A survey about your style of play

[etony33]

I'm curious about this stuff. Please quote the questions into your reply (or copy/paste) and answer honestly.

Phantasy Star:

-Do you get Myau (and possibly Odin) before upgrading any equipment?
-Do you buy the Diamond Armor prior to meeting the governor (or at least prior to going to Gothic)?
-Do you prefer hunting Fishmen, or Were Bats?
-Do you go to Dezoris to buy one or two Wands, a Laser Gun, and a Glove as soon as you are able?
-Once you have both, do you generally equip Odin with the Laser Gun, or the Laconian Axe?

Phantasy Star II:
-Do you use Hugh?
-Do you buy the intermediate upgrades in Kueri, or do you just save up for the equipment in Piata?
-Do you do the dams in the "proper order"?
-Do you keep everyone at about an equal level, or do you have one set team that you use throughout?
-Do you do the hidden Dezo dungeons/towers "in order"?

Phantasy Star III:
-Do you save up to purchase one or two Star Mist and Moon Dew in Cille during the first generation, since you know you won't be able to purchase any after that?
-If the answer to the previous question is no, do you buy some in Ayn's generation before leaving Cille?
-Do you buy Planar/Royal equipment in th first generation?
-Do you unequip most of the equipment from everyone besides Mieu and Wren, and then give it to Mieu/Wren, so that you can sell it in the next generation?

Phantasy Star IV:
Not much to ask here...
-Do you do your endgame grinding in The Edge, or Vahal Fort?

[DarkMyau]

Ok here we go

Phantasy Star

1. NO. I like Alis to be built up a bit to anchor the party while Myau and Odin get stronger.
2. No i never have the meeseta. When I first played the game (which belong to a friend) a friend had leveled ALis up to lvl 23 as he didn't figure out secrets. So then I bought Diamond Armour.
3. Fishmen
4. Yes. Good grinding too.
5. The gun. I'm amazed how underwhelming the axe is. It misses a lot and doesnt do all that much damage.

Phantasy Star 2
1. I have used him, but there are just better options, so he looses out.
2. The first time playing, yes. Every other time, no. Its just a waste of meeseta.
3. yes
4. A set team. Rolf, Rudo, Anna, Nei and the rest sit on the bench.
5. yes

Phantasy Star 3
1. No, its the end of the generation and I'm eager to start Nial. No again.
2. No. I consider that a design flaw in the game that the gear is in Cille.
3. No. Dont see the point. I do take the buckles though.

Phantasy Star 4
1. I dont remember. I need to play this game again.

[etony33]

Phantasy Star

1. Yes. I get 300 meseta and go get Myau. Then, I go get Odin. From there, I grind and save up to buy the Needlegun, Thick Fur, Ceramic Sword (for Alis), Zirconian Armor (for Odin), Ceramic Shield (for Odin), Ceramic Shield (for Alis), Magic Lamp, and Diamond Armor (for Alis), in that order. Once I have everything other than the Diamond Armor, I set out to get the Shortcake and the Iron Fang. By that time, I have no problem beating Saccubus.
2. See #1
3. Usually Fishmen.
4. Absolutely.
5. Gun. I feel bad not having him use the axe, since he was turned to stone trying to get it the first time, but...

Phantasy Star II
1. Yup. I use him. I rotate.
2. Nope.
3. I often do them in the inverse order.
4. I rotate everybody.
5. Depends on my mood.

Phantasy Star III
1. Yup. Two of each. No need to go beyond that with Ayn.
2. Usually a Planar Claw for Mieu
3. Yes. Usually all of their defensive equipment. I hate that I have to pay for it and then lose it.

Phantasy Star IV
Switch it up. I get bored staying in one place for too long.

[etony33]

I just thought of another few questions for Phantasy Star. All are related to your trip to Abion.

Do you purchase the Heat Gun as soon as possible, or do you wait for the Laser Gun (which is available a short time later)?

Do you save up to get three Laser Shields in Abion, or do you only get one (for Noah) or two (for Noah and Alis), considering that you can get the Mirror Shield a short time later?

Do you fight Dr. Mad as soon as you get to Abion, or do you make a special trip later in the game, when you are stronger?

[FlamePurge]

Phantasy Star I:
1. Do you get Myau (and possibly Odin) before upgrading any equipment?
I usually get Alis a shield and a better sword before I get Myau. I try not to upgrade too much though.

2. Do you buy the Diamond Armor prior to meeting the Governor, or at least prior to going to Gothic?
I do not buy the Diamond Armor that early, no. That's overkill. I usually get it before going to Uzo I think?

3. Do you prefer hunting Fishmen, or Were Bats?
Were Bats.

4. Do you go to Dezoris to buy one or two Wands, a Laser Gun, and a Glove as soon as you are able?
Laser Gun, yes. Two Wands, no. I don't tend to run away.

5. Once you have both, do you generally equip Odin with the Laser Gun, or the Laconian Axe?
Laser Gun. This isn't even a choice, haha.

6. Do you purchase the Heat Gun as soon as possible, or do you wait for the Laser Gun, which is available a short time later?
I like to use the Heat Gun, yes.

7. Do you save up to get three Laser Shields in Abion, or do you only get one (for Noah) or two (for Noah and Alis), considering that you can get the Mirror Shield a short time later?
I've never gotten anyone but Noah a Laser Shield.

8. Do you fight Dr. Mad as soon as you get to Abion, or do you make a special trip later in the game, when you are stronger?
I do it as soon as I get to Abion.

Phantasy Star II:
1. Do you use Hugh?
Yes.

2. Do you buy the intermediate upgrades in Kueri, or do you just save up for the equipment in Piata?
I buy from Kueri because it's too expensive to buy from Piata right away.

3. Do you do the dams in the "proper order"?
Lately? No. I do Blue Dam first to get the Snow Crown.

4. Do you keep everyone at about an equal level, or do you have one set team that you use throughout?
I keep everyone at an equal level.

5. Do you do the hidden Dezo dungeons/towers "in order"?
Yes, mostly.

[etony33]

DarkMyau, the gear being available in Cille isn't a design flaw any more than the Diamond Armor being available in Paseo. It is a potential reward for insane grinding early in the game.

[Drake_Zeppeli]

Since PSIV is really the only game of the original trilogy I've completed at least three times and will never get tired of.

When it comes to grinding since the start of the game, I usually go grinding for meseta and exp in places where its really offered in abundant numbers. But if I have to be more specific, places like Vahal Fort are usually my go-to. Granted, I admit its repetitive grinding there for hours, but its usually worth it for me.

[MrStarbird]

Phantasy Star:

-Do you get Myau (and possibly Odin) before upgrading any equipment? I generally just get Alis an Iron Sword before getting Myau and Odin.
-Do you buy the Diamond Armor prior to meeting the governor (or at least prior to going to Gothic)? I usually get it before facing Dark Falz, so no.
-Do you prefer hunting Fishmen, or Were Bats? Fishmen are a guaranteed encounter in a certain spot whereas Werebats are not, plus Fishmen have a better Meseta to Time ratio for grinding.
-Do you go to Dezoris to buy one or two Wands, a Laser Gun, and a Glove as soon as you are able? Yes. Only one wand and never equipping it though.
-Once you have both, do you generally equip Odin with the Laser Gun, or the Laconian Axe? Laser Gun, though if I got Myau to level 20, then I will equip the Axe against Dark Falz.

Phantasy Star II:
-Do you use Hugh? Only to glitch out his inventory for Anna (see speedrun strats). Casually, no.
-Do you buy the intermediate upgrades in Kueri, or do you just save up for the equipment in Piata? Yeah. The Titanium pieces of gear are decent up until you get the free Crystal stuff in the Yellow Dam.
-Do you do the dams in the "proper order"? I used to, but after speedrunning for so long, even casually I'd go Green, Blue, Yellow, Red.
-Do you keep everyone at about an equal level, or do you have one set team that you use throughout? Depends on how I'm playing. Casually, Rolf, Nei, Rudo, Anna, then after Neifirst is finished I add in Shir. She ends up at a couple levels lower but her speed still makes her valuable.
-Do you do the hidden Dezo dungeons/towers "in order"? No. Ikuto, Gauron, Naval, Menobe just for items of importance. Menobe is closer to EsperMansion so it's easier to just finish there. That being said, speedrun wise for a 100% route, I go Naval, Gauron, Ikuto, Menobe.

Phantasy Star III:
-Do you save up to purchase one or two Star Mist and Moon Dew in Cille during the first generation, since you know you won't be able to purchase any after that? Wastes too much time in my opinion. You can find some later, but no matter which route you take you usually have somebody who can get their GiRes up to 25. Add in Mieu and the two of them can out-heal any Tsu damage Rulakir or Dark Force would deal.
-If the answer to the previous question is no, do you buy some in Ayn's generation before leaving Cille? Nope.
-Do you buy Planar/Royal equipment in the first generation? No point at that point of the game. Any gear Rhys uses won't transfer over, and the gear for Mieu and Wren can be bought in New Mota when you have the money later.
-Do you unequip most of the equipment from everyone besides Mieu and Wren, and then give it to Mieu/Wren, so that you can sell it in the next generation? Depends. I generally only upgrade weapons, so most likely I don't.

Phantasy Star IV:
Not much to ask here...
-Do you do your endgame grinding in The Edge, or Vahal Fort? Grinding in the Vahal Fort gives the best XP to Time ratio, as all the enemies in there can be hit with Spark for easier kills.

[etony33]

Never equipping the Wand?...why not?

[MrStarbird]

I used to equip the wand, but never anymore. Noah's attack power doesn't really do much anyway so the extra points don't help. Better off saving the 1000 Meseta for something else, like getting a Laser Shield for Noah slightly faster with less grinding. Then again, my days of casually playing the series are pretty much done as I've done everything in each game many times over throughout my life. Probably why I find the challenge in speedrunning these titles.

[etony33]

I find that I usually have a ton of extra meseta at the end of the game (probably because of me getting the Diamond Armor so early.

[MrStarbird]

Yeah, if you get Diamond Armor early in the game, then you will easily have an extra 1000 Meseta for another Wand. I used to do that back in the day myself.

[etony33]

Well...not necessarily, depending hw you do it. If you want Laser Shields for everyone, you have to grind for quite a while outside Abion, and you have very little meseta by the time you can first go to Skure.

[MrStarbird]

True, but why buy Laser Shields for everyone when Alis gets the Laconian Shield soon after and Odin can get the Mirror Shield? To be honest, for a long time I never knew Noah could equip the Laser Shield, so my first time through I beat the game without him having a shield.