how exactly does the FF-X battle system work?

of course i know how to fight and such – but how exactly does the battle system function? what i mean is: how are the character and opponent stats combined to calculate if a character is hit and how exactly does the game create a certain amount of damage?

does anyone know?

Ok, do you really want to know about all the specific calculations regarding damage, stats and turns? I’m not sure if that’s actually what you’re asking for, or if you want a more generic explanation. It would help if you gave an example of the type of explanation you want, with perhaps another game’s battle system.

The higher your strength, the more damage you do. I’m sure there is a mathematical fomula to explain exactly how much. I know this is not right but I was hoping it would help. Then again it may have confused you even more.

[(Str X 12) – (Def^enemy X 9)] X [50% through 150% (randomization)] = Damage

as one who suffers said its in in the mathematical formulas but i doubt anyone actually knows how it works.

Don’t know don’t care to be honist ive beaten the game and can use the sphere grid well so who really cares?

D = Damage Constant (value based on attack)
X = Base Damage
Y = Reduction Value
Z = Reformed Damage

X = [([Strength^3 � 32] + 32) * D] � 16
Y = [([Defence – 280.4]^2) � 110] + 16
Z = X * Y � 730

Lovely isn’t it? That’s for strength based damage.

[Attack], D = 16
All Skills, D = 16

255 Strength:

X = [([255^3 � 32] + 32) * 16] � 16
= [16581375 � 32] + 32
= 518200

Y = [([0 – 280.4]^2) � 110] + 16
= [(-280.4^2) � 110] + 16
= [78624 � 110] + 16
= 730

Z = 518200 * 730 � 730
= 518200

Obviously, you will only see 99,999 on screen.
That’s actually how much damage your Celestial Weapons will do.

Using Cheer would increase the Strength stat by 1 each time it is used, up to a maximum of 5 times.

Then there’s a magic based formula…

These equations r all great and all, although there not very good, or the ingame calculator aint, as it is differnt evry time. One hit 4485 next hit 5127 next hit 4498 etc

They also have it randomized abit like in blitzball. thats so you don’t notice the mathematics of the game and it seems more real

That’s the average. Obviously you won’t get the exact same damage due to the random factor. Having everything exact would make things too predictable and less flexible.

thanx, Jewels, that’s exactly what i looked for! 😀 😀

is that really everything you know about this? if you still have a go, don’t hesitate, i am really anxious about the system calculations.
the reason why i ask for this is the following: i would like to generate a pen-and-paper roleplaying game for FFX just for me and my friends, and the battle system rules should be as close to the game as they can, in order to kinda "catch the feeling", you know.
i know, that’s not completely possible, but first i have to know how it works in the game in order to have the orientation i need.

Jewels, could you post the magic formula, as well? and, something more: do you know how abilities such as blind and such work? please post it, too. (i hope it is not too much an too complicated for you, but i’m really interested in it).

thanx for the present!

oh, one last thing: where in your calculation does the defense-stat appear?

The Defence stat goes into the Reduction Value (Y). The values may be off by 1 in the mid Defence ranges but it’s accurate enough. The more accurate formula is below.

The mechanics of the battle system can get extremely complicated when more things are involved. You could simply look at the Stat Mechanics FAQ on GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/197344.html). However, the calculations in that FAQ are wrong since the damage is reduced twice. It also omits some other information regarding modifiers.

I’ll give you the formulas and correct calculations so it’s easier.

Strength Based

Strength = Your Strength statistic (+ Cheer)
Defence = Target’s Defence statistic
D = Damage Constant (value based on attack)
X = Base Damage
Y = Reduction Value
Z = Reformed Damage

X = [([Strength^3 � 32] + 32) * D] � 16
Y = 730 – ([(Defence * 51) – (Defence^2 � 11)] � 10)
Z = X * Y � 730

Using Cheer would increase the Strength stat by 1 each time it is used, up to a maximum of 5 times.

Magic Based

Magic = Your Magic statistic (+ Focus)
MDefence = Target’s Magic Defence
D = Damage Constant (value based on attack)
X = Base Damage
Y = Reduction Value
Z = Reformed Damage

X = [([Magic^2 � 6] + D) * D] � 4
Y = 730 – ([(MDefence * 51) – (MDefence^2 � 11)] � 10)
Z = X * Y � 730

Using Focus would increase the Magic stat by 1 each time it is used, up to a maximum of 5 times.

Healing

Magic = Your Magic statistic (+ Focus)
H = Healing Constant (value based on ability)
Z = Base Recovery

Z = ([Magic + H] � 2) * H

Note: Healing is not affected by Magic Defence.
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There are many other things to consider, but I’m not too sure exactly what you’re after. When you say Blind, do you mean Darkness? What do you want to know about it exactly?

ok, of course, i meant darkness. i mean: how does the game calculate, when negative effects, lets say darkness, work or not and how exactly does it affect the Accuracy of a character? because a "blind" character is still able to hit sometimes, especially when they are highly leveled (or the equivalent, ffx has no levels, of course…)

and: do weapons affect your accuracy and attack value (besides auto-abilitys such as increased damage imbedded in them…)?

really thank you for your patient help… =)

If a character is inflicted with Darkness, their Accuracy% will become 10 regardless of how high their accuracy is. Their Hit%:

Hit% = Accuracy% + AttackerLuck – TargetLuck

So if you had 100 Luck, and the enemy had 3 Luck, your Hit% would be 107%, meaning you’ll never miss. This is true also for enemies inflicted with Darkness.

Accuracy% is not the Accuracy statistic itself. In order to work our your Accruacy% from your character’s Accuracy stat, use this:

X = [(AttackerAccuracy * 0.4) – TargetEvasion] + 9

X = 0 or less, Accruacy% = 25
X = 1-2, Accruacy% = 30
X = 3-4, Accruacy% = 40
X = 5, Accruacy% = 50
X = 6, Accruacy% = 60
X = 7, Accruacy% = 80
X = 8+, Accruacy% = 100

[That’s in the FAQ]
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Weapons don’t inherently affect accuracy or damage, unless of course they have the specific abilities on them. There are no abilities which help accuracy however.

so, luck is not only used to determine hwo often you do a critical hit, but also shows what chance you (or the enemy) have to cause (or withstand) abilities such as darkness? ok.
now a question to dexterity – how exactly does this stat determine, how often a character is activated per turn? of course, i know that a character who has a high dexterity is activated more often than one with a lower dex-stat, but how does this work?

do you know, jewels?

Luck affects:

1. The chance of critical hits (= difference between attack luck and target luck).
2. The chance of hitting the enemy.
3. The chance of evading an enemy’s attack.

Darkness just reduces the Accuracy%.
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If you want to know the full explanation to Agility, you can check the FAQ. There’s quite a bit of information regarding Agility so it’s best to look at the FAQ first. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

thanks a lot for your help! =)