I am spamming GF and it feels wrong but I don't see any other way around

[Dudeless]

Hi,

I am at a point very early in the game yet (don't mind the play time in my profile). To be more specific, I just defeated Black Widow (and got 50 AP). However, I feel like I am not playing this game the right way.

For first, I want to clarify that I did junction my characters with GFs. For example, I junctionef Ifrit with Squall and increased his Strength by 10 by junctioning 100 fires to Strength. I also use elemantal or status attack/defense. I always manage what my GFs learn so that they always learn the things I think are useful (mostly Junction abilities and sometimes extraordinary things like Siren's Move-Find). So, the way I see it, I am using every way to strengthen myself. However, at least for boss fights, I feel like every fight is too slow and I am too weak if I am not spamming my GFs because every character inflicts very low damage any other way except Squall who has the only GF (as of yet) with the ability to junction to Strength. So, my every boss fight so far was just spamming GF. However, I cannot say that this feels right too because, even though they are better than normal attack, not to the degree to compensate for the amount of time its animation lasts.They are four times strong than Squall's normal attack at its most. This means that I have to use like every GF few times in a boss fight, which is both boring and banalizing. So, what am I doing wrong? Am I too early in the game to have tactical and interesting fights?

By the way, I played FF7 and FFX before, but it has been a long time, so I don't really remember if I had this problem with those games.

[xboxoftroy3]

Early on, (up to the end of the SeeD mission) the GFs will probably be more powerful than your attacks unless you do some serious grinding. If you want to get away from that, prioritize learning item refinement abilities with your GFs. This will enable you to access more powerful magic. Also, drawing magic from monsters is a waste of time in 90% of cases.

You will actually be able to get the next GF with Str-J very soon, and I would suggest you give it to Zell. Until you get that third Str-J, try getting Selphie's Magic stat up. Once you have some more powerful spells, she can do respectable damage that way. In fact, if you want to fight with magic, you can. The basic elemental spells (fire/lightning/blizzard) aren't great for junctioning, so junction something else to raise your magic stat and fight with the slightly weaker spells. Regular attacks usually end up being more powerful by the end of the game, however.

In any case, the key to this game is learning the right GF abilities. If you let it default, your GFs will learn their HP and damage boost abilities, which will leave you fighting battles as you currently are. There are many ways to play this game, so figure out what works for you.

[Croaker]

Nah, the best tactic in the early game is for sure GF spam. The characters kind of admit that the GFs give them a lot of power too, with their constant reminder to check and make sure they are Junctioned properly.

However, around (or even before) Disc 2 you'll start to outpace the damage the GFs deal if you Junction properly, especially if you learn how to exploit Limit Breaks for huge physical damage. GFs are also, for the most part, elemental, so they become more situational as you go on once enemy's resistances start becoming an issue.

Also, consider that in the time it takes to summon a GF. You could get two or three attacks in before the GF is summoned, depending on your compatibility. Later GFs have longer cutscenes, too, so you can kind of weigh the cost and benefits of summoning GFs during timed sequences like the Dollet evacuation.

So basically, all that power the GF has eventually shifts over to the characters as time goes on. I just beat the final boss and I didn't use a single GF. Your mileage may vary, though.

[Dudeless]

Thank you both for helping.

Now that I have made most of my GFs learn Boost ability, they are a little bit better and will be even much better in the future, I guess.
I also see that I have to wait a little more to make my characters usable without using GF. As you said, I will find more GFs which have Strength junctioning. Still, though with exceptions like Cure, I feel discouraged to use spells directly as they are consumable. I prefer to junction them. But thanks for the advice.

I also think that Limit Break in this game is a little bit bad because you can use it only when you have low health and, well, I almost never had low health until now (thanks to GFs and Cure). I know that it has a tactical side like this, like maybe making us take damage intentionally so that we will hit harder, but still I wish it was not a low-health-only feature.

By the way, I have another question which is unrelated to this topic.
I normally have progressed farther in the game before. But when I realized I missed a missable GF (Diablos), I started from an earlier save which was unfortunately a little bit too early. However, I remember seeing a kinda hidden dialogue or event in the cafetaria of the Garden during my first playthrough in which Seifer and his group has assembled at the cafetaria, and then some other student came and wanted to buy something but that thing was not available or something. I also remember talking to the cafetaria lady at the left and her telling me how her son made them worried. The game also gave me the option to not listen to her (but I did as it was interesting). Well, my question is, when was that dialogue? I will not start from an early save as it is not that important but I still want to know why, how and when I missed it in my second playthrough.
Thanks.

[cinzentos.*****]

The right way... Well, you can win yourself a couple of Abyss Worm cards in the garden and junction them into Squall's strength. Then get Diabolos (make sure to have some Darkness magic on someone with good Mag stat to cast on him, keep help low and renzokuken him into oblivion). Learn Dark Side from him and put it on Squall. Then if you never grind you'd probably one-shot everything with Dark Side till 2nd half of disk 2. Then get to Odin's ruins and draw 100 triple from him to junction into Squall's strenght....

Or I have a better idea - just experiment, try things, fail and have fun. The game's a broken mess mechanically which makes it a joy to tinker with and see how you can break it (there are numerous, numerous ways, most involve cards and refinement abilities though, but there're some more subtle). See how far can you get without a guide save for missables, get stuck, start over get stuck again. I finished this one from my 3rd attempt, I think, getting myself stuck against unbeatable (as I thought at the time) odds. It was fun.

Find your right way :)

[NBOX21]

It definitely helps to experiment with actual stat junctions later on so you don't have to waste time with the summons or risk the GF being KO'd if it runs out of HP during the summon process. Using regular attacks also doesn't waste a turn unlike GF summons which takes at least two turns to summon.

Also, to avoid spoilers for the late game, all I'll say is that the first boss at the start of disc 4 basically requires you to avoid using GF summons to prevent a possible game over thus requiring you to use other forms of attack instead. Thus why it's important to ensure that you find other creative ways to deal damage during battle.

As complicated and different as it is, the junction system is a very flexible and robust system that allows so much customisation and creative freedom for setting up your party and abilities. Certainly a lot more than most later Final Fantasy games. So feel free to experiment with different setups and see what works best.

[Dudeless]

Originally posted by cinzentos.*****:

The right way... Well, you can win yourself a couple of Abyss Worm cards in the garden and junction them into Squall's strength. Then get Diabolos (make sure to have some Darkness magic on someone with good Mag stat to cast on him, keep help low and renzokuken him into oblivion). Learn Dark Side from him and put it on Squall. Then if you never grind you'd probably one-shot everything with Dark Side till 2nd half of disk 2. Then get to Odin's ruins and draw 100 triple from him to junction into Squall's strenght....

Or I have a better idea - just experiment, try things, fail and have fun. The game's a broken mess mechanically which makes it a joy to tinker with and see how you can break it (there are numerous, numerous ways, most involve cards and refinement abilities though, but there're some more subtle). See how far can you get without a guide save for missables, get stuck, start over get stuck again. I finished this one from my 3rd attempt, I think, getting myself stuck against unbeatable (as I thought at the time) odds. It was fun.

Find your right way :)

Ever since I started playing the game, I've been wondering what "Card Game" mechanic was for and how it worked. But it felt so overwhelming that I always kept away from it. It seems like I wll have to learn it.
By the way, I already beat Diablos. I started fighting it just to try but "somehow" I won the fight in my first trial. And, yes, that "somehow" involves spamming GFs... Ironic, isn't it?

I really should start not caring for the things I missed. For example, I have missed Diablos in my first playthrough and when I learned that I missed it, I started almost from the beginning of the game just to get it. But if I have not learned it, I really doubt that I would "miss" it. Thanks~

Any experimentation I can think of is to use limit breaks, which actually is a good idea considering Selphie's "Full-cure" spell. And I would like to listen to your recommendations about that.
I still am in very early in the game. I just kidnapped the President Deling. So, I know that I have a long way to go. I sure will find out more as I progress in the game.

Thanks!

[Dudeless]

Originally posted by NBOX21:

It definitely helps to experiment with actual stat junctions later on so you don't have to waste time with the summons or risk the GF being KO'd if it runs out of HP during the summon process. Using regular attacks also doesn't waste a turn unlike GF summons which takes at least two turns to summon.

Also, to avoid spoilers for the late game, all I'll say is that the first boss at the start of disc 4 basically requires you to avoid using GF summons to prevent a possible game over thus requiring you to use other forms of attack instead. Thus why it's important to ensure that you find other creative ways to deal damage during battle.

As complicated and different as it is, the junction system is a very flexible and robust system that allows so much customisation and creative freedom for setting up your party and abilities. Certainly a lot more than most later Final Fantasy games. So feel free to experiment with different setups and see what works best.

I know that there are a lot of people who hate the Junction system, and I admit that it has some flaws, but I really liked the system. I am very early in the game, so I think there will be a lot to experiment on. Thanks!

[Bekness]

How are you going now? It seems like you have some good advice already. One thing that might help is following a guide, since you worried about missing things. Or making extra saves, you mentioned reloading a save, maybe make a few more?

Honestly a lot of people play the game relying on limits. Some people are afraid to use their magic because they have it junctioned. You can always get more magic, though.

Some of the GFs I believe you can Draw from bosses on disc 4, if you missed them. Also don't quote me on this, I think that Diablos lamp can be found through Chocobo World.

[Sephiroth]

get card->card mod asap and refine magic abilities. get fish fins from the fish in the beach near garden and refine waters and junction them to str. also playing cards is the best way to get overpowered in the game since you can mod them into items

[Daywalker]

Originally posted by Dudeless:

Thank you both for helping.

Now that I have made most of my GFs learn Boost ability, they are a little bit better and will be even much better in the future, I guess.
I also see that I have to wait a little more to make my characters usable without using GF. As you said, I will find more GFs which have Strength junctioning. Still, though with exceptions like Cure, I feel discouraged to use spells directly as they are consumable. I prefer to junction them. But thanks for the advice.

I also think that Limit Break in this game is a little bit bad because you can use it only when you have low health and, well, I almost never had low health until now (thanks to GFs and Cure). I know that it has a tactical side like this, like maybe making us take damage intentionally so that we will hit harder, but still I wish it was not a low-health-only feature.

By the way, I have another question which is unrelated to this topic.
I normally have progressed farther in the game before. But when I realized I missed a missable GF (Diablos), I started from an earlier save which was unfortunately a little bit too early. However, I remember seeing a kinda hidden dialogue or event in the cafetaria of the Garden during my first playthrough in which Seifer and his group has assembled at the cafetaria, and then some other student came and wanted to buy something but that thing was not available or something. I also remember talking to the cafetaria lady at the left and her telling me how her son made them worried. The game also gave me the option to not listen to her (but I did as it was interesting). Well, my question is, when was that dialogue? I will not start from an early save as it is not that important but I still want to know why, how and when I missed it in my second playthrough.
Thanks.

a bit late but you can use the spell Melton to use limit break even at full health