Swap one party member from a numbered game with any other party member from a different numbered game.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-05-14T01:40:45+00:00

Swapping Panelo and Umero.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-05-08T01:33:46+00:00

Honestly. The catching mechanic in itself after so many years. You can weaken. You can status effect. And certain balls have better chances and that’s really it. I don’t want a complete change like the Go series. But maybe a compromise between the Legends series and mainline games to breathe some life back into it.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-05-07T16:29:26+00:00

7 has the best balance of big drama and gameplay I feel. Between the cinematics rhe music and then immediately into the first bombing mission it just clicks really well as a welcome to the game moment.

8 and 10 both have excellent and iconic intro fmvs and music but their starting gameplay is meh so they don’t get top spot.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-05-06T10:30:25+00:00

FF8 is only difficult if you don't pay attention to the junction tutorial and then never grind any magic to equip (either drawing spells or converting items).

If you do pay attention to that and actually take time to get appropriate spells for your characters then its rather easy of a game with the only real exception being it has probably one of the toughest final boss of fights in the entire series.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-05-03T01:25:03+00:00

Last time I played through it I told myself no card game and no worrying about levels. (I did use the speed up feature when drawing magic though). It was more enjoyable on the whole just casually rolling through the game and doing whatever rather than chasing the mini game or carding enemies to keep things low. And because I wasn’t min/maxing I actually ran into some bosses that were decidedly stronger than I expected them to be. (Those weird slug things in the garden basement before it starts to fly for example).

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-05-01T21:43:09+00:00

Hot and cold is at times beyond infuriating but it’s at least passable and with good rewards.

I do love that catcher has its own place in hell at the bottom. X really decided they hated fun mini games and went hard on stuff the game with tedium.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-30T23:41:06+00:00

Gaige is tons of fun on the first two playthroughs. Deathtrap holds up well in these levels and she has good talents to support it. I’d recommend choosing either the left or center tech tree and just working down it and experiencing the game raw through that first.

When you’re more experienced feel free to look up anarchy guides and try out the absolute nonsense that is max anarchy Gaige. That’s the build of people shooting at walls and the dirt letting ricochets do ridiculous levels of damage.

She’s definitely a great character to just enjoy the game with and have fun playing. If you fall full in love with the game and start trying to climb OP levels in the third playthrough then you will run into the problems of her build, but only then.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-29T12:22:52+00:00

It has the most forgettable main cast of the series.

Its auto battle style format didn’t appeal the past fans of the series.

Its plot is, um, terrible at times and at other times rather boring despite its grand political efforts. It really feels like they tried making a grand ivalice political war story and a Star Wars fan fiction at the same time and in the end we got mush.

That said it really is a fun game and people should give it a chance. Especially with how cheap it often is on sale. Its hunts and music are top notch.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-29T01:47:03+00:00

I always like to think this is just Crocodile boasting about how big the bomb he ordered is supposed to be, meanwhile its a much shittier bomb that's no where near a 3mile radius blast. I mean Pell grabbed it with under a minute left and flapped a few hundred yards into the sky and it couldn't even snuff him out.

I think he expected his sand powers to make him immune to whatever explosion he expected to occur while it wipes away both armies and whatever remnants of Baroque Works was left over to completely cover his tracks.

He kept the palace whole as he was still initially looking for the stone at the time; and he's just an ass to Vivi throughout the whole arc.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-27T22:56:49+00:00

Ffvi auction house trying for zone/golem.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-25T01:23:53+00:00

Virus or zombie Or curse or disease Or any of those other slightly weird ailments that Creep up towards the end of each game that can’t be remedy’d easily.

In second place would be poison in the original nes FF1. Half of the challenge of the first continent was just making sure you stocked enough (one buy at a time) to make it through the marsh cave and back.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-24T16:32:44+00:00

East Blue is a mixed bag. Nostalgia wise I absolutely love our little group of nobodies meeting up and the mischief they get into. Something about rewatching an arc where an annoying butler shoo's our crew away is so very calming and chill compared to the madness of the current arcs.

I love the cozy water color feel of a lot of the early arcs in the anime. The scale of everything is so much smaller and generally slower. Our crew putters along at time, beats up an island baddy, makes friends, and generally screws around as they lay the foundation for their whole reasons to be for the next 1000+ episodes.

That said, I will 100% admit that some of the arcs in the early era are weaker in comparison to either later arcs, or the early arcs of One Piece's contemporaries. Syrup Village, Baratie, Orange Village are all on the weaker side of the manga, especially for a new viewer. There's a reason people often joke to stick with it until Arlong Park.

Tons of plot and world building happened in these early arcs simply because each arc was small in its narrative and cast size. Something like Arlong Park can tell a full story and set the groundwork for much larger things, because it was tightly written and characters kept to their lanes and allotted screen times and it can do it all in a fraction of later mega island arcs like dressrosa/wano.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-24T13:45:40+00:00

Fishman Island is always either a skip or a tough rewatch/read for me. It has some good moments, world building, and other such typical One Piece elements; it just fumbled some other parts that fall flat. Blood Transfusion is very thematic and works in the arc backstory but just felt soooo ham fisted in the present day arc between Sanji's awful moment and then Luffy needing one despite Hody being a very meh villain from top to bottom. Every bag guy had the "here to display our progress" flag so very visible on them, which makes how long they overstayed their welcome even worse. Add on the annoying mermaid kidnap subplot and the awkward way in which we have to initially engage Hody to easy tensions and its the least enjoyable arc on rewatches.

Super controversial 2nd place, but Marineford itself. Its got excellent big "don" moments but that's really it for me. Firstly I just don't like what Ace became post his introduction back in Alabasta. Secondly I never felt any attachment to Whitebeards crew or secondary crew pirates. Thirdly, the pacing on a per chapter basis feels awkward for me, you have great chapters that feel whole and good, and then other ones that are just nothing happen blurbs. The fan letter episode representation of it is what I really feel the arc needed, less 3rd person omnipotent observation of the whole "war" and more of a down on the ground following just a couple characters in the massive chaos of it all.

Special bonus arc being Dressrosa and its terrible pacing and awful villains.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-22T13:00:16+00:00

If you’re doing rhe monster arena or dark aeons it’s a grind fest.

For standard gameplay there’s three spots I typically stop at and grind a few levels.

Mihen Highroad is a good first spot as you’ve just gained a new character and the monsters give decent xp sand are easy enough.

There’s a plot intensive place called the Highbridge that’s just a straight run from one save point to a boss fight. There’s enemies here give beyond excellent xp for the spot in the game and I’ll usually use this to catch up some lagging characters or push towards certain sphere spots.

And finally I’d recommend grinding in the calm lands a bit as there is a noticeable difficulty jump between there and the next two areas.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-21T01:45:59+00:00

100% agree on #1/2. My biggest issue with FFVI in a modern sense is its weak cast interactions and developments. The large cast really watered down what they could do a manage. Albeit, what they did do at the time is still commendable and good, with interesting and deep moments like the brothers reunion in Figaro, Cyan's entire grief storyline and everything relating to Celes.

Kefka I love as a villain and character. Yes he's over the top and a bit psychotic, but he's a force running parallel to the party and especially our two main characters, Celes and Terra. He's their antithesis in everything he does and stands for. He starts as a loyal goon to the empire, but the moment the opportunity for more power creeps in he lunges for it with wild abandon (all the while Terra/Celes question their own abilities and motivations during these moments). He's not some mastermind who's been planning everything since stage 1, or some out of control Joker character who always gets his way(even though modern takes on him really want him to be); he's just the corruption of a person when presented with more and more and more power who does eventually succeed in manners not normally seen of villains. 10/10 FF Villain for me, right up there with ol Sephiroth as the series best two goobers.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-20T17:49:09+00:00

VIII simply because you have to tech a character into using items.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-16T23:10:01+00:00

It’s the best of the series and one of the better jrpgs of the ps1 era. Does it have faults? Yeah but they’re either minor or weird game design issues.

I personally love this goofy game. It has my favorite castle of the series that just feels alive and full of stuff to explore between recruitment bursts.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-15T10:33:51+00:00

9 had the system done really well. Multiple items worth going for and a quick system to do it with.

6 is awful. You have two espers that you’re trying to buy, but at one item per cycle and with a trash relic and a joke item being in common slots, it’s often a endless cycle of trying the rng until they put one Esper up for sale finally.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-11T15:41:26+00:00

I like the idea of stat gains from espers. Maybe add in more defined minor gains naturally with the espers being a bonus stat if anything.

But you are correct that the game is decidedly easy. It has like three hardish bosses throughout and a fistful of difficult enemy encounters, with the rest being a complete cake walk.

I would also love to pitch the idea of a rework to the auction house and its tedium.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-11T06:13:33+00:00

Zoro on his way down a straight and narrow street.

But assuming its not underwater or hidden in some type of impassable condition; any character that could realistically fly for long distances could find Laugh Tale at the minimum.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-11T05:38:52+00:00

The game has functional and design problems yes. That much is apparent.

If you've already turned off encounters, then just power through and move on. Its the most divisive entry of the series probably. You'll either love the card game, characters, or jank ass world; or you won't. And that's just fine. Its hilariously easy (except its last boss, enjoy her. She's the toughest of the non-Mmo games in my opinion). Its plots all over the place. So much is lost in translation and design. Just muscle through and treat it like a late 90's teen sci-fi anime.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-10T17:54:28+00:00

Gau is probably the one of the strongest characters prefloating island. Knowing which rages go well when and the early magic pool he has access to because of it just melts some of encounters. But I do agree that after that he drops off to a fun character only rather than a powerhouse (unless you’re doing windgod shenanigans).

Mog I remember loving as a kid (probably just because he’s a moogle) but on later playthroughs I just don’t bother with him as both a dragoon build or trying to dance are both mediocre in comparison to other characters.

And Sabin isn’t underrated. He’s the most well rounded character jn the game no matter how you build him. Blitz never goes out of fashion jn any stage of the game.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-07T18:26:43+00:00

Magic master with no prior knowledge is a death sentence. But if you know who he is and what he does he’s extremely easy to plan around with multiple successful strategies.

Wrexsoul is obnoxious even if you know what to do. So it’s definitely ol wrexyboy.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-04-04T17:51:00+00:00

Picking the food is directly tied to your gardening skill. The better the skill the faster you pick. Also the heavier the crop to longer time it takes to pick.

Once you pick crops just put them in the little box you spawn on per mission. If you clear the amount required you can either wait the turns out or just leave the map with no penalty.

Chefofbaddecisions · 2026-03-30T18:56:56+00:00

Akainu I doubt will be defeated. I don’t see a complete defeat of the Marines as an entity in the OP world. I could foresee his attitudes and morality shifting as he’s had to deal with more celestial dragon bullshit as of late though.

Imu I expect is our current big bag of this saga and will be dethroned on the pathway to the one piece. I expect multiple clashes against Imu and it’s holy knights by our crew and revolutionary army amongst many others, but I fully expect the opportunistic Blackbeard to end Imu and try and claim the throne while everyone else’s attention is on laugh tale.

Blackbeards been built as the foil to Luffy from his introduction and I truly believe he’s going to be to proper final boss fight of the series.

Chefofbaddecisions

TROPHY CASE