I restarted..

[Qurange]

Personally, I like to impose my own limits, but that's because I try to go through it 'realistically'. Don't ask. But, it's not like levelling up is some sort of sin. Personally, I tend to keep relatively low level, but I also just like the idea of having to refine the more powerful magic. It makes the SeeDs seem more professional.

And, of course, if you overlevel, the boss fights /are/ easier, as they have a level cap.

[Setzer Gabianni]

I guess what I am going to do more then anything, is train each character equally, so noone is left at a dangerously low level - I'm going to make sure noone is too overlevelled just yet..

~Setzer Gabianni

[Xurts]

Who suggested leveling up was important?

But yeah, that's really good advice. It's kinda funny, how this game works.

Edit: Setzer, you're supposed to generally find ways to get AP while not leveling up alot, until you find the Cactuars later on. But if it's your first time through the game, you don't have to bother with all of that low level stat-maxing.

But at lower levels with appropriate Junctions, your stats will be far above your enemies, because they too, are at a low level.

I was just saying that in general.

I don't expect Sezter to be as obessive as I am and not gain any levels. I'm just saying that you should keep your levels at a minimum. I don't think it is too hard to stay below 20. But of course it doesn't mean you have to start over if you go past it. It was just a suggestion so he could get the most out of the Bonus abilities.

Oh, and Sezter, the trick to gaining AP and no EXP is Carding enemies. It works best on Fastitacolan-Fs on the beaches. They give you 3 AP each. That should keep you learning abilities until Garden becomes mobile. Once you can roam around the planet, go to the Kashkabald Desert in Centra. It's directly west of Cactuar Island. Cactuars appear there, and they give you a crazy 20 AP per Cactaur. What's even better is that they give you very little EXP, like 10 at the most.

[Ryushikaze]

Try for the disc 1 Lionheart

[Xurts]

Try for the disc 1 Lionheart

That is going to take quite a long time. Especially since you would have to do the Seifer quest in order to get the Dragon Fangs. And I do not suggest taking the time to do that. It takes way too long.

[Jimmy Dark Aeons Slayer]

Whoa.

In this game, LEVELS DO NOT MATTER. Whoever suggests you be at a certain level before fighting an enemy is dead wrong and does not know what they are talking about. You can, and should, go through the game by gaining the LEAST LEVELS POSSIBLE. Not only does this make enemies weak, but it also opens a big door later on in the game after you get the Ragnarok.

What matters in this game is the Junction System. If you know how to use it, then you will be able to totally annihilate every enemy at any level, be it 7 or 100. Early on in the game, make sure to Draw 300 of every new magic. Once you get the GF item refining abilities, you will be able to refine very powerful magic from items early on in the game, so having to level up to draw them becomes highly unneccesary.

Come fights such as Diablos who have useful magic that can be drawn, it is essential that you have a high Magic stat. This is the key to drawing 9 spells every turn. Once you have a good spell Junctioned to your Magic stat, drawing should become much easier. You should also make sure not to neglect your Spirit and Vitality stats. Your Spirit stat determines how much damage magical attacks do, and your Vitality stat determines how much damage physical attacks do. Make sure to Junction strong magic to each of those stats as well.

Playing the Triple Triad card game makes the game MUCH easier. If you play alot of games, then you can use Quezacotl's Card Mod ability to mod cards into items that can be further refined into magic. This is how you can get poweful magic like Curaga, Meltdown, Pain, Break, Tornado, etc. early on in the game. I had spells like that before I fought Edea at the end of Disk 1. You can also mod cards into items needed for upgrading your weapons. Here is an awesome card walkthrough: http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/f...ii_cards_d.txt.

Now for what you do when you get the Rangarok in Disk 3. Your Levels should be at a maximum of 20. Go around and get the remaining GFs like Bahamut, Eden, Cactaur, etc. Once you have them all go to the Island Closest to Hell. Kill two of your characters. Equip the character who is alive with a GF that has the Abilityx4 skill, and then equip 4 of the 5 Bonues abilities (Str, Mag, HP, Spr, Vit). Next, Level that character all the way to 100 with this same setup. Each of your stats that had a Bonus ability equipped will have increased by 80 and your HP by 2400. After this it will be very easy to max out your stats at 255 and your HP at 9999.

Right now in my playthrough of the game, none of my characters have gained ONE level except for Squall, who is at Level 8. I'm mid-way through Disk 2 and I have just gotten Pandemona from Fujin.

No no no...i always keep my characters with high levels since the begining with the hp juction you don´t have any trouble, i defeated Seifer, Edea, Fugin, Ragin, Biggs, Wedge an others using only the atack command i do know what i´m talking about and it pays off.

[Xurts]

Keeping your levels low will have a higher pay off in the long run if you use the Bonus abilities. If you level normally, then your characters will be much weaker when they get to 100.

If you Junction good magic to your strength, then you will be able to take out pretty much any boss with physical attacks.

[Jimmy Dark Aeons Slayer]

Yes but i´ll give you an example for example my Zell finished disk 1 at level 39 or 40 i don´t quite remember and still finished the game with max streght,max vitality and almost max magic.

All you have to do is use the +1 ability and you will end the game with all characters at level 100 and with pretty high stats.

[HolyMackeral]

Just thought id throw this in there for anyone who doesnt know (though probably you all do) or is feeling a little confused about why to stay at a low level, because it hasn't really been pointed out yet that any enemy you fight will have the same level as Squall - so as you level up so do the monsters. Staying at a low level but boosting your stats with junctions will make you a lot stronger than monsters at your level

[G SpOtZ]

Just thought id throw this in there for anyone who doesnt know (though probably you all do) or is feeling a little confused about why to stay at a low level, because it hasn't really been pointed out yet that any enemy you fight will have the same level as Squall - so as you level up so do the monsters. Staying at a low level but boosting your stats with junctions will make you a lot stronger than monsters at your level

As you stay at a lower level, and the monsters stay low too, the monsters will have weaker spells to draw, and having low level spells are not very good for junctioning and boosting your stats. Having high level spells for junctioning is most definitely important to be a strong fighter.

EDIT: Although, I guess you could use magic refining abilities gained from your GFs.

[Zeromus_X]

Bingo.

[Nick Schovitz]

Don't forget to get Tonberry King even if he's the worst summon and at the beginning when you take the field exam the goal to getting a high rank is do not talk to anyone else there, defeat a lot of enemies and don't jump off the ledge like Selphie did, just go around, oh and the time that you make it back to the ship also affects it but you automatically get the highest rank if you defeat the machine, but I thin it's impossible, don't forget to save the dog on your way leaving.

[Zeromus_X]

It's possible, you just need to get all the Summon-Magic Damage+ (or whatever they're called) for Quetzacotl, and Boost, and other things, and then you can kill it repedeatly for more points.

[Setzer Gabianni]

Don't forget to get Tonberry King even if he's the worst summon and at the beginning when you take the field exam the goal to getting a high rank is do not talk to anyone else there, defeat a lot of enemies and don't jump off the ledge like Selphie did, just go around, oh and the time that you make it back to the ship also affects it but you automatically get the highest rank if you defeat the machine, but I thin it's impossible, don't forget to save the dog on your way leaving.

The dog..dies if you don't save it? It was perfectly fine when the machine ran by it xD

~Setzer Gabianni

EDIT: I'm currently at Timber, on the train - here are my stats:

Squall - LV16, 873 HP, Revolver - GF's junctioned: Shiva (Sally), Diablos (Chaos)
Str - 33, Vit - 26, Mag - 22, Spr - 20, Spd - 23, Luck - 16, Eva - 1%, Hit - 255%

J Str - Fire 100
J Vit - Cure 100
J Mag - Thunder 100
J Spr - Sleep 100

Once Diablos learns J HP, I can add Curaga to Squall's HP. Thanks to the Life/Recovery Refine ability, I was able to get Curagas from Wizard Stones.

Zell - LV10, 1177HP - Metal Knuckle - GF's Junctioned - Ifrit

Str - 31, Vit - 7, Mag - 7, Spr - 5, Spd - 22, Luck - 15, Eva - 1%, Hit 98%

Elemental Attack - Blizzard - 50 junctioned I think
J HP - Curaga 25
J Str - Fire 100

Selphie - LV9, 1070HP - Flail - GF's Junctioned - Quezlcoatl (Zapdos), Siren (Celes)
Str - 19, Vit - 20, Mag - 22, Spr - 7, Spd - 17, Luck - 19, Eva - 1%, Hit 98%

Status Attack - Blind 13%
Status Defense - Esuna 27 - 5% defense against all but 3 status effects.

J HP - Curaga 25, J Vit - Cure 100, Mag - Sleep 100

I also got Diablos on my first try, and I loved using Selphies Full Cure when HP was low!

[Xurts]

Just thought id throw this in there for anyone who doesnt know (though probably you all do) or is feeling a little confused about why to stay at a low level, because it hasn't really been pointed out yet that any enemy you fight will have the same level as Squall - so as you level up so do the monsters. Staying at a low level but boosting your stats with junctions will make you a lot stronger than monsters at your level

They actually depend on the average level of your entire party, not just Squall.

Setzer, it's easier to refine Curagas from Tents. Since 1 Tent = 50 Curagas. Refine the Wizard Stones into Thundagas, Blizzagas, and Firagas. You can get more Wizard Stones once you have access to the Timber Pet Shop. Buy a bunch of the Scrolls there. Use Siren's Tool-RF ability to refine them in Wizard Stones. The Scrolls are fairly expensive so just run around awhile until you get your SeeD salary.

Remember to draw 300 Esunas and Doubles from the upcoming boss fight with Gerogero! If he gives you any status ailments just draw and cast Esuna on yourself. This makes the fight pretty easy.