Just a random question I was thinking about. If you're playing an RPG and you know a party member isn't around for the full game or is only usable for a very limited time, do you still use them? Or do you just not bother if you can ignore them?
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Do you use party members you know are temporary?
- Thread starter Gold Arsene
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That's just mean......even if it's logical.
I just avoid giving them anything powerful.
They have to be real cool for me to use them. I always tend to use the same party members the entire game. I will switch them out if they have a quest I need them for though, but I'll switch back once it's over.
Nah. At this point in the game, I just find a way to keep them around regardless.
For example, I'm currently playing FFVII right now in prep for the remake, I literally have Aeri(s)th in my party right now toward the end of disc 2.
For example, I'm currently playing FFVII right now in prep for the remake, I literally have Aeri(s)th in my party right now toward the end of disc 2.
Much less inclined to use them. I've never used a specific party member in Baldur's Gate 2 because I know he leaves. In Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire I had the horrifying realization late game that *two* different party members can leave at the same story point if you make certain choices.
I recognize that this can actually be good for the story, but it's also very: pls don't leave me
I recognize that this can actually be good for the story, but it's also very: pls don't leave me
my favorite is games where you get temporary party members that come with equipment and you can take their equipment off and keep it before they leave
If I'm playing for the first time, I use them just to try them out and see what all they can do. In subsequent playthroughs, I usually won't bother unless I really like them or they're useful in a specific situation. I think I've only experienced this with games where EXP is shared among the party, so it's never been a necessity to bench temporary members.
Not normally, no. The only exception I can think of is that Aerith grew to be one of my favorite party members in my first playthrough of FFVII that I recently finished. I assumed I would just bench her, but I grew to like her too much to leave her out of the party all the time.
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Just realized I didn't even put my own thoughts.
I tend to use these characters as long as I have them.
I tend to use these characters as long as I have them.
Shinji is in my party for the month you have him.
And I never swap out Akechi in the casino unless I had too.
I had her benched way before I knew she died because she just sucked. (waiting for replies telling of all this hax aeris strats)
Only done it in two games but that's because they're just too badass not to.
Kratos in Tales of Symphonia and Shinjiro in Persona 3
Kratos in Tales of Symphonia and Shinjiro in Persona 3
Depends on the game, but usually I will use them. Usually, exp/resources are scaled in such a way that whatever opportunity cost there is for "wasting" on temporary members ends up being a way less significant later in the game. Nowadays I tend to lean towards using temporary party members (or similar) instead of just zeroing in on a goal of maximum 'efficiency'.
or, more eloquently said:
or, more eloquently said:
in ffix you can use temporary party member marcus to exploit a glitch and give part of his accumulated stats to eiko
I use her, and replace her with Cid when she leaves the party. He joins up at a perfect time in the game to not miss out on all the XP.
This right here. I'm not playing Final Fantasy XII without Reks in my party.
Every time a thread like this comes up, I always find out how alone I am on the "rotate and use every party member so they're all similar levels" island.
FFXII is like the only game I don't bother with this, since I don't care about Reks lol.
My next run I'm going to do this with the guest party member spot so I can use four people at a time.
Depends on how short term they are, and how good they are. Examples of cases where I'll use them:
-When they are around for a significant amount of time, like Aeris. She's a useful character and available for around half the game.
-When they are available for an extremely short period of time, to the point of being a gimmick. For example, Dickson in Xenoblade is playable in (IIRC) a single battle. Why not use him during that one chance you get?
-When they are available briefly, but they are extremely powerful/useful for that time. They are straight up better than any alternative, might as well take advantage.
If they are available for a brief period but not really noteworthy compared to the rest of your characters, there's not really any incentive to use them.
-When they are around for a significant amount of time, like Aeris. She's a useful character and available for around half the game.
-When they are available for an extremely short period of time, to the point of being a gimmick. For example, Dickson in Xenoblade is playable in (IIRC) a single battle. Why not use him during that one chance you get?
-When they are available briefly, but they are extremely powerful/useful for that time. They are straight up better than any alternative, might as well take advantage.
If they are available for a brief period but not really noteworthy compared to the rest of your characters, there's not really any incentive to use them.
Depends on the game. Not sure about newer Fire Emblem games, but GBA-era Fire Emblem games had a tendency to throw some ridiculously overpowered character into your party, which kind of seemed like a red flag that he/she would probably betray you (or at least leave your party), so why bother letting that character hog the experience from battles? Also, some games handle temporary characters even worse, not allowing you to reclaim their equipment after the fact. I don't want to waste good equipment on a character who'll just die if that equipment can't be easily moved to another character after the fact.
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I actually try and do this provided there isn't an absurd amount of characters.
When I finally get around to playing Suikoden II, I'm probably going to make an attempt to do it there, too!
I will use characters in the Suikoden series whom in your party for about 2/3 of the game since I generally like the character through some like Gremio are a special case since they leave half in the game but usually forced to use during that time but if you get all characters you get him back for the final dungeon of the game and feel compelled to use them again.
This. I've never understood the love for Aeris, she always was terrible and useless.
#Brofist
Final Fantasy IV and VI did this well, you NEED your temp characters. Especially in IV. I was shocked when people died in IV. It was super well done.
Also there was this time when I was bored that I tried to level kid Rydia to level 50 or something but that was basically impossible.
Also there was this time when I was bored that I tried to level kid Rydia to level 50 or something but that was basically impossible.
Depends.
Opportunity cost is the big deciding factor. If benched party members get experience and they make sure to return all equipment (or otherwise will not take my stuff), then sure, why not? Tales games often have temporary party members, and I often use them for one reason or another (e.g. Symphonia's temp party member is around for awhile and generally useful). But someone like Aeris in FF7? Probably not.
Opportunity cost is the big deciding factor. If benched party members get experience and they make sure to return all equipment (or otherwise will not take my stuff), then sure, why not? Tales games often have temporary party members, and I often use them for one reason or another (e.g. Symphonia's temp party member is around for awhile and generally useful). But someone like Aeris in FF7? Probably not.
I know, right?
Like was said before, almost every time you aren't losing enough for it to be a problem, so you should enjoy it when you can!
