Phantasy Star Online ver.2
Challenge Mode S-Rank J-Cutter Guide 1.2
22/04/02
This guide is © Fenster 2001/2002
INTRODUCTION
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This is a guide for gaining the hidden Challenge Mode S-Rank J-Cutter in
Phantasy Star Online ver.2 for Dreamcast.
LEGAL STUFF
-----------
At the time of writing, this guide may ONLY appear the following sites:
UGVDPSO -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ugvdpso
UGVD Website - www.btinternet.com/~ugvd/
GameFAQs - www.gamefaqs.com
There are no exceptions. It is for personal use only and may not be hosted/published
elsewhere in part or full, without my expressed consent. If you find this
guide anywhere but the above websites, please email me at:
[email protected]
PHANTASY STAR ONLINE ver.2
--------------------------
PSOv2 is an online action/RPG created by SonicTeam. You can find out more at
http://www.sonicteam.com/pso/english/home.html
CONTENTS
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1. What is a J-Cutter?
2. Who can use it?
3. How do I get it?
4. Steps for a J-Cutter
a) One Hour C1
b) C2-C9
c) C1 again (normal 8-15 mins)
d) Identifying your 'NO TYPE'
5. Luck/Randomness
6. Other 'NO TYPE' Weapons
7. Credits
8. Questions & Answers
9. Things to do
10. Comments/Contact
11. FAQ History
IMPORTANT: Previous Challenge Mode experience is essential. Throughout this FAQ
references are made which may mean nothing to you unless you have previous
experience of playing Challenge Mode. It is advisable that you have at least
one other S-Rank before attempting to get a J-Cutter. Challenge mode can be
tricky and previous knowledge about stages and time is definitely an advantage.
1. What is a J-Cutter?
----------------------
The J-Cutter is a slicer-type weapon and looks the same as the Flight Cutter.
However, it is significantly more powerful than the Flight Cutter and has also
has the random S-Rank special hit. It requires 620 ATP to equip it and gives
the following stat boosts:
ATP +798
ATA +114
Since it is an S-Rank weapon, it will also replenish your HP and TP (unless
you're a droid) at a rate of about 1 every five seconds, as long as you have it
equipped whilst in a game. One downside is that you cannot use it to attack
high flying enemies (Nano Dragons/high flying Canabines etc).
2. Who can use it?
------------------
Male charaters only (HUmar, HUcast, RAmar, RAcast and FOnewm). It is better as
a weapon used from range, so obviously RAmar and RAcast are candidates here. It
is especially good for FOnewm where ranged, multi-hit attacking is perfect,
particularly in online multiplayer games.
3. How do I get it?
-------------------
As far as I know, the only legitimate way of getting it is by gaining an S-Rank
time in Challenge Mode. However, unlike all other S-Rank weapons, it is NOT
selectable from the list and so requires a good deal of luck. You must choose
'NO TYPE' from the weapons list to have any chance of getting a J-Cutter. You
will be given a random S-Rank weapon from all the normal choices plus the
J-Cutter, about a 1 in 25 chance.
There are two ways of getting the J-Cutter. A long way and a shorter way.
The long way is to play through c-mode with a character and when you get below
S-Rank time, choose 'NO TYPE' for your weapon and hope you get the J-Cutter. If
you don't, you start all over with a new character and play C1-9 again and
again...each time with a new character.
The shorter way involves playing a long C1 once then C2-9 as normal. Then you
repeat C1 over and over until you get the J-Cutter. This is done using the same
character.
What follows is a guide for the shorter way of getting the J-Cutter. If you
want detailed information for general challenge mode play/individual stages,
check other PSO related sites where maps and guides are available.
4. Steps for a J-Cutter
-----------------------
a). One Hour+ C1
As S-Rank time is under 7 hours, you need to have a time at the end of C9 that
is OVER 7 hours. A good way to ensure this is to take an extra long time
playing C1 - since you're unlikely to finish C1-9 in a total of less than 6
hours, taking one hour to finish C1 should be fine. Why C1 you ask? You will
need to repeat a stage at some point if you don't get the J-Cutter first time,
and as C1 takes the shortest amount of time to complete, it is the best option.
If you are struggling to find 4 players who can do 1 hour C1 at the same time,
fear not, for it is easily manageable with only 2 players. 2 players can take
their time to beat all the enemies in Forest 1 and 2 before the Dragon fight
(you will be level 4 or 5 by this time). Another tip is to get 2 players who
don't want to do the challenge but can be used to supply Scapes, Monomates etc
and then quit via the menu to leave the remaining players with an even greater
chance of completing the stage.
b). C2-9 as usual
After gaining 1 hour-ish on C1, you can happily play the rest of the stages
(2-9) as normal. Keep an eye on your total time incase you have good runs on
the rest of the stages. If you feel you are still going to make a total time of
less than 7 hours before the end of C9, take your time on a stage to be certain
you don't won't get less than 7 hours total.
c). C1 again (normal 9-15 mins)
Hopefully now you have a Bu-Ei (C1-9 completed) character and have NOT had the
option to choose an S-Rank weapon. You need something similar a C1 time of
around 1 hour and a total C1-9 time above 7hrs but not above 7hrs 45 (allowing
15 mins for C1).
Now all you do is play and complete C1 as normal gaining a time that brings
your total to below 7 hours, which will allow you to choose an S-Rank weapon
from the Guild Counter. From the list you MUST choose 'NO TYPE'. Again the
chance of the 'NO TYPE' being the J-Cutter is about 1/25. Now name your weapon
and return to the lobby. There is no way of knowing what weapon you have until
you get to the lobby.
**NOTE: 'NO-TYPE' weapon names do not have the type of weapon after it. Example
if you chose a SWORD from the list, the name would be 'BLAHBLAH SWORD'. If you
chose 'NO TYPE' and got a Sword and named it the same, it would simply be
called 'BLAHBLAH'.
d). Identifying your 'NO TYPE' weapon.
This is important: DO NOT enter a game. You can only identify which weapon you
have in the lobby immediately after naming your weapon. How do you do that?
d1). The first thing to do is check your inventory and look at the icon of the
weapon - if it is NOT a Sword icon you have an unwanted S-Rank. Time to get rid
of it without saving your character. To do this you need to either Power Off or
Open the lid of your Dreamcast. Under NO circumstances should you Quit via the
Menu or enter a game - doing so will save your character's S-Rank time and
weapon and you'll have to start over on a new character.
So, if you DO NOT have a Sword icon, either Power Off or Open the lid, reload
your unsaved character and begin from step 4c.
If you DO have a Sword icon on your weapon, continue...
d2). Knowing the stat boosts the J-Cutter gives you (+798 ATP, +114 ATA), you
can compare this to the boost the weapon you have in your inventory gives you.
You should only enter a game/quit via the menu if you are 100% sure that the
weapon in your inventory has:
- Sword Icon
- 798 ATP boost
- 114 ATA boost
d3). If you have a Sword icon, but the stats give a different boost, it's not a
J-Cutter so you need to quit without saving (Power Off or Open the lid) and
retry from step 4c until the icon/stat boosts match.
d4). When all 3 of the above match, congratulations, you now have a J-Cutter.
Feel free to enter a game to transfer/equip it or quit via the menu. Hopefully
you didn't need to repeat C1 too many times.
5). Luck/Randomness
-------------------
When trying for my J-Cutter, I came across a few people who either had it or
were trying to gain it and was curious as to how many times they replayed C1. I
had replies of 2, 5, 8, 15, 21, 27, some higher, some are still trying.
One person was convinced it was to do with what letters you used to name it. I
disagree with that - luck is what you need. For those wondering, I was
successful on my 23rd retry of C1 *sigh*.
6). Other 'NO TYPE' Weapons
---------------------------
You can also use the J-Cutter strategy to obatain other S-Ranks which you want
purely for naming reasons. All you do is compare the stat boosts a weapon gives
to you, with a list of S-Rank weapons to see what you have.
7.) Credits
-----------
Those who helped along the way:
CS Expert (orginally got me interested in the J-Cutter)
Jazhara (helped enourmously with C-Mode, especially all those C1s)
Lillith (whom I did 1 hour+ C1 with when nobody else showed up, and lots of
C1s)
Verve (yet another who played lots of Challenge Mode and C1s)
The many Japanese players on Miranda. Watch them and learn.
8.) Questions & Answers
-----------------------
Q) What is so special about the J-Cutter?
A) Surprisingly, not alot - although I'd recommend it for any FOnewm. It's more
to do with the challenge of getting one. Not many people have it or even know
about it.
Q) How did you figure out how to get one?
A) Well I was looking over Mamak forums one day, and saw a few posts about playing
C1 for 1 hour and wondered what it was all about. I asked a few questions and got
the right answers. I don't remember exactly who gave me the information, but I'd
say CS Expert and Jazhara are likely candidates.
As to who originally found out how to get a J-Cutter, I have absolutely no idea.
If it were a Japanese hardcore C-Mode player who stumbled across it by accident,
I wouldn't be surprised...they used to/still do play pure challenge mode just to
get all the weapons and super fast times.
9.) Things to Do
----------------
ASCII art?!
Get another J-Cutter?!
10.) Comments/Contact
--------------------
If anyone decides to use this guide, could you let me know if anything is
missing/incorrect. I don't really feel like another 23 C1s ^ ^
Post on UGVDPSO or email:
[email protected]
11.) FAQ History
----------------
1.2 (22/04/02)
UGVD Website may host the guide.
Added a few tips for 1 Hour C1.
Q&As section started.
A few other minor alterations.
1.1 (09/02/02)
Submission to GameFAQs.
Brief description of PSOv2 added.
Previous experience part altered and made more noticeable.
Things to Do added.
A few other minor changes.
1.0 (13/12/01)
First release on UGVDPSO.
