Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

In each of the games, what's your general strategy for tackling each fight? Do you spend the first round getting in some early attacks or boosting your stats with techs/skills/magic? Do you prefer giving the enemies status aliments? How do you adjust your strategy when taking on a boss?

Boosting stats always works well for me. Of course, if I'm feeling really good, I might go for some early attacks.

My strategy is very offensive. For the most part, I always attack things and save TP, then heal as necessary. For bosses, I'll use up all my TP to attack (offensive techs) and work on boosting stats early on.

PSIV: all offense since the battles are easy; I only boost for bosses.

PSIII: all offense, and no boosting! Mostly because I didn't know what Fanbi did. If I played through again, I'd probably boost for the bosses.

PSII: boosting almost every fight, at least use of the Snow Crown once you get it. That game is tough! I'd use Saner for bosses, but since I didn't know Shu and Shift are stackable until now, I would use Shift once, and move on. The benefits of stacking aren't that great though... but it would help to have Amy Sashu the party every turn she didn't need to heal during the Neifirst battle. That sword....!

PSI: all offense, since MP is scarce and Wall is useless against stronger enemies. I might Help Odin for DF if I was on a high enough level for him to actual hit with the ax.

My strategy is usually also very much offense. In a boss battle, I'll try to boost right at the beginning and then start unloading the most powerful attacks for as long as possible. In PSIV, I use up the skills before switching to the techs.

In my latest round of playing PSIV, I'm using skills and techs more in the normal fights than I ever did before. I've given Rune two shields for the first time, so I'm relying on his magic instead of attacking with him. I'm also trying to use more of the skills that don't work on bosses, like some of Rika's.

Thoul wrote:In my latest round of playing PSIV, I'm using skills and techs more in the normal fights than I ever did before. I've given Rune two shields for the first time, so I'm relying on his magic instead of attacking with him. I'm also trying to use more of the skills that don't work on bosses, like some of Rika's.

It's fun to switch things up. I read on gamefaqs once of someone attempting to beat the game with only using Techs, barring both Skills and Regular Attacks. They were stuck in the 70's at the PD. That's a bit extreme, but I find some of those challenges to be interesting ways of making the games new again.

Generaly I focus on boosting defense while barraging my enemies with techniques or skills.

Rika: Deban
Chaz: Crosscut
Rune: (Equipped with two psy-sheilds) NaWat
Wren: Attack OR Flare

Hahn: Wat
Demi: Attack
Gryz: Attack
Raja: Blessing
Kyra: Warla
Seth: Deserves to die, so I take off all of his items and sell them.. except for the cyber suit... I give that to Rika or Chaz.

Heikabuchi wrote:Seth: Deserves to die, so I take off all of his items and sell them.. except for the cyber suit... I give that to Rika or Chaz.

Honestly, I do the same thing. I never did like Seth, he was too much of a suck-up.

HAHA! XD I often used him as cannon fodder. I must admit though, the first time I played, the guy caught me completely off-gaurd when he transformed.

I try to balance things in the first couple of turns. Rika will use Deban, Wren throws up Barrier, and Chaz and Rune will unload some of their heavy attacks.

I like to try to put negative status on the enemies too, when it works. It isn't useful for most bosses since they're immune, but the little enemies fall for it a lot. Instant death from Brose or Spark can really help out when trying to get to the boss. Seals can be a life saver on sorcerers.