Notice: - Since my strat is based on the PS/JP version, there is the possibility to not be able to apply these directly in other versions. - There are a number of description in consideration of differences from Zell-less strat. - As of 26 Oct 2016, Zell card 1st game method is available. ---- * Overview Quistis card Yes (on the 1st game with Early Quistis) Zell card Yes (on the 2nd game with timing method) Defeat X-ATM092 No Optional GFs Siren, Diablos, Carbuncle, Pandemona ---- * Features - Get Quistis card with Early Quistis Use my Early Quistis which is compatible with W&B pattern (ref. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZepglJrzdI). Because max autofire speed of the HORI Anashin II Controller is 20 Hz. Refine 180 Triples with Card Mod and Time Mag-RF. And Str-J to two characters, which are mainly Irvine and Squall. - Get Zell card with the 2nd game method (ref. http://pingval.g1.xrea.com/psff8/research/index_en.html#zell-card) The probability that Ma Dincht draws Zell card is 10%. So when we play with her squarely, expected number of the games to get Zell card is 10 times. But when we use the 2nd game method and it surely succeeds, expected number is 1.9 times. Because the 1st game has a 10% chance. To compute concrete waste of time, assuming each loss is: - detour to Ma Dincht: 22s - one game (win): 38s - one game (draw): 36s - setup for timing: 5s And also: - draw the match surely while Zell card is not drawn - Timing surely succeeds Then each expected waste of time to get Zell card is: - squarely: 22 + 36*9 + 38 = 6m24s - the 2nd game method: (22+38)*0.1 + (22+36+5+38)*(1-0.1) = 1m37s Therefore the 2nd game method saves 6m24s - 1m37s = 4m47s on average. In addition, compared to Zell-less strat, it wastes 1m37s on average. (1m41s on the 2nd; 1m on the 1st) Refine three Hyper Wrists with Card Mod. And use them on Shiva, Ifrit and Diablos in order to give them Str+60%. - Not rely much on Limit Break For example, Renzokuken is never used after Granaldo battle. By reason that I am not very good at Limit Break, the improvement of firepower by Zell card is applied in reducing battle difficulty rather than saving time. - Reduce step encounters from 23+2 to 22+2. Compared to 23+2 step encounters strat, walk 14 more steps after 17th step encounter and 28.5 steps after 18th. Waste of just changing from running to walking is around 4.3+8.7=13s. Because waste of time to escape as soon as possible from a step encounter is around 18s, this strat saves at least 18-13=5s. (compared to animation at beginning is skipped, 3s?) Change two step encounters during Esthar menu from: - "SAM08G" (4 AP) at the right of the the first contact point - "GIM52A" (3 AP) at the first contact point to: - "G-Soldier + Elite Soldier" (3 AP) at the first contact point - "SAM08G + G-Soldier" (5 AP) at the first contact point If walking after 18th step encounter would be performed by D-District Prison Irvine party which don't have Enc-Half, the walking distance is required only half of 28.5 steps. Though that saves more 4.3s, that might be impossible. Refer to Step Encounter Management Sheet for more information. - Easy Rinoa Skip Refer to: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5qHhc5nBLg - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1VY4gLve54 - In DISC 2, we can't cancel animation at the beginning of battles. While in DISC 2, GFs which are able to learn HP-J are Quezacotl, Ifrit, Diablos and Carbuncle. But I would like to have Diablos learn prior to Enc-None. And to junction Str+20%, 40% and 60% to Squall, Ifrit and Carbuncle are needed to junction to Squall together. So HP-J can't be shared with 3 characters. Brothers? I dunno. - Make BGH251F2 (1st) disintegrate by Zell's two attacks When party's average level rounded down equals to 9, BGH1's HP must be 6000 or 5600. Junction 100 Triples Str-J, Str+20%, 40% and 60% to Zell. Then Zell's attack gains about 2400-2800 damage on BGH1. But when Zell's first attack becomes critical hit, BGH1 will disintegrate by only it. So it is better to wait for Rinoa's ATB is filled before Zell's first attack. - Not reduce Irvine's HP in the menu before NORG battle Junction 100 Triples Str-J and Str+60% to Irvine and 80 Triples Str-J, Str+20%, 40% and 60% to Squall. The way to reduce Irvine's HP is Squall's attack without trigger at the beginning of battle. In addition, kill Pod by Irvine's and Squall's attack. - Before Raijin battle in front of the Balamb Hotel, change in the distribution of Triples from "Irvine 100 : Squall 80" to "Irvine 90 : Squall 90". It is guaranteed to kill Seifer (2nd) almost by Irvine's and Squall's attack and to kill Seifer (3rd) by them. But one more Ammo is required in Raijin, Fujin&Raijin and Edea (2nd) battle. If we reduce Irvine's triples any more, Edea (2nd) will be not killed with Normal Ammo*6. Besides, even if Irvine is killed in Raijin&Fujin battle, when Squall moves as follows: 1. Attack on Fujin with trigger 2. Attack on Raijin without rtigger 3. Attack on Raijin with rtigger And then defeat them without triggering Raijin's Counter Hi-Potion whose condition that his HP is reduced to less than 1/4th. - Only when even one material of Aura Stone is available, have Siren learn Tool-RF during Esthar menu. Beoforehand, check whether materials (Elastoid Card or Fury Fragment) are gained or not. Since Siren is junctioned to Rinoa, Tool-RF will be learned after 6th Propagator. Because Tool-RF is used for only refining Aura Stone, it is not used when Propagators drop even one Aura Stone. - What to buy during Esthar menu is 3 HP-J Scrolls, 3 Str-J Scrolls, 1 VIT-J Scroll and about 20 Amnesia Greens. Make some spare time by not entering Esthar Shop on the right. - Give two Str Ups Irvine during Esthar menu. When level 16 Irvine is with 100 Triples Str-J, Str+20%, 40% and 60%: - Almost guaranteed to kill Fujin&Raijin (2nd) with Shotgun Ammo*6. - Demolition Ammo is guaranteed to gain 9999 damage on Mobile Type 8. - Almost guaranteed to kill Seifer (4th) with Demolition Ammo*2. - Guaranteed to kill Sorceress (1) without Berserk. Str Ups which Raijin (2nd) drops are not used. - Refine only Fire with F Mag-RF and only Berserk with ST Mag-RF. Sinse I perform Blowaway Manipulation (later), no need to refine a lot of kinds of dummy spell for Ultimecia battle. I guess that F Mag-RF will be needless if we draw Fire like during Esther menu and ST Mag-RF will be needless as well if Berserk is unused. - Adjust Squall's HP to him survive Propagators' two attacks or one critical hit. Level 13 Propagators' attack deals 325-368 damege to natural level 12 Squall. When 100 Demis Vit-J to Squall, the range of damage is changed to 301-342. So it is guaranteed that Squall survives thier two attacks with 685 HP. Because max HP of level 12 Squall is 702, it is enough to reduce Squall's HP during Esthar menu for that. This is a by-product of the guarantee that Irvine survives Griever's attack (later). - Aura is unused in Mobile Type 8 battle When party's average level rounded down equals to 12, Mobile Type 8's HP must be 35600 or 34000. Irvine uses Demolition Ammo of 9999 damage immediately. No problem with 4 shots. When only 3 shots, Squall uses Darkside with trigger. And if Mobile Type 8 still alive, Selphie attacks. When only 3 shots, 1 or 2 characters will be killed by Counter Twin Homing Laser. But just before Seifer (4th) battle, Squall is revived with full HP and others in the party are also revived with 1 HP automatically. So no problem with going on Seifer leaving party dead. And because he passes his turn at the beginning of battle, Irvine with 1 HP can't be suddenly attacked by him. Because Aura is unused in Sorceress battle too, no need to draw Aura in T-Garden. - Sorceress battle with fastest Battle Speed Cast Haste (drawn in G-Garden because of Cerberus-less) and Berserk on Irvine. When we input commands manually, faster Battle Speed causes enemies move more. But when auto-attack with Berserk, it works better not for enemies but for player. And ATB Bars simply become faster. It is also shortened waiting time for the start of Sorceress (3)'s countdown in order not to trigger her counter. But if we are careless, her countdown progresses rapidly and game will be over by her Ultima. ---- * Ultimecia Battle - Perform Ultimecia Party Manipulation with (Almost) No Waste (ref. http://pingval.g1.xrea.com/psff8/research/index_en.html#last-party) The targets of party are "Irvine, Zell, Selphie", "Irvine, Zell, Quistis" and "Selphie, Irvine, Quistis". It is carried out with a little upper-left running to extend sojourn time more 0.25s on the very last map. Irvine which can use Shot is the only damage dealer. Zell, Selphie and Quistis are support characters for Item and the last of Ultimecia (3rd). By 100 Demis Str-J to all of them, they can gain at least 100 damage on her. And keep their max HP more than about 1100 in order to them survive Greaver's Flare. - Unseal Limit Break and Item. Bacause of leaving the seal of Resurrection, game is over when Irvine is killed. - Battle with slowest Battle Speed For ease of killing Ultimecia (1st) with Shot before she moves. Change Battle Speed from fastest to slowest after Tiamat. - Irvine's initial HP is around 380. (Sorcesses battle finishes as it is; 12.5% of MAX HP) By increasing Crisis Level, for to make it easier to kill Ultimecia (1st) before she moves. And for the guarantee to get Crisis Level 4 on Ultimecia (3rd) with Aura Stone. In addition, even if we don't have Aura Stones, it also becomes easier to use Limit Break. When Irvine gets Crisis Level 4, it is guaranteed to kill level 15 Ultimecia (3rd) with one Shot, Armor Ammo*8. The condition that Crisis Level must be 4 with Aura Status (ref. http://pingval.g1.xrea.com/psff8/research/index_en.html#crisis-level) is, when 1 dead (2 Heroes), his HP needs to be less than 19% of his max HP. When 0 dead (1 Holy War), though it need to be less than 11%, the probability of that is 98% even when 13%. But when he is damaged by Tri-pod's attack, because it is no longer guaranteed that he survives Griever's attack, give him a Potion. In that case, his hp will be 500-530, about 17% of his max HP. Assuming we use 2 Heroes or 1 Holy War before kill Griever because of his final attack Shock Wave Pulser, the ways of Irvine is killed are the following only: - Some Ultimecia (1st)'s actions when we fail in kill her before she moves. - Griever's Flare (though guaranteed to survive if about 45-65 Firagas Elem-Def-J to him) - Griever's critical hit - Keep necessary junctioned spells by Blowaway Manipulation (ref. http://pingval.g1.xrea.com/psff8/research/index_en.html#blownaway) Griever and Ultimecia (3rd) sometimes use Blowaway. Junctioned spells to keep are Irvine's Triples Str-J, Curagas HP-J and Stops SPD-J. Others' Demis Str-J is too. Prepare 3 scapegoat spells for Irvine and 2 for others. And for them, I use only spells which are harmless even when drawn and cast by Griever. They are Curaga, Demi and Zombie. Of course, these are not all. Therefore Griever's Draw will be harmless. Each concrete position of spells: - Irvine: http://pingval.g1.xrea.com/psff8/blownaway-simulator/?5=demi100&6=zombie20&29=blizzaga79&30=curaga100&31=stop100&32=triple100 Scapegoat spells are Demi, Zombie and Blizzaga. Empty 1st page. And place them on 2nd page and Blizzaga on 1st row of 8th page and spells to keep on other rows of there. Because of priority, Blizzaga will be safe from Griever's Draw. - Zell, Quistis: http://pingval.g1.xrea.com/psff8/blownaway-simulator/?2=zombie60&3=curaga5&29=demi100 Scapegoat spells are Zombie and Curaga. Empty 1st row of 1st page and place Demi on 8th page. I guess that this position is easy when there is only one spell to keep. - Selphie: http://pingval.g1.xrea.com/psff8/blownaway-simulator/?7=curaga100&8=zombie20&25=haste1&26=berserk1&29=demi100&30=fire5 Scapegoat spells are Zombie and Curaga (and Haste and Berserk). Empty 1st page. And place them on 2nd page and Demi, incidentally, Fire of Elem-Atk-J on 8th page. Haste and Berserk will be safe from Draw such as Irvine's Blizzaga. - Use a Vit-J Scroll on Pandemona By 100 Demis Vit-J, it is guaranteed that Irvine survives level 15 Griever's attack (except critical hit) with 377 HP. This HP amount is also just when he is at level 16 with 100 Curatag HP-J and revived by Phoenix Down. When he is not junctioned to his Vit, required HP for that is 406. - Prevent miss of Hero/Holy War surely by adjusting each character's Mag and Spr. When the following condition is met, they can miss. (user's Mag / 4).floor < (target's Spr / 4).floor Concretely speaking, natural Spr of level 16 or 17 Irvine is 9. For this, to guarantee that they never missed, 8 or more user's Mag is required. Each level which is required for 8 or more Mag is Irvine: 13, Zell: 11, Quistis: 10 and Selphie: 8. Based on these, I adjusted each character's experience to Hero/Holy War surely succeed. In the case of my strat, when level of Ruby Dragon in Laguna Dream 4 is lower, there is a slight possibility that Quistis' level isn't risen to 10. So supply her Mag with Quezacotl's Mag-J. We need to take care of Shiva which has Spr-J. When user's Mag is in 8-11, 12 or more target's Spr can cause a miss. ---- * Learning Abilities Refer to AP Management Sheet for more information. - Quezacotl Card 40 Card Mod 80 HP-J 50 Str-J by item - Shiva I Mag-RF 30 Boost 10 Str-J 50 Str+60% by item Elem-Atk-J 160 HP-J by item - Ifrit Str+20% 60 Str+60% by item Str+40% 120 HP-J 50 F Mag-RF 30 Ammo-RF 30 (required Ifrit's level to be not less than 10) - Siren L Mag-RF 30 HP-J by item Tool-RF 30 (only when even one material of Aura Stone is available) - Diablos Str+60% by item Time Mag-RF 30 Enc-Half 30 ST Mag-RF until 26/30 Enc-None 100 Darkside 100 ST Mag-RF 30 HP-J by item Str-J by item - Carbuncle HP-J 50 Str-J by item - Pandemona Initiative 160 Vit-J by item Ability x4 by item Spd-J 120 Spd+40% by item - Final distribution of GFs Squall Diablos Zell Carbuncle Irvine Ifrit, Pandemona Quistis Quezacotl Rinoa Siren Selphie Shiva ---- * Acknowledgements - Caracarn (https://www.twitch.tv/caracarnvi) I learned the latest Zell-less strats of FF8 JP from his video. - Styile (ステイル) (http://com.nicovideo.jp/community/co2963514) I referred to his chart for basic knowledge, instructions, mini game strats and so on. - Emanon (えまのん) (http://com.nicovideo.jp/community/co2630401) I referred to his chart and video for how to construct Zell strats. - Luzbelheim (https://www.twitch.tv/luzbelheim) I referred to his videos for general running, leading Rinoa in Lunar Base and so on. - Giru (ギル) (http://com.nicovideo.jp/community/co1910962) I referred to his step encounter table for its manipulation. - Calome (カロメ) (http://com.nicovideo.jp/community/co403399) I referred to the overview of his chart mainly. - FF8LIONHEART (http://ff8lionheart.net/) I referred to the dependency tree of refinements etc.