come to learn about Simon after you get the scriptures. His notes in them flesh his character out quite a bit.

The battle at Grog Hill is a really key part of the Ivilace world design, IMHO. Anyone who's run a D&D game knows that every now and the, once the PCs get up to level awesome, you need to let them really feel awesome by letting them get in some flat-out ass kicking. Very few RPGs really put your characters power into perspective, things just scale for no real reason as you progress. That one battle, so similar to the second one (that actually managed to kick my ass the first time I played), is great for just that reason. Even if the rest of the game generally scales things like most JRPGs.

don't you stop. i will cut you if you do.

Eddie,

Thanks for doing this LP. I started playing this game back in 2001, made it to the series of fights you're about to, and couldn't beat the last one (you can probably guess what the brick wall I ran into was). I decided I needed to build out some other job/skills and started on that, got distracted by something else, and a year passed before I tried to pick it up again.

Unfortunately, by that point, I'd forgotten some of the plot, the tactics I'd been using, and the direction I had been building in, so I decided to start over. I got into chapter 2 somewhere before losing interest in rehashing my earlier progress.

Reading over the LP has been a great refresher for the parts of the story that I'd forgotten over the years and the talk about the different jobs and abilities have been interesting enough that I've dusted off my old CD, found my saved games (huh, evidently I've tried starting over two other times, too, and complete forgot about them) and plan to take another stab at my original save.

I'll chime in here, too, and say that I'm finding the advanced job tactic discussion very interesting and potentially very useful for the fights ahead.

Quick Note: I fixed a big error in my Knight Advance Tactics discussion; Two Hands DOES NOT boost he success % of Battle Skill! I don't know how I confused that

- Eddie

I only read the Advanced Tactics now, because you've surpassed where I am in the game and I'm not continuing for a while. In other words DON'T DARE STOP.

I, too, enjoy the advanced tactics very much. I usually just cheese my way through the latter portions of the game with Orlandu, Agrias, et al., and this LP is making me feel like going back through and actually building a strong team of generics. Maybe this time I'll actually play on to the very end; I always seem to run out of steam near the end of Chapter 4.

Please keep up with the Advanced Tactics. I need more characters with unique powersets to partner with my new pal Samurai Wizardton.

YOU'RE A BAD MAN

Considering that the special characters are superior to generics in every way given time (even the poor "Heaven and Hell" siblings) I assign no ill judgement to those who more or less exclusively use them. I know I usually do!

- Eddie

p.s. YEAH I MASTERED RAFA AND MALAK IN EVERY CLASS DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT?

I just recruited Rapha in my playthrough, actually, and I really like her. Even if her special abilities only hit once, it still usually connects for 100-ish damage. Nothing to sneeze at.

Not everyone can be a maxed-out Arithmetician, of course, but how many of those do you really need?

Actually... I'm pretty sure everyone can be a maxed-out Arithmetician.

0, given that ninja would kill them all twice over before they can even act. :P

EDIT: Yes, I know. Another class for some real speed...

HOLY SHIT FOREST FULL OF NINJAS.

I'm getting my ass kicked but, holy shit, this is awesome.

If I was talented I'd write a song called "Forest of Ninjas." It would be 80s and have amazing hair.

Hey guys! You bump me into the next page (that would require a mere two posts!) and I'll give y'all an update. Sounds fair? I apologize for this flagrant replying, but I prefer to keep each update on the same page, and I'll never catch up to Brick's Suikoden LP in replies if I don't resort to dirty tactics.

- Eddie

eddie, you need to get ff tactics for psp and do a sequel. and then fly out to sf and play multiplayer with me.

Oh, I know!

To keep shivam's suggested sequel LP interesting, Eddie and a brave challenger could face off and have competing LPs. One can be a wizard solo-run and one can be a priest solo-run.

I'm sure nobody's done anything like that before!