Your gambit setups...

[Kaizoku]

I figured a thread to discuss gambit strategies would be nice.

Right now, I haven't progressed far into the game delved deep into the strategy of it. But I have it all set up systematically, in order to prevent tough monsters from demolishing me, as well as a grinding setup. I'll just list each member's responsibilities and explain strategy.

Vaan:
1: Heal any ally <70%HP
2: Attack nearest enemy
3: Attack enemy <30%HP

Balthier:
1: Heal any ally <50%HP
2: Attack nearest enemy
3: Attack enemy <30%HP

Fran:
1: Heal any ally <30%HP
2: Attack nearest enemy
3: Attack enemy <30%HP

Basically, if a member takes a good bit of damage, he gets healed. If he gets ganged up on and is losing health rather quickly, he will get multiple heals in order to ensure that he maintains full health.

Problem is, I still have to figure out a way to do that and manage to kill enemies at the same time, otherwise it just means I'm idle and I will die eventually. Any suggestions?

[Andromeda]

I run into the same problem as well where all you are doing is left on the defensive because all you are doing is healing. Well there are times when you just have to do that, I hate it because into a normal FF I could completely sort out the tasks and get everything done. But things work differently here, one, you do not really have one healing if you are smart in FFXII. In other FF you are stuck with one healer in general, so the game is built around the idea. Throwing a Curaga fixes everything in FFs, but here you probably just wasting MP, if you are through a Curaja.

The best way to try to prevent the whole always healing is to make someone less important on healing. Knock their cure requirements down to a lower HP percent, that where they are fighting longer. From what I can see that is what you have done. If monsters are taking you down to 30% on a character, well you would be healing franticly as well in other FF so that they are not dead. So it is not too unusual. It still gets annoying when all you can do is heal.

Lets see I have

Vaan
Any 70% - Curaga
Any Ally - Stone
Any Ally - Blindna
Any Ally Poisona
Self - Protectga
Self - Bubble
MP 30% - Syphon
Target Leader's - Attack On/off at times
Target HP Critical - Attack
Nearest Enemy - Attack
Any 90% - Cure
Self - Libra

Basch
Any Ally - Arise
Any 50% - Curaga
Self - Shellga
Self - Decoy
Self - Bubble
Target Leaders - Attack
Target HP Critical - Attack
Nearest Enemy - Attack

Ashe
Any Ally - Arise
Any 70% - Curaga
Self - Hastega
Self - Bubble
MP 30% - Syphon
Target HP Critical - Attack
Nearest Enemy - Attack
HP 90% - Cure

I got a bunch of unused gambits when I used to poach or steal, and when I had everyone Haste, Protect and Shell themselves, though I don't do that anymore.

[Kaizoku]

After I finish up on the Dreadnought Leviathan, I plan on visiting the magick shop. I've basically emptied out the gambit shop and I guess I need more magicks. I also need to update my License board, as I usually only tend to do that only when it's deemed necessary.

I suppose that would be a good idea. I don't quite have any higher class healing spells to cast yet, so I'm basically stuck with cure. One thing I could possibly do is to set one of my characters first priority to heal <70% with Cure, and second, <60% with a potion. And have my other party members set to have healing as a second priority. One huge problem is that healing sucks up a huge amount of MP.

[Kenhiroshin]

I personally set up my magic users has the ones with the most gambits haha
Penelo's my magic-user - black,white,time,green,arcane; basch is my tanking character, he has lots of damage, and a shield -- while i switch out the final character between ashe and balthier. their my melees.

Penelo (Grinding LP)
1. Ally-Any: Raise
2. Ally-Any: Haste
3. Ally-Basch: Berserk
4. Ally-Balthier/Ashe: Berserk
5. Ally-highest HP: Decoy
6. Ally < 50%: Regen
7. Ally < 30% Curaga
8. Self MP < 10%: Charge

Penelo (Boss Battle, etc.)
1. Ally-Any: Raise
2. Ally < 50% Curaga
3. Ally < 70% Protect
4. Ally-Basch: Berserk
5. Ally-Basch: Decoy
6. Ally < 50%: Regen
7. Ally Status: Confuse - Attack
8. Self MP < 10%: Charge

Melee [Balthier, Ashe] (Boss Battle, etc.)
1. Ally-Any Raise
2. Ally < 30% Cura
3. Ally-Any: (One of the status ailment cures, whichever the boss uses; this may take 1-3 slots)
4. Self MP < 10%: Charge
5. Attack nearest visible


These are main ones, sometimes i have the (Foe HP = 100%, Steal) on, but only for gil and stuff. I found that Berserk + Haste on your biggest melee is the best thing for LP/XP grinding. Not for boss battles, you may want to just berserk one, if any characters. It definetly helps me rack up 400-500 LP real quick though.

[nullifier]

Originally Posted by Kaizoku

I figured a thread to discuss gambit strategies would be nice.

Right now, I haven't progressed far into the game delved deep into the strategy of it. But I have it all set up systematically, in order to prevent tough monsters from demolishing me, as well as a grinding setup. I'll just list each member's responsibilities and explain strategy.

Vaan:
1: Heal any ally <70%HP
2: Attack nearest enemy
3: Attack enemy <30%HP

Balthier:
1: Heal any ally <50%HP
2: Attack nearest enemy
3: Attack enemy <30%HP

Fran:
1: Heal any ally <30%HP
2: Attack nearest enemy
3: Attack enemy <30%HP

Basically, if a member takes a good bit of damage, he gets healed. If he gets ganged up on and is losing health rather quickly, he will get multiple heals in order to ensure that he maintains full health.

Problem is, I still have to figure out a way to do that and manage to kill enemies at the same time, otherwise it just means I'm idle and I will die eventually. Any suggestions?

You don't even have to rely on gambits, even moving your character farther from the area sometimes buys time for you to cast spells on yourself while your party attacks. I usually just do everyone for themselves having curaga as there first pirority(for them) and attacking as there second (sometimes I'll have curaja as a first priority), I'm not to keen on using gambits to much. Makes the game more of a watching then doing, half the time I play gambits off with Vaan. Although if you play with active battle on then gambits are useful, but I've always prefered waiting battle style.

As you progress through the game you won't have this problem as much with normal monsters(probably being doing 3 hit ko's half the time), and bosses well, basically every single boss I've fought lately becomes about a 10 second fight, since I have a hell of a time trying to beat with attacking/magic/summoning so you basically have to rely on quickens(which makes the battles to short to even enjoy). Although the last boss I fought (Cid) was easier to beat with attacking, then quickens.

Oh and Andromeda, even though curaja does require alot of mp, there is certain auguments you earn later in the game that you failed to tell him that help you keep your mp up, such as being attacked, earn mp, you attacking, earn mp, using magical attacks earn mp, there is about 3 or 4? that reduce your the mp useage by 10%. As well providing you have more then one quicken you will obtain a new mp bar per quicken. So mp isn't to much of a huge deal as you advance through the game. Oh, plus curaja, if you have high level prayers is extremely useful since it can heal more then curaga. (My curaga for vaan is about 1300 for him, curaja is about 2000+ per person. Although I suppose when you advance through the game it will eventually even out? , I'm not sure exactly, I'd have to play another 10 hours to tell you from personal experience.)

[tarshil]

The gambit system worked pretty good for me in the beginning, but right now, I have everyone 1st gambit as Ally=KO-Raise/Phoenix Down, and then Attack party leaders target, then nearest visible.

they were wasting too much mp for my tastes. Kind of left only Vaan attacking the enemies. pissed me off too much.

[Tiffany]

I'm still trying to get the swing of the gambit system. It's helpful, for sure... but I haven't really been progressing it like I probrably should be.

I guess I'm set in my ways. I don't just sit back and let the gambits work for me. If I have a KO'd character, I get the Phoenix Down/Raise spell myself. Maybe I'm a bit too controlling. In any event, after I'm done filling my augment board my next task is getting better with lining up my gambits.

[drizza]

Man lol you guys got some boring gambits. Here are my gambits and man do I destroy bosses with them.

Vaan:My light armor and fast weapon wearer.
1. Ally:Any Phoenix Down
2. Ally:Status = HP critical Hi Potion ( or X Potion)
3. Ally:any Antidote
4. Ally:any Eyedrops
5. Ally:status = Slow Haste
6. Self:MP<10% Charge
7. Foe: Any Dispel
8: Foe:Character Hp<50% Balance (try it sometime because sometimes you dont get healed in time and balance can do like 4000 damage.)
9. Foe:HP = 100% Steal (can be tricky but you will get use to it)
10: Foe:Highest defense Expose (usefull on bosses who take hardly any damage from melee. Good to keep off untill you need it.)
11. Foe:Character HP >= 90% Souleater ( vaan has tons of hp with his light armor)
12. Foe Lowest HP Attack

Balthier: I screw around with his gambits a lot tryign to see what I want his focus to be.

1. Ally:any Phoenix Down
2. Ally:Status = HP Critical Curaja
3. Ally:Any Esunaga
4. Ally:HP <40% Curaga
5. Self:MP<10% Charge
6. Foe:Character MP<70% Syphon (tons of mana back)
7. Foe:Status = Hp critical Poach
8. Foe:Fire-weak Oil ( I only turn that on if penelo and Balthier is out)
11. For character MP >=90% Immobilize (works for crowd control)
12 Foe:Lowest Hp Attack

Fran: Dark Tank

1. Ally:any Phoenix Down
2. Ally:Status = HP Critical (or X-Potion)
3. Foe:Character Hp<30% Balance
4. Ally:HP<40% Protectga
5. Ally:HP<40% Shellga
6. Self:MP<10% Charge
7. Self: Decoy
8. Foe:HP<10,000 Graviga ( I toggle that one on and off depending on the situation.
9. Foe:character HP<50% Drain
10. Foe:dark-weak Darkga
11. Foe:Lowest HP Attack
12. Self: Libra


I will finish the last 3 right now I have to go to work.

[DragonHeart]

It doesn't really matter if they're "boring" or not as long as they get the job done.

Anyways, here's my current Gambit setup:

Basch:

Ally: HP <40% - Curaga
Ally: HP Critical - Hi-Potion (This one has saved me quite a bit on spell/ability-spamming bosses)
Self: Decoy
Foe: Character MP <30% - Syphon (This one is kind of useless, Basch rarely spams spells enough to run that low.)
Self: Haste
Self: Bravery
Self HP <90% - Regen
Nearest Visible Enemy: Attack
Self: Libra

Ashe

Ally: HP <70% - Curaga
Foe: Character <30% MP - Syphon
Ally: Fran - Bravery
Self - Faith
Ally: any - Haste
Ally: any - Arise
Enemy: Nearest Visible - Attack
Self - Decoy (Should Basch fall in battle, which is...never. Heh.)

Fran

Ally: HP <60% - Curaga
Ally: HP <70% - Cure (Used mostly to ease the strain on Ashe so she isn't spamming Curaga all the time)
Ally: any - Esuna (Not very efficient but it works.)
Foe: Character <30% MP - Syphon
Foe: Nearest Visible - Attack

Not the best Gambit setup around I'll admit, mainly because I've been extremely lax in updating them to reflect new spells and abilities. I had Syphon for like 2 days before actually putting in Gambits for it. >.>;

Basically the only thing I have automated is curing and buffing my party, everything else I do manually based on the situation. I do a fair amount of leader-switching in major battles to keep everything running smoothly. I like the Gambits but I don't want them doing all the work for me, as you can see.

I intend to play around with the entire system a lot more on my second run-through just to see what I can do with it.

~DragonHeart~

[drizza]

Ok time to finish.

Basch: Another Tank

1. Ally:HP<20% Hi Potion
2. Foe:character HP<30% Balance
3. Ally:HP<40% Protectga
4. Ally:HP<40% Shellga
5. Self: MP<10% Charge
6.Self : Decoy
8. Foe:HP = 100% Steal (only if I need the money and vaan isnt in the party)
9. Foe:character status = Blind Sight Unseeing (dont worry he can pull that attack off before someone cures that blind)
10. Foe:character HP>=90% Souleater
11. Foe:Lowest HP Attack
12. Self: Libra

Ashe:This baby can heal.
1. Ally:any Arise
2. Ally:status = Hp critical Curaja
3. Ally:any Esunaga
4. Ally:HP<50% Cura
5. Ally: HP<60% Curaga
6. Ally:HP<70% Regen
7. Self: MP<10% Charge
9. Foe:Character MP<70% Syphon
10. Foe:any Dispelga
11. Foe:lowest HP Attack

Penelo: This is my baby I love everytime I pull her out. She make such quick work of enimies and bosses she dishes out the most damage because now I dont have to guess the bosses weakness the system already knows what it is. A true black mage who uses only staves.

1. Ally:any Arise
2. Ally:status = Hp critical Curaja
3. Ally:any Esuna
4. Ally:HP<50% Cura
5. Foe:Character MP<70% Syphon
6. Foe:status = Reflect Dispelga (so she wont kill our team lol)
7. Foe:undead Curaga (when I get holy this will change to foes weakness to water counter with waterga and give my white mage the holy attack)
8. Foe:wind-weak Aeroga
9. Foe:lightning-weak Thundaga
10. Foe:Ice-weak Blizzaga
11. Foe:fire-weak Firaga
12. Foe:lowest HP 1000 Needles

Once I get every spell/technik everyones gambits will be completly different from what they are now. The reason why I got everyons gambits setup so uniquely because I need a challenge I dont want to keep leveling up the same 3 people. So by doing this I can keep alternating people for different situations. Usually my party always has 1 light armor wearer, 1 heavy and 1 mystic. These gambits eliminate a lot of the hack and slash boredum.