Disgaea:
Last week I began examining abilities in Disgaea PC. Before approaching the story it would be best to deliver a few new insights. To begin, how do abilities effect other aspects of the Disgaea PC?
In combat, an normal attack has an
opportunity of activating a counter-attack. Counter-attacks can be
traded back and forth, possibly ad infinium. As of now, there once
occurred a counter-counter-counter attack. The the number appears to
be limited by each units maximum number of counter attacks. This
number is clearly displayed in the hero stat screen, along with the
heroes attack value, and the like. Characters begin with a
counter-attack value one through three, and the maximum can be
increased, but not through leveling up. Instead, characters must
individually appeal to the Dark Assembly to raise their maximum. Two
questions remain: how many counter-attacks can a character achieve,
and how does this relate to abilities?
Because as the game advances, abilities
reduce the effectiveness of counter-attacks. Abilities require SP
(special points), which are consumed to activate. Each class of hero
learns new abilities as they reach predetermined thresholds. Each
ability can increase the range, area, and/or damage of a normal
attack. This makes them more powerful than a normal attack, though
limited by SP. But by level twenty-five, SP are essentially
limitless (except for a few abilities), so most combat is conducted
through the use of abilities. And for ability attacks, even if the
units are next to each other, there is no opportunity for the
counter. Since abilities level up after repeated use (and
replenishing SP is cheap), players should always use them instead of
normal attacks.
Last week I also mentioned the supposed
tendency of the Disgaea series to encourage grinding (also
tenuously related to abilities). Though up until last week this
horror had kept its head hidden, the six hours played this week have
been almost entirely of the turning wheat into grain variety. Part
of this was unnecessary, as my ten core heroes were powerful enough
to continue on, but the reserve contingent (numbering another dozen)
needed levels. It all has to do with abilities again. Mentors learn
abilities from their pupils, and for those pupils to know abilities
worth learning, they need to level up. This is especially important
for my core Skull (mage), who needs access to as many spell elements
as necessary. As a fire Skull his spells are ineffective against
anyone resistant to combustion, and as a solution has three pupils:
an Air Skull, Ice Skull, and Star Skull.
To grind effectively, it's necessary to
unlock the proper story battles. Disgaea PC is composed of
Episodes, which are short story arcs with a problem and a resolution.
Each episode opens up a new area, containing a number of individual
battles. All areas are accessed directly from a portal in Laharl's
Castle (the hub). Between battles the player is returned to the hub
where items are purchased, heroes healed, and the game saved. While
any level can be used for grinding, the first level which seems
designed for the purpose is Area 7 - Salamander Breath, Battle 1 -
Scorching Wind. The enemies are level 20, and the entire map is
effect by a particular Geo panel.
Geo panels are a unique feature for the
entire Disgaea series. In each battle some spaces have a
colored overlay. There can be multiple spaces with the same color,
and multiple colors on each map. Some maps have no Geo panels,
while others are entirely covered. And there are normally a
corresponding number of Geo symbols. Each Geo symbol, when placed on
a Geo panel, provide an effect to all Geo panels of the same color.
The effect of a Geo stone can increase the attack of of the hero
standing on it, prevent the use of abilities, clone the unit, or
extra experience (and many more). This last bonus effects the
entirety of Scorching Wind. With a little help from higher level
characters it's possible to boost a level one hero to level nine on
their first kill, gaining a level or two for each subsequent kill
(Heroes only gain experience if they complete the kill).
I've further explored the Item World,
even though some online guides recommend completing the game first.
But I've found, even if leveling up a particular item is unhelpful,
that the rewards in gold and rewards are substantial. Entering the
Item World is a extended and tedious experience. Unlike normal
missions, where the player returns to the hub (Laharl's castle) after
every battle, the item world requires the player to complete ten
battles before leaving. And this is critical, because only at the
hub can the player heal health, replenish SP and save the game!
So while it's not serious to lose a story battle (unless one forgets
to save), losing on the ninth levels in the Item World will lose the
player an hour or so. I wouldn't recommend entering the Item World
without an hour an a half to spare.
The early rewards
of the item world are dispensed through a mechanic termed, the Bonus
Gauge. The BG exists in all levels, but it's especially relevant for
the item world. The BG is a record of the player's current bonus
level. In each battle the BG can be filled nine times, and each time
it's filled, it rewards the player with exponentially better items.
In most story battles it's possible to fill up the gauge no more than
two or three times, though there are tricks to push it higher. But
the item world is different. The gauge is filled by two types of
actions. In a turn, each attack against the same enemy fills up the
gauge a minuscule, but increasing amount. The problem is, if one is
the same level as the enemy, they are liable to kill it before they
can land a large number of attacks. If they are too weak they will
die to the enemy before they can hit it enough.
The more effective
method of filling the gauge is through the Geo panels and Geo
symbols. For every different color of Geo panel there will be a
correspondingly colored Geo symbol. Geo symbols have a health value,
and if destroyed their effect goes away. But if a Geo symbol is on a
Geo panel of a different color, they will initiate a reaction which
transforms the Geo panels to match the destroyed Geo symbol. The
reaction also deals a small amount of damage to any hero or enemy on
the changed spaces. More importantly, any other Geo symbols on the
changing spaces will be destroyed (regardless of health). If the
initiated appropriately the player can ensure a chain reaction,
destroying one Geo Symbol, which leads to the destruction of the rest
and leaves the map one solid color. Chaining them together, ensures
a significant boost to the BG, and it is quite easy to fill it five
or more times. Here, another game mechanic is essential. Heroes can
pick up and throw Geo Symbols, to place them on the correct spaces to
utilize the chain reaction.
And the item world
is where this is possible. In the story missions there are normally
only one or two Geo Symbols, and few Geo Panels. But most item world
levels will have five or more colors, and ninety percent of the
battle covered in Geo Paneling. If done correctly, filling the Bonus
Gauge to nine is quite easy, though one has to battle enemies while
tossing Geo Symbols around.
Though it might
sound interesting, Geo Panels, Symbols, make the item world
repetitive and tiring. Yet to not fill the Bonus Gauge would be a
waste, since it seems to be an important purpose of the item world.
Let's hope next
week I can focus on the story, and avoid the grinding.
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