Xenoblade Chronicles - Wii

[scottcr]

Was wandering around the caves getting a bit bored then I stepped out onto the observation deck. Amaze.

[boxoctosis]

Did the big bird come and kill you? It made my amaze considerably shorter lived!

[daveodeth]

No but burt and ernie tried to bum him.

[Mr.Jeff]

There's something quite grim about the last batch of side quests in the end-game: (major spoilers)

After spending all that time helping various High Entia around the Alcamoth, you're then tasked by various friends, colleagues and family to essentially wholesale slaughter them all. Hits a definite note when you're tasked to take down Lesunia and her mother who both ended up being huge advocates of there being no prejudice between pure high entia and everyone else...

Still so much left to do! Although I'm half dreading going against the behemoth level 120 dragon that I've spotted previously.

[shynra]

Just noticed! It remembers previously left chests (loot from killing enemies)

2 Days ago i 1/2 did in a group of rouges... gone back today and the unopened chests are still there

[Nespresso]

I don't 'get' (Charachter spoiler - 25 hours in)

Melia.

What do I use her for and how? What are Aura's?

[Mr.Jeff]

She tends to be used for mid/long range offensive casting of ether arts. You use her by selecting one of her various elemental summons and activating it. These all give varying buffs to the character and close by party members such as hp regeneration or increased physical defense.

Once the element has been summoned, you'll notice a little floating balll surrounding the character. If you use the middle, white talent button, it will fire this ball at the target for damage and sometimes an additional effect like blaze which deals fire damage over time.

A total of 3 elements can be summoned at once before they have to be used, starting with the last summoned element.

If she's properly levelled, she's actually a fairly lethal character to use as she puts out some insane damage, especially when the skills are upgraded high enough so there's never a summon that can't be cast at any time. Plus ether arts aren't limited for mechon damage, so you don't need to worry about Shulk's enchant ability for her.

Aura's are basically self cast effect which generally cast some kind of buff on a character. For example, Reyn has one which when active, increases his physical damage by a percentage but lowers his physical defense accordingly. Various other characters have different auras.

[Nespresso]

Mr.Jeff you are a gentleman and a scholar. I'm starting to get the hang of her, and she does seem powerful yes.

Here are some pictures of my party's current attire. They're a sad bunch really but they do get the job done.

I've equipped Monado with a Shulk which has proven to be very useful so far.

Cool Oil™ - Gets the women naked, but still leaves them with a sense of empowerment!

Belly Button Reyn.

Melia being her usual posh self.

Slick Dunban does not care for such trivialities like changing your wardrobe for better stats.

Reyn however...

[Alan Stock]

Mr Jeff, one thing I don't understand with Melia is what makes the talent gauge fill with her? Sometimes it seems to fill up over time as elements are active, sometimes it fills up when you use the talent button, I don't get it!

Finally reached a point where I lost some timed quests due to a story event, now I need to reload a save and do some tedious collect missions. It's randomised rare collectables, I think, so I might FAQ this time. Got quite a completist urge with this game as it's pretty sensible overall unlike Final Fantasy's ridiculously convoluted extra quests which always require a guide to complete!

[Nespresso]

Ah I understand how to use her now. When summoning an elemental (aura) you can use those to beef up your companions by staying in their vicinity. You can also use these elemental orbs to attack the enemy. That's basically it right? She can play a support role or be on the attacking side as well.

[Alan Stock]

Ah I understand how to use her now. When summoning an elemental (aura) you can use those to beef up your companions by staying in their vicinity. You can also use these elemental orbs to attack the enemy. That's basically it right? She can play a support role or be on the attacking side as well.

The effective way to use her, as the in-game tutorials suggest, is to keep a load of elements up for a while, granting your party buffs. Then once the talent gauge is full, use the talent art for mega-damage. If you are only in a short fight though I've found you can just summon elements and spam the talent art to cause more damage in the short run (obviously this generates a lot of aggro!).

[stefcha]

Ah I understand how to use her now. When summoning an elemental (aura) you can use those to beef up your companions by staying in their vicinity. You can also use these elemental orbs to attack the enemy. That's basically it right? She can play a support role or be on the attacking side as well.

I've not used her yet but that's my understanding of it, took a few reads of the help text to get it but it sort of makes sense. Hopefully it's easier in practice! Are the elements self cast then and you have to walk near someone for them to get the effect? I was hoping I could cast on a companion then fire it from them too, keeping her well out of the way. Should spruce up the combat a bit either way, sounds like a nice change.

[Mr.Jeff]

I never tend to use her for anything other than spam damage if I'm honest which tends to work out quite well aside from the aggro generation! But then again, Reyn tends to be fairly capable at holding that if you give him a couple of seconds lead.

As far as her talent guage goes, my understanding is that it builds up through use of the summons.

Edit: Strefcha - The elements are self cast but apply the buff to close range party members. You do have a skill later on if you're wondering about her being too close to enemies.

[___]

My Hom Homs and Heropons are all rocking Panther armour as I prepare to move on from Frontier Village - great physical and ether defence and slots? Yes please.

[Davros sock drawer]

Been doing a bit of town-based questing lately before moving on.

It's silly, but so addictive.

Ooh! Exclamation mark. Kill 3 wotsits you say, oh I've done that - quest complete. Another exclamation mark over here? You want 5 what now? Here you go, got 'em ages ago. Let's check the Quest log then (sees list of 1 billion quests). Gulp.

Must...complete...all...quests!

[Shoes]

I'm getting a bit tired of this now, I'm sad to say,. I'm about 60 hours in, half-way through Sword Valley. The story is dragging a bit, and I'm finding myself being battered by the named Mechons. I don't want to have to go back and grind sub-quests!

People here said they thought they were nearing the end, and then it keeps on going. I don't want that. I want structure.

[Talk Show Host]

I'm getting a bit tired of this now, I'm sad to say,. I'm about 60 hours in, half-way through Sword Valley. The story is dragging a bit, and I'm finding myself being battered by the named Mechons. I don't want to have to go back and grind sub-quests!

People here said they thought they were nearing the end, and then it keeps on going. I don't want that. I want structure.

There is structure but there is also freedom. There are many, great side quests you can do, with purpose, especially the

rebuilt of colony 6

. There are also so many systems you can use to level up without feeling any kind of grind, like collectables that help you exploring, quests to raise affinity, etc.

I'm on the same area but have clocked about 86h. What is the party level?

[Davros sock drawer]

I was wondering about the length as well. I've just recruited the new team member in Makna Forest, and I haven't done any real side questing or exploration since the Bionis Leg - I've just been pushing forward, as I was spending so much time doing side quests that I was starting to forget the main objective! I now feel like I have an awful lot on my plate though and want to pause for a bit and go back. How far through the game am I?

The views in Makna Forest are amazing, especially at sunset.

[Mr.Jeff]

I'd say you're about over of a third of the way through Davros.

When you say you're being battered by the named mechons Shoes, are you meaning the bosses you fight in the storyline or just the random ones you find along the field?

If it's the former, then maybe check out your party line-up, see if perhaps you need to change a few things there. If it's the latter, the named monsters on the field can pretty much be ignored and left for later should you feel tempted for revenge.

Still slowly moving towards the end myself, should only have a few remaining quests left before I can carry on. Although still have a number of affinity links to increase. However, might have found a fun solution for that: There's a named monster kicking around which has a fun skill where everytime you hit it, it causes the character to sleep. I'm thinking set the rest of the party attacking it and continually help them for 2 hearts a pop.

[Davros sock drawer]

Yikes, that's a whole lotta game, especially considering I need to go back to Satorl marsh and explore properly.

Incidentally, these biscuits are going a bit stale. I can't seem to locate this Jiroque bloke, although he's supposed to be training for a fight in the residential area. Any vague hints? Even the time of day would be handy.

[Mr.Jeff]

As you enter the residential district from the outside(near the hillside view landmark) you have the opportunity to go left or forward up some stairs. Go up the stairs and continue along. After a short distance, you should see a small area to the left. During the day there tends to be an old man sitting there but at night at around maybe 10 o'clock? or 12? near the tree right at the back, there's a man doing some vague boxer training. He's the guy.

[___]

Damn, look at the size of Eryth Sea; it's like a giant, wet fantasy land version of what's down below. At the rate I'm going, I'll be lucky to have this finished by the time Skyward Sword comes out.

[stefcha]

Yikes, that's a whole lotta game, especially considering I need to go back to Satorl marsh and explore properly.

I've been exploring everywhere as I go through, and I found the Marsh not-that-enjoyable really. Somewhere sprawling and thoroughly misty didn't work so well I don't think, and getting to the very top of the fortress was a particular pain in the arse. Another nice

gah! massive spider! two spiders! run back to the corridor! shit, they're following me down! to that bit where I only snuck past the named lizard king thing!

moment at the top though

Incidentally, these biscuits are going a bit stale. I can't seem to locate this Jiroque bloke, although he's supposed to be training for a fight in the residential area. Any vague hints? Even the time of day would be handy.

Night, on the back residential path, in the little park/bench area where that old bloke sits during the day. If you're heading up past the food stall place on your way to the bridge out, it's on your right.

[revlob]

Got the final party member last night. The story got a bit more exciting and I'm really glad they avoided some of the more typical clichés*.

*It was refreshing to have the relationship between the protagonist and his love interest fleshed out, and not left in some kind of ambiguous mess. Melia isn't going to be happy, but I wonder whether it'll last? Fiora's half robot so maybe this tale won't have a happy ending.

The affinity chart is crazy now, I think Fiora's going to have to be stuck as party lead until the end of the game if I hope to max out all the possible links.

[Davros sock drawer]

So much for "vague" hints, but thanks guys!

I love the named monsters in this. Immoveable Gonzalez is a particular favourite.

[Professor Rob]

There are some great ones. Reckless Godwin made me chuckle.

[Mr.Jeff]

Although still have a number of affinity links to increase. However, might have found a fun solution for that

Turns out this idea of mine is actually pretty damn good. For anyone who's really wanting to up their affinity at the later stages of the game before finishing up and doesn't fancing gathering/trading collectables or doing quests with various different party arrangements, here's how it works:

In the Eryth Sea zone, there's an area to the south called the Kromar Coast filled with level 85-87 enemies. In particular, there's a named enemy called Stormy Belagon who has a wonderful ability to put any character who attacks him to sleep.

Firstly you take out the 2 accompanying mobs around him and then let your two companions go nuts hitting him with auto attacks and skill. For the character you're controlling, have them suitably close so that you can help and encourage your companions with b to wake them up and raise their tension but not close enough to auto attack yourself.

Everytime you help a character, bam, 2 hearts to your affinity with them. The good thing is, with really fast hitting characters, you're pretty much never stopping hitting b. I went up an affinity level for one character in the space of one fight which is less than 5 minutes.

[Nespresso]

Everytime you help a character, bam, 2 hearts to your affinity with them. The good thing is, with really fast hitting characters, you're pretty much never stopping hitting b. I went up an affinity level for one character in the space of one fight which is less than 5 minutes.

This post has been bookmarked for future use.

[Mr.Jeff]

Well it seemed to have worked a treat; in just over 2 and a half hours (seems a long time I know), I completed the remaining half of the affinity board between all my team members.

That means I just need to tidy up a couple of quests then I'm free to go watch the heart to hearts and finish the game at last!

[stefcha]

In the Eryth Sea zone, there's an area to the south called the Kromar Coast filled with level 85-87 enemies. In particular, there's a named enemy called Stormy Belagon who has a wonderful ability to put any character who attacks him to sleep.

Right, I'll try remember that when I reach that sort of level in, ooh, 45 hours time or so then!