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Final Fantasy 15 Beginner's Guide
What a long, strange trip it's been.
After 10 long years, Final Fantasy 15 is finally out, ready for intrepid explorers looking for epic battles and valuable treasure. There's a lot to consider at any moment in battle, and if you want to be efficient and successful in the open world, there are best practices that will help you save time, earn money, and quickly level up your party. To give you a leg up, these are some of the best tips and tricks to get you started.
Generate infinite stamina and run forever.
We know you want to dive into Final Fantasy 15 as soon as you can. But before you do, consider hopping into the Options menu. Beyond adjusting control and audio preferences [not a fan of the english voice actors? Give the Japanese track a spin] there are other settings that can have a big impact in the long run.
Though you travel most of the world by car, you spend a lot of time on foot when you unbuckle and explore wild habitats and dungeons. Noctis can sprint until his stamina meter runs out, at which point he will jog until his meter refills at least halfway. The best way to manage this process is to make sure the stamina meter is visible in the first place, which can be set within the options menu.
Monitoring your stamina meter is also a critical part of executing the game's hidden infinite stamina trick. It works like this: the moment before your stamina runs out, quickly let go and re-press the run button. This causes to Noctis dash forward, glow green for an instant, and then his stamina bar will instantly refill.
Adjust the battle camera.
By default, the in-game camera sticks fairly close to the action during combat. This isn't usually a problem, but as battles grow in scale over time, adjusting the camera ultimately feels more like a requirement than an option. It simply makes your life easier when the going gets tough. To set this up, head into the camera settings menu and adjust the distance to the far setting.
Warp regularly in combat.
When the going gets tough, you can usher Noctis to safety mid-battle by taking advantage of nearby warp-points, a tactic the game teaches you early on. Attaching yourself to a warp-point not only gives you a chance to catch your breath and assess the battle at hand, it instantly refills your MP meter--used for warping and phasing through enemy attacks.
These are easy principles to understand, but given the pace of combat, you may not think of halting your flow, but you should; when you run out of MP, Noctis enters stasis and moves sluggishly, incapable of tapping into his innate powers.
Warping thus gives you an easy means to keep the action going by constantly having a fresh source of power. Noctis can also warp-attack enemies, and the further the distance, the greater the damage multiplier that's applied to his attack. Given that warp-points are typically set up high on the edge of an arena, they are the perfect place to warp-attack enemies for maximum damage.
Pay your compliments to the chef.
When you pull over at roadside rest stops and outposts, look for the fork and knife icon to locate a restaurant or food merchant. Eating food is one way to give yourself an advantage in battle as the game's numerous dishes boost your party's HP, attack and defense ratings, and other stats, depending on what you eat. Be careful not to rest at camp or a motel after eating, however: it will negate your buffs by the time you wake up.
Be sure you don't dine and dash: the people selling food are valuable sources of information. A quick chat with service staff will pinpoint local shops, item procurement points, and treasure locations on your map. It's easy to waste time by accidentally wandering around a map in search of any of the above, so the best way to save yourself the trouble is to take advice whenever and wherever you can. Do this at every location the first time you visit and you'll be thankful in the long run.
Take on bounties to earn money.
Money is difficult to come by in Eos, in part because--unlike past Final Fantasy games--enemies no longer drop gil in battle. To earn extra gil and have enough on hand to purchase restorative items before a big battle, make sure to speak to the same cooks we mentioned earlier to sign up for monster bounties. These side quests send you out into the field to kill a particular group of monsters, and there are bounties for players of all levels, so you don't have to wait to get started. Completing a bounty usually results in a four-figure payout and an expensive or hard-to-get restorative item.
Avoid travelling at night until later in the game.
After a hard day in the field, you may find yourself out and about at nightfall, but be careful. Once the moon rises, high-level enemies can rise from the earth at a moment's notice, putting your party and your progress in serious danger--you can only apply earned-XP by sleeping, after all. There will come a day when you are strong enough to wander freely after dark, but when you see the sun begin to set, consider heading to a nearby outpost or campsite to catch your breath and wait for sunrise. Besides: Eos is not only its safest in the daytime, it's also when it looks its best.
Rack up XP and stay at a trailer, motel, or a fancy hotel.
The added benefit of calling it a day and heading in for the night is that you get to cash in your party's experience points and--hopefully--level up. To get the most out of your hard-earned XP, consider staying in a camper, motel, or a hotel, rather than a campsite. While campsites give you a chance to eat food and temporarily buff your stats, the aforementioned options come with valuable XP multipliers, albeit in exchange for gil. At 30 Gil per night, campers come with a 1.2x multiplier. For 300 gil, roadside motels offer 1.5x your earned-XP. In Galdin Guay, for a whopping 10,000 gil, your XP is doubled. Motels are your best bet to make progress without, so keep track of where they're located and you will level up fast without breaking the bank.
Examine the map for curious landmarks.
When you think you've seen everything in Eos, think again. There are many hidden dungeons and secret items strewn about the world. They aren't always easy to find, but if you examine your world map and keep an eye out for structures or anything that looks curiously tucked away in nature, examine it first-hand and you may be surprised what you find.
Use accessories strategically.
Every member of your party comes with different strengths and weaknesses, and it's important to manage your equipment accordingly to ensure that you're getting the most out of your allies in battle. To give them a fighting chance, consider bolstering Prompto and Noctis' HP with bangle accessories. Prompto has low HP anyway, and Noctis--being the leader of the pack--can use all the health he can get. Ignis is a great magic user, so focus on boosting his magic stats, and of course, put spells in his secondary weapon slot. Even though Gladiolus is strong, he attacks slowly; focus on accessories that boost his attack rating to get the most out of every hit.
Study the Ascension Grid and plan ahead.
The Ascension Grid is where you spend valuable ability points earned while leveling up and performing various tasks around Eos. The one problem: AP belongs to your entire team, not individual characters. To plan ahead and avoid buyer's remorse, study every panel and pinpoint the short- and long-term abilities you want the most.
To get you started, consider focusing on abilities that boost Noctis' warp attack and ones that increase the your chances of performing link-strikes with teammates.
Take your time and enjoy everything Eos has to offer.
It may sound simple given the open-world nature of the game, but take your time when running between story missions and be sure to sample the various types of side-quests that come your way. Final Fantasy XV's story moves fast towards the end, and it's easy to get swept up in the chain of events and lose sight of the opportunities that surround you. Diversifying your efforts across Eos will not only give you multiple chances to earn extra money and XP, but it will help you uncover the game's biggest secrets to boot.
More...
After 10 long years, Final Fantasy 15 is finally out, ready for intrepid explorers looking for epic battles and valuable treasure. There's a lot to consider at any moment in battle, and if you want to be efficient and successful in the open world, there are best practices that will help you save time, earn money, and quickly level up your party. To give you a leg up, these are some of the best tips and tricks to get you started.
Generate infinite stamina and run forever.
We know you want to dive into Final Fantasy 15 as soon as you can. But before you do, consider hopping into the Options menu. Beyond adjusting control and audio preferences [not a fan of the english voice actors? Give the Japanese track a spin] there are other settings that can have a big impact in the long run.
Though you travel most of the world by car, you spend a lot of time on foot when you unbuckle and explore wild habitats and dungeons. Noctis can sprint until his stamina meter runs out, at which point he will jog until his meter refills at least halfway. The best way to manage this process is to make sure the stamina meter is visible in the first place, which can be set within the options menu.
Monitoring your stamina meter is also a critical part of executing the game's hidden infinite stamina trick. It works like this: the moment before your stamina runs out, quickly let go and re-press the run button. This causes to Noctis dash forward, glow green for an instant, and then his stamina bar will instantly refill.
Adjust the battle camera.
By default, the in-game camera sticks fairly close to the action during combat. This isn't usually a problem, but as battles grow in scale over time, adjusting the camera ultimately feels more like a requirement than an option. It simply makes your life easier when the going gets tough. To set this up, head into the camera settings menu and adjust the distance to the far setting.
Warp regularly in combat.
When the going gets tough, you can usher Noctis to safety mid-battle by taking advantage of nearby warp-points, a tactic the game teaches you early on. Attaching yourself to a warp-point not only gives you a chance to catch your breath and assess the battle at hand, it instantly refills your MP meter--used for warping and phasing through enemy attacks.
These are easy principles to understand, but given the pace of combat, you may not think of halting your flow, but you should; when you run out of MP, Noctis enters stasis and moves sluggishly, incapable of tapping into his innate powers.
Warping thus gives you an easy means to keep the action going by constantly having a fresh source of power. Noctis can also warp-attack enemies, and the further the distance, the greater the damage multiplier that's applied to his attack. Given that warp-points are typically set up high on the edge of an arena, they are the perfect place to warp-attack enemies for maximum damage.
Pay your compliments to the chef.
When you pull over at roadside rest stops and outposts, look for the fork and knife icon to locate a restaurant or food merchant. Eating food is one way to give yourself an advantage in battle as the game's numerous dishes boost your party's HP, attack and defense ratings, and other stats, depending on what you eat. Be careful not to rest at camp or a motel after eating, however: it will negate your buffs by the time you wake up.
Be sure you don't dine and dash: the people selling food are valuable sources of information. A quick chat with service staff will pinpoint local shops, item procurement points, and treasure locations on your map. It's easy to waste time by accidentally wandering around a map in search of any of the above, so the best way to save yourself the trouble is to take advice whenever and wherever you can. Do this at every location the first time you visit and you'll be thankful in the long run.
Take on bounties to earn money.
Money is difficult to come by in Eos, in part because--unlike past Final Fantasy games--enemies no longer drop gil in battle. To earn extra gil and have enough on hand to purchase restorative items before a big battle, make sure to speak to the same cooks we mentioned earlier to sign up for monster bounties. These side quests send you out into the field to kill a particular group of monsters, and there are bounties for players of all levels, so you don't have to wait to get started. Completing a bounty usually results in a four-figure payout and an expensive or hard-to-get restorative item.
Avoid travelling at night until later in the game.
After a hard day in the field, you may find yourself out and about at nightfall, but be careful. Once the moon rises, high-level enemies can rise from the earth at a moment's notice, putting your party and your progress in serious danger--you can only apply earned-XP by sleeping, after all. There will come a day when you are strong enough to wander freely after dark, but when you see the sun begin to set, consider heading to a nearby outpost or campsite to catch your breath and wait for sunrise. Besides: Eos is not only its safest in the daytime, it's also when it looks its best.
Rack up XP and stay at a trailer, motel, or a fancy hotel.
The added benefit of calling it a day and heading in for the night is that you get to cash in your party's experience points and--hopefully--level up. To get the most out of your hard-earned XP, consider staying in a camper, motel, or a hotel, rather than a campsite. While campsites give you a chance to eat food and temporarily buff your stats, the aforementioned options come with valuable XP multipliers, albeit in exchange for gil. At 30 Gil per night, campers come with a 1.2x multiplier. For 300 gil, roadside motels offer 1.5x your earned-XP. In Galdin Guay, for a whopping 10,000 gil, your XP is doubled. Motels are your best bet to make progress without, so keep track of where they're located and you will level up fast without breaking the bank.
Examine the map for curious landmarks.
When you think you've seen everything in Eos, think again. There are many hidden dungeons and secret items strewn about the world. They aren't always easy to find, but if you examine your world map and keep an eye out for structures or anything that looks curiously tucked away in nature, examine it first-hand and you may be surprised what you find.
Use accessories strategically.
Every member of your party comes with different strengths and weaknesses, and it's important to manage your equipment accordingly to ensure that you're getting the most out of your allies in battle. To give them a fighting chance, consider bolstering Prompto and Noctis' HP with bangle accessories. Prompto has low HP anyway, and Noctis--being the leader of the pack--can use all the health he can get. Ignis is a great magic user, so focus on boosting his magic stats, and of course, put spells in his secondary weapon slot. Even though Gladiolus is strong, he attacks slowly; focus on accessories that boost his attack rating to get the most out of every hit.
Study the Ascension Grid and plan ahead.
The Ascension Grid is where you spend valuable ability points earned while leveling up and performing various tasks around Eos. The one problem: AP belongs to your entire team, not individual characters. To plan ahead and avoid buyer's remorse, study every panel and pinpoint the short- and long-term abilities you want the most.
To get you started, consider focusing on abilities that boost Noctis' warp attack and ones that increase the your chances of performing link-strikes with teammates.
Take your time and enjoy everything Eos has to offer.
It may sound simple given the open-world nature of the game, but take your time when running between story missions and be sure to sample the various types of side-quests that come your way. Final Fantasy XV's story moves fast towards the end, and it's easy to get swept up in the chain of events and lose sight of the opportunities that surround you. Diversifying your efforts across Eos will not only give you multiple chances to earn extra money and XP, but it will help you uncover the game's biggest secrets to boot.
More...