Lightning Returns (PC) Normal Any%

Lightning Returns (PC) Any% Normal

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

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 (Besides the Graveyard shinies you will need to pick up at least 2 bronzed and 1 silvered medals, or equivalent in gil to ensure you have enough for a shop on Day 6)
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.

NOTE:
Menus show what is being added, and in the case of abilities what is being taken off for an ability to be put on (EXCEPTION, the final menu will be fully laid out).
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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, Blizzard x 2, Thunder x 5, Guard Cancel, Attack x 4 (in Dark Muse)

Niblets (take them first)
Thunder x 5

Anubys 2
Attack x 3 (in Equilibrium), Perfect Guard, Attack until dead (prefer Dark Muse)

Follow Snow, don't buy items from potion guy

Zaltys
Thunder, Blizzard x 2, Thunder x 5, wait for his head to completely finish falling.
Overclock (Once his head drops) -> Attack (All in Dark Muse) until staggered,
Spam attack with overclock until dead

Finish Day 0

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Ark Day 1

Pick up all items (counterclock-wise),
Skip tutorial and discard 1 Potion
Access bookshelf and escape the zaltys fight
Talk to Hope
Buy 4 phoenix downs, 1 warriors potion
Leave the Ark

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Day 1

Accept Quest, run up to Guard and attack him 3 times to fight
Attack and escape guards 3 times, pushes time to 00:00 and skips the quest
Climb ladder and pick up the chest (Fighter's Emblem)
Run to Inn and sleep until 06:00

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Ark Day 2

Talk to Hope about red topics
Pick up chest in Ark (Red Mage, Liberator, Juno Sospita)
Leave Ark

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Day 2

Sleep until 00:00, take the train to Yusnaan

Yusnaan
Run to and examine the chocobo girl poster, then talk to chocobo girl (1 Firework)
Go to outfitters:
- Sell Potion, Phoenix Downs, Juno Sospita
- Buy Velvet Bouncer
Talk to chocobo girl next to outfitters (2 Fireworks)
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
Talk to chocobo girl in alleyway (3 Fireworks)
Teleport to North Station

Luxerion

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

Attack the disciples (Aim for the one with the "!" on his head, otherwise you may get multiple fights)

Disciples
Overclock immediately, Blitz x 2, Guard, Blitz x 2, Guard, Blitz x 3, Blitz any remaining disciples.

Run to the phonebooth by the Graveyard, examine
Pick up all three shinies, run to South Station
On the way grab chest on a ledge up stairs (Magician's Token)
Then buy Seedhunter Membership Card off of Baird
Take the train to Dead Dunes

Dead Dunes
Talk to the conductor sitting down
Talk to the outfitter
- Sell Bronzed Medals, and Silvered Medals
- Buy Passion Rouge

Run to God's Wrath and activate Cactuar Statue,
Turn around and collect chest (Galestrike)
Jump down and walk towards and through the chaos ahead towards the Grave of the Colossi
Pick up Pilgrim's Crux on the way
Activate Cactuar Statue at Grave of the Colossi, run to Ruffian
Accept trial quest from Adonis, activate Cactuar Statue in Ruffian, use statue to go to Grave
Run into the shrine and collect the Tablet
Escape encounters to end the day.

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Ark Day 3

Talk to Hope
- Buy 2 x Warrior's Potion
Warp to Luxerion South Station

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Day 3

Take the train to the Wildlands

Wildlands
Run to Canopus Farms
Talk to the Outfitter
- Buy Woodland Walker

Menu
Garb 1
Woodland Walker
Devil's Daughter
Magician's Token
Swap the positions of Thunder and Aero+

Garb 2
Galestrike

Garb 3
Passion Rouge
Crimson Blitz
Guard
Thunder

Run towards the Chocobo Eater fight and attack it

Chocobo Eater
Use Warrior's Potion, Guard all attacks, Deprotect, Deshell
Deal damage in between attacks keeping at least 55 ATB on Woodland Walker
Once you guard a "BITE", Aero x 3 to stagger, Blitz until out of ATB, then OC + Blitz to kill
*Look for drops: Blizzara, Magnet*

Run back to Canopus Farms, pick up chest in the bushes at Canopus (Imp's Crest)
Talk to Dr Gysahl, feed Green to Chocobo,
Talk to Saralah, feed Green to Chocobo,
Talk to Saralah, accept quest,
Talk to Chocobo Hunter (get item)
Run to Jagd Woods, proceed through towards Cole, pick up 2 fertilisers on the way
Talk to Cole twice, give him the fertiliser,
Pick up 3rd fertiliser after Cole, go in to Jagd Village,
Fall down the back of the village, pick up 4th fertiliser
Teleport to Wildlands Station

*CHANGE FRAME RATE TO FIXED (30FPS) DURING THE LOAD TO AVOID GYSAHL GREEN GLITCH*

Run to Canopus Farms
Hand fertiliser to Saralah, quest complete, talk to Saralah get 5 Vegetable Seeds
Hand all fertilisers to Saralah, plant 4 seeds
Talk to Adventuring Essentials (CHANGE FPS BACK TO DYNAMIC), skip tutorial
- Buy 2 x Vegetable Seeds
Feed an item to Chocobo
Sleep at Inn until 06:00

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Ark Day 4

Talk to Hope
- Buy 2 x Warrior's Potion
Warp to Previous Location (CHANGE FPS BACK TO FIXED)

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Day 4

Talk to General Store
- Buy Enthunder Potion and Enfire Potion
Pick up 3 Greens, replant 3 seeds, feed milk and green to Chocobo (CHANGE FPS BACK TO DYNAMIC DURING LOAD SCREEN)
Sleep until 05:00
Get on Chocobo
Pick up 4 remaining greens
Head to Aryas and pick up chest on right side highway behind the village (Beloved's Gift)
If an encounter spawned near you escape and end the day
If not teleport to Luxerion and sleep until 06:00 (not sure if this is faster than searching for enemies still testing)

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Ark Day 5

Warp to Luxerion North (or Previous Location if slept from Luxerion)

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Day 5

Sleep until 03:00
Finding the Passcode for the phonebooth
Go to the docks, look at the number (don't examine) (4, 5, 6)
Go to chocobo express area, look at number (1, 2, 3)
Go back to phonebooth, it works like this:
- 1st number (1, 2, 3)
- 2nd number (4, 5, 6)
- 3rd number (always 0)
- 4th number (7, 8, 9) <- Guess this one, don't try to force in
(Alternatively you can find the 2nd number and guess the 1st and 4th which turns out faster if you get lucky)
Run through graveyard, at the end pick up Etro's Crest
Teleport to North 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
Battleaxe of the Believer

Garb 3
Imp's Crest

Noel
Deprotect x 2, aero, guard (perfect guard helps stagger)
Aero x 3, switch garbs, throw enthunder potion, (ATB here is tight the garb switch is necessary)
Aero x 2, switch garb guard, thunders until staggered, throw Warrior's Potion
Galestrike x 3, blitz x 2, Overclock, finish blitz combo, blitz until dead.

Pick up red shiny (Shadow Hunter)
Teleport to Jagd Village

Wildlands
Feed all greens to Chocobo, get on Chocobo and head towards the Emerite Plains
Before dropping into the plains grab chest on a cliff to the left (Watergod's Bracelet)
Head over to the Research Camp to unlock the teleport point
Grab the chest (blizzara) behind the camp if no blizzara drop
Go over to Sazh's airship, talk to Sazh and pick up chest outside (1st Soul Fragment)
Get on Chocobo and find an encounter to escape and end the day.

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Ark Day 6

Warp to Ruffian

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Day 6

Use Cactuar Statue to go to God's Wrath
Run up to the tornado to fight the Gurangatch for Adonis' quest

Gurangatch
Deprotect, Deshell, Aero x 3, Aero, Overclock, finish Aero Combo,
Aero x 3 to Stagger, Blitz until dead

Head back down into the chaos to farm Sahagins for Imperil (15% chance, 30% in chaos)
(Saving before the fight and reloading afterwards is allowed to respawn chaos)

Sahagin
Deprotect, Deshell, Aero x 6 to stagger, blitz until out of ATB, Overclock, Blitz until dead

After getting an Imperil drop head to Dry Floodlands Shrine, pick up Pilgrim's crux on the hill on the way
Activate Cactuar Statue before heading inside to get the Tablet.

Menu
Garb 1
Blizzara
Imperil

Garb 2
Watergod's Bracelet

Garb 3
Shadow Hunter

Teleport to Yusnaan

Yusnaan
Talk to Chocolina
Hand in the Key to Her Heart quest to get the second Soul Fragment
Run up the stairs on the left and jump across the awnings,
Jump around and follow the ledge below around to grab a chest (Wolf's Emblem)
Head towards the industrial area, talk to the guy and wait until 6pm
Talk again and go through the industrial zone,
Talk to General Store on the way (If he isn't spooked)
Buy 2 x Bravery Potions
Continue through the industrial zone towards Cyclops

Cyclops
Throw a Warrior's Potion, Imperil, Deprotect, Deshell, Aero x 3
Blitz, Guard, Blitz x 3, Aero x 3, Blitz x 2, Aero, spam stuff if not dead
*Watch for drops: Magnet*

Move through the rest of the industrial area, pick up ID card off skeletons,
Once through the industrial area, go to Augur's Quarter using ID card
Talk to director, buy Bravery potions here if not already purchased
Talk to firework's boss to get Note, then run up stairs for the chest (Thorn of Will)
Run to the Cactuar Monument and talk to fireworks guy next to it (6 Fireworks)
Continue towards the Champion's Quarter,
Talk to the Forge
- Sell Scaramax, Devil's Daughter, any medals to make your Gil total at least 14,400
- Buy Kikuikimonji, Dragoon Gauntlet

Menu
Garb 1
Double Cross
Thorn of Will
Gaurd -> Magnet (If dropped)

Garb 2
Kikuichimonji
Dragoon Gauntlet

Garb 3
Night Lotus

Talk to chocobo girl around the corner (7 Fireworks)
Talk to the fireworks guy near the Slaughterhouse (10 Fireworks)
Head back to the Boss and hand in the fireworks
*Avoid a kid in a yellow shirt, he will steal your fireworks*
After handing in fireworks, talk to the director
Head to the Slaughterhouse and do the fights

Gremlins
Magnet x 3, Blitz to kill
No Magnet:
Blitz to kill all

Anubys
Imperil, Deprotect, Deshell, Blizzara x 3, Thunder x 5 to stagger, Blitz to kill

Zaltys
Imperil, Deprotect, Deshell, Blizzara x 3, Thunder x 5 to stagger, Blizzara, Galestrike, Blitz x 3 to kill

Zaltys (for the Soul Fragment)
Imperil, Deprotect, Deshell, Blizzara x 3, Thunder x 5 to stagger, Blizzara, Galestrike, Blitz x 3 to kill

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

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, Deshell, Fira x 3

2 x Dryads
Imperil, Deshell Both, Firas to kill
*Try not to hit 1 with aoe damage, if they are under 30% HP they summon*

3x Dryads
Overclock immediately, Blitz x 6 to kill

Talk to Head Moogle, then Mog
Jump gap to get treasure (Healer's Lore)
Talk to Mog again
Run outside the village to escape an encounter ending the day

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Ark Day 7
Warp to Jagd Village

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Day 7

Head 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 or Cyclops*

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
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 escape encounters to manipulate time
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, Blitz
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
Talk to Seed Collector, hand over soul seed and moogle fragment for Soul fragment
Sleep at inn until 05:00
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

Escape an encounter to end the day

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Ark Day 8
Warp to Ruffian

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Day 8

Use Cactuar Statue to go to Dry Floodlands
Run up the hill to the right and use a pilgrim's crux to clear tornado
Fight Cactair

Cactair (Magnet)
Magnet until out of ATB, Overclock, Magnet until out of ATB, Overclock, Magnet until dead
(No Magnet)
Aeroga until out of ATB (switching to velvet bouncer to guard cancel), Overclock, Aeroga until out of ATB,
Overclock, Aeroga until dead

Teleport to Ruffian
Sleep until 06:00

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Ark Day 9
Warp to Previous Location

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Day 9

Use Cactuar Statue to go to Sacred Gate
Take path to the left to collect the final Crux Piece
Head through the large door to fight Parandus

Parandus
Use Enaero Potion, use Warrior's Potion
Fira x 3, Fira, Overclock, finish Fira combo, Fira x 3 to stagger
Imperil, Deprotect, Blitz x 3, Overclock + Blitz, Blitz x 3, Overclock + Blitz, Blitz more if not dead

Walk out the door to trigger cutscene with Fang, then teleport to Research Camp

Research Camp
Run over to Sazh using Chocobo
Teleport to Luxerion North Station
Sleep at Inn until 6am

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Ark Day 10
Warp to Previous Location

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Day 10
Sleep until 06:00

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Ark Day 11
Buy 4 x Hero's Potions from Hope
Warp to Previous Location

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Day 11
Sleep until 06:00

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Ark Day 12
Buy 3 x Hero's Potions from Hope
Warp to Previous Location

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Day 12
Sleep Until 06:00

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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
Guard
Attack
Imperil

Garb 2 - Dark Muse+
Chaos's Revenge
Dragoon Gauntlet
Fighter's Emblem
Watergod Bracelet
Thunder
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
(Reinforcement Skip)
Wait a little over 1 second, Overclock, Hero's Potion, Heavy Slash x 2, Attack, Heavy slash
Switch targets, Deprotect x 2, Imperil x 2, Attack x 4, Heavy Slash (1 Guard dead)
Heavy Slash (2nd Guard dead)
*If you fail reinforcement skip, debuff and kill other guards but you CANNOT afford another OC*

(No Reinforcement Skip)
Deprotect x 2, Imperil x 2, Attack x 4, Heavy Slash, repeat for each guard, can OC if out of ATB

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, mix Attacks and Heavy Slashes, repeat for 2nd Anubys

Talk to Mog
- Buy 2 x Phoenix Downs OR 1 X-Potion and 1 Phoenix Down (which depends on preference)

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 hit him with some attacks and heavy slashes, guard Wings of Destruction
After Wings of Destruction he will change his element,
Fire = you good, you have enfrost
Ice = throw enaero potion, avoid using blizzara (Hardest to deal with)
Thunder = good, throw enaero potion for the damage buff
Wind = neutral, stick with enfrost
General combo until staggered, then mix attacks and heavy slashes until phase is done

3rd Phase (This is the hardest 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)
Try to guard most attacks if they are coming right at you (He will always target your decoy)
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
If you run out of ATB overclock to ensure you both stagger with heavy slash and hit the daze with heavy slash
CAREFUL: Your bravery should run out around about staggering time so keep an eye on it to ensure you have bravery
when you stagger and hit the daze.
If he uses Almagest, guard it, unless you are on the other side (He will target your decoy)
After stagger general combo until you finish the phase.

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, Thunder x 3, Blizzara x 3, Overclock, Blizzaras until out of OC
Blizzara x 3, Blizzara x 2, Thunders until staggered
Rebuff if need, Deprotect, Imperil, 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 rhythm that best works for you)
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Congrats, you have completed the game in a somewhat speedy fashion.