I circumvent this by spacing out air slash and stream edge to force the AI into doing it
Yeah I've tried that. It's odd, like the AI has been pretty consistent with topples until now. I just got Melia when it started happening. No idea if that has anything to do with it.
Around Makna Forest, certain enemies start causing spikes status. Some do it while being toppled, so the AI is programmed to avoid toppling such enemies. If it's always worked fine for you before, I'm pretty sure this is what's going on.
I've enjoyed my time with this game, but god damn if it hasn't highlighted to me that XC2 has more refinements than people give it credit for.
Wouldn't surprise me if they originally tried to repurpose the shoulder into a playable area, before abandoning the idea and just using it for a cutscene. It's an awful lot of work to not try to fit it into the project in some way.
That's really interesting. Though curiously I seem to recall it has an internal ID placing it between Makna Forest and Eryth Sea, and that it even appeared in some early screenshots or possibly even a trailer.
Monolith Soft and Nintendo on Why Xenoblade Chronicles Was a "Turning Point" For the Studio, and for JRPGs
Xenoblade Chronicles redefined Monolith Soft. The studio, known for the Xenosaga games of the 1990s and early 2000s, was in need of a win in the late 2000s. ...www.usgamer.net
Wouldn't surprise me if they originally tried to repurpose the shoulder into a playable area, before abandoning the idea and just using it for a cutscene. It's an awful lot of work to not try to fit it into the project in some way.
I recommend turning on "Expert mode". It makes exp work similarly to how it works in Xenoblade 2, where the exp you get from quests isn't immediately applied but instead stored. Then later you can choose to apply it if you want. This makes the level curve work much better in the game.
Another neat option is the ability to turn off the UI completely (when not in battle). Very nice for taking screenshots when exploring!
Yes, there is a trick to getting Shulk's Future Connected outfit immediately. The way fashion gear works in this game is that any equipment you've ever held becomes a fashion gear permanently, and it doesn't even matter whether you have saved your game. So you can just start up Future Connected, then quit it as soon as possible, then when you go back to the main game you will have it as a fashion gear.
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Clocked in just over 50 hours and completed this game with most of the side quests done. I did use casual mode, but without it I would probably have given up on this fairly early on. Great game that will no doubt get a resolution bump when the switch 2 is released. I think they enhanced the textures and artwork rather than increase the resolution to prepare for future remasters imo. Overall the graphics and scale are great, but I would say that if they were 720p/ 1080p I would have given this 10/10. Definitely a 9/10 game for me as so epic, vast and full of great characters, story and music!
Uh, I'm sorry but there is no way you finished the game with most of the side quests done in 50 hours.
OP
OP
You really should read the OP which has a beginner' guide and an FAQ that addresses exactly that question and more... a lot of work went into that.
Yeah, AI party know the enemies with topple spikes so they don't use topple arts even when you successfully break enemies. Even if they have spike defense gems they still won't topple, which is its disadvantage
Glad you liked it so much. And I agree about your opinion on their technical priorities. I hope there isn't a new remaster in the near future, though. Instead, a patch for this one that enhances resolution when played in future more powerful platforms would be perfect.
Hmm, didn't think about that, it's good to know. Well, you can always topple them yourself.
I really really hate listening to the awesome You will know our names during a unique monster battle and the fucker does a killing attack, you break the vision and a stupid mediocre song sounds the rest of the battle.
Is there a way for this the music to not change? Is the only way leaving the character that is attacked to die from the attack? Why couldnt they use that music during the vision, and when you change the future, you will know our names return as the music?
Is there a way for this the music to not change? Is the only way leaving the character that is attacked to die from the attack? Why couldnt they use that music during the vision, and when you change the future, you will know our names return as the music?
OP
OP
So just beat it, I remember beating it in like 65 or so hours last time around now it took me rouglhy 45 hours.
The QoL certainly helped out with that. Also, worth noting at for some of the grindy quests I turned on Casual mode for a quicker work :P I very much enjoy this feature.
Still an amazing experience and I cant wait to dive in to Future connected after a couple of days of rest from JRPGs..
meanwhile, what's the best video to watch that covers everything XC-XC2-X lore wise? I do believe I have it covered but I'm sure I missed a lot of things and details and would appreciate a precise video on it =)
The QoL certainly helped out with that. Also, worth noting at for some of the grindy quests I turned on Casual mode for a quicker work :P I very much enjoy this feature.
Still an amazing experience and I cant wait to dive in to Future connected after a couple of days of rest from JRPGs..
meanwhile, what's the best video to watch that covers everything XC-XC2-X lore wise? I do believe I have it covered but I'm sure I missed a lot of things and details and would appreciate a precise video on it =)
Going for 100% and apparently there was a fucking
staff for Melia that you can only get by going back to the audience hall or some shit before Mechonis hand??? God damn it!
Yeah, this game is kinda bonkers with its 100% requirements, I had to reload older saves a couple times to fix screw-ups I made and that was even with me following a guide!
By the way, anyone claiming they finished all side quests with under 100 hours on the clock is is either a liar, seriously mistaken, or an expert at the game. It's ridiculous how many there are (like around 450 or so), and many of them require rare items which require hours just to get a couple items at times.
Alright, folks. Someone tell me how to set up Seven's arts bar. I have no idea how to customize this one. They seem to be yet another character with a bunch of auras, and I learned in this playthrough that only one aura can be active at a time so it usually doesn't make sense to equip more than one.
Anyone want to (in spoiler text) post a good arts bar that they get a lot of success with? I'm currently running Shulk/Seven/Melia but will probably swap Seven out for Dunban for harder fights until they catch up in terms of skill trees.
Anyone want to (in spoiler text) post a good arts bar that they get a lot of success with? I'm currently running Shulk/Seven/Melia but will probably swap Seven out for Dunban for harder fights until they catch up in terms of skill trees.
Holy shit, Chapter 9! That might have been the finest bit of game I've ever played, surpassing the highs of Tales of Vesperia for me. Incredible!
There are so many things in this chapter that stand out as incredible gameplay and story elements. First off are the two seals: those are the best gameplay setups in the game so far: the first real is occupied by the lizardmen, and you can choose how to approach it: do you brute-force your way or so you go for the stealthy path? The second seal is the complete opposite: you can only approach via a single path, and now it's the enemy that is sneaky and lures you into all kinds of traps. Even when you are at the top of the seal they still have tricks up their sleeves. I loved that contrast. The two boss battles (skyray and Metal Face) are fun as well.
The Prison Island setting and its build-up are amazing, too: the gigantic teleport pedestal brings you a giant throne room, from which you take dark teleports to the top. Then you reach the top of the island, with Zanza and the force field coming into focus.
And then the story implications: who is that giant? What is his kind's role in this world? Why is it working personally with the Bionis? How are the faced mechon created? WHY IS FIORA IN THAT MECHON?! What is going on?
The story implications of this sequence are gigantic, and give enough mystery for me to quickly want to rush and see what is happening. It is positively stellar.
The Prison Island setting and its build-up are amazing, too: the gigantic teleport pedestal brings you a giant throne room, from which you take dark teleports to the top. Then you reach the top of the island, with Zanza and the force field coming into focus.
And then the story implications: who is that giant? What is his kind's role in this world? Why is it working personally with the Bionis? How are the faced mechon created? WHY IS FIORA IN THAT MECHON?! What is going on?
The story implications of this sequence are gigantic, and give enough mystery for me to quickly want to rush and see what is happening. It is positively stellar.
Just a warning, Melia has pretty garbage AI and Shulk isn't the best with AI, so running both of them in a party means you've got at least one poor AI character.
As for skills,
Fiora: (Damage setup)
Speed Shift - most important skill, keep up as much as possible
Lock-On - use when Speed Shift isn't up
Double Wind - use as much as possible to allow Final Cross use
Final Cross - instant topple, requires high tension
Cross Impact - use right after Final Cross for daze
Spear Blade - Use right after Cross Impact for triple damage
Power Drain - drains strength, higher level foes may resist
Zero Gravity - multi-paralysis, only useful if not resisted
Second Gear - use for foes that resist Zero Gravity or Power Drain, 50% boost to chain attack dmg
Speed Shift - most important skill, keep up as much as possible
Lock-On - use when Speed Shift isn't up
Double Wind - use as much as possible to allow Final Cross use
Final Cross - instant topple, requires high tension
Cross Impact - use right after Final Cross for daze
Spear Blade - Use right after Cross Impact for triple damage
Power Drain - drains strength, higher level foes may resist
Zero Gravity - multi-paralysis, only useful if not resisted
Second Gear - use for foes that resist Zero Gravity or Power Drain, 50% boost to chain attack dmg
Oh, I'm well aware that I'm handicapping myself by using Melia and Shulk at the same time, but I'm not leaving Jenna on the bench. I would prefer the third slot be filled by a healer but Sharla is so consistently awful I don't really have a better alternative.
Well I hope you're at least controlling Melia! She really is the absolutely worst if you try to let the AI handle her lol... I'm pretty sure half the battles I had her on AI just for fun she literally did no damage at all.
I use Melia for monster fights and switch to Shulk for Mechon. I don't trust the AI to use the Monado effectively.
Fair enough, I don't think the game is difficult enough most of the time to require a perfect party anyway. :) Hopefully the skill list I gave you helps out with Seven!
I know absolutely nothing about this game other than the stuff I have read in the OP, but I've just ordered this and really looking forward to trying it out!
Enjoy! It's the best RPG on the Switch right now, in my opinion.
I just throw anti-mechon weapons on my party for the later parts of the game, that way I don't have to worry about what enemies I run into. Whatever damage I lose out is offset by the fact I'm usually 5-10 levels over most common enemies thanks to quest.
Top seller in Spain! 3rd in may 2020:
www.elotrolado.net
wow!!
Los juegos más vendidos en España durante mayo de 2020
Lista con los juegos de PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, 3DS y PC más vendidos en España durante mayo de 2020
www.elotrolado.net
wow!!
Oh! Ok that makes sense. You even get the tutorial for spikes when you get Melia. I wonder if I can purge them and get them to start toppling that way.
Yeah it's the worst bit of sound design in the game. I'm surprised more people don't bring it up. Even if you let that vision come true to avoid the music changing, the music will change anyway to that bad, generic desperation track and though you can get that one to stop, it will reset You Will Know Our Names. I never get to hear the entire track because anything weak enough not to cause that problem dies in a minute anyway.
Also I dislike the enemy spots you battle music and try to avoid it at all costs.
Yeah, Im actually surprised i havent read from this problem more. I thought i was the only one.
Fuck yes Spain and the nintendo anime games doing well here. We also did our job with Astral Chain.Top seller in Spain! 3rd in may 2020:
Los juegos más vendidos en España durante mayo de 2020
Lista con los juegos de PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, 3DS y PC más vendidos en España durante mayo de 2020
wow!!
Its time to start spanish dubs here for this games NoE! (I still love the xeno british dub though)
Rikki also has a healing art btw. Also, Melia's arts are mostly ether based so the enemies being mechon doesn't matter since ether hits them the same as any other enemy. The only ones that aren't ether based you don't use for their damage anyway.
Yeah. Though it is pretty funny to get into a fight against a Mechon while bringing Melia along and watching her repeatedly fail to hit it with her staff. "WHAT. WHAT. WHAT. THIS CANNOT BE! WHAT. THIS CANNOT BE! THIS CANNOT BE! WHAT. WHAT."
JUST USE YOUR FRIGGIN' ETHER, CLARA.
Hahah yeah I guess.
I was thinking of running a rikki, seven, dunban party this time around. I don't remember who I used exactly to beat the game when I played it originally but I think it was Shulk, Melia, and rikki or Dunban.
Anyway, I like how the game hypes up Dunban and he completely delivers on being fucking awesome.
I ended up missing that too. Forgot it was missable lol.
Dunban is pretty consistently great once you get his Agility up to speed. His damage output is insane. I finally started using art color chaining for group attacks very recently and watching the damage from Worldly Slash blast through the roof on a 5x combo is just...whew.
The best thing to do is to get the chain up to max and finish it off with blossom dance. Ending a combo with the lines he shouts out during that is just...so good.
Yup. I don't have Chain Link boost high enough on everyone yet to consistently guarantee I can loop around enough times to raise chain to MAX and then end on a Blossom Dance, but on the one time it did work I think I cracked half a million damage.
Yeah definitely needs that chance up skill Shulk has to make it more of a regular thing. Regardless though, when it does hit, it's just glorious.
Blossom Dance doesn't get anything from getting the critical loop on the burst QTEs, right? I've never noticed any appreciable difference. Does it guarantee critical hits?
I don't believe so, but Dunban has a skill that ups his crit skills a lot IIRC.
