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

I don't see anything in that list from FF12 that's not already in FFT. "Berias" is Velius/Belias, "Zalhera" is Zalera, "Hashmurim" is Hashmalum/Hashmal, "Ultima" is Altima/Ultima, "Cochlain" is Queklain/Cuchulainn, "Adramelech" is Adramelk/Adrammelech(?), and the others don't seem to correspond to espers or zodiac beasts. Notably missing:

- Exodus/Exdeath
- Shemhazai
- Zeromus
- Chaos
- Mateus
- Famfrit

Zodiac/Zodiark gets a pass since it's not properly one of the twelve.

Related: http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Lucavi

DUMA, ZEBBEB, SEL, ROPHOCHELE, CHERAUB, and, erm, LEVIATHAN. They correspond with the other Lucavi by their placement in the circle and alignment to the zodiac signs. When I get home I will see if I can dig up the ripped texture.

The new ones listed (minus Shemhazai) are all based on bosses from other FF games. The old ones planned (fair assumption) but not actually used in FFT were replaced. Probably to strengthen the game's ties to the rest of the main series.

Edit: Erm, as your link basically explained anyway...

Those others are probably the appropriate sub-descriptors (horribly mangled, of course). Every FF12 Zodiac has a secondary title (ex. Zalera, the Death Seraph; Chaos, Walker of the Wheel; Exodus, the Judge-Sal; Ultima, the High Seraph). At a glance, DUMA, ZEBBEB, SEL, ROPHOCHELE, CHERAUB, and LEVIATHAN seem to fall into these categories loosely (certainly SEL/Judge-Sal and CHERAUB/High Seraph fit the mold).

Zalera and Ultima are already represented, though.

This is like, the most discussion my LP has ever garnered.

Speaking of discussion, I figure there are two updates left in me. The question is: did I miss anything? Is there anything you're curious about the game? Any opinions you'd like to hear? Let me know!

I have played through to the end of the game, but I might replay it because they were too easy (but everything is easier with a Chaos Blade).

- Eddie

eddie, your LP is one of the best this site has, and don't let anyone tell you different.

Solo the rest of the game with Cloud

Did we ever get to learn how to make Cloud an overpowered monster?

You know, as hinted in this post.

Just wanted to reinforce this idea.

I've actually been lurking here for a few months and only stumbled upon TT because of your LP, Eddie. I was originally trying to figure out if Ramza had a last name and somehow ended up at your thread. I read the entire thing over the course of a week and finished with your update back in August. I kept the thread it a tab and refreshed it weekly to see if any changes had occurred.

Having poked around since then, but spending most of my time reading the various LPs here, I finally decided to register and join in on the debauchery.

I just wanted to say thanks for doing this. I've loved the game since I first play it as an 11 year old and reading what you've done and the detail you put into this has been a real treat. So much that I've linked it to friends who were also fans of the series and, strange as it sound, I actually intend to reread the entire thread from start to finish when you wrap it all up.

So thanks man, this has been aces!

Turning Cloud into an overpowered monster is easy.

Make him a Calculator.

- Eddie

I like Eddie's LP because he is the only cat who updates slower than I do.

Did we ever see any of the rare random battles? In particular the infamous Grog Hill encounter?

Ditto.

Also, I suppose you could talk about FFTA. And by that I mean just mention it then let me complain about it.

Hey, FFTA is a good game!

That FFT is better is not because FFTA is bad. It's because FFT is really good.

(That said, FFTA's plot is an interesting idea that really falls short in execution. And the law system is kind of stupid and tacked on, even if it does feel really fun when you exploit it.)

I didn't show off the rare battles, no. I'll make a post-game post to cleanup anything I missed (such as bar treasures) and I'll screenshot some of the more interesting rare battles.

- Eddie

I never said FFTA was a bad game but it does have quite the pedigree to live up to and it fails at that. I think the most damning thing I can say about FFTA is that I don't want to play it again. But I would gladly playing through FFT again and again.

Now, I agree that FFT is really good but I'm not saying it's flawless. And I will admit that A did fix some of those flaws but I feel that for every step A made forward it also made one or more steps back.

For me the law system is worse than stupid - it's annoying and frustrating. And I feel the same way about the tools you have for exploiting it - the law cards.

Laws aren't as bad as having to defend or reclaim your turf. I didn't mind laws usually, except for this one time when I wasn't allowed to harm monsters and the battle couldn't be won unless all the monsters died.

That was also another thing that irritated me - it was the step back from FFTA's better method of handling random battles.

When FFT is complete, someone should do a similarly styled FFTA LP. Prove it upholds its legacy! or not.

I think I only got to the start of 2-law battles and gave up when I played.

That's an interesting idea... that I would only consider doing if someone paid me.

Or you could check out the playthrough at the LP Archive.

I suspect that post refers to his equipment options. I can't imagine what else about Cloud could be both useful and amusing.

Boy, does Talking Time know how to complain about the wrong things or what.

What do you guys want from Cloud? Finishing Touch is one of the best abilities in the game, and his other skills that aren't Omnislash or Cherry Blossom aren't half bad either.

If Cloud was available in Chapter 2, you would use him.

Although admittly, when I wrote that first post, in my mind I remembered him being able to equip Perfume, which would really have made him awesome.

- Eddie

If Cloud was available in Chapter 2, well, most of his abilities would still be too slow to use, though not as much so as by the end of the game.

Finishing Touch is really great, though I would not describe it as amusing.

To answer your question, any one of vertical effect, unit targeting, or reasonable speed on his abilities would help to make up for the 10-power mundane weapon he's stuck with. He'd still be disappointing for a late-game unique unit.

The amusing bit is the callback to his crossdressing in FF7.

But I mean, toss Short Charge on his base class with Time Magic or make him a Wizard or Time Mage with Equip Sword. Both are reasonable options to bring out the fullest potential in Cloud. It's only really his final two abilities that are slow as molasses, the rest are comparable to Black Magic (although certainly with the limitations you've suggested).

The "10 Power" sword isn't even really a thing; none of his Limit Skills care, and that late in the game Counter is better supplanted with something like Blade Grasp anyway. If you've got time to use the attack option, use Braver instead!

- Eddie

Ribbon's a great choice in some battles. Generally less useful than a Thief Hat, but what isn't?

The main limitation is that damaging magic is almost useless in the late game because, while more powerful spells take longer to cast, higher-level characters have more speed (and Thief Hats). Short Charge isn't always enough even for lower-level spells.

Even if WP isn't a factor, the various bonuses granted by other swords - Rune Blade's +2 MA, the auto-status effects of most Knight Swords, even the ice element/Ice 2 attack of Ice Brand - are really nice and exploitable by any other sword-restricted special class. He can do well enough without them but, again, it's a bit disappointing. The Materia Blade is functionally identical to the Diamond Sword, the most boring sword weapon since Chapter 1. Anything at all to set it apart would be nice.

+1 MA would be suitable, I think, and would double as a callback to weapons in FFVII increasing magic attack.

Law cards are nowhere near the best way to exploit the law system. The laws aren't random; they follow a fixed daily cycle. This means that you can cause them to favour you by starting story events on specific days.

My favourite abuse of the law system was against the boss which consists of something like eight separate immobile monsters whose only ranged attack does charm+fire damage. Simply add a law against charm (or fire), then they can't hurt you at all and you can blow them up with ranged attacks. (Why can't they just attack despite the laws, like most bosses do? Because no more than one enemy per encounter can have a Law Ribbon.)

That sounds really fun and not tedious or micro-managey at all...

A fixed daily cycle based on the month. I know all that stuff and I still think it's a stupid pain in the ass that adds nothing to the game.

Laws in FFTA are less annoying than permanent death in FFT.

Except for the judge taking a turn to run around the battlefield. That's pointless and annoying.

Yes. Mad props to Eddie.

This is exactly the kind of LP I like: watching an expert break an amazing game wide open and show how all the parts fit together. It's the kind of LP that makes you want to play the game (again), rather than feeling like a replacement for playing it.