Gameplay journal

A journal of my experiences playing the game's various classes, with attendant suggestions and criticisms.

Reflection on Paladin play:

• easiest class. High defense, moderate attack. Had no problems save for the simplicity of the play. Follows this basic pattern:
  
  • Fight
  • when hp falls low, heal with magic.
  • when magic falls low, ether.
  
  
• plays a support role in parties. Usually partners with white mage. Cover the white mage and helps them buff party defense, providing curative assistance when needed.
  
• Only significant downside is the inability of this class to target more than one enemy at a time, resulting in long, drawn out battles. Not recommended for solo play, although they can complete the game easily.
  
• Due to their strong white magic, have little use for curative items.
  
• Recommendations
  
  • remove Cure4 so as to increase dependence on white magic classes.
    
  • grant access to magic casting items (put these in chests and make them spoils, as an alternative to useless ninja weapons)
  
  

Dark Knight play journal

Beginning

Defeated Mist dragon at lvl 7 with little difficulty. Required about 15 cure1 potions. Advanced to lvl 9.

Moved on to Kaipo Desert. Faced frequent defeat due to high price of equipment. dmg averages before lvl 14 (3x def multiplier with all shadow equip) Recommendation: advance slowly, building levels in the cave until lvl 15.

Suggestion: there are no stat differences between the iron helmet and the shadow helmet. Suggest that the shadow helmet's mag def be raised a point.

Attempted Water Cavern at lvl 15 with 55 cure1 potions in stock. Defeated the boss, Octomammoth, at lvl 17. Advanced to lvl 18. Avg damage by octomammoth: 50hp/round. Two strategies: 1) use two cure potions consecutively and fight for two turns; 2) use the two cure2 potions found in the water cavern. With max HP at 490 at lvl 17, this cuts down the fight by about 16 turns.

Remarks: good balance in water cavern. Octomammoth provides excellent challenge and a high degree of excitement. Battle does not rage so long that desire to end the battle enters the players mind, thus maintaining the belief suspension effect of play.

Mt Hobbs

Raided Antlion cave, but did not fight Antlion. Leveled to 21 in Water Cavern due to superior exp yields. After receiving the cruicial 4x multipier at lvl 21, went to Hobbs and grinded to 23 before defeating Mom Bomb. For DK, this is probably the lowest feasible level. HP sunk to 55 (from 651) in first round due to Grenade explosions. Used cure2 and defeated both Grenades and 1 Red Bomb. Used 3 cure1 potions in succession to get to full health before defeating the last Red Bomb, so as to avoid having to use a cure2 potion. In retrospect this wasn't necessary. Defeated the Bomb with ~350 HP left after using 2 cure2 potions. Advanced to Fabul and bought equipment, then doubled back to defeat Antlion.

Remarks: cure2 is recommended for sale in Damcyan. Although DK could have defeated Mom Bomb using repetitive cure strategies, such becomes very tedious very quickly. Players who who complete the Antlion cave first will likely drain that cave's cure2 potions in the fight with Antlion, leaving only the two on Mt. Hobbs left for Mom Bomb (out of 3 recommended).