Retro Game of the Month December 2017: Phantasy Star IV (Genesis)
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Siliconemelons
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Tanoomba
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As much as I've loved a lot of great RPGs, I have to admit I've usually avoided using magic in battle to the greatest extent possible, mostly because I just felt like I was consuming a precious resource (MP). I usually spam attacks and reserve magic for curing allies and fighting bosses, and so far I've been playing PSIV the same way.
However, now that I want to grind for money so I can get ceramic armor for my crew, I figured I'd make use of the combination spell grinding in order to save time (the Steam version of PSIV doesn't let you speed up the game as far as I know), but I still don't get quite how it works. Even with a simple ZAN-WAT combo, sometimes it triggers and sometimes the two spells are cast separately. Any ideas why that's the case?
I really like to take my time with RPGs and play them as thoroughly as I can, speaking to all NPCs and trying to find all the chests in dungeons. However, since it just took a nice chunk of time just to catch up with what was going on in Nalya and Aiedo, I'm starting to think I may not be able to finish this game by the end of the month!
However, now that I want to grind for money so I can get ceramic armor for my crew, I figured I'd make use of the combination spell grinding in order to save time (the Steam version of PSIV doesn't let you speed up the game as far as I know), but I still don't get quite how it works. Even with a simple ZAN-WAT combo, sometimes it triggers and sometimes the two spells are cast separately. Any ideas why that's the case?
I really like to take my time with RPGs and play them as thoroughly as I can, speaking to all NPCs and trying to find all the chests in dungeons. However, since it just took a nice chunk of time just to catch up with what was going on in Nalya and Aiedo, I'm starting to think I may not be able to finish this game by the end of the month!
ronne
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Even the basic combos that don't require a specific order like blizzard (wat+zan) still require that the actions happen directly after one another. So if Han casts wat, then Chaz attacks, then Rune casts Zan, it won't work. If you're just farming have everyone but the two performing the combo on defense for the first 3 actions, then the combo pair as the last two actions. That will work 100% of the time, but can be slow and the other 3 party members aren't really doing anything. Otherwise you need to try and order the casts by who tends to act first to get it in to proper sequence.
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Gavinmad
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Siliconemelons
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Tanoomba
I am the same, even with sword skills etc. The odd spell names have amplified this practice. However where I am now, doing the same, to farm ceramics and levels... I will take this time to learn the skills and spells... just wish this was not near such a rip off Inn! No wonder those girls jumped out the window!
Tanoomba
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You can stay at Alys's house for free!
However where I am now, doing the same, to farm ceramics and levels... I will take this time to learn the skills and spells... just wish this was not near such a rip off Inn! No wonder those girls jumped out the window!
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Noodleface
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Siliconemelons
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Gavinmad
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Noodleface
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McCheese
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So there's no easy item to rez dead party members? I had 3 of my 4 people die last night, and barely made it back to town with my last guy alive. I looked at a few different towns/shops for some kind of rez item, but didn't find anything. So I googled and it looks like you only get a spell and some very rare items later. Not sure how I feel about that.
Siliconemelons
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while farming for ceramic armor and weapons I decided now that I got spells and skills a little more under my belt I attempted the sand worm mission - killed em with 1 death - reloaded and managed to get through - 5k exp got all my people in the 12s - and 6kish money (5 from reward) got me almost all the ceramic armor - sans everyone's "chest armor" so - off to zios castle tomorrow!! [\spoiler]
Noodleface
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Tanoomba
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I hear ya.
Here's my suggestion:
Continue nominating/voting for games a usual, BUT focus on platformers or other reasonably short games for January so we can keep discussing PSIV while offering a couple of hours and some lighthearted discussion about Earthworm Jim or Dino City or something.
As for PSIV,
I'm pretty impressed at the word building, and that's without having any previous (lasting) knowledge of the Phantasy Star universe. Exploring the remains of a crashed ship that was once filled with survivors from a destroyed planet was actually pretty cool, even though it seems to be entirely optional.
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ronne
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Always carry an escapepipe and a telepipe in case your rezzer(s) get wiped out so you can teleport back to town to use an inn. I'm pretty near endgame right now and I have I think only like 3 rez items?
Szlia
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The Golden Axe vol 3 is there (Kin no ono - dai 3 kan) as is Run! Hedgehog, Run! (Hashire! Harinezumi!!), but between them are The Ceramic Soldier (Seramikku no heitai), The Naked Queen (Hadaka no Jyoousama), Motavian... something? (Motabian shikkaku) and Great Men Biographies : Dr. Ruben (Ijin no denki - Ruben hakase).What did you end up deciding on?
I found some fan service in school book shelves:
...And was wondering if they did something similar in the Japanese version.
Motavian are a space race in Phantasy Star apparently, but I am not sure what the other references are.
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