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[Oxx]

I've survived almost 70 hours largely ignoring gems and skill links, but it would probably make my life easier if I did a bit of reading.

 

[Gambit]

Don't have time to play much till next week, nevertheless I played with the 3DS just now. Went to the eShop and saw a trailer for Xenoblade: Holy crap! The visuals look fantastic, as we all know, but on such a small screen you don't notice any of the shortcomings. I can only recommend it to everyone, even if you have the game. In the palm of your hand, it's very, very impressive.

Please, please Nintendo, let Monolith use the Xenoblade engine for a 3DS RPG.
(Obviously in addition to the Wii U one)

The next Baten Kaitos could have a 3 in the title, wouldn't that go well with 3DS?

 

[gamingeek]

Well, the idiot's guide would probably be the in-game tutorials, so I would check there first. But basically:
Every character in your regular party can "share" a skill with every other member. So if one character has a skill that raises agility by five points, another character can link the skill and also raise their own agility by five points. This allows characters to get skills they don't have on their normal skill trees. Generally, you want to emphasize the particular abilities of each character - agility or defense for tanks, ether for healing characters, etc. - but there are also several skills that offer a general advantage in battle and are worth having. You can link and unlink skills at will, so it's not a one-use thing. Feel free to experiment.

There are three restrictions, though:
1.) You can only link skills that have the correct shape; if your tree has a slot for a square-shaped skill, you can't put a circle-shaped skill in it. This is mainly done to force balance.

2.) The number of links you can make between two characters is dependent on the affinity between the characters; a higher affinity means more skills can be linked.

3.) Each skill requires a certain number of "Affinity Coins" to be linked. Affinity Coins can be obtained by leveling up or by defeating unique monsters. Powerful skills, like ones that benefit the entire party or raise stats by great amounts, generally require more coins.

Thanks, I was wondering what those coins are for.

 

[Gvaz]

Stars? They just indicate items gotten from silver/golden chests, i.e. rare items. Not all of them are useful except for selling. Just sort the items based on sales price and sell the items on the last page--generally this is safe and you don't have anything to worry about.

Strength doesn't affect the weight of armor you can wear. All characters can equip light, medium, and heavy armor (except for machina armor since it is only for one particular character only) provided you give them the appropriate skill links. Strength has nothing to do with it.

I'd sort via oldest and sell any anything without a star (don't sell everything though), then work on stars stuff. That way you won't screw yourself out of needed items that are required later on for sidequest things

 

[Bel Marduk]

Are skill links that gives you boosts temporarily (like 30 seconds) worth it? I have some good ones but I only like to put permanent ones on.

 

[fabricated backlash]

Ok quick check in here: I'm at

Spoiler

satorl Marsh ready to perform the ritual to enter Bionis, have allready helped Colony 6 a bit and am LV 32 at 18 hours of play... how far into the game am I? Just a rough figure to orient myself

Overall I found the game has some weird difficulty spikes with most enemies not requiring tactics at all, and suddenly bam, story fight... yeah all those tactics and special abilities... you should have learned them by now to stand a chance.

The normal fights do a terrible job at preparing you for harder fights as they mostly rely on pure strength rather than clever usage of the games fighting mechanics.

But I'm still having a blast with this game. The sense of exploration and adventure... This is exactly what I want from a JRPG... except for the ridiculously bad looking character designs, could've done without them.

 

[mclem]

Ok quick check in here: I'm at

Spoiler

satorl Marsh ready to perform the ritual to enter Bionis, have allready helped Colony 6 a bit and am LV 32 at 18 hours of play... how far into the game am I? Just a rough figure to orient myself

20%, I'd say. You're quite high-level for your progression, though.

 

[mclem]

Spoiler

I'd say roughly 30%, give or take a few.

Edit:

Spoiler

20% is a bit too little in my opinion. 25% seems more appropriate, but then again it's been a few weeks since I played it and I'm not gonna look up the entire storyline to see how much it is.

Spoilers coming up for beyond where you are now, boris! Don't read this!

Spoiler

I was pegging 50% at roughly Sword Valley. Although I guess the story speeds up at that point so it's somewhat depenedent on what sort of metric you use.

 

[DEO3]

I just finished this at 60 hours, and man, what a fucking ride this game was.

I thought I was done with JRPGs a long time ago, but I gave this a shot and I'm glad I did.

I was under leveled a bit in the later half of the game, but instead of grinding to catch up I instead focused on setting up skill links, gemming my characters, and trying using different characters and party combinations - all aspects of the game I had ignored up to that point. Now that I have a better handle on all the systems I find myself wanting to jump back in with New Game+, grab a faq, and go for 100% completion. But with so much coming out over these coming weeks I don't know if I'll ever be able to truly dedicate the time this game deserves.

 

[fabricated backlash]

20%, I'd say. You're quite high-level for your progression, though.

Yeah? Say that to that frigging Lizard in his fancy exile fortress. He wasn't really impressed at what I was throwing at him^^ lol.

20 to 30 percent sounds awesome. So I'm definetly going to spend about 60 hours with this game. What a nice purchase.

 

[Gvaz]

Spoilers coming up for beyond where you are now, boris! Don't read this!

Spoiler

I was pegging 50% at roughly Sword Valley. Although I guess the story speeds up at that point so it's somewhat depenedent on what sort of metric you use.

50% mark is PI

Spoiler

version 1

 

[gamingeek]

I don't get skill links. I read over all the in game tutorials.

Say I'm on the skill tree page as Shulk, then I hit 1 to go to skill links.

What I'm doing is giving another character of choice Shulks links right?

How do you spend affinity coins?

 

[chaosblade]

Yeah? Say that to that frigging Lizard in his fancy exile fortress. He wasn't really impressed at what I was throwing at him^^ lol.

20 to 30 percent sounds awesome. So I'm definetly going to spend about 60 hours with this game. What a nice purchase.

That's one of the hardest uniques to take out as you make your way through the game. I tried every party combination I could, I took out his henchmen before starting the battle with him, I did everything I could and even at level 33 when I left the area I couldn't beat him.

It was so satisfying to go back a few levels later and totally crush him.

In my opinion, the only ones that were remotely as difficult (excluding the really high level ones you don't have a shot at until later) were much later in the game.


I'd also say you're looking at more than 60 hours if you really get into optional content, I'm going on 130 right now. Level 93-94.

I don't get skill links. I read over all the in game tutorials.

Say I'm on the skill tree page as Shulk, then I hit 1 to go to skill links.

What I'm doing is giving another character of choice Shulks links right?

How do you spend affinity coins?

On the links page you'll have a blank skill tree for each character. You pick a blank and it takes you to that character's skills, and you pick a skill that fits that shape to add to the character you are editing. Adding the skill link will use affinity coins, the cost is listed in the skill information.

So if you are on Shulks page, you can pick the blank shapes on Reyn and give Shulk some of Reyn's skills.

It's really straightforward, I'm not sure where the confusion is.

 

[Gvaz]

I loved the one in Makna Forest in that cave, it was epic as hell.

 

[crazy monkey]

does anybody have video link to show the colony 6 construction after and before? Thanks.

 

[Anasui Kishibe]

I just finished this at 60 hours,

glad you finished it, but I'm always a bit baffled seeing people just blaaaazing through content

 

[chaosblade]

Apparently my HDD died, and the game kind of freaked out. Music stopped, lost access to menus, couldn't enter battle but enemies could attack me.

Using Gecko now, but the game is off center. Any way to fix that?

Edit: Wasn't the Wii, nevermind. Loading is still longer with Gecko

 

[IceDoesntHelp]

So I just got Xenoblade and installed all the necessary tools, yet Xenoblade is in black and white...anyone else have that problem before?
Edit: Nevermind, had to format my SD card. Have to do it all over again.

 

[gamingeek]

"On the links page you'll have a blank skill tree for each character. You pick a blank and it takes you to that character's skills, and you pick a skill that fits that shape to add to the character you are editing. Adding the skill link will use affinity coins, the cost is listed in the skill information.

So if you are on Shulks page, you can pick the blank shapes on Reyn and give Shulk some of Reyn's skills.

It's really straightforward, I'm not sure where the confusion is."

Right, so when Shulk is at the top I'm not giving other people his skills - I'm giving Shulk other peoples skills.

That right?

 

[chaosblade]

Right, so when Shulk is at the top I'm not giving other people his skills - I'm giving Shulk other peoples skills.

That right?

Yep, that's right.

 

[mclem]

50% mark is PI

Spoiler

version 1

Nah, not quite convinced about that. Although I think perception of it may depend on how much sidequesting you do, given that there's much less sidequesting after you leave

Spoiler

Eryth Sea and the surrounding regions

In a standard three-act format, I'd argue that the story plays out as follows:

Act 1:

Spoiler

Colony 9 through to PI

Act 2:

Spoiler

PI to Mechonis Core

Act 3:

Spoiler

Finale

Coincidentally, each of those act transitions coincides with a (don't read unless you've finished!)

Spoiler

Monado upgrade / change

 

[gamingeek]

Yep, that's right.

Much thanks *tips hat*

 

[iamaustrian]

people say that Reyn can wear heavy armour after upleveling but I'm at L82 already and he still can't wear heavy shit. All the heavy armor is darkened out (=not available for him) in the menu

any help?

 

[CoolS]

people say that Reyn can wear heavy armour after upleveling but I'm at L82 already and he still can't wear heavy shit. All the heavy armor is darkened out (=not available for him) in the menu

any help?

It's a talent in one of his talent trees, did you ever switch then around? You should have it by now then.

 

[spidye]

people say that Reyn can wear heavy armour after upleveling but I'm at L82 already and he still can't wear heavy shit. All the heavy armor is darkened out (=not available for him) in the menu

any help?

you have to unlock the talent, I think.
edit: oh wow beaten twice.

 

[chaosblade]

It's a pretty mid-tier skill too, I take it he hasn't been switching his skill priorities around to fill them all up.

That's unfortunate, since you've missed out/wasted a ton of SP. Sharla and Dunban also have heavy armor skills in their skill trees.

 

[iamaustrian]

I got his "can wear moderatly heavy armour"-skill/talent a long time ago. Nothing else is available regarding armour. I even linked the rest of the party to said skill but still, no one can wear "weight 4"-armour yet.

 

[chaosblade]

I got his "can wear moderatly heavy armour"-skill/talent a long time ago. Nothing else is available regarding armour. I even linked the rest of the party to said skill but still, no one can wear "weight 4"-armour yet.

Heavy equipment is the first skill in his Enthusiasm skill tree.

I assume by moderately heavy you mean medium, that's from Spirit which is the default one. You have to change the skill tree manually to level up different ones.

Edit: What drops Night Vision V shards? Preferably something other than the level 105 unique.

 

[iamaustrian]

Heavy equipment is the first skill in his Enthusiasm skill tree.

I assume by moderately heavy you mean medium, that's from Spirit which is the default one. You have to change the skill tree manually to level up different ones.

jesus christ, I'm such a dumbass. ugh

thanx a ton to you and the rest of the bunch above this post.

 

[Gvaz]

Nah, not quite convinced about that. Although I think perception of it may depend on how much sidequesting you do, given that there's much less sidequesting after you leave

Spoiler

Eryth Sea and the surrounding regions

In a standard three-act format, I'd argue that the story plays out as follows:

Act 1:

Spoiler

Colony 9 through to PI

Act 2:

Spoiler

PI to Mechonis Core

Act 3:

Spoiler

Finale

Coincidentally, each of those act transitions coincides with a (don't read unless you've finished!)

Spoiler

Monado upgrade / change

I'd agree with that, but in the scheme of things the finale section for all intents and purposes rail roads you along, so really you're just messing with the conclusion at that point.

As such, that would still make PI the halfway point.

 

[Man God]

Heavy equipment is the first skill in his Enthusiasm skill tree.

I assume by moderately heavy you mean medium, that's from Spirit which is the default one. You have to change the skill tree manually to level up different ones.

Edit: What drops Night Vision V shards? Preferably something other than the level 105 unique.

The level 105 unique.

 

[chaosblade]

The level 105 unique.

That's going to be tough then. Probably won't be able to beat it without abusing Riki's spike-counter aura.

Guess I'll deal with that last since I still have other ones I need to get.

 

[Man God]

That's going to be tough then. Probably won't be able to beat it without abusing Riki's spike-counter aura.

Guess I'll deal with that last since I still have other ones I need to get.

Just use spike defense and abuse demon slayer?

 

[chaosblade]

I'll have to try that once I get some more spike defense, don't have enough to cover the active party at 100% yet. Collecting debuff resist right now since I'll need that as well.

 

[Meier]

I think the Colony 6 reconstruction is one of the best things about the game. I'm only halfway through level 3, but I love just walking through it and seeing it come to life.

When do i actually get to Colony 6? I just did the

Spoiler

High Entia

adulthood quest and killed off the bird that spawns.. went up the summit to get inside the

Spoiler

Bionis

and just saw the cut scene that shows

Spoiler

the creation of a Face Mechon

. It prompted me to save and I did so but then turned it off last night.. is it coming up soon? I feel like the game needed another town sooner personally.. I want to make some more gems and stuff.

 

[Meier]

Also, what does weight actually do in the game? I haven't noticed a difference.. does it affect run speed or something?

 

[Zornica]

I'll have to try that once I get some more spike defense, don't have enough to cover the active party at 100% yet. Collecting debuff resist right now since I'll need that as well.

you won't need night vision gems if melia is you main btw...
i beat the lvl 120 unique without them and it wasn't a problem at all. melias agi buff + agi skill links and agi VI gems for everyone were enough.
(you may want to invest in some blaze defense gems instead...)

edit: weight reduces agility

 

[chaosblade]

About Colony 6:

Spoiler

A tutorial thing pops up about Colony 6 at the end of the marsh, you should have seen it when your guests left the party. You'll get a quest to talk to Juju at the refugee camp and move everyone.

Obviously, that means your timed quests there will expire.

And weight can lower agility to some degree, but other than that I don't really know. And if you haven't noticed, heavier armor usually has good physical defense at the cost of ether defense, while light armor is the other way around.

Reyn is the only character I've given heavy armor to, I ended up using light armor for most of my characters and gave them agility gems so they could avoid most of the physical attacks and minimize the more accurate ether damage.

you wont need night vision gems if melia is you main btw...
i beat the lvl 120 unique without them and it wasn't a problem at all. melias agi buff + agi skill links and agi VI gems for everyone were enough.
(you may want to invest in some blaze defense gems instead...)

edit: weight reduces agility

I switch between her and Shulk, and she would be my main for the big fights for the quick topple anyway.

 

[Meier]

About Colony 6:

Spoiler

A tutorial thing pops up about Colony 6 at the end of the marsh, you should have seen it when your guests left the party. You'll get a quest to talk to Juju at the refugee camp and move everyone.

Obviously, that means your timed quests there will expire.

I saw that some of the quests had little clocks on them but didn't really worry about it too much.. I guess I can't go back and do them later then? Oh well.

Spoiler

I did get the little pop up about Juju, but I guess I missed the info about going back to the Refugee Camp. I did some backtracking before to remake gems but it's pretty cumbersome.. I'm guessing you eventually get an airship or something to make visiting earlier zones less tedious.

 

[SecretMoblin]

I saw that some of the quests had little clocks on them but didn't really worry about it too much.. I guess I can't go back and do them later then? Oh well.

Spoiler

I did get the little pop up about Juju, but I guess I missed the info about going back to the Refugee Camp. I did some backtracking before to remake gems but it's pretty cumbersome.. I'm guessing you eventually get an airship or something to make visiting earlier zones less tedious.

Wait... you know you can quick travel, right?

Go to the menu, go to the option all the way on the left, select an area, and select a landmark to warp to.

Sweet Jesus, I'm sorry you've had to play like this for so long!

 

[mclem]

I'd agree with that, but in the scheme of things the finale section for all intents and purposes rail roads you along, so really you're just messing with the conclusion at that point.

As such, that would still make PI the halfway point.

Generally in a three-act structure - as applied to games - the third act is quite short *but* is when the optional content opens up in a big way.

If we're talking in terms of story... someone needs to time all the cutscenes, stat! What cutscene is playing exactly halfway through?

 

[Meier]

Wait... you know you can quick travel, right?

Go to the menu, go to the option all the way on the left, select an area, and select a landmark to warp to.

Sweet Jesus, I'm sorry you've had to play like this for so long!

I did know you could quick travel but I couldn't figure out how to make it change zones.. it seemed like I could just select different landmarks within the area I was currently in. I'll have to take another peak at it when I can play again tomorrow.

 

[Zornica]

Generally in a three-act structure - as applied to games - the third act is quite short *but* is when the optional content opens up in a big way.

If we're talking in terms of story... someone needs to time all the cutscenes, stat! What cutscene is playing exactly halfway through?

that won't work either... cutscenes in the second half are much longer with less gameplay between them.

 

[chaosblade]

Generally in a three-act structure - as applied to games - the third act is quite short *but* is when the optional content opens up in a big way.

If we're talking in terms of story... someone needs to time all the cutscenes, stat! What cutscene is playing exactly halfway through?

The last third of the game is probably more cutscene heavy than the rest of the game. I think PI is probably a good point to call the middle of the story. Not sure if the actual game content balances out that way though.

I did know you could quick travel but I couldn't figure out how to make it change zones.. it seemed like I could just select different landmarks within the area I was currently in. I'll have to take another peak at it when I can play again tomorrow.

If you use the - button (on the CC, not sure about the remote) then you can only choose from the ones in your current area, but if you go through the menu you can quick travel to any area.

 

[SecretMoblin]

I did know you could quick travel but I couldn't figure out how to make it change zones.. it seemed like I could just select different landmarks within the area I was currently in. I'll have to take another peak at it when I can play again tomorrow.

If you select the map with the minus button, it will just give you a map with the area you're in, which is nice if you want to zoom around your current area. From the menu, you're given the list of areas, and you can can choose any landmark you want (except ones that are unavailable due to the story).
Edit: Beaten

 

[Meier]

If you use the - button (on the CC, not sure about the remote) then you can only choose from the ones in your current area, but if you go through the menu you can quick travel to any area.

If you select the map with the minus button, it will just give you a map with the area you're in, which is nice if you want to zoom around your current area. From the menu, you're given the list of areas, and you can can choose any landmark you want (except ones that are unavailable due to the story).

Thanks guys. I'm using the CC so I've only ever accessed the map with the - button. Didn't even consider that the menu route would give me more options.

 

[Aveyn Knight]

Picked up this game again after not playing for a month. Finally beat the Level

Spoiler

114

unique monster! Just one more left to go.

Man, that fight was pretty long and tough, but I got through on my first go so I must be doing something right... I hope. Party was Shulk, Dunban and Sharla.

I died a few times when it used Mountain Stomp (annoyingly it didn't give me a vision before using this move, so afterwards I kept spamming Armour). Didn't use Topple at all when I realized it deals spike damage when Toppled.

 

[chaosblade]

Visions can be a little annoying in battle. What really gets me is that you'll get a vision for a big attack, but you can't even warn about it unless it is going to KO somebody (daze/topple/instant death/etc might also work, not sure). That's why I like maining Shulk, you get plenty of options to deal with that stuff without warning anybody.

 

[Oxx]

Level 55/68 hours spoilers:

I'm currently running around

Spoiler

Galahad Fortress

causing all manner of chaos.

Spoiler

Some of the battles against eight enemies in a tiny room have just been an orgy of destruction.

I have seemingly met my match with a gaggle of grey enemies, so I'll leave things there and return tomorrow.

 

[iamaustrian]

a place to quickly level me up from 82 to 85?