[X] My Assistant

GrindFest just doesn't like me...

19 7 You gain 14 Credits!
19 6 You gain 26.06 EXP!
19 5 You are Victorious!
19 4 Giant Panda has been defeated.
19 3 You hit Giant Panda for 89 physical damage.

0 6 Spawned Monster E: MID=1 (Green Slime) LV=26 HP=208 MP=65 SP=13 NA=98 Type=hostile
0 5 Spawned Monster D: MID=2 (Tentacle Monster) LV=27 HP=219 MP=67 SP=15 NA=98 Type=hostile
0 4 Spawned Monster C: MID=5 (Giant Panda) LV=30 HP=243 MP=62 SP=15 NA=97 Type=hostile
0 3 Spawned Monster B: MID=8 (Rabid Hamster) LV=30 HP=243 MP=74 SP=17 NA=97 Type=hostile
0 2 Spawned Monster A: MID=9 (Cookie Monster) LV=29 HP=233 MP=71 SP=16 NA=97 Type=hostile
0 1 Initializing Grindfest (Round 7) ...
0 0 Battle Start!

This is the first time I cleared Round 7 on Cake. I only got 3 Average or less items and 2 Second Winds. I was down to 13 MP, with no items left to use, and had a Blue Hedgehog + 4 more so, I fled Round 8.

Although, I do have the Manthra figured out because of it multiple appearances in early rounds of GrindFest @ Normal.

GrindFest just doesn't like me...

19 7 You gain 14 Credits!
19 6 You gain 26.06 EXP!
19 5 You are Victorious!
19 4 Giant Panda has been defeated.
19 3 You hit Giant Panda for 89 physical damage.

0 6 Spawned Monster E: MID=1 (Green Slime) LV=26 HP=208 MP=65 SP=13 NA=98 Type=hostile
0 5 Spawned Monster D: MID=2 (Tentacle Monster) LV=27 HP=219 MP=67 SP=15 NA=98 Type=hostile
0 4 Spawned Monster C: MID=5 (Giant Panda) LV=30 HP=243 MP=62 SP=15 NA=97 Type=hostile
0 3 Spawned Monster B: MID=8 (Rabid Hamster) LV=30 HP=243 MP=74 SP=17 NA=97 Type=hostile
0 2 Spawned Monster A: MID=9 (Cookie Monster) LV=29 HP=233 MP=71 SP=16 NA=97 Type=hostile
0 1 Initializing Grindfest (Round 7) ...
0 0 Battle Start!

This is the first time I cleared Round 7 on Cake. I only got 3 Average or less items and 2 Second Winds. I was down to 13 MP, with no items left to use, and had a Blue Hedgehog + 4 more so, I fled Round 8.

Although, I do have the Manthra figured out because of it multiple appearances in early rounds of GrindFest @ Normal.

That's actually pretty good. All monsters except for the hamster are susceptible to fire so inferno should make quick work of them.

That's actually pretty good. All monsters except for the hamster are susceptible to fire so inferno should make quick work of them.

Met Fire Fox already?

Met Fire Fox already?

Yup, but alpha's round 7 opponents doesn't include a firefoxm mindrapers or any the other fire-resistant creatures.

AoE spells are not worth investing in - requires too much AP. Weaken is the one spell that is really amazing once you get to level 20. Since most monsters use physical attacks weaken is a essential spell in order to survive.

@Ratio - since you are level 18 right now, AoE spells are okay since you don't really have much else to invest in. But i'm pretty sure once you get to level 20, you will probably want reset and reconfigure your ability selection


WTF - haven't had a grindfest round 1 in cake mode like this for a long while:

0 4 Spawned Monster C: MID=13 (Mind Raper) LV=37 HP=637 MP=107 SP=25 NA=94 Type=hostile
0 3 Spawned Monster B: MID=14 (Blue Hedgehog) LV=37 HP=667 MP=89 SP=25 NA=94 Type=hostile
0 2 Spawned Monster A: MID=10 (Blue Slime) LV=35 HP=274 MP=74 SP=17 NA=97 Type=hostile
0 1 Initializing Grindfest (Round 1) ...
0 0 Battle Start!

Oh well, beat that with mild difficulty.

This post has been edited by Awing01: May 31 2009, 07:16

@ Awing

Probably inferno will be my first and last aoe spell I'd learn. This is due to the fact that I will have to learn flame tongues anyway to make my auras useful so investing one more extra ability point wouldn't hurt. I've noticed that fire damage takes down Panda and Tentacle monster REALLY quickly as compared to just whacking it (My Str is even 5 points higher than my Wis and Int) so investing in some points of elemental magic is quite useful.

For weakness, I'd probably invest around just two points for it anyway, just like poison. I've noticed that increasing the level of a deprecating magic just increases the duration by two so maxing it doesn't really matter.

@ Awing

Probably inferno will be my first and last aoe spell I'd learn. This is due to the fact that I will have to learn flame tongues anyway to make my auras useful so investing one more extra ability point wouldn't hurt. I've noticed that fire damage takes down Panda and Tentacle monster REALLY quickly as compared to just whacking it (My Str is even 5 points higher than my Wis and Int) so investing in some points of elemental magic is quite useful.

For weakness, I'd probably invest around just two points for it anyway, just like poison. I've noticed that increasing the level of a deprecating magic just increases the duration by two so maxing it doesn't really matter.

Try fighting hordes of enemies including bosses and say that. Those extra-turns are what keep you from burning all your MP keeping them weakened so they don't maul you.

Best strat ever is as follows; Don't suck.

Try fighting hordes of enemies including bosses and say that. Those extra-turns are what keep you from burning all your MP keeping them weakened so they don't maul you.

As I said I'd probably. I don't know how long the initial duration of weakness is so I'm not really too sure on how much to invest in. For poison, 10 turns on two enemies is more than enough. I don''t use it to damage enemies, but I use it to lower their evade rate to take them down really quickly so that I can avoid receiving even more damage.

Try fighting hordes of enemies including bosses and say that. Those extra-turns are what keep you from burning all your MP keeping them weakened so they don't maul you.

Is weakness that useful though? So far I've find one-shoting the enemies with fireball far more rewarding than whacking them (and in turn wasting a turn to cast weakness); a dead monster is better than a weakened one, so I'd go with probably not putting any points to weakness or go with Ratio with a few points on weakness for those 1v1 monster matches/resistant monsters (If i were rich enough, id probably get a new element to counter this problem (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ).

I currently get through 4 rounds of grindfest on a regular basis without items. The max I have gotten is either 6 or 7. Also, Inferno is amazingly useful against large hoards of enemies, even if it burns through MP like paper.

Also, when is Slow useful in comparison to Weaken?

Two things:

One, use Weaken on a Manthra, then you tell me how useful it is.

Two, that is what won me Road Less Traveled, along with two Second Wind and two God Health Pots.

As far as Slow goes, I find weakening a monster to be far more effective than slowing them down.

Two things:

One, use Weaken on a Manthra, then you tell me how useful it is.

When encountering a Manthra, I Weaken it, Quickly exploit the elemental weakness of all of the others except one, which I Weaken with my second turn, and save it for last and punch it to death to build up my Overcharge. At this point, I punch (Attack) the Manthra a few times, then have to recast Weaken on it, Attack it more, recast Weaken again, and then Attack more. In all, it takes about 3 Weaken, and 14 Attacks to take one down. I am 4-0 with that tactic.

It is because of weaken that I beat road less traveled. It is also because of weaken that I can fight all my hourly battles on hard. It is because of weaken that I can fight the first 2 rounds of the arena on nightmare difficulty.

I maxed out my weaken ability and it leaves an enemy weakened for 15-17 turns - my deprecating magic proficiency is at 25 by the way. 15 turns is more than enough time for me to hack or spell blast an enemy to death, even on hard difficulty. Boss monsters are nothing when weakened, I mean a manthra hitting you for 4 damage ... pfft.

Is weakness that useful though? So far I've find one-shoting the enemies with fireball far more rewarding than whacking them (and in turn wasting a turn to cast weakness); a dead monster is better than a weakened one, so I'd go with probably not putting any points to weakness or go with Ratio with a few points on weakness for those 1v1 monster matches/resistant monsters (If i were rich enough, id probably get a new element to counter this problem (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ).

Well as you progress further in level, you'll notice that the monsters tend to resist your spells more often. In most hourly battles, I have monsters that resist 3 times in a row at times. But in general, I get resisted at least 2-3 times overall in a battle. And in a mob battle, getting resisted a few times means you can get mauled pretty damn quickly and die, especially since spells do delay your next action slightly. I've had cases where I cast fireball and end up getting attacked by each of 3 monsters twice before my next turn - good thing they were all "weakened" when that happened, otherwise I would have died.

This post has been edited by Awing01: Jun 1 2009, 07:04

When encountering a Manthra, I Weaken it, Quickly exploit the elemental weakness of all of the others except one, which I Weaken with my second turn, and save it for last and punch it to death to build up my Overcharge. At this point, I punch (Attack) the Manthra a few times, then have to recast Weaken on it, Attack it more, recast Weaken again, and then Attack more. In all, it takes about 3 Weaken, and 14 Attacks to take one down. I am 4-0 with that tactic.

Except for the exploitation, that's my tactic as well. Odds are we're not alone either.

It is because of weaken that I beat road less traveled. It is also because of weaken that I can fight all my hourly battles on hard. It is because of weaken that I can fight the first 2 rounds of the arena on nightmare difficulty.

I maxed out my weaken ability and it leaves an enemy weakened for 15-17 turns - my deprecating magic proficiency is at 25 by the way. 15 turns is more than enough time for me to hack or spell blast an enemy to death, even on hard difficulty. Boss monsters are nothing when weakened, I mean a manthra hitting you for 4 damage ... pfft.
Well as you progress further in level, you'll notice that the monsters tend to resist your spells more often. In most hourly battles, I have monsters that resist 3 times in a row at times. But in general, I get resisted at least 2-3 times overall in a battle. And in a mob battle, getting resisted a few times means you can get mauled pretty damn quickly and die, especially since spells do delay your next action slightly. I've had cases where I cast fireball and end up getting attacked by each of 3 monsters twice before my next turn - good thing they were all "weakened" when that happened, otherwise I would have died.

sounds nice! I didn't think weaken was that powerful... I guess i know what im getting next

sounds nice! I didn't think weaken was that powerful... I guess i know what im getting next

Just remember that weaken doesn't affect the enemies magical capacities, unless the magic attack is physical in nature i.e. bamboo by the giant panda, peck from mutant peacock, cookie cutter from cookie monster, or burning tail. Be wary of the slimes, weaken doesn't really affect them because they will cast boip (blue slime) or jiggle (green slime). But if they drain their magic and you dodge them, they are pretty much harmless.

Just remember that weaken doesn't affect the enemies magical capacities, unless the magic attack is physical in nature i.e. bamboo by the giant panda, peck from mutant peacock, cookie cutter from cookie monster, or burning tail. Be wary of the slimes, weaken doesn't really affect them because they will cast boip (blue slime) or jiggle (green slime). But if they drain their magic and you dodge them, they are pretty much harmless.

shouldn't be a problem for me i think; my barrier rating is higher than my shield rating due to a little bit of stacking on int and wisdom (i kept aiming for one shoting the enemies )

48 5 You gain 34 Credits!
48 4 You gain 259.62 EXP!
48 3 You are Victorious!
48 2 Blue Hedgehog has been defeated.
48 1 You hit Blue Hedgehog for 58 physical damage.
47 2 Blue Hedgehog crits you for 27 damage.
47 1 Blue Hedgehog dodges your attack.
46 3 Blue Hedgehog hits you for 16 damage.
46 2 Weaken procs the effect Weakened on Blue Hedgehog.

0 4 Spawned Monster C: MID=14 (Blue Hedgehog) LV=38 HP=1708 MP=91 SP=25 NA=94 Type=hostile
0 3 Spawned Monster B: MID=3 (Mantitcore) LV=37 HP=732 MP=82 SP=18 NA=96 Type=hostile
0 2 Spawned Monster A: MID=25 (Mutant Peacock) LV=40 HP=880 MP=76 SP=21 NA=94 Type=hostile
0 1 Initializing random encounter ...
0 0 Battle Start!

Battle log from my recent hourly on hard difficulty. By weakening the blue hedgehog, I was taking only 10-15 damage per turn, who knows how much damage I would have taken otherwise. I did have to use my spirit to whittle away the health of the hedgehog - my spirit attack only did 941 damage, good enough for normal bosses, but not quite enough on hard.

This post has been edited by Awing01: Jun 2 2009, 01:18

Awing01, just crossed over into the 40s? Now you get cure and shield. Hopefully you will be more satisfied with the latter than I am. I find myself stacking it with Weaken because I do not think it provides enough protection on its own. I've gotten the proficiency up to 14.51 but still it lags behind. I wonder if it will ever become useful...

Tenboro: All things being equal (i.e. equal magic proficiency), do weaken and shield reduce damage by the same percentage? Of course it could be a lot more complicated than simply reducing damage by a certain percent, so maybe there is no easy answer to that question.

This post has been edited by Boggyb: Jun 2 2009, 03:06