Dat Elnoyle

[Leon]

I'm wondering if you can find the Elnoyle monster during Disc 2. I hear it's possible to get the Lionheart as early as Disc 2, and 10 Elnoyle cards refine into 1 Energy Crystal. I already got 5 Pulse Ammo (I guess it was a rare drop form a boss or something) so I only need 1 Energy Crystal to refine into 10 Pulse Ammo. So, any clue if I can fight that frigging monster? Or should I just stick to the card game and hope I bump into the cards eventually? (not sure who carries them, I only have 3 at this time).

[Martin]

Afraid not friend. The only time you can fight it is post-Lunar Cry so it would have to be disc 3 at the earliest. Theoretically you could get Lionheart on disc 2 but it would make a very easy game easier still to have that limit break so early.

[Leon]

It would be easy. This is the second time going through it, and I want to get it early so I won't have to do it later. I haven't passed my first file, btw Dx

[Martin]

Oh I see. Well with the time expended to get Elnoyle Cards, you'd probably be wiser in all honesty in just waiting. I mean asides from a very modest strength increase and the limit break, it isn't all that. You'd be better served in getting a better junctionable strength magic.

[Rowan]

Actually, te pulse ammo can be refined through an energy crystal that you can refine from 10 elnoyal cards that can be won as early as disc 1, before even leaving balamb. I have achieved this. Alternatively, you may steal a power generator from a highly leveled blitz during disc 2. It would require you to use the tonberry ability "lvlup" to make the blits highest level possible for the best chance of dropping if, but it's such a rare drop you will have an easier time wining the cards. Good luck with it.

[loaf]

Every single Ultimate Weapon can be obtained in Disc 1 except for Irvines.

[Rowan]

Good luck getting rinoa's and squalls. Thats like, 40 elnoyal cards. i think selphies requires an energy crystal as well, so thats at least 50.

[Leon]

I didn't bother refining everyone else's weapons on my first file. All I've noticed is that they increase the attack power and not by a huge margin.

[Martin]

Actually how can they all be got on disc 1? You need Weapons Monthly August and 1st and they can't be obtained until Disc 2/3?

[DragonHeart]

You don't need the Weapons Monthly magazines to actually make the upgrade, it just tells you what you need to make each one. Having resources like say, the internet pretty much mitigates the need to collect them for anything other than the sake of having them.

[Rowan]

I didn't bother refining everyone else's weapons on my first file. All I've noticed is that they increase the attack power and not by a huge margin.

Thats because you have nothing special junctioned to the str stat. Im not 100% sure on this, but I believe the better weapons act as multiplier to the magic thats junctioned on the stat.
For example;

weapon = revolver str= 20, with 100 fire junctioned str=26
weapon = shear trigger str= 26 with 100 fire junctioned str=38

if someone currently playing the game for me can confirm this by first modelling their weapon with a base model, recording the base str stat and then one with 100 fire or whatever junctioned, then do the same with a higher model weapon with the same magic junction, tell me if theres a multiplier by recording the varying additional points if any.

Because remembering back when I didnt remodel my weapons until late game, I noticed that going from a flamesaber to a punishment created a + 50 difference in damage with something like ultima equipped.

[Martin]

You don't need the Weapons Monthly magazines to actually make the upgrade, it just tells you what you need to make each one. Having resources like say, the internet pretty much mitigates the need to collect them for anything other than the sake of having them.

You learn something new every day it seems. It is funny you should mention that because an example in my own playthrough was Selphie's Morning Star. I made the weapon before I read about it in the Weapons Monthly Mag, but I just thought it was because I owned the mag and had just not read it. Oh ho.

[Leon]

I currently have Ultima junctioned to Str and I believe it's 60-something. And have the Flame Saber at this time.

I always use Selphie as a Mage so I doubt increasing her Str would be wise. I rarely use Quistis or Rinoa so the slot for third party member is a tie between Zell and Irvine. And I love both of their Limit Breaks. I have only bothered upgrading their weapons.

[Martin]

I'm on Disc 2. I have Shear Trigger. I have 100 Flare junctioned to Str and it's 143 with Str+40%. Where did you get Ultima from at this stage? Card refining or? Genuinely intrigued.

Also, FFVIII requires no real specialising of any character. They might all have natural aptitudes for certain stats (Squall Str/Hit for example) but every character can have the same stats eventually. You should really push to max out every stat including Str. If you get a new magic, get 100 for all three characters.

For example: My Squall is currently level 33 with 102 Str. (Flare).
Zell is 32, 97 Str.
Quistis who by all accounts is a Blue Mage, is 30 and has 95 Str. So the differences are hardly noticeable.

[Leon]

There's a Draw Point past the entrance to Shumi Village. The one you have to pay 5000 Gil for. It keeps giving me about 9 Ultimas, though.

Ultima and Reflect are the best spells I got at this point.

[Martin]

Oh yeah that one. Almost forgotten about that!
I have 100 of the following for every character:
Cura, Curaga, Regen, Life, Esuna, Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga, Water, Aero, Bio, Quake, Flare, Scan, Sleep, Blind, Silence, Confuse, Berserk, Break, Zombie, Double, Dispel, Protect, Shell, Reflect, Float, Haste, Slow, Stop, Meltdown, Pain. This is before FH on Disc 2. It's such an overpowered playthrough..

[Leon]

Where did you find Meltdown so early? o.O

[Martin]

Well, I did say I was level 30 plus

All of the monsters now give me their top level draws and the Bombs in Balamb Garden have Meltdown.

[EmperorLeo]

Meltdown can also be gotten by defeating Gaylas in the north. Even if you level down him to one (if you're concerned about gaining too many level early), you can win mysterious fluid that can be refined into meltdowns. If you have mug, you'll always get some kind of amount (I'm pretty sure its dependent on your level).

[Martin]

That's very true. It takes quite a bit longer though but you can get meltdown at any level. A tip I've picked up for a easy way to level 100? Island Closest to Hell >> St Atk: Death >> T-Rexaur. I'm one hitting Lvl 100 T-Rexaur and getting an average of 1200 exp a fight. I went from 58 to 80 in 40 minutes.

[Leon]

That's very true. It takes quite a bit longer though but you can get meltdown at any level. A tip I've picked up for a easy way to level 100? Island Closest to Hell >> St Atk: Death >> T-Rexaur. I'm one hitting Lvl 100 T-Rexaur and getting an average of 1200 exp a fight. I went from 58 to 80 in 40 minutes.

Whoa! So gonna try that!

And thanks to Leo as well, gonna try to get Meltdown!

[Lily]

That's very true. It takes quite a bit longer though but you can get meltdown at any level. A tip I've picked up for a easy way to level 100? Island Closest to Hell >> St Atk: Death >> T-Rexaur. I'm one hitting Lvl 100 T-Rexaur and getting an average of 1200 exp a fight. I went from 58 to 80 in 40 minutes.

degenerator is good for that too

[loaf]

Cards Cards Cards.

Practically everything in this game can be obtained in Disc1.

[Leon]

Some cards are rare, and most people don't have the patience to play cards Dx

I noticed the Elnoyle can be encountered in Esthar after the Lunar Cry. as many times as you want

[Martin]

Yes, that's the Elnoyle glitch. There's a soldier on one of the central bridges on the right side of Esthar that when you speak to him always laughs and then transforms into one. Easy 2 Energy Crystals and they have a weakness to St. Atk Death also. Curiously easy way to get Ultima on the cheap through refining.

[Leon]

Ultima? Do you get that by refining Energy Crystals?

[Martin]

Off the top of my head Bahamut's Forbidden Magic Refine gives out 3 Ultima per Energy Crystal. Kill them until you get paid and then Shumi Village for a boost.