Kicking it Old School : A new way to play FFV

[Cain Highwind]

So I just completed FFVA. Actually did the extra dungeons and beat the special bosses. But I just had a fun idea for playing FFV. I'm playing it FFI style. This means:

-Once I choose a job I won't change it for the rest of the game (Krile, naturally, will "inherit" Galuf's job)
-Can only use jobs from the Wind Crystal (having a character wait for the Water crystal for Red Mage is acceptable, but they must stay Freelancer until then)
-All characters, no matter the job, will stay in the front row no matter what


And that's about it. Someday, I'd like to do a romhack of FFV to actually make (the SNES game anyway) it more like FFI (no Job abilities and no Phoenix Downs purchasable) But this is a start for people who might want to try FFV in a different way.

Oh BTW, my setup for this playthrough I'm using is:

Butz: Knight
Faris: Knight
Galuf: Monk
Lenna: White Mage

So far going past the Water Crystal, and it's pretty easy so far, though I have to stay on my toes a LITTLE more. It's kinda nice not having to worry about saving extra equipment in case of a job change.

[LocoColt04]

Now you've got my attention.

Try to pull off the 4xWHM combo in FFV, I dare you.
Actually, I bet it would be easier than it was in FFI.

I'll join you in your playthrough and let you know what I come up with.

[Loaf]

I'm popping in FFV right now and doing that. I'll post my party soon. Gives me a new reason to play through FFV again.

After playing for an hour. I have

Bartz - White Mage
Reina - Thief
Galuf - Knight
Faris - Red Mage

[Cain Highwind]

Okay I just got to Byblos, and man is this SoB tough. Oh sure, it's no sweat if you have a Summoner with Ifrit. But attacking it with simply brute force, does little good with its Dischord and Wind Slash. Looks like I've got some grinding to do.

[GFaith]

man that would be way hard dude my favorite job is the the mystic night

[Fate]

Except, to play it his way, you can't use that job since there were no Mystic Knights in FFI. So, all the good ones are unusable.

[T.G. Oskar]

It's a challenge, as most. Mystic Knights are one part of the most used combination in the game, one that's so popular even Dissidia made a reference to it (Rapid-Fire/Barrage Dual Wield Spellblades, anyone?); this challenge makes you think a bit with your mind rather than with your computer.

Cain, recall that Byblos is weak against Fire attacks, so having two Knights is a bit counter-intuitive. I'd rather have a Red Mage (awaiting 'til the Water Crystal) or a Black Mage than another Knight or a Monk, if only because your ending choice would preclude the access to the strongest Black Magic spells. You'd need one heck of a smart White Mage in order to have an effective Holy spell, and Monks tend to lose usefulness unless you have the Chakra ability loaded. Also, it'll be some time before you can get the fire-elemental weapon. As a plus, having one Knight allows you to equip the strongest weapons, but also to have access to the elemental weapons (which are a good replacement for Mystic Knights)

I would join, but I'm a bit laid back on games I *SHOULD* be playing (The Dark Spire, Etrian Odyssey, Final Fantasy VI for the play-along AND the fan-fic)

[Cain Highwind]

Originally Posted by T.G. Oskar

Cain, recall that Byblos is weak against Fire attacks, so having two Knights is a bit counter-intuitive. I'd rather have a Red Mage (awaiting 'til the Water Crystal) or a Black Mage than another Knight or a Monk, if only because your ending choice would preclude the access to the strongest Black Magic spells. You'd need one heck of a smart White Mage in order to have an effective Holy spell, and Monks tend to lose usefulness unless you have the Chakra ability loaded. Also, it'll be some time before you can get the fire-elemental weapon. As a plus, having one Knight allows you to equip the strongest weapons, but also to have access to the elemental weapons (which are a good replacement for Mystic Knights)

Yeah I think you're right. One of my usual parties in FF1 was Knight, Knight, RM, WM. I thought I'd switch out RM with a Monk (thinking Monk's usefulness would make it worthwhile), but I'm thinking that was a bad idea. I'm sticking to it though. I grinded about five levels and was able to beat Byblos. Still it was a matter of luck. My first time I had failed again, but my second time I was simply lucky that he didn't cast Dischord to half my level. Another annoying feature is when he get's low on HP, he'll practically counter every other hit with with Drain. So when I do about 200 points of damage, he'll drain away about 200 points back. Again, I was lucky a couple last hits he didn't cast drain, and he died.

Now making my way through the Lonka ruins.

[RagnaToad]

That sounds really interesting. I might just actually buy FF V ^^
Though maybe you're suggesting that it is too easy when you don't do this challenge?

[Cain Highwind]

Well I'm in the middle of the third world now, really enjoying this playthrough. It's really reminiscent of FF1 on the NES where I'd try to go get the floater in the Ice Cave and go for the class change BEFORE I tackle the Volcano. Not ball-busting hard, but a "fun" kind of hard. Really picks up in difficulty toward the end of the second world. And since Lenna was my White Mage, that makes things tricky for the third world. It'd defintely be more of a challenge if I avoided using Kick though.

[Loaf]

I haven't touched this since the day I started it. I need to find some time to do it. It was fun actually, after I got Red Mage I turned it off lol. I'll find some time to get farther on it.

[Cain Highwind]

Well I'm nearing the end of the game. I COULD have just skipped the rest of the tablets and jumped right to Exdeath, but I decided to have a go at it anyway, the Fork Tower in particular. I thought I would have a lot of trouble because of only having the White Mage as my only Magic caster (Lenna), and she didn't even have any offensive magic.

What I did is paired her up with Faris, who I have as a Knight with Two handed and the Brave Blade (another challenge I set up for myself was NEVER running from a battle so that the Brave Blade is at it's strongest). I went up the tower which was suprinsgly easy (Faris One-offed the enemies and the encounter rate was very low) When I got to the boss I merely casted Blink on my two party members and then cast Berserk on the boss. Yeah he does enough to kill you in one hit, but with Blink, he'll keep missing. I just kept casting Blink when necessary and Faris finished him off.

The Trench was tougher. No Float to safely pass over all the lava, and the enemies here are wicked tough. Thankfully, having a Sage Staff and Excalibur kills the enemies easily. The weird Monster pig trio boss took a while, you just have to wear them down JUST enough and then have three party members finish them at once.

Later the Istory Falls tablet was easy as pie. Next, I'll tackle the Phoenix Tower and then Exdeath!