Shadow Hearts 3 challenge: Las Vegas
Some bookkeeping before this dungeon; I grab Johnny's Panoramic Lens. This is obviously helpful for wasting less time on snaps but also +2 to a few stats is nice. I also make a run at taking down the second Natan UMA, but since it 2HKOs Natan reliably and has very solid stats for the time I lose and decide it might as well wait until after Las Vegas (its only reward is the statue which reduces La Sirene's MP costs, not too important).
So anyway, Las Vegas itself features a bunch of fights against Petty Gangsters and Gangster Hoodlums, who appear in large numbers (typically 6) but aren't very dyrabke. They're weak to water and light in an effort to show off La Sirene, and indeed, after I power La Sirene's skills and stats up one level she can OHKO both of them with either Bright Rage or Hail Dust which is very nice. Johnny's not so fortunate, needs weakness to OHKO, but he can take out a group of the same type. Their own attacks are ring statuses, though the damage is decent.
At this point Ricardo joins, so Johnny comes out for him except to take snaps of a few enemies. Ricardo's stats are a bit better due to levels. He also joins with several excellent spells: Arc Cure, Red Bounce (the second medium-radius spell that hits ground enemies), and Gale Blast (finally a useful wind attack! The first was ST and only hits aired enemies... and earth-elemental enemies are almost inevitably ground-based).
Three new tougher enemies at this point, who take some effort to 2HKO (and are never OHKOed). The Ghoul makes a good target for my new Gale Blast, and otherwise is notable for having a ground attack, Rock Burst which will miss Shania if she is Thunderbird or La Sirene. The Automaton is the opposite, a wind-element enemy, but isn't too notable. Butchers must die first, they have Evil Shade which is a medium-range stock destroyer. They'll also cast Rage which makes anything have really nasty physicals.
This dungeon has nothing as evil as petrify so it's certainly easier than the last, and also the non-mafia enemies never swarm. Early in this dungeon I pick up the Petrify ring add-on which is very useful here, as all three enemies are vulnerable to it. I give it to Shania whose physicals 2HKO anyway, so I can open with that and hope to take out an enemy, and if it misses Ricardo can finish with Gale Blast, Bright Rage, or Rock Bumb anyway.
Malice Edna
Edna's another notable jump in durability from the last boss (again, over 50% more HP). Fortunately this time I can use physicals again, and do. Rage, Heat Edge Shania does just shy of 200 damage.
Edna mainly uses magic, Hail Dust and the non-elemental Black Hole. Like the previous bosses, Edna can 2HKO the forced PC (mostly due to Hail Dust hitting weakness, Black Hole falls just short but together they work). If she gets a Double she will use physical + Shock Max, another water spell, which one-rounds Ricardo but fortunately she'll hit Shania just as often (probably because the lead-in attack -isn't- water?). She occasionally uses Mental Breakdown, a MT status attack like Ronwei's poison. Mental Breakdown is a pretty nasty MP poison so if I'm attached to the character's MP it needs to be healed immediately. Fortunately, Mental Breakdown misses about half the time; unfortunately it has a fast recharge time. Lastly, Edna has Surge, which she'll use once when she falls below half HP; it lets her 2HKO Shania as well but goes away after a few turns.
Arc Cure is a huge help here, since if Edna spreads out her damage (and she often does), it can cancel two of her turns or even more. It means I rarely need to worry about Shania in particular; I just use Arc Cure whenever Ricardo gets attacked. Ricardo's also responsible for the initial Heat Edge, and will also use Rage on Shania if needed, Gale on Shania if he really lacks another useful action, and Red Nova if Edna's stock is getting too high.
Shania, meanwhile, is responsible for damage, which means lots of physical attacks (hard hitting if stock destruction seems useful). She'll also use Cure Plus on herself if her own HP falls very low (since it is notably more than Arc Cure), Arc Rage if it's needed, and Howling whenever either PC is running low on SP. I mostly use Ta'tanka for the offence and Howling, but La Sirene for Cure Plus and items (since it has the best overall non-offence stats).
Obviously MP restoration, status healing, and revival items are used as necessary.
It's an easier fight than Procyon for a couple reasons (mostly having free damage through physicals and Arc Cure) but still fairly tough; no shock there.
Levels were Ricardo 17/Shania 18 going into the fight, both are now one level higher. I go back and beat the Caribbean UMA now (which is very easy since it is just a worse version of Edna right down to being water element). Next up are the first round of Lovecraft trials and then the last dungeon of the first half.
