Topic: Xenoblade Chronicles 2

@AlternateButtons, I believe my entire party was around level 60 at that point. Just for reference.

@AlternateButtons It never gets easier, friend, and unlike Xeno X there's no magic enemy level-down feature if you're getting repeatedly beaten down by story enemies. You can't just stop fighting if you're currently evenly matched with opponents, otherwise later ones WILL pull ahead.

...Forgive me for asking, but are you actually using the experience you accrue from quests by sleeping in inns?

@AlternateButtons When you discover new Locations/Landmarks, complete sidequests, and (I think) finish Merc Missions, you get bonus XP. When you rest at an Inn, you can cash in on that XP to instantly level up. If you haven't claimed any XP at all, you'll likely have enough XP to go up like 10+ levels or something.

@AlternateButtons In every Xenoblade game I've played (XC, XCX, XC2) the easiest way to level up is to complete quest. Yeah the ones in this game are long and require you to do multiple things to complete but it will be more efficient to do them than grind on enemies for the same amount of time.

Merc missions aren't as bad as you make them out to be. You send off some blades you aren't using and go about doing your business in the game, in 15-30 minutes they come back with exp, items, and upgraded field skills. You keep sending off groups on new missions and all that experience adds up.

I don't know what else to say that can help you out. You say you understand how the battles work. Maybe try a different team set up. Try out different blades on your drivers that benefit their role. Make sure your blades are equipped with the latest and strongest core chips you have found or bought.

@AlternateButtons I'm in the same chapter. Have been for the last month or so but mainly because I've been doing all kinds of other stuff instead of story progression (and I haven't played every day like I used to). The enemies are tough but I can still kill most of them (I think everyone in my team are level 55). I just run past the level 60 guys. I think I'm at the last battle before the chapter ends and I tried it once. I didn't stand a chance but I think it was mostly because I didn't have the best team for the battle and I haven't changed my items for a really long time.

I haven't leveled up at the inns or stopped to grind at any point. I've played ~90 hours. Don't underestimate the usefulness of merc missions.Most of them take 15 minutes or so. Let's say you get 500 exp every time. That's still 100 000 exp gained in 50 hours and all you needed to do is to choose a team for each mission. And that number would actually be even higher since you can send multiple teams once you increase your merc rank. In addition, you get items, shops get additional items you can buy and you unlock things in affinity charts.

@AlternateButtons what's wrong is you don't have Nia (healer)

Also it's not required to be over leveled to win. I beat the game without using the inns at all except in the beginning of the game i used it to gain 1 level on all party members and never used it again.

@AlternateButtons Use spoiler tags.

@AlternateButtons It's alright man. We are trying to help you. Did you beat Malos?

Spoilers for End of Cliffs of Morytha Ahead:

@NinjaAceTrainer Not on your first playthrough, it seems to be a New Game+ feature. As for spoiler tags, [spoiler]Text[/ spoiler] (without the space between "/" and "spoiler")

@Grumblevolcano Thanks, I've added those in.

@NintenNinja16 Get a tank in your party and/or use lure to pick off enemies one by one. That isn't the last hallway in the World Tree, so it might be worth doing some sidequests and resting at an inn to get bonus exp., as there is a later room which is much more difficult. Or, if you want to cheese that room completely, kill a few of the enemies, then just run past the remaining ones to the end of the hall, cutscene activates, and you're safe.

@NinjaAceTrainer @Grumblevolcano

Thanks for the responses to my post, I was able to beat the chapter and continue on to 9 after doing some side quests and such, I currently have the main story on hold to get Poppy’s third form

@AlternateButtons Swap Zeke for Tora if survivability is an issue (assuming Poppi is still built as a tank). Two tanks + healer isn't the fastest way to get through fights, but it is safer. I have Tora with an HP-boosting accessory while Morag naturally has agility booster shoes instead.

Also, whenever Jin does his Stunned Swallow move, you can avoid it by running around (so you don't attack and trigger the launch counter) until it finishes.

@AlternateButtons That's awesome you finished that part. I used two tanks as well for pretty much the last half of the game. I didn't have Rex as a dedicated healer though, blade Nia is enough. Her specials deal damage and heal the party at the same time. Are you doing Break> Topple> Launch> Smash during battles? When you do all those successfully you get items and hp potions and it does a lot of damage.

@AlternateButtons Has Chapter 7 taught you nothing about Rex's ability to bring people out of crippling, suicidal depression? He's literally doing to Jin what he just did for Mythra (that's what I chose, she's just a lot cooler, funnier and more believable, both physically and as a character. Her terrified expression at seeing Rex fight for her at the cliff spoke louder to me than any of Pyra's pleas. Also, the way she crouches in one of her idle animations is something I also tend to do, so bonus for identification) and, to a lesser extent, Nia. You're kind of exaggerating his evil; Malos is the one in charge, the real psychopath (but even that has deeper roots... you'll see), Jin's just following because he was approached and offered a compelling argument in a state of weakness, same as the rest of Torna. A psychopath enjoys killing and inflicting suffering; Jin doesn't, but Malos sure does.

Made my way to chapter 8. I feel kind of overpowered at the moment thanks to things that happened.

@8-Bit_Zorldo Just move the plot forward until you get your driver back, none of these segments last for long.

Gotten totally side tracked with dev leveling and merc missions. World is not getting saved anytime soon, but 5 blades helped deliver a lunch box! I just wish the merc missions used system time instead of game play time.

@8-Bit_Zorldo If it's when (don't look before the end of Chapter 7(?)) You engage Nia as a blade then no, I don't think that there's another way, annoying as it is.