DS Version: Augment this, jerks.

[fire_of_avalon]

I really don't understand what I'm supposed to be doing with the Augment system. Rosa was all just HAY CECIL HERE'S A THING and I was super "THX BB" and now I just find them around places.

And it's like a crazy person dumpster diving. "Oh look at this shiny thing! Better put it in the basket." Only it's a thousand old timey alarm clocks that I don't know how to operate.

Sephex tried to help me by linking to an old thread (yes I know this game has been out for four years, leave me alone! I get behind and I'm old!) but I'm just not smart enough to figure that out.

Pretend I'm six years-old again and this is my first time playing FFIV. Explain how the augment system works and, more importantly, advise me if it has an important impact on gameplay or if it's just something for those collectors out there.

[Wolf Kanno]

Augments serve two purposes.

1) They allow you to teach characters new skills, often abilities from former characters. For instance, you can give an augment to Cecil that gives him Yang's Counter ability, allowing Cecil to counter as long as he has the skill equipped. This basically allows you to keep useful skills from party members who leave due to story reasons.

2) After something like Lv.70, your character stats go up based on what augments they have equipped so for instance, Counter gives bonuses to physical stats and Twin magic gives magic stat bonuses. In order to get max stats, you need to give certain augments to certain character. This is why the game only allows you to do New Game + 3x. This feature is only useful if you plan on challenging the games super bosses.

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Here's the things about augments, they allow you to actually customize your party with some new abilities but more importantly, don't hold onto all of them. Characters that leave your party will usually give you augments based on their skills, but only if you give them augments first. So in order to get Edward's Sing, Salve, and Hide ability, you usually need to give him 2-3 augments so he gives all of them after he leaves. Some character will even give you special skills that they normally don't have like Double Cast and Phoenix. You can also get some augments from bosses, like being bale to acquire the signature attacks of the Four Fiends, or even being able to get Dark Knight Cecil's Darkness ability back. So if you've got some spare abilities you don't want to teach to any of the Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Rydia, and Edge, you can give them to the Edward, Tellah, Palom, Porom, Cid, Yang, and FuSoYa and gain their skills and then some to build really nasty parties.

For instance, my favorite build for Cecil is Counter and Draw Attack. Then you basically let Cecil defend every turn. Draw Attack will make enemies target him, and he'll take half damage because he's defending and then counter attack at full strength.

Giving Rydia Double Cast for her Black Magic and Half MP for her summons. Kain is a wonderful candidate for Phoenix which has the caster use the ability after they are killed to resurrect any dead party members, mainly because his Jump skill keeps him out of harms way. Darkness is also a nice skill to crank up his damage from Jump.

[VeloZer0]

That and the Double Cast + Omnicast combo for Rosa is hard to beat.

In all honesty the way you acquire Augments is a whole lot of BS in this game. It is so easy to permanently miss out on all the most powerful skills in the game it is stupid.

[Wolf Kanno]

I like it because it actually involves utilizing the whole cast and not just hoarding all the augments until you get your final five. I mean Potion Lore makes Edward pretty badass healer in the beginning of the game. I felt it was clever and kept you experimenting instead of just taking what you need and leaving the rest in your inventory while you ignore the rest of the cast because they just don't happen to be around for long. The New Game + feature makes it more worthwhile since you feel better about giving some high level skills to characters who can utilize them well but not necessarily be in your party for long like giving Double Cast and Omnicast to Palom and Porom, it's a fun and quirky system that punishes end-game munchkins. ;)

[Sephex]

While I did eventually crack and look up a guide, I loved the inclusion of Augments because it brought something fresh to the table for my favorite game. I thought they were implemented well, along with the new boss strategies.

[fire_of_avalon]

*realizes she is an endgame munchkin*
*cries*

Ok well it would seem so far that I've missed out on some. Because i didn't find one after Cagnazzo andI've just been looking at them occasionally and asking them "What am i supposed to do with you?!"

[KentaRawr!]

I played through the game without using augments at all. :kakapo:

... I was trying to hoard them. It isn't until now that I realize my mistake. :cry:

[Wolf Kanno]

*realizes she is an endgame munchkin*
*cries*

Ok well it would seem so far that I've missed out on some. Because i didn't find one after Cagnazzo andI've just been looking at them occasionally and asking them "What am i supposed to do with you?!"

The Fiends don't directly give their augments to you, they are usually found somewhere close to where you fought them or an area previous to the one you fought them. So Scarligmione is a few levles down from Mt. Ordeals, most likely where he landed after he fell. Cagnazzo is at the tale end of the Underwater Passageway below Baron, Barbarricia is at the end of the Dark Elf/Lodestone Cavern, and I believe Rubicante is at the end of the Eblan Caves leading to the Tower of Babel, though it's been awhile.