My Perfect Game File

[SeeDRankLou]

Ok, so I've been trying this for a while now. Very difficult to do in the first place let alone do fast. It's like Gizamaluke's Grotto 6 times in a row without a save. I got a save where I lost 5 minutes, unacceptable. I got one where I had unbelievable luck with Zidane's party, but then Beatrix got slapped around in the next battle, which figures. Then after many more tries and determination I got a save where a lost a little more than a minute, which I could live with. But I tried a few more times just to see what I could do. You know that excited high-pitched squeeling noise that's barely even noise when it comes out of your mouth? I was making that noise and fanning myself when I got this time, unbelievable....

Beatrix, Black Mages and Bandersnatches, Oh My!
Alright, this section is one of the most luck based sections so far, and probably of the whole game. You must rely on Stop 6 consecutive times, and then rely on the ATB being in your favor another 2 times. I'll break this down battle by battle.

Beatrix vs Zidane, et al
-This is the easy battle. Four on one, she can only target one character at a time. Unless she gets a full ATB and all your characters start with empty ones (which happened a few times) she will never have more than one character KOed at a time. Steiner is the important one that should stay alive, he does at least 3 times as much damage as anyone else can (unless Zidane gets a critical hit). No need to steal, so just "beat" Beatrix for the last time and be done.

Bandersnatch vs Beatrix and Freya
-For safety, Freya should attack, get knocked out and then Beatrix perform Climhazzard. Beatrix can take out a Bandersnatch in one hit at level 1, but not always. This time however, the Bandersnatch Rushed Freya and she got knocked out (a rare happening from the back row). So I had to hope Climhazzard would work by itself, and it did. Beatrix goes up to level 8.

-Now, I used a slightly different strategy than the guide said equipment-wise. I give Zidane the Dagger to put points toward Flee. I give Vivi the Bandana and Leather Wrist for the added Spirit, which seems to be more your friend than higher Magic, at least at level 1. Vivi wasn't evading enough to worry about evade. I also gave him the Silk Robe, which has Ability Up on it. I give Dagger the Stardust Rod, also with Ability Up, the Mage's Hat and the Mythril Vest. She will be learning Auto-Potion first instead of Vivi (it doesn't really matter, both will be knocked in one hit from this point on anyway). Ability Up is about to be a really big help.

Type C x3 vs Zidane, et al
*Prays to the heavens for some luck*
-Alright, in this one the non-Vivi's need to immobilize the Black Mages and then wait for Vivi to do his thing 3 times. Tents are the way to go here, unless a spell gets reflected back to one of them the poison will run out before it kills them. So I started with 2 tents and a Stop. One tent and Stop worked, that's one down and one helpless. I think Steiner got KOed here, and another tent didn't work, but the Stop that followed did work, that's two down and one helpless. Steiner came back and 3 Stops later the Black Mages are out, impressive work by Vivi. Vivi learns Blizzard.

-Zidane gets The Ogre.

Bandersnatch x2 vs. Zidane, et al
-The goal here is to Soul Blade each with Zidane and Stop each with Vivi. There are enough characters on screen to keep everyone alive, and Thundara will only hurt Steiner and Dagger. So one Soul Blade and one Stop, Stop didn't work. So vice versa, and the Stop did work. 2 Stops later the battle is over. Not as impressive as the Black Mage battle, but still impressive on Vivi's part.

-Zidane gets the Dagger again. Vivi and Steiner swap the Coral Ring and Power Belt.

Bandersnatch vs Zidane, Vivi and Dagger
-One on three, easy stuff. A tent worked, and then Stop worked. And thanks to Ability Up, Vivi learns Stop and Insomniac.

Bandersnatch x2 vs. Beatrix
-And everything can come crubling down with this battle, as it did oh so many times while trying to do this segment. This battle relies completely and entirely on Beatrix's ATB filling up first. Her Climhazzard at level 8 will kill both of them, she just has to get a chance to use it. She can survive one Rush, and about 3/5 the time Thundara won't kill her. But if she gets Tongued it's usually followed by a Thundara and it's all over. Her evade sometimes works with Rush, but don't put money on it. This time however, she started with almost full ATB and the battle was over. Beatrix goes up to level 11.

Bandersnatch x2 vs. Beatrix and Steiner
-Now this one is a little better. Beatrix can survive a lot more abuse, and Steiner is immune to 2/3 of the enemy's attacks. So, Steiner uses an Elixir on Beatrix, then Beatrix gets Tongued. So I have to wait a bit. Steiner gets harmlessly hit by Thundara, and Beatrix gets Rushed and wakes back up. Steiner knockes himself out and Beatrix wins. Beatrix goes up to level 13.

-After this random battles start to happen. Luckily there isn't much of a way to run and I didn't get one. Got a letter to deliver and I saved. I cannot believe this time. I actually got ahead by another minute. For future reference, more Spirit>more Magic.


I am so very very happy with this.

Escape
-While Bandit would be nice in this battle, Zidane only has 6 more points until learning Flee, so he keeps the Dagger. Vivi gets the Ice Staff, and he and Dagger trade the Mage's Hat and the Bandana.
-Ralvuimago is very easy. It curls up with a physical attack, and I think it resets its ATB or something. So Zidane steals, Vivi uses Blizzara and Garnet attacks. Then Vivi uses Focus.
-Interesting note, Ralvuimago will curl up even if the physical attack misses.
-Zidane steals two of the items before the battle ends. Zidane learns Flee, Vivi learns Loudmouth, and Garnet learns Reflect, Float, Auto-Potion, Protect and Scan. After some scenes and entering Pinnacle Rocks, I get 2 of the story pieces, deliver a letter and save.


Pinnacle Rocks
-This is a pretty simple area. The random battle rate isn't that high if you don't doddle around.
-3 chests to get, which are all very close to the remaining 3 story pieces.
-After getting the Peridot, instead of leaving, there is a letter from Stiltzkin to read. I take the lower path, the upper path is just asking for a random battle. After a few tries I got through without a random battle.
-When I get to Lindblum, I deliver a letter, get a letter from Ruby, get another letter to deliver and save.


G-Force 199 Aftermath
-Pretty much the same as the first trip to Lindblum, without the shopping. I get all the treasure, go through all the dialogue, get Lowell to go to Alexandria, deliver a letter and save half way to Qu's Marsh.


Lani's Elixir Gauntlet
-So I make my way to Qu's Marsh, get Quina back and find the excavation site. After all of the dialogue, I give Zidane the Mythril Dagger, unequip Auto-Reflect and equip Distract, Bandit and Insomniac.
-Running from Armodullahan is simple. First screen up, second screen down, third screen up.
-Lani on the otherhand can be a problem. Her main problem is that she's fast, she has a speed stat of 50 (max speed). So at least two character's ATB's need to be on the full-ish side at the start of the battle. Otherwise she'll KO Dagger and perform mass-Water, ending the battle.
-Lani will usually just attack Dagger (although sometimes she does use mass-Water despite Dagger still being alive, she never opens with that though). So I use Vivi to revive her and have Zidane steal, in an attempt to steal the Gladius. All the while, Quina uses Auto-Life, self-KO/revive and Limit Glove.
-Zidane ends up stealing an Ether and the Gladius right before getting KOed because Vivi was too slow with the Phoenix Down. But Quina saved the day.
-After this, I run all the way back to the first screen of Fossil Roo and get the Elixir and run all the way back. The goal is to only get 6 random battles. This is very difficult. I once got four random battles in one screen trying to get the elixir. However, luck is favorable eventually and I got 6 random encounter.
-Then I make my way through Fossil Roo. A few steps into the screen with Mogki I get another random battle. I decided to keep going though. I went west and got the Fairy Earrings and came back.
-I bought Stiltzkin's deal, read Mogki's letter from Kuppo and saved.
-In my seven random battle, Zidane quickly got the first turn and used Flee six of those seven times. I guess sometimes that's more important than the number of encounters (to a degree) because despite getting one more random battle than I wanted I actually got ahead by another 40 seconds.


And I'm glad I took the time to steal the Gladius, because look how much cooler it is than the Rune Tooth, both which have the Lucky Seven ability