"Ragnarok Esper or Sword?"

I'm getting the Esper for speeding through the game, because I will have the Paladin Shield and
Ragnarok, both of which can teach Ultima. The only sacrifice here is not getting Illumina, compared to
all the other benefits. I'd say that I should choose the Esper because of Metamorph, but Setzer's slots
can perform the same thing. (Using "Magicite Shard" isn't as bountiful, because the game doesn't allow
you to Metamorph certain items with it.)

"How low of a level can I be until gaining appropriate Espers?"

According to this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc6XF7oXfoo I can use the Magicite Shard item to
get Palidor, while muddled, which apparently causes an enemy to jump, thus preventing any experience
(due to dying while being poisoned after jump).

"What about the characters which leave the party and come back re-leveled?"

It's possible to know when they will leave, and thus level up these select characters -- with stat-
boosting Espers, prior to them leaving the party -- in order to ensure the maximum amount of non-wasted
levels. (Shadow is an example I can currently recall.) However, these stat boosts are usually using
pitiful stat-boosting Espers, and sometimes it takes a very long round-about way to achieve such a
thing. So in the interest of time I'm not going to bother fooling around for 1 useless stat point.

"How will I get experience in the World of Balance?"

As far as I know the best place to do this is in the Esper Mountain cave with the Adamanchyts. Poison
works best since they're not weak or strong to anything, it does the most damage, and it costs the
least amount of MP. Maybe they take a bit long to kill, however, so another area might do. Although,
that place is good also since you can be vanished until the desired level without worry, by only having
one person in the party cast it and then run away. (Or, if learning Vanish is deemed too lengthy, use
Phantom.)

To reduce the number of trips to the Airship, it'd be best to have a 4-person party, letting 3 run
away. You can also cast "Break", or use the Break Blade, to prevent having to waste time running away
for a number of levels, though they'd need to be cured eventually.

The tougher question is at what level should I stop leveling everyone, since they all need to reach the
same level before the World of Ruin. And then I need to find every character in the World of Ruin
before I can start leveling in that world -- which means running around a fairly difficult world at a
dangerously low level, especially in the Phoenix Cave. It's best to avoid levels by increments of 5,
since Doom Gaze casts LVL.5 Doom immediately.

"How will I get experience in the World of Ruin?"

On my way to Daryll's Tomb, I will run into Harpiais with Setzer in my party, so that he can Metamorph
them into three Experience Eggs. (That is unless the game is kind enough to allow me to get an Egg with
Magicite Shards.). This way I'll be able to fight in the Dino Forest with four people in my party, and
equipped with these Eggs --- during the party's later levels.

I can't have four people in my party gaining levels, if I'm supposed to be using Espers to raise their
stats each level. But during the party's way later levels, I can have 4 people in my party gaining
experience, not levels, while simultaneously gaining magic points while equipped with various Espers to
learn their spells for the party. Then, when one person gets close to a level I'll probably equip them
with a stat Esper, and have everyone else run.

As for magic casting to kill the dinosaurs, I can either buy Tinctures or use Osmose, or use my Ethers,
maybe even some X-Ethers, except I'd rather use an Elixir for many reasons.

"Which stats will you raise?"

Ironically I might not level any speed with Odin, not even for Locke, since it takes awhile to revisit
the Ancient Castle. And it's arbitrary which stats are raised. If anything, raising strength and magic
power to max feels like a better accomplishment.

Vigor, even with equipment on, doesn't make a difference past 128, whereas Magic Power can go very high
in number with equipment on, while making a difference. If I find out that most characters can max
these two, then speed levels could be an option.

Since spells can be very powerful, it seems like a waste to power up magic excessively. However, if you
want a free relic space without needing Economizer, it always helps to be able to cast a lower level
magic spell to still see a lot of damage. I'll look at how many levels it takes to raise all of magic
and strength before they're maxed. I think I'll need some Speed levels anyway.

SPELLS

"How will I obtain 4 Flame Shields (to learn Fire 2)?"

Get one from Cyan's Soul.
Get one from Locke after Phoenix Cave.
Steal two from Inferno's arms in Kefka's Tower.

"How will I obtain 4 Ice Shields (to learn Ice 2)?"

Mt. Zozo
Cyan's Soul
Steal from Inferno
Metamorph Test Rider (Narshe)

"How will I obtain 4 Thunder Shield (to learn Bolt 2)?"

Mt. Zozo
Zone Eater's Belly
Steal from Steroidite
Metamorph Dante (South Figaro Cave)

ESPER SPELLS

Terra needs to equip: ("battles" refers to fights with Cactrot)

Ramuh (2 battles) [Poison]
Kirin (3 battles) 2 battle = 80%
Siren (2 battles) 1 battle = 80%
Stray (2 battles)

Ifrit (0 battles)
Shiva (0 battles)
Maduin (0 battles)
Unicorn (0 battles)

Shoat (2 battles) 1 battle = 80%
Phantom (4 battles) 3 battle = 90%
Carbuncle (2 battles) [Reflect]
Bismark (0 battles) [Ice] -- 0 battles if you're leveling some strength

Golem (2 battles)
ZoneSeek (0 battles) [used heavily during leveling to 99]
Seraphim (0 battles) [get after rescuing the child in WoR]

Palidor (5 battles)
Starlet (1 battle)

Fenrir (2 battles) [X-Zone, can also learn from Cursed Ring]
Tritoch (10 battles)
Terrato (10 battles)
Phoenix (10 battles)
Alexander (0 battles)
Paladin (0 battles)
Bahamut (5 battles)
Crusader (1 battle)
Odin (0 battles)
Raiden (10 battles)

CELES

("battles" refers to fights with Cactrot)

Ramuh ( battles)
Kirin ( battles)
Siren ( battles)
Stray ( battles)

Ifrit ( battles)
Shiva ( battles)
Maduin ( battles)
Unicorn ( battles)

Shoat ( battles)
Phantom ( battles)
Carbuncle ( battles)
Bismark (0 battles) [used during strength levels]

Golem ( battles)
ZoneSeek (0 battles) [used heavily during leveling to 99]
Seraphim ( battles) [get after rescuing the child in WoR]

Palidor ( battles)
Starlet ( battle)

Fenrir
Tritoch ( battles)
Terrato ( battles)
Phoenix ( battles)
Alexander ( battle)
Paladin ( battles)
Bahamut ( battles)
Crusader ( battle)

Mandatory bosses after espers obtained

Ultros - 2GP

Wallchange boss ------------------- 4 magic points

1 mag roader - 1 magic points x 2 = 2 magic points
2 mag roader - 2 magic points x 2 = 4 magic points
1 red roader - 2 magic points x 1 = 2 magic points
Boss ------------------------------ 5 magic points

Cranes ---------------------------- 4 magic points

Banquet enemies

Mega Armor ------------------------ 2 magic points
Sp Forces ------------------------- 1 magic point