A dead end?

[lockecole]

I played the game for 23 hours. I just went summoning GFs all the way to the Missile Base, but (1) attacking like that was consuming too much time. I thought of changing the tactic from summoning GFs to learning the junction system, but (2) drawing was going to consume too much time, so I gave up extremely sad.

I stopped playing the game a long time ago, but a full review of it by GameSpot made me feel like playing it again. If there is a way out of 1 and 2? If yes, can you summarize the story until that part and tell me the way out?

[Lilliputian Hitcher]

Learn the refinery abilities for all your GFs. You should be able to get some crazy-powerful magic by refining items like Wizard Stones. Just Junction this magic to two Strength and HP and then just pwn everything with limit breaks.

[Levian]

You really need to learn the junction system. Drawing magic does take a long time, so just play cards instead. Start out in Balamb Garden. Also have Quezalcotl learn Card and Card Mod. Card Mod is an ability to refine cards into items. These items can be refined into magic with other abilities learned by GF's. Also, be sure to learn lots of junctions from the GF's. Like HP-junction for instance. This junction makes the bearer of this GF to junction magic to HP. Making your HP much higher. So to kill monsters easier, you need to junction magic to STR, which is strength. Try to get as much magic as possible and toy a little around with the junction system.

Story summary:
Squall, Seifer, Quistis and Selphie has been in the garden since they were kids, 'cus they have no parents. This weird girl Ellone tries to contact Squall every now and then in the garden. You'll find out later why. After the SeeD test where Squall, Selphie and Zell becomes SeeD, Seifer takes off and sides with the enemy, Sorceress Edea. The SeeD's are assigned a new mission; to help a resistance group in Timber. This is how they meet Rinoa, she's the leader. On the way there, they fall asleep and enter a dream world where they see through the eyes of Laguna, Kiros and Ward. Rinoa stays with the group to the next SeeD mission, to assassinate Edea. They pick up Irvine along the way as a sniper. The mission fails. You wake up as Laguna, in a small town. Winhill. Laguna is taking care of a woman named Raine and her child, Ellone. Laguna falls in love with Raine. Squall and the gang wakes up in a prison after the failed mission. then they head off to the military base to stop the missiles from hitting trabia and balamb.

Now where exactly are you stuck?

[Hearts]

Just learn the junctioning system, it'll help you a lot. Have your GFs learn refining abilities and refine items into good magic, the battles shouldn't take too long.

Yeah, I have to ask too, where exactly are you stuck?

[loinharte]

what you should do is have your GF learn refine abillities and learn the juctioning system that system is the key to beating FFVIII.

[lockecole]

wow!

thanks thanks thanks

Levian, specially you!

I saved game right after missiles were launched (1) and I saved game later too in Squall's room at Balamb Garden (2), but I am going to restart from 1, because there are stronger enemies that I will be able to kill to become stronger.

[Xurts]

I suggest that you start over so you get the most out of everything. Getting to the missile base in 23 hours is extremely quick. I think I had around 45-50 when I was there.

As what people have already said, the Junction System is the key to this game. Play lots of cards. By the time you leave for Timber you should have every Level 1-5 card except for one, which is Pupu. You should also have a couple rare ones like Ifrit, Minimog, Quistis, Zell, and Seifer. I like to play Cid and Zell's mom for a couple of hours so I can get a good stock. Make sure to learn Quezacotl's Card and Card Mod ability too. The Card command will change an enemy into a card. You already know what Card Mod does.

Levian had some good advice. Anything else I say with just be repeating him. Just make sure not to forget about Vitality (determines how much damage physical attacks do) and Spirit (determines how much damage magical attacks do). The HP stat isn't that important as long as you have good Vitality and Spirit.

On to drawing now. Drawing magic only takes a long time if your Magic stat is low, like in the beginning of the game. The higher your Magic stat, the more effective and powerful cast magic is, and also how many spells you can draw. If you refine some Wizard Stones and Junction a -ga spell, you should be getting 9 spells per draw. So it is really easy to draw once you have the Magic Junction.

Make sure to learn Junction abilities first when getting a new GF, there are exceptions, but generally you should aim for the Junctions first.

Another very important thing: Levels do not matter. If you are having trouble with a certain enemy some foolish people might think that if they level up a couple levels the enemy will be easier. This is not the case. If you are having trouble, then leveling up will only make your problem worse. Enemies' levels in this game are based on the average level of everyone in your party. So as you level up, they become stronger, and their stats will increase faster than yours. That is why it is essential to use the Junction System. If you know how to use it, then you will be able to destroy everything in your path suprisingly early on in the game. Keeping a low level makes it easier. You will have strong Junctions and weak enemies. So remember: keep your levels low!

Good luck.

[HolyMackeral]

I would also say start from the very beginning. Before you go to the fire cavern, go on the beach at balamb and learn card/card mod (as well as some junction abilities) with Quezecoatl and Ice refine/junctions with Shiva. The fish on the beach give you 6 AP per fight so things shouldnt take that long.
Also you get lots of fish fins which you can refine into 20 water each, so get 100 each then junction them to str/hp/whatever for high stats at a low level.

Once you have HP-J, junction a powerful magic (quake refined from dino-bones [from armadodo, t-rexaur or sacred cards] tornado refined from windmills [abyss worm card] or curaga [sirens life refine gets you 10 per tent]) so your max hp will rise enough for you to be in critical HP. If you dont heal yourself you should easily be able to use limit breaks on a reguilar basis, and with another good spell on str you should be able to take care of any enemy with no trouble. Against the Iron Clad at the missile base, I took it out with one 'shot' limit from irvine.

For something really extra and if you are really into cards you can get lionheart on disc 1 (I had it activate on the one-on-one with Seifer at the end of disc 1).

[Bart's Friend Milhouse]

Story Summary
You are a SeeD (some sort of hired tough guy sent to do missions for various clients of the Garden). Having failed to assassinate the Sorceress Balamb and Trabia Gardens were attacked by missiles