Rogue Galaxy Post-Game Session 3

I kind of feel like an idiot.  Between last session and this one, I realized a critical detail about weapon synthesis that I'd missed up until this point: it's not about the specific weapon you use as a component, but the level of the weapon itself.  Each step of the way simply requires a weapon that's at or above a specific level.  The keyword there being "above".  Basically, for the Seven-Star Swords and Jaster's other special swords, I could have been using higher level weapons that I could just buy from a merchant, rather than having to buy two lower-level weapons and combining them to make something that fits the level requirement.

The FAQ I've been using to piece together the synthesis chains does make note of this, but really doesn't stress it enough, given how much time it would save if you know "oh hey I can just buy stuff from the guy on Mariglenn to make the fully upgraded forms of the Seven-Star Swords".

That said, I'm going to continue with things the way I've been doing them, because I'm almost done.  Also, I've been recording all the information as I verify it, in a TiddlyWiki, that once I'm done I can easily upload somewhere on the internet for it to get the same zero views that this blog gets.  It's a long way out yet, because there's one thing I need to verify that I don't get until beating Ghost Ship Extreme, which I can only assume will take a while, even with all the ultimate weapons.

The TiddlyWiki guide I've been putting together uses the method I was assuming I had to do, which means it calls for extra weapons to be crafted periodically that are likely unnecessary.  If I feel dedicated enough I'll do a New Game + run through the game and reverify stuff using weapons from merchants at the end of the game.  Since the only thing that carries over in New Game + is the costumes you've unlocked, I'm not in any huge hurry to do such things.

Anyway, on to stuff that happened in this session.

Well, really, it's pretty much the same as the last session.  Doing the obligatory 15 battles per sword so I can synthesize them, and going from one location to another filling in the Hunting Record.  Also, cycling party members around getting their weapons to MASTERED status, but that's not a huge priority since I can do it faster with crystals.

First up was the weakest of the Seven-Star Swords, Kingdom Master.  Up until this point I'd been going in reverse order from most powerful to least powerful, but Dark Cloud takes a metric fuckton of synthesis steps, and I tend to put off daunting tasks until I absolutely have to do them.  This pretty much can't be reduced because of how you obtain the base sword for Dark Cloud, Duke Nightmare.  You have to synthesize it from a Demon Rouser and a Majestic Halo.  Being that I used the Demon Rouser I already had from a quarry reward for a different synthesis, I had to make it as well as Majestic Halo.

After Kingdom Master, as you might have guessed from reading the previous paragraph, it finally came time to make Dark Cloud.  I bought and maxed all the swords necessary for prerequisites, then I started combining and even though it took a lot more swords I had Dark Cloud done before I even knew it.

With Dark Cloud finally complete, the next thing to do was complete Ghost Ship so I could get Dorgenedge and make Jaster's ultimate weapon, Dorgencalibur.  I progressed through Ghost Ship, encountering a rival a few times and eventually convincing him to not be so antagonistic towards me.  This happened once he realized we were both in the same boat, as we'd both been told the ship's treasure was ours to have if we could make it there.  The final boss ended up being the corrupted version of the ship's (and therefore the treasure's) owner.  The rival ended up being none other than Dorgengoa, from the past, who promptly faded out of existence after I defeated the final boss.

With Dorgenedge in hand, it finally became time to make Dorgencalibur.  This one was very straightforward as I already had suitable weapons maxed and ready to go.  First things first though, I worked my way back out of Ghost Ship like a true adventurer would, by walking out rather than teleporting.  Once I got back out I took a few attempts at Seventh Mystery.  Seventh Mystery is a seven question quiz about various random things in the game.  Eventually I got all seven questions right (they're different every time) and got the Key to the Underworld, which is used to open Ghost Ship Extreme.

Once Dorgencalibur was done and maxed, I used Excelion Shards, Hyper Crystals, and Omega Crystals to get it to MASTERED status relatively quickly.  This ended up being the last ultimate weapon I got to MASTERED status, meaning I got everyone else's done while doing all the Seven-Star Swords and special swords for Jaster.

I suppose up next will be Frog Log and more Hunting Record.  Frog Log is basically more running around buying weapons, maxing them, and synthesizing them (this time paying attention to Toady's suggestions), and Hunting Record simply requires a lot of grind and thus works well with weapon synthesis which also requires grind of the same type.  I'm nearing completion on the Hunting Record, too.  I have Chapters 1 through 10 and Alistia done.  I plan on finishing Chapters 11 through 13 and Ghost Ship before taking on Ghost Ship Extreme.