about weapon upgrades....

[billy]

I think i completed this game on PS3 without ever using this feature , I didt want to spend much time on it as i would rather be playing the game and it all looked like a load of hassle.

I thought i would try it this time. The guide's i looked at online were like novels listing loads of weapons and components and again making it all too much hassle.

I somewhat understand using some ingredients to boost the XP bonus of the other more expensive components. Anyone got any simple advice or tips on upgrading weapons? Or which weapons to upgrade?

When should you start upgrading? Is it something you save up stuff for and dont do for ages or worth doing as soon as you can?

[talgaby]

Short version…
Organic components (little claw thingie icon) boost the item XP gain. ×3 is the best you can get, although it's hard to reach that high with early components.
Synthetic ones "screw icon) add tons of XP, but are rare, expensive, and decrease the XP bonus, so you need to apply them by large amounts.
Easiest way to upgrade is to sell every synthetic one but the expensive ones, buy more of the same ones you kept, then use organics to boost multiplier, then add in the synthetic ones by bulk (at least 10, or the amount for max). There are guides where you can check how much XP an item needs and what item is used to change it to something else. This one is probably the easiest to use: http://guides.gamercorner.net/ffxiii/

It's not a bad idea to boost accessories first, since they seem to not affect the target times, and you can get some really neat stuff quite early on. Weapons on the other hand decrease the times you need to get 5-star rating, which is a must if you ever want to 100% the game, or just want the good loot.
For weapons my advice is to pick one or two characters and only boost their weapon. Vanille is usually a good choice, since the Belladonna Wand has a very useful ability, and it's easy to boost it. With a decent level Belladonna/Malboro wand you can take on the Sazh/Vanille segments a lot easier.

[Guydodge]

i also have no clue what to do with inventory buy,sell or even what or where the upgrades are any help thxs. not trying to bump your thread just figured its so close to mine

[Scytherman]

1. Use organic components to get the multiplier to 3x and then use synthetic components to upgrade the level. When reaching Starlevel you may use a Catalyst to get a better Accessory/Weapon.
2. Lightning: Axis Blade (get this to Tier 2 (upgrade to Star then Catalyst) as soon as you can)
Hope: Hawkeye
Fang: Taming Pole (go for this one as soon as you can, since Fang is the best COM)
Sazh: depends, i'd go with Vega 42
Snow: Paladin
Vanille: Belladonna Wand
3. You can start upgrading in Chp 9, since it's the first time you can farm easy Incentive Chips to sell and get components. The recommended time for upgrading is Chp 11 since by that time you have gil and can buy good components, but the best time is after doing Mission 7 (Bituitus), since you unlock the shop which features the best synthetic components in the game.
Bonus: Upgrade Whistlewind Scarf and use a Catalyst to make Aurora Scarf which gives you full ATB at the start of the Battle (very useful item until Postgame).
Upgrade Tetradic Tiara to Star Level and dismantle it to get Sprint Shoes (Auto-Haste)
Upgrade Collectors Catalog to Star and use a Catalyst to get Connosieur Catalog (increases rare drop chance).

http://concubidated.com/ffxiii/ use this link to calculate necessary number of Synthetic Components for your Weapons

[Moon Punisher]

Originally posted by talgaby:

Short version…
Organic components (little claw thingie icon) boost the item XP gain. ×3 is the best you can get, although it's hard to reach that high with early components.
Synthetic ones "screw icon) add tons of XP, but are rare, expensive, and decrease the XP bonus, so you need to apply them by large amounts.
Easiest way to upgrade is to sell every synthetic one but the expensive ones, buy more of the same ones you kept, then use organics to boost multiplier, then add in the synthetic ones by bulk (at least 10, or the amount for max). There are guides where you can check how much XP an item needs and what item is used to change it to something else. This one is probably the easiest to use: http://guides.gamercorner.net/ffxiii/

It's not a bad idea to boost accessories first, since they seem to not affect the target times, and you can get some really neat stuff quite early on. Weapons on the other hand decrease the times you need to get 5-star rating, which is a must if you ever want to 100% the game, or just want the good loot.
For weapons my advice is to pick one or two characters and only boost their weapon. Vanille is usually a good choice, since the Belladonna Wand has a very useful ability, and it's easy to boost it. With a decent level Belladonna/Malboro wand you can take on the Sazh/Vanille segments a lot easier.

I totally didnt knew that lols.

Ok im buying new crap weapons so i can get 5 stars from now on :P.

[billy]

excellent replies , very helpful , thanks

[Aaron]

I'm just gonna warn you now. Unless you want to spend 20 hours farming you aren' t going to upgrade every weapon for the treasure hunter achievement. It takes about 20 million gil+ to get them. I've been grinding turtles for ingots and I've used about 12 million and I'm only 3 weapons out of the 6. I've got enough trapes thankfully but the money to upgrade stuff to stars as is expensive.

[Killance]

How THE ♥♥♥♥ did you COMPLETE this game without using the upgrade feature? I hardly believe that.

[Seraphita]

Actually, it's easy. Weapon upgrades are only really needed after final boss, or so claim many players. Can't really say it's "easy" since no upgrades = long and dragging battles. But it's possible if you're very patient.

[Scarlet Crusade]

Originally posted by Killance:

How THE ♥♥♥♥ did you COMPLETE this game without using the upgrade feature? I hardly believe that.

Assuming what is meant by 'complete' (which I will, for the sake of argument, define as 'beat the last boss'), it's very doable. All the extra postgame content, Cie'th Stone Missions, Oretoises, yeah, doing that without upgrading is insane/silly. But you can certainly finish the story without upgrading a single thing. I did it too.

[billy]

by complete i did mean just the story and whatever side missions i found on the way.

[SirNinja]

Originally posted by Killance:

How THE ♥♥♥♥ did you COMPLETE this game without using the upgrade feature? I hardly believe that.

Huh? It's very possible to complete the game fairly easily without upgrading.

[War-A-Tron]

To be honest basically you can upgrade any weapon.

When a weapon levels up to tier 2 (around lvl 30-40) then it becomes a new weapon once you upgrade it with a special element, and then you can upgrade it to tier 3 (Thats the stuff that has +600STR/Mag etc)

Each character has a high str,low mag and vice versa. If in doubt, then just upgrade a medium str/mag weapon since untimatly, you will be using the same weapon (although upgraded) throughout the game. Just upgrade it whenever you want, no need to hold back (Just buy 36 sturdy bones to get 3x upgrade multiplayer anytime you want)

[Guydodge]

man i'm just winging it,seems ok for now. partially understand it but got a ways to go.