Final Fantasy
- Thread starter Caldwin
- Start date
I don't recall if I've mentioned this before in this board after the crash, but there's an ongoing manga series called Final Fantasy Lost Stranger. Basically isekai but the stakes are high. Fun characters, and a good mix of humor, action, drama, and occasional horror. Of course, there's also FF references everywhere. Currently on vol 8 and no signs of stopping anytime soon.
I haven't heard the term 'iseki' before. But looking it up, my first anime series (saw a few movies before, but my first series was) Escaflowne. Plus some of my favorite movies/shows as a kid included Captain N, Dungeons and Dragons and Neverending Story. So I'm no stranger to the genre.
I'll check out the first issue on Kindle and see what I think. If the cover is any indication of the art inside, that alone looks nice.
I'll check out the first issue on Kindle and see what I think. If the cover is any indication of the art inside, that alone looks nice.
Isekai genre is basically being transported to another world. More commonly it involves regular folks from our world dieing and reincarnating/waking up into another world. Naturally, their memories from their previous world/lives help out.
The art is nice, though I have to roll my eyes at Cindy's design.
The art is nice, though I have to roll my eyes at Cindy's design.
And that is only the beginning. 
It makes you see FF1s Garland in a far more bloody light eh?
This is the games theme song.
it’s strange to think that all three of those (Captain N, D&D and Neverending Story) are basically isekai.
It makes you see FF1s Garland in a far more bloody light eh?
This is the games theme song.
it’s strange to think that all three of those (Captain N, D&D and Neverending Story) are basically isekai.
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This is how I will see him from now on.
so last week I played Theatrhythm (colorful, chibi and happy), Zodiac Age (more serious but no real blood) and Stranger of Paradise (I feel like I just walked into a horror movie). Final Fantasy is pretty varied.
Also, I just finished the first volume of Lost Stranger. Yeah, I'm hooked.
I’ve heard a lot about Theatrythm but never tried it. Perhaps I should. i need to get Zodiac age.
And I am hacking my way through Stranger of Paradise, replaying Crisis Core to level up, get new gear and summons. And beat up Genesis some more.
Will look into Lost Stranger.
And I am hacking my way through Stranger of Paradise, replaying Crisis Core to level up, get new gear and summons. And beat up Genesis some more.
Will look into Lost Stranger.
Tactics on the ps1 is still my favorite gaming experience from ff as a whole, but for overall ranking
6,7, 7r,9,CC,5,8,X2,X,1,12,4,3,2,13 I have no intention of playing the 13 sequels, or this new game where angry white dude smash
6,7, 7r,9,CC,5,8,X2,X,1,12,4,3,2,13 I have no intention of playing the 13 sequels, or this new game where angry white dude smash
Holy hell!!!! Yeah, I see what you mean. It's like a hormonal teenager tried to design his own wet dream and came up with some horrific comedy caricature instead.
So I was talking with a co-worker today about Final Fantasy and she wanted to know a good one to start with. I told her if she wanted a classic style FF, VII or IX would be the best, particularly VII since it has the most side-content. I gave high praise to XII but said XV would be the best for if she wanted a more contemporary FF (since it is the most recent that truly changes everything though I warned her about the necessary homework of watching Kingsglaive to get the whole story).
I would have suggested VII Remake, but let's be honest, you really need to be up on the lore to get the most out of that one.
So now I realize I never put the games on a tier list like I did for Zelda and Metroid. Get ready for a lot of TLR
Final Fantasy
Played on PSP, NES Clasic
Rating - A (PSP), D (NES Classic)
I didn't want want to give this an F. It was the first of the franchise, and while Dragon Quest keeps me from saying it was the first of its kind, it was still a trail blazer when it came to story and controlling multiple characters.
But it's magic system, whiffing hits if an enemy dies from another character's attack... there's quite a few things that just don't work in today's world, even taking into account its trailblazing status.
Fortunately, the PSP version updated all of the quality of life problems, so I can give that version an A. I just wish that version was available outside the PSP.
Final Fantasy II
I own some version on PS3 but never played it. I've heard bad things.
Final Fantasy III
Played on DS, iPad
Rating - A+
This is the first mainline (not a demo or side game) Final Fantasy game I ever played. It played a lot like a Dragon Quest game, which to me was just fine. I ran into a brick wall on the DS and sold it. I later restarted and finished it on the iPad. I really wish I still had my DS version. It was fun
Final Fantasy IV
Played on DS
Rating - B
This was the first to include the ATB. I enjoyed it, but ran into a brick wall. Plus making your main character start all the way back at level 1 a good chunk of the way into the game for story reasons just wasn't a good move. Still, it introduced ATB and it actually was pretty fun until I hit the brick wall.
Final Fantasy V
I own it on the original Plat Station, but never played it.
Final Fantasy VI
Played on - Game Boy Advance, SNES, SNES mini, Play Station
Rating - A
I ran into a brick wall on the Advance version and just got cold feet on all subsequent attempts. Just a tip, if you want to keep me invested in a game, don't throw in a mandatory tower defense section. Yeah, VII has a tower defense section, but it's both optional and easy to go out and grind until you're OP. Not so much this one.
I failed so hard at the tower defense portion in the Advance version that I just couldn't even stay in it long enough to get to that point in subsequent play throughs.
The only reason I rate it so high is because I like Terra in Dissidia and I'f probably get lynched by other players if I rated it any less.
Final Fantasy VII
Played on - PC (demo), PS1, PS3, PSP, PS4, Switch
Rating - S
There was a demo of this included with the PC version of Tomb Raider III. If you want to see a demo that absolutely does not sell the product, check this out. There were two sections (outside a mako reactor and inside the Gold Saucer Battle Arena) where you couldn't even do anything. There wasn't any battles or puzzles or anything. You just walked around. This was my first introduction to Final Fantasy. Somehow I managed to come back from it.
So, yeah, the original over-world characters had Popeye anatomy. But holy cow! The characters, the game play, the story, the music... I was hooked. Because of this game, Final Fantasy has easily become my top favorite non-Nintendo franchise. So, yeah, S rank!
Final Fantasy VIII
PS3, Switch
Rating - F
When I played it on the PS3, I beat the Ifrit, went back to the school and couldn't figure out where the hell I was supposed to go. I went all over that damn map and couldn't get anywhere. I played in on the Switch, I got past that and got to the point of outrunning a crab mech on a timed escape thing. The junction system was no fun. Squall is a pill. The story just wasn't grabbing me.
There's a rule in fiction that if you don't grab your audience within a certain period of time (probably fluctuates between media), you lose them. Well, VIII lost me.
Final Fantasy IX
Played on - PS1, PS3, PS4, Switch
Rating - S
Before XV, if you asked me what my number 1 favorite FF game was, it would constantly change between VII and this one. I love the characters. Zidane and I could be drinking buddies. I love the art style. Of all the GF games that constantly get mentioned, IX is so underrated. I absolutely loved every moment of this.
Final Fantasy X
Played on PS2, PS3
Rating - C...+... I guess...maybe???
Oy! How do I rate this? Tidus is an annoying, whiny little snot. Lulu is awesome. Wakka is annoying. Yuna is the only one that has actual depth. Auron and Kimahri...exist... I guess. The best I can say for Rikku is that she's voiced by Twilight Sparkle.
I also can't stand the laughing scene. Blitz Ball is one of those side games I didn't play any more than absolutely necessary for game progression. Seymour Guado made me want to hurl every time he was on screen. I also hate the Sphere Grid.
But I did love the conditional turn based battle. Sutaki Da Ne is one of my favorite FF somgs and the cutscene itself is absolutely stunning. In fact, for a story I otherwise couldn't bring myself to give a damn about, this one cutscene still managed to tug at the heartstrings.
I simultaneously live and detest this game at the same time.
Final Fantasy X-2
Played on - PS3
Rating - F
With an opening that was concentrated cringe, I tried to work through it. I really did. But when I heard We're the Gullwings on endless loop and realized that this was what I would be listening to every time I was in the main hub...I was out.
Final Fantasy XI
Never played. And with XIV as my MMO of choice at the moment, I have no urge to play this. I'm not even sure if the servers are even still going.
Final Fantasy XII
Played on - PS2, Switch, PS5
Rating - S
When I first played this on the PS2, it was one of those PS2's I bought used and every thing felt loose, gritty and musty. I didn't make it much past the Elder Wyrm. But I blame the system more than the game.
Having played and finished the Zodiac Age on Switch and now playing through it again on PS5, I can unreservedly give it the rating it deserves. I love the characters, especially Fran and Balthier. I love the battle system. I even warmed up to the License system thanks getting streamlined in Zodiac Age. I think this is another highly underrated game.
Final Fantasy XIII
Played on - PS3
Rating - D+
I know, I know. How can I give other games an F and yet this scrapes by with a D+?
Now hear me out, okay? Every FF game I played before this was either a remake, bought used or bought as a retro game on an e-shop. This is the first Final Fantasy game I not only bought new, but bought day 1. Plus it was also The first FF game that was HD.
But even given such personal reasons why it will always have a place in my heart, I can't deny that it just wasn't that great. Except for the small open bit on Pulse, it was a corridor walk. Now I've heard the argument that if you look at the maps of other FF games, they're corridor walks too. That's true. But other FF at least do a much better job at hiding it.
The battle system was interesting... I suppose. But if you need to more than half of the game a tutorial while doling out small baby-sized chunks of gameplay at a time, you done goofed!
Leveling was frustrating. Every chapter gave you a new cap. And you better grind to reach that cap every time if you wanted to stand a chance against the boss.
Not that the boss was terribly difficult. You have a healer on your team they could usually keep up rather easily. But every boss had a Doom counter and was an obscene damage sponge. That was a cheap, irritating and incredibly lazy way to bring in challenge. You want a legit challenge that doesn't rely on doom counters? Fight an adamantoise! Those were harder than most bosses and didn't rely on a doom counter for cheap difficulty.
I played it once. I tried to play it again after I lost all my save data thanks to my system bricking, but I just couldn't. It was too much.
Final Fantady XIII-2
Played on - PS3
Rating - C-
They improved the battle and leveling system. I actually had a lot of fun with this . It was a vast improvement over XII.
BUT, all the main characters of the first one were reduced to cameos. It was really short for a full-priced game, and even more especially for a Final Fantasy game.
And the most unforgivable thing about this game...CLIFFHANGER! I mean, follow me on this one. Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 end on a cliffhanger. But I still felt like I got a full narrative. Baldur's Haye Dark Alliance had a hell of a cliffhanger. But I still felt like I got a full narrative. Final Fantasy XIII-2, I did not feel like I got a full narrative. I felt like I just got a buildup to the final game. Video games are not cheap. When you pay premium prices for video games, you need a full narrative, cliffhanger or no. This just didn't deliver.
Final Fantasy XIII-3
Didn't play because hug Fabula Nova Crystallis at this point
Final Fantasy XIV
Played on - PS4, PS5
Rating - A
Great game. I've sunk a lot of time and money (in subscription fees) into this game and I absolutely love my Viera Archer.
But you want to talk about complicated controls and trying to put a PC game on a console...this is rough. And heaven help you if you take a break and try to come back to it!
Final Fantasy XV
Played on - PS4
Rating - S
Now I realize it had a rough launch and on principle, I don't like it when an already expensive game requires outside media (a movie and a limited series of YouTube anime) to understand basic parts of the story.
But this game is what helped me keep my sanity when I had my first kidney stone. It also helped me reconnect with my best friend since college. And I just absolutely love the road trip of the early game.
-----
RANDOM SIDE GAMES
-----
Crystal Chronicles
Gamecube
D
I only played it for less than half an hour. It just didn't grab me. But it was the first actual FF game I played between the FF VII demo and the mainline FF III.
Dirge of Cerberus
PS2
C
Crisis Core
PSP, PS5
S
Dissidia
PSP
S
Dissidia Duodecim
PSP
S
Dissidia NT
PS4
F
Theatrhythm
3DS
S
Theatrhythm Curtain Call
3DS
S
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
PS5
S
Final Fantasy Spirits Within
DVD, Bluray
D-
Final Fantasy Advent Children
DVD
B
Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete
Bluray
S
Kingsglaive Final Fantasy
Bluray
B
I would have suggested VII Remake, but let's be honest, you really need to be up on the lore to get the most out of that one.
So now I realize I never put the games on a tier list like I did for Zelda and Metroid. Get ready for a lot of TL
RFinal Fantasy
Played on PSP, NES Clasic
Rating - A (PSP), D (NES Classic)
I didn't want want to give this an F. It was the first of the franchise, and while Dragon Quest keeps me from saying it was the first of its kind, it was still a trail blazer when it came to story and controlling multiple characters.
But it's magic system, whiffing hits if an enemy dies from another character's attack... there's quite a few things that just don't work in today's world, even taking into account its trailblazing status.
Fortunately, the PSP version updated all of the quality of life problems, so I can give that version an A. I just wish that version was available outside the PSP.
Final Fantasy II
I own some version on PS3 but never played it. I've heard bad things.
Final Fantasy III
Played on DS, iPad
Rating - A+
This is the first mainline (not a demo or side game) Final Fantasy game I ever played. It played a lot like a Dragon Quest game, which to me was just fine. I ran into a brick wall on the DS and sold it. I later restarted and finished it on the iPad. I really wish I still had my DS version. It was fun
Final Fantasy IV
Played on DS
Rating - B
This was the first to include the ATB. I enjoyed it, but ran into a brick wall. Plus making your main character start all the way back at level 1 a good chunk of the way into the game for story reasons just wasn't a good move. Still, it introduced ATB and it actually was pretty fun until I hit the brick wall.
Final Fantasy V
I own it on the original Plat Station, but never played it.
Final Fantasy VI
Played on - Game Boy Advance, SNES, SNES mini, Play Station
Rating - A
I ran into a brick wall on the Advance version and just got cold feet on all subsequent attempts. Just a tip, if you want to keep me invested in a game, don't throw in a mandatory tower defense section. Yeah, VII has a tower defense section, but it's both optional and easy to go out and grind until you're OP. Not so much this one.
I failed so hard at the tower defense portion in the Advance version that I just couldn't even stay in it long enough to get to that point in subsequent play throughs.
The only reason I rate it so high is because I like Terra in Dissidia and I'f probably get lynched by other players if I rated it any less.
Final Fantasy VII
Played on - PC (demo), PS1, PS3, PSP, PS4, Switch
Rating - S
There was a demo of this included with the PC version of Tomb Raider III. If you want to see a demo that absolutely does not sell the product, check this out. There were two sections (outside a mako reactor and inside the Gold Saucer Battle Arena) where you couldn't even do anything. There wasn't any battles or puzzles or anything. You just walked around. This was my first introduction to Final Fantasy. Somehow I managed to come back from it.
So, yeah, the original over-world characters had Popeye anatomy. But holy cow! The characters, the game play, the story, the music... I was hooked. Because of this game, Final Fantasy has easily become my top favorite non-Nintendo franchise. So, yeah, S rank!
Final Fantasy VIII
PS3, Switch
Rating - F
When I played it on the PS3, I beat the Ifrit, went back to the school and couldn't figure out where the hell I was supposed to go. I went all over that damn map and couldn't get anywhere. I played in on the Switch, I got past that and got to the point of outrunning a crab mech on a timed escape thing. The junction system was no fun. Squall is a pill. The story just wasn't grabbing me.
There's a rule in fiction that if you don't grab your audience within a certain period of time (probably fluctuates between media), you lose them. Well, VIII lost me.
Final Fantasy IX
Played on - PS1, PS3, PS4, Switch
Rating - S
Before XV, if you asked me what my number 1 favorite FF game was, it would constantly change between VII and this one. I love the characters. Zidane and I could be drinking buddies. I love the art style. Of all the GF games that constantly get mentioned, IX is so underrated. I absolutely loved every moment of this.
Final Fantasy X
Played on PS2, PS3
Rating - C...+... I guess...maybe???
Oy! How do I rate this? Tidus is an annoying, whiny little snot. Lulu is awesome. Wakka is annoying. Yuna is the only one that has actual depth. Auron and Kimahri...exist... I guess. The best I can say for Rikku is that she's voiced by Twilight Sparkle.
I also can't stand the laughing scene. Blitz Ball is one of those side games I didn't play any more than absolutely necessary for game progression. Seymour Guado made me want to hurl every time he was on screen. I also hate the Sphere Grid.
But I did love the conditional turn based battle. Sutaki Da Ne is one of my favorite FF somgs and the cutscene itself is absolutely stunning. In fact, for a story I otherwise couldn't bring myself to give a damn about, this one cutscene still managed to tug at the heartstrings.
I simultaneously live and detest this game at the same time.
Final Fantasy X-2
Played on - PS3
Rating - F
With an opening that was concentrated cringe, I tried to work through it. I really did. But when I heard We're the Gullwings on endless loop and realized that this was what I would be listening to every time I was in the main hub...I was out.
Final Fantasy XI
Never played. And with XIV as my MMO of choice at the moment, I have no urge to play this. I'm not even sure if the servers are even still going.
Final Fantasy XII
Played on - PS2, Switch, PS5
Rating - S
When I first played this on the PS2, it was one of those PS2's I bought used and every thing felt loose, gritty and musty. I didn't make it much past the Elder Wyrm. But I blame the system more than the game.
Having played and finished the Zodiac Age on Switch and now playing through it again on PS5, I can unreservedly give it the rating it deserves. I love the characters, especially Fran and Balthier. I love the battle system. I even warmed up to the License system thanks getting streamlined in Zodiac Age. I think this is another highly underrated game.
Final Fantasy XIII
Played on - PS3
Rating - D+
I know, I know. How can I give other games an F and yet this scrapes by with a D+?
Now hear me out, okay? Every FF game I played before this was either a remake, bought used or bought as a retro game on an e-shop. This is the first Final Fantasy game I not only bought new, but bought day 1. Plus it was also The first FF game that was HD.
But even given such personal reasons why it will always have a place in my heart, I can't deny that it just wasn't that great. Except for the small open bit on Pulse, it was a corridor walk. Now I've heard the argument that if you look at the maps of other FF games, they're corridor walks too. That's true. But other FF at least do a much better job at hiding it.
The battle system was interesting... I suppose. But if you need to more than half of the game a tutorial while doling out small baby-sized chunks of gameplay at a time, you done goofed!
Leveling was frustrating. Every chapter gave you a new cap. And you better grind to reach that cap every time if you wanted to stand a chance against the boss.
Not that the boss was terribly difficult. You have a healer on your team they could usually keep up rather easily. But every boss had a Doom counter and was an obscene damage sponge. That was a cheap, irritating and incredibly lazy way to bring in challenge. You want a legit challenge that doesn't rely on doom counters? Fight an adamantoise! Those were harder than most bosses and didn't rely on a doom counter for cheap difficulty.
I played it once. I tried to play it again after I lost all my save data thanks to my system bricking, but I just couldn't. It was too much.
Final Fantady XIII-2
Played on - PS3
Rating - C-
They improved the battle and leveling system. I actually had a lot of fun with this . It was a vast improvement over XII.
BUT, all the main characters of the first one were reduced to cameos. It was really short for a full-priced game, and even more especially for a Final Fantasy game.
And the most unforgivable thing about this game...CLIFFHANGER! I mean, follow me on this one. Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 end on a cliffhanger. But I still felt like I got a full narrative. Baldur's Haye Dark Alliance had a hell of a cliffhanger. But I still felt like I got a full narrative. Final Fantasy XIII-2, I did not feel like I got a full narrative. I felt like I just got a buildup to the final game. Video games are not cheap. When you pay premium prices for video games, you need a full narrative, cliffhanger or no. This just didn't deliver.
Final Fantasy XIII-3
Didn't play because hug Fabula Nova Crystallis at this point
Final Fantasy XIV
Played on - PS4, PS5
Rating - A
Great game. I've sunk a lot of time and money (in subscription fees) into this game and I absolutely love my Viera Archer.
But you want to talk about complicated controls and trying to put a PC game on a console...this is rough. And heaven help you if you take a break and try to come back to it!
Final Fantasy XV
Played on - PS4
Rating - S
Now I realize it had a rough launch and on principle, I don't like it when an already expensive game requires outside media (a movie and a limited series of YouTube anime) to understand basic parts of the story.
But this game is what helped me keep my sanity when I had my first kidney stone. It also helped me reconnect with my best friend since college. And I just absolutely love the road trip of the early game.
-----
RANDOM SIDE GAMES
-----
Crystal Chronicles
Gamecube
D
I only played it for less than half an hour. It just didn't grab me. But it was the first actual FF game I played between the FF VII demo and the mainline FF III.
Dirge of Cerberus
PS2
C
Crisis Core
PSP, PS5
S
Dissidia
PSP
S
Dissidia Duodecim
PSP
S
Dissidia NT
PS4
F
Theatrhythm
3DS
S
Theatrhythm Curtain Call
3DS
S
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
PS5
S
Final Fantasy Spirits Within
DVD, Bluray
D-
Final Fantasy Advent Children
DVD
B
Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete
Bluray
S
Kingsglaive Final Fantasy
Bluray
B
I completely forgot to include Stranger of Paradise in my list. Though that's probably for the best for now. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet. I haven't given it up yet, so that's hopeful. But all the reviews say that it'll get repetitive rather quickly, and I can see why they would say that. So we'll see how long I keep with it.And that is only the beginning.
It makes you see FF1s Garland in a far more bloody light eh?
This is the games theme song.
it’s strange to think that all three of those (Captain N, D&D and Neverending Story) are basically isekai.
The version I got included a digital art book and mini soundtrack. The soundtrack includes that song. It's so weird when most of the music I relate to Final Fantasy is more or less classical. But then you get certain songs like Another World and others that seem to edge on metal and now this one which is firmly hip hop. Not saying anything good or ill about any of it. Just weird when most of what I hear from Nobuo Uematsu was more of a classical leaning.
Lost Stranger:
Today's payday so I just finished the Kindle collection. I'm about to start Vol. IV right now.
Final Fantasy XIV
I was running into a brick wall when I realized I didn't have my Bard soul stone equipped. I was still having issues when my friend told me that I might find Machinist more to my liking. It'l take me back to level 30, but it'll be less complicated than Bard and at the moment, it might just do me well to take things down a notch. So now I'll be training as a Machinist.
Best of all, I heard Machinists get flamethrowers! 🥹
Today's payday so I just finished the Kindle collection. I'm about to start Vol. IV right now.
Final Fantasy XIV
I was running into a brick wall when I realized I didn't have my Bard soul stone equipped. I was still having issues when my friend told me that I might find Machinist more to my liking. It'l take me back to level 30, but it'll be less complicated than Bard and at the moment, it might just do me well to take things down a notch. So now I'll be training as a Machinist.
Best of all, I heard Machinists get flamethrowers! 🥹
Ehh....wouldn't use Flamethrower as a great incentive. I'll spare the technical details, but it's not a great skill.
Om the other hand, machinists can summon a floating auto turret as fire support, and at high levels it upgrades into a humanoid mech. And they use most of the same gear as bards and archers, so aside from the weapon you should be set for equipment until you catch up.
If you like the ranged physical role, you can unlock dancer at level 60. It's more support oriented than machinist, but it has probably the easiest rotation in the game, and naturally it's stylish as hell. And the jobs added after Heavensward aren't gated behind the new expansions' cities, so you don't have to actually make it out there first (dancer, specifically, unlocks in Limsa Lominsa), you just have to meet the level requirement. And have the relevant expansion installed, but if you're playing a Viera, you already do.
Om the other hand, machinists can summon a floating auto turret as fire support, and at high levels it upgrades into a humanoid mech. And they use most of the same gear as bards and archers, so aside from the weapon you should be set for equipment until you catch up.
If you like the ranged physical role, you can unlock dancer at level 60. It's more support oriented than machinist, but it has probably the easiest rotation in the game, and naturally it's stylish as hell. And the jobs added after Heavensward aren't gated behind the new expansions' cities, so you don't have to actually make it out there first (dancer, specifically, unlocks in Limsa Lominsa), you just have to meet the level requirement. And have the relevant expansion installed, but if you're playing a Viera, you already do.
Archer/bard is the only non-healer job that doesn't really have a rotation, since it runs on priorities and keeping your songs and damage over time skills up. Everyone else has rotations and combos for their skills.
Melee jobs get the extra fun of having positional skills that do more damage depending on whether they're at an enemy's flank or rear. Monk even has two separate rotations for flank and rear that they flow between to keep their self-buffs running.
Melee jobs get the extra fun of having positional skills that do more damage depending on whether they're at an enemy's flank or rear. Monk even has two separate rotations for flank and rear that they flow between to keep their self-buffs running.
I've gotten almost every job to 90 without worrying about an explicit rotation. Some of the charts you can find are pretty involved. I mostly try to keep up with the highlighted squares.
Machinist really suits my "never stop moving" combat style, because other than flamethrower it has nothing that requires stopping to cast. Some animations will briefly root you, but you don't interrupt your own attack by trying to move, the way casters do. And unlike Bard, its buffs are largely self-only. Plus you can fire giant drills and sawblades at people. (Flamethrower is a decent damage over time cone effect that stops working as soon as you move or really touch any button. It's really only worth using in a very limited number of situations, such as when the tank has finished their gorram wall to wall pull and you can position yourself to hit a dozen or so enemies at once. And even then, scatter shot/shotgun and auto-crossbow are probably better. The one true plus of flamethrower is that you don't need a target, so you can play Doof Warrior in town.)
---Dave
Machinist really suits my "never stop moving" combat style, because other than flamethrower it has nothing that requires stopping to cast. Some animations will briefly root you, but you don't interrupt your own attack by trying to move, the way casters do. And unlike Bard, its buffs are largely self-only. Plus you can fire giant drills and sawblades at people. (Flamethrower is a decent damage over time cone effect that stops working as soon as you move or really touch any button. It's really only worth using in a very limited number of situations, such as when the tank has finished their gorram wall to wall pull and you can position yourself to hit a dozen or so enemies at once. And even then, scatter shot/shotgun and auto-crossbow are probably better. The one true plus of flamethrower is that you don't need a target, so you can play Doof Warrior in town.)
---Dave