Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

In PSIII, there are two factions - the Orakians and the Layans. The manual for the game says that Orakians cannot use techniques. Techniques, it claims, can only be used by Layans or cyborgs. In the past I've talked with some people who thought this wasn't true. They cited the people in Landen who run tech shops, but others people there have never seen a cyborg. The healers in Orakian towns were also mentioned for their ability to revive people, which seems like a technique.

What do you think - could Orakians use techs, or was the manual correct? If it was correct, how would you explain the tech shops and healers in Orakian towns?

I think that the manual's inccorect. It said that slicers were used by Layan women, and yet Lune uses one.

Perhaps in the past Orakians used techniques. Maybe during the war technique users were thought to be evil, as Laya and her people were known to use them... So maybe they simply gave them up. It wouldn't explain why the techique distributors have shops in Orakian towns, but we can assume that they exist there for altering android techniques. (I refuse to call them cyborgs...silly translators) As for the healers who revive people... I think they either do have the ability to use Rever or they, like the nurses upstairs, rely on items to help people. Moon Dew, anyone?

Rulakir uses techniques...the question is if Dark Force gave him the knowledge or if he already knew it before he fell under its influence.

Tsunami wrote:I think that the manual's inccorect. It said that slicers were used by Layan women, and yet Lune uses one.

Perhaps in the past Orakians used techniques. Maybe during the war technique users were thought to be evil, as Laya and her people were known to use them... So maybe they simply gave them up. It wouldn't explain why the techique distributors have shops in Orakian towns, but we can assume that they exist there for altering android techniques. (I refuse to call them cyborgs...silly translators) As for the healers who revive people... I think they either do have the ability to use Rever or they, like the nurses upstairs, rely on items to help people. Moon Dew, anyone?

Rulakir uses techniques...the question is if Dark Force gave him the knowledge or if he already knew it before he fell under its influence.

I think this is a very sound theory! I have series doubts that the Tech users and the non-Tech users that boarded the Alisa III would segregate themselves to the point they wouldn't intermarry. Of course, it's possible over a 1000 years that such a thing could happen, but I think that DF had a lot to do with this divide. The cities in PSIII are very archaic, and have fallen back to a point in technology where the people don't even know that they're on a space ship, and have fallen into a state of terror based off myths between Orakians and Layans, omitting the fact that they're both still human.
I think the Orakians slowly gave up Techs as their civilizations slid back into ignorance, out of fear that they'd be recognized as Layans. Witch hunts, anyone?

I think the booklet is only talking about the playable characters. The only party members that use slicers are women and the characters with roots only in the Landen area (Rhys, Sari, Lena, Nial) can't use techs. None of what the booklet says seems to apply to anyone else.

Thoul wrote:They cited the people in Landen who run tech shops, but others people there have never seen a cyborg.

I don't think that part about not seeing any cyborgs/androids/whatever really means much. People that do see Mieu can't tell the difference between her and a human. Half the people in the towns could be robotic and they wouldn't notice.

As for the healers, I think that's probably items. If a healer suddenly started using techs, I think they'd have been run out of town or worse. Like Komrade said, witch hunts. They could be using Rever and calling it something else I guess, but I doubt that.

As for the shops... I don't know. I guess the only way to explain that is having some robots we didn't see, but are sufficently non-human that no one makes the connection between them and Mieu.

Didn't it seem like this whole anti-Layan thing was mostly dropped after Rhys married and early into Ayn's story? I mean, no one seemed to have a problem with Layan Ayn taking over the Orakian throne.

Neithird wrote:As for the shops... I don't know. I guess the only way to explain that is having some robots we didn't see, but are sufficently non-human that no one makes the connection between them and Mieu.

Yes, this is a difficult question. The robots at Hazatak don't look humans. Perhaps the Orakians have some of them stashed in a closet someplace...

Neithird wrote:Didn't it seem like this whole anti-Layan thing was mostly dropped after Rhys married and early into Ayn's story? I mean, no one seemed to have a problem with Layan Ayn taking over the Orakian throne.

Totally... utterly. There is a lot of room for an expanded storyline in this game. That would be an enormous issue, but we don't hear anything about it.

Yeah, I'm thinking maybe they use robots for menial labor. Maybe they have something like that little automated vacuum that used to be advertised on TV all the time. The roomba or whatever.

Neithird wrote:Yeah, I'm thinking maybe they use robots for menial labor. Maybe they have something like that little automated vacuum that used to be advertised on TV all the time. The roomba or whatever.

I would like to know more about PSIII though. There is so much that could've been explained.

I'm with the theory that Orakians just dropped the skill. It might just be that one thing that separates Orakians from Layans. You do have to remember that their greatest fear is that Orakians and Layans look alike....

Also, tying this Phanta to the first and second games, Lutz invented techniques so that anyone could learn them. Magic is inherited, but techniques are acquired, so maybe the Layans using techniques is more of a lifestyle choice?

Rhys: Gaaah, this whole Technique thing is so tedious. Do I really have to learn these?
Mieu: Well, it wouldn't hurt if you could at least pick up the slack with healing, My Prince!
Rhys: Screw that, healing doesn't make these biomonsters dead!
Lena: Rhys, you have a sword. Isn't that enough?
Rhys: I wanna make some rappies light on fire like a Christmas tree like Lyle can, that's all I'm saying.
Lena: ...What the hell kind of Christmas do you celebrate in Landen?!
Mieu: Maybe this bodyguard job wasn't such a good idea after all... (sweatdrop)
Rhys: Fire, fire! Cool!

haha, pretty much, Snorb.

(Maybe that's why Orakians don't use techniques.. they are the more hot-headed characters in the game, if you ask me....)