FFXIII: Defeating Cid Raines?

[Jack Lias]

You know, it took me a long time to find the forum for Final Fantasy XIII. The forum index showed it going from FFXII and skipping straight to FFXIV. Maybe a forum renaming is in order, since I'm sure I'm not the only one who didn't realize that FFXIII is also called "Fabula Nova Crystallis".

Anyways, onto the meat of my post...

I picked up this game for the X-Box 360 last week. It's a good game, and overall, I enjoy it. However, I have come to a difficult spot, and I really want to finish this game. My collection of unfinished RPGs is vaster than all the earth's oceans. I've only beaten about 4 out of... a possible 30-40 games in my collection. All are RPGs.

So, here is the problem: Cid Raines kicks my ass. I've scoured GameFAQs for many different strategies, but none have worked. So, it'd be awesome if some of you could give me some help in this regard.

Oh, and before anyone mentions the use of these items, I'll say it now: I am completely out of the items that you use before starting a battle, so I can't use them to defeat Cid Raines.

Any strategies that don't involve using those items?

Thanks in advance!

[SoulEaterQUEEN]

You know, it took me a long time to find the forum for Final Fantasy XIII. The forum index showed it going from FFXII and skipping straight to FFXIV. Maybe a forum renaming is in order, since I'm sure I'm not the only one who didn't realize that FFXIII is also called "Fabula Nova Crystallis".

Anyways, onto the meat of my post...

I picked up this game for the X-Box 360 last week. It's a good game, and overall, I enjoy it. However, I have come to a difficult spot, and I really want to finish this game. My collection of unfinished RPGs is vaster than all the earth's oceans. I've only beaten about 4 out of... a possible 30-40 games in my collection. All are RPGs.

So, here is the problem: Cid Raines kicks my ass. I've scoured GameFAQs for many different strategies, but none have worked. So, it'd be awesome if some of you could give me some help in this regard.

Oh, and before anyone mentions the use of these items, I'll say it now: I am completely out of the items that you use before starting a battle, so I can't use them to defeat Cid Raines.

Any strategies that don't involve using those items?

Thanks in advance!

Okay I defeated this boss on my first try, and usually that isn't always the case for me. I won't be able to give you a specific strategy since I don't remember this boss too well, but I can try and give you some tips. Don't worry I didn't use any items for this boss.

I do remember that he does switch forms a lot, and one form he casts some nasty status effects and he also debuffs me. I believe my party set up for this one was Hope, Lightning and Fang. I remember I had Hope periodically buff (protect, shell, etc.) on me EVEN if the boss would always take it off. These buffs made a huge difference in the fight, and also I had him curing my status ailments. One thing I do suggest though is when you have Hope doing this, you might want to have Fang on Sentinental, so she can draw Cid out, and keep up her defense, and have Lightning act as a medic to keep everyone alive. Hope takes a bit of time to buff everyone.

Also when you are fully buffed, you will either need to have 2 ravagers present, and have Fang as commando, or even 2 commandos and one ravager. The point is that you'll have chances where you'll need to go all out with him. But BE QUICK on when he starts pummeling you. I believe there is a certain attack that he does like a combo on you, just make sure you have a medic out to fully back you up.

I do remember this fight being kinda long, but what I always do for every boss battle is that I always buff up, and when I feel confident enough I'll have everyone damage dealing, and when I feel slightly nervous, I'll have a sentinal, a medic and a commando as a combination. But when you start reading this guy's deadly attack, before he even starts doing it, make sure you have a medic out right away to heal you even while he does damage on you.

I hope this helps a little!

[Jack Lias]

I forgot to mention it before, but part of the problem I had is with his doom timer. That thing just... ended me. Anyways, I can try your suggestion, but use Fang (Commando and Sentinel), Hope (Ravager, Medic, and Defensive Synergist), and Sazh (Ravager and Offensive Synergist). I'm thinking that the offensive buffs will be as necessary as the defensive ones for me to beat this guy before my doom timer hits zero.

[Depu Techiikue]

Personally speaking, my most successful party was Lightning, Hope, and Fang. I never used anyone else from Chapter 10 and on. This was my exact Paradigm setup for the entire game (which I just beat a few days ago, actually):

Aggression: Lightning - Commando, Hope - Ravager, Fang - Commando
Delta Attack: Lightning - Commando, Hope - Ravager, Fang - Sentinel
Relentless Assault: Lightning - Ravager, Hope - Ravager, Fang - Commando
Soliditary: Lightning - Commando, Hope - Medic, Fang - Sentinel
Combat Clinic: Lightning - Medic, Hope - Medic, Fang - Sentinel
Evened Odds: Lightning - Medic, Hope - Synergist, Fang - Sabotuer
Have "Aggression" as your active Paradigm, which will open up with a pwnsome onslaught. When your party's HP gets into the yellow, you can switch to "Evened Odds" to allow your party to heal and buff while dropping his stats. When your stats are buffed to your satisfaction, you can switch back to Aggression.

Having Fang be a sentinel is good because she can use Mediguard, which allows her to restore HP while defending. So, "Delta Attack" is also useful. When she is a Sentinel, she draws enemy attention to herself and only takes 1/3 of normal damage. This also allows you to Blindside with Lightning and deal 1.5 damage.

I also beat him on my first try, so hopefully this strategy will do you some good. :)