Holidays are so strange sometimes.

[lassarina]

So I'm finally back in Chicago, after a lengthy string of shenanigans.

It was a pretty good visit home, all things considered. Tuesday night we went out to a concert at the Kennedy Center - "the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber." I know it's not what the 'cool kids' think, but I do really enjoy his music, so that was a lot of fun. Selections from

Comments

[sgreenwell]

I just finished up my first playthrough, getting the good ending. My main party consisted of lvl 10 Yosuke and Yukiko - None of the end bosses really have magic immunities, so their high natural magic powers make them natural choices. I also pop in Naoto, because it means with that lineup Yukiko is the only one who has a weakness, and luckily, I had an accessory that let her dodge Ice attacks all the time

[lassarina]

My Fox link is currently at 8. I tend to rotate party members around, but it's good to know I'm not required to. I'll probably pick a set party and stick with it from here out, then.

[sgreenwell]

Yeah - the dungeon after the next one (if I'm recalling correctly) doesn't have an experience cap. Meaning, for the rest of the game, it's the best place to level up, even if you don't want to use the leveling trick. Your Fox social link is high enough for you to be able to pay off your healing costs in all of the future dungeons.

[lassarina]

Experience cap?

[sgreenwell]

All of the dungeons except the last two, as you advance in them and level up, the amount of get from fights is scaled. For example, a level 50 character will get 1 exp from battles in Yukiko's Castle, but a level 10 character might get a couple hundred experience. It's kind of like Suikoden's system, if you've ever played that.

[lassarina]

Ahhhh, interesting. Thanks for letting me know :)

[sgreenwell]

Yeah, although I'm surprised you didn't notice that since you're a leveling fanatic, right? ;) Gaining levels, even if it only ups a Persona's stats by two to five points, can have a profound effect in the amount of damage you do. Because of that, the game essentially "caps" you at certain dungeons, excluding the last two.

[lassarina]

Ah. I've not been really level-grinding in this game - if I'm high enough to take on the boss, and so far my levels have mostly been spot-on with the guide's recommended - then I don't put myself to hassle in the dungeons, primarily because I prefer the social game in P4 to the dungeon crawl.

[sgreenwell]

Well, yeah, because of how the game works you'd almost have to be at the boss' level, unless you skipped a bunch of fights on the way up.

Actually, unless you're trying for quest items, the quickest way to clear dungeons is to race to the save point, spend about 10 minutes fighting enemies on the second-to-last floor to quickly level up, and then challenge the boss. The game ideally wants you to spend at least two days in each though, one to get items and sell to the craft-guy, and the second to tackle the boss with your new gear.

[lassarina]

I am insistent on finding all the shiny boxes, so I do not do it the way the game wants me to XD I'm on October 31 now with everything maxed but Diligence (4), Priestess (9), Empress (9), Hermit (8), Lovers (5) Strength (7), Fortune (1), Hanged Man (1), Hermit (8), Tower (2), Moon (2), and of course Fool and Star at 8 and Judgment not yet formed.

[sgreenwell]

Of those S-Links you have, most of them aren't really that big a deal. Similar to the Yosuke thing, the Magician arcanas are all over-powered, especially if you've managed to fuse a Surt (lvl 80ish) with Fire Amp, Fire Boost and Spell Something (half SP-cost). Then you have access to some godly fire spell called Ragnarok, mmmm.

[sgreenwell]

Edit - by "not a big deal", I mean it's not a big deal that you don't have tower and hanged man and moon not close to maxxed. All their cards suck for the most part.

[lassarina]

*nods* I'm just a completionist, I want to get as many things cleared as I can ^_^;;