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If you're a Luigi fan, definitely don't miss this one!
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Feb 18, 2017 00:33
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| # ? May 2, 2024 12:38 |
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  Toad Town Today we'll begin exploring the eastern half of Toad Town. There's actually a good chunk more but it's currently inaccessible.  This is the central area of Toad Town, a plaza in front of Princess Peach's Castle. Pleasant Path begins to the east of here. This used to be a bustling area before Bowser's attack. Guests at the castle were always in and out. And tourists came from all over to see the castle. The wizard Merlon also lives around here. If you get stuck, his fortune-telling might just help you out! There's also a Toad House where you can take a short rest and a post office where you can pick up mail for your party members. Also, over by the flower garden, there's a guy named Rowf who's opening his own specialty shop.You get all that? Because you better have.  Another Star Piece.   The worst of it happened in the center of town. It seemed to rain wood. As a result, we can't get to the southern part of town. The train station, the port... many important things lie south. Not being able to get there is a great inconvenience to me and to everyone. He's a Toad who often thinks about going south. Maybe his girlfriend's there. Or maybe he just has a lot of friends from that area. He's pretty chatty.So we're locked out of the south for awhile, but that's OK because there's already plenty to do and discover here.  quote:Princess Peach Kidnapped!! There's a bulletin board that gets updated as the game progresses. There's also a secret bulletin board...on the other side of this one.  quote:I'm scribbling on the back of the Notice Board. How naughty!  Toads really love to gossip. I guess their lives are incredibly boring?   You never been? Just go through that blue gate there and bear right at Peach's Castle. This guy often knows rumors. He's counting on you, Mario. You won't let him down, will you?Gotta save the princess so we don't disappoint the yellow toad. This is the one and only reason I am still playing this game. I don't think I can live with myself if the yellow toad is disappointed in me.   He's weird. He also happens to be as stubborn as a mule. He rarely comes out. As weird as he is, though, his talent is no joke. He can read the stars. He even predicted that you'd come back safe and sound! This friendly Toad loves to run his mouth. He's a bit of a gossip. You can find out what's where in Toad Town by checking out the signs. What am I telling you this for? I'm sure you know it's smart to read all the signs you see. This Toad... I'll tell you a secret. He's a huge fan of the princess. He told me once that he has a big collection of her photos. What a lovesick fool...I don't know what's sadder, obsessing over a princess or obsessing over road signs.  I'm not a big fan of this road sign. It's too cluttered and hard to read. I'm only going to give it two stars on my road sign ranking app.  Merluvlee tells fortunes. She's really good at finding Badges or Star Pieces. When you take Star Pieces to Merlow, he'll trade them for Badges. These two could help you, no? You ought to go meet them. This guy knows tons of gossip. His favorite subject is the brother and sister who live on Shooting Star Summit. Sometimes it's tough dragging information out of him. But then again, sometimes it's worth it if you're curious.We'll meet those two in a bit. Meanwhile, I bet if you made a word cloud of this game's script, "gossip" would be one of the largest words. Seriously, 80% of these Toads' descriptions are "Loves to gossip."  Next is...oh. Alright, then.   Yeah, you shouldn't go. Nope, no go. Sorry, but no.Of course, each of these guys has a unique Tattle.  He's a funny color for a Toad. I've never seen him before. He's a funny color for a Toad. He reminds me of someone, though... But who? He's a funny color for a Toad. You know, I don't think I want to know this guy. He looks like bad news. He's a funny color for a Toad. He looks...a little off. He's trying to be cool, but he's failing big time. Next is a Toad House. This guy has the same dialogue as the other Toad House guy, but Goombario of course has new Tattle text. This is the manager of a Toad House. These havens are all over the world, usually manned by a Toad. When you're exhausted, you should stay and recover.  Just watching her from a distance makes me happy! It seems like this Toad is always in love with someone. Right now, he likes Minh T. I think he's in good spirits. As long as he can be near her, he'll be happy.Yes, Nintendo, this is definitely behavior that should be encouraged. Minh T.'s Garden  Hello! My name is Minh T. Please enjoy the beauty of this flower garden. I've heard there's a lovely flower we don't have here. Supposedly, Bub-ulbs have the only known seeds. If you find a Bub-ulb, could you get seeds for me? I'll plant them in this flower garden and raise them lovingly. She takes care of flowers. Her name is Minh T. Nobody can match her skill at growing flowers. She must have a green thumb. Flowers feel Minh T.'s love and show it in their blooms.She even has her own theme music that overlays the Toad Music. Finding these seeds is a long-term thing, so best to ignore it for now. Rowf's Badge Shop  Rowf's the name. I'm starting me up a little business in Toad Town. I'm still setting up, though. I wanna see you back in here when we open, all right? This guy's pretty funky. His name is Rowf. He sells Badges. He travels all over the world, buying and selling things. I'm a little jealous.  Dad's preparing to open the shop soon, so I guess you gotta wait a little while. This is Rhuff. He's Rowf's kid. He looks just like Rowf, right? He's supposed to be helping, but it looks like he's a pain... Hmmm, well, it's Rowf's problem.Later on, we can spend coins for badges here. There's usually a decent selection, but of course they can be rather pricey. Toad Town Next up, the Post Office.  His name is Parakarry. He's a Paratroopa who works for the post office. He's well known for being the slowest mailman around. A slow mailman? That can't be good.Same Koopa that delivered the brothers their letter at the beginning of the game.   You can read any letters that arrive for you or for your other party members. Please drop by now and then to check and see if you've received any mail. Well...  Progressing the plot will net you mail for Mario and his various partners. Right now, Goombario just got himself a letter.  This one being from the Goomba Bros. we beat up earlier. Here you go. quote:Goombario, We'll keep the letters for you. Come on by anytime you want to read some letters. This Paratroopa looks extremely serious. And stubborn. And hardheaded. If you have a letter coming, he'll give it to you. I wonder if he has one for me.Most of these letters are flavor text but they're usually still enjoyable reads. I'll definitely pop in here every now and then to read more of them.  The last building in this part of Toad Town is closed. If we try going south...  Unfortunately, it's impossible to go to the south side of town with all this scattered wood. Don't worry. We're restacking it as quickly as possible. I know it's inconvenient, but please bear with us while we get everything in order. This Toad is diligent and very hard working. He has a great work ethic. I heard he has a bit of a crush on Merluvlee, who lives on Shooting Star Summit. Both the south and east exits are closed off, so all we can do is go north to Shooting Star Summit.  Peach's Castle...used to be here. There's not even a trace of it now. How awful!Completely lifting a castle into the air did make...a bit of a mess where it used to be.  I was in the castle when it started to shake, but my lightning-quick feet got me out. I know Luigi made it out with maybe a few others... But everyone else was taken. He's a Toad. He never fails to go for a walk, even if it's nasty out. He also loves cleaning for some reason. He cleans like crazy!Seriously how do you know these things, this is starting to get creepy.  Next screen begins our trek to Shooting Star Summit. This place feels strange and mysterious, doesn't it? If we go east from here, we'll eventually get to Shooting Star Summit. Shooting Star Summit At this point, shooting stars start falling and some pretty sweet music starts playing.  An adequate road sign. Concise and to the point. Three stars.  This is not a road sign because it's not on a road, so I refuse to review it. I will follow its advice, however.  This is the house of an amazingly gorgeous woman, the fortune-teller Merluvlee. Merlow, who collects Star Pieces, also lives here. This house pulses with psychic power. Can you feel it? It feels...weird. It feels like I'm floating on some sort of spiritual cushion. Anyway, there's quite a bit you can do here. That chest is empty and useless right now, but later...   This spot is a little tight for fortune-telling. If you want your fortune read, talk to me over the counter. She's a gorgeous lady named Merluvlee. I can't believe I'm in the same room with her! She foresees events and uses her magic powers to find what you're looking for. She's very accurate. I think I'm in love... She's incredible! Pinch me, will you, Mario?So if you're wanting more research as to what Goombas find attractive, well, there you go. Meet Goombario's type, the knock-off black mage.  My name is Merluvlee. I'm a stunning fortune-teller. My noble calling is to read fortunes while looking absolutely ravishing. I can help you find what you seek. My twinkle star here will show me all that's hidden. My, my... This incredibly humble fortune-teller is actually quite useful. She'll tell you where to find star pieces and badges. This sort of fortune telling is great in the world of FAQs, because if you miss something it can be hard to track it down even with a walkthrough, so a hint as to where to go both comes in handy and also gives you reason to use these services. Much better than generic hints or whatever. That said, no reason to really use these until the end-game, so I pass. As for Super Blocks, it'll be awhile before those are relevant, so ignore those for now. And if you think I'm going to transcribe every single hint you're crazy.   Mister! You have any Star Pieces? If you do, I'll swap some cool Badges for them! Which Badges do you want to swap for?   There's a good number of badges we can buy. Obviously not going to describe all of them, but there's a few solid ones, like Zap Tap (electrifies Mario, which hurts enemies that use contact moves on him), Flower Saver (reduces all FP costs by one), and Power Plus (boosts Mario's attack by one). Of course, they're also pretty pricey. If you have any preferences, let me know! I'm not really invested in any of them quite yet. Ahh... Did you change your mind? I see... He's Merlow. He's about the same age as I am. I wanna play with him when we finish our adventure. I guess he trades Star Pieces for Badges. Merluvlee, who's downstairs, is his sister. He's so lucky!How is he lucky to have a sister you're attracted to, Goombario. Maybe you should take a cold shower or something.  This is Shooting Star Summit. Stars are really...uh, shooting. People say that this place, like no other, reaches up and embraces the sky.Anyway, the upper path takes us to where we need to be.  Of course there's a Star Piece here.  Otherwise, just a long circular path up that looks kinda cool in motion (but of course would also mean large GIFs so use your imagination).  Up top... He's an old Star Spirit. His name is Eldstar. He reminds me of my grandpa. He's a revered person who lives in Star Haven, way up beyond the sky. Uh...a revered star, I mean. I wonder why he's here. He should be in Star Haven. And why does he look so...dim? I can see right through him. Star Spirits' Theme    Our job is to grant the wishes of good people from our home in Star Haven, a place high beyond the sky. We're going to tell you something incredibly important. Please listen carefully. ...Bowser and his followers invaded our peaceful Star Haven. They stole our prized treasure, the Star Rod, which we've cared for since the beginning of time.  For as long as we can remember, Bowser has been making wishes like, for instance... Of course, Stars ignore such selfish wishes. As a result, his wishes were never granted.  When he found out that we were ignoring his wishes, he came and stole the Star Rod so he could grant his own wishes. He seems content right now, mainly because he defeated you and captured the princess. Soon enough, though, I fear he will wish for more...and then terrible things will happen.  We must get the Star Rod back from Bowser and return it to its rightful place! In order to do this, Mario, we need your help!  ...right now you are not strong enough to challenge Bowser...he has made himself all-powerful by making wishes with the Star Rod. He is terrible to behold!  ...we can give you the power to fight Bowser even with his newfound strength. With our help, you can prevail!   Alas... We've nearly exhausted our power to talk to you. Although it looks like we're there beside you, it is only an illusion. We're using all of our strength to communicate with you over a great distance. But even now, our strength is fading... We've been caught and are being held by Bowser's followers in different places throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. Please, Mario, first of all, you must rescue us! ...we need your help... Please, Mario...    Do you think the princess is going to be all right? I'm really worried about her.We've now got our objective. Mario must find and rescue the seven Star Spirits so they can use their powers to help Mario defeat super-powered Bowser. Of course, Mario doesn't know where to start looking...  Next time, we'll get a new perspective on this tale. Mega64 fucked around with this message at 20:41 on Feb 19, 2017 |
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Feb 19, 2017 17:10
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Mega64 posted:
The first time I played this game, my reaction to this line was "no, of course not, I have to hold on to these until I find out what they're used for, like the game told me earlier". I was not much of a gamer.
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Feb 19, 2017 20:27
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ZeeToo posted:The first time I played this game, my reaction to this line was "no, of course not, I have to hold on to these until I find out what they're used for, like the game told me earlier". Don't worry, you're not alone. I didn't realize that's what their real purpose was either. 
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Feb 19, 2017 20:29
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There is a minor typo in the Tattle about Mihn T.quote:She takes care of flowers. Her name is Minh T. Nobody can match her skill at growing flowers. She msut have a green thumb. Flowers feel Minh T.'s love and show it in their blooms. I really enjoy all the things about Toad Town that make it feel like a town that progresses with the story. The news changes, your Partners get mail, it's nice to have a reason to hang around the town rather than it just being a hub world you have to run through all the time.
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Feb 19, 2017 20:29
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Can we get a spinoff game with Goombario the Private Eye?
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Feb 19, 2017 20:42
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ohmygorgon posted:There is a minor typo in the Tattle about Mihn T. Fixed, thanks!
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Feb 19, 2017 20:43
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I'd say your badge priorities are zap tap and Feeling Fine. I'm also fond of the two finder badges and flower saver. Zap Tap is actually incredibly good. It lets you jump on electrified enemies, and shuts down any attack that relies on them grabbing you. Fuzzies and Bats can't hurt you at all. It also blocks out a few key boss attacks, such as a certain vulture's grab. Feeling Fine blocks all negative statuses, not just the ones listed. And free health or FP after each fight is always useful.
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Feb 19, 2017 21:12
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I've always been a fan of Chill Out, but that's more of a convenience thing. Zap Tap's great to have.
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Feb 19, 2017 21:57
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From the previous update:Mega64 posted:Using the magical Star Rod, these Star Spirits grand the wishes of everyone in this world.
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Feb 19, 2017 23:24
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Mmmmh... dang it! Reminding me how great Paper Mario was made me go and find my old cartridge. Y'know I don't care how much the nostalgia's talking, this game is still relentlessly charming  .I don't really remember the badges too well, but I vaguely recall the Happy Heart/Flower regen ones being kind of useful. But I imagine Power Plus is also really worth saving for. Something about a kind of attack that shows up later making it even better?
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Feb 20, 2017 00:24
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Man, reading this made me think "I should buy the 3DS release of this" but then I realized that it was Super Mario 64 that got a DS version of it and I just ended up making myself mad. I still find it funny when these Mario games try to sell Bowser as this ferocious and terrifying monster because he's taken some kind of ancient power but then never do anything with it. I mean, first update he gets a nice rainbow glow like he just picked up a Starman but a bit less aggressively changing colors. At least the Smash games had Giga Bowser sorta be a thing for a bit. Even skeleton Bowser would be something.
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Feb 20, 2017 03:01
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Except he did do something with it: he kidnapped Peach and beat Mario! It's all he's ever wanted!
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Feb 20, 2017 03:14
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ZeeToo posted:The first time I played this game, my reaction to this line was "no, of course not, I have to hold on to these until I find out what they're used for, like the game told me earlier". Once, the first time I played through Resident evil 4, I got the rocket launcher and proceeded to hold on to it for the entire game without ever using it, just in case I needed it. I got to the last boss, fought him without using the rocket launcher because I didn't think he was actually the last boss and realised that I'd lost all that inventory space for no good reason when the end credits rolled. From that point on I made a policy of always using items whenever I felt like it and I haven't looked back.
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Feb 20, 2017 10:53
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Oh, huh. Was it TTYD that just getting the idea of stars planted in your head gave you a power? Like from the map or something? Anyway I wonder what's going on with those mysterious Toads that nobody's ever seen before. Surely they can't be blocking anything important.
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Feb 20, 2017 19:49
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In TTYD, going to the eponymous Door gave you the first star, and thus the first power, IIRC. You definitely got the first power for going to the Door. After that, for each star you got, you needed to make the trek to the Door to get the next power and the location of the next star on your map.
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Feb 21, 2017 02:43
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Is pumping BP the best way to level? I always went with HP -> FP -> BP when I was a kid, and I'm kinda looking for a more stable pattern now I'm playing on Virtual Console.
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Feb 21, 2017 22:21
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It may not always be the best option, but BP is strong, and pumping it as high as you can keep it is one of the stronger ways to play both Paper Mario and TTYD, IIRC. There are badges that raise HP and FP if you really need them, and nothing beats the versatility afforded by having the ability to equip more badges. I think FP is the second best option, due to it giving you more ability to use the special attacks the badges provide you. HP is generally considered the weakest of the three, AFAIK, due to the defensive options (badges and Timed Hits), and you should really only be spending your level-ups on HP if you're getting wrecked. Mega64 seems to be going with "pump FP until I have more than 3 BP worth of badges, then pump BP, HP only if necessary to survive" route with leveling.
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Feb 21, 2017 22:28
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The Deleter posted:Is pumping BP the best way to level? I always went with HP -> FP -> BP when I was a kid, and I'm kinda looking for a more stable pattern now I'm playing on Virtual Console. It's the way I play, optimally HP should be a bit above what your best item can heal, and after your BP is maxed out you should pump up your FP use Mario's and the Partner's specials more freely.
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Feb 21, 2017 22:30
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In the short term you want some HP and FP levels to get you a nice base but after like, 1 or 2 levels of HP/FP straight up go full bore BP. The HP/FP badges (along with all of the other badges) will carry you through until you cap out on BP levels and have to start putting levels elsewhere. Which free's up more BP for different badges!
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Feb 21, 2017 22:30
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Yeah BP and FP feel right, but I'm kinda bad at timed blocks. More than my ten year old self was! So I guess I might detour into HP more than usual.
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Feb 21, 2017 22:30
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Commander Keene posted:It may not always be the best option, but BP is strong, and pumping it as high as you can keep it is one of the stronger ways to play both Paper Mario and TTYD, IIRC. There are badges that raise HP and FP if you really need them, and nothing beats the versatility afforded by having the ability to equip more badges. I think FP is the second best option, due to it giving you more ability to use the special attacks the badges provide you. HP is generally considered the weakest of the three, AFAIK, due to the defensive options (badges and Timed Hits), and you should really only be spending your level-ups on HP if you're getting wrecked. Mega64 seems to be going with "pump FP until I have more than 3 BP worth of badges, then pump BP, HP only if necessary to survive" route with leveling. HP is pretty much worthless to level up in TTYD because Superguarding is really strong. Araxxor fucked around with this message at 22:35 on Feb 21, 2017 |
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Feb 21, 2017 22:32
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Commander Keene posted:It may not always be the best option, but BP is strong, and pumping it as high as you can keep it is one of the stronger ways to play both Paper Mario and TTYD, IIRC. There are badges that raise HP and FP if you really need them, and nothing beats the versatility afforded by having the ability to equip more badges. I think FP is the second best option, due to it giving you more ability to use the special attacks the badges provide you. HP is generally considered the weakest of the three, AFAIK, due to the defensive options (badges and Timed Hits), and you should really only be spending your level-ups on HP if you're getting wrecked. Mega64 seems to be going with "pump FP until I have more than 3 BP worth of badges, then pump BP, HP only if necessary to survive" route with leveling. Pretty much this. I only did FP for the first level up because it takes awhile to accumulate badges, and having double the FP means I can be more liberal using my FP-consuming moves. Otherwise I'll be focusing on BP for the most part with the occasional HP/FP level-up when those become issues, since BP is both more useful in giving Mario new moves and because showing off all the badges would be pretty nice for this LP. I'll try to get an update up tomorrow but I made the mistake of starting up Skyrim yet again so prooooooobably this weekend. It should maybe finish off the prologue, though I may have to split it into two updates (there is a lot of different NPC dialogue both after you reach SSS and after you clear out the evil Toads). The game starts off really slow compared to all the other Mario RPGs, so we should be getting into more interesting territory soon.
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Feb 21, 2017 22:35
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Yeah the game doesn't open up much until after the first chapter. Was really surprised how slow the start was when I picked it up again!
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Feb 21, 2017 22:42
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I have a friend who insists that anything other than HP then FP then BP in that order until you reach max level is playing it wrong. Personally I'm interested in seeing all the different ways people play these games, there's always a badge or two I encounter in other people's playthroughs that I never imagined was that useful.
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Feb 22, 2017 00:57
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Alxprit posted:I have a friend who insists that anything other than HP then FP then BP in that order until you reach max level is playing it wrong. Star Piece badge priorities for me this early are easily Zap Tap and Peekaboo. Not too big a fan of any other Merlow's badges, but I'm interested to see what other hot badge strats people have
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Feb 22, 2017 01:26
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Mega64 posted:The game starts off really slow compared to all the other Mario RPGs, so we should be getting into more interesting territory soon. On the other hand, it seems to get started quicker than vanilla Persona 4 did. 
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Feb 22, 2017 01:41
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Meanwhile, for a SCC run of SMRPG, you need to MinMax your Level Up choices: If your level is divisible by three, choose Attack/Defense as your Bonus. If it is one less than a number divisible by three, choose Magic. If it is one more, choose HP. That makes it so that Attack/Defense gives you +2 Attack (Defense is always +1), +3 Magic Attack (Magic Defense is always +1), or +4 HP. Also, I continue to comtemplate doing a SCC, while not commiting...
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Feb 22, 2017 02:39
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Alxprit posted:I have a friend who insists that anything other than HP then FP then BP in that order until you reach max level is playing it wrong. Personally I'm interested in seeing all the different ways people play these games, there's always a badge or two I encounter in other people's playthroughs that I never imagined was that useful. That is a monstrosity. You have to start with FP first to get it in line.
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Feb 22, 2017 04:31
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Istvun posted:That is a monstrosity. I know, right?
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Feb 22, 2017 05:01
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2 levels of FP then BP TILL MAX DANGER MARIO 4EVER. Finish FP after. Lament when forced to level hp
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Feb 22, 2017 12:13
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I usually just pick whatever I've felt short of since the last level up. If I've been getting low on health I pick HP, if I've been running out of FP a lot I choose that, and if they've both been fine then I go BP because you can always use more BP.
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Feb 22, 2017 14:57
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Rigged Death Trap posted:2 levels of FP then BP TILL MAX DANGER MARIO 4EVER. Finish FP after. This guy knows what's up
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Feb 22, 2017 16:04
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Only BP. If you're out of FP then you equip passive badges and tough it out like a real plumber.
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Feb 22, 2017 16:50
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 Princess Peach's Theme Today, we'll check in and see how Peach is doing.   Mario's probably hurt... Everyone's in prison... The Mushroom Kingdom will be destroyed if things continue the way they're going. Something must be done... Mario only helps those that help themselves.  Bowser's Theme Well, look who's here.   It's no use waiting for Mario this time, my dear! We're soooooo high above the sky right now. Even Mario doesn't have a chance of reaching us up here!  You know the power that grants everyone's wishes? It's mine! Isn't that just wonderful? Nyeah hee hee hee! Imagine what it's like down in your kingdom! Your subjects must be so upset because their wishes aren't being granted! I am glad someone is standing up for the flagrant racism that Koopa-kind are subjected to over the years. As you'll notice, while Bowser's doing all this because kidnapping Peach is his day job, Kammy has a chip on her shoulder and revels in being as cruel as possible. Her presence actually makes the ordinarily-aloof Bowser seem threatening since she has actual competence.  Of course, I'll only grant requests that I like... Anyway, think about it. Bowser, meanwhile, is...Bowser.  Bleah heh heh ho ha ha... Peach didn't bother to say a thing during that whole exchange. I mean, what's the point?  GLASS TAPPING  Huh? So, uh, there's a star right at Peach's door. Twink's Theme  A rather tiny star, in fact. One with his own theme music!   My name is Twink.Meet Twink. He's probably named after the twinkle of a star, rather than...nevermind.  I came from Star Haven to grant your wish! It's our job to grant wishes, you know. Oh! You came because I wished that somebody could help me? Yes, of course! Oh, that's just great! Thank you so much for coming!The Star Spirits aren't the only ones that grant wishes. There are a lot of people, after all. There's a whole caste system for these sentient stars that grant wishes. You think any old star could grant your wish? There's a complex bureaucracy to ensure wishes are granted efficiently with the utmost professionalism.  Think you can do it? Uh...sorry... That's a little much for a novice Star like me... Maybe one of the honorable Star Spirits from Star Haven could grant a wish like that. I'm so sorry. Please, ask for something easy, something a small Star can do. Everyone in my castle has been captured and I have to save them all as soon as possible. Actually, I just got called up to the sky a day ago, so I can't do big wishes yet... If I were a more splendid Star, maybe I could actually help... It's all right... Don't be sad, Twink. Mario will definitely do something to save us all. He's probably coming right now!Of course Peach gets the rookie Star that's on his first day.  Oh! Twink! Do you think you can find Mario? I want you to give this to him. This is a Lucky Star, isn't it? So we've finally found something Twink can do. Trust me, this thing is actually nice once Mario gets it.  Please tell Mario that... Of course! I'll tell him your exact words, Princess Peach! Definitely! And with that, Twink flies off to search for Mario. Peach's Lament You know...Peach can float. That and heights don't really seem to phase Mario. Plus we've already established these guys are made of paper and can just flutter down.  Just saying. -----  Meanwhile, Mario and Goombario are heading back to Toad Town. It's rather uneventful until...  Twink's Theme   Oh...it's...!? You're Mario, aren't you!? Thank the Stars I found you! How do you do? I'm Twink. Princess Peach asked me to bring something to you. Ahhh... Yes, here it is!  So, if you're familiar with the other Mario RPG games, you'll know a big gimmick of theirs is timed hits, i.e. pressing buttons while executing attacks to inflict extra damage, or to reduce incoming damage. Paper Mario is no exception, it just requires you to wait awhile before you can actually do them. It's...kinda dumb, really, but I guess Nintendo wanted to ease people into their battle system slowly.  Now that it's yours, you can use the "action command." In this case, it'll be easier for me to tell you about it if I show you. OK. Let me explain. Let me see... Me? The name's Goombario. Of course I'll help! Well, Mario and Goombario. Let's begin! Battle Fanfare  ...choose the Jump command and then decide which enemy you want to attack. Once you decide on the enemy, the explanation of the action command will appear.  Press (A) at exactly this moment. When you see "Nice" appear, it means you've successfully used the action command! OK! Here it comes, Mario! Press (A) just before the attack strikes you. Yes! You successfully used the action command. This will reduce the amount of damage you receive. Often you'll have to use different techniques to make use of the action command. It depends on the attack. Try attacking by Hammer. OK. Move the Control Stick.  All right! You successfully used the action command!Jump lets you attack twice, while Hammer boosts attack by one. This really separates the two attacks into two distinct tactical options. Hammer is much better for high-defense enemies, since the extra Jump counts as a separate attack (so an enemy with one defense would block both Jumps but take one damage from a actioned Hammer). Jump's not as useful yet since Hammer is much easier to execute, but later on when you get attack upgrades, the extra Jump attack will lead to more overall damage than the upgraded Hammers. And of course different enemies require different tactics. And it doesn't stop there. All of Mario's badge moves as well as Mario's partners' moves have action commands as well. For instance, Goombario's Headbonk does two separate attacks just like Mario's Jump. And while Mario blocking damage is much more basic, you still have to watch the enemies' attack patterns and learn the right time to defend for each enemy. This is where the combat system really begins to shine and you get to start seeing the depth within.  Terrific! You'll be much tougher in battle now. Kammy Koopa's Theme    What a foolish Star Kid!! I knew that if I followed you, I'd find Mario! If I defeat Mario right now, I'll be famous! I'll tell Kammy Koopa! She'll shower me with praise! She'll give me a raise!So is Kammy in charge of Bowser's financials and paying his troops? How much does Bowser's troops get paid? Where does he get the money to pay them? Is the Mushroom Kingdom economy bolstered by Bowser's continued attacks on Peach? What are the tax ramifications of-  Event Battle Hold on, I wasn't finished yet! ...Fine.  This is a Magikoopa. Magikoopas use magical rods. Magic attacks are no joke, Mario. You'd better take these guys seriously.This is another tutorial battle of sorts, though this is still an actual battle. It's just rather difficult to die here.  The Magikoopa's attacks are more intimidating than they seem. Mario still needs four hits to go down (five if you block most of them), and you have to pretty much actively try not to accumulate eight damage in four rounds of combat.  Especially with Power Jump. Power Jump has the same action prompt as regular Jump, but instead of a second Jump Mario simply does +1 damage. Still, that's half his HP, and with Goombario's help this battle is a non-issue.  ANOTHER FOE SLAUGHTERED Twink's Theme I know that you'll be able to defeat Bowser! I'm not strong enough to really help her, but at least I can tell her you're OK.  That won't be the last we see of Twink.  Called it.  "I'm all right, so don't worry about me..." ...that's exactly what she said. I get the feeling, though...that she's very lonely. Anyway, I'll do my best to help the both of you!  That also won't be the last we see of Twink.  OK, Mario, let's get down to business!Sounds like a plan! Next time, we chat up the NPCs and spend the bare minimum effort on said business.
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Feb 26, 2017 01:55
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FINALLY! Delaying Action Commands until you're about an hour in is one of the game's biggest missteps imo.
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Feb 26, 2017 02:13
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I think it was done to ease the player in, but Super Mario RPG had those available from the get-go, so...  But yeah, the prologue is really slow as a result.
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Feb 26, 2017 02:20
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Peach might be able to float back down to the ground, but she knows what her role in this song and dance is.
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Feb 26, 2017 02:25
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Action commands are a large part of what make the mario rpgs much better than most
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Feb 26, 2017 02:32
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Alacron posted:FINALLY! I actually kind of like it, but it's like bonfire warping in Dark Souls. It was pretty neat once in one game, but after that it's time to just let me have my qualify of life. If SMRPG weren't a thing, it'd have been a smoother transition, but... it is. Paper Mario very clearly by intent uses as small of numbers as possible, and keeping timed hits from you lets you get the feel of the system while 2/1/0 statline enemies are still a non-zero concern. The path to Toad Town is actually still pretty varied, so you have to take the puzzle of spiked goombas, groups of various sizes, your first exposure to bosses, and so on all into account, which... once is pretty neat. Any time after that first exposure, it's less thrilling.
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Feb 26, 2017 02:36
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