Altering parties

September 5, 2007, 10:31 AM

Something that I cannot fathom, is how people ALWAYS seem to use the same two (or three) characters in FF, regardless of how many times they've completed it. It takes the fun out of the game for me if I always use, say, Cloud, Barret and Tifa. It's just becomes repetitive.
So why do you do it, if you do?

September 5, 2007, 10:47 AM

I try and keep all characters at the same level. You never know whats going to happen in games, you might need a particular character for a particular part in the game. This way I know I'm safe. I also like to see what every character is like.

September 5, 2007, 11:10 PM

I use the same characters because....i just like them more

Sure ive used them before but i know how to work with them and how they develop and so on so i can work on them specifically.

September 5, 2007, 11:26 PM

I usually try to switch characters out every now and then, for those moments where you have to split up, but I usually do play with a "core party" in mind.

Usually that'll be the people I started with, since they'll generally be the most leveled up, as well as the characters I've most become attached to. Also, sometimes, I'll use a certain character for a certain area depending on the story and how it relates to them (eg. even though Edward sucks as a fighter, I'd have him in my party to fight Zeromus because he needs revenge for what was done to Anna, Tellah, and Damcyan).

September 5, 2007, 11:50 PM

Mostly because I don't like the rest. And it hasn't ever really gotten boring for me.. although I suppose it should have by now. But either way, I'd rather use the characters I can work with better than the ones whom I am less familiar with.

But I don't use only the same three (or four, depending on the game) so I don't feel it is stretching much. On FFVII I use Cloud, Tifa, Red XIII/Barret and sometimes Cid. That mixes it up enough for my own tastes.

September 6, 2007, 12:09 AM

I dunno....sometimes I try to switch my parties around, but most of the time I honestly don't :/ I think it's cause of the reason already stated above, I like the characters I use more than the rest of the cast.

In the case of FFXII. I'm not using Vaan. I just won't do it. I don't like looking at him for that length of time xD And Ashe is a bitch so I'm not staring at her either. (okay, the pink mini-skirt is hot, but STILL.)

Same thing with X. I can't stand Wakka, Lulu or Kimahri so.....yeah xD

Final Fantasy IX is truly the only FF that I have switched my party around a lot. None of the characters except for Amarant really irritate me, (and I use him anyway) so each time I play I usually have a different party. (I switch Garnet and Eiko around or don't use them at all if I feel like being uber cool and not use Eidolon's xD, use Amarant, Freya and Vivi or some kind of combo like that)

September 6, 2007, 12:25 AM

I'm with Sephirothalpha on this. I love seeing new features that ALL characters have to offer. I'm not biased when it comes to leveling up. For instance, even if I dislike Vaan so much, I leveled him up along with everyone as well. That's just me, that's how I play RPG games. Everyone has to be around the same level, no matter what. You never know what's in store for ya'.

Sometimes though, I do find myself leveling certain characters more than anyone else. (That is, if I don't level them all up to 99). If there are stronger characters and it's pretty obvious, I'll take those characters and not waste my time on the others. That only happened with FFXII though. I leveled everyone up to 45, but had Vaan, Basch, and Balthier level up to 55, while the girls stayed at 45. (Um, the numbers may not be correct, but you get the idea.)

But yeah, I'll only do it if I'm really desperate to finish the game.

September 6, 2007, 12:26 AM

Eh, I cannot help it. Sometimes, I try to switch them out but then it feels weird. Like something is missing from my party.

I think that sometimes you grow attached to those certain characters and you can't let them go.

September 6, 2007, 12:31 AM

I thought I should also add that battles are the most boring part of the game for me. Using the same few characters doesn't bother me, but spending hours doing nothing but random encounters to level up makes me want to cry sometimes. So the fewer I have to deal with, the better.

September 6, 2007, 12:32 AM

It's pretty much unavoidable as far as my case goes.

I just have to switch characters in games, especially in my current playthrough of XII. Every time a character levels up to say level 45, and the rest are 44, I'll take that level 45 character out and switch in 3 others who are at the lower levels.

It's quite hard to see characters not on the same level on any playthrough I have. Besides, it's just boring and repetitive like you said, Pooley, and I wouldn't find too much fun in playing with just 3 or 4 characters all the time. I'm glad the game forces you to play with all of them.