Just about to start Phantasy Star IV for the first time. Tips?

hi all

never been a huge fan of rpg's but having just picked up a copy of this im starting it tonight. For some reason rpgs have never been able to hold my attention, i think if i could play 6-7 hours per time then id be able to get more into the storyline etc.

so, having only played a couple of rpg's in my time, is this a good one for me to get into? its widely accepted as one of the best 16bit rpg's of all time and one of THE best games on the system that i love,

Anyone have any tips on the game to help me on my way? any help is much appreciated, thankyou

It was the first RPG I finished, I was 12 at the time. It's the best game ever and a great introduction to the genre.

Some tips:

*Equip shields on Rune (not all can be used) and put him in the front of the team.
*Save the wood cane (unequip it from Rune) and use it as an item to heal in the beginning of the game.
*Use Macros, especially for boss battles (resurrection followed by healing can be very handy).

PSIV is the easiest of the Phantasy Star games.

hit pause for some game options.

Don't level up too much is my advice ;)

Yeah, if you get close to the Max Level and don't level up in a very specific way there's a bug that will cause everyone's stats to get completely screwed up.

This is the only "traditional" RPG I've ever finished.

Yeah... not sure how that's going to help you.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by makinagenesis

hi all

never been a huge fan of rpg's but having just picked up a copy of this im starting it tonight. For some reason rpgs have never been able to hold my attention, i think if i could play 6-7 hours per time then id be able to get more into the storyline etc.

so, having only played a couple of rpg's in my time, is this a good one for me to get into? its widely accepted as one of the best 16bit rpg's of all time and one of THE best games on the system that i love,

Anyone have any tips on the game to help me on my way? any help is much appreciated, thankyou

---

Same as me, not really in the genre, but you'll like PSIV, it's very user friendly. Best advice I can give you, is use inns to sleep as that will heal your team altogether and save you cash to buy better weapons, and second is get used to "grinding"; basically staying in one area and keep fighting battles to level up.

If you get stuck on a boss, use one of the guides on GameFaqs; some of them require an exact strategy to beat.

excellent advice ( on the whole ) thanks a lot, i actually really enjoyed playing it last night, the storyline up to now seems very good and there aren't a ridiculous amount of random battles ( i tried beggar prince and star odyssey when i got them and the amount of battles was a total turn off for me) so signs look promising, i think i owe it to myself as a megadrive fanatic to see this wonderful game through

Save combos for macros! Umm... unequip everything from Alys RIGHT before you meet Demi, for extra cash. Do the same to Rune when you reach the Motavians caravan. I forget the name of the town. Again, great for extra cash.

Check the Hunter's Guild as OFTEN as you can for new missions. Do NOT go to Rykros if you haven't checked in for a while.

Rune and Raja, equip them with dual shields, and Alys, Rika, and Kyra, dual wielding slashers or claws is the best way to go.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Olls

This is the only "traditional" RPG I've ever finished.

Yeah... not sure how that's going to help you.

---

You need to finish Lufia II and Vay.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Curryman123

You need to finish Lufia II and Vay.

---

Vay should only be played by RPG veterans and even then, most seem to dislike it.

Lufia 2 isn't traditional. That's what makes it so good.
(Even FF6 isn't quite traditional due to Sabin)

When you get Wren, put him on the front line. He can take a ton of punishment. Be sure to have Rika use Saner twice at the beginning of the major boss fights.

Congratulations on playing one of the best video games ever made! Now some tips:

When you want to level grind hang around the Ladea Tower and fight the large sandworms. They're really tough at first, so make sure to use a lot of those defence raising spells like Deban (use multiple since they stack) when you beat one of those worms you'll get epic experience. Just save often before fights because they will kick your ass, they have an Earthquake move that can wipe out your entire team with one hit if they're not high level enough.

Also, (not that it should really be an issue) but as people mentioned, don't level past level 90 (not that you'd ever need to go that far) but yeah, there is a glitch if you get that high up, the stats get all screwed up. Realistically though, there is absolutely no need to level that far and you'd really have to have too much time on your hands to do it.

Explore all the high tech type dungeons, a bunch of them are optional, make sure you check them all out to find special attacks for your android characters. A lot of their stuff is optional and can be easily missed, so take the time to explore. There's a well hidden one on Dezolis, so when you get that Ice Digger, drive around the planet until you find it IIRC it was somewhat close to the Esper Mansion. There's a weapon system for Wren there that you should really find ;)

One last thing, use the combo magic spells as soon as you can. You should be able to use Triblaster very early in the game, as soon as you have Hahn. The combo is Foi Wat Tsu, it's a very powerful spell to have early in the game.

Don't underestimate Kyra, a lot of the walkthroughs online seem to be opposed to using her. I don't know why, she's awesome, basically she's a second Rune. She sucks when you first get her, but it's worth your while to level her. (unless you don't like using magic), but even then, her normal attack hits everyone on screen since she uses boomerangs.

When you meet Seth, take all his equipment. I won't spoil why, but just do it.

I started playing Phantasy Star IV out of pure curiosity, "to see what's so great about it". Personally, I find the theme and tone of the game very worn out... I've played so many other games like this, except for the space setting. I was also quite confused by the battle interface and the lack of description... Only unrecognizable icons. I trust one would need to know Phantasy Star or have the manual? ...

I really should finish the RPGs I started prior though. I think I've left three so far unfinished. :(

Yeah, get the manual. The icons have descriptions there.

Getting ready to face one of the most EPIC final bosses in RPG history!

such a hub of knowledge this place is, thanks go out to you all for the info and tips, which are greatly appreciated. My 1 year old son is extremely poorly today so i wont get to go on the game again until later tonight . Im currently at Aiedo for the second time. Really enjoying playing this up to now and im guessing it gets much better. Determined to make this the first ever 16 bit rpg that i ever complete!

Oddly enough it's the first 16 bit RPG I ever beat too. It's a good one to start with, although, it might ruin lesser games for you lol.

Try not to exploit macro combos too much later on, the game is pretty easy. And this might be a no-no for you, but playing it on an emulator helps a lot with the tedium of random encounters in some parts (fast forward button!).