Record Keeping Final Fantasy Record Keeper

[DjinnAndTonic]

Tyrfing. FF3 Synergy FINALLY! No regrets. Especially since Enhancer wasn't an option.

Should probably consider an 11-pull on the current banner huh? Ugh.. but what if I get a Cyan weapon?

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

I'm currently undecided between Ras Algethi, Valkyrie and Storm Staff from the beginner's banner. I don't have to make decision anytime soon, of course, but we'll see. And yeah, S/L Grimoire is a sleeper hit there. SSB-level damage off an initial selection banner is quite strong even off Loserface stats.

[Grefter]

Cranberries - Linger.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

EDIT: Still pondering which relic to pick from the Beginner's Selection. I'm not going to bother pulling until after Banner 1, of course (it definitely will affect whether Valkyrie is a potential option or not, since pulling either Cardinal or Skycutter would lessen its value considerably), but even assuming one of those ends up in my lap, it ain't such a simple choice: 1,2, 4 and 10's choices are out of the table by default (GIANT'S GLOVES and DUSK SPEAR, DeNa? You magnificent trolls), I have no use for a -second- Cyan relic, I can't justify picking up the Buster Sword when there's a new FF7 banner every month (and even then, it's seriously outdated) and I have no use for a second Wild Bear in 13's case.

On the other hand, Tyrfing, Healing Staff, Storm Staff, Ras Algethi and even Ninja Chainmail have legit arguments: though I have no more use for FF3 synergy until six months later, Advance has some interesting potential uses with Luneth (so much damage with multi-hit skills), but is risky. Healing Staff would entirely obsolete my Judgment Staff, but the +20% holy damage is quite interesting. Storm Staff just has an -excellent- stat mix and would make a great alternate sage weapon. Ras Algethi would be my strongest gun and having a Steal Powerable relic SB would be sorta nice. Ninja Chainmail, well, the accurate MT slow is something to seriously consider even though Thancred is an awkward PC. This selection is honestly a lot more -interesting- than JP's, though it appeases fangirl impulses a lot less, and I should mull it over for a while.

[Cotigo]

This kinda slipped by under the radar and even I didn't notice it until now, but some summons just got a pretty big buff in JP. Basically, any 4*+ summon worth its salt hits twice now. Overall multipliers haven't been changed, so this effect is minimal against high level, high-RES content, but summons just became amazing for grinding dungeons. Dealing 9999x2 against the Dream Stooges on classic mode was very, very cathartic to the Zenny who had to restart an entire FF6 file due to them as a kid.

With decent de/buffing I bet this could be pretty useful against high end content, particularly for clearing out adds (like, this would have been beautiful for Velius). Pretty neat.

EDIT: Leviathan down. Team was the usual. Would maybe have been difficult if I hadn't heard y'all complaining about his dungeon mode and having that key me into the fact that I should reflect him. Reflect just utterly wrecks him, though. Hasted Zack/Bartz throwing Thundara/ga spellblades at him was kinda ridiculous.

The fight was noteworthy in that there was one turn where I just said fuck it and had every single character use their SSB.

Also, honed R2 Full Break, because why not. What am I gonna use those Thunder/Ice orbs for? Holy? Honing Quetzaqotl since summons that hit weakness are potentially super good now? Actually yeah both of those would have been good ideas but, fuck it, YOLO.

EDIT 2:

For reference, the list of summons that now hit twice (overall damage modifier is the same as previous):

Shiva
Ramah
Ifrit
Syldra
Leviathan
Maduin
Valefor
Ixion
Alexander

These summons hit twice AND got a boost to damage modifier:

Quetzaqotl
Bahamut

lol maybe bahamut may be worth crafting now

y'know if you can ever find Major Summon Orbs outside of an orbfest

[Scar]

Yeah, I chose balthier's gun.

Was hoping kain's weapon would have been an option. Ah well.

Also, didn't get any 5 star items in the 11 pull to get the freebie.

[Captain K]

To be fair, Dusk Lance is a really good weapon, just on a really bad character.  Great for Gilgamesh to retaliate with in X realms.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

This kinda slipped by under the radar and even I didn't notice it until now, but some summons just got a pretty big buff in JP. Basically, any 4*+ summon worth its salt hits twice now. Overall multipliers haven't been changed, so this effect is minimal against high level, high-RES content, but summons just became amazing for grinding dungeons. Dealing 9999x2 against the Dream Stooges on classic mode was very, very cathartic to the Zenny who had to restart an entire FF6 file due to them as a kid.

With Kuja coming next as a PC, they also seem to be signaling a slow swing back to magic improvements. The next two Darkness skills are both mage tools (Doom+Mag Up on self and 2-hit magical ability+increased damage underDoom), which is neat for the mages with Darkness on their skillsets (hi, Kefka. Hi, Vincent. Hi, Edea, Hi, Exdeath). Hopefully we'll start seeing new Black Magic tools as well, we haven't seen a new BM ability since Darkra, on -Lulu's- event which's already a thing of the past even on Global.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

This Orbfest may be very disappointing in terms of XP, but the returns on orb farming are simply -nuts-. I'm getting upwards of three-four Greaters per run and I've got five Major Orbs in less than 24 hours in less runs than I did on the -other- Orbfest. I just honed Drainga to R4 and R4 Blizzaja is also a lock for phase 3. Ultimate Exdeath, bite my shiny metal ass.

[Shale]

I snuck in a clear of the Dragon fight in Sephiroth's event this afternoon – it went a lot better than I expected, no deaths at all thanks to Boon, power/magic break and the Sun Bath regen. So my comfort level is up to difficulty 75 and I'm taking a shot at the Orbfest + fight. I still can't farm that level much since I've only got 72 max stamina, but hey, any Major Orbs are way better than no Major Orbs.

[Cmdr_King]

Haven't had Snow's luck (no one does), but yeah I'm definitely averaging 1 greater orb per stage at minimum.  I'm thinking the + stage boosts the 3/4 ratio from regular cactuars in 4's favor 'cause it's damn consistent so far.

[Shale]

+ fight down, got enough Greater Black Orbs to craft a single solitary offensive spell. Drainga, maybe?

Edit: oooh, I can make that plus Thundaga Strike! Shiny.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

Shale: if at all possible, I recommend crafting Waterja. Cheaper to craft and hone and takes orbs that aren't high-demand. Drainga is cool, but there's a lot of stuff you use Greater Darks for. Ruinga is also worth looking at once you have Mana Spring II.

[Meeplelard]

Picked Ras Alghetti for the Beginner's Banner because Guns are rare, and a large number of characters really want them, or in the case of Lightning and Balthier, gain legitimate cool niches with them (ranged Spellblades.)

The FF10 Realm Synergy hype on Dusk Lance for Gilgamesh doesn't work for me on that note since I have Auron's Shimmering Blade, Tidus' Brotherhood, and the Heat Lance...one could say I'm not exactly starving for FF10 Synergy.  That's not even factoring in Yuna's Lullaby Rod too!

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

Tangentially, I've rolled my eyes so hard at the salt maelstrom in Reddit over the beginner's selection guaranteed draw that there's a hole in my eye sockets.

[Captain K]

Not to mention the salt over the xp during Festive Fantasy.  Never mind that these are the best orb drops we've ever had by a large margin, the fucking experience is so important.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

The salt over the relics still makes me laugh more. Uh, guys, did you -really- expect them to hand over no-gacha-attached a relic that'll be featured on a banner scheduled for next week, one from a fucking Soul Break Spectacular set and one on a CURRENTLY LIVE BANNER? The selection ain't perfect (Binding Rod would be a more interesting FF13 equip than Wild Bear and Dusk Lance + Giant's Glove feel tailored specifically to troll the hell out of Reddit), but it's overall more diverse and widens more paths for newbies than JP's set, lack of AoE healing aside.

[hinode]

Yeah sure, but how do you expect people to live without the ability to improve their backrow Terra's breakdown damage from ~300 to ~500 per hit with a mage sword???

[Nephrite]

Look buddy, I'd rather have Ashe's saber rather than the Storm Staff which probably has higher magic anyway and is usable by way more people than a mage sword is.

[Cotigo]

What's that. People outside of the DL are acting like idiots about a game we're all playing? Must be a day that ends in y.

Though tbh while I'm happy with my beginner banner pick yalls selection kicks the shit outta JPs so I myself am a tad salty about the global banner. But that's different. Mostly because I am the salty one. It's me. Therefore better.

[Grefter]

I love my own salty flavour and so should you

[Cotigo]

I dicks dicks dicks ommmm nom nom nom nom gargle gargle gargle

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

Rushing through both Orbfestivus and DU16 for goodies and XP. I'm actually pondering honing -ga Strikes now that the priority checks for Black Magic are slowly being met as well (Blizzaja R4 only needs three more GIOs, Drainga's already R4, R4 Bioga mostly depends on GDOs and honing Darkra is honestly low-priority). Also cap-broke Sephiroth and got his second RM, capping Squall and Celes along the way. Blood Madness' bonus battles were hilariously easy, I'll post setups here later.

[Cotigo]

This kinda slipped by under the radar and even I didn't notice it until now, but some summons just got a pretty big buff in JP. Basically, any 4*+ summon worth its salt hits twice now. Overall multipliers haven't been changed, so this effect is minimal against high level, high-RES content, but summons just became amazing for grinding dungeons. Dealing 9999x2 against the Dream Stooges on classic mode was very, very cathartic to the Zenny who had to restart an entire FF6 file due to them as a kid.

With Kuja coming next as a PC, they also seem to be signaling a slow swing back to magic improvements. The next two Darkness skills are both mage tools (Doom+Mag Up on self and 2-hit magical ability+increased damage underDoom), which is neat for the mages with Darkness on their skillsets (hi, Kefka. Hi, Vincent. Hi, Edea, Hi, Exdeath). Hopefully we'll start seeing new Black Magic tools as well, we haven't seen a new BM ability since Darkra, on -Lulu's- event which's already a thing of the past even on Global.

Welp, you're not wrong. Kuja's relic, the Punisher Rod, is Dark-elemental damage + Mag UP. Don't know data mining, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was 30%. I'll be honest, I'm tempted to throw 50 Myth at the banner even though I really should be saving all of it for a potential Scream re-release (that... may not even happen! Or would totally happen right as DeNA shifts back to Mage superiority... DAMMIT.).  The fact that it isn't Hastega + Damage Boosting is the only thing preventing me from drawing on it right now.

[Shale]

Tried a Heroic daily and got my ass handed to me, so I'm thinking I'll stick to Orbfest for the duration. And it was immediately kind to me - clearing out the easy mode with spare stamina before a story dungeon, I ran into a Gigantuar, which has got to be win-the-lottery odds. Next: Whee, grinding!

(Also, the daily RW bonus since getting Sun Bath has been hilarious. Went from an odd 200-400 Gil per day to 10,000 when I opened the app this morning.)