New player looking for some tips and how to unlock specific MS

[mjnico94]

Hello,

I just downloaded this game a few days ago. This is my first Gundam game since Dynasty warriors 3 on the 360. I was looking for a few beginner tips to help me though out the game.

I would also like to know how to unlock the Strike Freedom and Barbatos Lupus MS for CC use.

Thank you very much for your help!!!

[Ralen]

The easiest way to unlock any unit is playing the corresponding scenario it's associated with. You'll find Strike Freedom in Gundam SEED Destiny and you'll find Barbatos Lupus in Iron-Blooded Orphans. The other way you might achieve those units is either through developing other units into them or exchanging.

My advice to you is just tinker with the game and figure out the systems. It's a bit overwhelming at first, but then you'll realize how simple the game is once you understand everything. Good luck and welcome!

[Louis]

Hints:
- Gundam type. Try to level up gundams.
- Which MSs Kira Yamato had used before getting Strike Freedom?
- Some other units in the SEED story may help.

For Barbatos Lupus, you can think of the same method.

[Lapo]

Spoilers for specific instructions for unlocking those MS past this point...

You can get to the Barbatos line with the Phoenix Gundam. Develop it into the full power version and then you should be able to change it into a Barbatos third form at level 6+. Just keep developing that until you get to the Lupus.

For the Strike Freedom you need to get a Stargazer first. For that you need to develop a Tornado Gundam into an Astray M1A and then that into a M1 Astray
You also need to develop a Phoenix Zero into a 0 Gundam. Combine the 0 Gundam and the M1 Astray to obtain the Stargazer plans, then purchase and level up that to unlock the Strike Freedom.

[gamester512]

Originally posted by mjnico94:

Hello,

I just downloaded this game a few days ago. This is my first Gundam game since Dynasty warriors 3 on the 360. I was looking for a few beginner tips to help me though out the game.

I would also like to know how to unlock the Strike Freedom and Barbatos Lupus MS for CC use.

Thank you very much for your help!!!

As said before, Stargazer can be used to get the Strike Freedom (I believe it needs to reach level 9, as the Strike Freedom is the upgrade that it needs the most levels to turn into). The Strike Gundam can also be upgraded into it, as can the Infinite Justice and I believe the Justice can be turned into the Freedom, which can then be turned into the Strike Freedom as well.



For the Barbatos you can either do the first IBO mission until you fill the Get Gauge for the Barbatos 1st Form (doing so will also unlock Mikazuki as a Scoutable pilot, and trust me when I say if you plan to use the Barbatos, you want Mikazuki using it) and then level up the Barbatos 1st Form to get the 2nd form, level the 2nd Form to get the 3rd Form, etc. The Barbatos can be upgraded in that way all the way up to the Barbatos Lupus Rex which is the final upgrade. The Alaya-Vinjana Limiter OFF version of the Barbatos (the version Mika uses in the final IBO map) can only be obtained by completing the final IBO mission on the hardest difficulty (so that is going to take you a while to pull off).

I would also recommend working on getting the Gundam Astaroth as well, as if you get it to level 9 you can just skip right to it's most powerful form, the Gundam Astaroth Origin, which can make the early parts of the game quite a bit easier to handle. Plus the Astaroth can only upgrade into 2 things including the Astaroth Origin. Astaroth can upgrade into either the Gundam Astaroth Rinascimento at level 4, or the Gundam Astaroth Origin at level 9. The Astaroth is quite the reliable MS, particularly early in the game, as it has some good range with it's Anti-Materiel rifle, while also having some hefty melee punch with it's Demolition Knife.



Now for general tips:
1:) Any MS you have in your Warship team, if it starts to get too damaged send it back into the Warship ASAP so that it will have it's HP & EN fully restored on the next turn. If one of your MS is destroyed it's gone for good and will need to be replaced.

2:) For Raid Groups, members of the Raid Group will regenerate HP and a small amount of EN every turn if they end their turn next to another member of the Raid Group. If they end their turn without being adjacent to another member of the Raid Group they will not regenerate HP but they will regain much more EN instead.

3:) The pilots you use matter just as much as the MS itself. A good pilot will make even a sub-par MS perform better, and they will likewise make a powerful MS perform even better than normal, but a poor pilot will result in less than ideal performance from that MS.

4:) Try to save up enough Capital to buy a Supersonic Transport warship so that you can start using a second Warship team and then just use your Raid Groups for Dispatch Missions. The Supersonic Transport is much smaller than the Carry Base (it only occupies 3 spaces) but can move farther and even has an attack that Ignores Defense (so Nanolaminate Armor can't reduce the damage it deals like it can with other Beam attacks), though the damage it'll actually deal isn't spectacular. The Supersonic Transport is generally better than the Carry Base, and like the Carry Base it doesn't care whether you're playing on a Space or Ground map. Sure, it only has one Hangar, but once you get a Hangar Expansion mod you can change that easily enough.

5:) Until your units get stronger, keep them grouped up, don't leave any unit isolated or you run the risk of that unit getting ganged up on by multiple enemies and dying before your next turn can even start (this has almost happened to me a few times, so don't make the same mistake).

6:) Pilot stats affect the MS they are using, so someone like Eterna Freyl will do poorly in a melee-focused MS like the Epyon, but she will do very well in something like the Dynames or Virtue as she starts off with a very high Ranged stat but an awful Melee stat. Reaction affects the pilot's ability to dodge incoming attacks, while Endurance reduces the damage taken from attacks that do actually hit them.

7:) Your Warships are strong, but you do not want to leave them vulnerable, as if you lose a Warship it's an instant Game Over, if you're going to be aggressive with a Warship, keep it protected and surrounded by MS and MA so that the enemy doesn't simply have one very big and easy-to-hit target.

8:) Once you get 120 units onto your production list, you will be given a Pluma. The unit itself is weak, but if you take the time to get it to level 20, you can then turn it into the much more impressive Hashmal Mobile Armor. An easy way to do this is to just stick the Pluma onto a pilot in one of your Raid Groups and then just keep sending the Raid Group on Dispatch Missions until it hits level 20, and then upgrade it to the Hashmal ASAP. That thing is quite the impressive MA, high damage output, HP, and it has Nanolaminate Armor so Beam weapons basically just tickle it at worst. Just give the Hashmal a really good pilot and the thing could carry you through some tough fights. The Destroy Gundam is also good for this due to it's Positron Reflector.

[Frenzy85]

Here's how I completely unlocked all MS/MA in Production List after completing only the mainline series (actually, partway through was enough for most, but some required Quest completion).

First off... MS/MA don't matter. You can safely ignore them for the most part... just look out for units that can't use SFS and have single terrain capability, and Develop them as soon as possible to get them out of the way.

Next, don't ignore SFS... they help a lot.
1. They give low-movement units better movement.
3. They allow WS-group Master units to use skill on the turn they sortie.

So for your MS/MA, just fill it with units to level and unlock other units.
Early on, keep your strongest units on the Raid group, since the WS group don't need good stats to survive.

A notable good unit to get early is Stargazer.
From your initial units,
Develop Phoenix Zero -> 0 Gundam
Develop Tornado Gundam -> M1A Astray
Design 0 Gundam + M1A Astray -> Stargazer

Stargazer develops into Strike Freedom at lvl 8, and you should be able to get to this point 5 stages into a fresh New Game. You can fill your squad with Stargazers, develop to S.Freedom and dismantle for some capital, which can make your life much easier.

Invest in good pilots, especially WS Captains (just look for high Command stat) and Communication (Communication stat, for WS accuracy). You can invest capital to get their stats up, so skills are actually more important... though you can't really tell what skills pilots get later on before levelling them. So just get the ones with good stats to save the capital needed to get their stats up.

Next, your bread-and-butter unit will be your WS.
Ptolemaios 2 Kai is your best choice, but cost and availability matters imo, so here are some alternatives:
1. Supersonic Transporter [7 mov] (only 1 hangar, so requires the mod for 2nd hangar)
2. ReHome (Astray WS), cheapest choice for that has 2 hangars by default and can be used for both Earth/Space missions.

Unit mods
+1 movement, +2 movement, (anything) when you can
early game, Accuracy and Special Antenna help a lot

WS Captain skills
Control Lv 2+3
(anything)
early game, +Command skills are priority as well

Basically, max range + movement.

Then look for pilots with Attack Burst Gamma.
Attack Burst Beta is worse, but works, too.
Early game, Lockon/Quick Motion helps a lot so you don't miss all the time, and remember you can use skills to Heal when necessary.
For some stages, Damage Control is nice QoL (won't have it early, though).

Keep your units close to each other and close to WS, so they can defend each other and heal up when necessary.

Then just WS-Link yourself to victory...
You can WS-Link 9 targets, but damage goes down with each extra target. Just Quick Save and test your damage, and only target enough so you OHKO (use Attack Burst Gamma for best results).

Raid pretty much works the same way, but they can't heal up as quickly as WS groups.Their links are weaker since you're limited in how many Raid units you can sortie based on the stage you're playing.

There's only a few stages where you have to leave some enemies alive for your Guests to use as Step Chances to fulfil Secret Conditions/Quests.

Unlocked every MS/MA after completing Wing/EW/SEED/Destiny + 5 stages of 00.
After unlocking all MS/MA, I just used squads full of Stargazer for capital farming.