FFRK - Resolution Blooms (IX) Event & Strategies

[Kirin]

Freya FINALLY learns Dance 5. Her BSB commands are also now classified as "Jump" attacks.

"The time has come to serve my kingdom as a Burmecian Dragon Knight once again!" - Freya

Freya reminisces of Sir Fratley, her estranged love. She is rent from her reverie when a Burmecian soldier attempts to challenge Beatrix, prompting Zidane's party to intervene. They are defeated by Beatrix who leaves with Brahne and Kuja. The party decides to travel to Cleyra to meet with the King of Burmecia and other refugees.

In Cleyra, Freya participates in a ritual dance to strengthen the sandstorm that protects Cleyra. During the dance, the strings of the sacred harp used in the ritual shatter, and the sandstorm wanes, giving the Alexandrian forces the opportunity to march up the giant tree's trunk to reach the settlement at the top. Freya and her group attempt to hold off the invaders, but are driven back to the cathedral. A dragon knight appears at the cathedral's spire, destroying a trio of black mages and allowing Freya and her friends to take refuge inside.

Event Start Date: March 8
Event Bonus Battle: March 11
Event End Date: March 18

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

Much info for the event comes from this site: https://www.reddit.com/r/FFRecordKee...vs&sh=f0db5c68

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:
Cyclone Bolt: Dragoon 5*. Deal 3 ranged lightning/wind attacks to target and grant No Air Time for 2 turns.

Basically, its an upgraded Blood of the Wyvern.
Power/Lightning/Wind.

Madain's Ring: Accessory. Mnd+15 and moderate ice resist.

New Characters Acquired:
He's a chocobo, not a monster! He's called Bobby Corwen.

Dress Spheres Acquired:
He's a chocobo, not a monster! He's called Bobby Corwen.

Old Characters Acquired:
Freya
Beatrix
Quina
Kuja

New Memory Crystals:
He's a chocobo, not a monster! He's called Bobby Corwen.

Old Memory Crystals
Freya MC1/MC2
Beatrix MC1/MC2
Quina MC1/MC2
Kuja MC1/MC2

New Record Materia:
He's a chocobo, not a monster! He's called Bobby Corwen.

New Legend Sphere
Freya: Wind +9%
Quina: Support +9%

New Legend Materia

• Freya "Stunning Dragon Knight": Small wind damage up.
• Freya "Love Unforgotten": When critical HP, self full heal and enter Trance mode. Once per battle.
• Quina "Way of the Qu": Small spear damage up.
• Quina "Feast of the Qu": When critical HP, self full heal and enter Trance mode. Once per battle.

※ Freya Trance : self ATK/RES +30%, chase Dragoon Jump attacks with 3xST Wind/Non-ele ranged physical dmg
※ Quina Trance : self ATK/DEF/MAG/RES/MND +15% and 500 SB points (2 gauge)

Cid Missions

• Beat 'Sword Rain 凶++' with a party consisting of only FF9 synergy characters.

Relics

IX is a popular realm full of popular characters. It hasn't been too long since our last event, but these banners are better than last time by a decent margin - especially considering that the balance changes make Freya a true wind element Dragoon now.

Unfortunately, we're on the heels of true powercreep benchmarks with the anniversary banners and a lot of these relics merely "keep the balance" instead of advancing it.

Banner 2, if you're lacking in +dark or +fire items, is good in it's own right. Kuja isn't the *best* dark dealer, but he is a great 2A and Vivi is tops when it comes to magic fire damage - his only competition really being Potato.

You can pass here unless you really love Freya, as I believe shes missing from FF9 events for a while. You're likely to get some of this stuff in the Realm Parade banner when it rolls around anyways.

Banner 1:

General Beatrix actually starts us out here with her USB. A standard +holy sword, her entry is 10 hits of holy/non damage with an Atk/Def boost, en-holy, and 'Stock Raid' chase effects. Stock Raid carries 2-6 hits of holy/non damage based on ability rank. Compared directly to Agrias, Bea is much more offensively oriented but lacking in the utility that Agrias provides for non-magicite content.

Beatrix also gets a BSB2 here, entering with 8x holy/lightning hits and en-holy. C1 is a utility 3x holy/lightning hit with dispel, while C2 is 4 hits with a 15% Knight boost for 2 turns. An improvement over her BSB1, unless you need the imperil holy.

Freya's USB carries a 10x ST wind/non jump attack with a wallbreak (Def/Res -50%), en-wind, and Jump Cast Speed halved. What that does is reduce the cast speed of jump attacks and not their air time - which is what the new Dragoon ability is for.

Her BSB, while receiving a balance change to being classified as a Jump attack, is still a repeat.

Quina doesn't share food! The Qu's loudside is a defensive variant, offering Pro/Shell/Haste with a Atk boost for her USB. Her Full Breakdown BSB returns here as well, carrying a rare +water armor with it.

Zidane's USB, and both his BSB's round out Banner 1.

Banner 2:

Kuja's USB is what you would expect from a dark sage: 10x ST dark/non magic hits with en-dark and EX Mode "Duo Maxwell". Additionally, Darkness school abilities receive a potency boost based on ability rank, capping out at 30% potency bonus for Rank 5.

What's different for Kuja's USB, compared to Alphinaud's similar exit mechanic, is that Kuja's is classified as Black Magic type damage over school damage like Summoner, so a recast of Kuja's USB contributes to the exit damage, and the first USB's exit damage contributes to the following exit.

His OSB and BSB1 show up here as well, both carrying +dark boosts.

The rest of the banner is reruns.

Vivi: USB (Ability Double), BSB2
Garnet: USB (Auto Cast), BSB2
Steiner: BSB2
Marcus: BSB
Poor, poor Amarant: BSB

Legend Materias:

• Banner 1 - Freya: Small chance to follow Dragoon abilities with 2x ST ranged attack and self ether 1.
• Banner 1 - Quina: Begin fight with Last Stand and High Regen.
• Banner 1 - Beatrix: Moderate chance to Cover an ally, taking 20% less damage.
• Banner 1 - Zidane: Moderate chance to double cast speed after using Thief abilities.

• Banner 2 - Kuja: Begin the battle with en-dark.
• Banner 2 - Vivi: Increase Black Magic damage by 25%, but increase cast speed.
• Banner 2 - Garnet: Buff duration +30%.
• Banner 2 - Steiner: Small chance to minor imperil-fire when using Spellblade abilities.

Relic Discussion
https://www.reddit.com/r/FFRecordKee...z3&sh=8cb1efd3

[Kirin]

Bonus Battles

Deadly Battle with the Guardians
Tiamat
HP: 85,000
Target Score:

• Defeat Tiamat without being KO'ed.

Weak: Ice
Absorb: Wind
Resist: None
Null: None
Status Vulnerabilities: Slow, Sleep

Kraken (w/ Tentacles)
HP: Kraken: 100,000 - Tentacles: ???
Target Score:

• Defeat Kraken without being KO'ed.

Weak: Lightning
Absorb: Water
Resist: Ice
Null: None
Status Vulnerabilities: Slow

Notes: Tiamat has both magic and physical hits, and a ST silence move. Much easier than his magicite version, however.

Kraken also carries a mixed attack bag, but his only AoE ability is magic based so take that into consideration. The left tentacle can blind, so pack Lifesiphon or blind resist.

Strange Administrator ++
Garland
HP: BGH215F2: 161,370 - Elite Solider: 25,374 - Galbadian Soldier: 19,518
Target Score:

• Defeat Garland without being knocked down.

Weak: None
Absorb: None
Resist: None
Null: None
Status Vulnerabilities: Silence, Slow, Blind

Notes: Silencing Garland will cancel out his magic abilities (Stop and Flare), leaving you to deal with ST and AoE physical hits.

Duo Maxwell +++
Trance Kuja
HP: 170,000
Target Score:

• Defeat Trance Kuja without being KO'ed.

Weak: None
Absorb: None
Resist: None
Null: None
Status Vulnerabilities: Slow, Blind

Notes: Kuja only has one token physical attack, so pack your magic mitigation.

He will also cast reflect on himself, so either bring a reliable dispel or ways to pierce that reflect status.

Ultimate + Apocalypse Battles

Bitter Poison
凶Ralvurahva
HP: ???
Target Score:

• Reduce Ralvurahva's magic.

Weak: Ice
Absorbs: None
Resists: None
Null: None
Vulnerabilities: None

Notes: Mixed offenses here, but the only AoE is a sleep attack. Affliction Break or Astra/Sleep Resist is recommended.

Affliction Break especially so, since the worm can also inflict slow. Otherwise nothing special.

Sword Rain +
凶Maliris
HP: ???
Target Score:

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

Weak: Ice (150%)
Absorbs: Fire
Resist: None
Null: None
Vulnerabilities: Slow

Moveset:

Sword Dance (PHY: ST % physical)
Firaga (BLK: ST % magical fire)
Flame Slash (PHY: ST % physical fire)
Mustard Bomb (NAT: ST % magical non-element)
Reflect (WHT: Self Reflect)
Sword Rain (response to killing blow; PHY: AOE % piercing0.5 physical)

(Weak/V Weak only) Counter Firaga (% response to any attack; BLK: ST % magical fire)

Notes: You'll want both mitigation here, packed with some fire reist. Like Kuja, Maliris can cast reflect on herself, in addition to countering any attack with Firaga at lower health.

Sword Rain is a piercing physical which must be survived to win the fight, unlike some other closing fight "wipe" moves - so keep that in mind when considering physical mitigation especially.

Cid Mission: Zidane is a good option here especially because of Mug Bloodlust and his Thief skillset.

You can opt for Freya or Quina's mitigation options, since there is only one target here. Why not take out everyone's 2nd favorite dragoon for a spin, though?

The other slots aren't anything of importance, since it is a straightforward fight. Pick who can carry you in IX and wail.

God of the Underworldl (Apoc +)
滅Hades
HP: ???
Target Score:

• Exploit Hades' weakness to holy attacks.

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

Moveset:

Judgment Sword (NAT: ST % chance to % maximum HP gravity)
Cleave (PHY: AOE % physical)
Reflect (WHT: Self Reflect)
Mustard Bomb (PHY: AOE % ranged physical, % chance to Sap)
Blaze (BLK: ST % magical ice, % chance to Stop)

(Countdown 0) Curse (PHY: AOE % ranged physical, % chance to Confuse/Poison/Slow/Blind)
(Countdown 0) Doomsday (BLK: AOE % magical dark)

Notes: Say it with me...Astra!

And by Astra, I mean Affliction Break. And by Affliction Break, I mean both.

Negating the status here takes a lot of stress out of the fight. But that still leaves both physical and magical attacks to death with in addition to some Gravity based moves.

Physical blink can negate Curse completely, because the physical hit confers the status effects. Though keeping up the blink may be a little difficult with his other moves and ability to use Curse often enough. Treat this like a dark magicite (imagine that!).

Ultra Cure may also be the drug of choice instead of Curada just for the extra insurance.

your accessory slots are better off covering for status than they are for dark element though (Slow > Confuse > Blind > Poison) but if you're confident in your ability to keep the status at bay then the element resist will help calm the rather potent Doomsday.

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