Final Fantasy Hacktics

General => The Lounge => Topic started by: RandMuadDib on May 18, 2011, 01:59:51 pm

Title: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 18, 2011, 01:59:51 pm
I would like to get some opinions here. First I would like to say that zalbag is one of my favorite characters in fft, and as the thread name implies I would like to add him as a playable character, preferably without destroying his role in the story. I have thought about having him join up instead of adramelech killing him, and having vormav bring back balbanes or teta as a zombie instead, but that I feel is too late in the game to be useful. I have also considered adding him at the beginning of chapter 2, but then he would be absent for his part in ch 4.

If you were to add zalbag to the pary, when would you do it and how would you change the story to make it fit?
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: philsov on May 18, 2011, 03:47:15 pm
the most fitting way is with andramelk, largely because of Zalbag overhearing Dycegarg and Rofel, and the mosfungus chemist scene. 

Prior to that the next best meetup location would be after Zalmo I in chapter 3.  But then you'd need to somehow force the event at Igros in late chapter 4...

At which point I'd probably not change much, really.  After Elmdor/Zalera I'd go "your sister is in another castle!  lulz!" which should prompt Igros to be the hotspot. Only to, of course, upon Ramza's arrival (minus Zalbag's chocobo~) his sister is once again at another castle, but Dycegarg is waiting for Ramza/Zalbag to kill them in the name of being an evil zodiac dude.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: LastingDawn on May 18, 2011, 05:39:40 pm
Hmm, I am afraid that the only real way to make it seem legitimate is to have him join Ramza after the Dycedarg battle. Before that Zalbag's mind is completely belonging to Dycedarg's schemes. But that he has a unique skillset (and strangely unique RSM) I believe in earlier drafts of the plot it was likely that Zalbag was meant to join you, but the idea was tossed aside even before they decided to make a formation screen spot for him, I say this because of his RSM which is completely different from every other single special in the game.

After Adramelk seems the only way to make it work legitimately, any other place would seem a betrayal of Zalbag's character in my opinion.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 18, 2011, 06:07:13 pm
Quote from: LastingDawn on May 18, 2011, 05:39:40 pm
After Adramelk seems the only way to make it work legitimately, any other place would seem a betrayal of Zalbag's character in my opinion.


Yeah that's kind of what I was thinking.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: Zozma on May 20, 2011, 05:02:53 am
I agree with LD on this as well, this would be jacking up the story the least
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: Dome on May 20, 2011, 05:24:25 am
Well, Zalbag could join after the "Zombie" fight
Instead of exploding, a zodiac stone could "Revert" him to his normal status, much like Malak is resurrected
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: Zozma on May 20, 2011, 05:35:42 am
I was thinking along the lines of how complicated it might be, but that would not be too hard at all, just adding more dialog and whatnot to the end of that battle
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 20, 2011, 11:47:36 am
Yeah, I find it mechanically useless to add anyone after orlandu, look at vormav's daughter, no one uses her (besides being overshadowed by orlandu, who I plan on not allowing to join, too OP). I guess I will just have to find someone/thing else to give zalbags abilities. Thanks for the opinions guys.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: Pickle Girl Fanboy on May 23, 2011, 05:28:47 pm
Ramza uses a Zodiac stone to fix Zalbag, just like Rafa does Malak.  There's your justification.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 23, 2011, 05:59:53 pm
That's a good justification, but I think it might be too late in the game for him to be useful... wait, you can't get cloud until after this event anyway, right?
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: MagiusRerecros on May 23, 2011, 07:48:36 pm
I don't remember if you can or not... Do you fight Zombag at Igros or Murond? If you fight him at Murond, then you can get Cloud right before you'd revive Zalbag.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 25, 2011, 01:19:04 am
alright well you can get cloud after fighting dycedarg/adremelech. its vormav who raises zombag, and so cloud is before zombag.
I think i shall have ramza recall Zalbag from hell with a zodiac stone just after the fight with adremelech, and then replace zombag with zombie balbanes, since he has a full sprite here. then instead of calling out Zalbag! he'll call out Father!

Easy enough change with what i believe would be an enhancement to the story.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: MagiusRerecros on May 25, 2011, 01:51:51 pm
Zombanes, huh? Could be interesting. Giving him a new skillset might be a bit of a challenge, since afaik, nobody actually knows how he fights.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 25, 2011, 02:08:54 pm
I was under the impression that zombag just ran around bloodsucking?
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: MagiusRerecros on May 25, 2011, 03:34:45 pm
Looking at his entry in the ENTD, he still has his original Arc Knight job, including Destroy Sword, but he was given Blood Suck as a secondary, and the AI just seems to consider that good enough to override any other action. At least, as far as I can tell, anyways.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 25, 2011, 04:23:54 pm
yup, thats was i thought. I'll give zombanes his own skillset, his job set to knight gallant, and blood suck. I think his knight gallant skillset will be some of zalbag's and some of agrias's, unless someone else can give me a better option? Of course it -probably- won't matter because he'll just use blood suck, but hey. A for effort, right?
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character
Post by: LastingDawn on May 25, 2011, 04:27:05 pm
Hmm, Zombie Zalbag and Zalbag do have two different jobs, though they still appear to have very similar parameters, Zombie Zalbag is just a slightly more powerful version of Zalbag.

Balbanes as a Zombie hmm? I like the sound of that. So what skills did you propose giving the Heavenly Knight?


EDIT: Not much, hmm? I suggest skills in essence similar to an Illusionist from FFTA, this should encourage something else aside from Blood Suck at all times, if an ally is out of range it may be even more dangerous not to be blood sucked.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 25, 2011, 04:36:23 pm
I was thinking spped sap, power sap, northswains strike, and shadowblade, maybe lightning stab or holy explosion to mix it up. of course he'll still have speed save like zombie zalbaag and probably DU and MDU. I always felt that if you could control the blood suck that battle was too easy.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: Pickle Girl Fanboy on May 25, 2011, 06:43:24 pm
Zombanes.  Fucking awesome.  He should have bad breath or mossfungus breath or something.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: MagiusRerecros on May 25, 2011, 07:29:43 pm
I like that idea... Mossfungus breath sounds amazing. And smelly.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 25, 2011, 07:58:21 pm
Yes, mossfungus spores: r0a2 adds poison, death scentence, and undead.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: Fenrir90 on May 26, 2011, 03:39:22 pm
Balbanes' skillset. I always pictured the Heavenly Knight job to have all of Orlandu's skillset + all 4 saps (Zalbag) + Shock (spellblade - Beowulf) totally 16 swords skills in all. Balbanes and Orlandu were bestfriends and rivals if my memories serves me right, this skillset would make him quite a challenge.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: RandMuadDib on May 26, 2011, 03:49:35 pm
I think that in an effort to make him actually useful, i shall remove bloodsuck from balbanes, and then perhaps add a couple of generics with bloodsuck, so that it is still a factor in the battle but Balbanes will be able to use his skillset.
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: MysticKnightFF5 on May 27, 2011, 10:12:15 am
...What if you had Ramza bring him back from being a zombie after the battle? Holy Water works wonders, you know.

EDIT: Make that fight hard and make Zaombanes an Orlandu in stats and skills =D Literally, give him All Sword, because the plot says he uses the same style as Orlandu, except BETTER.
So just remove bloodsuck and make him a powered up Orlandu XD
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: Debordes on October 18, 2018, 02:24:18 am
Did anything ever come of this? I came to this forum hoping to find this exact mod. Are there any current patches with a similar mod?
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: 3lric on October 18, 2018, 03:25:43 am
This thread is 7.5 years old... no, nothing ever came of this...
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: Debordes on October 18, 2018, 04:22:31 pm
Quote from: Debordes on October 18, 2018, 02:24:18 amAre there any current patches with a similar mod?

No one else has wanted to play as Zalba(a)g?
Title: Re: zalbag as a playable character, plus Zombanes discussion
Post by: 3lric on October 18, 2018, 04:30:04 pm
No one who cared enough to make it a mod, clearly...