PostMortem on Experiment w/o GFs

I still think Final Fantasy VIII can be played without GFs. Right now I am too sore with Nintenditis in my arms to try again soon. Should you be masochistic enough to try:

1--keep all character levels similar. Especially do not let Squall's go higher than the rest. Remember that your enemies level up to the highest level of your characters. It may be necessary to kill Squall and leave him dead a while to accomplish parity.

2--do not toss or sell out all your items. Be absolutely certain that each item is kept for its purpose.

3--ignore the stuff that makes your SeeD levels go up. All that brings is money, and you will still have tons.

4--be nice in all your choices of dialog. You need all the outside help you can get.

5--escape is very often your best friend.

I got to the fight with Raijin and Fujin before I gave in. I'm pretty certain that it would have been doable if Squall were not level 100. That battle wasn't even half way through the game, so a more reasonable level would be 30. Selphie--alone--beat Raijin at his highest level. Going into the battle with both of them, we really needed all the guys.

This experiment has been a heckuva struggle, and I don't know when I will try again. I would love to hear from anyone else who has tried. Contact me if you have. Just curious.

Lucrecia's Legacy is complete now.

FF8 Experiment is Over

Finally managed to beat Raijin using Selphie. Raijin will go after the boys first and will not kill the girl until the two soldiers are gone. He declares he doesn't hit girls, but as soon as they are defeated, he dispatches the girl in two hits. Selphie can hold her own as long as the two soldiers remain.

The next battle is immediate, with no opportunity to raise the fallen. Since Raijin downs Squall and Zell first, they are already gone. I do not doubt the battle is not impossible, but the last several weeks have left me with Nintenditis in both arms.

I will reinstate the GFs and admit I am a wuss. I want to finish the game before Santa delivers Dirge of Cerberus and FF12!

Meantime, I am also done with FanFicking2006. Final chapter of Lucrecia's Legacy can be read here.

Because Josey Lindorm is not a wuss.

Still at it around Balamb--FF8--More stuff

While it doesn't look totally impossible, I may not be able to beat Raijin and Fujin.

At this point, Squall is maxed out, and Zell is at level 80. I will be trying everyone, leveling them up as I go along. I suspect, though, that we are just about done with this experiment.

Lucrecia's Legacy has a penultimate chapter.

And the ending.

Weekend 12/09/06: I've learned two things.

1--it is not good to let Squall's level go much higher than the others. The weaker ones are not up to the battles. I won't go back now to start over, but should you want to try this experiment, leave his numbers low. Kill him if necessary before the end of a battle.

2--Raijin will not hit at the girls until the two soldiers are gone. Try to keep them alive as long as possible. Looks like Rinoa may be able to pull this off. By the way, Selphie is still available for the battle with Raijin, but she is not able to fight outside Balamb, so she cannot level up. Right now, he drops her with one blow--4,000 hit points, leaving very little time for to spin for her magic.

Your problem is obvious...FF8

We are currently in Balamb, trying to fight Raijin and Fujin. More correctly, just Fujin. By now, Squall is maxed out, and can only gain strength through items that are not readily available, and upgrades to his gunblade.

Seems like that would make it a breeze? Well, no. In Final Fantasy VIII, all enemies level up with your characters. Right now that translates to a Raijin who can knock my people out with two blows. Squall is always in the party, right? And Zell must be there, because it is Balamb. Even at level 70, he is only marginally useful here. That leaves:

Rinoa, whose Angelo breaks are not enough to kill Raijin in two blows. Invincible Moon does not last long enough to do the trick.

Quistis, whose magic is barely better than her hits.

Irvine, who is useless without decent ammo, which simply won't be available until maybe Esthar.

Selphie, who shows the most promise. Her special skill Rapture does not remove Raijin. The End would work, but is so rare, we are dead long before it shows. Ultima may work, but I need my other guys to last long enough to chip away at the numbers. Her protective Wall does not work against Raijin.

This may be the end of our grand experiment. I will keep at it, though, because luck plays a huge role in most of these breaks.