Games you're playing: The 2009 edition.

[Niu]

Djinn, if you allow the Wonder Symbol and Altered Arts, the top three should be like this Rita>>Judy>Yuri. NO, Rita's advantage is not THAT big. Altered Arts makes her combos muuuuuch longer than you think. Though, Raven probably got the most help outside Judy if he has Altered Arts. Raven REALLY wants Tennami no Ame, Mawaru Mawaru Keshiki, and Souten no Hirameki for his combos.

Also, you guys under estimated Karol's combo power, look at this sweet combo if he gets Altered Art. Might Charge-Lightning Wave-Kishinsenretsu Knock-physical x 1-Rokuha Spiderwave-Physical x 1-Bakusetsu Street-Maoumoshu Rise-Goukou Revolution-Shinkimesatsu Spark-Might Charge-Kyukyokushinsatsu Destroy

Fine, not as deadly as Yuri, but still very damaging.

BTW, Yuri's easiest Infinite is Saryurengazan-Guard Cancel-Saryurengazan-repeat into infinity.

As for Judy, the key of her combo is that jump cancel refresh her combo loop entirely, and she can jump 3 times, this means she has 3 chance of refreshing her loop. Added the fact that Yasenkou can be comboed after landing, this open up more chance to let Judy jump more. What is important is the timing and adjusting the distance between you and the enemy, so they are blown the direction you can catch up to and continue pounding on them.

[DjinnAndTonic]

Djinn man. You have nooooooooooooo idea how messed up everything gets if you allow common skills.

It's not that I don't want to use your stat topic. I do. It's clean and easy and roughly representative of in-game performance. However, my views for what I consider DL-legal are already set. If a character learns a skill or gets an attribute change from a unique piece of equipment, I allow it to that character. It's consistency... unfortunately.

There are a massive number of useful skills and an exponentially larger number of setups. Oh and Yuri goes all "IT'S CLOBBERIN TIME" because he gets OL Boost and BA Force. That gives him way more damage than adding an Altered Arte into a combo does for everyone else (and adding an Altered Arte doesn't boost the damage average much. Karol still gets more out of Charged Reaper Knock, for example).

Fair enough. I guess Yuri's OHKO is even more overpowered by my view... He doesn't really change much otherwise, except that he gets some status resistance.

Rita's overall damage if she burns all her SP on that type of spellcasting is actually kind of low, Djinn. She gets more over three turns if she goes with three Heavy Magic Meteor Storms. Though her one-turn Magic Burst styled damage would be respectable.

Invulnerability is invulnerability to everything, including status.

Wouldn't have expected that from Rita.  

Djinn, I have all the skills for Judy and I'm about average for using her. Your mileage will vary but I'm not going to give her credit for insane combos that I can't pull off. Feel free to post a combo in the average if you want. Though hey Yuri has an easy enough infinite (not until he runs out of TP, literally infinite) combo to compare against her.

I'm actually quite unskilled with Judith, but with just her basic abilities, it's really easy to preface anything even remotely complicated with Phys Chain -> Crescent Moon -> Rising Luna Rondo (Jump Cancel). After the Jump Cancel as she and her enemy are falling at about the same speed, she can restart her Aerial Phys Chain and move into a few different combo variations that are pretty easy to pull off. I haven't mathed it out yet, though. It's possible that even if she chains about 10 skills together she might not really be outdamaging her ground combos. I'll play around with it. When/if I find something reasonable and more damaging than her ground combo (with an Altered Arte thrown in), I'll bring it up. But apart from the timing on the Jump Cancel, none of the aerial combos I've tried out have been difficult at all. Though I checked out some Youtube videos and I've seen some of the impossible stuff and that's -not- what I'm proposing here.

EDITED before posting!

Djinn, if you allow the Wonder Symbol and Altered Arts, the top three should be like this Rita>>Judy>Yuri. NO, Rita's advantage is not THAT big. Altered Arts makes her combos muuuuuch longer than you think. Though, Raven probably got the most help outside Judy if he has Altered Arts. Raven REALLY wants Tennami no Ame, Mawaru Mawaru Keshiki, and Souten no Hirameki for his combos.

(For those curious, that's "Rain of Heaven's Tears", "Around and Around", and "Rain Down" in the English version.)
Rita's combos can't be -that- long since Pyro and I are considering her as running herself out of MP in the first turn... >.>;;

Also, you guys under estimated Karol's combo power, look at this sweet combo if he gets Altered Art. Might Charge-Lightning Wave-Kishinsenretsu Knock-physical x 1-Rokuha Spiderwave-Physical x 1-Bakusetsu Street-Maoumoshu Rise-Goukou Revolution-Shinkimesatsu Spark-Might Charge-Kyukyokushinsatsu Destroy

Fine, not as deadly as Yuri, but still very damaging.

(Might Charge - Lightning Wave - Reaper Knock - Physx1 - Destructo Spider Web - Physx1 - Destruction Street - Devil Rage Rise - Roaring Revolution - Death Quake Spark - Might Charge - Ultimate Divine Destruction in English)
Does that really lock the enemy up? I didn't think you could chain Devil Rage Rise into Roaring Revolution.

BTW, Yuri's easiest Infinite is Saryurengazan-Guard Cancel-Saryurengazan-repeat into infinity.

That's Dragon Swarm in English, and perfectly believable. That move is so broken.

As for Judy, the key of her combo is that jump cancel refresh her combo loop entirely, and she can jump 3 times, this means she has 3 chance of refreshing her loop. Added the fact that Yasenkou can be comboed after landing, this open up more chance to let Judy jump more. What is important is the timing and adjusting the distance between you and the enemy, so they are blown the direction you can catch up to and continue pounding on them.

Very good points. But the timing and moving is actually pretty difficult for some of the impressively long combos. The ones that just require careful timing of Jump Cancel are the ones I'll probably be considering, as that isn't very difficult and you can still get some decently long chains out of that.
Not sure what Yasenkou is... kanji please? Possibly Moon Glare? Or Dawn Moon? I'm pretty sure Dawn Moon resets the jump counter, so it's probably that. So far I've had a -lot- of trouble using Dawn Moon to extend combos, so I'm not considering that unless there's some endgame skill that I haven't gotten yet that makes it much more doable.

The combo I'm looking at right now is this one: Ground to Air Physical Chain - Crescent Moon - Rising Luna Rondo (Jump Cancel) - Air Physical Chain - Crescent Moon - Luna Crush - Dawn Moon - Rising Luna Rondo (Jump Cancel) - Crescent Moon - Thunder Moon - Moonbeam

I've pulled this one off a few times, but it requires humanoid-or-heavier enemies... also, it requires them not to die in the middle of it. *grumbles* It's pretty easy and doesn't require too much timing except on the Jump Cancels and Dawn Moon. Presumably you could chain that second Jump Canceled Rising Luna Rondo into the Air Physical Chain again for a combo loop, but I can't pull it off, so I just end the combo with the reliable Thunder Moon - Moonbeam combo. Thunder Moon does a particularly large amount of damage with this one because Judith ends up so high on the screen and it gets a lot more hits.

Still, I think she can do better, so I'm still playing around with it.

-Djinn

[Niu]

What I usually do is this

Ground aerial physicals->尖月->天雷槍月 (in right distance well blow enemy forward)-Aerial Dash forward-Aerial physicals->尖月->天雷槍月(cancel before the lighting falls)->aerial 月閃光(+8 hit extension)-Jump cancel out of the final kick(the timing is important here)->月破墜迅脚->(if enemy is close, then ground physical or use 天雷槍月 to get close)->ground 月閃光(+8 hit extension)->月破墜迅脚->Jump Cancel->月光

Ground to aerial physicals->尖月->円月・鳶(use it at the every end of 尖月 so you knock enemy upward)-jump cancel->aerial physicals (only if not breaking the combo)->神月烈破 (side kick extension)->aerial dash->aerial physicals->如月 (with upper strike extension)->円月・鳶->wait for a moment and then aerial 月閃光 (+8 hit combo)->Jump cancel out of the final kick(again, the timing is important here)->月破墜迅脚->(if enemy is close, then ground physical or use 天雷槍月 to get close->ground 月閃光(+8 hit extension)->月破墜迅脚->Jump Cancel->月光

[DjinnAndTonic]

In the English version:
GrndAir Phys - Piercing Moon - Thunder Moon - Aerial Dash - AirPhys - Piercing Moon - Thunder Moon (cancel before thunder falls) - aerial Moon Glare (8 hit ext, Jump Cancel out of final hit) - Luna Havoc - (if enemy is close, then ground phys or use Thunder Moon to get close) - ground Moon Glare (8 hit ext) - Luna Havoc (Jump Cancel) - Moonlight

GrndAir Phys - Piercing Moon - Rising Luna Rondo (Jump Cancel) - Air Phys (only if not breaking the combo) - Moonlight Blast (side kick ext) - Aerial Dash - Air Phys - Luna Rise (upper strike ext) - Rising Luna Rondo (wait a moment) - aerial Moon Glare (8 hit ext, Jump Cancel out of the final hit) - Luna Havoc - (if enemy is close, then ground phys or use Thunder Moon to get close) - ground Moon Glare (8 hit ext) - Luna Havoc (Jump Cancel) - Moonlight

Using Luna Havoc would certainly help the combo count, but I have trouble working that into a combo, personally. I'm guessing that this is her best damage combo?

I need to try out this 8 hit extension for Moon Glare...

-Djinn

[Idun]

Beat FF12. It's a pity the storyline finally started having super umpth to it in the last hour.

End music (vocal sucks). Art is beautiful as expected. I'd say. . .  7.0/10.0.

Letting the credits roll.

I CAN NOW MOVE ON!!

[superaielman]

Persona 4- Beat the first boss. 4/29. Augh, can't focus on all the links, it's going to drive me nuts. First boss was tough. Gameplay has potential, though I dislike not being able to change personas on anyone but the main.

OB- Whoever coded the status mechanics needs to be shot for crimes against mathmatics.

Edit: Dhyer, this is your fault for kicking me into restarting this. You can help me calculate elemental defenses.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

For S. Links, just focus on the PCs you intend to use first, then delve around. I'd heartily recommend a FAQ to get a grip on which links activate when and the days when they're available. Also, don't forget to have matching arcana Personas for the links before spending time with them, this hugely speeds up the levelling process.

[AndrewRogue]

Pokemon Platinum: Picked it up on a whim.

Ditched my starter to try and have a slightly more difficult playthrough. Proceeded to get a game over on the first real trainer when my L2 Starly and Bidoof proved inferior to his L5 Starly. Who'd have thunk it? Progressed pretty steadily after that. Up to the first gym and my team is as stands:

Starly
Shinx
Zubat
Bidoof
Kricketot

Look for suggestions on how to make my playthrough more difficult/random/wtf.

[Magic Fanatic]

Shadow Hearts: From the New World - Just beat Machu Picchu.  That dungeon's puzzle was not fun, even if the boss was easy (after some Stellar rearranging and Johnny getting off a Perfect Technical Ring Slow 1).  Got four battle bonuses from that boss.  I didn't even have to worry about the poison

Tales of Legendia - Here, I'm just after the Oresoren village in C2.  I like to grind like crazy now since I got Will and Chloe back for a full party.

BvS - I'm more elated than I have any right being.  In last week's Friday, I won a weekly competition with a character called Friday Knight Fights with a rather high score...  And I hear I got called an insane pusher.  Yesterday, I won The Friday Knights with that character, quite frankly stunning quite a few people.  Other than that, it's just been business as normal.

[Meeplelard]

Star Ocean 4 Abridged:

Final Episode - When Buildings Fall Down

Bacchus: It is advisable that we head off to Nox Obscurus now, and end its evil.
Edge: Yeah, you're right...LETS HEAD TO THE SANCTUARY AND LOOK FOR SOME RANDOM SIDE QUESTS THERE!
Myuria: Like that will be the-...
*They transport to the Sanctuary*
Gem of Might: Beat this stupid boss!
Gem of Courage: Beat these 4 fights in a row!
Gem of Love: Find a Psyndard Egg and hatch it!
Gem of Wisdom: Go to different planets and find this object!
Myuria: Well, they certainly showed me.
Reimi: Might, Courage, Wisdom, Love...these things sound...familiar...like they were used before...
Lymle: And Psynard looks kind of like Sinard, 'kay?
Sarah: Oh dear, these things were all in Star Ocean 2!
Meracle: Meow, that's crazy!
Edge: Yeah, these things are all CLEARLY ORIGINAL! Anyway, now that 3 of these 4 side quests are done...
Reimi: Why aren't we doing the 4th?
Edge: Cause it involves running around the entire galaxy and I really don't feel like doing that...
Arumat: You catch on quickly, amateur.
Edge: Anyway...TO THE BATTLE FIELD!

*ships fly off to Nox Obscurus*
Giotto: Alright, everyone, FIRE AT WILL! BLOW UP PHANTOM SHIPS!
*big space battle starts, the Calnus has problems hitting the target despite HUGE LASERS*
Meracle: Why aren't we destroying anything? Isn't our ship like uber powerful now!? </She actually says this>
Myuria: How strong a ship is doesn't matter if you can't hit anything!
Reimi: I know, I keep readjusting my calculations but they keep moving out of the way!
Sarah: Oh dear, I must go out there and fight!
Lymle: me too, 'kay?
Sarah: Yes, how do we get off this thing again?
Edge: ...so...without responding to that question properly, I have one thing to say...
Reimi: What's that?
Edge: WE'RE GONNA DIE!!!
Voice in Arumat's Head: Use the force, Arumat!
Arumat: Hmph, put the guns over here, will you?
*He starts targetting stuff manually*
Myuria: You aren't seriously thinking that's going to...
*Arumat hits everything WITH PIN POINT ACCURACY< sometimes blowing up 5 ships at once with single shots*
Myuria: Shooting...manually...its primitive and barbaric...but hey, if it works...
Arumat: Leave the shooting to me, you just fly us through this thing!
Edge: Right, Myuria, Arumat, I'm leaving this in your hands! Anyway, we've broken through the first line! Alright, time for the...

*Star Wolf music plays*
Wolf: Can't let you do that, STAR FOX CALNUS!!
Leon: Andross The Grigori has ordered us to take you down!
Pigma: Peppy Myuria, long time no see?
Andrew: Andross Grigori's Enemy is MY ENEMY!
Edge: Just what I needed to see, Star Wolf  A BUNCH OF SPACE FURRIES.  Lets take them out first! ALL RANGE MODE!!!
Lymle: Do a Barrel Roll, 'kay.
Wolf: You're good...but I'm better!
Edge: No, you aren't, only CROWE is!
Leon: Annoying bird, I am the great Leon!
Sarah: Oh dear, is he talking to me?
Pigma: You can't beat me, I've got a better ship!
Myuria: ...right...
Andrew: YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE!
Meracle: Meow, nor are you!
*the fight ends*
Wolf: I...CAN'T...LOSE!!!
Leon: THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!
Pigma: MY BEAUTIFUL REWARD....AAAAUUUUGHHH!!!!
Andrew: UNCLE ANDROSS!!!
Reimi: Edge...dear...what was up with that?
Edge: I...don't know, but hey, we won! Mission Com-...

*Nox Obscurus summons a huge fucking fleet much bigger than the previous one*
Edge: Ok, we barely survived the first line...HOW THE HELL ARE WE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS?
Bacchus: Estimated chance of success is...
*a bunch of lasers come out of nowhere, wiping out all the ships*
Bacchus: ...rising dramatically as we speak...
Edge: But...who is doing that?
Kenni: Ah! Calnus! YOu have Earth and the Eldarian's full support!  We'll help blow things up over here, and join with the Morphus.
Edge: Sweet! ANOTHER Deus Ex Machina! Though...can I ask you one question?
Kenni: Yes?
Edge: Where the HELL did you get all those ships from?
Kenni: Gameshark, of course.
Edge: Ah.
Kenni: Oh yeah, Commander Gaghan is here too, just to prove Eldarians are on our side!
Gaghan: Yes...say, where's Faize?
Edge: Oh, he's with Crowe, helping evacuated Eldarians!  I'm sure he's safe.
Gaghan: yes, I'm sure absolutely NOTHING could go wrong!
Edge: Yeah...NOW LETS WIN THIS...

*Nox Obscurus sucks up the Cardionan Ship, which was their landing point*
Bacchus: It seems we lack an opening...and something strange is happening with that planet...
Meracle: Meow! Something is happening!
*Nox Obscurus turns into a HUGE FUCKING DRAGON*
Reimi: What is that?
Arumat: So Nox Obscurus' final line of defense is turning into a planet sized Dragon...
Myuria: Say big guy, what's your scanners say about that things Power Level?
Bacchus: Its OVER 9000!!!!
Myuria: 9000!? THERE'S NO WAY IT CAN BE THAT HIGH!
Arumat: Would anyone mind if I shared my pessimism at this moment?
Edge: HEY! That's my job.  *Ahem* WE'RE GONNA DIE!!!
Reimi: Phew, no I feel relieved.
Sarah: Why might that be?
Reimi: Whenver Edge yells that, we're insured to live!
*Dragon fires a huge beam of death*
Edge: Um...shit, MYURIA! GET US OUT OF HERE!
*they dodge the beam, barely*
Myuria: Am I good or what?
Bacchus: Yes, but 40% of the Morphus, Eldarian and Earthling ships just got blown up.
Reimi: That beam...its heading towards earth...oh god!
Edge: Oh no, you don't mean...
Reimi: No, its not that bad.  I just mean we're about to shift the game's focus.

*Beam heads towards the moon
*Moon Base*
Shimada: HA! Everyone is gone getting themselves killed while I enjoy this lovely steak!
Yes Man #1: Um, sir, don't you think we should leave? I mean, its dangerous being here without the military to protect us!
Shimada: HA! Let the "heroes" handle everything, while we sit in luxury! I mean, what could go wrong! Also, THIS STEAK ISN'T COOKED!
*Beam of death hits the moon base head on*
Shimada: I DON'T KNOW WHAT HURTS MORE! THE IRONY OR THE PAINFUL DEATH!
*Moon base goes boom, beam travels just under Earth, missing it*
Edge: Well, that was a relief...so what's gonna...oh look, the Dragon's Head is gone! LETS ATTA-...
*Dragon's head regrows, fires ANOTHER BEAM*
Edge: Umm...shit?
Bacchus: I have bad news...while we did dodge this one, I cannot estimate how long it takes to fire.
Edge: Oh no! And the other ships can't help us! Is there no one out there who can help?
*the Aquila comes in out of nowhere, as a total wreck that is still flying*
Crowe: Hey Edge, sorry I'm late!
Edge: Damn it Crowe! Don't steal the show!  Anyway, what's up?
Crowe: Oh, not much.  I just kind of failed to save many Eldarian's since I fucked up.
Lymle: How's Faize!?
Crowe: He's probably DEAD.  No, we couldn't find the body, but he left on his Sol to take on the ENTIRE PHANTOM FLEET SINGLE HANDEDLY.  WE lost contact from there...
Lymle: ...I don't care if Faize is dead, 'kay.
Edge: So...uh...Crowe, even if your ship is busted, you read to attack that Dragon HEAD ON!?
Arumat: A suicide mission, eh? I like your style, Amateur!
Crowe: Actually, I have a plan.  You see, we can't win normally, so we'll cheat.  My plan is *insert technobabble here* and thus, CREATE A BLACK HOLE.
Edge: Oh, that sounds like a good-...wait, won't you kind of DIE at the same time?
Crowe: Yeah, I will, but that's kind of my job.  Besides, my ship is a piece of crap anyway.
Edge: So your ship can't fire lasers, but it can blow itself up creating a black hole?
Crowe: Yes.
Edge: Sure, I'll buy that!
Crowe: Anyway, Edge, its time I made up for all my failures! Be sure to KICK THE CRAP out of whatever is in there! *Crowe flies off*
Edge: NO! CROWE! DON'T DO IT!
Crowe: Alright, Phantoms, its been a while, but in the word's of my generation...UP YOURS!!!!!!!!!
*Black Hole is created, Dragon and Phantom Ships get sucked in*
Edge: ...no, I said I wouldn't yell it ever again!
Reimi: Edge, its ok.  You can make an exception in this case.  We'll understand.
Edge: Well, in that case...CROOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bacchus: In any event, we have no time to lose.  I have sent co-ordinates to where the exact landing point is!

*flying over Nox Obscurus, in somewhat of a trench*
Edge: STAY ON TARGET!
Reimi: Our Shields have taken all we can!
Edge: STAY ON TARGET!
Bacchus: And the Calnus has received severe damage.  We cannot take anymore hits.
Edge: STAY ON TARGET!!!!
Arumat: Um...crap, here come lasers, and they're gonna direct hit us.  So...anybody a holy man? Cause I'm not, and I refuse to pray, being Death itself and all that.
*Lymle starts chanting and such*
Meracle: Huh? I didn't know you were into praying, Lymle.
*Random drawings glow*
Reimi: What? There's a weird barrier around us...its deflecting all our shots!
*Calnus rams into another Phantom ship head on! Takes no damage, Phantom ship is destroyed, you can see a barrier around it*
Lymle: Its ok, 'kay.  I saved us all!
Reimi: Wait, Lymle, you...did all that?
Lymle: My drawings, they saved us, 'kay.
Reimi: I thought they were just drawings...oh well...
Edge: STAY. ON. TARGET!!!
*Calnus smashes into Nox Obscurus, crash lands, etc*
Edge: Ugh...are we in heaven?
Arumat: Not with me around we are.
Bacchus: It would appear we have landed successfully on Nox Obscurus.
Edge: We made it...and its all thanks to you Lymle.
Lymle: Hee-hee.
Myuria: So this is Nox Obscurus? Is it just me, or do I get the feeling we're going to have do our equivalent of an overworld here before we enter the dungeon?
Bacchus: That is correct; the actual entrance is 50 miles away.
Myuria: ...we couldn't have crash landed closer, could we?
Edge: Anyway, lets build that transporter here so the Morphus can force their way in!
*they do so, the Morphus charge off and are never seen beyond a few on the "overworld"*
Arumat: Betting anything every single one of those guys are dead, making this damn thing completely useless.
Edge: Yeah, but at least we can leave!

*after traversing the barren wasteland, killing random phantoms, riding bubbles, harvesting, mining, dealing with ANTI MAGIC/SPECIAL ARTES FIELDS, what have you*
Edge: OH GOD THE WIND IS TOO STRONG!
Myuria: How do you suggest we get in there then?
Edge: WE BUST OUR WAY IN!
Meracle: Wait! It smells a little different over there!
Sarah: Really? What's it smell like?
Meracle: I don't know, but if we go, I'll know!
*they go, find a HUGE SPACE SHIP WING logged into the ground, conveniently blocking the wind*
Edge: Crowe...he saved us again...this time out of shear dumb luck.
Reimi: Crowe came through for us again...even in his death.
Edge: How...can I surpass him? I can't now that he's gone.  He's really gone, isn't he?
Reimi: He is...
Edge: NO! THIS ISN'T HAPPENING! THERE'S NO REASON TO GO ON! WHAT...WHATAMIFIGHTINGFOR!!!
Reimi: *Smacks Edge* Damn it, this is no time for out of place badly voice acted angst!
Edge: Ow, sorry...anyway, lets head into this big odd infrastructure, shall we?

*Enter the Path of Creation*
Edge: So...time has stopped?
Bacchus: That would appear to be the case.
Reimi: So all we have to do is start it up again, right?
Myuria: And how do you suggest we do that?
Lymle: Lets touch that random crystal over there, 'kay?
Sarah: Now that won't wor-...
*time starts off, platform moves them to the door*
Sarah: Oh dear, I think I just got...what do you call it again? Owned?
*after starting time in other rooms, moving through random doors that make you jump over platforms, killing Lava Golems, Giant Apes, WEIRD SLIME CREATURES WITH TEETH THAT ARE IN EVERY STAR OCEAN, and grabbing a big snake staff along the way*
Sarah: Are we there yet?
Arumat; No.
Sarah: Are we there yet?
Arumat: No.
Sarah: Are we there yet?
Arumat: No.
Sarah: ...are we there yet now?
Arumat: Must...resist urge...to kill brain dead...girl...
Reimi: Hey look! A big ominous door that looks nothing like the others and is preceded by a Save Point! The music has also stopped and the place is called "Audience Chamber!"
Bacchus: I believe this is what many may call a "Point of No Return."
Myuria: In otherwords, one way in, no way out.
Edge: ITS TIME TO END THIS!

*team enters, sees a huge fucking guy in armor sitting on a chair*
Armored Guy: Greetings, mortals. I knew you'd be coming.  I am the Apostle of Creation, or just Apostle for short.
Edge: Die Monster, you don't belong in this world.
Apostle: It was not by my hand that I was once again given flesh, but by humans, who wished to pay me tribute!
Edge: Tribute!? YOU STEAL MEN'S SOULS! AND MAKE THEM YOUR SLAVES!
Apostle: The same can be said for all religions!
Edge: Your words are as empty as your soul! Mankind ill need a savior such as you!
Apostle:  What is a man? Bah! A miserable pile of secrets! But enough talk, HAVE AT YOU!
*battle starts, team wins, afterwords...*
Apostle: *on the ground* Is that all? YOU GUYS ARE WEAK!
Edge: BUt we just won...and we're worn out...are you saying...
*Apostle gets up without a scratch*
Apostle: AHAHAH! ALL IS ONE! ONE IS ALL! I will make a new universe free from pain and discomfort! Join me!
Edge: No.
Apostle: Oh, that's too bad *blasts everyone*
Edge: Argh! You're not a Grigori, are you?
Bacchus: He's like them, except he has motives...he wishes to save us...by destroying us...he conflicts his own motives!
Lymle: Faize, stop that, 'kay.
Edge: Wait, what?
Apostle: So you figured it out, did you?
*takes mask off, Faize is underneath*
Faize: Yes, it is I, Faize! I'm surprised you of all people could figure it out, Lymle.
Lymle: I said that ugly cloak doesn't fit you, 'kay.
Edge: Wait! You're alive? And now you're...evil?
Faize: I AM NOT EVIL! I just SAW THE LIGHT!!!! ...and IT BURNS!!!
Edge: ...
Faize: It also gave me absolute power to protect my brethren...which I will use to destroy everything and create a perfect paradise!  Yes, that's the kind of power the Missing Procedure promises.
Edge: You're not making any sense...
Faize: DOn't you see? I CAN'T BE LIKE YOU! I WAS WEAK! I NEEDED POWER! I NEED MORE POWER!!!!
Edge: But we can save people!
Faize: No! Not everyone can be saved! Yes, we saved Sarah...BUT IN THAT SAME ROOM PEOPLE OF THE BLACK TRIBE WERE MURDERED! We failed to save them! We failed! DO YOU NOT SEE MY PAIN!? I'd cut myself, but I'm covered to head and toe in black armor.
Edge: NO! You're not the Faize I once knew!
Faize: QUIET! Besides, DON'T CALL ME FAIZE ANYMORE! I AM THE APOSTLE OF CREATION! THE ESSENCE OF ALL THAT IS EMO AND ANGST! THE WARRIOR OF PEACE AND TRANQUILITY!
Sarah: And a complete psychopath!
Faize: Yeah and...HEY! SHUT UP!
Edge: NO! You're not like this Faize! We'll fight you til the end if we must! But please, RECONSIDER!
Faize: NO! Now if you excuse me, I have to BLOW UP THE EARTH! By the way, I'm sending you all to another dimension.
Edge: Wait what?

*Team gets sent to another dimenison*
Edge: ...where are we?
Bacchus: I don't know.
Edge: BUt you know everything!
Bacchus: My sensors are all Blue Screening right now.  I'm afraid to say I'm completely useless here.
Edge: Um...shit...wait, what's that Light I see? Hey guys! Lets go to the light!
Arumat: What light?
Myuria: I think you're seeing things.
Edge: Can't you see it!? ITS RIGHT THERE! ...oh hey, my crest is glowing...but follow me guys! I'm sure its the way out!
Meracle: Well, its not like anything can go wro-...
*All the Grigori from the past start showing up for each wrong turn they take*
Edge: Ok, no! THIS IS NOT A MEGA MAN GAME! I don't care how much Bacchus resembles him!
Reimi: Quit your whining and just kill them again!
*team gets tired out*
Edge: We're almost...there...just 700...more...miles...
Reimi: Edge...we can't see anything...you're the only one.
Edge: REally? ITS RIGHT...there...NO! DON'T DISAPPEAR!
Faize: Mwahahah! What's the matter, EDGE MAVERICK?  You're all alone now! Now, OPEN YOUR HEART TO DARKNESS!!! SUBMIT!!! and you will be given eternal peace and happiness!
Edge: ...BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Faize: ...what's so funny?
Edge: Me! That's what! I almost bought into it...but then I remembered Kingdom Hearts and...
Faize: ...
Edge: Kingdom Hearts...IS LIGHT!!!!! (...of life)
Faize: WHAT!?
Edge: Yeah! And with that, we can build a universe based on natural evolution, and no one is going to have to die! Sorry Faize, but now that I can see the light, YOU LOSE!
Faize: Ok, that has nothing to do with anything...
Edge: Cause...CUE A SAPPY SCENE WITH A BUNCH OF NPCs NOW!
*Edge meets up with Commander Grafton, Lymle's Grandpa, Eleyna, Gaghan, Klaus, Heinz, Commander Kenny, Crowe, Faize, who all say something WITHOUT VOICE ACTING*
Faize: No! Not that sappiness! I cannot resist that! But that's not going to be enough to beat me, YOU'RE STILL STUCK!
Edge: Yeah, well, I'M OUT OF YOUR DIMENSION NOW!
Faize: ...oh...shit...
Edge: Anyway, FAIZE, you read to fight!
Faize: Don't...call...me...FAIZE!
Lymle: We'll keep calling you it over and over and over again! Faize! Faize! Faize! Faize!
Faize: NO! STOP IT! DON'T CALL ME...
Lymle: FAIZE!!!!
Faize: GRAH!!!! That does it, you've forced me to use my trump card!
*Faize turns into a huge half robotic, half angelic, transvestite thing*
Edge: Faize, you're my friend, and its because you're my friend I'M GOING TO HAVE TO KILL YOU!
Lymle: Burn, TRAITOR!!! 'kay.

*one really long, stupid, boss fight later, involving a gimmick that isn't too stupid, but its followed by a high offense 8 MILLION HP freak of nature that has nearly undodgable moves*
Edge: You...are...such...a prick...I mean, geez, did you REALLY need to have 8 Million HP?
Faize: *is back to normal* Looks like I lose, huh? *Collapses on the floor*
Edge: Faize No!
*Edge runs over to Faize*
Edge: Crowe risked his life for me...and now you too...I should have saved you.  I should have been the one to FILL YOUR DARK SOUL WITH LIIIIIIIIiiiiiIIIIIGHT!!!! LIIIIiiiiiIIGHT!!! liiiight, light...
Faize: ...I'm not dead yet...
Edge: Oh, shit, so I just wasted melodrama for nothing?
Faize: Pretty much, heh.
Lymle: Faize, you're ok now, 'kay.
Faize: Lymle, thank you, I didn't think you of all people would figure me out.
Lymle: Faize, I lied to you, 'kay.  That cloak looked...kinda...okay, 'kay?
Faize: That makes me feel kind of happy to hear!
Bacchus: bad news, THIS ENTIRE PLANET IS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE! It seems Mr. Faize was a Load Baring Boss.
Reimi: Lets get out of here then!
Edge: You heard her! Lymle, get going, Faize, I'm carrying you...slowly...so we can have a man to man talk.
Faize: OK.

*Lymle almost falls down a collapsing floor, GETS SAVED BY BACCHUS THOUGH!*
Faize: Edge...where did I go wrong? I just wanted to be strong like you!
Edge: And you still can! You just gotta KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH YOUR OWN FEET!
Faize: SO THAT'S where I went wrong! I was basically moving forward on a scooter instead, using that power that was given to me!
Edge: Yeah, pretty much!
Faize: That's not very encouraging, Edge...
Edge: Well, you DID just try to kill me...
Faize: ...touche...
Arumat: So how are we getting out of here? All the exits are blocked by HUGE PITS!
Myuria: While your pessimism isn't appreciated...I can't help but agree.
*Random seal appears out of nowhere*
Meracle: Meow, what's that!
Myuria: Oh! A transportation circle!
Reimi: Sweet Deus Ex Machina how I love you!
Gioto: Quickly, get over here now!
Myuria: Wait, I thought we COULDN'T make them here?
Giotto: Oh, now that Nox Obscurus is going haywire, its power is gone, so we in fact can do it now!
Myuria: Isn't that a little too...convenient?
Giotto:Y es, but we have to get you out of here somehow.
Reimi: Wait, where's Edge? *looks over, Edge is holding onto Faize*
Reimi: Edge! NO! I MUST GO RESCUE HIM!
*she jumps down a pit, getting her self into trouble even though Edge himself wasn't in much trouble*
Reimi: Edge!!!!
Sarah: I GOT YOU!!! *she's flying*
Reimi: LET ME GO! I NEED TO GET TO EDGE! EVEN IF IT MEANS I WILL DIE!
Sarah: I can't let you go! Not now!
*They get back to the circle*
Lymle: Edgie, Faize, get over here, 'kay?
Reimi: LET ME GO! NO! EDGE! EDGE! EDGE!!!!!!!!
Edge: Faize...I won't let go...don't worry! You won't be weak, you'll be strong, just like me!
Faize: I'm sorry, Edge, it looks like this is the end!  I guess I have to end this Titanic like sequence in a very titanic like way.  Good bye, my friend! *he lets go*
Edge: FAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
Reimi: EDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edge: I...*looks at everyone, nods to Giotto*
Giotto: Very well...good bye *transportation circle goes*
Reimi: NO! EDGE! I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU!!! EDDDDDGGggggeee.....
Edge: Welp, time to follow Faize down this pit!
*Edge does exactly that, starts falling towards the light*

*one year later*
Kenni: And so, we will now make an under developed planet act!  Yes, that's right, we won't interfere with underdeveloped planets.  As a result, my own descendant will not accidentally use a Phaser Gun in front of a long eared Blue Haired Girl, saving her from a giant winged ape, and thereby be considered a Hero of Light!  Nope, this definitely will not happen, because of this pact!  Oh yeah, the people who came up with this idea? THEY ARE NAMELESS HEROES!!!
*Reimi is watching, smiles and walks away, we see a silouhette of Edge!*

*shift back one year, right after destruction of Nox Obscurus, Faize's Sol is seen headed towards Kenni's ship, the team runs out to see who it is, with Reimi up front*
Edge: Uh, hi...guys...yeah, I'm sort of not actually dead...
Reimi: EDGE YOU JERK! *mallets him* YOU HAD ME SO WORRIED ;_;
Edge's Mind: Maybe I SHOULD have actually died...
Kenni: Well, thanks to you, Mr. Maverick, we can now explore UNDERDEVELOPED PLANETS!
Gaghan: Yes, we Eldarians will move to Lemuris.  Conveniently, Eldarian Lore speaks of a paradise called Lemuria, and its located exactly where Lemuris is suppose to be! Oh yeah, the people on that planet are supposedly the same exact race as us, just apparently not genetically created in labs, so they can teach us about your MATING WAYS!
Kenni: Yes, and we are now allies with En II!  So, will you join us, Mr. Maverick?
Edge: FUCK NO!
Kenni: Huh? WHY NOT!?
Edge: Cause that'll just be like the Grigori!  Giving them things they shouldn't have, forcing them down a path of evolution they aren't suppose to go! ITS MADNESS!
Kenni: Madness? THIS IS THE USTA!!!!
Edge: YEah, well, I stand by my beliefs!  And you Eldarians are not better!
Gaghan: Ok, so what if we colonize the planet but COMPLETELY DROP ALL OUR TECHNOLOGY!?  WE'd just be assimilating into our own brethren then!
Edge: ...oh, that would be fine.
Giotto: YEs, and En II will LIVE IN THE SHADOWS STILL, keeping an eye on the Missing Procedure!
Edge: That works too!
Kenni: I...guess I can't win this one.  Alright, I'll tell them we can't use Eldarian Technology from here on in!
Reimi: You did it, Edge!

*shift one year, to S.D. 12*
Kenni: I'm the PRESIDENT now, and I must go speak to these heroes!   Ah, Mr. Edge Maverick, you are hearbye Captain of the Earth Galactic Transporation Unit!
Edge: SIR!!!
Kenni: And Miss Reimi Saionji, you are now First Officer!
Reimi: Sir!
Kenni: I'm sorry to be so formal, but you know how things are?  Also, its these uniforms, though I have to say, aren't they really styling?
Edge: I'm still use to wearing all that SPACE ARMOR, to be honest...
Kenni: Anyway, the ship you'll be piloting is over there!  And the guy who made it...
*some guy who looks EXACTLY LIKE KLAUS walks in*
Edge: KLAUS!?!?!?!?
Guy: Who? no, My name is Trillias! Trillias Bachtein.  I was the guy who built your ship!  I'm very proud of it!
Edge: Ah, cool, thanks! We'll take good care of it!
Trillias: I was the guy who implemented Eldarian Technology into our ships in the first place!  Though to be honest, I want to SURPASS THEM! I share your sentiments exactly Edge.  We shouldn't EVOLVE!!!! with the help of others.  I hope to someday...and by hope I MEAN I WILL, create a warp drive better than the Eldarian's! What kind of scientist would take technology handed to them on a SILVER PLATTER!?
Edge: Huh? That sounds familiar!
*shift back to Alternate Earth*
Klaus: What kind of scientist would accept technology just handed to them ON A SILVER PLATTER!?
*shift back*
Edge: Wow! You're exactly like that other guy in everyway!
Trillias: Who?
Reimi: *smacks Edge* DO NOT SPEAK OF THAT!
Edge: Ow! Sorry! Anyway, I guess we'll be heading off!
Kenni: Good luck you too...AND GOD SPEED!!!

*on the ship*
Edge: So this is the first ship I actually earned, huh?
Reimi: Yeah, feels good doesn't it?
Edge: Yeah, better than just sort of falling into the captain's seat.  Isn't that right, CALNUS!?
Reimi: You named the ship the same thing as the previous one?
Edge: Uh, yeah? I was never the most creative at naming things...
Reimi: You weren't!
Edge: So, Reimi, you ready?
Reimi: Yeah.  So long as I'm with you, I'LL ALWAYS BE READY!  Even if you tell me to leave, I won't! I want to be with you...FOREVER EDGE! AND EVER AND EVER!
Edge: Good.  Now lets get going. Lets head off into that STAR OCEAN!!!!!

THE END!!!!

EPILOGUE!

Kenni: Being the neutral pure fanservice guy whose suppose to be totally likable, I figure now would be a good time to ask you each one thing.  How do you feel YOU developed in this game!?

Edge: Well, I started off SHoot First, Ask Questions later...then I went into a massive angst mode...then I got better, and now I'm all heroic and stuff! I feel pretty good!
Reimi: I started the game as a token best friend stereotype and...well, I ended up Edge's lover!  So I'm still a stereotype!
Faize: Well, I started off Mr. perfect, and suddenly became the most emo guy alive and now probably gained the hate of everyone around me.  Are you really shocked that I committed suicide in the game's ending?
Lymle: I'm cute, 'kay.  I also still don't like Faize much, 'kay.
Edge: Ouch, BURN!
Bacchus: I'm just a robot.  Do you really think I could develop much?  I exist to say smart things that no one understands, but the entire cast pretended to understand me.
Meracle: Meow, I'm hungry.  I never got anything to eat...*eyes Sarah again*
Myuria: Well, I guess I...stopped...hating...Crowe.  That's something, right? 
Arumat: Yeah, you were a bitch at the beginning and still are one.
Myuria: And you're a complete jack ass all the same.
Arumat: Yeah, but at least I don't pretend to be anything but that.  After all, I AM DEATH ITSELF!
Sarah: I...don't know what this character development thing is suppose to be.  Is that like fighting or something?
Meracle: Meow, come on Lymle, we have a lot of explaining to do to Sarah.
Lymle: Ok, come here Sarrie!

Kenni: I...don't think they quite understood the point of this exercise...say, Bacchus was it?  What's the final read outs about this general experience?
Bacchus: Calculations estimate it is somewhere in the 70% range, but hard to be exact.
Kenni: Ah, could be far worse then!

[Niu]

Meep, Faize didn't die. Or you didn't get his ending?
Lymle imprinted the teleportation circle on his cloak in the Lymle acting sneaky PA. And the game hinted that Faize is alive by showing Sol can still move. And the teleportation circle is programed to send Faize back to Lemuris if he is in danger.

Using Luna Havoc would certainly help the combo count, but I have trouble working that into a combo, personally. I'm guessing that this is her best damage combo?

I need to try out this 8 hit extension for Moon Glare...

-Djinn

Forget to mention from 月閃光 to 月破墜迅脚 also needs a jump cancel.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

S3 - Geddoe 1 beat! Time to hit Suikosource to find where can I get the good runes earlier.

EDIT: Thomas 1! Martha is fucking MVP.

[Grefter]

WoW - So yeah we have slowed down a lot.  Mimiron still not dead.  Had my first actual look at the fight, we get to phase 4.  It is a bit sloppy sometimes, but looks very doable (So it is already a million times better than Gruul was for me back in BC when I started raiding).  Pretty cool fight.  I would like to see it dead just to see the numbers our mages can put out on Vezax though.

[Random Consonant]

Endless Frontier: Beat Slutbot MkII, who managed somehow to be less threatening than her support.  FAIL.

[metroid composite]

Bunch of Touhou while I was in "OW MY FACE" mode yesterday.

12 Demo, Normal: 1cced with not much stock left...Sanae B or Marisa A, I think?
11 Easy, MarisaB: 1cced with like...7 stock left.
10 Easy, MarisaC: 1cced with like...5 stock left.
8 Normal, Solo Youkari: 1cced with like...5 stock left.
7 Easy, MarisaA: 1cced with 0 stock left
6 Normal, MarisaA: 1cced with 1 stock, 3 bombs

VP:COTP, B route: I'm in Chapter 5.  I have to say that battles which end when the boss is killed are annoying for sin requirements--though often it makes sense.  Where it's really obnoxious is battles like that where the boss has the "generic enemy" music, whereas some of his underlings have "confidence in the domination".  Seriously, what?  That random generic who wasn't the strongest unit on the board and had no plot or lines was somehow important enough to instant-end the fight?

[NotMiki]

think that's some kind of coding error?  that doesn't seem quite as bad as Stella Deus' boss fights, but that's pretty messed up.

[superaielman]

Persona 4- Persona 4 fishing eludes me. Oh well. Up to early may so far.


Game's really fun, but there (Surprisingly) hasn't been enough combat yet.

[Anthony Edward Stark]

WoW - So yeah we have slowed down a lot.  Mimiron still not dead.  Had my first actual look at the fight, we get to phase 4.  It is a bit sloppy sometimes, but looks very doable (So it is already a million times better than Gruul was for me back in BC when I started raiding).  Pretty cool fight.  I would like to see it dead just to see the numbers our mages can put out on Vezax though.

We're currently stuck on Thorim, ourselves. Haven't found quite the right ratio for the gauntlet.

[metroid composite]

Mistic Square Easy Mima: 1cced with 3 lives left.  You know, I always wonder which mode people mean when they refer to Touhou game difficulty.  This matches up with my past Mystic Square Easy experience--about as easy as you'd expect from a Touhou easy.  I can't really comment on Lunatic, but I've never 1cced a Lunatic (cleared a Lunatic, sure).

[Excal]

Eh, it's a modern Persona, there's exactly as much combat as you want.  Unless it's The Answer.

Speaking of the Answer, I'm almost done that.  Managed to reach what looks like it has to be the final boss.  The last three battles were surprisingly brutal, and with the restrictions on who I could use, ended up being all about what I could wall.  Fortunatly, Susano-o with a Null Slash cribbed off of Chernobog left the bosses unable to hurt Aigis with anything they liked to use, and the Resistance against Wind was also very much a blessing.  Ice resistance would have also been nice, but without the Compendium, I'm not going to screw around with trying to find that one little thing.  Especially since Chernobog and his starting with Null Slash was a bloody lucky find with what I have.   Still had a few resets to Bufudyne and status cheese, but it went much better than that one attempt to use Magic Mirrors, which just got me Twin Megalodaoned to death.

Aside from the last three boss fights, which very much felt like Journey style Wall this and win battles, I've actually enjoyed the boss fighting a fair bit more, generally after the fact.  The way they have varied weaknessess and resists, as well as varied elemental offenses rewards just knowing what to null is less important than knowing how to command your party.  Which in turn makes fine tuning the AI that much more important.  So, the wise use of the Tactics menus, and even the rush button, becomes the way you win.  Generally something I can approve of.  The battle at the end of Empyria is, granted, different from all of the above, and oddly easy, but more than stylish enough to make up for any other shortcomings it may have had.

Aside from that, OG2 is almost finished.  Just need to finish up the last two chapters, and then see if I got enough bonus points for the bonus stage.  If I touch that thing again, it'll be Hard Mode, which should be interesting.  Also means I'll probably need to make sure I'm ready to upgrade and use the dreaded Ratselmon duo.

Finally, tooling around a bit with LFT and Brig.  LFT, currently in chapter 1, getting used to the spike in difficulty and reminding myself that I can't just use whatever.  Though I have managed to get three different sources of ressurection.  Brig is a Hard Mode Carleon playthrough.  Esgares got the Iscalio kill, despite my doing all of the hard work there, but it's okay.  I got the Bahamut, decent selection of other monsters, and Esgares is the only remaining faction that's smaller than it was at start of game.

[DomaDragoon]

Lego Batman: Cleared Chapter 1. The game is definitely a step down from LSW and Indy, but it's still fun.

[Unoriginal]

WoW - So yeah we have slowed down a lot.  Mimiron still not dead.  Had my first actual look at the fight, we get to phase 4.  It is a bit sloppy sometimes, but looks very doable (So it is already a million times better than Gruul was for me back in BC when I started raiding).  Pretty cool fight.  I would like to see it dead just to see the numbers our mages can put out on Vezax though.

We're currently stuck on Thorim, ourselves. Haven't found quite the right ratio for the gauntlet.

We keep one of the mages out in the arena and send the rest of the casters along, as the added AoE can help keep pressure off the melee, and the caster mobs have some buffs they can swipe.  If you're having trouble with the second half of the gauntlet, have the tank get initial aggro on the initial mobs then rush up the stairs to tag the sub-boss to shut off the flow of reinforcements.  Works for us, at least.

[Smashy]

BMD: UFO death get <_<  Dunno what any of the other achievements are (I'm guessing that they're probably something like 100% completion and speedruns or something)

Estiah: Smashy receives charm : [Grallan's Rancor]

Now I can POIZN EVERYONE.  When I gain a level to actually use the thing.

[Veryslightlymad]

FE8:

Played Distant Blade. Beat up on Pablo for ultimate satisfaction. Slaughtered him with Colm because I like levelling my higher level characters on bosses. (I'm pretty sure Colm and Garcia are both level 20 now.

Does anyone know FOR SURE if you need promotion items in this game, or is it a game where you can level to "21" and promote that way? This is pretty darned important for me. Also, how do the trainee promotions work? Do they need items? I'm supposedly using Ewan on this run.

PC Breakdown:

Eirika: Is Eirika, albeit somewhat stat raped right now. Still, she holds her own in combat and is reasonably leveled. I'm confident she'll be very good in a little bit.

Colm: Slaughters pretty much everything. Maxed speed already for his pre-promo, and he's pretty good in all other respects save maybe HP. Colm is one of my main guns that I used to slaughter bosses with. His promotion fate, like that of everyone else, is in Hatbot's hands. I dunno if I'm doing that NOW or LATER though. It depends on if I can level past 20.
EDIT
By "already" I meant "Several levels BEFORE 20, which he now is after killing Pablo."

Garcia: Is probably my MVP up to this point, but I gave him a slight boost in both speed and defense. He's pretty much invincible and does a fuckload of damage. I hope Hatbot is kind and makes him a Warrior (Fighter?!) instead of a Hero. But he'd still be a serviceable hero.

Forde: Is the most RNG raped character I've ever had in an FE game. He was going so strong, and then BAM! Several levels in a row where he just gained HP. I'm pretty sure Forde is gonna get the bulk of my stat-boost items, because YE GODS he might need them.

Artur: Is Artur/Lucius. I think Monk might well be my favorite prepromo class in FE. It's that or Cavalier, but Forde is pissing me off right now.

Tethys: Is Tethys. Has leveled once. Kind of a disappointing one, but I'm sure she'll be game MVP regardless.

Neimi: Is absolutely disgusting and has something like five more levels as archer. I think I might like Neimi more than Rebecca. Yeah, I said it. She'll be badass regardless of what Hatbot makes her into.

[Ultradude]

VSM: You'll need items for regular promotions, i.e. Thief to Assassin, but Trainees promote at level "11".