Summary: Questing around Duscae. A fantastic behemoth hunt. Dipping my toes into chocobos and racing.
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Side Stuff
-Prompto suggests getting a shot of the Disc, the “meteor.”
-It looks strangely crystallized. Maybe debris from the meteor’s impact was immediately frozen.
Reminds me of XIV’s Plains of Carteneau.
-It sounds like Titan is tied to it somehow. I’ll check it out next session.
-The party’s naturalistic tendencies tend to conflict with my enjoyment of combat.
PROMPTO: “I felt kinda bad taking those things down.”
IGNIS: “You’re not alone, but out in the wild, it’s kill or be killed.”
COLDRUN: *draws my weapon, staring at the next tame garula*
-Another post-camping mini-game, this time with Prompto. Everyone’s such a morning person.
-He wants to snap a picture of a catoblepas. Yikes, those stone-gazing dudes we first met in FFV?
-OHHHH! So that’s what those long-necked cuties. I can the resemblance to past versions.
-Cindy’s given me a series of Regalia upgrade quests. I love how the game encourages revisiting past zones.
-It hits me that FFXV shares something unique with FFI and no other main numbered FF game: you start with your full party. (Maybe Cor will replace Prompto in chapter 5 or something, but I’d be shocked.)
In FFII, III, and V, you find your full party quickly, but not instantly like I and XV. Not sure what to make of that. I suppose it gives a sense of stability.
-The thunder bomb hunt is tricky. Not sure how to deal with magic, since I can’t phase through it. [Non-rhetorical question: does phase have any interaction with magic attacks?]
-The mindflayer design is SUPER cool! Leaning harder into the squid side of things.
They can flit through the air, propelled on membranous foot wings.
-ughhhhh found a “Hundlegs.” I have a major fear bordering on phobia with centipedes.
Btw, this made Sekiro tough for me. See around the 6:00 mark if interested in how I generally react to gross centipede monsters, but MAJOR TW for centipedes/body horror:
-On the next Dino gem hunt, I learn my lesson from last time. Instead of bolting to the quest marker’s middle, I circle the outskirts and quickly find the gems.
-WOOOOO took down a coeurl! It murdered me at level 19. No problem at 24/25.
-My favorite visual touch is how my fire magic singed its fur off. HOW FRIGGING COOL IS THAT??
-Used its whisker to upgrade to Drain Lance III and JEEEEESUS it’s powerful.
-Another issue of Cosmogony magazine. In the distant past, Bahamut descended and gave a pious Tenebrae maiden the power of the Stars – capital s – and his trident. He has a trident?
-She became the first Oracle. “She who joins heaven and earth.” Some more insight gradually coming about Freyaluna’s role.
-oh my god I love FF magazines. First FFVIII’s “Pet Pals,” now Fish Fanatics Monthly.
-Felt all heady and confident at level 25 so I tried a level 40 hunt for a trio of necromancers.
Bad idea. They killed me in seconds with poison, laser blasts, and 17 other kinds of magic.
A random green smoothie.
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Checkpoint Chocobo
-Weird note: As a kid watching my bro play FFIV, I assumed it was pronounced “kocobo.”
(Also that the game starred the dark knight/paladin Lestat. My brother must’ve been reading Interview with the Vampire at the time.)
-Arrived at the chocobo outpost. Prompto’s practically peeing himself with joy.
-lolol I can buy a “towel” accessory to keep me from getting dirty.
-The music here is so apt! It’s a slow harmonica version of the chocobo theme.
-A BEHEMOTH NAMED DEADEYE IS SCARING THE CHOCOBOS. IT MUST DIE.
-This section is an absolute joy. It’s basically survival horror, creeping through a misty subzone to stalk Deadeye while remaining just out of sight.
Stealth and anticipation works SO MUCH BETTER than if it were pure combat. And unlike some past FF stealth *coughVIIcough*, staying hidden as I creep from rock to rock feels intuitive.
-XV effectively exploited my fear of giant creatures with the big bird and again here.
-Chocobo racing is the national Lucian sport. I’ve never really dived into chocobo racing in any game. Maybe I’ll check it out here more.
-Takes me a couple of tries to win the first race vs. Prompto. I’m surprised he wasn’t the final boss tbh.
The second race felt unwinnable. Tried it a few times and Gladiolus just goes waaaay to fast for me.
-I see a level counter in my chocobo. But I’ve done a few races with no progress. Idk how to level it up.
[Non-rhetorical question: Still no clue through the end of this session. What gives my chocobo xp? Win easier races? Feed it? The greens sold at the chocobo post just seem to boost stamina/gliding.]
-HJKDSHFDJKLS COMPLETED A CHOCOBO PHOTOGRAPHY QUEST AND NOW I CAN NAME AND CUSTOMIZE MY CHOCOBO! His name is Pigeon, after my cat.
-This is amazing. I can change his color, pin medals to his chest, and even adjust my party members’ chocobos. Screw this all black color theme. We’re forming a four-color rainbow as soon as possible.
Prompto in heaven.
[Non-rhetorical question: When I rent a chocobo and ride it in the open world, how do I get it back after dismount?]
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Elemancy Exploration
-Last session, I saw that I can add catalysts to improve/alter a spell. Let’s check that out more.
I retain my initial dislike for magic as a consumable, but I’m determined to get past that. This is just different. Instead of Rydia or Vivi or Lulu using magic as part of a normal rotation, XV’s magic is for when regular combat falls short. When a hunt is too tough, or a pack is too brutal for normal melee.
It’s a tool to get over a hump.
-Anyway, for this test I’ll start with a base spell of Fira at 148 potency.
HEALCAST – Hits with fire while healing the caster. (Potions, Hi-Potion, Mega Potion)
DUALCAST: FIRA-THUNDARA – Spells semi-randomly up to two times. (Superior Restorative, Ether, Remedy)
TRICAST: Same, but up to three times. (Phoenix Down, Elixir, Hi-Elixir)
QUADCAST – Same, but up to four times. (Mega Phoenix)
QUINTCAST – Same, up to five. (Megalixir, Reflex Enhancer, Magitek Booster)
VENOMCAST: Adds poison. (Antidote)
CURSECAST: Adds Attack Down status. (Leiden Pepper)
STOPCAST: Adds Stop. (Fossil Wood)
Spell use increase (Muscle Stimulant)
EXPERICAST: Grants experience to caster when used. (Rare Coin)
FAILCAST: May fail? WHY TF WOULD I USE THIS?? (Rusted Bit, Iron Shavings)
[Non-rhetorical question: Seriously, wtf? Am I misreading the spell affix, or does Failcast really just offer slightly more power in exchange for a failure chance?]
-I’ll try to periodically check for new spell affixes as I get new catalysts. (If I remember.) (Which I probably won’t lol.)
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Next time: Checking out the Disc.
