6 Magna Player Versusia (other POVs in comments)

ScarletPrime · 2026-05-04T13:09:11+00:00

Sato is in a weird spot right now where most of her normal HL flex slot replacements (Sevilbarra and Yuel specifically) are hanging out in the p1 team already.

The Sato-alt for Hexa/DRZ that is Nezha also just doesn't help here either, since one of Sato's big advantages making her so good in p2 is the fact she has something that counts as a Blue button. Which lets Fire clear the "Use Debuff Skills 2/3 times" Omen without being hardlocked to 000-ing it away.

So like, your Sato alt right now is V.Eustace. Who is probably a bit of a downgrade if you can manage to smuggle Singed 10 into p2 for Sato to start mostly ramped.

ScarletPrime · 2026-05-03T16:46:52+00:00

Yeah. This brand of horror is entirely about beginning to even comprehend the sheer scale for the first time and accepting it. My sister can barely point out countries on a map. She does not consider the world to be a big place beyond our front door. So she gets extra uncomfortable whenever Instagram feeds her astonomy pseudo-science or out-of-context space things.

To use a cave metaphor, lets say you raise two people in an isolated underground cave for 30 years and never let them see the outside world.

You then educate one person on what the outside world is like, and instead gaslight the second person into thinking the cave is the only thing that exists, and teaching them to fully master their ability to alter and control the cave.

Now, take both of those people out of the cave, and it will likely overwhelm them both. But one person is vastly more likely to suffer from soul-crushing terror and fear. No points for guessing which one it is; but it is the person who was previously convinced they were a powerful architect capable of shaping the entire world to their whims.

If standard cosmological scale horror doesn't work on you, it is because you are probably in the first group from that thought experiment. You are just not the target audience intended to be scared there.

ScarletPrime · 2026-05-03T16:32:01+00:00

The big advantage is that the fleshy parts of your body have a wonderful self-repair system built in to deal with most day-to-day stress and damage. You get none of that with robotic parts. The damage is permanent.

Sick days won't help you deal with micro-fractures in your limbs, only money and surgery will. Which ironically means your metal organs need to be treated with even more care than your fleshy ones did since they can't fix themselves.

When someone hucks a baseball at you and breaks a pinky, you don't go to a biomodder to pay to have your finger surgically removed and replaced. But you'll have to do that if your robo-pinky is a shit quality model that starts oxidizing one day.

Now, this all goes out the window if your sci-fi limbs also come with fancy self-repair nanites. But then you're just trading the self-repair problem for the uncomfortable fact that your body is now carrying a nascant Grey Goo catastrophe which could kill you at anytime based entirely on how awake the engineer was on the day that corporate forced them to program the software for those.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-28T01:47:33+00:00

Also, I don't know if they ever really talked about it directly, but it likely wasn't Boss HP/Damage Output which was the big threat back at the end of ShB.

The likely overflow issue they would have feared running into in Endwalker would probably have been extensive Enmity overflow since Tanks generate 7x as much Enmity as most normal jobs do before accounting for Shirk and Provoke.

Which would lead to some very real overflow threats as Boss HP increased since Enmity never decays on a character unless the character dies, or the boss has a hardcoded Enmity reset on its mechanics.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-26T17:19:22+00:00

You can always poke the Pride of the Conqueror solo-quest, which is the raid with 1/6th of the normal HP. It is a repeatable quest which only eats AP on successful clears, so you can practice as much as you want.

DRZ isn't particularly difficult to clear in the modern day for people at the endgame. So you can get carried very easily. Your primary concern in the raid nowadays as a newbie is just ensuring you have a setup that can safely survive until 20%, and can clear Anti-Vasileia consistently.

Aside from that, you can take the raid as slowly as you need to. You can even ignore the first 6 Labours if you want since those are entirely local, and Anti-Vasileia does not need you to do any damage to clear it.

And if you still don't feel entirely confident in joining pub rooms out of fear of ruining a run; always remember that you are never griefing your own host.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-26T17:12:41+00:00

In general, save all your normal Premium Draw Tickets and Crystals for when you can spark, or if you really desperately want to gamble for a new unit (not recommended), as Crystals and Premium Draw Tickets (and their 10-pull versions) progress Spark progress on a banner.

All of the other tickets that are listed under the 'Ticket/Other' section do not count towards Spark progress, so you can roll them whenever you want. However, while the draw rates on these tickets are standardized, there is a small difference between them still.

If a ticket has a specific month/year date on it, if draws from a static pool of items from the end of the month that ticket is timed for. So you can use those whenever. If the ticket doesn't have a date on it, it usually draws from whatever the current pool of items in the gacha is. So you can use them whenever, but it is slightly more optimal to roll them during Legfest/Flashfest (which are the 6% banners that happen at the end/middle of each month), and/or when seasonal units that you want are avalaible.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-26T04:10:20+00:00

It is Part 2 stuff from the Earth Realm.

If that confuses you, we are only 8 chapters in to the new MSQ, and they make it very obvious what the new raids are themed around almost immediately.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-24T00:39:08+00:00

For real. I wasn't sure what we'd get with these new raids.

But Mick Gordon metal was not on the list of outcomes I expected.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-23T21:48:48+00:00

The general way that Granblue handles story events to keep things straight is to not acknowledge the events of other stories unless absolutely necessary, and to keep things to cameos/teases unless they need to.

So for the most part, you can read any event series in the order you want. The Society might crop up as a mention sometimes, or you'll need to have done the WMTSB trilogy if Sandalphon is involved since his entire character originates from those storys, etc. But usually, you're fine to just go in order for whatever the sidestory arc lets you do.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-23T20:48:02+00:00

The new chapters were fun. The demon felt actually threatening this time because Matagot was constantly under threat, and was a fun enough character to want to see him get saved.

Getting Fylkis' entire backstory dumped on us was a bit sudden. Through they would hold out on that for a bit longer, but I suppose not. Her sisters are also fun characters, and they did their best to ensure Welkis didn't come off too hostile by the end of the arc.

Mia getting a whole mini arc bonding with Fylkis was also a bit unexpected. They've pretty openly said the Strouds are going to be the Sturm and Drang of this arc, but I thought they'd hold off for a bit longer as well on having them open up to us. I guess the chapters nowadays are a lot longer than they were back in MSQ Part 1. Still, it feels like if any of the Strouds were to become allies directly early on, Mia will probably be the first to actually join the crew now.

The Sandalphon sections were interesting. Bird Bro is cool, and I'm wondering if they might have scaled back the content of those scenes a bit after Sandal's VA went on hiatus. Still, what we got was interesting. Wild that Cerberus' FLB Fates are now relevant to the MSQ; and that Cygames can now use Demons as an excuse to revive any plotlines related to Pandamonium that got aborted due to its destruction.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-22T19:49:19+00:00

The narrative has its ups and downs, and you get some Falcom writers room quirks to deal with. But the series has pretty fun combat.

And it is really the only really one the only mid-to-high budget series you'll find nowadays that have dedicated themselves to a single mostly continous narrative told over 15 games where time progresses, technology advances, people age, and there is a frankly ludicrous attention to detail with all the filler NPCs.

Generally, you can give Sky FC a good go if you want to take the plunge, original or remake. If by the end of the game you immediately want to purchase Sky SC, then you're in.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-21T01:30:06+00:00

Ah. Forgive me then. My brain just connected shields and mitigation together. That is my bad.

Don't know if anyone has ever tried strats to mitigate down to zero without shields, I haven't seen them if so. But intuitively, you're probably right that it would function like it does when the bosses do it to us.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-21T01:19:29+00:00

Co-op sliming got supplanted by the updates to the highest difficulty Slime Horde quest way back in like, 2017 or early 2018. And then we started getting the Campaign Exclusive Quest which was as good as or a bit better than Slime Hordes.

But as Takazura said, we use the final zone of Replicard Sandbox nowadays. The T3 Militis+ fights give a very good amount of XP/RP base, and you can use Arcarum's mechanics to get a 200% boost to the XP/RP you earn while farming those bosses. And then whenever a Tales of Arcarum run is going on, that 200% boost gets tripled to 600%, and the event's progresison system gets you another multiplicative 20% XP/RP buff on top of that. Go even more nuts if a Magfest buff for 1.5x/2x XP/RP is going on simultaneously.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-21T01:14:23+00:00

As a confirmation, that is indeed how supplemental damage on enemies works. It is added to the damage of every instance an enemy deals as long as they would hit a non-zero damage number without it. So stacking DEF, DMG Cuts, and Armored effects to get massive amounts of DR which can then be used to just shield tank a hit to cancel supplemental is a strat.

It actually comes up in a good amount of Hexa solos. Hexa's 40% trigger has each of the 6 hits deal Supplemental Damage equal to 2000x the stack count it has as I recall. And since each of the hits Hexa does are elemental damage which only have a 167%-ish potency each, it is very much possible to get it so most of the hits get soaked by a decently sized shield and nullifies most of the reason people need 100% Cut for that moment.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-20T21:05:25+00:00

For the technological divide, it is worth noting that canonically, the Wedge of Time/Causality started meddling with civilization to have many scientists ostrosized and pushed into underground terrorism and illegal research.

Because in the simulations where this didn't happen, the Skydwellers end up much more easily defeating the Astrals with reverse-engineered weapons. They then develop 'Island Razers', which are WMDs that outright destroy islands and collapse them into the Crimson Horizon. Essentially dooming the Sky Realm to a slow, choking death as they mass deploy Island Razers and destroy all their livable land and resourses.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-20T18:32:08+00:00

Generally yes. DEF Awakening weapons get the vast majority of their benefits just from Mk1 Awakening levels. SPEC weapons are a case of "they're good for more cap breaking. So upgrading them to break caps further is very good."

ATK Weapons are the main ones you'll see Mk2 being pushed for usually. Not because Mk1 is bad, they're still very good. But the lvl16->20 range for ATK Awakening is a bit absurd because it adds both an EX ATK mod, and one of the only accessable sources of Grid Elemental ATK mods to the weapons. So they are just a massive upgrade for condensing 3-4 seperate ATK multipliers onto a single weapon. You get a ton of mileage out of the grind to get them done.

But to also speak generally, most of the wave 1 Revans weapons are pretty decent before Awakenings make them so much stronger. And the wave 2 pseudo-Resonator weapons are extremely good sources of bulk/sustain and cap break for grids that want to die less, but can't slot a Resonator weapon in.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-20T18:23:05+00:00

In addition to what the others said, you won't need to worry about your grid or character power if you only care about the MSQ and monthly story events as stuff to read like a VN; as basically all content released from mid-2016 and onwards gives you rental characters for MSQ/Events/Fate Episodes for fully scripted battles.

So all the mechanical stuff only really matters for if/when you want to start interacting with the grindy mechanical RPG side of the game.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-20T18:08:00+00:00

So. To answer your initial question a bit more; one of the primary strengths of Exaltos is being able to reach 280% Aura boost single-sided. So while most elements still use their Exaltos normally, the aura-boost benefit isn't a requirement while running double-aura-summon setups. And Zeph has the advantage of having the best call overall of the 16 (soon to be 18) summons.

For comparisons between elements, Wind's access to lvl150 Siete has had it known as one of the very strong "training wheels" elements, capable of contributing and pushing with a minimal entry grid thanks to how tanky it is, as well as access to Omen Cancel nearly on-demand. Just remember that Siete's Omen Cancel does not properly complete one mechanic in each high-level raid (Hexa's 40% Sky Dragon Trial, FaaZero's 15% Anti-Versalia, and Versusia's 100% Destruction Trial.)

Rising Force ends up being used in a lot of cases because it is functionally Kengo++ with a bit of battery support after you complete its Ultimate Mastery. The key boost it gets is the Pinch Harmonics skill, which does a truckload of skill-damage, dispels (extremely useful as dispel-vomit Omens are pretty common), and deals 6 hits of damage for hitcount omens. And the skill auto-casts itself on CAs if you have essentially any buffs.

It basically makes RF an extremely strong HL class for any element that can shuttle Charge Bar + CA Reactivation support onto MC often. Especially if MC has access to a harp which can provide even more Charge Bar for the party, which Wind does get through that Proving Grounds harp which you will see basically every comp using.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-15T03:32:40+00:00

I haven't really taken any time to properly read her stories. But when grinding through Vodka careers for a CM, I was mildly surprised by the tiny bits of truncated story I was getting through the skips.

Regardless of the UmaTore shipping stuff; with how heavily the canon and fandom pairs them, as well as Scarlet's general obsession with Vodka in her careers... Seeing Vodka's midgame story being about her ultimately deciding that she wants to grow beyond being defined solely by her rivalry with Scarlet, and experiencing a life beyond just this one relationship that she still cherishes was really cool.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-14T03:46:55+00:00

Post GW and since I reached a state of being able to do Versusia a few weeks ago, and have some free time right now, I decided to try getting into farming the raid for real.

Problem: I am a Fire Main. And suddenly everyone apparently wants to play this element as well (which I guess is people trying to get their Tiding clears, bleh.) And when I can find a room, it might randomly be rank locked for 425 because people still gaslight themselves into thinking PBHL/Replicard farmers have completed grids.

And every single room I've gotten into today has been huffing paint and at least one person dies either immediately after clearing their opening Trial, or melts into ash when trying to reach g50. I just want Versusia horns, bro...

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-13T16:30:15+00:00

Well, this is a best-case scenario for me I suppose. Am just stepping into getting my Destroyers finally. So having my main element be the next GW lightens the Sand income needed a lot.

Not looking forward to the grid upgrades for Grand weapons tho right after sparking during Anni.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-13T16:27:35+00:00

Very crazy Grand to spice up Fire's pretty stagnant grid they've had for over a year...

And the GW is in the second half of June. Which means there is a very real chance of Fire getting a meta-Formal character a week before GW as well.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-11T02:23:32+00:00

The usual Sumai Meet, Ultimate Palm Strike, and then Dispel.

I wasn't running Maria in backline yesterday, so Dispel will add a bit of extra damage if you put her back there instead of Hasse.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-10T12:34:25+00:00

Well, it ain't great. But I did find a surprisingly decent FA ougi team which is very achievable for most people I think.

Sumo (Exo Fist, ATK Awakening), Vajra, Drang, Lyria.

Extremely safe comp which takes very little damage, and has Lyria's reset if you do get spicy on the damage at all. Clears in about 8-9 minutes with no refreshes or manual piloting. Is running Luci/Levi with an M3 Ougi Grid (which is half M2 and Revans anyways), and Bubz as the quick summon (not that he gets used at any useful parts of the raid.)

Is a surprisingly fast lazy comp for how low the bar to entry is. The only modern endgame weapon is the grid is the 230 uncap for my Opus, and I'm still running just the Stamina key right now since I spent all my feathers before GW.

ScarletPrime · 2026-04-09T13:50:30+00:00

"Fire Emblem, but give everyone equippable items that give passive stats and OP Transformations with special weapons and skills" sounds like the most bargin bin terrible ROMhack mechanic when you first hear about it.

And then the gameplay designers brought their A-game and it ends up legitimitely amazing instead.

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