Lightning Returns (PC) Easy Any%

Lightning Returns (PC) Any% Easy (Thundara-less Route, saves a minute)

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Timing starts on confirmation of difficulty and ends on clearing Bhunivelze results screen
Easy Mode must be selected.

Here is sZinogre's pb which is currently in line with these notes:
https://www.twitch.tv/szinogre/v/72194070

Here is a playlist of all the major fights in the run:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK-TeXw1FOuit9Hp9ikwQlvLlbbyXkon5

Terms:
Guard Cancel - Using guard after a combo finisher to cancel the recovery animation, this will be implied after every finisher.
Shiny - Random items on the ground, generally medals.
Perfect Guard/Timing - The game gives damage reduction (guards) or boosts (attacks) if you perfectly time inputs during a combo.
Frame Rate - Dynamic means 60 FPS which makes the game run faster, Fixed is 30 FPS which is necessary to avoid the Gysahl Green glitch.

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Intro

Mash A through tutorials after confirming difficulty
Skip scenes as appropriate

Anubys 1
Skip schemata tutorial (as we will be for all tutorials)
Thunder, 2 x Blizzard, 5 x Thunder, Guard Cancel, 4 x Attack

Niblets (take them first)
5 x Thunder

Anubys 2
Overclock -> Thunder, 2 x Blizzard, 5 x Thunder, Guard Cancel, 4 x Attack

Follow Snow, don't buy items from potion guy

Zaltys
Overclock -> Thunder, 2 x Blizzard, 5 x Thunder, Guard Cancel, mash guard to end overclock
Overclock (Once his head drops) -> Attack until staggered, spam attack with overclock until dead

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Ark Day 1

Pick up all items (counterclock-wise),
Access bookshelf and escape the zaltys fight
Talk to Hope
Buy 3 phoenix downs, 1 warriors potion
Leave the Ark

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Day 1

After accepting quest path is:
- Up ladder to left talk to guy
- Jump to platform, get treasure (fighter's emblem)
- talk to guard on platform
- Talk to conductor in front of station (accept quest)
- Examine papers on the ground
- Talk to Holmes against a wall
- Talk to Outfitters, and Inn
- Take Holmes back to conductor
- Talk to girl in front of Warren Gate
Hand in quest to Inquisitor by talking twice

Sleep until 6am

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Ark Day 2

Talk to hope about red topics
Pick up treasure (Red Mage, Liberator, Juno Sospita)
Leave Ark

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Day 2

Take the train to Yusnaan

Run to outfitters:
- Sell potions, phoenix downs, Juno Sospita (shield)
- Buy Velvet Bouncer

Run to Augur's Quarter gate
Talk to guy in crowd about sneaking in ticket
(Need to avoid alert, run up the left banister and around the corner to avoid)
Run back to pink musician, buy sneaking in ticket
Teleport to North Station

Run to South Station
Along the way pick up chest on ledge (Magician's Token)
Along the way buy Seedhunter card
Take Train to Dead Dunes

Dead Dunes
Talk to guy sitting down
Go to Outfitter
- Buy Passion Rouge
Run to/activate Cactuar Stone near God's Wrath
Turn around pick up chest (Galestrike)
Run to Grave of the Collosi, pick up crux on the way
Activate cactuar statue at grave of the collosi
Run to Ruffian, accept Adonis' quest
Use statue to TP back to Grave of Collosi
Grab tablet in ruins
Teleport to Dead Dunes Station
Take the Train to the Wildlands

Wildlands
Run to Canopus farms
Talk to Outfitter
- Buy Woodland Walker

MENU
Garb 1 - Woodland Walker
Crimson Blitz -> Devil's Daughter
Magician's Token
Swap Aero+ and Thunder
Thunder -> Blizzard

Garb 2 - Velvet Bouncer
Scaramax -> Liberator
Fighter's Emblem
Guard -> Light Guard
Galestrike

Garb 3 - Passion Rouge
Crimson Blitz
Guard
Thunder

Run to Chocobo Eater

Chocobo Eater
Use Warrior's Potion
Deprotect, Deshell, wait for him to bite you (Always bite after 3rd attack)
Guard Bite, aero+ x 3 to stagger, Blitz until out of ATB, then Overclock with Blitz until dead
*Watch for drops: Blizzara, Magnet*

Run back to Canopus Farms
Grab chest on the way into the farm (Imp's Crest)
After triggering cutscene talk to Dr Gysahl
Give item to chocobo
Talk to saralah, give item to chocobo
Talk to saralah, accept quest,
Talk to Hunter on chocobo,
Head to Jagd Village, on the way:
- Collect fertiliser
- Collect fertiliser
- Talk to Cole twice
- Collect fertiliser
Head to the back of the village, fall
Collect fertiliser
Teleport to Ruffian

Dead Dunes
Use statue to TP to God's Wrath
Head into chaos and farm Sahagin's for Imperil (15% chance outside of chaos, 30% chance inside)
*Save + Reload is allowed to respawn chaos (allows for higher chance of imperil)*

Desert Sahagin
Deshell, Deprotect, Aero x 6 to stagger, blitz to kill,
*If in Chaos -> Overclock (only once) blitz to kill*
Perfect guards may also stagger

Once you get Imperil Equip to Garb 1 on empty slot
Head up the hill to fight Gurangatch for Adonis' quest

Gurangatch
Imperil, Deprotect, Deshell, aero x 3, thunder x 3, aero x 3 to stagger
Overclock Blitz to Kill

Run to Dry Floodlands Shrine
Grab Pilgrim's Crux before falling down
Activate Cactuar Statue
Get tablet inside ruins
Teleport to Wildlands Station

*IMPORTANT: change framerate to "fixed" during load screen
this avoids the gysahl green glitch. Fixed framerate is needed
before planting any seeds at any time in the game*

Wildlands
Run to Canopus Farms
Talk to Saralah, hand in quest
Talk to Saralah for 5 x Seeds
Talk to Saralah x 3 to set fertiliser
Plant 4 seeds (NOTE: fixed framerate!!!)
Talk to Adventuring Essentials
- skip tutorial
- buy 2 x Vegetable Seeds
Give item to chocobo
Talk to Innkeeper
- sleep until 00:00
Give item to Chocobo
Collect 4 Gysahl Greens, replant 3 seeds
Give item to chocobo x 1, *can now return frame rate to Dynamic*
Go to general store
- buy enthunder potion, enfire potion
Head up to Aryas to pick up the Beloved's Gift (Chest at the end of the right highway)
Teleport to Luxerion North Station

Luxerion North
Attack disciple in main area with ! on his head (3 attacks activates the fight)

Disciples
Immediately Overclock -> blitz x 2, guard cancel, blitz x 2, guard cancel, blitz x 3
*If some of the disciples remain (they usually don't) rinse and repeat*

Run to graveyard entrance, answer phone
Go to Inn, sleep until 6am

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Ark Day 3
Talk to Hope
- Buy 2 x Warrior's Potions
Return to previous location

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Day 3
Talk to Innkeeper, sleep until 00:00
Run to the phonebooth, force your way in

Dreadnought
Warrior's Potion immediately, 5 x Blizzard, Overclock, 10 x blizzard to stagger
2 x Deprotect, Overclock, 7 x Blitz to kill

Run through the graveyard, collect crest of etro at the end
Teleport to Luxerion North Station
Enter Warren through gate in station,
Run through to disciple guarding the gate, show crest
Run through following Noel, fall down for chest near a truck (Battleaxe)
Climb back up to continue following Noel

MENU (before Noel)
Garb 1
Devil's Daughter -> Battleaxe

Garb 3
Imp's Crest

Noel
Deprotect x 2, aero, guard (perfect guard helps stagger)
Aero, Overclock, finish Aero Combo, throw enthunder potion
Aero x 2, thunder x 5 to stagger, Guard to run out overclock,
Throw warrior's potion, Galestrike x 3, overclock blitz to kill

Pick up item (Shadow Hunter)
Teleport to Wildlands Station

Wildlands
Head to Canopus Farms (use chocobo for movement)
Pick up remaining Gysahl Greens
Sleep until 6am

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Ark Day 4
Talk to Hope
Buy 3 x Warrior's Potions
Return to previous location

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Day 4
Sleep until 6am

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Ark Day 5
Return to previous location

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Day 5
Sleep until 6am
We sleep because we need to buy items that only appear from day 6 onwards

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Ark Day 6

Teleport to Jagd Village
Give item to Chocobo x 6
Ride chocobo, jump gap at back of village head to Emerite Plains
As soon as you enter the Plains go left, jump a gap to a chest (Watergod's Bracelet)
Go to the Research Camp, go to the back of the camp get chest (blizzara)
*You can skip this chest if you got a blizzara drop from Chocobo Eater*
Head over to Sazh's ship and grab the first fragment
Teleport to Yusnaan

Yusnaan
Talk to Chocolina, Complete "A key to her heart"

MENU
Garb 1
Blizzara

Garb 2
Liberator -> Crimson Blitz
Watergod's Bracelet

Garb 3
Shadow Hunter

Head towards the sneaking-in entrance pick up chest on left by jumping across awnings (Wolf's Emblem)
Talk to the guy, advance to 6pm
Go through the back entrance towards cyclops, escape all fights on the way

Cyclops
Use Warrior's Potion, Imperil, Deprotect
Overclock x2 with Blitz until dead

Continue through, pick up ID Card off of skeletons on the ground.
Go to Augur's Quarter, talk to director, jump over railing
Talk to general store
- Buy 3 x Bravery Potion
Talk to Fireworks Boss
Go up the stairs, pick up treasure (Thorn of Will)
Teleport to Yusnaan Station
Talk to fireworks guy at station (2 Fireworks)
Head down Hawker's Row/Road to War
At the entrance talk to quest giver, accept quest
Continue towards Champion's Quarter, fight Skata'ne for fireworks

Skata'ne
Imperil, Deprotect, OC Blitz until dead (7 Fireworks)

Continue on towards the slaughterhouse
Talk to fireworks guy in Champion's Quarter (10 Fireworks)
Head back to Augur's Quarter, on the way, talk to forge
- Sell Liberator, Scaramax, Devil's Daughter
- Buy Kikuichimonji, Dragoon Gauntlet

MENU
Garb 1
Night Lotus -> Double Cross
Guard -> Magnet (If you have it)
Thorn of Will

Garb 2
Crimson Blitz -> Kikuichimonji
Double Cross -> Dragoon Armlet

Garb 3
Prytwen -> Night Lotus

Avoid the kid in yellow (he will steal your fireworks)
Go back and talk to boss, then talk to director
Teleport to Yusnaan Station
Head to the slaughterhouse via Road to War

Slaughterhouse Fights
Gremlins
Blitz to death (use magnet to draw in if dropped by chocobo eater)
Anubys
Imperil, Deprotect, Blitz x 5
Zaltys
Imperil, Deshell, Deprotect, Blizzara x 3, thunder x 5, Bravery Potion, Blitz to death
Zaltys
Imperil, Deshell, Deprotect, Blizzara x 3, thunder x 5, (NO Potion), Blitz to death

MENU
Garb 1 -> Midnight Mauve

Head back and talk to the director, advance to 3am
Head through Snow's Palace, pick up 1 soul seed along the way

Double Anubys Fight
Debuffs on both, mix firas and blitz to kill
*Can overclock if they are in chaos*

Pick up Serah's Pendant
Head to Snow

Snow
Debuffs, use enfire potion, Fira x 3, Fira x 2, activate overclock, finish fira combo
Fira x 3, use warrior's potion, blitz until overclock finish, overclock blitz to death

Teleport to Jagd Village
Head to Moogle Village
Talk to Head moogle, fight dryads

Dryad
Imperil, Fira x 3
2 x Dryads
Deshell Both, Overclock firas to kill
3x Dryads
Overclock immediately, Blitz x 6 to kill

Talk to Head Moogle, then Mog

*Optional for safety*: Jump gap to get treasure (Healer's Lore)

Talk to Mog again
Teleport to Jagd Village
Head to Poltae, day will end on the way.

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Ark Day 7
Return to Previous Location

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Day 7

Continue to Poltae
Talk to general store
- Buy 2 x Enaero potion, 1 x Enfrost Potion
Head up the hill and do obstacle course to temple
Head up through the temple, pick up chest after 7th Yuel (aeroga)
*chest is skippable if magnet dropped from Chocobo Eater*

Caius
Imperil x 2, Deprotect x 2, use Bravery Potion
Overclock Blitz, Overclock Blitz, Overclock Blitz

Pick up item (Chaos's Revenge)
Teleport to Ruffian

Dead Dunes
Talk to Seed Collector, hand over soul seed and moogle fragment for Soul fragment
Hand in quest with Adonis, use cactuar statue to TP to God's Wrath
Head to Ruins on east side of the map

*Check the pb video for the path through the ruins*

Need an odd hour to get through doors at bottom so can use up to 2 x Chronostasis to manipulate time pre-Gurangatch
Activate Cactuar Statue in front of Sacred Gate
Work through the ruins to pick up 2 x Crux Pieces
Fight Gurangatch on the way
Debuffs, Firas
After Gurangatch grab treasure (Collector's Catalogue)
Pick up 2 x Pilgrim's Crux on the way through
After picking up second Crux Piece, teleport to Ruffian

Head to Shrine at Atomos's Sands, go through and pick up tablet

MENU
Garb 1
Blizzara -> Aeroga (if no magnet)

Garb 2
Kikuichimonji -> Chaos's Revenge

Garb 3
Collector's Catalogue

Teleport to Ruffian
Use cactuar statue to TP to Sacred Gate
Get 3rd Crux piece (Hall next to sacred gate)
Go through Gate to Parandus

Parandus
Use Enaero Potion, use Warrior's Potion
Fira x 3, Fira, Overclock, finish Fira combo, Fira x 3 to stagger
Imperil, Deprotect, Overclock with blitz x 2 to kill

Use Cactuar Statue to teleport to Dry Floodlands
Run up the hill, use Pilgrim's Crux, fight Cactair

Cactair
Magnet + 4 x Overclocks (If Magnet)
Aeroga + 4 x Overclocks (If no magnet)

Teleport to Research Camp
Hand in fragments to Sazh
Teleport to Luxerion North Station
Sleep at Inn until 6am

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Ark Day 8
Return to previous location

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Day 8
Sleep until 6am

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Ark Day 9
Return to previous location
Sleep

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Ark Day 10
Return to previous location
Sleep

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Ark Day 11
Buy 4 x Hero's Potions from Hope
Return to previous location
Sleep

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Ark Day 12
Buy 3 x Hero's Potions from Hope
Return to previous location
Sleep

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Ark Day 13
Grab Decoy chest
Grab upgraded garbs chest

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The Final Day

MENU - Full Set-Up:
Garb 1 - Equilibrium+
Kikuichimonji
Double Cross
Wolf's Emblem
Healer's Lore (if picked up)
Guard
Attack
Imperil

Garb 2 - Dark Muse+
Chaos's Revenge
Dragoon Gauntlet
Fighter's Emblem
Watergod Bracelet
Light Guard
Heavy Slash
(If you have a strength boosting ability put it on)

Garb 3 - Passion Rouge
Battleaxe of the Believer
Night Lotus
Imp's Crest
Collector Catalogue
Deprotect
Guard
Blizzara
Deshell

Guards Fight
Reinforcement Skip:
Overclock immediately, use hero's potion, Heavy Slash x 2, Attack, Heavy slash (1 guard dead)
Overclock Heavy Slash x 2, Attack, Heavy slash (2nd guard dead)
*If you have the extra strength boosting ability you can just heavy slash x 3*
*If you fail reinforcement skip just repeat the process for the 3rd and 4th guard*

Chimera
Imperil, Deprotect, Deshell, Blizzara x 3, Heavy Slash until staggered
Once staggered Overclock, use hero's potion, walk around to his behind
Heavy slash his bum until dead.

Set x 2
Imperil, Deprotect, Heavy Slash, Overclock, Heavy Slash x 3 (1 dead)
Imperil, Deprotect, Heavy Slash, Overclock, Heavy Slash x 3 (2 dead)

*Optional for safety*: Buy 2 x Phoenix Downs from Mog

Bhunivelze (Final Boss)
Basic concept:
- Keep him Imperil'd and Deprotected (Need to double cast on all phases except 4th)
- Keep yourself buffed (you always want at least haste and bravery)
- General Combo with: Attack x 2 or 3, Blizzara x 2, Heavy Slash
- Try to make Heavy Slash the staggering hit (1st to 3rd phase) it does double damage.

1st Phase
Immediately use hero's potion (doom cancels the animation)
Use enfrost potion, use bravery potion (Guard ruingas and physical attacks they will stagger you for ages)
Debuff, use general combo until staggered, keep debuffs up
Once staggered Heavy slash until out of ATB, then overclock and heavy slash until phase is done

2nd Phase
Switch to Garb 3 alternate and mash deprotect and guard so Lightning backs up a long way (e.g. mash Y,X,Y,X,Y,X...)
*Generally back up until ATB is around 30ish*
Cast Decoy (The decoy will fall through the floor due to a glitch with Dynamic Frame Rate making it almost unkillable)
Rebuff, Debuff, use general combo until staggered
Once staggered Heavy slash until out of ATB, then overclock and heavy slashes, overclock and heavy slashes to end phase.
If you don't end the phase with the second overclock guard his explosion attack (you will know when he's doing it)
Then heavy slash until he's dead.

3rd Phase
*How this phase works: After a melee combo he can follow up with X number of attacks (X = the number of buffs he has)
General Combo until staggered
When he is staggered in this phase he gets dazed (Next hit deals double damage) so make it a heavy slash
After he is staggered, rebuff, debuff, Overclock Heavy slashes, Overclock Heavy slashes,
Mix attack and heavy slash until phase ends.

4th Phase (Final Phase)
In this phase you need to stagger him before you can debuff or deal good damage.
To stagger him Blizzara x 3, Blizzara x 2, Overclock all Blizzara, 3x Blizzara, Blizzara x 2, Overclock all Blizzara, Heavy Slash
Rebuff, debuff (only need single casts), mix Attacks and Heavy slashes until dead.
Timer ends when you clear the final results screen.

(This is just a basic concept of bhunivelze, I encourage you to play around with the fight and find a way that best works for you)
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Congrats, you have completed the game.