Frustrated over the big O.

[Silent Warrior]

So, I'm at the final boss. I think. I thought so when I hit the first stage (thought He was the biggest push-over since Necron - the joke's on me...) too, but mister I've-got-six-million-HP-and-a-steady-stream-of-2500+-healing-every-two-or-three-seconds keeps busting me up. Has done so for the past 6-7 hours. So I'm frustrated! Grr! (I'm also avoiding names, in case someone hasn't beaten him yet.)

I think my party is up to snuff, though I haven't really been grinding/CP-farming. (Bored... ) I wouldn't mind suggestions, though, in case I've missed something. HPs with Lightning, Fang and Vanille are all 7000+, I don't remember exact numbers, but I'm sure the main offensive stat is 1000+ (1400+ for Lightning's Strength?), second tier weaponry (Lightning's and Fang's at lv 30+, Vanille's at 15). Fang as Commando deals about 2000-8000 damage with each hit, depending on form and status - Lightning as Ravager is a bit less exciting. I manage to Stagger the light form on occasion, but I have to use two Medics for the dark and opposite forms. Maybe not ideal, but progress is steady, if slow.
I've learned that Cherub's Crowns are Good For You - maybe I'll upgrade them, now that I've had to quit for now, having to start from a save point next time around - and that you should bloody well not get poisoned. Other debuffs are manageable. I've also learned that Renew and Dispelga are glorious allies.

... So, Relentless Assault, Discretion, Diversity, Aggression, Tireless Charge, maybe Scouting Party for the dark form (might have to make that Med/Sab/Med (Med/Sab/Sab?)), do I need anything else? Is there something further I need to keep in mind? Does it seem like I've missed anything at all? I'm starting to think highly of the Synergist role - only way I could get past the Proudclad - but with all those debuffs flying around during the dark form, necessitating Dispelga now and then...

[Carl the Llama]

Ok, so your party could definitely do with a little levelling on Pulse, you need to have the following setup for easy CP farming

Vanille - Sab + Malboro Wand (improve Debuffing II) and a selection of the following accessories: Hermies Sandles, Sprint Shoes, Whistlewind Scarf, Aurora Scarf or Nimbletoe Boots, all of these items belong to the boost synthesis group, and with 4 of those items equipped you will have ATB Rate+20% which is a big help when casting death so many times.

Fang - Sab + any equipment, if you don't know, for every additional Sab in your party the rate of successful debuffing increases somewhat

Hope - Syn, Sab + Hresvelgr (don't know what they were thinking of when naming this weapon), it has Defensive Maint. II which increases the duration of buffs by 80%.

So here is the strategy, go straight in and at find a Adamantoise or an Adamantortoise (both worth the same amount of CP) have Vanille summon Hecatoncheir followed immediately using your limit break dismissing the summon, now with the summon taking out the creatures legs you can then start spamming Death, as soon as Vanille is buffed have hope switch to a Sab to increase the chances of killing the Adamantoise, rinse and repete till it is dead (or you are).

Now after you have leveled up I would use the following stratagy for the big O.

Lighting
Vanille
Fang

I will leave the equipment setup for you but the paradigms should be like this:

Med Med Med
Rav Med Sab
Rav Rav Sab
Com Rav Com
Rav Rav Rav
Med Syn Syn*

First off you want to start with Med Syn Syn, get some buffs out and heal the occasional damage that come out, once buffed with Bravery Faith Shell and Protect immediately switch to Rav Rav Sab and build that gauge up quickly, if at any time you feel in danger during the gauge drive then switch to Rav Med Sab so you can keep the gauge up while healing, once you have broken him switch to Rav Rav Rav and get the gauge to 999% then do Com Rav Com, if at any point you think the situation is getting dire the switch to Med Med Med.

Hope this helps.

[Sefie1999AD]

I don't remember about numbers, but your characters sound a lot stronger than mine, I only had Tier 1 weapons and I've never fought an Adamantoise, so I reckon you're strong enough to defeat the last boss. Here's the strategy I used:

Party: Lightning, Hope and Vanille.

Starting Paradigm (used for defensive purposes): Convalescence (2 Medics and a Synergist). Lightning and Vanille heal, Hope buffs everyone (make sure he has at least Veil and Haste). I also use this when the boss uses the attack which brings everyone at 1 HP.

Tri-Disaster (3 Ravagers): When everyone has been buffed, I use this to break the boss.

Ruthless or Smart Bomb (Commando/Ravager, Ravager and Saboteur): When you've broken the boss, debuff him and increase your damage bonus. If you want to end the battle quickly, cast Poison on him until it hits because it will seriously hurt him. When you've got the damage bonus up to 600-700% or more, switch to...

Relentless Assault (Commando and 2 Ravagers): Lightning attacks, the other two raise the damage bonus to 999%.

Repeat this until the boss dies. Recast Veil if it wears off because it protects you from status ailments. If you get hit by the poison status ailment, immediately use a summon (if the boss uses the attack that brings everyone's HP to 1, you're dead), as that will restore everyone.

[Del Murder]

I don't remember him being that hard. I think I used a typical setup and spammed Army of One whenever I could.

[Silent Warrior]

Army of One... Heeey, that's an Ability, right? Not a Paradigm? (Just so I know where to look. ... Ah, yes, I see it on the Ravager page.) I'll try Sephi's strategy first, maybe with some Army of One for fun.
Well, I don't know if I'd say he's particularly HARD, I'm just... having pretty bad luck at some point. (And it takes rather a while to whittle down SIX MILLION %¤//#()&/)@£@€ HP! Grah!) Like Lightning getting hit with Defaith followed by getting zapped by the dark orb right after a Merciless Judgment. (Thank you bloody much...)

Uh... Eff me reversed! I've never seen that Stagger-gauge (or any other gauge in FF-history) rise so fast! And... Bang, he's toast. Sephiroth1999AD's strategy wins by some 50 million miles. To think I spent hours on that thing...

[Del Murder]

It's Lightning's unique ability. On COM or RAV. If you haven't even seen it then you may need to level up more.

[Silent Warrior]

Oh, I HAVE it, I just don't plumb the depths of the Ability-menu very often - I generally use Auto-Battle and am happy with that.

(By the way: If it wasn't communicated clearly, Sephiroth1999AD's recommendations on party and Paradigms absolutely... Hell, I can't think of a proper word for it! An hour-long grudge-match reduced to a comparatively smooth 20-30 minute Stagger-fest? Unleash the ***-kickery!)

[10-Breaker]

I used Snow, Hope, Lightning

Sen, Syn, Com
Rav, Rav, Rav
Com, Rav, Com
Com, Med, Med
Sen, Med, Med

Just had few retries to see where the good points were to attack, taking every chance possible and healing in certain points. Kinda "cheating" since in games like these boss' follow a certain pattern.