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[jon bones]

My first time using the Expert Grid and I'm really enjoying it. I've been avoiding using too many S.lvls until I make clear plans for everyone but I'm having a hard time thinking of anything interesting for them other than their normal roles.

The only interesting thing I've done so far is hook Yuna up with a few black magic spells.

Anyone else currently replaying FFX HD? What builds are you going for?

 

[Narroo]

Getting "Steal" and "Use" early on can be broken since some early enemies have great items. The basilisks on Mushroom Road have Petrifying grenades that can instant kill mobs, while the Quactars have Chocobo feathers which can be used to teach Aeons haste early game.

 

[AuthenticM]

Are the new abilities also in the normal sphere grid or are they exclusive to the expert grid ?

 

[SirNinja]

Are the new abilities also in the normal sphere grid or are they exclusive to the expert grid ?

All abilities are in both grids. With the Expert grid, however, everyone starts in the center and can go down any route.

 

[Banzai]

Giving Kimahri Steal and Use makes him a lot more useful. And yeah, Yuna's magic stat is usually higher than lulu's so black magic is better on her.
Apart from that i keep everyone on their own paths for the most part.

 

[badcrumble]

Getting Kimahri Steal and Use is great for getting Lv. 3 Keyspheres very early (and that's a good idea in the non-Expert grid anyway).

Apart from that, it's pretty important to keep physical fighters as physical fighters (because of the weapons you're getting from chests) and magic users as magic users. And since the black magic and white magic paths kinda crisscross over each other, it's a good idea to make sure Yuna's got some offensive magic at her disposal (though you'll certainly want to make sure the white magic is getting learned too).

Kimahri's a tricky one, of course; most of his weapons are physically-oriented (including the Piercing trait) but his Overdrives are mostly based on your Magic stat.

But yeah, turning fighters into mages generally just cripples their usefulness, thanks to the way Overdrives and weapons you'll find tend to be very clearly about dedicated magic or dedicated physical roles. FFX isn't 100% built for the Expert Grid's flexibility.

HOWEVER, there's basically nothing wrong with sending Tidus/Rikku/Auron/Wakka down each other's paths to create some variation between those folks. Just make sure they're all based around dealing physical damage.

 

[Fisty]

Getting "Steal" and "Use" early on can be broken since some early enemies have great items. The basilisks on Mushroom Road have Petrifying grenades that can instant kill mobs, while the Quactars have Chocobo feathers which can be used to teach Aeons haste early game.

Yeah I second this, steal enough petrify grenades to mod Stonestrike and save them for your first capture weapon. This will net you 2 stone capture weapons and a deathstrike capture weapon easily, capturing goes way faster.

Also, standard sphere grid has more nodes. Expert isnt any harder, and since youll likely be re-writing 90% of the grid anyway (unless you plan on cheesing Penance with Yojimbo) I would stick with standard. Also, dont level up tidus until you grab some key spheres and you can send him straight down Rikkus path before she even joins the party

 

[Nohar]

It's easier to give Black Magic to Yuna early in the game with the Expert grid (Fira, Thundara, Blizzara are great additions, since her Int is better than Lulu's).
"There are about fifty fewer nodes in the International Grid than the Original Grid" (source). That will allow more powerful characters for the end-game, thanks to the ability to erase nodes and replace those with better ones.

v. Are there any new abilities in the Final Fantasy X International Sphere
Grid?

Yes, several. Their functions, and English and Japanese names are as follows:

- Pilfer Gil or 'Kusuneru': Steal gil from enemies.
- Nab Gil or 'Makiageru': The Mug equivalent of Pilfer Gil.
- Full Break or 'Furu Bureiku': All four "Break" effects at once. **
- Quick Pockets or 'Jinsoku': The item-using equivalent of Quick Hit.
- Extract Power or 'Pawaa Atakku': Same effect as a Power Distiller item.
- Extract Mana or 'Majikku Atakku': Same effect as a Mana Distiller item.
- Extract Speed or 'Supiido Atakku': Same effect as a Speed Distiller item.
- Extract Ability or 'Abiriti Atakku': Same effect as an Ability Distiller
item.

** What differentiates this from Auron's Banishing Blade Overdrive, is that
Full Break has the same success rate as Armor Break, Power Break, Mental
Break, and Magic Break, while Banishing Blade _always_ works, so long as the
fiend has at least a 1% weakness to a Break.

Same source as the one mentioned above.

 

[TheHall]

Yuna on Lulu's path is probably the biggest deal.

I think the game is easy enough for it not to matter though. By the time you are taking on the Dark Aeons, you basically need to max out everything anyway.

(I do love my Yuna hitting for 99999 with her stupid staff)

 

[Athleon]

Team: Tidus, Yuna, Kimahri

Get Tidus down his path until he learns Delay Attack, then shift him to Rikkus path.

Teach Yuna Lancet then continue down her path, while picking 2nd and 3rd level Black Magic since they're a few steps away.

Kimahri mainly follows the Wakka line while picking up some Black Magic too, since Wakkas path is pretty balanced in strength/magic.

Generally I only play with the 3 I choose for the playthrough unless forced, so I try to have an answer to every type of monster.

 

[AuthenticM]

Full Break or 'Furu Bureiku'

oh, Japan.

 

[Shadow_FFVI]

Team: Tidus, Yuna, Kimahri

Get Tidus down his path until he learns Delay Attack, then shift him to Rikkus path.

Teach Yuna Lancet then continue down her path, while picking 2nd and 3rd level Black Magic since they're a few steps away.

Kimahri mainly follows the Wakka line while picking up some Black Magic too, since Wakkas path is pretty balanced in strength/magic.

Generally I only play with the 3 I choose for the playthrough unless forced, so I try to have an answer to every type of monster.

Would love an explanation as concise as this one for every character.
It's daunting to me. I want to go for the platinum and just thinking of the things I might miss during my playthrough makes me postpone playing at all. Don't want to play through the game twice.

 

[jon bones]

Yuna on Lulu's path is probably the biggest deal.

I think the game is easy enough for it not to matter though. By the time you are taking on the Dark Aeons, you basically need to max out everything anyway.

(I do love my Yuna hitting for 99999 with her stupid staff)

word, yeah i'm just trying to beat the campaign - won't do any end game / ultimate weapon stuff

Would love an explanation as concise as this one for every character.
It's daunting to me. I want to go for the platinum and just thinking of the things I might miss during my playthrough makes me postpone playing at all. Don't want to play through the game twice.

yeah, any more tips from people regarding their favorite chatacters would be great!