The Sphere Grid is Backwards

[Skyblade]

I've been thinking over the Sphere Grid, and I was suddenly struck by an odd thought (I know, kind of silly, since the Expert Sphere grid is about to become available in the US, which supposedly really adds customization and thought to the leveling process).

Is it just me, or did they get the Sphere Grid Backwards?

As you progress through the grid, you come across a node, which you activate with a sphere. You hit an Accuracy node, use a Speed Sphere, HP node, Power Sphere, etcetera.

Wouldn't it be more fun, and involve more thought and allow more customization, if you did the reverse?

As a character progresses, they come across generic nodes, which you then specialize to get stat boosts. For example, if you come across a Power Node, you can choose to activate it for Strength, HP, or Defense. A Mana Node could be activated for MP, Magic, or Resistance. Speed Nodes become Agility, Evasion, and Accuracy.

This way, each character would still be unique, through both ability set up and what stat nodes they came across, but you could still impart meaningful customization throughout the process.

Just something that occurred to me, but I think it would have been a better route to take for the Sphere Grid.

[Laddy]

You know, that makes way more sense.

[Hollycat]

First time players or idiots would put all their stats into strength, end up getting stuck, and ragequit.

[Rantz]

Yep, that would have improved the Sphere Grid a lot for me. Good thinking!

[NeoCracker]

First time players or idiots would put all their stats into strength, end up getting stuck, and ragequit.

Actually, an all strength set up could easily win a game if you just one shot everything.

Especially considering how easy X was anyway, as long as you were still smart enough to cast haste/Hastaga the game would get even easier.

[Karifean]

So with ability nodes you can choose which ability you get? ^_^

[Pumpkin]

I would have fun playing it that way

[Carl the Llama]

I wouldn't have thought this would have been a good idea, as others have pointed out you could just put all your resources into Strength or Magic and then be majorly OP really early in the game, besides with the way it is now it takes a great deal more commitment to get your character stats to 255 with the clear nodes, shows a greater nerdiness to have max stats and decent HP.

[Karifean]

I actually don't think this would be the case. The nodes would probably still have prescribed how much of a stat increase they give and also what sphere you have to use - you could just pick which of the three possible stats should be increased. At least that's what I gathered.

That way, with the absurd amount of HP and Strength +4 nodes on Auron's grid, you could either put all those in Strength and make him a powerhouse or put all those in Defense and HP and make him unkillable. But you can't do the same with Lulu since her grid has a lack of "Power Sphere nodes". Instead, you can have the abundance of Magic Defense nodes in her part of the grid be Magic instead.

[Skyblade]

I actually don't think this would be the case. The nodes would probably still have prescribed how much of a stat increase they give and also what sphere you have to use - you could just pick which of the three possible stats should be increased. At least that's what I gathered.

That way, with the absurd amount of HP and Strength +4 nodes on Auron's grid, you could either put all those in Strength and make him a powerhouse or put all those in Defense and HP and make him unkillable. But you can't do the same with Lulu since her grid has a lack of "Power Sphere nodes". Instead, you can have the abundance of Magic Defense nodes in her part of the grid be Magic instead.

Exactly. You're not able to dump even a majority of most character's points into Strength.

Then too, what about Speed? With no Defense or HP, you'd have to keep your Agility high to keep the enemies from taking a turn, or they'll one shot you.

But, all that Agility and Strength will be useless with no Accuracy, so...


Yeah, I don't really think there's too much of a chance of critically unbalancing the game with this setup.

[dandy da oak]

That kind of seems like the way the Crystarium works in FFXIII-2. It does make sense, and would be a really interesting way to approach things!

[Pete for President]

I like the idea. A lot.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

First time players or idiots would put all their stats into strength, end up getting stuck, and ragequit.

a.... beserker? rage?

[Fynn]

First time players or idiots would put all their stats into strength, end up getting stuck, and ragequit.

a.... beserker? rage?

I think the very thoughtof there being likelihood of being stuck in FFX is the most laughable here.

[SteahMeLee]

Sphere Grid is one of the best building systems to follow my purpose of assigning classes to characters! It makes you skip nodes or use them for different stats!

I like it the way it is! Much much much better than XIII Crystarium that is dumb fix and you can skip just a few nodes! With Sphere Grid I can really customize following the classes idea and having some RPG expertize I won't of course make the mistake of unbalancing characters beyond needed! Lulu is a Black Mage and has to be with low Defense but it doesn't mean I won't rise her Defense at all!