Quartz setup for nightmare

[HHKaaL]

does anyone has a good quartz setup to use on nightmare difficulty? im getting wreck

thanks!

[Stabbey]

It might help to know what chapter, because a setup depends on what's available.

It could also be the case that your general or specific approach to combat could use some tweaking. Is it one fight in particular, or every fight (trash monsters)?

[ForeverZero]

I have to agree, it is hard to tell you what to use without know what you have available and where you are in the game. For a more general idea, speed is king (as always) so put Action on everyone and Cast on anyone who will be using Arts regularly. Damage is generally better than raw defense, you end the fights faster and there are other ways to mitigate damage you take. For Trail from Zero in particular, evasion is broken so stack that as best as you can.

All of that out of the way, I often find it is better to know which abilities to use rather than giving a by the numbers quartz setup. My suggestions are as follows: (Note that I have not yet played on Nightmare myself, so some of this might not translate perfectly)

The best Arts:
For damage against bosses is Crimson Ray, even Randy can make good use of this because of its high power. I also like Last Disaster when because it is only slightly weaker but can be used to hit both the boss and a minion or two when applicable. Death Spiral, Dark Matter, and Galion Tower are all good for dealing with larger groups thanks to their power, size, and secondary effects.
Non-damage arts are Chrono Burst for more speed, Aqua Mirage for more evasion, and Adamantine Guard for when evasion won't work. Calamity Claw is also excellent crowd control.

The best Crafts:
Randy has Stun Break to cancel enemy arts and Burning Heart as a powerful self buff that will let him deal tons of extra damage from counters if he has enough evasion.
Elie has Holy Bullet as a CP battery (also a heal for whatever damage does get through your evasion) and Strike Bell for accelerate, both are excellent support.
Tio is usually just casting Arts, but she does have Summon Zeit for AoE AT Delay and Absolute Zero for a 100% freeze.
Randy has Power Smash which prevent enemies from ever getting an action at all with its AT Delay and Crash Bomb has 100% blind which synergizes super well with any evasion build.

[HHKaaL]

Originally posted by Stabbey:

It might help to know what chapter, because a setup depends on what's available.

It could also be the case that your general or specific approach to combat could use some tweaking. Is it one fight in particular, or every fight (trash monsters)?

Originally posted by ForeverZero:

I have to agree, it is hard to tell you what to use without know what you have available and where you are in the game. For a more general idea, speed is king (as always) so put Action on everyone and Cast on anyone who will be using Arts regularly. Damage is generally better than raw defense, you end the fights faster and there are other ways to mitigate damage you take. For Trail from Zero in particular, evasion is broken so stack that as best as you can.

All of that out of the way, I often find it is better to know which abilities to use rather than giving a by the numbers quartz setup. My suggestions are as follows: (Note that I have not yet played on Nightmare myself, so some of this might not translate perfectly)

The best Arts:
For damage against bosses is Crimson Ray, even Randy can make good use of this because of its high power. I also like Last Disaster when because it is only slightly weaker but can be used to hit both the boss and a minion or two when applicable. Death Spiral, Dark Matter, and Galion Tower are all good for dealing with larger groups thanks to their power, size, and secondary effects.
Non-damage arts are Chrono Burst for more speed, Aqua Mirage for more evasion, and Adamantine Guard for when evasion won't work. Calamity Claw is also excellent crowd control.

The best Crafts:
Randy has Stun Break to cancel enemy arts and Burning Heart as a powerful self buff that will let him deal tons of extra damage from counters if he has enough evasion.
Elie has Holy Bullet as a CP battery (also a heal for whatever damage does get through your evasion) and Strike Bell for accelerate, both are excellent support.
Tio is usually just casting Arts, but she does have Summon Zeit for AoE AT Delay and Absolute Zero for a 100% freeze.
Randy has Power Smash which prevent enemies from ever getting an action at all with its AT Delay and Crash Bomb has 100% blind which synergizes super well with any evasion build.

I would've love a chapter by chapter guide, but im doing the nightmare mode in ng+, so I have every quartz and equipment (I think), so an ultimate set up would be appreciate it hahaha

[Dr. Rudolf von Richten]

Originally posted by HHKaaL:

I would've love a chapter by chapter guide, but im doing the nightmare mode in ng+, so I have every quartz and equipment (I think), so an ultimate set up would be appreciate it hahaha

If you're on NG+, the game should be a complete cakewalk even on nightmare except for the bonus Dungeon in the Finale Chapter and the Final Boss.

My setup at the start was:
- Lloyd: Heaven's Eye, Attack 3, Intimidation, Aries Gem, Action 3, Detection, Hit 3
- Tio: HP 3, EP Cut 3, Gemini Gem, Mind 3, Cancer Gem, Action 3, Lunar Gem
- Elie: Move 3, Mind 3, EP Cut 3, Action 3, Virgo Gem, Solar Gem, Cast
- Randy: Attack 3, Leo Gem, Sagittarius Gem, Scorpio Gem, Taurus Gem, Hit 3, Action 3

My setup for the Final Boss was:
- Lloyd: Taurus Gem, Attack 3, Aries Gem, Leo Gem, Action 3, Scorpio Gem, Hit 3
- Tio: HP 3, Gemini Gem, EP Cut 3, Cast, Cancer Gem, Action 3, Mind 3
- Elie: Move 3, Action 3, EP Cut 3, Gemini Gem, Scent, Cast, Mind 3
- Randy: Attack 3, Leo Gem, Aries Gem, Scorpio Gem, Taurus Gem, Action 3, Hit 3
-Estelle: Hit 3, Action 3, Sagittarius Gem, Strike, HP 3, Evade 3, Attack 3
-Joshua: Action 3, Evade 3, HP 3, Pisces Gem, Sagittarius Gem, Attack 3, Hit 3

That should give you an idea of what works.

[HHKaaL]

Originally posted by Dr. Rudolf von Richten:

Originally posted by HHKaaL:

I would've love a chapter by chapter guide, but im doing the nightmare mode in ng+, so I have every quartz and equipment (I think), so an ultimate set up would be appreciate it hahaha

If you're on NG+, the game should be a complete cakewalk even on nightmare except for the bonus Dungeon in the Finale Chapter and the Final Boss.

My setup at the start was:
- Lloyd: Heaven's Eye, Attack 3, Intimidation, Aries Gem, Action 3, Detection, Hit 3
- Tio: HP 3, EP Cut 3, Gemini Gem, Mind 3, Cancer Gem, Action 3, Lunar Gem
- Elie: Move 3, Mind 3, EP Cut 3, Action 3, Virgo Gem, Solar Gem, Cast
- Randy: Attack 3, Leo Gem, Sagittarius Gem, Scorpio Gem, Taurus Gem, Hit 3, Action 3

My setup for the Final Boss was:
- Lloyd: Taurus Gem, Attack 3, Aries Gem, Leo Gem, Action 3, Scorpio Gem, Hit 3
- Tio: HP 3, Gemini Gem, EP Cut 3, Cast, Cancer Gem, Action 3, Mind 3
- Elie: Move 3, Action 3, EP Cut 3, Gemini Gem, Scent, Cast, Mind 3
- Randy: Attack 3, Leo Gem, Aries Gem, Scorpio Gem, Taurus Gem, Action 3, Hit 3
- Estelle: Hit 3, Action 3, Sagittarius Gem, Strike, HP 3, Evade 3, Attack 3
- Joshua: Action 2, Evade 3, HP 3, Pisces Gem, Sagittarius Gem, Attack 3, Hit 3

That should give you an idea of what works.

thanks!!

[Dr. Rudolf von Richten]

Originally posted by HHKaaL:

thanks!!

You're welcome! :-)

Note that Joshua has Action 3 of course, not Action 2. I've changed this in the original post.

[corak]

Zero is actually quite easy on NM.

In the beginning the only trouble you should have:

1 - Solo Wald fight - str/def food from eastern restaurant helps alot, actually you only need to manage 2 Tiger Charges, on in the beginning, second one with full HP and when Wald would not have 2 turns at once.
2 - Mafioso fight in downtown - Tiger Charge on one - seal, then slow both and focus second, quite easy.
3 - Sidequest with mosquito boss - smoke grenade adds, and attack delay boss into oblivion

Afterward, all fights are quite easy with smoke grenades / brave smash debuffs and eva buffs.

May have slight difficulty with chapter 3 end boss, but with eva tanking and spreading out - not much.

After chapter 3 everything is easy walk with Zero field / Calamity claw / Adamantine. High speed Tio with gladiator belt can spam Zero field faster then boss will atack you. The only fun you will have is Nepentes G, where evasion and running will be more important.