The Sketch Guide Version 1.0 Djibriel, October 2005 "We don't make mistakes here, we just have happy accidents. We want happy, happy paintings. If you want sad things, watch the news. Everything is possible here. This is your little universe." - Bob Ross (1942-1995) Contents 1.0 Version History 2.0 Introduction 3.0 Slang 4.0 How Sketch works 4.1.1 Sketch Hit Rate 4.1.2 The Beret 4.1.3 Sketch Hit Rate with a Beret 4.2.1 Sketch damage formula 4.2.2 Miscellaneous notes 5.0 Sketch attacks 6.0 When to use Sketch 7.0 Conclusion No number: Disclaimer ********************************** 1.0 Version History ********************************** - Version 1.0 (10/17/2005) Initial Release - Version 1.1 (1/8/2006) Fixed its/it's errors and some other ones. Thankx go to Galbalan for pointing them out! ********************************** 2.0 Introduction ********************************** Nobody likes Sketch. And that's only logical. See, if Blitz is the popular jock all shallow people love, if SwdTech is the bitch without any real qualities who is adored for her looks and if Rage is the scrawny kid with glasses few people like to talk to who'll later make more money that the rest of class '96 combined, Sketch is the poor kid who, besides being lactose-intolerant, suffering from asthma AND having the worst case of acne known to Western science, lacks any kind of charm, quality or potential. Even if you do put on a nose peg - penetrating body odour - and get to talk to him, you'll notice that under all the ugly, you've found a prime example of a generally boring person who sometimes likes to kill caterpillars and sniff his sister's underwear. That, my friends, is Sketch. This doesn't make the character of Relm useless; she has great equipment, a natural ability to reach 128 % Mblock without all too much fuss and/or Merit Award, the game's highest starting Magic Power and is, as annual polls tell us, the game's sexiest person by far. But still, Sketch. It's not like Shock or anything, it's got its own damage formula and even its own two bytes on *every* monster to tell us what attacks can be produced by Sketch. Clearly at least some amount of effort was put into Sketch, that much is obvious. But hey, that doesn't say anything; if you're still with me on the whole kid-metaphor thing, his parents must have hugged eachother in that special way at least once for it to appear, and judging from the look of it, also the scorn of society for breaking the dogma on brother/ sister fornication. Andy Warhol (1928-1987) said everybody should have their 15 minutes of fame. And thus Sketch too should pass the revue; I see before me the Task of Hercules to bring some kind of justification for the ability. While it's an entirely other debate, most people will want to agree with me when I say that Control isn't exactly hot enough to justify the loss of a Relic slot, so you'll probably be keeping Sketch around. Let's see what Sketch can do for us. Technological and/or systematical bashing of Sketch: Square employee # 1: My, what a pleasant day. Comrade, come ye over here and listen! While drinking my scotch, enjoying the pleasures of a Cuban cigar and having delightful social intercourse with my wife and children, I stumbled upon an idea. I perceive it to be the idea to end all ideas. Square employee # 2: What? Square employee # 1: I say, we shall create a monster within this game that we are creating, and we will make it a lightning monster! It will be a demon of electricity, an incubus of sparks, a behemoth of thunder! Oh, the players will appreciate the subtle irony of defeating a symbolic representation of electricity on this 'gaming console' - in the parlance on our time - which itself is powered by electricity. Square employee # 2: I really think you should drink less Black Russians before lunch. Thus, after jokingly punching Square employee # 2 in the groin, face and stomach until he stops moving, the protagonist of our tale goes off to create this monster of lightning. Among other lightning-related touches to the beast, he makes the monster *absorb* lightning, as that's what lightning monsters tend to do. Also, from the Sketch attacks, he selects two Lightning-elemental attacks, as that's what animated paintings from lightning monsters tend to do. Behold, Rhinotaur, one of the many factual rebutals to the statement 'Sketch was a positive factor in this game'. And that's the basic lay-out of 50 % of Sketch its problem. Monsters often have a theme. The theme can be an element or a status effect. Almost always, the monsters are immune to what they do themselves. Rhinotaur does and absorbs Mega Volt. Lich does and absorbs Fire 2. Pm Stalker does and absorbs Drain. Mandrake does and resists StoneTouch. Etcetera. The other 50 % of Sketch its problem is the damage formula. Here's how opponents and character are laid out in this game: Characters: High stats Low HP Strong attacks Monsters: Low stats High HP Mediocre attacks Sketch takes the stats of the monsters you're Sketching, and more often than not the attacks of it. While not Sketching, the Sketch user will have the normal character's amount of HP. Basically, a Sketcher combines the worst attributes of both sides into a potpourri of failure. ********************************** 3.0 Slang ********************************** MT: Multi-target. Targets all members of one side ST: Single-target. Targets a single target NMG: Natural Magic Game. Magic taught by Espers and equipment is prohibited in this challenge. !Special: A lot of attacks have an exclamation mark in front of them. This is to show that the attack concerned is a Special attack, a physical attack that's based off of the Battle attack. ********************************** 4.0 How Sketch works ********************************** 4.1.1 Sketch Hit Rate -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sketch chance: If (Sketcher's level * 256) / Target's level > [0..255] then you successfully sketch, otherwise you miss. What does this mean? The [0..255] part is just factored in for the random part of the formula. To simplify it, you can keep in the back of your head that (Sketcher's level)/(Sketchee's level) = Probability Sketch will work That's a tiny margin off, but accurate enough. Conclusions: - Whenever the Sketcher's level is equal to or higher than the Sketchee, Sketch will always work. - If the Sketchee's level is double the Sketcher's level, the probability of Sketch working is 50.2 %. - If the Sketchee's level is 1.5 the Sketcher's level, the probability of Sketch working is 66.66 %. - If the Sketchee's level is 25 and the Sketcher's level is 5, the probability of Sketch is 20 % (this is the scenario of Relm VS Ultros #3 in an LLG). 4.1.2 The Beret -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Beret, a piece of Headgear, can boost the chance of Sketch working. All in all it's a rather crummy piece of Headgear you don't want to have around, even when you first find it as the Mystery Veil is better than it. Here are the Beret's stats: Defense: 21 Magic Defense: 21 Magic Power + 3 Can be equipped by Relm Is compatible with the Merit Award For trivia info, here's how Mystery Veil is better: Defense: 24 Magic Defense: 25 Magic Power + 3 M. Block + 10 % Can be equipped by Terra, Celes, Relm Is not compatible with the Merit Award You can find the Beret for the first time on the Floating Continent, in the blue orb to the northeast of the bizarre gateway that takes you to the Save Point. Later, you can buy the Beret in WoR Tzen for 3500 GP. 4.1.3 Sketch Hit Rate with a Beret -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are equipped with a Beret, then the chance to sketch is: If (Sketcher's level * 256) / (Target's level * 170 / 256) > [0..255] then you successfully sketch, otherwise you miss. This can be simplified with a slight deviation to (Sketcher's level)/(2/3 * Sketchee's level) Conclusions with the Beret equipped: - Whenever the Sketcher's level is equal to or higher than 1.5 * the level of the Sketchee, Sketch will always work. - If the Sketchee's level is double the Sketcher's level, the probability of Sketch working is 75 %. 4.2.1 Sketch damage formula -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's very simple. Sketch uses the level of the Sketcher, and the Magic Power, Vigor and Bat. Power or the Sketchee. Allow that to sink in for a moment, and try not to cry over the horror. Cyan is the character's with the lowest Magic Power: 25. The normal monster's Magic Power tends to be 10. The monsters whose Magic Power even starts to approach that of a characters are the following: Brachosaur 25 Because it's just plain mean. Siegfried 25 Colloseum, to make HyperDrive fatal. Hoover 22 To keep you out of the desert until your levels are high Cactrot 50 Trivia, he never makes use of it. Magic Urn 35 Trivia, the only way to use it is Sketch it for Cure 3 SoulDancer 30 Trivia, the only way to use it is Sketch for Drain or Osmose Allo Ver 55 For fatal Atomic Ray attacks after 60 seconds into the battle Nohrabbit 30 For those strong Cure/Cure 2 attacks when it dies. IronHitman 25 To make Tek Laser at least somewhat impressive Guardian 25 One of the few monsters who makes use of its strong Magic Power L. 30 Magic* 20 Magic Tower L. 20 Magic* 21 Magic Tower L. 10 Magic* 22 Magic Tower Long Arm* 30 Shock Wave boosting, he uses nothing else MagiMaster* 25 Magic Tower, and a fatal Ultima * These monsters cannot be Sketched The Relics Relm carries to boost damage (Atlas Armlet, Earrings, Hero Ring) are NOT ignored. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.2.2 Miscellaneous notes - The Weapon Relm is holding while executing Battle or Special attack through Sketch is *entirely* ignored. This ranges from ignoring Back Row compatibility, Dice effects, X-type instant-death, random spells, everything. - The different parts in the final battle cannot be Sketched. - Muted Sketchers cannot execute Sketch attacks that would normally cost any MP - Sketch will never work on party members - Sketch will never work on monsters with the Clear status ********************************** 5.0 Sketch attacks ********************************** 75 % 25 % Special description Guard Battle Battle Soldier Scan Battle Templar Battle !Axe Battle * 2 Ninja Water Edge Fire Skean Samurai Doom Flare Orog Pearl Bio Mag Roader Battle !Wheel Battle * 1.5 Retainer Wind Slash !Tradeoff Inflicts Death Hazer Battle Drain Dahling Cure 2 Mute Rain Man Bolt 3 !Umbrawler Inflicts Sleep Brawler Battle !Punch Battle * 1.5 Apokryphos L. 3 Muddle !Silencer Inflicts Silence Dark Force CleanSweep L. 5 Doom Whisper Demi Quartr Over-Mind Battle Dread Osteosaur Battle !Fossil Inflicts Zombie Commander Battle Fire Rhodox Snare !Near Fatal Battle * 4 Were-Rat Battle !Bite Battle * 1.5 Ursus Fire 2 !Scratch Battle * 1.5 Rhinotaur Giga Volt Mega Volt Steroidite Slide !Rush Battle * 3 Leafer Battle !Incisor Battle * 1.5 Stray Cat Blaster !Catscratch Battle * 4 Lobo Battle !Tusk Battle * 1.5 Doberman Battle !Bite Battle * 1.5 Vomammoth Blizzard !Bear Claw Battle * 1.5 Fidor Battle !Pounce Battle * 2 Baskervor Absolute 0 !Claw Battle * 1.5 Suriander Aqua Rake !Yawn Inflicts Sleep Chimera Aqua Rake !Frisky Battle * 2 Behemoth Meteor !Take Down Battle * 3 Mesosaur Step Mine !T. Lash Inflicts Seizure Pterodon Fire Ball !Wing Inflicts Seizure FossilFang Sand Storm !Bone Inflicts Zombie White Drgn Pearl Flare Doom Drgn N. Cross Fallen One Brachosaur Step Mine !Wail Battle * 6 Tyranosaur Aero !Bite Battle * 7 Dark Wind Battle !Dive Battle * 1.5 Beakor Battle !Duster Inflicts Poison Vulture Shimsham !Blinder Inflicts Dark Harpy Cyclonic !Grip Battle * 2 HermitCrab Net !Rock Inflicts Petrify Trapper L. 3 Muddle L. 5 Doom Hornet Battle !IronNeedle Battle * 1.5 CrassHoppr Battle !Wing Snap Inflicts Berserk Delta Bug Mega Volt !Rush Battle * 1.5 Gilomantis Lode Stone !Sickle Battle * 1.5 Trilium Battle !Bane Touch Inflicts Poison Nightshade Charm !Poison Pod Inflicts Poison TumbleWeed Lifeshaver !Blinder Inflicts Blind Bloompire Bio !Energy Sap Inflicts Zombie Trilobiter Battle !PoisonBarb Inflicts Poison Siegfried Battle Battle Nautiloid Battle !Ink Inflicts Dark Exocite Battle !Scissors Battle * 1.5 Anguiform Aqua Rake !Garotte Battle * 5 Reach Frog Slimer !Tongue Inflicts Seizure Lizard Remedy Imp ChickenLip Quake !Lash Inflicts Mute Hoover Sand Storm !Crush Battle * 5 Rider Virite !SilverPike Battle * 3 Chupon Battle Battle Pipsqueak Roulette Imp Inflicts Imp M-TekArmor Battle Tek Laser Sky Armor Tek Laser !Backlash Inflicts Mute Telstar Tek Laser Launcher Lethal Wpn Megazerk !Metal Arm Battle * 2 Vaporite Battle Slow Flan Slimer !Slip Gunk Inflicts Seizure Ing Lifeshaver !Glare Inflicts Dark Humpty Poison !Hug Brainpan Blow Fish !Smirk Inflicts Stop Cruller Slimer !Brainstorm Inflicts Confuse Cactrot Blow Fish !Mind Sting Inflicts Berserk Repo Man Flare !Wrench Battle * 1.5 Harvester Fire Wall !Sickle Battle * 1.5 Bomb Blaze Exploder Still Life Lullaby !Bane Kiss Inflicts Poison Boxed Set Meteor !Mirror Orb Battle * 3 SlamDancer Ice 2 Fire 2 HadesGigas Magnitude8 !Head Butt Battle * 4 Pug Break !Cleaver Battle * 8 Magic Urn Cure 3 Remedy Mover Disaster Battle Figaliz Dischord !Gunk Inflicts Poison Buffalax Battle !Riot Battle * 1.5 Aspik Giga Volt !NumbSpines Inflicts Stop Ghost X-Zone Fire Crawler Step Mine !Feeler Inflicts Poison Sand Ray Battle !Tail Battle * 1.5 Areneid Battle !Numb Inflicts Stop Actaneon Aqua Rake !Clamp Battle * 1.5 Sand Horse Sand Storm !Clamp Battle * 5 Dark Side Fire 3 !Slip Touch Inflicts Seizure Mad Oscar Sour Mouth !Drool Inflicts Seizure Crawly Battle !Heart Burn Inflicts Seizure Bleary Battle !Slumber Inflicts Sleep Marshal Battle !Charge Battle * 2 Trooper Battle !Swing Battle * 2 General Cure 2 !Bio Attack Inflicts Seizure Covert Wind Slash !Disappear Inflicts Clear Ogor Meteor Battle Warlock Pearl !MagicDrain Drains MP Madam Pearl Flare Joker Bolt 2 !Parasol Battle * 2 Iron Fist Stone !Knee Kick Battle * 2 Goblin Bolt 3 Fire 3 Apparite !Slip Touch !Slip Touch Inflicts Seizure PowerDemon Flare !Daze Dance Drains HP Displayer Doom !Rib Battle * 2 Vector Pup Battle !Bite Battle * 1.5 Peepers Pearl Wind !Tail Battle * 1.5 Sewer Rat Battle !Incisor Battle * 1.5 Slatter Shimsham !Choke Battle * 1.5 Rhinox Life 3 !BaneStrike Inflicts Poison Rhobite Battle !Incisor Battle * 1.5 Wild Cat Blaster !Pounce Battle * 1.5 Red Fang Battle !Rabies Inflicts Poison Bounty Man Battle !Bite Battle * 1.5 Tusker Blizzard !Gore Battle * 2 Ralph Battle !Tackle Battle * 1.5 Chitonid Battle !Carapace Battle * 1.5 Wart Puck Battle !Yawn Inflicts Sleep Rhyos Surge El Nino SrBehemoth Fire 3 !Hypno Gas Inflicts Sleep Vectaur Pearl Wind !Tusk Battle * 1.5 Wyvern Cyclonic !Slip Wing Inflicts Seizure Zombone Bolt 3 !Bone Inflicts Zombie Dragon Revenge !Tail Battle * 5 Brontaur Fire 3 !Wail Battle * 5 Allosaurus Doom !PoisonClaw Inflicts Poison Cirpius Battle !Beak Inflicts Petrify Sprinter Aero !Drainbeak Drains MP Gobbler Shimsham !Silence Inflicts Mute Harpiai Aero !Nail Battle * 1.5 GloomShell Net !Rock Inflicts Petrify Drop Muddle !Mad Signal Inflicts Confuse Mind Candy Battle !SleepSting Inflicts Sleep WeedFeeder Lifeshaver !Wing Snap Inflicts Berserk Luridan Land Slide !Horn Battle * 2 Toe Cutter Shrapnel !Doomsickle Drains HP Over Grunk Poison !Bane Touch Inflicts Poison Exoray Virite !DoomPollen Inflicts Zombie Crusher Lifeshaver !Blow Battle * 5 Uroburos Quake Bio Primordite Battle !Numblade Inflicts Stop Sky Cap Atomic Ray !SlipAnchor Inflicts Seizure Cephaler Battle !Husk Battle * 1.5 Maliga Battle !Scissors Battle * 1.5 Gigan Toad Slimer !Croak Battle * 2 Geckorex Break !Petriglare Inflicts Petrify Cluck Quake !Lick Inflicts Petrify Land Worm Magnitude8 !Compress Battle * 2 Test Rider Flash Rain !Gold Lance Battle * 3 PlutoArmor Tek Laser !Crash Battle * 2 Tomb Thumb Step Mine !Dash Inflicts Haste HeavyArmor Tek Laser !Metal Hand Battle * 1.5 Chaser Plasma !Program 17 Inflicts Shell Scullion Exploder !Gamma Rays Inflicts Condemned Poplium Battle Slow Intangir Step Mine !Sleep Inflicts Clear (stopped listing bad stuff) Misfit Lifeshaver !Enmity Inflicts Dark Eland Bio !Stench Inflicts Confuse Enuo CleanSweep !Slime Inflicts Slow Deep Eye Dread !Dreamland Inflicts Sleep GreaseMonk !LodeWrench !LodeWrench Battle * 1.5 NeckHunter Imp !Mad Sickle Inflicts Confuse Grenade Blaze !Mesmerize Inflicts Berserk Critic Condemned !Slip Seed Inflicts Seizure Pan Dora Revenge !Hypno Gas Inflicts Sleep SoulDancer Osmose Drain Gigantos Battle !Throat Jab Battle * 5 Mag Roader Battle !Rush Battle * 1.5 Spek Tor Blaster !Scratch Battle * 1.5 Parasite Giga Volt !Mind Stop Inflicts Stop EarthGuard Big Guard !PoisonTail Inflicts Poison Coelecite Magnitude8 !HypnoSting Inflicts Sleep Anemone Giga Volt Imp Hipocampus Flash Rain Acid Raid Spectre Fire Bolt Evil Oscar Sour Mouth Poison Slurm Battle !Dijestive Inflicts Seizure Latimeria Magnitude8 !Wind-Up Battle * 1.5 StillGoing Battle !Slip Touch Inflicts Seizure Allo Ver !Dead End !Dead End Inflicts Death Phase !Blow Fish !Smirk Inflicts Stop Outsider Battle !Ruin Inflicts Death Barb-e Love Token !Slap Inflicts Mute Parasoul Flash Rain !Spin Slice Inflicts Confuse Pm Stalker Drain Poison Hemophyte Shock Wave CursedGaze Inflicts Seizure Sp Forces Battle !Blow Battle * 2 Nohrabbit Cure 2 Cure Wizard Demi Rasp Scrapper Elf Fire !Knife Battle * 1.5 Ceritops Giga Volt Imp Commando Battle !Program 65 Inflicts Mute Opinicus Slide !Riot Battle * 1.5 Poppers Stone Imp Lunaris Battle !Face Bite Inflicts Dark Garm Ice 3 !Program 95 Inflicts Confuse Vindr Acid Rain !Beak Inflicts Petrify Kiwok Cyclonic Imp Nastidon Battle !Grab Battle * 1.5 Rinn Battle Slow Insecare Battle !Wing Whisp Inflicts Berserk Vermin Bio !Bacteria Inflicts Seizure Mantodea Wind Slash !MindReaper Drains MP Bogy Battle !Oogyboog Battle * 2 Prussian Battle !Bear Hug Battle * 3 Black Drgn Fallen One Sand Storm Adamanchyt Blaster !Nail Battle * 1.5 Dante L. 3 Muddle !QuartzPike Battle * 3 Wirey Drgn Cyclonic !Wing Battle * 2 Dueller Giga Volt !Megashock Battle * 3 Psychot Lifeshaver !Mindshock Drains MP Muus Pep Up !Gunk Inflicts Slow Karkass Bolt 3 Break Punisher Battle Battle Balloon Exploder !Flare Up Battle * 1.5 Gabbldegak Vanish !!GoldWrench Battle * 1.5 GtBehemoth Meteor !Hay Maker Battle * 4 Scorpion Battle !Doom Sting Inflicts Condemned Chaos Drgn Disaster !Cinderizer Inflicts Death Spit Fire Tek Laser !Propeller Battle * 1.5 Vectagoyle Aqua Rake Giga Volt Lich Fire 2 Fire Osprey Shimsham !Beak Inflicts Petrify Mag Roader Battle !Wheel Battle * 1.5 Bug Battle !StoneSpine Inflicts Petrify Sea Flower Battle !Feeler Inflicts Poison Fortis Shrapnel !Double Arm Battle * 2 Abolisher Poison !Down Dust Inflicts Poison Aquila Cyclonic !Flap Battle * 5 Junk Bolt 3 !Parallout Inflicts Clear Mandrake Raid !StoneTouch Inflicts Petrify 1st Class Battle !Ore Wrench Battle * 1.5 Tap Dancer Slow 2 !WaistShake Inflicts Confuse Necromancr Doom X-Zone Borras !Uppercut !Uppercut Battle * 5 Mag Roader Battle !Rush Battle * 2 Wild Rat Battle !Scratch Battle * 1.5 Gold Bear Battle !Gouge Battle * 2.5 Innoc Battle L? Pearl Trixter Fire 2 Fire Red Wolf Revenge !Rush Battle * 1.5 Didalos Quake !PoisonTusk Inflicts Poison Woolly W Wind !Frenzy Inflicts Berserk Veteran Condemned Roulette Sky Base Giga Volt Doom IronHitman Dischord !Destroy Battle * 2 Io Plasma !Crush Battle * 3 Pugs Battle !Knife Battle * 8 Presenter (shell) Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Mega Armor Tek Laser !MetalPunch Battle * 1.5 Prometheus S. Cross !Drill Battle * 1.5 Inferno Battle !Sobat Battle * 3 Umaro Battle !Tackle Battle * 3 Guardian Big Guard !Ink Battle * 1.5, Inflicts Dark Air Force Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 AtmaWeapon Battle !Full Power Battle * 2 Nerapa Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 SrBehemoth Battle !Evil Claw Battle * 1.5, Remove Reflect Doom Gaze Battle !Bane Claw Inflicts Poison Curley Battle !Hit Battle * 2 Larry Battle !Hit Battle * 2 Moe Battle !Hit Battle * 2 WrexSoul Battle !KarmicBlow Inflicts Condemned Hidon Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 KatanaSoul Battle !SlayerEdge Inflicts Death Hidonite Battle !PoisonClaw Inflicts Poison Doom Battle !Demon Rage Battle * 4 Goddess Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Poltrgeist Battle !Psychrip Battle * 2 Kefka Ultima !Havoc Wing Battle * 4 Ultros (# 3) Tentacle Tentacle Chupon Battle !Hit Inflicts Poison Whelk Head (Presenter) Battle !PetriBlast Inflicts Petrify Master Pug Battle !Knife Battle * 8 Rough Battle !Rapier Battle * 1.5 Striker Battle !Slash Battle * 2 Tritoch Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Laser Gun Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Speck Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 MissileBay Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Ice Dragon Ice 3 Fire 3 Storm Drgn Aero Pearl Wind Dirt Drgn Bolt 3 Magnitude8 Gold Drgn Bolt 3 Ice 3 Skull Drgn Battle Rasp Blue Drgn Ice 3 Blaster Red Dragon Fire 3 L? Pearl Hidonite Battle !Confuclaw Inflicts Confuse Hidonite Battle !Zombi Claw Inflicts Zombie Hidonite Battle !Mega Claw Battle * 4 ProtoArmor Tek Laser !Program 35 Battle * 1.5 SoulSaver Battle !MagicDrain Drains MP Ultros Battle !OctopusInk Battle * 1.5, Inflicts Dark (#4) Naughty Battle !Hit Battle * 2 Phunbaba (Escape) Battle !Solar Plex Battle * 3 Phunbaba (BabaBreath) Battle !Solar Plex Battle * 3 Phunbaba (Final) Battle !Solar Plex Battle * 3 Zone Eater Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Atma Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 ********************************** 6.0 When to use Sketch ********************************** First off: NO SKETCH ATTEMPT IS EVER GOOD ENOUGH TO WARRANT SUICIDE. That's why the following four monsters should never be Sketched: Black List: Bomb 25 % Exploder Scullion 75 % Exploder Balloon 75 % Exploder Muus 75 % Pep Up Second off: What's a good moment to use Sketch? A high-leveled Relm with Merit Award, Offering and the ValiantKnife knows no good moments to use Sketch. Relm who is continuously up-to-date with all Magic available has very little moments where Sketch is superior to her Magic command. I've listed the better moments to use Sketch with a normal four-headed party in the back of my head where Relm knows no Magic but is equipped with the best weapon at the time. Here's the recommendations by location: You'll find yourself being able to use Sketch in-battle as soon as you get Relm, while fighting Ultros. The game gently pushes you to use Sketch against Ultros. While the restulting Tentacle attack is hardly worth it, Ultros AI script makes Sketch end the battle. Ultros (# 3) Tentacle Tentacle Adamanchyt Blaster !Nail Battle * 1.5 Slurm Battle !Dijestive Inflicts Seizure Abolisher Poison !Down Dust Inflicts Poison Mandrake Raid !StoneTouch Inflicts Petrify Insecare Battle !Wing Whisp Inflicts Berserk In the cave itself, Sketch is next to useless. The only two enemies worth sketching are Adamanchyt when it is accompanied by two Slurm (Blaster kills them) or versus Mandrake. 25 % !StoneTouch works against Insecare and 75 % Raid can restore Relm's health if it's low. On a normal level (20-25) Raid should absorb about 300 HP. Baskervor Absolute 0 !Claw Battle * 1.5 Chimera Aqua Rake !Frisky Battle * 2 Cephaler Battle !Husk Battle * 1.5 Outside of the cave, on the Overworld Map, both Baskervor's 75 % Absolute 0 and Chimera's 75 % Aqua Rake deal 700 damage (350 when MT) on a normal level. When the Blackjack is recovered and Relm is on it, Sketch can be used to access a lot of neat cookies that are hardly ever very useful, but always interesting. If you want to see the Bolt 3 spell, head to the Veldt and Sketch a Zombone If you want to see the Ice 3 spell, head to the Veldt and Sketch a Garm You can teach Strago the Roulette Lore earlier by Sketching a Pipsqueak for its 75 % Roulette attack. Ultros Battle !OctopusInk Battle * 1.5, Inflicts Dark (#4) Chupon Battle !Hit Inflicts Poison Sky Armor Tek Laser !Backlash Inflicts Mute Spit Fire Tek Laser !Propeller Battle * 1.5 Laser Gun Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Speck Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 MissileBay Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Air Force Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Refrain from using Sketch during the entire AIF sequence, Ultros/Chupon battle and struggle against Air Force, as nothing will be worth the turn. Ninja Water Edge Fire Skean Apokryphos L. 3 Muddle !Silencer Inflicts Silence Behemoth Meteor !Take Down Battle * 3 Brainpan Blow Fish !Smirk Inflicts Stop Dragon Revenge !Tail Battle * 5 Misfit Lifeshaver !Enmity Inflicts Dark Gigantos Battle !Throat Jab Battle * 5 Wirey Drgn Cyclonic !Wing Battle * 2 AtmaWeapon Battle !Full Power Battle * 2 Nerapa Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Naughty Battle !Hit Battle * 2 On the FC, Brainpan yields 75 % Blow Fish and 25 % !Smirk, both pleasant enough to warrant usage. Wyvern has a 75 % Cyclonic attack you'll absolutely want to take advantage of. Dragon's 75 % Revenge might be nice if Relm is Near Fatal, but you'll want to stick to healing her ASAP in that situation rather than use Revenge. While Behemoth uses Meteor and Ninja uses Water Skean, neither will be even remotely impressive so forget about it. Gigantos, AtmaWeapon, Naughty and Nerapa are all horrid models for Sketch attempts. Assuming we've gone straight to Relm in the WoR, skipping all other little side-quests: Brachosaur Step Mine !Wail Battle * 6 Tyranosaur Aero !Bite Battle * 7 Harpy Cyclonic !Grip Battle * 2 TumbleWeed Lifeshaver !Blinder Inflicts Blind Reach Frog Slimer !Tongue Inflicts Seizure Hoover Sand Storm !Crush Battle * 5 Cactrot Blow Fish !Mind Sting Inflicts Berserk Sprinter Aero !Drainbeak Drains MP Harpiai Aero !Nail Battle * 1.5 GloomShell Net !Rock Inflicts Petrify Geckorex Break !Petriglare Inflicts Petrify Spek Tor Blaster !Scratch Battle * 1.5 Mantodea Wind Slash !MindReaper Drains MP Prussian Battle !Bear Hug Battle * 3 Doom Gaze Battle !Bane Claw Inflicts Poison On the Overworld Map, a lot of critters are there for you to Sketch. Brachosaur's Sketch attacks aren't too bad (75 % Step Mine, 25 % !Wail), but Brachosaur is too dangerous to toy around with, and even if you have Gogo Control him while Sketching there's a 25 % chance Relm snaps him out of it. TumbleWeed's 75 % Lifeshaver can be great to absorb some HP if you could use some. Hoover's 75 % Sand Storm comes from a respectable 22 Magic Power and packs quite a punch while its 25 % !Crush hurts a lot as well. Cactrot's 75 % Blow Fish kills it, although its 25 % !Mind Sting will miss. Harpiai's Aero will feed off its own weakness against Wind and will kill it on a decent level. Spek Tor's 75 % Blaster kills Sprinters, while Sprinter's 75 % Aero kills Spek Tors. That's about it. Scorpion Battle !Doom Sting Inflicts Condemned HermitCrab Net !Rock Inflicts Petrify Pm Stalker Drain Poison Nothing in the Collapsing House in Tzen is worth Sketching. Phunbaba (Escape) Battle !Solar Plex Battle * 3 Phunbaba (BabaBreath) Battle !Solar Plex Battle * 3 Phunbaba (Final) Battle !Solar Plex Battle * 3 Phunbaba isn't worth Sketching. Ursus Fire 2 !Scratch Battle * 1.5 Punisher Battle Battle Borras !Uppercut !Uppercut Battle * 5 Luridan Land Slide !Horn Battle * 2 Scrapper Elf Fire !Knife Battle * 1.5 In Mt. Zozo, Ursus' 75 % Fire 2 delivers about 500 damage on a normal level (30) and since Ursus itself is weak against the attack and it'll do 1000 to him, it's worth a shot. Luridan's 75 % Land Slide is decent enough as well. If Relm is in the Front Row, Borras' 100 % !Uppercut will do over 1000 damage as well. Storm Drgn Aero Pearl Wind Storm Drgn is a poor choice for Sketching under normal circumstances, as its 75 % Aero will heal it. If you used the Debilitator though, Aero packs quite a punch against Storm Drgn, and that 25 % Pearl Wind can't hurt. Toe Cutter Shrapnel !Doomsickle Drains HP Rhyos Surge El Nino SrBehemoth Battle !Evil Claw Battle * 1.5, Remove Reflect SrBehemoth Fire 3 !Hypno Gas Inflicts Sleep Allo Ver !Dead End !Dead End Inflicts Death In the Cave in the Veldt, Toe Cutter's 75 % Shrapnel is decent enough (1100 on a single target around level 33), although 25 % !Doomsickle will dissapoint. Rhyos, while sporting two nice spells (Surge and El Nino), is a horrible Sketch target. Allo Ver yields a 100 % !Dead End, which will kill it instantly. A very good idea, and one of the few moments Sketch really shines. You'll want to refrain from Sketching versus the first SrBehemoth. The second one has a 75 % Fire 3 spell. Its performance is bad, especially considering Relm can smack him with a Gravity and/or Pearl Rod, but about 2000 damage around level 35 isn't that bad, especially for Sketch. Parasite Giga Volt !Mind Stop Inflicts Stop Allosaurus Doom !PoisonClaw Inflicts Poison Critic Condemned !Slip Seed Inflicts Seizure Pan Dora Revenge !Hypno Gas Inflicts Sleep Rain Man Bolt 3 !Umbrawler Inflicts Sleep Barb-e Love Token !Slap Inflicts Mute Samurai Doom Flare Suriander Aqua Rake !Yawn Inflicts Sleep Curley Battle !Hit Battle * 2 Larry Battle !Hit Battle * 2 Moe Battle !Hit Battle * 2 WrexSoul Battle !KarmicBlow Inflicts Condemned SoulSaver Battle !MagicDrain Drains MP Sky Cap Atomic Ray !SlipAnchor Inflicts Seizure PlutoArmor Tek Laser !Crash Battle * 2 Io Plasma !Crush Battle * 3 In Cyan's Soul, the psychedelic background puts a stop to any kind of realistic art; no monster is worth sketching other than Allosaurus, whose 75 % Doom spell should take either the Allosaurus or a Parasite out. In the train, Rain Man's 75 % Bolt 3 and Samurai's 25 % Flare are not strong enough to make use of them, and Samurai's 75 % Doom never works as everything Samurai travels with, including Samurai itself, is protected from ID attacks. While you can't Sketch Sky Cap, PlutoArmor and Io as you're piloting MagiTek armor, you can meet them on the Veldt. Regardless, Sketching them isn't a very brilliant idea. Io's 75 % Plasma is the best of the bunch, and not very good. Red Wolf Revenge !Rush Battle * 1.5 Nastidon Battle !Grab Battle * 1.5 Test Rider Flash Rain !Gold Lance Battle * 3 Psychot Lifeshaver !Mindshock Drains MP Wizard Demi Rasp Mag Roader (yellow) Battle !Wheel Battle * 1.5 Mag Roader (brown) Battle !Rush Battle * 2 Tritoch Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Ice Dragon Ice 3 Fire 3 In WoR Narshe are no competent Sketchee's available. Nor inside the caves of the snowy town. Ice Dragon has a 75 % Ice 3 and a 25 % Fire 3. If you manage to change Ice Dragon's absorption into a weakness with the Debilitator you've got a constant 2000 damage around level 38. It beats whacking it with the Fire Rod, but is less effective than a Fire 2 spell. Pug Break !Cleaver Battle * 8 Kiwok Cyclonic Imp Ceritops Giga Volt Imp Poppers Stone Imp Anemone Giga Volt Imp Pugs Battle !Knife Battle * 8 Tomb Thumb Step Mine !Dash Inflicts Haste Umaro Battle !Tackle Battle * 3 In Umaro's Cave the two monsters who make good Sketchee's are Kiwok (75 % Cyclonic) and Tomb Thumb (Step Mine). Figaliz Dischord !Gunk Inflicts Poison Boxed Set Meteor !Mirror Orb Battle * 3 Enuo CleanSweep !Slime Inflicts Slow Lethal Wpn Megazerk !Metal Arm Battle * 2 Goblin Bolt 3 Fire 3 Suriander Aqua Rake !Yawn Inflicts Sleep Barb-e Love Token !Slap Inflicts Mute Samurai Doom Flare Master Pug Battle !Knife Battle * 8 KatanaSoul Battle !SlayerEdge Inflicts Death Blue Drgn Ice 3 Blaster In and around the Ancient Castle, the high Magic Defense of everything there makes sure Sketch attacks are received with a laugh. Only Figaliz has a 75 % Dischord, which can't hurt and doesn't bounce off the Reflect barrier. KatanaSoul has a 25 % !SlayerEdge, which kills KatanaSoul. Even with Confuse set, it's a decent shot at killing one of the most dangerous enemies in the game. Zone Eater Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Ogor Meteor Battle Wart Puck Battle !Yawn Inflicts Sleep Covert Wind Slash !Disappear Inflicts Clear Tap Dancer Slow 2 !WaistShake Inflicts Confuse Woolly W Wind !Frenzy Inflicts Berserk Karkass Bolt 3 Break In the Zone Eater cave, Tap Dancer has a 75 % Slow 2 that's a free way of slowing the opponent's down. Other enemies wield either W Wind (Woolly) or offensive spells (Covert's 75 % Wind Slash and Karkass' 75 % Bolt 3) which at this stage of the game isn't acceptable any more. Chaos Drgn Disaster !Cinderizer Inflicts Death Sea Flower Battle !Feeler Inflicts Poison Aquila Cyclonic !Flap Battle * 5 Uroburos Quake Bio Necromancr Doom X-Zone Phase !Blow Fish !Smirk Inflicts Stop Trixter Fire 2 Fire Red Dragon Fire 3 L? Pearl In Phoenix Cave, several monsters get nice results. Chaos Drgn's 75 % Disaster is nice, as is its 25 % !Cinderizer. Uroburos' Quake at least kills Uroburos itself and deals decent damage to the other opponents, but is only acceptable when your party is Floating or covered in Gaia Gear. Finally, Necromancr's 25 % X-Zone is nice but is too rare to shoot for. Cluck Quake !Lick Inflicts Petrify Warlock Pearl !MagicDrain Drains MP Slatter Shimsham !Choke Battle * 1.5 Hipocampus Flash Rain Acid Raid Opinicus Slide !Riot Battle * 1.5 Displayer Doom !Rib Battle * 2 Eland Bio !Stench Inflicts Confuse Hidonite Battle !PoisonClaw Inflicts Poison Hidonite Battle !Confuclaw Inflicts Confuse Hidonite Battle !Zombi Claw Inflicts Zombie Hidonite Battle !Mega Claw Battle * 4 Hidon Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 In Hidon's Cave, all monsters yield damaging attacks which simply aren't effective enough to defend Sketch for. White Drgn Pearl Flare Magic Urn Cure 3 Remedy You can't Sketch these critters on the Fanatic's Tower, but you can meet them on the Veldt. If you Debilitate White Drgn into a weakness for Pearl, Sketching still isn't a good idea. Sketching Magic Urn is a grand idea though, as a 75 % Cure 3 coming from a 'stellar' 35 Magic Power should do you a lot of good. Dirt Drgn Bolt 3 Magnitude8 Dirt Drgn's 75 % Bolt 3 is surprisingly effective for a Sketch attack, but its 25 % Magnitude8 will always miss due to its inherent Float status. Retainer Wind Slash !Tradeoff Inflicts Death Dark Force CleanSweep L. 5 Doom Steroidite Slide !Rush Battle * 3 Doom Drgn N. Cross Fallen One Mover Disaster Battle Madam Pearl Flare Vectaur Pearl Wind !Tusk Battle * 1.5 Brontaur Fire 3 !Wail Battle * 5 Land Worm Magnitude8 !Compress Battle * 2 Scullion Exploder !Gamma Rays Inflicts Condemned Evil Oscar Sour Mouth Poison Outsider Battle !Ruin Inflicts Death Hemophyte Shock Wave CursedGaze Inflicts Seizure Dueller Giga Volt !Megashock Battle * 3 GtBehemoth Meteor !Hay Maker Battle * 4 Vectagoyle Aqua Rake Giga Volt Fortis Shrapnel !Double Arm Battle * 2 Junk Bolt 3 !Parallout Inflicts Clear Innoc Battle L? Pearl Didalos Quake !PoisonTusk Inflicts Poison Veteran Condemned Roulette Sky Base Giga Volt Doom IronHitman Dischord !Destroy Battle * 2 Prometheus S. Cross !Drill Battle * 1.5 Inferno Battle !Sobat Battle * 3 Guardian Big Guard !Ink Battle * 1.5, Inflicts Dark Doom Battle !Demon Rage Battle * 4 Goddess Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 Poltrgeist Battle !Psychrip Battle * 2 Kefka Ultima !Havoc Wing Battle * 4 Rough Battle !Rapier Battle * 1.5 Striker Battle !Slash Battle * 2 Gold Drgn Bolt 3 Ice 3 Skull Drgn Battle Rasp Atma Battle !Hit Battle * 1.5 In Kefka's Tower, there are a few monsters that nice results: Evil Oscar has a 75 % Sour Mouth, Doom Drgn has a 75 % N. Cross and a 25 % Fallen One, Retainer has a 25 % !Tradeoff, although its 75 % Wind Slash is useless, Vectaur has a great 75 % Pearl Wind, Dark Force has a 25 % L. 5 Doom which kills all Dark Force enemies, but its 75 % CleanSweep is horrid, Evil Oscar has a 75 % Sour Mouth which sets Imp, Confuse and Sleep on all Evil Oscars and Outsider has a 25 % !Ruin while its 75 % Battle is a wasted turn. Guardian's 75 % Big Guard might prove a nice feature in a party that lacks Lore casters who know Big Guard themselves. Finally, Kefka makes a decent Sketch; Ultima is fairly poor, but !Havoc Wing is quite strong. ********************************** 7.0 Conclusion ********************************** Is Sketch a good command? No, Sketch isn't a good command. Relm would have been better off with Control, Blitz, Tools, Throw or even SwdTech. But Sketch was never meant to be Relm's primary source of damage; it's a side-command, like Terra's Morph and Celes' Runic skill. With this in mind, Sketch seems different. It shouldn't be compared to Sabin's Blitz techniques or Edgar's Tools. Nobody ever uses Morph or Runic in a normal battle either; Sketch is a great command to use in a few select battles in a normal game. In my opinion, even with Relm having access to good spells, the following battles are in my opinion the battles to use Sketch in: - On the Veldt, to learn Roulette earlier - Ultros # 3, for guaranteed end of the battle - Allo Ver, for guaranteed one-hit KO - Doom Drgn, for 75 % N. Cross and 25 % Fallen One - Wirey Drgn, for 75 % Cyclonic - KatanaSoul, for 25 % chance at !SlayerEdge - Chaos Drgn, for 75 % Disaster and 25 % !Cinderizer - Vectaur, for 75 % Pearl Wind - Guardian, for a one-time 75 % Big Guard ********************************** Disclaimer and legal necessities ********************************** This was written in 2004/2005, by Thys Ozinga, and is copyrighted by me. You are unauthorised to present this document, partly or whole, as written by somebody else as the authors of the respective bodies of text. You are unauthorised to change anything in this document for any other purpose then personal use without my explicit permission. You are unauthorised to drive a fishhook under my nail without my explicit permission. All rights reserved.