FFRK - The Light Within (III) Event & Strategies

[Kirin]

"Inconceivable!" - Ingus
"Books!...Knowledge!" - Arc

When rumors of ghosts in Kazus reach Ur, Arc tries to argue with a group of children, saying ghosts do not exist, but they belittle him. When Luneth arrives after encountering the Wind Crystal, Arc is too ashamed to speak to him and flees. He decides to go to Kazus to prove he's not a coward. Although he reaches the town safely, the sight of the people affected by the Djinn's curse frightens him. When Luneth follows, Arc asks to accompany him. He is chosen as a Warrior of the Light after defeating the Djinn with Luneth, Refia, and Ingus and remains with the party afterward.

After defeating the Djinn, Ingus was chosen to be a Warrior of the Light along with Luneth, Arc, and Refia. Although he wasn't any older than the other three, his experience as a knight and soldier made him the most outwardly mature member of the party, such as when he scolded Luneth for making fun of Arc in Saronia. He also harbored feelings for Princess Sara, although he didn't say so openly. She shared his feelings, and the other citizens of Sasune (including the king) keenly encouraged them. At the end of the game, he gladly assents to her request to stay at her side.

Event Start Date: May 17
Event Bonus Battle: May 20
Event End Date: May 27

All information is taken from a mixture of Reddit/Spreadsheets and my own obviously expert analysis.

Much info for the event comes from this thread and its related links: https://www.reddit.com/r/FFRecordKee...4q&sh=96a57544

Though the information provided is used as a guideline and not always taken directly from the thread. When necessary, additional thoughts on Cid Missions and battle strategies are added.

Notable Rewards:

Silence Amulet - Accessory 5*: Major Silence resist.

New Characters Acquired:
This is the last battle.

Dress Spheres Acquired:
This is the last battle.

Old Characters Acquired:
Arc
Ingus
Cloud of Darkness
Aria

New Memory Crystals:
This is the last battle.

Old Memory Crystals
Arc MC1/MC2
Ingus MC1/MC2
Cloud of Darkness MC1/MC2
Aria MC1/MC2

New Record Materia:

No New Additions:


New Record Dive
This is the last battle.

New Legend Materia

No New Additions:


Cid Missions

• Beat '凶++' with a party consisting of FFIII synergy characters.

Relics

There is no banner 2 here. Instead JP (and likely global from the previous announcements) received a Dark themed element pick-up banner which can be seen right here.

If you held off chasing Rem items, like Arc, or just really hate taking fire element damage, this is the banner for you.

But as has been the case for the last ~month of events and leading into next celebration banners, consider the need of 1-2 items or realm synergy prep against the high quality of elemental banners on the horizon. Nothing here is game changing and most of it amounts to sidegrades for characters to use between their main roles (Ingus, Aria) to filling niches (Arc) that are great in one instance but not for general use.

Arc and Ingus' USB weapons provide holy/earth boost respectively, while Ingus' 2 armor items carry a useful petrify resist.

Oh yeah, Onion Knight pUSB returns. Not that it matters for anyone.

Ultra EX/Chase Type Glossary:

Spoiler: show

Rules of thumb:

1. Stat buffs from the EX mode have a unique ID and will stack with everything.
2. Many USB’s come with a built in class damage boost. These are separate from the iteration class boosts and do stack.
3. EX modes last 15 seconds, while buffs provided by the USB entry last 25 seconds. (Terra is an exception, with her EX Mode lasting 25 seconds).

Special Effects:

• General Boost: These can be anything specifically tied to the EX Mode - HP Stock, Crit Fix, Cast Speed, Ability Boost, Stat buffs, and even Break Damage Limit. This will stack with every other buff on the user, including other EX Modes.
  
• Rank Boost: This provides a damage boost scaling with the rank of the ability used. The boost starts out at ~5% for R1 increasing to ~30% for R5+.
  
• Chase: Follow up attack(s) triggered by using abilities of a specific element or school while under the EX Mode. The number of these chase attacks can be random, reliant on the rank of the ability used (Rank Chase) or status of the user (Status Chase).
  
• Cycle: Unit receives a quickcast or instacast charge when using abilities tied to a specific element or school – generally meant to be used in repetition for maximum effect.
  
• Build Up: A gradient damage boost toward a specific ability school based on the number of ability uses from the start of the battle to when the EX mode is applied. This buff is not tied to EX mode duration, and will persist whenever the EX mode is active.
  
• Wind Up: Generally applying to Summoners, this will provide additional damage based on the sum total of all type (class or element) damage done during EX mode when the mode expires. The unique aspect of this is that a recast of the USB will count toward the exit damage of the previous EX mode.
  
• Phantom Cast: This effect will auto cast an attack every few second at a set rate independent of the character. The number of attacks or potency is not reliant on any outside factors (Haste, Slow, QC) and will generally produce 4 actions per EX Mode.
  
• Cheer: This will grant a party wide effect after using a triggering ability. For example, Marche will triple the cast speed of every front row party member (himself included) for 1 turn after he uses a Knight ability.
  
• Ability Double: This will guarantee that an ability will cast 2 times per use at the cost of 2 hones. The first cast can trigger appropriate W-Cast materia for a total of 3 hits, but the additional hits will not generate SB gauge.

Banner 1:

Arc is really our 2nd mnd based holy damage (as he gained that focus before Minwu really did...) and his USB may be the best chase out of all 3. 10x ST holy/water hits, en-holy, a self Mnd/Res boost, and a 'Holy Splash' rank chase that dishes out 2-6 water/holy damage hits triggered by Holy abilities.

Unlike Rem though, he only gains a 30% Mnd boost. So he isn't as self sufficient, but can deliver more chain build. His BSB2 returns as well.

Ingus does something more than earth chain, providing 10x earth/non ST entry damage, en-earth, Atk/Def boost, and adds a 'Titan Strike' Knight ability chase that deals 4-6x earth/non damage scaling with Def. His BSB is here too.

Aria enhances her anti-fire niche, bringing an instant medica with party High Regen and 100% Fire Stoneskin - meaning that a character will absord 100% of their HP but only when hit with fire element damage. Her bar-fire BSB is here to burn a hole in your inventory.

OK's O.G. Vessel of Fate, his pUSB, and Luneth BSB round out the offerings.

Banner 2:

This should be the dark pickup banner linked above. For FF3 representation, CoD has their USB and BSB. All 5 LMR offering are en-dark, and Sephiroth/Kuja have their workhorse damage offerings. Not the best banner, but far from the worst.

Don't sleep on Golbez BSB though. Dude is a straight self sufficient magic tank.

Legend Materias:

• Banner 1 - Aria: Small chance to double cast White Magic abilities.
• Banner 1 - Arc: White Magic Mnd buildup. +1% -> 25%.
• Banner 1 - Ingus: Begin battle with en-earth.
• Banner 1 - Onion Knight: Begin battle with CT0x2.
• Banner 1 - Luneth: Begin battle with en-wind.

• None Introduced

Relic Discussion
https://www.reddit.com/r/FFRecordKee...1g&sh=442f7783

[Kirin]

With the addition of Apoc ++, I am going to shift this back to true Bonus Battles that arrive with the 2nd banner.

The 99-140 difficulty fights should be easily done with an AOSB RW or are easily managed with a decent lvl.80 party.

Ultimate + Apocalypse Battles

Hecatoncheir
凶Hecatoncheir (w/Gaap)
HP: Hecatoncheir: 280,000 - Gaap: 25,000
Target Score:

• Exploit an enemy's weakness to dark element attacks.

Weak: Dark
Absorb: None
Resist: All except Dark.
Null: None
Status Vulnerabilities: Gaap: Sap. Dap. Hecaton is a Dapper Dan man.

Notes: Mind the Gaap(s).

You face 3 waves of 2 Gaaps to face Hecaton. But if you use anything other than dark element damage, an additional Gaap will spawn complicating your efforts.

Hecaton isn't much of a threat. The real issue here (as in previous iterations of this fight) is Gapp control.

The Gaaps can do a fire/ice/lightning magic attack, and Hecaton has an AoE earth hit. Both magic and physical are present, but the physical hits can be taunted.

Zombie Dragon +
凶Zombie Dragon x2
HP: 190,000 each
Target Score:

• Defeat Zombie Dragons with at least 3 characters not KO'ed.

Weak: Fire, Holy
Absorbs: None
Resists: None
Null: None
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: You'll need mixed mitigation here. One dragon alone isn't too potent, but they have a habit of stacking attacks and their physical hit is a def ignoring strike.

The good news is that this is a straightforward fight. No shenanigans with status barrage or FF5 Gargoyle mechanics.

Their magic damage of choice is poison, so use all of your 2 accessories there.

Cid Mission: Being a straightforward fight, noone is really required. You'll likely want Arc or Aria for healing, but fire and holy are common elements available to the III cast.

Guardian (Apoc +)
滅Guardian
HP: 580,000
Target Score:

• Defeat the Guardian before it uses Counter Reflect.

Weak: None
Absorbs: None
Resist: None
Null: Earth
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: 100% Physical here. Leave shell at home.

The lone gravity move is auto-hit, which is good because confuse resist should be your accessory du'jour. Affliction Break wouldn't hurt either.

Another straightforward fight. This is an Apoc fight though, so just manage your damage output vs healing acumen.

Jump Start Notes: No changes from the A+ version.

Cerberus (Apoc ++)
滅Cerberus
HP: 575,000
Target Score:

• Reduce Cerberus' magic..

Weak: None
Absorbs: None
Resist: None
Null: None
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: Not 100% magical, but Cerb does only possess one ST physical hit. You will absolutely want to angle your mitigation toward magic.

Waiting on the AI mine for this fight, but if its like previous III Cerberus fight expect multiple actions each turn with some decent damage output. He does have the tri-element fire/ice/lightning for magic damage...so Gigas Armlets are useable and recommended.

[Ratatapa]

With the addition of Apoc ++, I am going to shift this back to true Bonus Battles that arrive with the 2nd banner.

The 99-140 difficulty fights should be easily done with an AOSB RW or are easily managed with a decent lvl.80 party.

Ultimate + Apocalypse Battles

Hecatoncheir
凶Hecatoncheir (w/Gaap)
HP: Hecatoncheir: 280,000 - Gaap: 25,000
Target Score:

• Exploit an enemy's weakness to dark element attacks.

Weak: Dark
Absorb: None
Resist: All except Dark.
Null: None
Status Vulnerabilities: Gaap: Sap. Dap. Hecaton is a Dapper Dan man.

Notes: Mind the Gaap(s).

You face 3 waves of 2 Gaaps to face Hecaton. But if you use anything other than dark element damage, an additional Gaap will spawn complicating your efforts.

Hecaton isn't much of a threat. The real issue here (as in previous iterations of this fight) is Gapp control.

The Gaaps can do a fire/ice/lightning magic attack, and Hecaton has an AoE earth hit. Both magic and physical are present, but the physical hits can be taunted.

Zombie Dragon +
凶Zombie Dragon x2
HP: 190,000 each
Target Score:

• Defeat Zombie Dragons with at least 3 characters not KO'ed.

Weak: Fire, Holy
Absorbs: None
Resists: None
Null: None
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: You'll need mixed mitigation here. One dragon alone isn't too potent, but they have a habit of stacking attacks and their physical hit is a def ignoring strike.

The good news is that this is a straightforward fight. No shenanigans with status barrage or FF5 Gargoyle mechanics.

Their magic damage of choice is poison, so use all of your 2 accessories there.

Cid Mission: Being a straightforward fight, noone is really required. You'll likely want Arc or Aria for healing, but fire and holy are common elements available to the III cast.

Guardian (Apoc +)
滅Guardian
HP: 580,000
Target Score:

• Defeat the Guardian before it uses Counter Reflect.

Weak: None
Absorbs: None
Resist: None
Null: Earth
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: 100% Physical here. Leave shell at home.

The lone gravity move is auto-hit, which is good because confuse resist should be your accessory du'jour. Affliction Break wouldn't hurt either.

Another straightforward fight. This is an Apoc fight though, so just manage your damage output vs healing acumen.

Jump Start Notes: No changes from the A+ version.

Cerberus (Apoc ++)
滅Cerberus
HP: 575,000
Target Score:

• Reduce Cerberus' magic..

Weak: None
Absorbs: None
Resist: None
Null: None
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: Not 100% magical, but Cerb does only possess one ST physical hit. You will absolutely want to angle your mitigation toward magic.

Waiting on the AI mine for this fight, but if its like previous III Cerberus fight expect multiple actions each turn with some decent damage output. He does have the tri-element fire/ice/lightning for magic damage...so Gigas Armlets are useable and recommended.

The win before he uses counter reflect, what triggers it?

Is it the kind of fight that can be over after turn1 if you proc the counter? lol

[Kirin]

JP AI was not available...so we'll have to wait until sunday to be sure.

[Sumy]

The win before he uses counter reflect, what triggers it?

Is it the kind of fight that can be over after turn1 if you proc the counter? lol

It appears Magic proc's the counter. The wording was so dumb.

It should say; "Defeat the Guardian without triggering Counter-Reflect".

...instead, it says; "Win without using a counter attack."

um, OK... I won't use a counter attack...

[blackhawks]

Dr. Mog clearly says "Always counters black or white magic attacks with reflect", why take a mage team when thats clearly stated.

[hyoton]

Not a fan of these omniresist battles.

[Sumy]

Dr. Mog clearly says "Always counters black or white magic attacks with reflect", why take a mage team when thats clearly stated.

That wasn't the confusion though... the confusion was that it says to "Win without using a counter attack"

Besides, there are quite a few magic spells that ignore reflect entirely -- I took CoD, because BSB, with CMD1 and LMR hit for unresisted, un-reflectable, 50k a turn, ON TOP of the radiant shield effect -- which is more damage than ANYONE else in the realm can do.

I'm guessing the only reason he counter-reflects is because he clearly has no resistance AT ALL (none of my physical attacks capped, and my FFIII realm-synergy is crazy). Maybe DENA wants you to decide between easy-win, and mastery?

[Alkar]

Mine were but I had a chain going

[Sumy]

Mine were but I had a chain going

Ingus' Earth-chain? ...I have it, but Ingus just couldn't put out capped damage for some reason, I don't know what's wrong with him... Refia was all firey, and OK was all Breakdowney, and Aria was Healy.

[Alkar]

Nope, Kain with his thunder chain+ Lightning/Reno USBs. Reno was also applying Imperil with machinist abilities but Lightning was still capping damage way before I could get a proc. This is the Jump Start btw which should have higher stats. Were you using elemental gear on Ingus? Lightning here had sword+armor /w Thunder boost, Reno only had armor and Kain also had both (but his weapon isn't 6* and he isn't dived either).

[Sumy]

Nope, Kain with his thunder chain+ Lightning/Reno USBs. Reno was also applying Imperil with machinist abilities but Lightning was still capping damage way before I could get a proc. This is the Jump Start btw which should have higher stats. Were you using elemental gear on Ingus? Lightning here had sword+armor /w Thunder boost, Reno only had armor and Kain also had both (but his weapon isn't 6* and he isn't dived either).

Oh for the Jump Start - got it.
Since my CM team was able to handle the Realm-version, out of pure laziness, I used the same group (but swapped CoD for TGC to avoid counter-reflect).

I don't know what Ingus' issue is, he is fully dived, has SSB, BSB, BSB2, CSB, and a 7-star earth boost axe, and armor... but can't hit for crap.

CoD on the other hand, capped magic damage right out of the gate -- which is why I assume this boss has 0 RES.

[hyoton]

Yeah jumpstart for this I took holy chain (god I hate WOL but even his useless butt was capping out) and it just fell over dead.