Star Ocean 2 Tips & Tricks on Universe Mode - Part 2 - Ashton Anchors

Channel:

Abaddon Daemon

Subscribers:

421

Published on August 15, 2021 5:00:23 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9kV6buvPO0

Game:

Star Ocean: The Second Story (1998)

Duration: 35:16

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9

Here's the dedicated Customize guide I reference in the video:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/198763-star-ocean-the-second-story/faqs/10092

I want to talk a little about Ashton. He's my favorite character in SO2, but his place in the game is complicated. He has the fastest physical attack among swordsmen, so once you gain access to the game's ultimate gear he becomes the best character. Unfortunately, one might argue by that point the game is practically over. Ashton has other value, though, in Hurricane Slash. It's probably his only great Killer Move, but it has some of the highest single-target damage per second of any attack in the game. At a very early stage it will be dealing 30,000 damage every 2 seconds, which will absolutely shred enemies. Hurricane Slash has some issues of its own, though. Unlike Claude and Dias' best Killer Moves, when Hurricane Slash is parried Ashton is held in parry stun. This means he is a character who often struggles on Universe Mode because of high enemy AVD values, and especially so on a low level run. Ashton also has one of the game's best "ultimate" weapons, in the Melufa. In addition to its high damage and HIT, it gives him a 75 AVD bonus (which is tremendous among weapons) and a 30% HP boost. He can also use Leaf Slash, one his early Killer Moves, to teleport across the battlefield during the stage of the game where movement is a chore, and has the best jumping attack motion among the main fighters.

All in all this makes Ashton a very uneven character throughout this run. The initial stat boosts from the Melufa will enable him to hang with Claude on Disc 1, but he won't gain Hurricane Slash until sometime in the middle of Disc 2. At that point his accuracy starts to lag behind, and unless you focus on fixing that problem he'll die a lot. From battle to battle he'll either spend his time as dead weight (perhaps literally), or he'll kill half of the enemies by himself in the time it takes Claude and Dias to kill the other half.

One of the big debates in any SO2 run is whether Ashton + Noel is worth trading for Opera + Ernest. Personally I think this debate really comes down to Ashton vs. Opera, and I think because of the endgame, Ashton edges her out. But if nothing else, he's just a lot of fun, and has some of the silliest quotes and Private Actions in the game. I think SO2 is much less fun without Ashton in your party.

0:00 Step 13: Come On Bunny
0:57 Tournament of Arms (low level)
10:14 Step 14: Rainbow Diamond from Lacour P.A.
11:17 Step 15: Purchase All Skills
13:26 Finishing Talents
18:29 Optional: Publishing
19:41 Optional: Authoring
20:51 Step 16: Crafting Some Armor
26:00 Step 17: Recruit Ashton
30:17 Step 18: Craft a Melufa
34:03 Optional: Grab Ashton a Shield
34:20 Optional: Farming Damascus and Orichalcum

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