Final Fantasy Tactics Advance/Scouring Time/Part 2
Scouring Time, Part 2
After killing, I mean politely knocking out, an entire precinct of furry police officers, Scouring Time isn't over. Oh no. It's time for a one-on-one knock-down drag-out between Marche and Babus. The game titles this battle Exodus, but that name doesn't make any sense. Well, I guess maybe something is leaving something, but still.
Options
The idea is this: You're in a stone temple with a number of large blue fruits. The fruits are fragile, and you want to break them all. A wizard dog-man is trying to kill you.
There are two ways you could go about this battle. You could knock out Babus first. With his plump furry face out of the picture, fruit smashing can commence unhindered. Or, you could ignore him, and go after the fruit. It really depends on how you feel about Babus. If you feel the way I do about him, choose option number 2. It's somehow more insulting.
Strategy
The battle strategy I'm about to describe could be classified as a really inelegant, super-expensive, war of attrition. On the upside, it's guaranteed to work, allowing you to get past Scouring Time and enjoy the second half of Advance. I'm just warning you that you're not going to get any style points or geek cred for taking down Babus this way. But, you will annoy the frack out of him. So, here we go.
Supply
First, go back in time to before you moved onto Muscadet and got roped into Scouring Time, Part 1. Go to a shop somewhere else, and buy 50 or so X Potions. Yes, this strategy is that inelegant. It will use 15-20 of them.
Math
Here's the math that governs this battle. You, Marche, have something like 150 HP at this point in the game and your development. Babus is going to hit you over the head with one of two things: A fire attack that does like 105 damage, or Demi, which cuts your HP in half to 75. What you need to know is this: Babus can kill you in two moves. So, if it's your turn, and you have 150 HP, you can do something creative. If it's your turn and you have 75 HP, you have to take an X-Potion. If you don't, Babus will move next, and kill you.
It sounds like I've described a strategy that goes like this:
- Babus hits Marche
- Marche takes X Potion
- Goto 1
This would last forever and get us nowhere. And, it almost does. It only works because Babus misses sometimes. His attacks only have a 75% accuracy, or so, while your X Potions hit with 100%. When he misses, you've got a free turn. Use it to destroy a fruit.
Moving
Here's how to move. Ignore Babus, where he is in relation to you doesn't matter. Move right next to a fruit, and face away from it. Endure Babus' beating until you get a free turn, then destroy the fruit, and move to the next one.
Don't move unless you have to. Instead, choose Wait from the menu when it appears. This will save Marche time. If you Wait a lot, Marche will go twice in a row sometimes.
When all the fruits are destroyed, you've won the battle, and moved beyond Scouring Time.
