Benji
@beanjie.bsky.social
a fan of jrpgs, games and art in general.
hardcore nuzlockes are the best way to play pokemon
hardcore nuzlockes are the best way to play pokemon
and even the hardest pokemon romhack Run n Bun isn't too big of a problem if you can infinitely save and load meaning there's no game mastery needed, just mastering one encounter.
without a structure that gives you an actual game over and resets the run, it's only systems that are learned, not games
without a structure that gives you an actual game over and resets the run, it's only systems that are learned, not games
January 23, 2026 at 11:16 PM
and even the hardest pokemon romhack Run n Bun isn't too big of a problem if you can infinitely save and load meaning there's no game mastery needed, just mastering one encounter.
without a structure that gives you an actual game over and resets the run, it's only systems that are learned, not games
without a structure that gives you an actual game over and resets the run, it's only systems that are learned, not games
of course, there's really no audience for difficult JRPGs so there's no incentive for devs to balance their games, but since they're one of the most popular genres you'd think there'd be some hardcore games outside of just pokemon romhacks
January 23, 2026 at 10:41 PM
of course, there's really no audience for difficult JRPGs so there's no incentive for devs to balance their games, but since they're one of the most popular genres you'd think there'd be some hardcore games outside of just pokemon romhacks
pokemon's uniquely easy because losing just warps you to the pokemon center with with all the exp kept. you can literally just run back to the same trainer and it'll be easier and easier if you knock out just a few pokemon.
SMT is harder if you don't grind in both, still not hard though
SMT is harder if you don't grind in both, still not hard though
January 23, 2026 at 10:16 PM
pokemon's uniquely easy because losing just warps you to the pokemon center with with all the exp kept. you can literally just run back to the same trainer and it'll be easier and easier if you knock out just a few pokemon.
SMT is harder if you don't grind in both, still not hard though
SMT is harder if you don't grind in both, still not hard though
It lets its systems shine and becomes one of the best JRPGs you can play.
Adding complexity and extra systems is easy, making complexity matter is what makes an actually engaging gameplay experience.
Adding complexity and extra systems is easy, making complexity matter is what makes an actually engaging gameplay experience.
January 20, 2026 at 10:42 AM
It lets its systems shine and becomes one of the best JRPGs you can play.
Adding complexity and extra systems is easy, making complexity matter is what makes an actually engaging gameplay experience.
Adding complexity and extra systems is easy, making complexity matter is what makes an actually engaging gameplay experience.
A good example is how Pokémon games are basically mid & forgettable games gameplay wise if you're in any way competent at them.
Once you force a structure by having level caps, stronger trainer teams, having fewer pokemon and having a lose state..
It forces you to engage with all of the game
Once you force a structure by having level caps, stronger trainer teams, having fewer pokemon and having a lose state..
It forces you to engage with all of the game
January 20, 2026 at 10:40 AM
A good example is how Pokémon games are basically mid & forgettable games gameplay wise if you're in any way competent at them.
Once you force a structure by having level caps, stronger trainer teams, having fewer pokemon and having a lose state..
It forces you to engage with all of the game
Once you force a structure by having level caps, stronger trainer teams, having fewer pokemon and having a lose state..
It forces you to engage with all of the game
That's crazy. There's a million systems shoved in there and you don't even need to engage with most of them to win. The action gameplay feels awful, the turn-based gameplay doesn't exist outside of bosses.
Don't think it's even close to any of the Etrian Odyssey games, it just has more bloat.
Don't think it's even close to any of the Etrian Odyssey games, it just has more bloat.
January 18, 2026 at 9:36 PM
That's crazy. There's a million systems shoved in there and you don't even need to engage with most of them to win. The action gameplay feels awful, the turn-based gameplay doesn't exist outside of bosses.
Don't think it's even close to any of the Etrian Odyssey games, it just has more bloat.
Don't think it's even close to any of the Etrian Odyssey games, it just has more bloat.
If we're talking purely gameplay it's the best SMT by far. I really liked the gameplay until the usual mid-point in the game where SMT games can never keep up with how strong skills, buffs and debuffs get.
But even though it became a lot less engaging as soon as I had access to those I still like it
But even though it became a lot less engaging as soon as I had access to those I still like it
January 18, 2026 at 9:30 PM
If we're talking purely gameplay it's the best SMT by far. I really liked the gameplay until the usual mid-point in the game where SMT games can never keep up with how strong skills, buffs and debuffs get.
But even though it became a lot less engaging as soon as I had access to those I still like it
But even though it became a lot less engaging as soon as I had access to those I still like it
Yeah, it literally takes like 3 seconds to restart the battle, it's doable from battle during any of your turns with a single button press and it resets everything to the start of the fight.
In a game with this much RNG, that's an insane mechanic to have.
In a game with this much RNG, that's an insane mechanic to have.
January 18, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Yeah, it literally takes like 3 seconds to restart the battle, it's doable from battle during any of your turns with a single button press and it resets everything to the start of the fight.
In a game with this much RNG, that's an insane mechanic to have.
In a game with this much RNG, that's an insane mechanic to have.
Missed your attack? Just reset.
Poison didn't land? Just reset.
Enemy isn't stunned at the start of the fight? Reset. You can't burst the enemy down? Run and crit the enemy to re-engage, their lowered HP is kept between encounters. You attacked an enemy and they got unstunned? ...Reset
This game...
Poison didn't land? Just reset.
Enemy isn't stunned at the start of the fight? Reset. You can't burst the enemy down? Run and crit the enemy to re-engage, their lowered HP is kept between encounters. You attacked an enemy and they got unstunned? ...Reset
This game...
January 18, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Missed your attack? Just reset.
Poison didn't land? Just reset.
Enemy isn't stunned at the start of the fight? Reset. You can't burst the enemy down? Run and crit the enemy to re-engage, their lowered HP is kept between encounters. You attacked an enemy and they got unstunned? ...Reset
This game...
Poison didn't land? Just reset.
Enemy isn't stunned at the start of the fight? Reset. You can't burst the enemy down? Run and crit the enemy to re-engage, their lowered HP is kept between encounters. You attacked an enemy and they got unstunned? ...Reset
This game...
It honestly feels like they just added every mechanic without ever considering how it might affect the gameplay.
All of these strategies don't even make the game slower, since resets happen really quick.
The game even encourages it by giving you bonuses if you finish the fight without taking damage
All of these strategies don't even make the game slower, since resets happen really quick.
The game even encourages it by giving you bonuses if you finish the fight without taking damage
January 18, 2026 at 12:12 AM
It honestly feels like they just added every mechanic without ever considering how it might affect the gameplay.
All of these strategies don't even make the game slower, since resets happen really quick.
The game even encourages it by giving you bonuses if you finish the fight without taking damage
All of these strategies don't even make the game slower, since resets happen really quick.
The game even encourages it by giving you bonuses if you finish the fight without taking damage
Monks also completely negate the need for mana since you can easily afford practically infinite healing consumables.. Being able to quickly and infinitely reset fights also means you can just reset the fight to guarantee crits or status effects landing on bosses & random encounters as well
January 18, 2026 at 12:09 AM
Monks also completely negate the need for mana since you can easily afford practically infinite healing consumables.. Being able to quickly and infinitely reset fights also means you can just reset the fight to guarantee crits or status effects landing on bosses & random encounters as well
From what I've been reading, the strongest Firebringer variant that I had to beat has stats that are set.
But even if they weren't, battle rank going up a bit is okay since you get the final tier of weapons & armour for it.
But even if they weren't, battle rank going up a bit is okay since you get the final tier of weapons & armour for it.
January 17, 2026 at 8:33 PM
From what I've been reading, the strongest Firebringer variant that I had to beat has stats that are set.
But even if they weren't, battle rank going up a bit is okay since you get the final tier of weapons & armour for it.
But even if they weren't, battle rank going up a bit is okay since you get the final tier of weapons & armour for it.
Though, if stuns were disabled on the final boss of Ambitions, then the answer to that fight would have been grinding...
A pick your poison kinda deal.
Maybe Emerald Beyond doesn't have those kinds of fights 🤞
A pick your poison kinda deal.
Maybe Emerald Beyond doesn't have those kinds of fights 🤞
January 17, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Though, if stuns were disabled on the final boss of Ambitions, then the answer to that fight would have been grinding...
A pick your poison kinda deal.
Maybe Emerald Beyond doesn't have those kinds of fights 🤞
A pick your poison kinda deal.
Maybe Emerald Beyond doesn't have those kinds of fights 🤞
Is stun% increase from Acuity not that big of a deal, then? If they're literally impossible to stun even with like 15+ Acuity that's good, at the very least it forces you to engage with their mechanics.
January 17, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Is stun% increase from Acuity not that big of a deal, then? If they're literally impossible to stun even with like 15+ Acuity that's good, at the very least it forces you to engage with their mechanics.
It's good that you gotta be offensive if you wanna stun bosses then.
Assuming high acuity, repeated stun attempts and some damage doesn't just make it probable again, haven't played Emerald Beyond enough to know
Assuming high acuity, repeated stun attempts and some damage doesn't just make it probable again, haven't played Emerald Beyond enough to know
January 16, 2026 at 8:01 PM
It's good that you gotta be offensive if you wanna stun bosses then.
Assuming high acuity, repeated stun attempts and some damage doesn't just make it probable again, haven't played Emerald Beyond enough to know
Assuming high acuity, repeated stun attempts and some damage doesn't just make it probable again, haven't played Emerald Beyond enough to know
I haven't finished the game so maybe some bosses are immune to stuns, but I don't think most of them are.
Would have to test more.
Would have to test more.
January 16, 2026 at 3:52 PM
I haven't finished the game so maybe some bosses are immune to stuns, but I don't think most of them are.
Would have to test more.
Would have to test more.
Are you sure? I'm pretty sure I had to stun the Necronomicon boss or its skeleton buddies to be able to win.
January 16, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Are you sure? I'm pretty sure I had to stun the Necronomicon boss or its skeleton buddies to be able to win.
It was probably something like 40 or so. It's a JRPG so of course it's possible to cheese it and do it in way less, but if you're not going for those specific parties it should take around that many.
January 16, 2026 at 3:27 PM
It was probably something like 40 or so. It's a JRPG so of course it's possible to cheese it and do it in way less, but if you're not going for those specific parties it should take around that many.
I think if you wanted to nerf status effects but still have them be a thing, you'd have to do what Etrian Odyssey did and give them stacking resist that go up to 100% after getting afflicted. Either that or stagger meters... The first method is still RNG but it disables stuns after a while, at least
January 16, 2026 at 2:47 PM
I think if you wanted to nerf status effects but still have them be a thing, you'd have to do what Etrian Odyssey did and give them stacking resist that go up to 100% after getting afflicted. Either that or stagger meters... The first method is still RNG but it disables stuns after a while, at least
If I had to vaguely guess off of feel, I got the stun like 15% of the time since the 3 Firebringer phases seemed to have stun resist. I was using 3 stun moves per turn as well, and as long as you can stun bosses in Emerald Beyond that seems like the proper strat as well.
January 16, 2026 at 2:44 PM
If I had to vaguely guess off of feel, I got the stun like 15% of the time since the 3 Firebringer phases seemed to have stun resist. I was using 3 stun moves per turn as well, and as long as you can stun bosses in Emerald Beyond that seems like the proper strat as well.
It really is proof that even if you have a normal ass gameplay system like Etrian Odyssey, fights can be really good as long as they're designed and balanced properly with enough variables that you HAVE to keep in mind or you lose.
January 13, 2026 at 3:48 AM
It really is proof that even if you have a normal ass gameplay system like Etrian Odyssey, fights can be really good as long as they're designed and balanced properly with enough variables that you HAVE to keep in mind or you lose.