Octopath Traveller: Square Enix also celebrating the Year of the Octoling/Octopath 2: Octopus Boogaloo

Balladeer wrote:

Whereas I rolled with Therion, making my style focussed on keeping people's SP topped up and stealing more.  This also fits my general preference for regen-style abilities (by default, everybody as Vim and Vigour and either Second Wind or Inspiration).

A genuine recommendation for late-game battling would be to get the Cleric skill that lets you overheal characters on your whole party. Early into a battle I'd throw out a boosted heal - the extra 2000/3000 health you get acts as a nice buffer.

Balladeer wrote:

Alfyn 4.  Alfyn 4 and that F*CKING half health move.

I genuinely don't remember having trouble with that fight. I think I steamrolled it before it got a chance to do anything nasty. Seriously, this was an instant win setup for most battles for me: get the enemy nearly broken -> buff Cyrus's magic damage -> pop his divine skill that concentrates his wide range spells on a single target -> have a cleric pop their divine skill that makes somebody perform the same action twice -> replenish his BP with a pomegranate -> unleash hell. Most of the Chapter 4 bosses didn't get a chance to get rolling against me.

Balladeer wrote:

JayMoyles wrote:

Balladeer wrote:

Jay, I've a bone to pick with you.  You made it out like Tressa's Chapter 3 was Ophelia 2-level bobbins.  It really wasn't!  

It was a duffer in my eyes for a different reason - one that I don't really think I should talk about until you've wrapped up with Tressa's overall plotline. Let me know when and I'll explain then.

Also, this!

Right, so...

Tressa's Storyline:

Like I said earlier, I think Tressa's story takes a slightly different angle to most.  It's not grand and sweeping, it's slightly more small and personal.  With that comes a certain lack of stakes and challenge, true: Tressa's personality isn't overly interesting, and it's not pressed to change.  She has no real arc.  It's definitely one of the weaker stories, exemplified by the final boss being almost completely nondescript.  But I don't think it's terrible.  

And alright alright, not all of us chose broken nerd boy as our starter.

JayMoyles wrote:

I genuinely don't remember having trouble with that fight. I think I steamrolled it before it got a chance to do anything nasty. Seriously, this was an instant win setup for most battles for me: get the enemy nearly broken -> buff Cyrus's magic damage -> pop his divine skill that concentrates his wide range spells on a single target -> have a cleric pop their divine skill that makes somebody perform the same action twice -> replenish his BP with a pomegranate -> unleash hell. Most of the Chapter 4 bosses didn't get a chance to get rolling against me.

I think this is probably why I've not been too fussed about magic. Clearly it's capable of nuking enemies, but it just seems more high maintenance to me. My strategy generally revolves around buffing Olberic &H'aanit/Therion, and Nerfing boss defence, before shredding the boss with their Divine skills, restoring their SP with SP Theif. I will bring along a cleric & a mage to round out my lineup, but the cleric just generally heals while the mage is left to its own accord.

That's a very meat and potatoes technique, but it's seen me through without much bother.

I haven't got any of the optional jobs yet. I did get to this boss who kept using a physical reflect spell - so as you can imagine I didn't fair too well against her. I've also been incredibly lazy with class sharing - only a handful of characters have been trained in multiple jobs, but again it's not really slowed me down.

Balladeer wrote:

And alright alright, not all of us chose broken nerd boy as our starter.

Late/Post Game Minor Spoiler:

Muss wrote:

I've also been incredibly lazy with class sharing - only a handful of characters have been trained in multiple jobs, but again it's not really slowed me down.

Even if you don't get around to unlocking new skills in the secondary jobs, I'd still make sure everybody's got one equipped - they get a stat boost purely for having the job equipped.

Oh yeah, everyone had a second job [I should have said I hadn't bothered giving, say, Olberic some Cleric support skills even though he has a bajillion SP], I just hadn't bothered doing much more than that until one of the level 50 shrines did bad things to me.

Cyrus remains best nerd. I too would drag my half-dead party to look at some books before ending my chapter.

That boss though:

Muss wrote:

Oh yeah, everyone had a second job [I should have said I hadn't bothered giving, say, Olberic some Cleric support skills even though he has a bajillion SP], I just hadn't bothered doing much more than that until one of the level 50 shrines did bad things to me.

Just wait until you fight a certain optional wolf boss. Bugger me, I was lucky to beat that.

Balladeer wrote:

Cyrus remains best nerd.  I too would drag my half-dead party to look at some books before ending my chapter.

Are you starting to see the links developing between each story?

I am. Some are subtle, some are blatant. Cyrus and Ophelia squirt the links in your eyes, then jump up and down on you while you're stunned.

JayMoyles wrote:

As for your thoughts on Prim's storyline, all I'll say is I'll wait until you've beaten it before commenting more on the matter...

I got played. I got utterly played!

One more Chapter 4 to go... then to decide whether I want to grind up enough to link everything together, or whether I want to take a break and play TWEWY a bit before Let's Go comes out.

Balladeer wrote:

I got played.  I got utterly played!

One more Chapter 4 to go... then to decide whether I want to grind up enough to link everything together, or whether I want to take a break and play TWEWY a bit before Let's Go comes out.

What level is your party sitting at, Balla? Supposedly for the post-game/end-game stuff, most generally recommend your party to be around LVL 60-65 and to clear pretty much all the other optional stuff. I'd recommend taking a break to be honest - I found myself getting pretty burnt out after clearing all the side stories and optional stuff.

Her and Cyrus go head-to-head for best storyline, I reckon. She probably just about wins out for lack of creepy student-teacher shenanigans. Ophelia gets the Effort Prize for most improved.

52-3... apart from Therion who's at 66. May well take you up on that break, although I suspect you of having ulterior motives...

Balladeer wrote:

although I suspect you of having ulterior motives...

Whatever do you mean...?

Prim's storyline is my favourite, for sure. That last chapter especially - great stuff. Who's left for you to polish off then? Did you do the same as me and leave your protagonist till last?

Yup! Therion's end goal is quite literally in sight, in fact! I wonder who his final boss will be...

It comes out of left-field. You'll never see it coming at all.

I was quite glad to wrap my journey up with Cyrus's story, especially considering how his tale draws more of a focus on the Things to Come with all the DEATH DOOM DESTRUCTION goings on at the end of his chapter after he wraps up with the boss. It almost feels like a lead-in to the next part of the game, in a way.

Well those were some underwhelming credits. Still, done the 'main game' now. I think I will take a break for a bit, play some TWEWY. Then come back and see how the party fares without Therion for a bit.

Aw, I liked the credits! Getting to see who dealt the killing blow on each boss, who was in your party and what status ailments they were suffering from was a neat touch and I was surprised the game stored all of that for you to see at the end of your journey.

I literally can't play effectively without Cyrus. He's such a central part of all of my battle strategies.

It was quite funny to see Ophelia face down in the dirt as her final boss bit it. A lot of mine, especially early to mid-game, were Therion's Steal SP.

Also... I'm being drawn back to this, quite forcefully. I miss the music, the graphics, the battles... the dungeons not so much. I know I'll have to grind when I go back, but still...

Mine's were some spell by Cyrus for the most part!

A music YouTuber I follow - FamilyJules7X - has done a load of Octopath covers if you're getting a hankering for the tunes.

After adopting the Cyrus + Ophilia divine skills wombo combo into my smashmouth playstyle, I've been merrily stomping through everybody's Chapter 4 - only Olberic and Therion left, but I had to take a break after just finishing Primrose's. Wow.

Primy:

I think I've managed to polish off Alfyn, Tressa and Prim's big bads without them even being able to unleash their signature moves. I reckon I'll take a break from Octopath after I complete everyone's chapter 4, but I'm definitely going to have a crack at the secret jobs and post-game content.

I had to splash the cash on this game at CEX and fully intended to trade it in/ebay it once I'd cracked it. I still think I will because I can't see myself playing through it again but a growing part of me wants to keep Octopath on my shelf.

I tried that, giving it a break after the Chapter 4s, and I still think it's a good idea... I'm now back on it. Mission: complete the level 45 optional dungeons, then unlock the secret jobs, then re-evaluate.

And yes Prim's finale is a belter. I still liked her Chapter 1, mind: maybe it was a bit fast, but gosh if that wasn't better than all the others being very slow.

Muss wrote:

After adopting the Cyrus + Ophilia divine skills wombo combo into my smashmouth playstyle

It's just too powerful, right? I'd almost say it trivialises the Chapter 4 fights. Post-game battles... not so much.

Balladeer wrote:

I tried that, giving it a break after the Chapter 4s, and I still think it's a good idea... I'm now back on it.

I reckon after a few of the post-game side story bosses or after the secret jobs that you'll be winding down for a break. There's a jump in difficulty post-game, markedly so, that turned me away from the finale.

I roflstomped Therion's C4 last night. Had planned to beat Olberic's too but I fell asleep.

I've enjoyed spotting the links between chapters. My team are all level 58, bar Olberic who is closer to 70, so I should be able to manage some of the secret jobbie dungeons.

That should do you just fine, I was a couple of levels below you when I rofflestomped my first jobmeister.

Mind you:

Aye, you'll be fine at those levels. The optional direwolf boss... well, that's another story.

Balla: Yep, that's the strategy I used for that boss too. I was getting stomped without it.

I dusted this off tonight. Well sort of, I got all the way to the final secret boss and then the game told me I had to split my gang into two for a two phase boss. Nope, not grinding up my reserves.

I did enjoy reading most of the lore in the build up to that point though and getting all the jobs was fun.

It would've been nice if the post game wasn't do brutal but I'm ready to finally move onto another game now. Still a cracking game overall mind.

Worth getting almost all the way there then? Even if I don't train up my reserves?

JayMoyles wrote:

Aye, you'll be fine at those levels. The optional direwolf boss... well, that's another story.

Balla: Yep, that's the strategy I used for that boss too. I was getting stomped without it.

The Direwolf in the level 45 dungeon? Piece of p**s mate. I mean, it hits hard, and I did get caught off guard once. Thief, Shackle, sorted.

Works on one of the other jobmasters too, it turns out! Shame you can't do the same with Sidestep...