Lightning Returns Progress

[Andromeda]

Well Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is finally out now, if there's a midnight release, someone's got the game. Ignoring Loco and his review copy, those excited for the conclusion to the FFXIII trilogy should be getting their games today. So like we've done since FFXII, as you play through the game come and talk about what've been doing and what you have your Lightning wearing. Since this game is completely unlike the past games, where there is no straight path, it'll be interesting to see where everyone decides to go.

Aside from your comments, thoughts, questions and what not run down your current setup.

The three Schemata that you're using and their loadouts.
Total Time Played
Gil
Current Location
Current Day and In-game Time

[LocoColt04]

Ignoring Loco and his review copy

AWWW BUT I WANNA PLAY TOO :3

Schemata (edited to add pictures!)







No, I have not given them any custom names - though you can do that too! It is worth noting that NONE of those are their default color scheme, though.


Total Time Played: 021:19:28
Gil: 19,980
Current Location: Yusnaan, Palace
Current in-game Date & Time: Day 08, 06:46

[Andromeda]

I figured that you can beat the game, if you were going to be reviewing. Sounds like you've been slacking in your duties if you haven't beat it.

Total Time: 7:02
Current Game Time: Day 2 3:58AM
Gil: 30,330
Current Location: Luxerion, Pilgrims' Passage

Schemata
Siegfried

• Blazefire Saber
• Guardian's Protector
• Stormbane Choker
• Runic Ring

Abilities

• Sparkstrike lv2
• Mediguard lv1
• Relentless Assault lv2
• Deprotect Lv1

ATB 110
HP 4400
ATK 859 MAG 558 Speed 115

Velvet Bouncer

• Overture
• Goddess's Grace
• Fighter's Emblem
• Mage's Gloves

Abilities

• Blitz lv2
• Deshell lv1
• Blizzard lv1
• Thunder lv1

ATB 110
HP 3440
ATT 988 MAG 688 Speed 100

Red Mage

• Liberator
• Juno Sospita
• Magician's Token

Abilities

• Fire lv1
• Guard lv2
• Light Slash lv2
• Buster Ruin lv2

ATB 130
HP 3840
ATK 659 MAG 723 Speed 105

[Sang Hee]

Man, now I wanna play this game. But I can't. 2 more days to go.

[Andromeda]

I got in a little more time today. I accidentally farming the miniflans into extinction, which is a really neat mechanic to have in the game. It spawn a special rare flan as a mini-boss for running the species into extinction. Now miniflans no longer exist in my game, at least of that type I would guess.

Total Time: 7:02
Current Game Time: Day 3 2:40 PM
Gil: 48480
Current Location: City of Ruins, The Wildlands

I'll get my new Schema uploaded shortly, but there are a few changes. I farmed Reavers for their sword so I have a weapon that gives +500 ATK and +500 MAG, which is awesome! So now I just need to do more to take advantage of it.

[Love2FFgirls]

I got in a little more time today. I accidentally farming the miniflans into extinction, which is a really neat mechanic to have in the game. It spawn a special rare flan as a mini-boss for running the species into extinction. Now miniflans no longer exist in my game, at least of that type I would guess.

Total Time: 7:02
Current Game Time: Day 3 2:40 PM
Gil: 48480
Current Location: City of Ruins, The Wildlands

I'll get my new Schema uploaded shortly, but there are a few changes. I farmed Reavers for their sword so I have a weapon that gives +500 ATK and +500 MAG, which is awesome! So now I just need to do more to take advantage of it.

You don't bother with using any of the DLC schemes? I like the Yuna Summoner garb 'cause it includes the "Elementa" ability (all four magics combined) and the Cloud outfit with the Heavy Slash ability. I'm still in the second day; not having left Luxerion.

[Andromeda]

Those were both pre-order bonus, I don't have them available for download in the store. I do as the X-2 Yuna outfit and I'm using the shield from that. But the Cloud outfit pretty much breaks the game's balance. It makes the game very easy.

[Love2FFgirls]

Those were both pre-order bonus, I don't have them available for download in the store. I do as the X-2 Yuna outfit and I'm using the shield from that. But the Cloud outfit pretty much breaks the game's balance. It makes the game very easy.

I'm just trying to get a feel for the game; I'll worry about maintaining its balance after I'm more accustomed to everything. It's embarrassing to admit, but I'm struggling with searching for the numbers in Luxerion to open the gates; haven't even used the train to get out yet and I'm on day 2.

[Andromeda]

Playing on Easy can help you get more used to the game, if you are not already. Easy is a lot more forgiving than Normal. Normal is a little more traditional FF, where you don't auto-full heal your HP at the end of each battle like in XIII and XIII-2. If you talk to the npcs in town they'll help you find the numbers. Also looking where a lot of people are gathered helps too. The NPC notice the numbers just as easily as you, so they'll stare at it in confusion, which helps to identify locations.

Also remember if there's anything you're having trouble with and need help. We might have video recorded for it that can be made into a video guide. Just let us know.

Updating with my daily progress.

Total Time: 12:53:18
Current Game Time: Day 3 3:07PM
Gil: 76,370
Current Location: The Grasslands, The Wildlands

And yes, my game time is not a mistake. I've literally only progress 27 in-game minutes in the span of 6 hours of playing. You have to thank Chronostatis for it. I've been exploiting the heck out of it. Considering the enemies I'm fighting, I have endless amounts of EP and I can keep this going pretty much forever if I wanted. So much for the end of the world coming.

I've made some equipment changes, but it is mostly just skill swaps.

[Andromeda]

Well I've let the clock start running some more. I have most of the Wildlands wrapped up now. Only a few remaining things. I did end up making several more monster species extinct there. Something I didn't realize until I started doing it more, you need to actually do it. When you do you get the items needed to level up your spells. Which is very important until you can get better spells later. So now I have lv2 and lv3 spells thanks to all of that. I did end up accidentally making the Reavers extinct, which were my favorite EP farming species, but it gave me this amazing sword so I don't feel so bad anymore. It has +900 STR and MAG. So now my main attacker schemata has that and my main magic dealing schemata has the old one which was still double what it had before. The changes in the schemata are more subtle after that like accessories swap outs and ability upgrades.

Total Time: 18:23:32
Current Time: Day 3 Midnight
Total Gil: 132,785
Current Location: South Station, Luxerion

Yeah, it's still Day 3 for me. I'll be getting to Day 3 very soon. I would have been there already but I missed my chance to teleport to Snow's Yusnaan, so I'm doing that tomorrow.
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[Love2FFgirls]

I got a question. How do you take snapshots of your schemes like that?

[Andromeda]

I have a capture device that allows me to take video and screenshots of anything that runs on Component or HDMI. So sorry, it is not something in game that I'm doing to take them.

[Love2FFgirls]

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This is the best I could do. Changed some colors on the Midnight Mauve dress.

[Andromeda]

I see you made it to the Snow chapter. Glad to see you were able to find a way to get a screenshot.

I've nearly completed Day 4 now, I have almost all of the main quest stuff wrapped up now. I have one major thing left to do and then it is just kill time until the end of the world. Which is be filled with just running quests everywhere. I did manage to pick up a few more good items and upgraded my gear too. I have most of the debuffs I want now. Though because of the more restrictive nature of only have 12 abilities, I had to drop most of my physical attacks but Blitz and Magic Slash, just to get them on, but they were important. The double up spells help out a lot.

Total Time: 30:59:40
Current Time: Day 4 3:02am
Gil: 238655
Current Location: Hero's Garden, The Patron's Palace

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[Love2FFgirls]

I got through the main quest of Yusnaan; first and only one all the way through. Still looking for the last code in Luxerion. I got the white chocobo in the Wildlands. I haven't gone to the Dunes yet. I think I'm on Day 4.

[Andromeda]

Sounds like you're making progress. The White Chocobo is awesome to have around in the Wildlands. Makes me sad about the companion I lost in the Dead Dunes.

I've completed most of the quests at this point along with all of the main story stuff now. So I've been mostly just rolling through the days with little care to things anymore. The only thing I might do is make a bunch of monsters extinct. When you look at my gear, yes there is even more XIV stuff and it's actually decent. I don't like the weapons, but the shields are good. Though I'm still using the X-2 shield for my physical attacker Schemata because of the +200 STR. I haven't found anything that beats it. I found an amazing accessory that makes fighting the Earth Eater and Chocobo Eater a joke now. Warrior Hunter's Mask allows me to steal Haste, Bravery and Faith when I use Heavy Slash on an enemy that currently has those. Which they do during one of their phases. Haste and Strength boost makes that battle so much easier now. It is the reason I want to kill more Omega monsters, to see if there are anymore nice accessories like that.

Total Time: 43:27:59
Current Time: Day 9 08:13AM
Gil: 419,295
Current Location: Ruffian, The Dead Dunes
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[Love2FFgirls]

How many times do you have to beat a monster to make it extinct? I got stuck in one part of the Yusanan Palace to get to Snow where I wound up killing about 20 Zaltys or so before figuring out where to move on.

[Andromeda]

It varies depending on the size of the monster mostly. The largest ones are usually only 30 kills before the Last One (Omega) appears, the medium sized are about 60 and the small are usually 80-100. There is one that 65,000+, so the only want to get his Omega is in the ultimate dungeon. So if you killed that many Zaltys you are probably very close.

[Love2FFgirls]

I'm really all over the place. Each day I try doing a little in every region; for the first time I went to the Dead Dunes, and in the same day (actually past Midnight) I went back to Luxerion to find the last number and get to the cemetery area.

[Love2FFgirls]

Just an update to my progress. I'm on the 5th day now. Completed the Main Quests to both Luxerion and Yusnaan. I think I'm at least halfway from completing the Main Quests in both the Wildlands and Dead Dunes. There's still plenty of side quests on the table, but unless I can complete them during the progress of the main quests, I'm resolved to focus on the main story for now.

I'm in the 17th hour of my game.

[Love2FFgirls]

Another update. I've completed four Main Quests (Luxerion, Yusnaan, Wildlands, & Dead Dunes). I'm still on day 5 with currently 4 days to go; I actually completed Wildlands & Dead Dunes in the same day. I know what you meant about being sad about the "companion" you lost in Dead Dunes.

Got a panty shot from Lightning ala the White Mage garb:-p
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[Andromeda]

I've been holding off my progress because my networks been down. But it's finally working again, so I have my progress update. I finished the game and working through New Game+. Due to making those maps, I've not made as much progress on my platinum as I wanted, but I'm almost there. I've only got 3 trophies remaining. I'm playing through on Hard Mode, because I wanted the better gear and abilities. It hasn't really been that bad. I've got my Schemata set up into very polarizing sets, but with very specific goals in mind for each. The big thing is I'm over 8000 ATK so I'm able to do a lot of killing now.

Total Time: 78:41:41
Current Day: Day 5 02:20 AM
Gil: 895,868
Current Location: North Station Plaza, Luxerion

I used to have 1.3 million gil, but I bought some better gear. I would have had probably 2 million by now. I've also switch to converting gil into increased item drop chance, since gil is pointless for me now. I just need more abilities to finish my upgrading of abilities. I'm working on extinctions right now since I've got 2 quests remaining. Luxerion is almost completely clear of monsters.

Total stats from souls.
HP +10715
STR +1076
MAG +1070
ATB+40
EP +4
Recovery Items +6

This is my full magic Schemata, I've only focused on upgrading ATB and Magic for gear. My accessory actually increases the other ATB recovery when I use spells. I'm still needing more powerful spells, which is the one weakness I have right now. My Fira and Thundara are needing improvements.
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This is my defender and enfeebler Schemata, as the garb name suggests, it is pretty much my Paladin. Though when I'm not defending I'm tossing enfeebles on the enemy. Because of that you can see my ATK and MAG stats are bad, but I don't do any attack on it only defending. So I have high resistance to most types of damage.
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This is my power Schemata, this is where the killing gets done. As you can see my ATK is over 8000, which is why it is my killer set. Nothing survives in stagger more than one hit pretty much. I can do a million damage with the right setup and default is usually around 100k with half a million the norm when deprotect is up. Depending on my interest I can squeeze out a little more ATK, but the extra ATB is more useful, since it used to be 130 before I went full ATK.
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[Love2FFgirls]

I'm pretty far behind from you. I'm still in my first game, on Easy mode. Just finished the fourth of the five missions. I'm on Day 7, with six to go. I've been playing around with my schemata, weapons, and abilities alot. I've kept the Cloud garb with the Chaos sword for slot 1 (power). Yuna Summoner garb for slot 2 (magic) and have been alternating garbs for slot 3 based on what I need, whether it's debuffs or defense.

[Love2FFgirls]

Just a minor update. I've completed all five missions. I'm on day 9, with four to go. Before dwelling on the side quests, I wanted to boost up the chocobo to full health. Now I'm on the sidequests, with at least a dozen or so monsters extinct. I love the sword you get for vanquishing the Reaver (behemoth); though I wish it wasn't that fluorescent/pink color.

[Andromeda]

Yeah the Omega Reaver weapon is great, you can see it in most of my pictures from my playthrough. It's good for a very long time until you start wanted to min-max your stats. The auto-regen is great though as well. The thing you have to be careful about now is that the monsters grow stronger. The bumps in their stats are on Day 7, 10 and 13. Which makes the Omega rough if you're not ready for it.

[Love2FFgirls]

One of the toughest monsters are the chocobo/earth-eaters. Even on easy mode I've had to use Escape and/or Arise when I'm fighting these things. The ones in the Dead Dunes are especially hard.

[Andromeda]

Yeah they are pretty rough. If you'd like I can post a video up of dealing with an Chocobo Eater or Earth Eater. They have similar methods for dealing with them, but they have very different starts that make one more challenging than the other.

[Love2FFgirls]

It's funny, I don't remember it being that tough in FFX-2.

[Andromeda]

The Chocobo Eater in X was one of those gates in the game I'm pretty sure. You had a low chance of dying because it'd just knock you down to the Low Road if you failed. It was harder to beat it without falling.

[Love2FFgirls]

I don't even remember it in X. Just remember it as one of the side quests in X-2.