Update 35: Rea Resurgent



[Ready, Clanky?]
[Yeah.]
[The Great Blanket Heist...begins!]









<Quickly quickly quickly!>
I'm going, I'm going-- Why am I saying anything?!




[The fuck are you two doin'? What's with all the damn blankets?]
[We stole a buncha good, fluffy blankets from the creepy inn guy.]
[...Carry on.]
Weeeeeeeeeeeee're back!


Last time, we left off with these bears.

Unavoidable Spinning Ice Fountain!
Doesn't that make you dizzy?
Yup. Doesn't matter.
Wait, have this instance of Katya wiping out an entire encounter with Cocytus Formula.




Anyway, just make the bears freeze at the end of their walkways, and you'll be able to get out eventually.
desouler puzzles are so comical

For the love of god, do not forget this shorcut, unless you wanna play Musical Bears every time you need to move through this area.

Man, fuck off, game.
WELCOME TO BIG FROG ALLEY

<Fuck you, frogs!>



Stupid frogs, grumble grumble...

Also, I'm borrowing a thing I'm doing for my EON LP: whenever I unlock new items, I'll only be showing one screenshot to indicate that I've done so. I'll put all the items I unlocked in the usual box.
Awl Pike (+136 ATK, +2 TEC) is made from 1 Gold Fur (Gullinbursti rare) and 5 Drywalls (5th Stratum Mine 1). Costs 21950 en.

Fur Boot (+22 DEF, +4 AGI) is made from 3 Gold Furs (Gullinbursti rare). Costs 5600 en.
...Fuck me, I sold off Gold Furs.


B23F D4 Take Point


Ooh, how convenient, a Floor Jump checkpoint.

Time to die, bear!
Wait, Katya, what are you--



We'll be fiiiiiiiiine.
[Now that's the kinda attitude I can get behind.]

Desouler

HP: 7190STR: 59TEC: 38VIT: 46AGI: 35LUC: 35
EXP Given: 38000

Damage Vulnerabilities:
100% 100% 100%
100% 100% 100%

Disable Vulnerabilities:
50% 50% 50% 30% 30% 50% 30%
10% 10% 30%
30% 50% 30%
  • Charge: Doubles the damage of the user's next physical attack. Interruptable with Sonic Bombs. Slightly slow.
  • Rending Claws: Deals 2 instances of overkill cut damage to random party members. Slightly slow and slightly inaccurate.
  • Furious Slash: Deals overkill cut damage to 3-4 party members. Slow.
  • Charge: Doubles the damage of the user's next physical attack. Interruptable with Sonic Bombs. Has an 80% speed modifier.
  • Rending Claws: Deals 2 instances of 150% melee STR-based cut damage to random party members. The damage ranges from 427 to 509, normally, and from 855 to 1018 with Charge. Has no limit on how many times one target can be hit. Has an 80% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 90%.
  • Furious Slash: Deals 170% melee STR-based cut damage to 3-4 party members. The damage ranges from 485 to 577 on average, normally, and from 970 to 1154 with Charge. Has a 70% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99%.
  • Desoulers always open by using Charge, followed by Furious Slash.
  • Charge will always be followed by Furious Slash.
  • Desoulers stop using normal Attacks when they're at 50% HP or lower.
  • If this is the first turn, use Charge. On the next turn, use Furious Slash.
  • If Charge is active, use Furious Slash.
  • If the Desouler's HP is at 50% or lower:
    • 49% chance to use Charge.
    • Else, use Rending Claws.
  • If the Desouler's HP is at 100% to 51%:
    • 49% chance to use Charge.
    • If the above did not happen, 49% chance to use Rending Claws.
    • Else, Attack.
  • Charge: Increases the damage of the user's next physical attack. Slightly slow.
  • Rending Claws: Deals 2 instances of cut damage to random enemies. Slightly slow and slightly inaccurate.
  • Furious Slash: Deals cut damage to 3-4 enemies. Slow.
  • Charge: Increases the damage of the user's next physical attack. Has an 80% speed modifier at all levels.
  • Rending Claws: Deals 2 instances of melee STR-based cut damage to random enemies. Has no limit on how many times one target can be hit. Has an 80% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 90% at all levels.
  • Furious Slash: Deals melee STR-based cut damage to 3-4 enemies. Has a 70% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99% at all levels.
Drops:
  • Normal: Judge Claw. 90% chance. Sells for 2800 en.
    • Executioner Axe (+162 ATK, +30 HP, +10 TP): Made from 1 Judge Claw. Costs 44800 en.
  • Conditional: Burnt Blood (Kill with fire damage). 60% chance. Sells for 7500 en.
    • Amrita II (Restores 100 TP to one party member): Made from 1 Burnt Blood. Costs 2000 en.
Desoulers aren't that complicated. Do bring along Sonic Bombs for them, though, since that means any turn they use Charge becomes two free turns for you.

Oh, yeah, the elephant bear in the room: Burnt Blood. Yes, it makes Amrita II. Yes, it has an atrocious 60% drop chance. Yes, it is annoying to grind for.
This is basically the Bloodbear on roids. Interrupt it or you will die. Period.
Desoulers either desoul your party or don't attack. Even uncharged, Rending Claw will fuck up anything except a Protector and Furious Slash is nuclear waste levels of dangerous. Front Guard MIGHT help enough to survive some hits, but forget about Bravery's Gift. That Furious Slash Grimoire looks amazing for any physical attackers you have without crowd control, though, like a Ronin or an axe Landsknecht.

drink of my blood for it is raw unfiltered tp

I should get back to work on that ranged injector...


[Tuba time!]


Oh by the way I don't have any Sonic Bombs.
Oh my god Rea you always bring Sonic Bombs to monsters with sensitive ears what the hell. Next you'll forget Flash Bombs against a flying enemy. Geez.

Hellfire Roundhouse!
That's pretty good.

Pretty good.

I may be understating it a bit.

Quite a soft skull.


Womp womp.

That's better than pretty good.

[Hell yeah. Also.] <Hot hot hot!>


Feeling pretty useless here.
Aw, come on, you're useful.
How?
Moral support!
I would like you to know that the Desouler has not gotten a single turn to do anything so far, besides Charge.




[Note to self: ask Elly for help making heatproof gloves.]
Motherfucking... 60% chance bit me.


Grumble...
Executioner Axe (+162 ATK, +30 HP, +10 TP) is made from 1 Judge Claw (Desouler normal). Costs 44800 en.
This is a moderately notable axe if you haven't gotten Golem's yet. EN costs can add up.


You know... When you think about it, shouldn't burnt blood just be evaporated?
I kinda stopped questioning this place, like, a year ago.
There.

Here's the stairs we need to actually advance.


Amrita II (Restores 100 TP to one party member) is made from 1 Burnt Blood (Desouler conditional). Costs 2000 en.
Really looking forward to stocking more of these for the rest of the game.


That helps.

Here's how I invested those skill points.
It's really funny to see a level 54 Medic whose only healing skills are Cure and Regenerate. Oh Thierry, why must you be so totally ripped?

[Let's see what's behind staircase #1.]


Vince got his delayed level. He has En Garde maxed out now. Slowly but surely, he'll be at the point where he can take a lot of damage from Bravery's Gift and not die from it.

Hell yeah, money. Can never have enough of that.

[Well, that was profitable but boring.]
[Staircase #2 it is.]



...You think the bees in the Labyrinth pollenate these flower monsters we keep running into?

Divine Bee

HP: 476STR: 51TEC: 40VIT: 39AGI: 44LUC: 38
EXP Given: 4450

Damage Vulnerabilities:
100% 150% 100%
100% 100% 150%

Disable Vulnerabilities:
100% 50% 50% 100% 100% 100% 100%
100% 100% 100%
100% 100% 150%
  • Numbing Sting: Deals heavy stab damage to one party member. Attempts to inflict poison and paralysis on the target, with an extremely high chance. The poison deals heavy damage. Slightly slow.
  • Numbing Sting: Deals 100% melee STR-based stab damage to one party member. The damage ranges from 203 to 242 on average. Attempts to inflict poison and paralysis on the target, with a 70% base chance. The effective chance ranges from 76% to 99% on average. The poison ticks for 223 to 238 damage. Has an 80% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99%.
  • Divine Bees are very likely to open with Numbing Sting.
  • Divine Bees will specifically target any party members that are asleep.
  • If any party members are poisoned, Numbing Sting will go after party members that aren't poisoned.
  • If this is the first turn:
    • 79% chance to use Numbing Sting.
    • Else, Attack.
  • If any party members are asleep:
    • 29% chance:
      • 69% chance to use Numbing Sting, targeting party members that are asleep.
      • Else, Attack party members that are asleep.
  • If the Divine Bee is in the back row, 69% chance to use Numbing Sting.
  • If all party members are poisoned, Attack.
  • Else:
    • 49% chance to Attack.
    • Else:
      • If any party members are poisoned, 69% chance to use Numbing Sting, targeting party members that aren't poisoned.
      • Else, use Numbing Sting with standard targeting.
  • Numbing Sting: Deals stab damage to one enemy. Attempts to inflict poison and paralysis on the target. Slightly slow.
  • Numbing Sting: Deals melee STR-based stab damage to one enemy. Attempts to inflict poison and paralysis on the target. Has an 80% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99%.
Drops:
  • Normal: Angel Wing. 40% chance. Sells for 482 en.
    • Angel Harp (+100 TP; Troubadour only): Made from 1 Angel Wing. Costs 6000 en.
    • Tormentor (+131 ATK, +3 TEC): Made from 3 Angel Wings. Costs 27200 en.
    • Halo Aspis (+45 DEF, +50% instant death resistance): Made from 1 Gem Core (Burst Ooze normal) and 5 Angel Wings (Divine Bee normal). Costs 11200 en.
    • Angel Ring (+70 TP): Made from 6 Angel Wings (Divine Bee normal) and 6 Giant Wings (King Dragonfly rare). Costs 5000 en.
  • Rare: Venomous Gel. 10% chance. Sells for 540 en.
    • Poison Gas (50% base chance to inflict poison on all enemies w/ 50 base poison damage; 80% speed modifier): Made from 1 Venomous Gel. Costs 250 en.
  • Very Rare: Amber Lump. 5% chance. Sells for 150 en.
    • Nectar (Revives one dead party member at 20 HP): Made from 1 Amber Lump. Costs 300 en.
Hey look, bees again. This one has the skill that scorpion FOEs had in the 2nd Stratum, making them just as annoying, if not more so due to being faster.
I don't remember having much issue with these things, but I tend to use very HP-heavy classes so poison tends to be much less of a threat for me and these things go down like wet toilet paper.
I'm pretty sure that if these things land poison on you you just die. Unless you're stacking HP like Vince or Thierry the poison alone is probably enough to kill anything.

Again, I cannot overstate how useful Act First is on Katya, since it lets her just immediately delete troublesome-but-fragile enemies.

And sometimes bees just waste their turns.

[Bye, then.]






Hey, neat, we're on a walkway between two buildings again.

When you do so, frigid air pours out of the box... Within its mysterious confines, you find a medicine bottle. If you want, you can nominate someone from your party to try drinking the medicine from the mysterious, cold box.
I've got my supplies at the ready. Who wants to volunteer?
Screw it. I'm the hardiest of any of us.
Vince steps forward nervously and takes a swig from the medicine bottle. Vince reports that they feel a warmth in their throat, but no apparent change otherwise. After a few minutes, though, Vince says the warmth has spread through their entire body, greatly energizing them!


Hot damn that was good.
Perhaps I should've kept a sample for research purposes.
It seems this medicine was intended to revitalize one when exhausted. Grateful for the lucky find in this hostile environment, you return to your investigation.


It's time for another big room with two Ice Claws in it!
Fun for the whole family!


Or it would be, if I didn't go back to town to save.
Gold Wand (+118 ATK, +80 TP, +4 TEC) is made from 3 Gold Tusks (Gullinbursti normal) and 3 Gem Cores (Burst Ooze normal). Costs 19650 en.

Tormentor (+131 ATK, +3 TEC) is made from 3 Angel Wings (Divine Bee normal). Costs 27200 en.

Angel Harp (+100 TP; Troubadour only) is made from 1 Angel Wing (Divine Bee normal). Costs 6000 en.

Poison Gas (50% base chance to inflict poison on all enemies w/ 50 base poison damage; 80% speed modifier) is made from 1 Venomous Gel (Divine Bee rare). Costs 250 en.

The Gold Wand is a pretty nice upgrade for the two stats that Katya wants above all else, so I have her grab it.

For reference, it gives her +2 TEC and +50 TP.


We should be strong enough for this to be safe...




Ice Claws

HP: 6220STR: 58TEC: 48VIT: 50AGI: 38LUC: 44
EXP Given: 46000

Damage Vulnerabilities:
75% 75% 75%
150% 0% 150%

Disable Vulnerabilities:
10% 50% 30% 30% 50% 50% 30%
10% 10% 10%
50% 30% 30%
  • Frozen Scythe: Deals severe ice damage to one party member. Attempts to instantly kill the target, with a high chance. Average speed.
  • Frozen Fury: Deals 3-5 instances of heavy ice damage to random party members. Slow and inaccurate.
  • Blind Blade: Deals very severe cut damage to one row of party members. Attempts to inflict blind on hit targets, with an extremely high chance. Average speed.
  • Frozen Scythe: Deals 170% ranged TEC-based ice damage to one party member. The damage ranges from 200 to 272 on average. Attempts to instantly kill the target, with a 50% base chance. The effective chance ranges from 62% to 81% on average. Has no speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99%.
  • Frozen Fury: Deals 3-5 instances of 160% ranged TEC-based ice damage to random party members. The damage ranges from 189 to 256 on average. Has no limit on how many times one target can be hit. Has a 70% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 50%.
  • Blind Blade: Deals 140% melee STR-based cut damage to one row of party members. The damage ranges from 386 to 459 on average. Attempts to inflict blind on hit targets, with a 80% base chance. The effective chance ranges from 100% to 130% on average. Has no speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99%.
  • Ice Claws always open with Frozen Fury.
  • Ice Claws always use Frozen Scythe on turns that are multiples of 4.
  • Ice Claws, after the first turn, mostly use Frozen Fury when any party members are blinded.
  • If this is the first turn, use Frozen Fury.
  • If the current turn is a multiple of 4, use Frozen Scythe.
  • If the Ice Claws's HP is at 50% or lower:
    • If any party members are blinded:
      • 65% chance to use Frozen Fury.
      • 25% chance to use Blind Blade.
      • Else, Attack.
    • Else:
      • 50% chance to use Blind Blade.
      • 40% chance to use Frozen Fury.
      • Else, Attack.
  • If the Ice Claws's HP is at 100% to 51%:
    • If any party members are blinded:
      • 30% chance to use Frozen Fury.
      • 30% chance to use Blind Blade.
      • Else, Attack.
    • Else:
      • 60% chance to use Blind Blade.
      • Else, Attack.
  • Frozen Scythe: Deals ice damage to one enemy. Attempts to instantly kill the target. Average speed.
  • Frozen Fury: Deals 3-5 instances of STR-based ice damage to random enemies. Slow and very inaccurate.
  • Blind Blade: Deals cut damage to one row of enemies. Attempts to inflict blind on hit targets. Average speed.
  • Frozen Scythe: Deals ranged STR-based ice damage to one enemy. Attempts to instantly kill the target. Has no speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99% at all levels.
  • Frozen Fury: Deals 3-5 instances of ranged STR-based ice damage to random enemies. Has no limit on how many times one target can be hit. Has a 70% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 40% at all levels.
  • Blind Blade: Deals melee STR-based cut damage to one row of enemies. Attempts to inflict blind on hit targets. Has no speed modifier and a base accuracy of 99% at all levels.
Drops:
  • Normal: Frost Scythe. 100% chance. Sells for 4000 en.
    • Icy Almas (+142 ATK, cut+ice normal attacks): Made from 1 Frost Scythe. Costs 37800 en.
The ice skills are not what you need to worry about with Ice Claws, since you can just Ice Wall them away. The real problem is Blind Blade, for which the solution is... Well, hope you get lucky with disabling it.
This thing is a nightmare straight out of something like EO2. Try to not engage it if you don't have some way to lock it down hard or you will get reduced to a smear one way or another.
Honestly, this FOE feels like a rush job. They wanted the cool ice mantis down here and they had the gimmick and then they realized they didn't design a fight so they just went uhhhhh AILMENTS and also ICE DAMAGE there. whew.

I forgot how to block cold stuff...
Might I ask how you "forget" that?
Bein' out of practice.
...I was expecting a more comical answer from you.
Sorry to disappoint.
WHOOPS. Forgot that Ice Wall isn't at level 5 yet.

A potent mix!


Final Combustion!


Gck--! That's some solid ice...


[Really should've looked into heatproof gloves before doing this.]


[BOOM! And ice goes everywhere!]
Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow!
[Please be more careful with doing that next time, Afon.]
[Bah, you guys're no fun.]



The Ice Claws didn't even get to do anything besides that opening Frozen Fury that barely hurt at all.


Let's do it again!



Hell yeah! We're still alive!
Uh...
Except for Vince!



And that's it for the real parts of B22F.


[I'm going to actually murder this Gold Baron prick.]
[That goes double for me.]
[That was more boars than I've ever wanted to see in my entire life.]
[As much as I want to join you all in murdering this man, perhaps we should avoid doing that.]
[I know, I know...]


This quest took me, legitimately, an hour of real time to finish.

Fuck the Gold Baron.


[Fuck the Gold Baron.]
The client was thrilled to hear that Tenebris took his job.
[Fuck the Gold Baron.]
He became a fan of yours after hearing the stories. He says he's cheering for you.
[Fuck the Gold Baron.]
If anything else turns up, he says he'll ask for you specially. You've become famous!
...Oh, I might as well. [Fuck the Gold Baron.]


All that pain and misery, and this is what we get...?
You know you want to, dear.
...Very well. [Fuck the Gold Baron.]
The Gold Helmet gives 1 DEF, and immunity to blind.

Fuck the Gold Baron.
Please do not actually fuck the Gold Baron. He deserves no attention of any sort, much less that.





I did another round of grinding for the poor kid's sick mom's medicine quest.
Right here.
Ah, amazing! Very well, I'll begin making the remedy for you right away. Please, wait right here!




Hurry and take it to the hostess! I'm sure she's anxiously awaiting you!


Thank you very much, ma'am.








That's the medicine?
Yes. Please hurry, Valerie.
I'll give it to him immediately.


Really hopin' this works...


Phew...
...The client only has his mother. If she died...he would be all alone... Being alone is a sad thing.
[I got along fine being alone, but... Well, I'm me. I also wasn't, like, eight years old.]
I'm so glad he didn't have to go through that... And it's all because of you. Thank you, Tenebris.
...I feel at peace inside.


Oh, thank you, Valerie.
The Old Shield gives +33 DEF and +10% resistance to all ailments. That's a pretty good shield for Protectors!





Alright, let's see what lies in wait for us in the rest of B21F.

Apparently, brain-dead Bone Lizard corridor "puzzles."

Empty 3x3 rooms, too.


Ooh, new enemies. That's better.

King Dragonfly

HP: 925STR: 54TEC: 36VIT: 46AGI: 38LUC: 32
EXP Given: 6100

Damage Vulnerabilities:
100% 125% 100%
100% 100% 125%

Disable Vulnerabilities:
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 150% 100%
50% 100% 100%
100% 50% 100%
  • Rending Fang: Deals 3-4 instances of severe cut damage to random party members. Slightly slow and very inaccurate.
  • Rending Fang: Deals 3-4 instances of 140% melee STR-based cut damage to random party members. Has no limit on how many times one target can be hit. The damage ranges from 321 to 382 on average. Has an 80% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 40%.
  • King Dragonflies use Rending Fang less frequently as their HP gets lower, and they eventually stop using it entirely.
  • If the King Dragonfly is at 25% HP or lower, Attack.
  • If the King Dragonfly is at 50% HP or lower:
    • 19% chance to use Rending Fang.
    • Else, Attack.
  • If the King Dragonfly is at 99% HP or lower:
    • 39% chance to use Rending Fang.
    • Else, Attack.
  • Else, use Rending Fang.
  • Rending Fang: Deals 3-4 instances of cut damage to random enemies. Very slow and very inaccurate.
  • Rending Fang: Deals 3-4 instances of melee STR-based cut damage to random enemies. Has no limit on how many times one target can be hit. Has a 50% speed modifier and a base accuracy of 40% at all levels.
Drops:
  • Normal: Space Claw. 35% chance. Sells for 515 en.
    • King's Spear (+147 ATK): Made from 1 Space Claw. Costs 33000 en.
    • Great Sword (+136 ATK, +3 VIT): Made from 3 Space Claws (King Dragonfly normal) and 2 Obsidian Fangs (Babirsua normal). Costs 30000 en.
  • Rare: Giant Wing. 20% chance. Sells for 630 en.
    • Failnaught (+121 ATK, +2 TEC): Made from 1 Giant Wing. Costs 24550 en.
    • Composite (+70 DEF, +30 HP, -2 AGI): Made from 2 Space Husks (Plated Roller normal) and 5 Giant Wings (King Dragonfly rare). Costs 16700 en.
    • Angel Ring (+70 TP): Made from 6 Angel Wings (Divine Bee normal) and 6 Giant Wings (King Dragonfly rare). Costs 5000 en.
  • Conditional: Chaos Eyes (Kill while panicked). 75% chance. Sells for 1272 en.
    • Tonbogiri (+142 ATK, +3 TEC, +5 AGI): Made from 1 Chaos Eyes. Costs 30300 en.
Behold: the rare enemy that gets less dangerous as its HP drops. And good thing, too, because ow Rending Fang hurts a lot.
Not much of a threat on its own. In certain compositions later, however, these things are incredibly lethal. We'll probably run into that one later.

Electric Rumbling Ground!
You're on a real roll today.
Ooh, thanks, I've been studying move names like this from old books.






B21F E6 Mine Point


[The heck is that?]
[Some old world machinery, if I had to guess.]
[For what, though?]
[Won't know until we try it.]


The contraption of glass and metal is installed against the wall at the rear of the room. You notice a kind of switch or button within reach on the device's center. You consider the ramifications of turning on an unknown device inside ancient ruins...
[Hit it!]
With great trepidation, you slowly push the button... The device gives off a sudden, unearthly grinding noise.
[Ohhhhhh no what have we done oh no oh dear please tell me the building isn't about to--]
The low, dreadful sound echoes through the room, and you hear something moving far away. It seems a device somewhere in these ancient ruins has been activated. But what was it...? You wrack your brain, trying to remember what you've seen thus far. Though whether you recall or not, you're certain to run across it sooner or later.


[Thanks, people that used to be here.]
That's it for now. Next time: we approach the end of Lost Shinjuku.









[Hey, Ladette!]
[What?]
[...Just saying hi.]
[Yeah, hi.]
[Are you...coming back from target practice?]
[Yep. Can't exactly be the pride of the Montereys if my aim gets rusty.]
[Wanna go get some lunch with Elly and I? We're still getting a lotta money from stuff we find in Shinjuku.]
[Ah, what the hell, sure. Roadside Bistro?]
[Fuck yeah, that sounds amazing.]
[I...don't think I've been there before.]
[They'll give us priority lunch seatin' when they see me. C'mon, let's go.]

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