Hey, guys, sorry for not updating in about, oh, forever. My mother confiscated my laptop, so I couldn't do any updates (technically, it's still confiscated; she just doesn't know that I know where it is).
Anyway, I believe it's time to start the third floor of the Labyrinth. B3F's a bit smaller than the previous two floors, so getting through to the end should take a little less time, though this doesn't mean we can just rush on through; we must remain on the lookout for danger, monsters, and things of interest. Also, a hot-blooded boy ninja that may or may not be Naruto.
I could rush off to the Labyrinth right now, but I realized I didn't save after completing the last floor. Let's go and and do that now, and take a Stay to recover the HP gap from the HP Up skill.
[At the Inn...]
Aman: Welcome back, boss! Came to rest for today?
Report: Rest and save.
Aman: Okay, that's 70 en for all o' ya!
[Resting music-thingy]
Aman: Alright! All saved up, boss!
Axel: Thanks, Aman.
Gabe: Geez, Ranko, you look terrible.
Ranko: I didn't get much sleep last night.
Ere: Fool! Sleep is for when everything's done! Only when you've cleared all tasks at hand can a burning soul truly find respite!
Ranko: She didn't so much sleep as pace and grumble a lot.
Axel: Alright, that's enough you two. Rather than standing around and arguing, we could just go and get things done.
Ere: Your words mirror my thoughts but I still don't like you.
Axel: Noted.
Aman: Oh, there's a lady here called Miss Hypatia who's using our inn as a base, but she seems down. If you happen to see her around, you should talk to her!
Axel: ...'Kay.
Okay, now we can go to the third floor.
...
...
I've gotta say, this is my favorite B2F out of all of the games so far, just because of that even though it's long and winding (as are most of the floors, really), once you've found those four warp points you can go almost directly to the stairs. By comparison, in EO B2F had no warp points, and EO2 was a nightmare I've mostly forgotten.
Anyway...
[B3F — The surging river shores]
Woo, third floor. That means open rooms and FOEs that don't exist to block hallways. Also, Warp Points to bypass most of them and no easy way to get back to town without Threads.
Lo and behold, one step in front of me lies a Warp Point.
Warp Point 1D-15: 2D-11; face west and check wall (Marked)
Not long after entering the floor do I meet its first new enemy: the Spotted Frog.
Report: Oh, look, another Largebill/Forest Frog combination.
Ere: Let's kick its ass!
Ranko: Hang on, the Forest Frog looks different...
Gabe: Watch out! That's no ordinary frog!
Report: How so?
Gabe: It...can jump!
Silence
Gabe: Yeah, I got nothing.
Ranko: Well, it is a little bigger than the other frogs...
Report: It's colors are different, too.
Axel: Hey, biology class isn't until fourth period.
Ere: Well, I have it first period. Today we get to dissect things.
Gabe: Get out your scalpels, class!
So, yeah, Spotted Frogs look like differently-colored Forest Frogs. However, I don't consider them Palette Swaps because the Spotted Frog's picture is also slightly bigger than that of the Forest Frog's. Other than that, they are the same as their first-floor bretheren, only with a bit more HP and ATK.
I'm also to the point where I no longer need to cast Guard Order when fighting Largebills. Both losers go down in 3 turns.
>You've discovered a new monster! Spotted Frog
>Discovered a new item: Elastic Tongue (Regular drop from Spotted Frogs)
The path is straightforward until I reach 4C; north and west lead to very short dead ends, but there's a warp point on the end of the northern one, so I go ahead and mark it.
Warp Point 4C-07: 4C-08; face east and check wall (Marked)
Back at the fork, I head south to a door. Upon heading through, three things come to mind when you enter the following room:
- Holy cow, this room is big. I can't even see the opposite wall.
- There's that floating red FOE orb over there. I wonder if I'm strong enough to-
- Waitaminute, why is the orb red?
>Just as you were about to cross the hall, a dreadful presence suddenly appears before you!
I don't know why it says "suddenly" when you can see it from the entrance of the room.
>The monster seems to be highly territorial and appears to view you as trespassers.
Just like everything else in this labyrinth...
>It would be wise to do everything in your power to avoid the beast if you hope to leave this room. The piercingly menacing feeling you sense even at this distance is proof enough of that! Your survival now hangs on your skill at watching your enemy's movement in order to avoid him.
Here is where we are introduced to the first FOE variant: Reds. Red FOEs tend to have two defining characteristics:
- When one factors in the general level of power possessed by FOEs compared to the regular monsters on the same floor, a Red FOE is stronger than the regular orange.
- Red orbs chase you.
Normal FOEs are expected to present a challenge when you first encounter them. Red FOEs are expected to utterly slaughter you the first time you encounter them.
Let's see what the party says:
Axel: Hang on...this is a familiar feeling...
Report: Something good?
Axel: No, it's a bad one.
Ranko: Look, over there.
Gabe: What's that?
Ranko: They call those "Raging Tyrants". I've heard stories about them all the time, from other adventurers; apparently even the soldiers have a hard time with them.
Axel looks at the Tyrant, sizing it up
Gabe: You know, "soldiers killed" usually aren't very good indicators of something's strength.
Ranko: Even so, it'd probably be for the best if we just avoid them.
Silence
Ere: Screw that.
Axel: Screw that.
Gabe: Screw that.
Screw that.
Report: What they said.
Ranko: Are you guys insane?
Gabe: Depends. What day is today?
Ranko: The 5th of Emperor.
Gabe: That gives me no basis of reference. Charge!
Y'know, it's common practice in shows to end things on cliffhangers to make you watch the next episode to find out what happens, and ending that episode with another cliffhanger.
Next time: Raging Tyrant!
