[Formula] XP gain and Lv99 trick

[Wolkendrache]

It seems S2 uses the same or a similar formula as/to S1. The major difference is that in S2 the Exp gained is simply divided by all characters that survived, while in S1 it is divided by all party members, but only the survivors get their share. Celes explained this here:
http://www.suikosource.com/phpBB3/viewt ... =8&t=10150

The following table shows you how much a single survivor gains after a fight. It doesn’t cover the Exp gain from enemies of the same level or below, because that’s not too relevant in view of the Lv99 trick. You can actually use this list to calculate any Exp outcome from fighting stronger enemies. Here we go:

Enemy level is higher by 1 -> 400 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 2 -> 900 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 3 -> 1600 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 4 -> 2600 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 5 -> 3900 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 6 -> 5100 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 7 -> 6000 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 8 -> 6900 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 9 -> 7500 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 10 -> 8000 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 11 -> 8500 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 12 -> 9000 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 13 -> 9300 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 14 -> 9700 Exp per enemy
Enemy level is higher by 15 or more -> 10000 Exp per enemy (this is the maximum)

Explanation:
Character X Lv10 defeats Enemy Lv11 -> gains 400 Exp
Character Y Lv9 defeats Enemy Lv11 -> gains 900 Exp
Character X Lv10 and Y Lv9 together defeat Enemy Lv11 -> X gains 200 Exp, Y gains 450 Exp (individual Exp outcome is divided by the number of survivors -> individual gains)
Character X Lv1 defeats Enemy*6 Lv99 -> gains 60000Exp

Lv99 without the Fortune Rune
Without the Fortune Rune, the maximum Exp you gain is 60000 by fighting a group of 6 enemies which are 15 levels (or more) higher than your character. Due to the max cap, characters below Lv39 can’t jump to Lv99, so a Lv38 will end up at Lv98, a Lv37 character at Lv97, and so on. There are only few enemy combinations that can make your character jump to Lv99:
- A Lv39 or Lv40 character fighting Pixie*6 (Lv55 in Rakutei Mountain #2) will reach Lv99. Even a Lv41 character will reach Lv99, because 9700 Exp multiplied by 6 equals 58200, added to the 41000 that character already has equals 99200, which means Lv99 with 200 Exp (I have tested a Lv40 and Lv41 character, it worked). A Lv42 character with 995 Exp will gain 9300*6 = 55800 Exp, so s/he will end up at Lv98 and 795 Exp.
- A Lv39 character fighting IronClaw*6 (Lv54 in Rakutei Mountian #2) will reach Lv99. A Lv40 character would need at least 800 Exp to end up at Lv99, because 9700*6 = 58200; 58200+40800 = 99000.
- Fighting 1 Commander + 5 Highlands at L’Renouille is a little more complicated to calculate because the Commander is Lv56 and the Highlands Lv54. In fact, I’m not 100% on this, but a Lv41 character with 500 Exp should end up at exactly Lv98, because: 9300*5 = 46500 (5 Highlands); the commander gives 10000 Exp; 41500+10000+46500 = 98000. A Lv40 character with 500 Exp should end up at exactly Lv99, because: 9700*5 = 48500; 40500+10000+48500 = 99000.
An enemy must have at least Lv54, and there must be 6 of them, then this group can be used to make a Lv39 character jump to Lv99. These enemies can be found in Rakutei Mountain #2, L’Renouille Area, L’Renouille Castle, and Tenzan Pass. However, I don’t know if there are more enemy groups of 6 in these areas than those I’ve mentioned above.

Lv99 with the Fortune Rune
As you know, the Fortune Rune doubles the Exp you gain. This is why there are so many different enemy groups you can fight to make a character jump to Lv99, it all depends on the level of that character and/or the level of the enemies. If you fight 6 enemies that are 15 or more levels higher, you gain 120000 Exp, meaning 120 levels, meaning Lv99 guaranteed. In fact, any enemy group of 6 and 11 levels (or more) higher will get you Lv99 guaranteed. And any group of 5 and 15 levels (or more) higher will get you Lv99 guaranteed. Even groups of less than 5 can get you to Lv99. Of course I will not list all the possible enemy groups, I’ll just give a few examples to make the formulae clear, so you can calculate everything by yourself. Here we go:
- Why is Lv49 the highest level to shoot a character to Lv99 by fighting the Pixies at Rakutei? Pixies are 6 levels higher than 49, so they give a character 5100 Exp each. 5100*6 = 30600, multiplied by 2 because of Fortune Rune equals 61200; 49000+61200 = 110200, which is Lv99. However, a Lv50 character gets only 3900 Exp from a Pixie. 3900*6 = 23400, multiplied by 2 equals 46800; 50000+46800 = 96800. Even if you had 999Exp, you’ll end up at only Lv97 with 799 Exp.
- While testing, I haven’t met a group of 3 Pixies at Rakutei #2, but let’s assume it exists. You beat them with a Lv40 character: 10000*3 = 30000; 30000*2 = 60000 (Fortune Rune); 40000+60000 = 100000, that’s Lv99.
- Fighting Minos*5 (Lv23) at the Cave of the Wind with a Lv11 character: 9000*5 = 45000; 45000*2 = 90000; 11000+90000 = 101000, that’s Lv99. Lv<11 gets Lv99 anyway.
- EyeFlower*6 (Lv45) at Greenhill Area #3 with a Lv39 character: (5100*6*2)+39000 = 100200, that’s Lv99. Lv<39 gets Lv99 anyway.

I’ve done one more test: I thought that if a Lv40 character w/o Fortune Rune can reach Lv99 by fighting 6 Pixies, then with Fortune Rune s/he should be able to reach Lv99 even with one more survivor. I used Humphrey and Futch, both at Lv40, and gave Futch the Fortune Rune. According to the list above, Futch should end up at Lv99 because: (10000*6*2/2)+40000 = 100000. Humphrey should end up at Lv70 because: (10000*6/2)+40000 = 70000. It worked! Keep in mind that doing this is not very useful; I just did it to verify the Exp distribution formula.

Apart from the Lv99 trick, the above list can be used to calculate any Exp outcome for all individual survivors of a fight against stronger enemies.

[Omnigamer]

Isn't the table already listed in the bestiary? That's what I've been using to calculate for some time now.

http://www.suikosource.com/games/gs2/gu ... legend.php

[Wolkendrache]

Sorry, I wasn’t lucky enough to stumble on that “view legend” subpage.

This thread is a good addition to the table, as it gives examples of how it works and what it means, and players not too familiar with the XP system can ask questions. Moreover this thread is probably easier to find than that subpage.

[Wolkendrache]

The most comfortable way to have everyone at Lv99, unfortunately based on coincidence…

On my last playthrough a well-known glitch came into effect, causing Georg, Hoi, LC Chan, Mazus and Pesmerga join at Lv99, so I didn’t need to keep Riou at Lv39. Since I didn’t recruit Abizboah, I could use the Lv99 trick on every remaining character except Genshu.

The only thing left to do is doing the trick against the Beast Rune (all Lv75). Genshu must be at least Lv49 (he will) and Lv67 at most: (6900*5)+67000 = 101500. I know you can’t use Lv99 Genshu anymore, but at least you can check the stone tablet and watch every playable SoD at Lv99.

I guess that’s the only way to have every character at Lv99 without tedious playing like leveling someone the hard way or keeping Riou at Lv39. The only problem is nobody knows how to trigger the glitch afaik.

[ninjaluc79]

The most comfortable way to have everyone at Lv99, unfortunately based on coincidence…

On my last playthrough a well-known glitch came into effect, causing Georg, Hoi, LC Chan, Mazus and Pesmerga join at Lv99, so I didn’t need to keep Riou at Lv39. Since I didn’t recruit Abizboah, I could use the Lv99 trick on every remaining character except Genshu.

The only thing left to do is doing the trick against the Beast Rune (all Lv75). Genshu must be at least Lv49 (he will) and Lv67 at most: (6900*5)+67000 = 101500. I know you can’t use Lv99 Genshu anymore, but at least you can check the stone tablet and watch every playable SoD at Lv99.

I guess that’s the only way to have every character at Lv99 without tedious playing like leveling someone the hard way or keeping Riou at Lv39. The only problem is nobody knows how to trigger the glitch afaik.

Is the EXP from the Beast Rune calculated as one enemy, or as five parts of the same one?

If it's the latter, Genshu can be Lv68 with 995 EXP and still beat the Beast Rune with only him surviving. IIRC, levels carry over to the previous save.

(6000 * 5) + 68995 = 98995. He will only need one more battle to get to Lv99 that way.

DO NOT SAVE THE GAME AFTER BEATING THE BEAST RUNE. After that, kill Riou off, "Don't give up", return to last save. Now you can use Lv99 Genshu. Problem solved.

Of course, if levels DO NOT carry over to the previous save, then you can use the hard grind as a way to grind money to get everyone's weapons maxed out, as weapon upgrading is mighty expensive.

[Wolkendrache]

I did the calculation for the latter case (5 times XP), but I guess it won't work. I mean otherwise every single survivor would have jumped to Lv99, unless over Lv68.
My hypothesis was wrong, I guess. Stupid Genshu... Stupid Beast Rune... Stupid me.

[ninjaluc79]

You can try these.

L'Renouille - Commander + Highlands*5
= 6000 + 3900 * 5 = 25500
Genshu Lv49 500EXP
= 49500 + 25500 = 75000
= Genshu Lv75

Mt. Rakutei - Pixie*6
= 5100 * 6 = 30600
Genshu Lv49 400EXP
= 49400 + 30600 = 80000
= Genshu Lv 80

If you don't want to grind with the Beast Rune, you can try Mt. Rakutei, but the downside is you have to bring Humphrey and Futch with you.

If you don't want to bring Futch and Humphrey along, you can always try L'Renouille.

It's really sad that there's no easy way to power-level Genshu as he is, but you can always use the opportunity of grinding him to Lv99 to get everyone's weapons maxed out and farm for rare runes and items.