I'm about to go into the ship to find Ashe. Vaan is level 11. Almost 12 and the rest of my party is about the same. Is that a good level for that part of the game?

Also. Would it be a good idea to give Balthier some armor, a shield and a sword? I can't seem to find a pistol upgrade for him. He is too sexy for me to let him die. But I want him to do some real damage too.



Thanks!~

stick with the gun if thats what your using. Give him whatever armor you've bought with the license board (most probably light armor for a gun). Guns do really well with a good bullet. When your really far into the game (around about giruvagan) then keep a range of bullets for various elements and he will pawn.

i was around level 25 or so when i went for Ashe, Beth.

i was around level 25 or so when i went for Ashe, Beth.

WTF! I WAS LIKE LVL 25 AT OZMONE PLAIN!!! Talk about over-leveled

i was around level 25 or so when i went for Ashe, Beth.

Yeah, but you can do that part of the game pretty easily at level 11-12. Level 25 is really over-leveled for the Leviathan.

As for Balthier, I would definitely get him some decent armour - he's definitely not a mage, so magic armour's out, and, if you're going to use a gun, light armour is probably best. Whether you do decide to keep with the gun is up to you: guns are generally very powerful when you can first obtain them, but will become weaker in relation to the other available weapons as time moves on, and are slow. Also, they are worthless against certain types of enemy, like flans or elementals (not that you'll be fighting the latter any time soon).

I would personally keep Balthier with the gun, if only to keep him at range and out of the way.

Okay! So I don't need to buy new guns. Just new bullets sometime?

Yeah 25 sounds over leveled. Way too much grinding. I was level 10 at the mines place with the minics and it was soo easy. Especially the boss. I almost thought I was over leveled for that part.

I will look at some good light armor for him.

I'm just starting XII again after not having it for too long, but I checked my save files, and I was roundabout an average of level 13 when I got through the Leviathan, I seem to recall it was easier than expected, so I'd say you should be alright. I've never had anything but a gun for Balthier; my memory's a little hazy on that but the only thing that was challenging for me at that point was the judge.. I couldn't tell you his or her name at the end of it, but even that was pretty easy too :D I'd say you'll be fine ;)

Oh, and with the Barheim Passage with the mimics, I don't know HOW I got through that at level 6 :O But somehow, probably with sheer luck, that's what I was at the first time I got through that part :O

Okay! So I don't need to buy new guns. Just new bullets sometime?

Yeah 25 sounds over leveled. Way too much grinding. I was level 10 at the mines place with the minics and it was soo easy. Especially the boss. I almost thought I was over leveled for that part.

I will look at some good light armor for him.

hey i like to be cautious! lol

Maybe I'll do it that way sometime then =D

This is just prior to Penelo leaving:

How the bloody hell did you do that??!

(sees the 25 hours on the bottom of the screen)

Oh!...

By chaining to buy all of these, of course

gotta love the chains.

Beth, good girl.

What did I do thats good? =O

I must be such a n00b though. I didn't bother with key armor. I just use license points, buy armor, weapons and potions for everyone =O

i.... don't remember...

Short term memory loss? =O

Anyway, I assume I should also let Fran keep bows and just buy her new bows and arrows every now and then?

Short term memory loss? =O

Anyway, I assume I should also let Fran keep bows and just buy her new bows and arrows every now and then?

That's what I always did and it worked out quite well :D

Okay, I'll go that rout then. Thanks ^^

ugh, I never got the monographs. They sounded like too much work.

Need them to get certain drops, to make things in the bazaar. Also, they increase the quality and quantity of loot during chaining.

Absolutely worth it, if you want all equipment.

Np ;)

Monographs are good because you get gil faster. Simple as that. Nobody doesn't want gil ^^

I might try for it. Then again I might wait till my next run through to try for it.

I might try for it. Then again I might wait till my next run through to try for it.

Most monographs are really simple and will be gotten eventually considering that to unlock them in the bazaar all you need is to talk to different shop clerks many times.
This of course can be done very early in the game, but you most probably won't have money to buy them.
Unless you know how to chain dustia.

I was going to chain Dustia, but guess what, Phoenix Downs aren't for sale as early as I was chaining. Had to just suffer it out with the wolves.

Cockatrices are just kinda less reliable in terms of loot, even after the appropriate monograph.

You know what King and Neg? I might just try and level into the 20s that early xD

How hard could it be? Like farming in an MMO, right?

yeah Beth.

So basically if Phoenix dawn is hard to find I will just have to make sure to run back to a save crystal every now and then... it would seem =D

yeah. it sucks. i think you can use Pheonix Down on a few monsters too.... might be a different game though.

I was going to chain Dustia, but guess what, Phoenix Downs aren't for sale as early as I was chaining. Had to just suffer it out with the wolves.

Cockatrices are just kinda less reliable in terms of loot, even after the appropriate monograph.


I got through the game way underlevelled, and got dominated by a giant worm in a forest (forgot the names of both).

So I started over like a month later and powerlevelled at the start, just chaining Werewolves with Quickenings was fun, getting the Wind dagger from the Lindbur Wolf was good too. As for the chainings, wolves all day my friend. There were plenty there and decent loot that could fill to 99 easily. Good times I say.

Also about the monographs, I got the two or three that seemed more useful than the others, as in I ignored the one where you get improved loot off of dragons and all that stuff. But once I passed that worm in the forest, I never really kept up with the leveling, more like an easy mode til I got to the bosses, then I'd pay attention.

I miss this game, adding to the list of games I should replay!

Didn't spend much time with the werewolves this time. Once you've got a quickening or two, you can take down the Wild Saurian. Levels come fast and furious after that.

I usually switched off between getting to 99 wolf pelts and Wind Stones, like Seru said, and leveling with the Saurian.

I got murdered by Werewolves. >.> I guess they were a higher level than I thought they were.

Yea they are going to own you if you're in the low teens. However, I got Penelo and Vaan (the two that I actually powerleveled). each a Quickening, and learned to chain them and it took care of them, I had to hit the save crystal each time to regain my mana, but it is massive experience til you hit 20+.

Also, not sure if you know this, but when Basch, Ashe, Fran, and Balthier permanently(sp) join your party, they come in to levels around Vaan. Penelo 'officially' joins your party the first time you hit the Giza Plains, but everyone else joins it later. So if you can level Vaan and Penelo up really early, all the others come in around the same level, with license points and everything.

If they're name is in red don't attack them!!!!

Yea they are going to own you if you're in the low teens. However, I got Penelo and Vaan (the two that I actually powerleveled). each a Quickening, and learned to chain them and it took care of them, I had to hit the save crystal each time to regain my mana, but it is massive experience til you hit 20+.

Also, not sure if you know this, but when Basch, Ashe, Fran, and Balthier permanently(sp) join your party, they come in to levels around Vaan. Penelo 'officially' joins your party the first time you hit the Giza Plains, but everyone else joins it later. So if you can level Vaan and Penelo up really early, all the others come in around the same level, with license points and everything.

Cool thanks!

I won't attack anything red either xD

^^

How's the game going Priestess?

It's going alright. I'm still outside the ship though I haven't had too much time to play lately =(

I know it :( Too little time to enjoy games these days! Well, you'll get some spare time ;) I'm trying to hurry up and get back to that part so I can be more helpful because it's been quite a while < : - O

Oooh, thread necro.

So I'm giving FFXII a replay (even though I didn't even finish it before...), and I just did the Lhusu mines with Lamont (*wink*). Vaan, Balthier, and Basch are all around 15, and Fran is around 12 ish. I've got the best gear I can buy at this point (other than maybe a bow for Fran). I squished Ba'gamnan (sp?) with a quickening chain and a (I think) Cataclysm concordance on the way out, too.

I've been trying to do all the hunts as I get them (well, as many as I can), but I got killed by Cluckatrice (I know...) last time I tried before going to Bhujerba. I might go back into Lhusu to chain skellies for a while and then try those hunts again before advancing the story. I seem to recall doing that last time because their drops sold for more than just about everything else at that point in the game.

You have my permission to necro any thread in this forum, Cyan, that was active while you were away. I know you'll only make quality contributions to them.

Why thank you, Neg. :D

In my early-morning haze, I totally forgot to ask if my idea was even a good one, lol. I've been trying to do this with as little guide-gawking as possible. I suppose asking some buddies != guide gawking... ;)

To answer your question - yes, Skeleton killing is highly beneficial at this point in the story. You can easily collect 99 Bone Fragments, the total sum of which comes to around 20,000 gil. It's how I got all my Monographs. And it certainly helps levelling up. I think I went from 22 to 30 whilst chaining for Monograph money.

Yea, the Lhusu mines are great. There're a couple more spots like that later in the game that you can make good money on, but I won't spoil them...yet. :)

Cluckatrice....I'm sorry. ;)

But like Slavka mentioned, picking up the monographs early in the game is a great idea/good way to level up a little more.

Wow. After a 180ish chain on skellies (flee button ftw!), I got 99 bone fragments as well as 60ish Dark Stones. Made a pile of gil, which I used to buy the hunter and warmage monographs. My current group (Balthier, Fran, Basch) jumped from 12-14 to 17-20, as well. Did the Nidhogg hunt while I was at it, too. I'll probably try Cluckatrice again and hopefully not die. Cluckatrice itself didn't kill me. I killed it, but the last fucking add got me. Bastard. Other than going after monographs and hunts, anything in particular I should be doing before visiting the Marquis?

I don't think so. I've just gone past that part in my current playthrough, so I'm trying to remember if I'd done anything else, but I don't think there's much else to do.

TIP: power level in Lhusu mines and later in the Stiltshire of miriam. Undead enemies give tons of XP, they drop valuable loot and weapons if you chain them. It is sooo easy in both places to chain. ;) i usually spend a couple of hours in each.

You're doing great so far. Just be sure to have Blind purchased for the Leviathan and you should be good to go.

Would it be a good idea to give Balthier some armor, a shield and a sword? I can't seem to find a pistol upgrade for him. He is too sexy for me to let him die.

100% agree! :D

It's good to note that attack power is not the only thing that counts towards how much damage you do. For example Guns ignore defence when attacking meaning against heavily protected opponents they are very effective. Maces use magic power to calculate damamge etc.

Priestess needs to come back. She was cool :(

i liked her. she was a nice person.

Priestess is gone! oh i liked her...IN OTHER NEWS: I'm back...in case you hadn't guessed...ahem.