Game: What game are you currently playing??

[MFauli]

I think it differs between the various genres. I agree with your approach when it comes to active, action-y games, where the outcome of a fight depends on your own skills as a player. With classic turn-based combat systems, though, it becomes a matter of stats, and that means: Grind, grind, grind. Not saying that thoughtful players could beat a boss without brainless grinding, but at this point in my life, Im not such a jrpg-nut to put that much thought into a single jrpg. Maybe I would if I was all over that game, but when it´s "just" a good game, that´s where I quit it.

Games like Zelda, Monster Hunter or Metroid are better for that reason, because when you fail, it´s really because YOU failed, not because you lacked certain stats.

[Ryllharu]

I think it differs between the various genres. I agree with your approach when it comes to active, action-y games, where the outcome of a fight depends on your own skills as a player. With classic turn-based combat systems, though, it becomes a matter of stats, and that means: Grind, grind, grind. Not saying that thoughtful players could beat a boss without brainless grinding, but at this point in my life, Im not such a jrpg-nut to put that much thought into a single jrpg. Maybe I would if I was all over that game, but when it´s "just" a good game, that´s where I quit it.

Games like Zelda, Monster Hunter or Metroid are better for that reason, because when you fail, it´s really because YOU failed, not because you lacked certain stats.

But that is why you giving up on FFX seems to strange to me. Of all the FFs (aside from the aberration that is FF Tactics that mandates both player skill and grinding anyway), FFX has had one of the best battle systems by far. I would even suggest it has the best battle system of all the FF games.

No fights in FFX were hard if you used strategy and your entire team (except Kimahri, he was useless). Even the simplest of enemies in the first island required you to switch out, and encounters were always mixed so that you actually couldn't rely on the same three (until very late when everyone has elemental weapons and other linked effects) throughout any given battle.

- Tidus/Wakka were the only one fast enough to hit swift enemies.
- Wakka was the only one who could hit fliers (Lulu to a degree but a waste of magic, and Tidus later).
- Auron the only one with piercing for armored foes (Tidus later).
- Lulu was the only one who could kill enemies strong against physical attacks.
- Rikku the only one capable of stealing and obliterating mechanical foes in one-shot (previously reliant on Auron).
- Yuna the only healer (though they did force you to play summoner showdowns).
- Kimarhi was decent at everything, but also good at nothing.

Also being strictly turn-based (no ATB) you could employ strategy and plan your attacks and defenses long in advance.

There's really only one or two really difficult fights.

[Xelbair]

FF8 had a system that allowed you to 1 shot (or maybe a few more hits than just 1) everything till the end of the game, fun game! no really, I enjoyed that

Cifer: " I'm a Witch-Knight, you'll never defeat me"

Squall - Attack!

Cifer: "ugh ahrrr....how is this possible"

it was a valid tactic to start each fight with less than 20% HP so you can start with limit breaks

in FF8 you could force limit break all the time - just spam change character button - it rerolls chance for limit break each time. Odin was great way to kill marloboros - just hope for Zantestu, or what was the instakill called, and run if it didn't happen.
Marloboros were a threat even when you were level 99, full top-tier junctions on everything.

But that is why you giving up on FFX seems to strange to me. Of all the FFs (aside from the aberration that is FF Tactics that mandates both player skill and grinding anyway), FFX has had one of the best battle systems by far. I would even suggest it has the best battle system of all the FF games.

No fights in FFX were hard if you used strategy and your entire team (except Kimahri, he was useless). Even the simplest of enemies in the first island required you to switch out, and encounters were always mixed so that you actually couldn't rely on the same three (until very late when everyone has elemental weapons and other linked effects) throughout any given battle.

- Tidus/Wakka were the only one fast enough to hit swift enemies.
- Wakka was the only one who could hit fliers (Lulu to a degree but a waste of magic, and Tidus later).
- Auron the only one with piercing for armored foes (Tidus later).
- Lulu was the only one who could kill enemies strong against physical attacks.
- Rikku the only one capable of stealing and obliterating mechanical foes in one-shot (previously reliant on Auron).
- Yuna the only healer (though they did force you to play summoner showdowns).
- Kimarhi was decent at everything, but also good at nothing.

Also being strictly turn-based (no ATB) you could employ strategy and plan your attacks and defenses long in advance.

There's really only one or two really difficult fights.

FF XIII did not require grinding too - heck - it was impossible to grind till very late part of the game. Combat was dynamic and fun - it was more about timing and less about strategy though.
Use paradigm with sentinel to block heavy hits, change between charging enemies and breaking/prolonging the charge time(commando vs ravagers), change to heals/debuffs/buffs when needed.
It got bad reputation for being linear... but seriously - which FF game wasn't linear?

[MFauli]

But that is why you giving up on FFX seems to strange to me. Of all the FFs (aside from the aberration that is FF Tactics that mandates both player skill and grinding anyway), FFX has had one of the best battle systems by far. I would even suggest it has the best battle system of all the FF games.

No fights in FFX were hard if you used strategy and your entire team (except Kimahri, he was useless). Even the simplest of enemies in the first island required you to switch out, and encounters were always mixed so that you actually couldn't rely on the same three (until very late when everyone has elemental weapons and other linked effects) throughout any given battle.

- Tidus/Wakka were the only one fast enough to hit swift enemies.
- Wakka was the only one who could hit fliers (Lulu to a degree but a waste of magic, and Tidus later).
- Auron the only one with piercing for armored foes (Tidus later).
- Lulu was the only one who could kill enemies strong against physical attacks.
- Rikku the only one capable of stealing and obliterating mechanical foes in one-shot (previously reliant on Auron).
- Yuna the only healer (though they did force you to play summoner showdowns).
- Kimarhi was decent at everything, but also good at nothing.

Also being strictly turn-based (no ATB) you could employ strategy and plan your attacks and defenses long in advance.

There's really only one or two really difficult fights.

You already sound like someone who invested a lot of time, effort and thought into that game. I didn´t. I wanted to experience the story and proceed. Also, I can´t really talk about it since it´s forever since I played it. I just remember that every Seymour-fight was frustratingly difficult, that most boss fights were dependent on sheer luck (proven by when I kept using the same strategy against Seymour on that snowy mountain, and after some attempts it worked without me changing a single factor) and that I didn´t stand a chance against random enemies in the final area.

I´m not saying that there are options to make all that easier, but the game certainly didnt help me with finding out about those strategies. Saying "no fight was hard, if ..." is redundant. If you know the perfect strategy, then nothing is difficult, it´s common sense. "If you learn for your test, you won´t fail it". Well, duh.