Materialess

[FFIX Choco Boy]

Ok, so I'm going to try to run through FFVII without any materia. So far I've beaten Reno and had the plate fall on Sector 7, and I'm going to continue tonight. So, has anyone else done this challenge? Would ask for hints, but since I'll have no materia, attack and item is all I can do, and what's so complicated about that?

[Elly]

wow a run through FFVIII without Materia should be easy considering FFVIII uses GF Junctions as opposed to Materia... honestly though a run through FFVII should be fairly easy since all you have to do is grind a bit to kill almost anything with physical attacks, actualy i don't understand why ppl even rely on magic when it really seves no purpose other than cheap heals when you can't get to a town quickly...

[FFIX Choco Boy]

Idk, I've never tried it before and I'm usually heavily magic reliant in FFVII. I think it'll be hard for me because of that. However, chocobos... Need a materia to catch em, so maybe I won't be able to get far unless I grind so I can kill the snake in the marshes.

[Breine]

Never done anything like that. I like my materia.

Good luck, though.

[Elly]

I cried aloud with mirth and merriment, nice edit-save... personaly i hardly ever rely on magic in any RPG, except for the occasional healing, i've always played with the attitude that if you can't beat them with regular attacks then you're not a high enough level yet...
why not get the Chocobo Lure Materia and just not level it up, only equip it for the Chocobo specific uses like breeding a Gold Chocobo, otherwise you're gonna have to be at least lvl.30 to beat the Zolom with pure physical attaks... ignoring that way though you can still get a Gold Chocobo by giving the guy in Kalm a Desert Rose, and still not need the Chocobo Lure, good luck getting the Rose without Materia as it's droped by Ruby Weapon...

[Raistlin]

Regular attacks the entire game sounds boring. Magic is fun. If you're doing it for a deliberate challenge, then that could add some interest to it. I don't understand Elly's mentality, though.

[The Space Pope]

otherwise you're gonna have to be at least lvl.30 to beat the Zolom with pure physical attaks...Actually there are some instances where you can run across without it catching you, I've done it a few times.

And don't you need magic in certain fights? I'd like to say you need it for that two headed dragon thing in the ice cave but it's been years since i've played it.

[Elly]

ah yes but if everyone understood my mentality then the world would be boring...

yeah i've managed to get past the Zolom a few times on foot by outrunning it after watching it's pattern to find when it'll be the farthest to the sides before running... i don't really remember any enemies that completely nullify physical attacks but some of the magicaly inclined enemies do have a high defense to physicals...

[Zeromus_X]

From what I've seen, most players of this challenge substitute magic for items with similar effects when necessary.

[The Space Pope]

Hmm, this idea might actually get me to play FF7 again even though I wasn't a huge fan of it.

[blackmage_nuke]

I think if you get half way across the swamp and save then when you load your game again the Zolom returns to a default position which means you can keep running.

Also if you want a challenge I say you should play materia ONLY!
Thats right, not attack, no items, no limits, just pure materia magic and skills! IMO it would be alot more fun

[Slothy]

Just be sure not to grind to level 99 in getting through this challenge. Unless you feel like making Sephiroth needlessly harder.

[Darkswordofchaos]

does his difficulty change at 99?

also i only use magic really at my middle lvls.
To start its not much use and by the time im high leveled my weapons and attacks are strong enough that materia becomes redundant

[The Space Pope]

does his difficulty change at 99?

Yeah, he gains an additional 30,000HP or something like that, and I know the party's levels effect Sephiroth's difficulty in some other way but I don't remember if it was just HP or not.

And I like blackmage_nuke's idea.]\

edit: looked up for more accurate stats

+30,000 HP, 2 Att, 20 Def, 5 MAtk, 16 MDef per character at level 99
+80,000 HP if Knights of Round is cast on Jenova

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

However, chocobos... Need a materia to catch em, so maybe I won't be able to get far unless I grind so I can kill the snake in the marshes.

Just use a Deadly Waste on it and wait for it to die of poison.

Should be easy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6fzCiHTVuQ&fmt=18)!

[Darkswordofchaos]

does his difficulty change at 99?

Yeah, he gains an additional 30,000HP or something like that, and I know the party's levels effect Sephiroth's difficulty in some other way but I don't remember if it was just HP or not.

And I like blackmage_nuke's idea.]\

edit: looked up for more accurate stats

+30,000 HP, 2 Att, 20 Def, 5 MAtk, 16 MDef per character at level 99
+80,000 HP if Knights of Round is cast on Jenova

Oh, well i usally used 4x cut a lot for qudrupal 9,999 damage so thats prolly why i didnt notice.



However, chocobos... Need a materia to catch em, so maybe I won't be able to get far unless I grind so I can kill the snake in the marshes.

Just use a Deadly Waste on it and wait for it to die of poison.

Should be easy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6fzCiHTVuQ&fmt=18)!

He uses a strong enemy skill at lo hp that does a lot of damage so if your not at least around lvs 24 25 itll kill you all in one hit
Edit: he also almost always flips one character away. the dude in that video was very very lucky i think

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

He uses a strong enemy skill at lo hp that does a lot of damage so if your not at least around lvs 24 25 itll kill you all in one hit
Edit: he also almost always flips one character away. the dude in that video was very very lucky i think

Ejecting a character from battle and using Beta are both counterattacks; if you don't attack it, it won't do those things. And if you use poison, it takes damage without it counting as an "attack."

[Darkswordofchaos]

He uses a strong enemy skill at lo hp that does a lot of damage so if your not at least around lvs 24 25 itll kill you all in one hit
Edit: he also almost always flips one character away. the dude in that video was very very lucky i think

Ejecting a character from battle and using Beta are both counterattacks; if you don't attack it, it won't do those things. And if you use poison, it takes damage without it counting as an "attack."


oooohhh i see. well i just grinded to level 27 and beat him so i could get beta enemy skill

[Raistlin]

Just use a Deadly Waste on it and wait for it to die of poison.

Should be easy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6fzCiHTVuQ&fmt=18)!

Haha, that's really clever. Without his counter-attacks, the Zolom is just a big pansy.

[Sword]

If you need to use magic there are plenty of items that can substitute for it. Also, instead of power leveling you could've just ran across the marsh.

[Darkswordofchaos]

If you need to use magic there are plenty of items that can substitute for it. Also, instead of power leveling you could've just ran across the marsh.

You talkin to me?
and if so i wanted to fight the zolom and beat him

[FFIX Choco Boy]

Hmm, my run got cut a little shorter than I expected, the boss you verse while riding the elevator decimated me like 5 times, should have bought more potions...

[Elly]

yup, it's gonna come down to carrying no less than 70 of each health/status items, when the materia's gone the items finaly get some use... i'm usualy lvl.20-25 before i leave Midgar, i get most of those levels by trying to steal the Striking Staff from Eligor in the Train Graveyard and trying to steal a Hardedge from the Soldier 3rds & thee Carbon Bangels from Moth Slashers in ShinRa HQ, carry plenty of potions and dedicate one character to healing, without Materia it's all about the grind...

[Raistlin]

70 of each health/status item is a bit tough so early in the game. :p But yes, without materia those items become extremely important, especially so early on.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

It gets much easier later on, once you get W-Ite--oh. :aimsad:

[Heath]

Just use a Deadly Waste on it and wait for it to die of poison.

Should be easy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6fzCiHTVuQ&fmt=18)!

Haha, that's really clever. Without his counter-attacks, the Zolom is just a big pansy.

That is clever. I actually had no idea that it could be done that way.

I suppose one thing that's worth bearing in mind during the materialess game is that some of your stats will be better than they would be otherwise. Your attack and HP, for instance, that would normally get lowered by your materia will be improved somewhat.

[The Space Pope]

That is clever. I actually had no idea that it could be done that way.

I suppose one thing that's worth bearing in mind during the materialess game is that some of your stats will be better than they would be otherwise. Your attack and HP, for instance, that would normally get lowered by your materia will be improved somewhat.
Yeah, but also keep in mind the HP Plus materia, it's a life saver when you're going for a low level game and it balances out the negative effects of the green materia.

I might try this when I'm done with FF9

[Skyblade]

I never have a huge problem with taking the Zolom early, because I train Cloud's Limit Breaks up to Level 3 before I leave Midgar. And Meteorain slaughters the Zolom, even at low levels.

[Sword]

If you need to use magic there are plenty of items that can substitute for it. Also, instead of power leveling you could've just ran across the marsh.

You talkin to me?
and if so i wanted to fight the zolom and beat him
Naw mainly for FFIX Choco Boy.

On a side note: I didn't know Beta was a counter attack.....so that's why I saw it very rarely lol.

[seiferalmasy2]

Yeah one of the big criticisms I hear about the game is that it is too easy. Given we can alter the PC version totally in this respect that is what I am doing :) So that the game can become challenging. For example, I gave Sepher (safer) Sephiroth more HP and made his Supernova attack an instant game over (steals all party hp and mp so no final attack can be used).

It is pretty cool what people can achieve, like people run through FF9 on level 1. (although there was a degree of deliberateness about this, as getting the Exalibur II sword is the ultimate challenge).

[The Turk]

Getting out of Midgar without using any materia is very easy. On my current run-through I am only using the Enemy Skill materia and running away from every battle I can. So in essence in Midgar I am doing exactly the same as you using Items, Attacks and Limits only.


Obviously during that fight Barret should attack all the time. Have you got any grenades? They will come in very handy in this fight. Aeris' healing wind is also a god send. Not sure if back rows/front rows work with this fight but if they do move everybody to the back. You could try using Tranquilizers to make everybody sad so they take less damage too and don't be afraid of using the 'Defend' option if need be.

[FFIX Choco Boy]

I was using Tranqs, I bought 3, forgetting that the effect wore off after resting >.<