Topic: Paralysis, Sleep, and Slumber Sword

[Deathlike2]

I didn't want to include Paralysis originally, but it is worth lumping in since it is all related.

I mentioned the Slumber Sword in the Odin post.. and it got me thinking.

I tested the Slumber Sword while on level 99, and it works essentially all the time. When I remember using it at lower levels, it didn't consistantly work... and it got me thinking...

Ever wonder why Hold and Sleep doesn't work when you cast it on yourself? Ever wonder why the Sleep or Paralysis status don't quite work that well unless you have really high levels?

Onto the facts:

Sleep's effectiveness is based on level, like Odin is. The magic version has an additional hassle of being Wisdom based (it is very important for multitargeting the spell). The Slumber Sword does not need Wisdom to power it.

The exception here is that the GBA version has Slumber Sword's Sleep magic behave more like the Apparition/Change Rod (the status change works all the time, barring immunity).

Paralysis's effectiveness is also based on level. The magical versions (Pin, Hold) with the appropriate stat powering them can be boosted, but it is not as significant since it is single targeted.

Both status effects render a target temporarily useless.. but only level and Will/Spirit (for speeding up the timer) as far as I can tell are the way to combat this. Stop is significantly more effective anyways. Ever try to use the Slumber Sword against yourselves? It's pathetic. Ever try to inflict Sleep status with the Catclaw or Paralysis with a Whip on your own guys? It barely works. The D. Fossil (FF2US name) that attacks with paralysis barely paralyzes you. The only monster close to inflicting paralysis successfully is the King-Ryu (FF2US name).. and that goes away when you level up more.

So, there's your status analysis.

One other thing, Sleep doesn't always hit every target. That in itself made this worthy of being researched in the first place.

[Deathlike2]

Updated some info... apparently Will/Spirit combats Sleep and Paralysis (not Agility).

Also, the GBA version makes Sleep, Hold, and Pin much more effective on your own guys... so I could actually test this properly.

[Deathlike2]

Mega 

Wow, I wrote all this stuff and realized I'm waaaaay off.

Here's a quick update:

http://slickproductions.org/forum/index.php?topic=884.0

Sleep and Paralysis physical and magic status attacks (with the exception of the Mage's Mind Blast attack) rely on Agility (both attacker's and target's) to succeed in the SNES version.

I thought it was specific to the Slumber Sword, but the Slumber Sword allows you to see the finer detail since it is normally supposed to work 100% of the time.. but the extra factor in Agility was not properly accounted for.

[Deathlike2]

A worthy 

Charm also falls into the Agility requirement catagory. That would explain why only Edward and Yang/Edge have Charm inflicting weapons. Both gain lots of Agility (although not as much for Yang).

All Sleep inflicting weapons obviously fall under this property.. not just the Slumber Sword... which means that the Dreamer Harp and Catclaw are affected (and enemies to boot). Edward's natural Agility growth and the Catclaw's boost to Agi explains the effectiveness of said weapons.

Of course, Rydia's Whips suffer the most from this until late game... the boosts to inflict Paralysis start from the Flame Whip... which explains a lot really.

Of course, none of this applies to the GBA version.