Day #91 Recap (FF IV: The After Years)

Current Game: Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection (The After Years)

Ceodore's Tale Play Time: 5:15(complete)
Rydia's Tale Play Time: 4:53(complete)
Yang's Tale Play Time: 2:40(complete)
Palom's Tale Play Time: 3:32

The After Years Play Time (Total): 16:20
Interlude Play Time: 2:34(finished)

Main Game Play Time: 24:48(finished)
Side Run Play Time: 3:19(finished)

Total Complete Collection Play Time: 47:01

Total Play Time - 193:02

Current Game Overs - 0
Total Game Overs:10

Where I Currently Am:Challenge Dungeon (Palom's Tale)
Bosses Killed Today: Dark Elf, Blade Dragon(x4)

Palom's Tale Current Setup:

Palom - Black Mage - Lv 33
HP: 1099 MP: 343
Str: 20 Spd: 15 Sta: 19 Int: 57 Spr:14
Atk: 3x - 28 Acc - 58% Def: 1x - 24 Eva: 25% MgD: 2x - 19 MgE - 27%

Equipment: Polymorph Rod, Circlet, Black Robe, Single Star

Black Magic: Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Sleep, Poison, Pig, Blizzara, Fira, Thundara, Break, Warp, Toad, Osmose, Drain, Bio, Stop
 ________________________________________________________________

Leonora - Epopt - Lv 31
HP: 890 MP: 215
Str: 24 Spd: 15 Sta: 27 Int: 30 Spr: 49
Atk: 4x - 28 Acc - 67% Def: 1x - 32 Eva: 28% MgD: 2x - 20 MgE - 26%

Equipment: Protect Staff, Mystic Veil, Red Robe, Ruby Ring

White Magic: Cure, Raise, Teleport, Esuna, Libra, Sight, Hold, Cura, Slow, Protect, Silence, Berserk, Shell
Black Magic: Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Poison, Sleep, Stop

Status + Notes:

So, done with the story in Palom's Tale, so Mission Complete. At this point, 4 tales through and we're about 1/2 way through the initial 8 stories... I can't say there's really a lot of diversity to the story. It seems to be the same in each one. Introduce new character, find out how the Mysterious Girl is going to screw up this area, and yeah, that's about it.

This challenge dungeon... I easily say it is the hardest one I've gone through yet. First of all, just being able to cast spells to kill things is difficult. Hard to grind unless you get into the Maze Floor or the Town Floor... And then the boss... yeah, the first time I fought him, it lasted 15 minutes. For a few reasons... one, I screwed up my fast-forwarding a couple times so he did his Venom Breath/Heal thing... and then just waiting for him to cast spells so you can figure out how to damage him... ugh. Even on my next few times through its not exactly quick. There's just more margin for error... My strategy now is buff up (Slow, Bluffx3, Hastex3). Do first 2 elemental cycles, than spam particle bomb. Still takes a few minutes.

So anyway, tune in next time when we finish up the challenge dungeon, move on to some Ninjas, and talk about some Shopping where the entrance is in the rear...

Spoiler Alert... Sarcastic Plot Developments of the Day:

So, you guessed it, Questionable Thunder, yellow dolls... had to get through that. We make it to the top of the tower to find out that, yep, this whole test was done on the HONOR system. Imagine if that's how it was here... yeah, to become the leader of the United States go take this test, but we'll trust you to tell us if you finished it or not. Great system.

So, we head back, and we learn that the reason the Epopts wanted Leonora to be taught in Black Magic is the omnious foreboding they feel from Baron. And at that moment the Red Wings attack... so Palom and Leonora take the crystal and high tail it out of there, through a SECRET PASSAGE... in the crystal chamber... and you thought all crystal chambers were the same... for shame.

So, yeah, we head through the non-descript tunnel to leave, and we get out and we're in a major hurry to flee the terrible little girl, so obviously this is a great time to do some shopping! And while we're shopping, let's take in a show shall we? So we head to the strip pub and first buy a pass that lets us watch some elderly strippers do their thing. Who knew Palom was such a cougar cub? Well, turns out he's not, the experience leaves him at 1 HP! So we spend some more money to get a better show with some younger dancers... who then let us into their dressing room to sell Leonora some Dominatrix Gear... yeah, I'm not even being sarcastic about that one...  and finally a pass to get to the bottom of the pub where they retrieve the Black Tail... no wait you say, the tail is a lie... well this one ain't!

Finally, they realize they should, ya know move on and get the crystal out of Troia... so they go back to the chocobo forest since obviously they want to lose some more wagon wheels... but no, this time they ride a black one over to the Lodestone Cavern. Here the laws of Magnetism still apply, so no metal equipment for them... but obviously Leonora's new leather outfit is completely unaffected... So, we head back through this cave, which the Epopts have outfitted with new SECRET PASSAGES!!! Which basically amount to a longer path for us through the cave to get back to the original area where the soldiers catch up with us anyway. Great trick guys...

So, we reach the crystal chamber, and Leonora reveals that she is a Mysidian... in fact she is the same Mysidian Palom was flirting with during the ending of the original game... huh, interesting cameo. So, now, the programmers are stuck thinking of a boss for this tale, so they eventually give up and create some sort of reason to revive the Dark Elf... something about the Crystal reviving him... nothing that's going to be important later in the story or anything... nope, not at all... so we beat him up until he transforms again, expect this time in dragon from, magic does nothing against him??? What will we do????

SHIVA FROM NOWHERE!!! Dragon's dead, and Palom goes to thank Rydia for helping them, only its not Rydia... it is Miss Blue Hair here to collect the Crystal. Palom gets himself stoned, cause that always makes things better, but Leonora comes and sobers him up, which allows the two of them to learn Antipode from Chrono Trigger... which is great because we can't kill Miss Blue Hair since she is of a superior species... she summons Shiva again and we fall down allowing her to take our crystal and split. Which a long way away makes Porom sad.... and END OF CHAPTER!!!

TO BE CONTINUED!!!