Okay, so, I had this whole document with hyperlinks and everything, but since I don't know how to post an attachment to the speedrun.com website, I'm just gonna copy paste it all here. Hopefully this guide gives you all some ideas.
I've made my run using the Katana at first, until I am able to get a Staff Rune Ability that doubles movement speed. I've made earning money the top priority to ensure I'm able to get it asap. Otherwise, this guide has lists of what items we'll need, detailed guides on each floor of each dungeon and how to get through it as fast as I could come up with, and what exactly you need to do to unlock each story progression quests (as some of them are really weird on what triggers you have to hit to unlock it). I also decided that the only two characters worth raising to 6 LP are Violet because it's really easy to get flowers and grasses and stuff from Spring Island, and Maerwin, who likes Cheap and Quality Cloths, which can be commonly found in dungeons by beating Orcs up. I also think that these two are very easy to find in the town at any given time, and do not take too long to get to from anywhere else in the town.
Anyway, I hope this all helps you guys, and feel free to post at the forum page with any notes you guys might have for it. Thanks!
PS: Please note that this is, for the most part, a revised 2nd draft of my notes. I did my initial note taking playthrough, and then started a second note revising playthrough. However, in this second playthrough, I was only able to get to the Water Shrine before being swamped with college stuff, and thus, any notes after the Water Shrine are rough draft notes. Thus, if something seems to contradict something stated earlier, go ahead and go with what was stated earlier. It shouldn't be too game-changing, though.
Chapters:
1.) Acquire Items/Equipment
- Wind Rod
- Yaksha
- Storm Rod (For Boss Fights before Wind Rod is Acquired)
- Necessary Materials
- Gold Acquisition
2.) Befriending Violet and Maerwen
- Violet
- Maerwen
3.) Best Dungeon Routes
- Earth Shrine
- 1st Floor
- 2nd Floor
- 3rd Floor
- Fire Shrine
- 1st Floor
- 2nd Floor
- 3rd Floor
- 4th Floor
- Water Shrine
- 1st Floor
- 2nd Floor
- 3rd Floor
- 4th Floor
- 5th Floor
- Wind Shrine
- 1st Floor
- 2nd Floor
- 3rd Floor
- 4th Floor
- 5th Floor
- 6th Floor
4.) Boss Strategies
- Moleman
- Crabotron
- Oblitigator
- Asmodeus
- Legendary Golem
- Masked Man
5.) Overall Order of Events
- Beginning → Earth Shrine
- Earth Shrine → Fire Shrine
- Fire Shrine → Water Shrine
- Water Shrine → Wind Shrine
- After Wind Shrine
6.) General Tips
-
Every Day
-
Movement
-
Combat
--- 1.) Acquiring Items/Equipment ---
¤ Best tool to use as early skill grinding is Rusty Sickle. It only costs Iron and Thin Stick, and once you have one, you can upgrade it to a Quality Sickle. After that, you can just keep slapping Iron on it.
Weapons Needed: Wind Rod – Wind Crystal, Magic Powder, Silver, Emerald (around 12 forging skill is good) Storm Rod – Wind Crystal, Iron (Any forging skill is good)
Yaksha – Setsuna, Gold, Dark Crystal (35 forging skill or higher)
Setsuna – Basara, Silver, Magic Powder (21 forging skill or higher)
Basara – Burai, Magic Powder (10 forging skill or higher)
Burai – STARTER WEAPON
--- So, basically: Items Needed -----
1 Emerald = Earth Shrine, Floor 3, fight Mimics
1 Dark Crystal = Just keep breaking Dark Gates
1 Gold = Golem (Water Shrine 4th & 5th floors), Talos (Wind Shrine 3rd, 4th, & 5th floors), Water Shrine 3rd floor, chest to the left of entrance stairs
3 Magic Powder = Ignis (Fire Shrine 3rd & 4th floors), Little Mage (Fire Shrine 2nd & 3rd floors), Joe sells on Summer 19th
2 Silver = Bacchus request for the Sunken Ship gives 1 silver!
2 Wind Crystal = Wind Gates, Blacksmith
Another item we need is the Fleet Foot Rune Ability for the Staff. It makes you run faster while a Staff is out. This is very useful!!! To get it, we need 17500 gold! That's insane, so start stocking up early!
---- Gold ----
Allocation: Start with 50 Gain 500 with Lily Medicinal Herb quest Gain 1,000 with Lily Scrap Metal & Iron quest Sell all the things Gain 10,000 with a James investigation request sometime later on (need a water pot) Gain 5,000 with Jocelyn quiz about Shrine Island (answers are 24 pillars, brown floor, and yes, there is a pattern) Gain 2,000 with Jocelyn “I'm curious about something...” request Gain 5,000 with Jocelyn quiz about Mystic Island (answers are round and square pillars, has a pattern, and off-white stone)
Purchasing: Recovery Potions: 250 Each Recovery L Potions: 500 Each House Expansion for getting a Forge = 10,000 Advanced Blacksmith = 8,000, or 5,600 on a sale day Buying all kinds of Scrap Metal = 20 Each Buying Fleet Foot = 17,500 on a sale day!!!! Only the 23rd of a month!!!
Seriously, once you have bought the House Expansion and the Advanced Blacksmith, you can spend pretty much everything else on Scrap Metal and Potions.
--- 2.) Befriending Characters ---
1.) Violet Loves: Emery Flower Likes: Colored Grasses, Medicinal Herbs, Flowers, Pickles
Location – Morning: Church
Day: Clinic
Night: Inn
2.) Maerwen Likes: Cloth, Leather
Location – Morning: Manor Dining Room
Day: Bathhouse Area
Night: Manor Dining Room
--- 3.) Best Dungeon Routes ---
--- Earth Shrine ---
--- 1st Floor ---
Stairs are: forward till the intersection, to the left, straight, to the right. Make sure to get an Earth Elemental from a King Gate here.
--- 2nd Floor ---
Stairs are: forward,till intersection, left to a room with pillars and iron bars. To the right is a switch which opens the door to the left. Stairs are to the left.
--- 3rd Floor ---
We need 3 switches. 1 is past the initial corner, straight forward, through some stairs, and to the left. Then, 180 degrees from facing the switch, straight forward into a room that locks you in. Past it and to the left. Finally, the last one is 180 degrees from facing this switch, forward to a room, then to the right. There's also a chest with a Neck Towel near the 1st switch. Grab it, as it is free defense.
Now, onto the boss fight! : below
--- Fire Shrine ---
--- 1st Floor ---
First things first, SAVE! We're gonna try to get a Fire Elemental on the 1st floor. After you've caught the Fire Elemental... We need 3 switches. One is after 2 left turns. The 2nd is 180 degrees from the first switch. The third is 2 right turns from the beginning stairs.
--- 2nd Floor ---
Stairs are: Forward until you get to a T intersection. Right. Follow corner. Straight. At next T intersection, right. Follow Corner. Straight until you get to another T intersection. Left. Then straight, follow the corner. At next T intersection, right. Then finally right, and follow corner to room with stairs. NOTE: while here, try to kill some Little Mages, as we need 3 Magic Powder from them.
--- 3rd Floor ---
First, go forward all the way down the hall to a switch. Then, turn around and take the side path right next to the switch room. When you hit an intersection, go to the left for another switch. After that, work your way back to the middle of the original hall and take a left (facing the stairs). At the intersection, take a left toward a switch. This room will then lock you in. Just teleport out and take the portal back in. Head back toward that same hallway, but instead of a left, take a right toward a switch. This room will also lock you in. Teleport out and take the portal back in. Head back toward that last switch and take a left right before that room. A left here will right here will lead to another switch. This time, the room won't lock you out, so go ahead and leave. Work your way back a few turns and move toward the southern end of the map. There's a newly opened path with a switch to the right. That's the last switch. So teleport out and take the portal back up, and the stairs are nearby.
--- 4th Floor ---
Forward, and to the left. At the end of the hall is a corner that leads to a switch. Next, head back a tad bit to the newly opened path. Forward has two switches. Flip both. Take the left path first, as it leads to a dead end with a switch. This switch opens a path to a chest that we want near the beginning of the room. While heading toward said switch, take a right, and you'll get to a pathway to another switch. Then head back. Go back and get the Silver Ring in the chest. Then go take the right path, where you'll climb a bit of stairs to a switch. Now, on this right path, you'll be locked into the hallway. Destroy the gates to get out. There's a switch on the far end of the hallway. After flipping it, head over to the left facing back down the hallway to the path that just opened up. Throughout this hallway, there's 3 different segments to the right. Only go to the far one. Now, on the opposite side is a large hallway with two small stair sets to the left to flip and a room at the end with a switch to flip. DO NOT TAKE THE RIGHT PATH, IT'S COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY Now make your way back into the scary locking hallway from earlier and head to the boss stairs!
Now that you've gotten to the boss, click here for some strategies: below
--- Water Shrine ---
--- 1st Floor ---
First thing's first: catch a King monster. After you have one, continue on...
The portal to the far side straight forward leads to a gold ore, which we need. So grab that. Then, teleport back to the front. Take the path to the right, and it's pretty straight-forward. Eventually you'll get to a branching path either straight or to the right. The straight path leads to a chest with a Diamond in it. We can sell it, so go ahead and grab it. Take the right path. Follow this hallway until you get to the first left. Take it, and it's pretty straight-forward from there.
--- 2nd Floor ---
Straight to the end of the hall, to a room with a switch. After flipping the switch, the room will lock you in. Destroy the gate to get out. Head to the portal to the next section. In this new section, head to the left. Follow the hallway all the way through to another portal. Now, finally, in this new section, Head to the room on the far side of the hall. This room will have two switches. ONLY FLIP THE RIGHT ONE! Afterward, the room will lock you in. Destroy the gates to get out, then head for the portal. In this final hallway, just head forward, destroying the gates of the three rooms until you get to the stairs.
--- 3rd Floor ---
Head forward, and take the right staircase ahead. Forward through the first room into the second, then take another right to a switch. Teleport back out and back in, and go through the gate. Now take the left. From here, take the left path. This will lead to a room with a switch and that locks you in afterward. Destroy the gates to get out. Now, to the right instead, there's a room. On the right wall is a hall. Go there, take another right, and flip the switch. Now head back to the OG hallway, and to the right. Make an immediate right to a switch, then head for the stairs straight ahead. There's a room with a switch, afterward locking you in. Now head back to the room to the left, where the gate is opened. Flip that switch, then work your way back. Go up the stairs.
--- 4th Floor ---
Forward through the portal. This takes you into a room that doesn't lock you in. Just go for the portal at the end. The next room does lock you in. Clear the enemies out and move on ahead. This central hallway area makes a big sideways U. It has a series of portals along the right wall. DON'T TAKE THE FIRST PORTAL. DO TAKE THE SECOND PORTAL. Find a chest through it and equip the contents. DO TAKE THE THRID PORTAL. Find the switch and flip it. DON'T TAKE THE FOURTH PORTAL. Now, finally, at the end of the U, take the portal and make your way forward to the stairs, clearing out locked rooms as you need to.
--- 5th Floor ---
This floor has a pattern of every other room. The first part is a room with 3 chests. DO NOT OPEN THEM!!! Doing so locks the doors. The other part is a room that is pre-locked. Just destroy the gates and move on ahead. This pattern happens for 3 reps. Afterward, in the next room, take the staircase to the right. Destroy all the gates inside the various dead-ends. This will open up a small room with a switch. Flip it, and head back down the stairs. Finally, head to the staircase to the boss room.
Now we're at the boss! Click here for Oblitigator strategies:below
--- 4.) Boss Strategies ---
--- Moleman ---
Circle around him to avoid him. Get distance, jump, Storm Rod combo, if he charges at you, air dash away, rinse and repeat. At around lvl 12, he was a complete joke.
Alrighty. Now that we've beaten this boss, you can click here for the next chapter, Earth Shrine → Fire Shrine: below
--- Crabotron ---
Work your way behind him, jump Rod attacks all day. The only attack you should be concerned with is his machinegun spray. Jump over it, and continue attacking like no one's business. Afterward, you have to fight the Goblin Pirates again. Switch to your Katana & knock 'em silly. You wanna be around lvl 18-21 for this fight.
Alrighty. Now that we've beaten this boss, you can click here for the next chapter, Fire Shrine → Water Shrine: below
--- Oblitigator ---
IMPORTANT! BEFORE THIS FIGHT, TAME A GOLEM AND A TROLL! AT THIS POINT, BOTH OUR YELLOW AND RED FAERIES ARE FAR TOO WEAK TO BE OF ANY REAL HELP ANYMORE!
You wanna be around lvl 27 for this fight. And even then, it's tough. Make sure you're prepared. Actually, buy some food from the Inn. You'll easily run out of RP before he dies if you use the Wind Rod. Buy some good RP healing food. Obviously, having 3 allies is good for this. They are the distraction. Circle around him, waiting for him to swing, then going in and doing a single Wind Rod combo, then dash away. If he stops to do push ups or breathing exercises, go in with a full combo. Otherwise, just dodge his attacks, especially the projectiles. Once he's enraged at half health, he becomes much faster. You have a lot less time to swing at him. Take your time, and prioritize dodging. Once you hit around half RP, switch to your Katana.
Now that you beat him, Click Here to move on to the Water Shrine till Wind Shrine chapter:
--- Asmodeus ---
For the most part, this boss is the same story as the others: just circle around him, picking shots after he wiffs an attack. Note: your Wind Rod is weak against him, as he is a Wind elemental boss. However, it is still the most effective thing we can use at the moment, so just keep going, and you'll get him eventually. Taking this boss slow is still faster than trying to get a new rod. When he gets enraged, his attack patterns get a bit more simple. He becomes much faster, so you can't attack after he wiffs. Instead, for the most part, every 2 attacks, he does an evil laugh. Attack then. If you need to heal, use a laugh segment to take out a potion, and wait for another one to drink it. After testing, these are the attacks he has: kick, twirl forward, float up with air cutter rain, air cutter spread shot, air cutter straight shot, rush forward, float to middle of the map with a field attack, light claw that explodes after a bit, kick into rush forward. Out of these attacks, if any two are done in a row of the following, he will do an evil laugh – punish him: air cutter spread shot, kick, air cutter straight shot, light claw that explodes after a bit. NOTE: he sometimes does air cutter straight shot into air cutter spread shot. Trying to dodge the spread shot will likely result in you being unable to punish. Don't worry about it. If he does an evil laugh, get out a potion/food if needed. Wait for him to do another one, then drink. If he floats to the middle of the stage for a field attack, afterward, you have time to both get a drink out and take it, unless he comes back down toward you, then just get it out without taking it. I was at level 31, and managed to beat it after several attempts. However, it is possible.
Afterward, you'll have a battle with the dark spirits. Just die to them, it's scripted.
Finally! Now that you're done with the final dungeon, head back to town. Also, click here for the next chapter:
--- Legendary Golem ---
Be careful of his Double Lariat. It will basically kill you in one hit. Otherwise, just keep picking and choosing your attacks. Prioritize defense over offense. Actually, the best strategy is to literally sit in block until he does his 4 hit combo, then punish him. The Lariat is 6 hits. NOTE: If you die to him once, go ahead and take the death. Wake up, buy cold medicine if you have to, go to the Bathhouse, and right back in. If you've all ready seen the cutscene, you can skip it and go straight back into the fight! Prioritize minimal movement. Because of our attacks AND blocking, we'll need all the RP we can get. Don't waste it on circling him or dancing waiting for him to get up. If he does an attack where he charges up, then claps his hands, block for much longer than it looks like you should have to. The attack crates a Kikosho, which is multihitting. Be extra careful! If he roars, FREE COMBO!!! Seriously, if he decides to roar, punish him. That's a combo where we didn't need to waste RP by blocking. NOTE: If he begins to put his hands behind his head, wait a bit to make sure he is roaring and not Kikosho-ing before attacking!!! Do NOT just sit in block. Just sitting in block costs RP. Only press X when you have to block something. When he has stars circling him, wait, and press R1 when the prompt comes up.
--- Masked Man ---
USE THE REST OF YOUR MONEY TO BUY FOOD!!!! ALSO, MAKE SURE TO BRING YOUR BUDDIES WITH YOU!!!
He's not super hard to dodge in the first phase. For the most part, you want to focus on being closer to him, always midair, so as many of the Wind Rod shots as possible can hit. After a while, it'll go to a cutscene, where his mask falls off. Eventually, during this second phase, he'll do a full-field attack. You can't dodge it. It's scripted. You'll be taken to a cutscene where Maerwen and Violet will greet you, and they'll bring you back, better than ever. Oh, yeah, and the Goblin Pirate'll be there, too. After this, the REAL fight begins. Keep jumping around him, casting full combos at the peak of your jump, unless you see him charge an attack, in which case you airdash away. You have 4 lives now: 1 from Maerwen, 1 from Violet, 1 from the Goblin Captain, and 1 from Sonja. NOTE: he will occasionally do the field attack again. This attack will use up a life. Keep that in mind. Once he's down to around a fourth of his health left, he will summon two clones of himself. This will also make you no longer lock onto him. Keep circling around, double jumping. Once you reach the peak of your second jump, swing at him. If you see an enemy jump up at you, air dash away. Only jump and go for an attack if you are close to the original. You can tell them apart because the clones are darker colored. IMPORTANT!!! --- IF THE FIGHT IS GOING POORLY AT FIRST, DO NOT USE ANY HEALING ITEMS. IF YOU THINK IT'S A BAD RUN, DON'T RESET. IF YOU DIE, YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT BACK TO THE FINAL PHASE BY GOING TO THE DRAGON SHRINE!!!!
--------- ONCE YOU GET THE LAST HIT, AND THE CAMERA SWITCHES TO HIM DEFEATED, THAT IS TIME! --------
--- 5.) Order of Events ---
--- Beginning → Earth Shrine ---
Cutscenses Follow Odette Workshop → Shrine → Bathhouse → Church Plaza → Front of Church → Back to Shopping District → Manor → Inn District → Shop → Inn → House → Done Asks to save, say no for speedrun. Now it's time to meet everyone. Lily = Inside Inn – While there, grab her request Bismark = Shop Makoto = Outside Dragon Shrine – While there, grab Dragon Shrine Cutscene. Beatrix = Backyard of Manor Electra = Inside Manor James & Elena = Blacksmith Violet = Clinic – While there, buy a Medicinal Herb for Lily Joe & Bacchus = Ship Teleport Home Lily should now be in the Inn, ready for the Medicinal Herb. Back home, go to sleep. More cutscenes Hop on Ymir Inside the door. Cutscenes (DO NOT READ MONSTER LIST) Step back outside for cutscene Ymir will automatically go to Verde Island Now on Verde Island... Get Burai. Hit NO when Sonja asks if we know how to use a weapon. Kill the Goblins. Continue on toward the top, killing enemies for exp and refilled RP as you go. When at the top, kill the Goblin Pirates. Go to the Obelisk. Fight the Goblins Open the Chest Teleport Home. Store any important materials you may or may not have gotten for later. (KEEP A RED SPIRIT) Go to Inn and accept Maerwen's request. (While at the Inn, buy some Wine. We'll need it later to get the Fire Rod) Go talk to her. Go to Ymir for cutscenes. Go find the island Maerwen wanted. Go ashore and place a red spirit. PLANT SOMETHING!!! Teleport home. Report to Maerwen Go to Inn and accept Electra's request. Go get rid of the boulders she marks on the map. Report back Teleport home and go to sleep. The next day, go accept Sierra's request. Go to the spot she marks, and grab a spirit from the log. Go back and report to her. Go to the Inn and accept Joe's Wine request. Go give him the wine we bought earlier. Go back home & go to sleep. Wake up, and it should be Wednesday. Go talk to Lily, Violet, and Maerwen, then go to bed. Now it should be Thursday. Go talk to Jocelyn at the pier. Go talk to Violet and Maerwen. Go home and sleep. Go find Lily. Now that it is Friday, she should mention someone with our condition. Go to the bulletin board and accept Lily's request to help with the shop. Give her an Iron and a Scrap Metal. Now we need to kill time until it's 9 and we can go to the blacksmith cause we need to get the forging sidequest. So, go level grind until about 8:40. Then go back and head to the Blacksmith. Make yourself a Rusty Sickle. Go home and sleep. Now it should be the Cherry Blossom Festival. Nothing we can do today except go talk to Violet and Maerwen. After you do that, go to sleep. Go to the Inn and talk to Lily to get her to lvl 1. Now go accept her request for Shrine Island. Go to where she marks on the Map. Approach the front of the Gazebo, where you'll be blocked off. Go destroy all the gates to open it. Go inside and kill the enemies to get the Earth Shrine Key. Go back and report to Lily. Go accept Odette's request to find the Earth Shrine. Go on it, but not in it. Go back and report to Odette. Now go back home and save! We're heading to the Earth Shrine, and we want to get an Earth Elemental while we're there.
Now that we are at the Earth Shrine, click here to go to its chapter: above
--- Earth Shrine → Fire Shrine ---
Now that you've beaten the boss, you'll get a cutscene that leads to a fight with some dark spirits. Just let them kill you, it's scripted. Cutscene ends with you outside the Earth Shrine. Grab the Green Core from the chest and head back to town. Give the Green Core to Elena. Go to sleep. You'll wake up to cutscenes. Afterward, go accept Jocelyn's request about Shrine Island. It should be Thursday right now. On a Thursday or Holiday, go talk to her. She'll give you a quiz. Quiz answers: 24, brown, and yes. Now go back to the Inn and accept Joe's request to see our sea chart. Head to where he marks. No need to raise anything. Just head back and report. Now accept Bacchus' request. While you're in the Inn, talk to Lily to unlock being able to work parttime. Go to where he marks. You almost guaranteed won't make it. Teleport back and go to sleep. Go aboard. Approach the ropes first, so you can get the pathway to lock. Then destroy the gates and get atop the ship. After you get the Silver from the Sunken Ship, head back and report to Bacchus. Accept James' request. Go to where he marks. Here, just ignore enemies and keep moving through. After you got the Fire Shrine Key, head back and report to James. Now accept Electra's request to find the Winter Island. Go to where she marks, then report back. Next, accept Beatrix's request to find the Fire Shrine. Go to where she marks. Afterward, report back to her. Next, accept Mikoto's request, go find the island she's referring to, and report back. You VERY MUCH NEED to go on this island. Beat all the Goblins (recommended in the center), and get Pandora's Statue. Accept Violet's request about a Medicinal Herb. Go give it to her. Now go talk to Sierra. She should mention a ghost and people going to investigate. Say yes, then go back sometime after 6pm sometime. Whenever's convenient. At this point, there shouldn't be anymore pressing issues. So, now it's time to go to the Fire Shrine!
Click here for the Fire Shrine Chapter: above
--- Fire Shrine → Water Shrine ---
Now that you have the Red Core, go give it to Elena. (By the way, around this time should be the Lantern Festival. We actually do want to participate in this one, as it is a chance to get free stuff. Good wishes to pick are: Stronger = Free Level Up (not sure if it's 1 or 3); Rich = 3 Gold Ore (since we need one for Yaksha); Eat More = 3 stacks of random food (food is very useful for not dying); Loved = Small friendship boost with all 12 important peeps (at least this includes Violet and Maerwen) Take Over the World = Crown or Pirate Hat (could be useful equipment)
Anyway, once you've giving Elena the Red Core, she actually spends a bit longer working on it before you can continue. What you need to do is talk to her every day until she mentions technical difficulties, then when she mentions having solved her issues. Now, she should be done soon, and you can continue. While killing time, go ahead and accept any requests from either Violet or Maerwen that don't involve killing certain enemies. This will help speed along their FP levels. Finally, when she says something like, “It's go time!” she's ready. Go to sleep and she'll come get you the next day. Go accept Joe's request. Then go to where he marks. Climb aboard and go through it. Ignore the enemies. DO NOT DO THIS ISLAND! IT ONLY GIVES A POTION. IT'S NOT WORTH IT FOR HOW LONG IT TAKES! JUST STEP ASHORE, AND GO BACK TO REPORT TO JOE!
ALSO NOTE, SOMETIME NEAR NOW IS THE MISS FENITH CONTEST! WHOEVER OF VIOLET AND MAERWEN NEED FP, VOTE FOR THEM! (Honestly, it'll almost certainly be Maerwen... as much as it pains me...)
Anyway, next accept Elena's request, and go to where she marks. Then report back. Next go accept Elena's other request, while she's still awake, and head to where she marks. NOTE: on these two islands, I actually recommend trying to kill everything, seeing as how we are grossly underleveled right now. (We ESPECIALLY want to do the second island all the way, because that's how we get the Water Shrine Key Now go back and report to her. NOTE: I AM NOT 100% SURE WE NEED TO ACCEPT SIERRA'S REQUEST FOR SUMMER ISLAND. I AM GOING TO TRY CONTINUING WITHOUT IT, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IF WE DO NEED IT, I WILL COME BACK AND WRITE SO. IF NOT, THEN I'LL SAY SO AS WELL. Next accept Violet's request to find the Water Shrine. Go find it, go ashore, and head back to report to her.
Alright, now it's time for the Water Shrine. Click here for it's chapter: above
--- Water Shrine till Wind Shrine ---
Now that you have the Blue Core, go give it to Elena. This time, it will not take long at all for her to finish. Just go to sleep, and she'll be done. Accept James' “Investigation Request.” Go talk to him. As he won't be up yet, kill time (& save it) by taking Ymir to that water pillar to the north-east of Fenith. By the time you get back, he should be up. Now, go ahead and sail Ymir into the pillar. Afterward, go report to James. Now to back to the Inn and accept Bismark's “Fall Island” request. Talk to him, go to his designated spot, and report back. Go to sleep and pick up the thingy that drops. At this point, we need Pandora. So, wait around (using Ymir to kill time) until 6. Then go to the pier to find Sierra with a bunch of people. You'll get an event where you meet Pandora's ghost. She'll ask you for stuff to help free her. Basically, this means she needs to have an FP of 1. So, give her something, go to sleep, wake up, give her something, etc. until she gets 1 FP. Then, hopefully you should be able to continue. The next morning, (at least for me), Pandora, Joe, Elena, and someone else (I can't remember who) wake us up for some reason, then run off. IDK why, but I thought I'd write it down... (For me, I FINALLY got Odette to talk about the dragon leaving. It took FREAKING FOREVER, but she finally mentioned it. The circumstances for me were: I did a bunch (like, 5 or so) random side quests, I talked to her every day, I visited the Dragon Shrine every day, and I finally went to talk to her when she was IN the Dragon Shrine. She finally mentioned it. I am going to continue talking to her every day until it finally leaves.) The next day, go back to the shrine, and the dragon will FINALLY leave! Next, go talk to Pandora, where you will ask her about the Legendary Golem. Now go to the Inn and accept a request from Jocelyn. Wait for the next Thursday or Holiday, and go talk to her. While waiting, sail Ymir to where it will be (Up where the Water Pillars send you, to a “peninsula” to the far north-east.) The answers to her quiz is the following: Round and Square Pillars, Has a Pattern, and Off-White Stone. Might as well finish off the Mystic Ruins, if not solely for experience and possible loot drops for money. Now go ahead and accept Maerwen's Frost Island request. Head on over to the spot she marks on the sea chart. (at this point, I also recommend buying a bunch of food for healing RP. Milk Pudding is really solid because it raises max HP and Wind attack which will help out our Wind Rod a lot.) Buy a Fishing Pole from the Blacksmith, as you need one to get through the island. There's a few statues that want different fish. You'll want to kill all the enemies around, and find a small pond underneath some of the ice rocks. Fish for a bronze pond smelt, a silver pond smelt, and a gold pond smelt, then give them to the statues. After you've beaten the Frozen Island and gotten the Wind Shrine Key, go back and grab Lily's request to find the Wind Shrine. Go to the place she designates, then go back and report to her. Now that you have unlocked the Wind Shrine, it's time to go to it's designated chapter! Click Here:
--- After the Wind Shrine ---
Now that you have beaten the Wind Shrine, it's time to head back to town. Don't worry about another core; there's only the three. However, before you leave, check the chests that spawned outside the Wind Shrine. There's a Rune Ability called Fleet Foot that ups our walking speed. Get it! Instead, head back, SAVE, and head over to the Dragon Shrine. You'll get a cutscene in which Lily, Odette, and Violet are rushing over because something's up. ALSO, BEFORE HEADING TO THE DRAGON SHRINE, GO TO THE BATHHOUSE! YOU WILL HAVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER BOSS WHILE HERE!!! Don't worry too much about beating him. He's not too tough. Afterward, there will be many a cutscene to skip through. Now, go to the Inn and accept Joe's request about info on a treasure. (It might not be there at first. If not, what I ended up doing was doing Lily's FP lvl 2 event. Other requests might work, too, though., or even going to bed and trying the next day.) Now work your way to where Joe marks on the map. Go back and save before this, as it is a tough fight with some Wyverns and Golems. Just keep circling around the group and using the Midair Wind Rod combo. Afterward, you'll get a cutscene where you grab the Cosmic Grimoire, at which point you'll take it back to Odette and the group. Now go back and report to Joe. At this point, you're fine to save and go to sleep. Get up, go talk to Pandora. Cutscene time, yay! Now go back and sleep again. You'll be rudely awoken for a cutscene. Afterward, you need to go back to each of the 4 shrines and collect Dragon Fruit. However, when you go to ride Ymir, he won't work. Elena will come and say she needs time to investigate. Go to sleep and talk to her the next day. SAVE, then go back to Ymir and climb aboard. Defeat the Golem inside Ymir, then sail him to the Earth Shrine. Head to the top of the Earth Shrine, to the Boss Room, and you'll get a cutscene with the pirate goblin captain. Now head to the top of the Earth Shrine and grab the fruit. Next, head to the Water Shrine and do the same, as this is the quickest path. Then Wind, then Fire. Now that you have all the fruits, go and give them to the Dragon Shrine. Go talk to Violet, then Odette, then Lily, and ask them each to help with a seal, at which point, you will get a nice little cutscene of them singing in what I assume is Latin. Now, I believe it is time to fight the final boss! So go SAVE, and grab your best equipment. When you're ready, go to the Dragon Shrine.
Click Here for tips on the Fight!!!! -
--- 6.) General Tips ---
--- Every Day Stuff ---
Every day, talk to and give a gift (if you have one) to Violet and Maerwen. Obviously, utilize the Bathhouse once a day during grinding days. (unless of course it is past 10 pm, then just go to sleep, as it is not worth continuing grinding that day) When you go to give a gift to someone, or go to examine something, take a step forward first. This ensures you don't accidentally jump. DO NOT BUY BASIC BLACKSMITH!!!!!!!!!!!! WAIT FOR ADVANCED BLACKSMITH After the Earth Shrine is finished, you should get the option to work at some of the stores (namely the Inn) for some extra cash. Every opportunity you have to work before going to bed, do so. We need the cash. NOTE: AT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW SHRINE, DO NOT BRING YOUR PARTNERS WITH YOU (UNLESS IS'S THE WIND SHRINE) YOU NEED TO CAPTURE 3 GUYS, AND YOUR OTHER ALLIES WILL MAKE THIS UNNECESSARILY HARD.
--- Movement ---
Fast movement w/ Katana = Jump, Slash, Immediate Air Dash, rinse and repeat. When boarding Ymir from the door and going onto the island you are all ready parked at, go to the top of his head, hit “control Ymir,” then immediately “Go ashore.” it's a tad faster than walking to the front of Ymir in order to go ashore. Dash attack with Katana is fast, if you have RP to spare. Whenever you teleport, take a step right when you land so you can teleport again immediately after (if need be). Once you get Fleet Foot, basically always have the Staff out. Do not do the jump into airdash tactic anymore, as it is faster now to just run.
--- Combat ---
For dungeon Level Grinding: Each floor, destroy every gate and kill every enemy that spawns from it, in that order of priority. Kill ranged enemies first, then melee ones. A good rule of thumb is to attack a gate while putting it between you and the enemies, so they don't sneak up behind you and annoy you as you destroy the gate. When fighting enemies, cancel the last attack into a dash. When fighting gates, don't, as this moves you away from the gate. Jumping Attacks are useful if you are surrounded while trying to destroy the gates. Jump, Air combo, Air combo, Air charge attack (triangle) For fighting groups of enemies that are camping the gates, stand in a corner to draw them away, then rush to the farthest one away. Pick and choose your battles. When fighting enemies with hyper armor (like Trolls), use charged attacks, namely the Katana one. It knocks them into the air, making them able to be juggled/stun-locked.
