Tips & Tricks to save time - for those who feel stressed about the time limit.

Do you feel stressed about the time limit? Here are some tips & tricks which can help you be more efficient and save valuable time.

Intro

I saw a lot of people being concerned and stressed about the time limit in the first half of the game, therefore I decide to write this guide to help. I don't have a lot to share, and some of these may be very obvious to some, but I think these are all very useful points which everyone should know and not miss.

These are from my experience in my first playthrough, as well as compiled information from other guides, walkthrough & websites. I don't plan on writing a detailed guide, just simple tips and tricks in point form.

Simple tricks & mechanics

• Use Dash Move(Sprint) at all times, saves a lot of walking time. It is more convenient to change the "Dash Move" option in the "Function" menu to [Change with RB], just press once and you'll sprint everytime, anytime.
  
  
• Use the outfit given to you by Aurelie in the White Fog Forest when you got it (The event triggers near her atelier, a few days after getting her recommendation), as it increases your moving speed, useful in saving time and avoiding battles. Or if you have the "Wonderland" outfit (currently available as free DLC), use that as it reduces time spent on walking and alchemy.
  
  
• Use the "Shortcut" action as much as you can. It always take much less time shortcutting to the nearest landmark and then walk the remaining distance.
  
  
• Reduce time resting on bed,.Crafting any item by alchemy also replenishes LP, HP & MP. For example crafiing an item which takes 24 hours also refills your LP by 24. It is a good idea to plan out some items to craft, spend LP doing something else important, then craft the planned items to refill the LP.

General strategy & Time management suggestions

• I personally avoided battling enemies before passing the exam. I don't do it unless I need monster specfic drops/items for crafting, or the mission/storyline requires battling them.
  
  
• When exploring a new area, I try to collect from all collection points once, in order to have the widest variety of raw materials to craft with. But in subsequent visits I rarely collect again, except when I needed particular items/traits for crafting, or the mission/storyline requires them.
  
  
• Not exactly a time saving tip, but when you reach White Fog Forest, keep collecting Dona Wood until you discover the receipe for small storage cabinets. This allows you to increase your container item limit by 250. A large cabinet increases it by 500 (Recipe Discovered when you craft the small cabinet).
  
  
• Prepare to craft a lot of metals at Flussheim, either craft some when you have spare time before reaching there, or collect a lot of the required raw materials for synthesis.
  
  
• Try to collect both recommendations from Dion (at Faave Hills) & Aurelie (at White Fog Forest), gather enough Dona Wood to unlock the cabinet recipes, and reach Flussheim around 200~ days before the exam. This is a very very secure time frame, even if you want to collect all 5 recommendations before the exam.
  
  
• When the storyline requires you to craft all the metal at Flussheim, I recommend crafting the Metal Powder Catalyst (Not exact wording as I don't know what it is called in English version of the game.), takes much less time than ingots, you create more per synthesis, and the raw materials are easier to find too.
  
  
• You will spend around 60 days in Flussheim doing quests regarding the main story. When you can finally move on, immediately return back to Flussheim and find Ren for her recommendation, her recommendation has very easy requirements, and doesn't take much time to complete.
  
  
• Technically you already have enough recommendations at this point, but it is recommended to also get the remaining 2. The process of getting the remaining 2 recommendation ensures you have high enough Alchemy & Battle Level to reach and pass the final exam.

Outro

I may update the guide with more info later on, but sorry no guarantees.

Thanks for reading and let me finish this list with my favourite 3 songs from the game.
(All overworld BGMs when exploring)

[cowteats]

2) Try not to collect from all spots at first, use your own judgment (3 out of 4 spots perhaps, collect more from caves) before you reach White Fog Forest where you can craft cupboards to increase your container capacity. Otherwise you'll run out of space! Make your way to White Fog Forest first (Parched Plains -> Faave Hills -> Traveler Grove -> White Fog Forest)
3) Flussheim quest requires a lot of metal: about 8 ingots (I can't remember) and about 50 other (metal) material - usually Iron Sand Catalyst is recommended. You can craft those before you reach Flussheim.
4) If you want to go to Weist plains to get the 4th recommendation letter, make sure you have 25 Broken Stones with you when you reach Claudel Prairie.

[cowteats]

I reached Reisenberg using this guide and here are my add-ons:
1) After exiting Ertona, go to the first campsite and sleep until the exam day and fail the game the first time. Start new game +, play until you reach the first campsite again and change your costume. You get all the benefits of all costumes which allows you to do everything faster and with less LP loss.

[Scyris]

For the metal for flusshiem, there is an easier way, go to parched plains and go to the Jutted crystal thing, spirit stones and spirit stone shards both count as metals.

[Traitor]

Yes, Thank you. I was wondering around alot and was getting afraid of the countdown. But im on the other side now with 150+ days left. Thanks again!

[heatgold]

Thanks kind soul!