Of the countless Final Fantasy titles available, the tenth numbered entry is often considered one of franchise’s peaks; high praise considering the series’ massive history. It is also sighted as a good entry point for newcomers to the franchise due to its gripping narrative; complex, but easy to understand, battle system; and smooth, but engaging, learning curve that leaves the extreme challenge for the endgame. Because of this, a ton of gamers unfamiliar with RPGs will jump into this title not exactly knowing how to tackle the massive campaign. Most of them eventually find their footing, but the beginning hours of the journey can prove confusing to the inexperienced.
To help alleviate any head scratching, the following twenty-five entries will relay common mistakes people make when playing Final Fantasy X. These range from things newcomers do, to old habits that hinder overall enjoyment. Hopefully, some of these will help out those who are interested in exploring Spira for the first time or those who are already on the pilgrimage with Yuna, Tidus, and the other guardians. The journey to defeat Sin is nearly perfect, and it would heartbreaking to see gamers put it down because they are struggling to get through it.
So get ready to take on Sin, because here are 25 Things Players DIdn’t Know They Were Doing Wrong In Final Fantasy X
Level Grinding Early In The Game
No one wants to be stuck at a boss encounter or, even more embarrassing, a normal enemy, so beefing up the characters’ stats through good old level grinding is a tempting solution to avoiding this. One should avoid excess training for the early parts of the adventure, however, as it is unnecessary. Fighting the random encounters that naturally appear while traveling should make the party strong enough to take on new enemies and bosses. It becomes vital when tackling endgame content, but doing it beforehand just interrupts the story’s flow.
Not Getting The Sun Crest Right Away
The Sun Crest is one of the two items needed to fully upgrade Tidus’ Celestial Weapon, the Caladbolg. It is located in the chamber where the party battles Lady Yunalesca. After defeating her, go down the stairs and then ascend them once more to have the chest appear. One can always go back for it later, but will run into Dark Bahamut. The superboss is beatable without Tidus’ ultimate weapon, but if one has no desire to fight these intimidating foes, just pick up the Crest upon first visiting the room.
Playing With One Save File
This is the golden rule of almost all RPGs, though it has become less relevant in recent years with the advent of frequent auto-saves. There are several circumstances where having a backup save file comes in handy. Tidus could find himself in a large dungeon with few supplies, or maybe there was an item that the player only has one chance to get. Get in the habit of doing this and one should never have a problem getting stuck somewhere. Final Fantasy XII even recommends doing this in the game itself.
Only Using Three Party Members
This game introduced the concept of swapping party members in the heat of battle, making it possible to use every party member in a single encounter. Do this often and the whole party should level up together without any of them falling too far behind. Some of them might not be as vital to a battle’s success, but give them a hit anyway so they can continue progressing through the Sphere Grid. Everybody gets the same amount of points whether three people were used or everybody, so give them all time in the ring.
Deviating From The Predetermined Sphere Grid Paths
The Sphere Grid was an innovative way of increasing character stats and granting more control to player progression. Ways of developing a character are varied, but it is ultimately advised to stay on the predetermined paths for each party member until that road ends. The natural progression will give each character their unique strengths, ensuring a solution to every obstacle in battle. Leaving the path too early may result in an underdeveloped party. As funny as it may be to see Lulu’s plush toys dole out massive damage, it can compromise the party’s balance.
Getting The Moon Crest Too Late
The Moon Crest and Sigil are found on Besaid Island and in Macalania, and are used to upgrade Yuna’s Celestial Weapon, Nirvana, to its full potential. Be sure to get both of these upon first visiting the locations, since going back for them later will trigger an encounter with Dark Shiva and Dark Valefor. While these battles are not outright impossible, they can be a hindrance, requiring grinding and a sound strategy to defeat. Dark aeons are not present in the North American PS2 release, but will show up in all other releases.
Playing With The New Sphere Grid On The First Playthrough
For the international versions and remasters, players are given the option to play with a different Sphere Grid. The Expert Sphere Grid puts the party members within close proximity of each other, offering more freedom to where each of them will go. Customizing stats is easier, but it is also easier to slip up and produce a weak party. Hold off on using it until the second play through to avoid leveling up poorly and wasting experience points. Choosing it the second time through not only opens up new possibilities, but also adds replay value.
Keeping Weapons And Armor From Battles
This game throws a lot of weapons and armor at the player. Unlike prior entries, these items are not only found in treasure chests or bought in shops, but are dropped by enemies as well. Really though, most of the equipment is junk and should be sold to the nearest merchant. At early points in the game, having money for healing items is more important than a collection of garments and swords. It also raises an important question - what are those monsters doing with such items in the first place?
Missing Anima
Aside from working perfectly when replacing it with the word “Panama” in the popular Van Halen Song, Anima is also a great friend to have by one’s side. The party will fight it throughout the story, but she is unlockable near the end of the journey. To make this aeon playable, one must obtain all the destruction sphere’s in the Cloister of Trials and then head to Baaj Temple. There will be a boss fight and a set of puzzles the player must complete before obtaining the powerful aeon once belonging to Seymour.
Dodging Two Hundred Lightning Bolts
One of the most tedious mini games present in FFX is having to dodge lightning bolts in the Thunder Plains. Dodge two hundred in a row to be rewarded with the Venus Sigil for Lulu’s Onion Knight. This frustrating task can be done in ten minutes if one knows where to go. There is a certain spot in the Thunder Plains that will trigger lightning every time it is stepped upon. Circle around and step on it two hundred times in order to quickly get this mundane activity out of the way.
Skipping Random Encounters
The game’s plot rolls along like butter, with Tidus and the party strolling from one location to the next, slowly learning about Spira, its lore, and its varied inhabitants. Along the way, random encounters will steadily beef up the party’s stats. Even if they start to seem intrusive, do not run away from these battles often. Unless one is in danger of a game over, one should never flee from fights. Doing so too frequently will result in a weak party, making boss encounters difficult and forcing players to grind.
Fighting Penance Without A Strategy
Penance is the ultimate superboss in Final Fantasy X. It holds a whopping twelve million health points, and is backed up by two arms. All of its attacks are devastating blows against either the whole party or a single fighter. Novices should not take on the beast until they have more experience. Even experts should have a sound strategy before tackling arguably the toughest bought in Spira. Beating Penance provides a trophy or achievement, and gives one the personal satisfaction of knowing they are a true master of the game.
Using Only One Weapon For Each Character
Most of the weapons can be customized with a variety of enhancements through the use of items. This is not introduced until later in the story, but offers a ton of experimentation for the player to toy around with. Before celestial weapons come into the equation, it is a good idea to keep several different weapons and armors for everybody, so they are prepared for every possible situation. A weapon that is ideal for one part of the world may not work well elsewhere, so don’t get stuck with less than ideal equipment.
Under Utilizing Summons
The aeons in Spira are visually jaw dropping, and even more fun to play as. Unlike previous titles, players can command the aeons on the battlefield instead of calling them to perform one mighty special move. They are also integral to the plot, as Yuna’s pilgrimage is all about her praying to the fayth to utilize their power. As players obtain more aeons, they should not be so quick to forget the old ones. Valefor in particular, with its “Sonic Wings” ability, remains useful deeper into the story.
Missing Yojimbo
Of the three secret aeons in the game, Yojimbo is the simplest to come across. He is located in The Cavern of the Stolen Fayth, near the entrance to Mt. Gagazet. Once inside, there will be a boss battle with a fallen summoner who Lulu once guarded. Afterwards, Yojimbo will be available to use, but only for a price. The Aeon’s asking price is two hundred fifty thousand gil, but he can be haggled down to a more reasonable fee. He’s easy to acquire, so be sure to collect him as soon as possible.
Missing The Destruction Spheres
Each temple’s cloister of trials contains a secret destruction sphere which can be used to reveal a treasure chest, and getting all of them is necessary for one hundred percent completion. In the original North American release, it is no problem to pick them up later in the game when the airship is accessible. Later versions make this harder, though, because dark aeons will be blocking the path to several of the temples. Get each sphere and their respective items the first time around to avoid any trouble with the super bosses.
Playing The Original PS2 Version
Final Fantasy X is almost old enough to vote, but holds up better than most games from 2001. Since initial release, it has been remastered for modern consoles and is even available on Windows. That’s not all, either, since it will make the jump to Nintendo Switch and Xbox One this year. With all of these options, one would be hard pressed to find any reason to stick to the original PS2 version. Unless it is the only console one has, players should experience it on one of the many modern consoles on which it is available.
Missing The Al Bhed Primers
The Al Bhed don’t follow the teachings of Yu Yevon and still utilize the Machina which has been outlawed by the rest of Spira. They also speak in their own unique language. At the start of the game, players are unable to understand anything they say. However, there are primers hidden throughout the world which slowly translate the language letter by letter. Finding all of these will give the player a more complete experience, and can be transferred to other save files in order to play the beginning with translated text.
Using Ultimate Weapons Right Away
In most RPG’s, it is enough to simply collect ultimate weapons and be on one’s merry way. Final Fantasy X forces players to go several steps further before unleashing a weapon’s true potential. The Celestial Weapons are pieces of junk upon first collecting them, only becoming powerful once they are infused with their respective crest and sigil. Each of these items is obtained through a mini game, some of which can be mind-numbing. Until the crests and sigils are infused with the help of the celestial mirror, avoid using the weapons.
Playing Final Fantasy X-2 First
Usually, it does not matter which game in the series one plays first. Despite their numbers, they only share loose elements with each other, such as enemies, summons, items, and having a character named Cid. However, Final Fantasy X does have a proper sequel titled Final Fantasy X-2, and one should absolutely beat FFX first. For starters, understanding the sequel’s plot is contingent on knowing what happened in the first game. Secondly, its quality is debated among fans, so it is not as universally beloved, and therefore riskier for newcomers.
