Final Fantasy XIII [PS3, X360]

[ShadowRunner]

I have just reached Gran Pulse.

Spoiler

Right before fighting Hope's Eidolon.

Yeah, my early Sentinels still take damage when they try to defend themselves. I didn't have time to look after them separately. So I used a Med-Sab, Med-Syn and Syn-Sab set up more

Just added this to my post above incase you missed it: Also as your role level increases the passive ability for party, in SEN case defence, increases aswel so while at a low role level there is little protection for the group at higher role levels it increases significantly.

SEN is one of the roles that effects the group considerably as you increase its role level.

 

[Xalion]

Anyone else wish to share thier group and paradigm setup?

I generally run Sahz, Fang, and Light or Vanille depending on where I am. I use the following paradigms:

Sahz/Fang/Light
Syn / Sen / Med
Syn / Sab / Med
Rav / Com / Rav
Rav / Sen / Rav
Rav / Sen / Med
Rav / Sab / Med

If I switch in Vanille it is so I don't have to use Fang as a Sabetour because I think the fights are going to be really nasty. So I generally only use the following paradigms:

Sahz / Fang / Vanille
Syn / Sen / Sab
Rav / Sen / Rav
Rav / Sen / Med
Rav / Com / Rav

A note on not using Hope as my synergist.

Spoiler

Given that Sahz does not have the protection capabilities as a synergist until really late in the game, this means that I need to control damage really well. That is why I generally try and seperate my party from my sentinel. This setup - especially with Light as my healer - can generate a lot of front loaded damage. That is good for taking out things like the behemoth kings on Grand Pulse before they can morph into their more nasty forms. Failing that, The group is good to grind things down with because these 3 tend to have high HP and with Sahz having fully buffed them do a LOT of damage quickly.

You are also right where I started using a Sentinel Patsu. Like ShadowRunner, I can't imagine having gone much further than where you are without one. I have a feeling you'll see why when you meet

Spoiler

the creatures on the plain right after the etalon fight. They are an entire step above what you have been fighting, especially the cactus and the behemoths.

 

[Rolf N]

Agreed. I started using the sentinel class right around there, too. Certain enemies can now one-hit-ko any character that isn't a sentinel.

 

[Sigfried1977]

Fang/Hope/Light (or Light/Hope/Fang) Sometimes I take out Hope and use Vanille instead. Same roles, though.

com / rav / com
com / rav / rav
sen / rav / com
sab / med / sab
syn / med / syn
sen / med / med

 

[patsu]

Thanks for the heads up. Looks like I should upgrade my sentinel skills. Hopefully it's not too late. I have been spreading points among the 3 roles for each characters.

 

[ShadowRunner]

Hmm, i had no idea peoples setups would vary so significantly from mine

I only have one paradim for healing for instance where as you guys have med as part of most.

I have built mine around having constant chain building/maintenance and heavy damage from COM in every paradigm and never having a character idle, as well as have the ability to stay with SEN in paradigm constantly while still having flexibility. I think i may try a new approach and compare.

Once i have hope learn SAB i am planning to go
light/fang/hope
RAV/COM/RAV
COM/COM/RAV
MED/SEN/MED
COM/SEN/RAV
COM/SEN/SYN
COM/SEN/SAB

 

[PARANOiA]

With your setup ShadowRunner, don't you lose the stagger bar progress you've built up?

I've found using SEN/MED/COM to be the best for chipping away at an enemy, and then switch up to COM/RAV/SEN (when the bar is low) or RAV/RAV/SEN (when the bar is higher) once I have all party members in the green.

 

[ShadowRunner]

With your setup ShadowRunner, don't you lose the stagger bar progress you've built up?

I've found using SEN/MED/COM to be the best for chipping away at an enemy, and then switch up to COM/RAV/SEN (when the bar is low) or RAV/RAV/SEN (when the bar is higher) once I have all party members in the green.

What makes you think that? Because i use COM in 5/6 paradigms my chain bar decreases very slowly when healing and as i use MED/SEN/MED i am fully healed almost instantly so can switch back to COM/SEN/RAV or RAV/COM/RAV straight away.

 

[patsu]

Mama mia, you guys aren't kidding about the Gran Pulse's monsters.

 

[Phil]

The Lionheart is located in the first treasure orb in chapter 12. Nothing else to it.

As for weapon choices: stats-wise there is very little difference between the Lv.1 weapons. The added effects are far more important than the gains in strength and magic however (once you unlock the full Crystarium, another 300 points in strength isn't that big of a deal when a character like Fang already has 2000 of it) The only character who gets his base stats significantly boosted by weapons is Sazh.
The Lionheart for example has a chance of instant stagger while the Axis Blade charges your ATB bar with every hit.

I think upgrading weapons isn't really all that important until you are very far in the game (chapter 11 onwards). I recommend you switch your focus to upgrading accessories instead. That's a lot cheaper and can make quite the difference.

Thanks for this advice. This really helps a lot. I really haven't thought about upgrading accessories yet and since my gil level is very low (I think i'm at 3000 gil) - I never spent a peny on anything yet - I haven't been able to buy much either. Even phoenix downs are ridiculously expensive at 1000 a piece, but then again, I've rarely used them in battle, since it's so easy to retry the battle.

Anyway, so I guess I'll look forward to the later stages of the game and guess it will make more sense then...

 

[ShadowRunner]

Mama mia, you guys aren't kidding about the Gran Pulse's monsters.

I recommend you level up on Gargantua's by getting preemptive strike and defeating it before the stagger runs out and it turns into its powerful form.

go COM/RAV/SAB then switch to COM/COM/RAV or COM/RAV/RAV once you get deprotect/deshell to take hold.

 

[Rolf N]

I recommend you level up on Gargantua's by getting preemptive strike and defeating it before the stagger runs out and it turns into its powerful form.

go COM/RAV/SAB then switch to COM/COM/RAV or COM/RAV/RAV once you get deprotect/deshell to take hold.

Gargantua=Behemoth King?

I haven't defeated one yet. And I've tried ... a lot. I'll stick to the smaller wolf-types and the big flying things for a while.

 

[Sigfried1977]

The path that leads to the cave on Gran Pulse (you come across it if you follow the plot marker) has one Behemoth King and some sort of huge white Wolf thing fighting each other. You get a preemptive strike every time and both creatures start off with significantly less health. Just finish off the Behemoth King and then deal with the big wolf afterwards (he's rather harmless by comparison)

You get 6000+ cp everytime iirc.

 

[Rolf N]

The path that leads to the cave on Gran Pulse (you come across it if you follow the plot marker) has one Behemoth King and some sort of huge white Wolf thing fighting each other. You get a preemptive strike every time and both creatures start off with significantly less health. Just finish off the Behemoth King and then deal with the big wolf afterwards (he's rather harmless by comparison)

You get 6000+ cp everytime iirc.

I don't know where that is. I've followed the marks, and was led off into a side-area of sorts. At least it is much more confined and corridor-ish than the steppe again. Maybe I should back out and explore the greater area properly. I do feel a bit out of my league with the enemies around here.

 

[ShadowRunner]

I don't know where that is. I've followed the marks, and was led off into a side-area of sorts. At least it is much more confined and corridor-ish than the steppe again. Maybe I should back out and explore the greater area properly. I do feel a bit out of my league with the enemies around here.

That area is where the yellow pointer is telling you to go for your next destination right next to the save point. Still preffered to level up on just the single Behemoth King though as its a much quicker fight, could get through 2 Behemoth King in the same amount of time as the Behemoth King/Big Wolf fight. Im heading back to pulse soon, are there any better monsters to grind now i am much more powerful?

 

[Sigfried1977]

I'd just try out some of the tougher missions if I was you. You can always grind If you're hitting a wall. If you haven't done so already, definitely beat the game before going back to Pulse. This unlocks the final Crystarium level.
I think the Behemoth stays a good source of cp until you are able to handle the really tough monsters.

 

[patsu]

Gargantua=Behemoth King?

I haven't defeated one yet. And I've tried ... a lot. I'll stick to the smaller wolf-types and the big flying things for a while.

Yeah, I rage quit after umpteenth tries. ^_^

Behemoth King is tough alright.

I think I will go hunt wabbits first.

 

[ShadowRunner]

Yeah, I rage quit after umpteenth tries. ^_^

Behemoth King is tough alright.

I think I will go hunt wabbits first.

How was you tackling it?

 

[patsu]

At first, I used Fang as the Sentinel, with Hope and Lightning alternating between attack and medic/synergist depending on how much health they have. At the beginning, I tend to use synergist more to cast protect, shell and others. That didn't work out too well.

Then I tried to alternate Fang between saboteur and sentinel also, that didn't end well too after the Behemoth stood up with full health.

Finally, I used expletives, and that didn't do anything. So my last option is to deploy "Scorch Earth" tactics. Everyone go home and sleep. ^_^

I may be too low level now. Need to beef up.

 

[ShadowRunner]

At first, I used Fang as the Sentinel, with Hope and Lighning alternating between attack and medic/synergist depending on how much health they have. At the beginning, I tend to use synergist more to cast protect, shell and others. That didn't work out too well.

Then I tried to alternate Fang between saboteur and sentinel, they didn't end well too after the Behemoth stood up with full health.

Finally, I used expletives, and that didn't do anything. So my last option is to deploy "Scorch Earth" tactics. Everyone go home and sleep. ^_^

I may be too low level now. Need to beef up.

No wonder you are having trouble
You wont stand a chance if you dont get a preemptive attack.
You need to to get a preemtive strike every time so that it only takes one hit to stagger. Once staggered it will be in the air and not be able to hit back and gives your attacks power a 900% boost. No healing or buffing or sentinel needed at all.

Start off [light/fang/hope] COM/SAB/RAV to stagger on first hit and inflict deprotect/deshell (if your fang doesnt have deprotect/deshell use strongest commando/vanille/hope). Then just go all out attack with COM/COM/RAV or COM and two RAVs. You should be able to kill it before it changes form and without him touching the ground. Delay your attack slightly if you have to to keep him airborne. If it does change form retry because you wont beat it.

To get a preemptive strike every time let it chase you but stay out of range, after it stops charging give it a few seconds and it will turn around a full 180% and walk in the other direction, now just run into it from behind. Dont bother healing or buffing defense at all.

I dont think your too low level, your just not playing dirty enough