# Final Fantasy Tactics Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2003, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963 "2003-10-17T09:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/1 "2003-10-17T09:09:16Z")
Just got this game, been playing it more or less none stop for the last three days. Fantastic game. Thank God for the PS2’s backward compatibility. Anyway, I’ve been wondering. The rewards you get from completeing the propositions you get in bars (that sounds dirty, doesn’t it?): Are they any use? Can I use the treasures somehow? Can I go to the unexplored lands? What’s the deal with the ores prices? Is there a benefit to this beyond earning the cash and experience rewards? ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/2 "2003-10-17T09:25:45Z")
The treasures are merely there for the collectors. They have no in-game purpose. If you pay attention you’ll notice some artifacts refer to other squaresoft games. I usually used the jobs to level up characters I didn’t use much. Otherwise they would die too quickly. Come to think of it, the entire games seems to have been made with the collector-type in mind. There are weapons that only appear once per hundred battles and etc, etc. FFT is definitely one of the best playstation games out there. Let me know if you have any other questions. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/3 "2003-10-17T16:04:44Z")
I loved this game, but I managed to spoil it somewhat for myself by making this error. Spoiler free hit… Somewhere near the middle of the game is an extremely difficult battle, it involves two stage, one with just your main character, and one with a small group containing your main character. That battle was so hard, I misstakenly assumed everything from then on would be really tough, so I spent a lot of time upping my characters abilities. This was a misstake on my part, and by upping my characters abilities I made the rest of the games battles too easy. By upping my characters abilities, I don’t mean cheeting, I mean repeating many times an east location to gain experience and treasure without risking any of the game advancing schenarios. ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/4 "2003-10-18T01:54:26Z")
I know exactly which battle your talking about **Bippy**. It was harder then the final boss battle. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/5 "2003-10-18T01:58:02Z")
Is it the one against Velios, the big ram headed guy? 'Cause right now, I’m fighting lots and lots of random battles to pump myself up for that guy… ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/6 "2003-10-18T02:05:25Z")
Yup, that’s the one. It’s all downhill from there. Also, believe it or not, the story get **more** convoluted from now on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/7 "2003-10-18T02:17:04Z")
Well, I should hope so. It’s just not a Final Fantasy game if I can understand what the hell is going on. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/8 "2003-10-18T02:42:50Z")
Incidentally, if I shouldn’t pump up my guys to kill Velios, how the hell _do_ I kill him? ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/9 "2003-10-18T05:31:50Z")
You can still pump them up fine. One of the times I played through, I had a slightly over-powered team but it wasn’t too bad. Every time I’ve played through (five times now!), the end-game has been relatively easy, but that’s just the way the game’s balanced. The game is mostly pretty easy battles punctuated by really, really tough ones. I forgot my strategy for that one in particular. I’ll tell you what _doesn’t_ work: making Ramza a lancer. I figured he’d be off-screen when the counter-attack happened, but what ends up happening in a one-on-one battle is your jump attack finished immediately. [GameFAQs](http://www.gamefaqs.com), I’m sure, has a better answer. By the way, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Final Fantasy Tactics is _ **the best game ever made** _. When you’re done with it, remember to get out your GBA and play Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/10 "2003-10-18T05:36:46Z")
I’ll have to buy a GBA first… ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/11 "2003-10-18T05:55:59Z")
In response to the OP, one of the propositions in the bars late in the game leads to some secret characters. ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/12 "2003-10-18T09:57:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*Well, I should hope so. It’s just not a Final Fantasy game if I can understand what the hell is going on. \*\* It doesn’t help that the game was terribly translated. Although, where can you find dialogue as good as “Master of all swords, cut energy! Night Sword!” ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/13 "2003-10-20T22:02:30Z")
Well just pump up until you can just beat Velios. My mistake, was that after I only just beat that guy, I pumped my characters further, expecting everthing else to be even more difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/14 "2003-10-20T22:55:00Z")
Actually, Velios was a cakewalk compared to the very next fight, when I have to protect… Hell, I forget her name. The Heaven Knight. Little twit gets killed before I can get a move in. Only thing I can figure to do is go back to an earlier save game and buy all the Speed increasing items I can find, maybe train somebody up as a Time Mage. But then I have to kill Velios _again_ and fuck it. It’s a fun game, but that’s unforgivably bad game design. I’m done with this one. ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/15 "2003-10-21T05:51:37Z")
That battle on the roof was harder then Velios for one reason. That girl is a idiot. She will walk right into range of the enemy and stand around twiddling her thumbs. The best strategy I’ve found is to have my fastest guy do nothing but cure her. Then the rest of your guys can concentrate on attacking. The AI of that girl is weird, usually she charges straight into battle but occasionally she will run to the back and hide. Maybe you should just keep trying and hope for the best. Incidentally, I found if I fought with 1 or 2 guys less then the max, it would make battles a lot more entertaining. Of course, I suppose it’s a moot point if you decide not to play anymore. Don’t give up on it yet, **Miller**! ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/16 "2003-10-21T14:22:27Z")
> [@](#): > > I forgot my strategy for that one in particular. I’ll tell you what doesn’t work: making Ramza a lancer. I figured he’d be off-screen when the counter-attack happened, but what ends up happening in a one-on-one battle is your jump attack finished immediately. GameFAQs, I’m sure, has a better answer. Actually, that’s proibably the best strategy. As a Lancer, he can beat the Ueber-Knight guy first and easily. Just make sure the rest of your party is tough enough to do some seriuos damage to Velious. > [@](#): > > That battle on the roof was harder then Velios for one reason. That girl is a idiot. She will walk right into range of the enemy and stand around twiddling her thumbs. God, the assassins are the worst in the game. Who the hell came up with the idea to give them instant-death-no-dodge? ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/17 "2003-10-21T15:48:29Z")
As for Lancer vs’ Velios, the result all depends on the relative speed of Ramza. With the correct speed you will be off screen for the counter attacks, with the wrong speed your jump attack finnishes immediately and you’ll be a sitting duck. It has been too long since I played to give you the full details, but I rememver doing in Velios as a lancer with careful timing. All this talk makes me want to dust off the old game and try it again. Does anyone here have the new gameboy advance? Have you played the GB version of FF Tacktics, and how does it compare to the PS game? ---
**Author:** ![Iacob\_Matthew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Iacob\_Matthew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iacob_Matthew)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/18 "2003-10-21T19:02:59Z")
My strategy in the Velios battle was simply to give Ramza two flails. For some inexplicable reason (probably relating to pure luck more than anything else), I remember that if I was in front of the enemy and below them, I would ALWAYS do at least 300 HP damage, sometimes as much as 380 apiece. If I was higher or on the same level, they’d block the attack, and if I hit their sides or their back, they’d do about 5 HP apiece, but going for the groin’d always kill im. It was good enough to survive Velios, and on the roof Ramza walked right up in front of the Marquis, whacked him twice for 400-some HP, and he kneeled down into “wounded-but-not-dead” position and the battle immediately ended. With only Ramza having done anything. This was with him in the mid to high thirties, level-wise. This might have even been before I’d replaced the starting walk skill with Teleport. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/19 "2003-10-21T22:37:16Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by cletus_ > That battle on the roof was harder then Velios for one reason. That girl is a idiot. She will walk right into range of the enemy and stand around twiddling her thumbs. The best strategy I’ve found is to have my fastest guy do nothing but cure her. Then the rest of your guys can concentrate on attacking. The AI of that girl is weird, usually she charges straight into battle but occasionally she will run to the back and hide. Maybe you should just keep trying and hope for the best. > > Incidentally, I found if I fought with 1 or 2 guys less then the max, it would make battles a lot more entertaining. Of course, I suppose it’s a moot point if you decide not to play anymore. Don’t give up on it yet, Miller! Problem is, my very fastest guy (Ramza) doesn’t get a chance to move before she’s dead. I have a saved game from right before I went into the castle, so its not like I have to start all over, but it’s still killed all my interest in the game. Maybe I’ll come back to it in a few months, maybe not. I love the idea of combining turn-based tactical combat with RPG-style character building, but the execution here is seriously flawed. _Too_ flawed, for my tastes, especially considering that both aspects of the game had been done earlier and better in other games. ---
**Author:** ![HideoHo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@HideoHo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HideoHo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963/20 "2003-10-21T22:53:11Z")
Give a try to Disgaea then, which is a good deal of fun. Very similar style, better written dialog. So far, nothing has made me angry enough in the game to stop playing it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-fantasy-tactics-question/207963.md?page=2)